ACell, a Current Review of Applications in Hair Transplant Surgery

[Gary Hitzig MD]

Only a handful of Physicians have reached out to me--and those are the ones who want to learn how to use ACell in specific instances, such as in keloid improvement after a botched laser tatoo removal attempt. Physicians such as Dr. Mcgrath, Dr. Niebloski, and Dr. DeYarmin have reached out multiple times to help them understand the product and its correct application as well as how to keep out of trouble and obtain the best possible results. The ones conducting their "Clinical Studies" have not!

In my practice, we have been working with ACell and its various applications in hair regrowth and duplication, wound healing, scar improvement, beard and scalp hair plucking, combination with PRP/Arterial Blood serum etc. since it was approved by the FDA in wound healing in September, 2008. Jerry Cooley and I have kept the whole idea quiet for over 2 years while we slowly learned the correct way to use the product. We didn't become experts overnight!

As you are sure to see, the ones who "fail" in their so called Clinical Trials will be quick to blame the product, not the practitioner---Sad But True.

We are constantly moving on. For example,we are now starting to work with an established Company that can isolate and concentrate one's own Adult Stem Cells from the PRP/Arterial Serum. We will be starting this month combining this with Specific particle size Matristem (Yes not all Acell is the same--most don't know this) prior to scalp injections--Exciting Stuff especially in light of the recent research released last week. This Bolus of Adult Stem Cells should help improve the speed of recovery and perhaps the results---Keep Tuned

[Westonci]

Only a handful of Physicians have reached out to me--and those are the ones who want to learn how to use ACell in specific instances, such as in keloid improvement after a botched laser tatoo removal attempt. Physicians such as Dr. Mcgrath, Dr. Niebloski, and Dr. DeYarmin have reached out multiple times to help them understand the product and its correct application as well as how to keep out of trouble and obtain the best possible results. The ones conducting their "Clinical Studies" have not!

In my practice, we have been working with ACell and its various applications in hair regrowth and duplication, wound healing, scar improvement, beard and scalp hair plucking, combination with PRP/Arterial Blood serum etc. since it was approved by the FDA in wound healing in September, 2008. Jerry Cooley and I have kept the whole idea quiet for over 2 years while we slowly learned the correct way to use the product. We didn't become experts overnight!

As you are sure to see, the ones who "fail" in their so called Clinical Trials will be quick to blame the product, not the practitioner---Sad But True.

We are constantly moving on. For example,we are now starting to work with an established Company that can isolate and concentrate one's own Adult Stem Cells from the PRP/Arterial Serum. We will be starting this month combining this with Specific particle size Matristem (Yes not all Acell is the same--most don't know this) prior to scalp injections--Exciting Stuff especially in light of the recent research released last week. This Bolus of Adult Stem Cells should help improve the speed of recovery and perhaps the results---Keep Tuned

Can you give us a ballpark estimate of how much Acell+Arterial Blood/PRP injections would cost.

I know that for PRP alone is about $1000

[KeepHoping]

Dr. Rassman who is conducting his big trail with Acell has not contacted you or Dr. Cooley to ask about how to go about the plucking procedure!? This would be a disappointment, I don't understand why he wouldn't contact at least one of you to understand how to do the procedure. I'm wondering how he could possibly know how to conduct the trail efficiently without prior knowledge of the product he's utilizing.

[Gary Hitzig MD]

I believe the injection procedure costs between $2-3000 when utilizing a large amount of ACell and of course depending on the size of the area to be treated. Each case is individualized.

Dr. Rassman passed me in Boston at the meetings after my presentation several times, looked at me but never stopped to talk. Dr. Limmer made a point of sitting with me and discussing it along with several other well known practitioners. Dr. Rassman has never contacted me then or since. I believe he had a very brief general phone conversation with Dr. Cooley. I guess he doesn't need any further guidance for his "Clinical Study"

[KeepHoping]

With the amount of cloning that goes on with the implementation of the Acell/PRP/Needling could you estimate that 500 grafts looks more like a transplant of 1000 grafts or more? There are claims that it's 3 hairs to every 1 implanted, is this empirical data or documented hair counts? I feel like if you are really getting so much more hair than is actually transplanted it's time for me to take the plunge, I'm going to wait to see the pictures and the results that come over the next few months but I'm hoping this new type of procedure comes to fruition sooner than anticipated. Thanks for working so hard and responding to these posts. I want to tell you hair loss is extremely difficult to deal with as I'm sure you know and I myself and I assume many others are immensely grateful for your work.

[ejj]

I met Dr Rassman about ten years ago. At the time he was very enthusiastic about larger transplant sessions , he showed me a patient in surgery who was having a session of about 3000 grafts .Not many Drs could do this back then , however Dr Rassman` embraced` the technology / procedure and offered it to his patients to limit the amount of procedures they may need .

I would find it strange being the type of Dr that he is , that he would dismiss any new technology that could be of benefit to his patients .

Perhaps he feels that the long term results of (acell /plucking remain`unknown ` and is taking a cautious approach .
Regards

Ejj

[Bakez]

Lets be honest, at the moment we have no proof from Dr Hitzig.

If anyone has learnt anything about hairloss, it is that you should treat pretty much everything as utter BS until you see it with your own eyes.

Dont believe it until your see it.

[rapunzal]

Dr. Rassman passed me in Boston at the meetings after my presentation several times, looked at me but never stopped to talk. Dr. Limmer made a point of sitting with me and discussing it along with several other well known practitioners. Dr. Rassman has never contacted me then or since. I believe he had a very brief general phone conversation with Dr. Cooley. I guess he doesn't need any further guidance for his "Clinical Study"

How about this for a novel idea ? Clinics that intend to conduct various trials could publish in a public forum how they intend to undertake the trials, what protocols they will use, procedures, goals, etc, etc. Why ? so that every clinic that wants to be involved doesnt simply duplicate another clinics work which is a wasted effort. If one clinic is doing a trial one way, perhaps another clinic can then opt to use a slightly different protocol. At the end results will be published and the better approach debated and adopted. Why should two clinics build two identical roads from point A to B when one could commence building a road from B to C.

Perhaps this mindset is just too forward thinking in a non transparent industry that is still too busy thinking about how to improve a trichophytic closure.

[SilverSurfer]

Rapunzal,
It is weird how you have been trying to shift the topic over and over again focusing on what interests you the most. Are you somehow related to this industry and are looking to find out how the ACell and autoplucking etc works but have been hesitant of contacting Dr Hitzig and Dr Cooley? Because if you are, you would be better off giving them a call instead of ranting about the future of the HT industry, distribution channels for HM possibilities, making a blog for 'clinics' to post their procedures, protocols, etc etc.(In other words, please I want to know how it works, tell me tell me but I am afraid of asking)

We are all here interested in asking Dr Hitzig questions about these new procedures and their benefits, if you are good. If your interest is economical or otherwise, please be straight forward and honest about your intentions.
'How about this for a novel idea?'

[SilverSurfer]

Dr Hitzig,
Thanks for the advances you and Dr Cooley have made possible in the field. I am very interested in the autoplucking technique since my donnor was depleted and compromised by a pseudo FUE clinic. I would like to fill in my hairline (it has a gap of a bout 1.5 cm by 15 cm or 22 sq cm) and some of the space between the midscalp and frontal third(about 10 sq cm) Do you think something like this would be possible through the autoplucking technique? What about trying to fill in some of the bald areas in my donnor also?
Again thanks for everything.