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How Treatment of Hair Follicles Out of the Body May Influence Post-Transplant Growth
In order to increase the ultimate survival, caliber, and even the rate at which hair follicles grow after transplantation, patients and physicians alike are looking for methods to best care for them when they are in the precarious state out of the body. Dr. Carlos K. Wesley and his colleague, Dr. Robin Unger, will lecture to fellow physicians on "New Frontiers in Surgical Hair Restoration" at the Mount Sinai Medical Center Multi-Specialty Spring Symposium in New York City in which he will discuss the various advancements in hair follicle storage prior to transplantation.
Sentiment in the field of surgical hair restoration is increasingly favoring the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) as a possible storage solution to achieve the three goals stated above. Dr. Wesley has even noted anecdotally the benefit of incorporating PRP into the intra-operative graft storage process as patients appear to produce transplanted hair growth slightly earlier than the standard timeline at which transplanted hairs are normally appreciated.
While these observations related to PRP are promising, the mystery behind this product remains: What is it about PRP that may produce this benefit? Is there a particular element within the autologous solution that is most critical in the stimulation of hair growth and development? To shed light on this question, Drs. Wesley and Unger collaborated with immunologists at Mt. Sinai Medical Center to investigate the following variables on hair characteristics:
By directly correlating the specific characteristics of the PRP solution with the degree of influence it has on hair characteristics, we will better understand the nature of this product and, ultimately, ensure the most consistently beneficial results.
This two-day CME event entitled "Advances in Facial Reconstruction & Cosmetic Surgery: A Hands-On Cadaver Workshop & Board Review Program" will be held on June 1st & June 2nd 2013. This symposium is one of the few in the country, which will combine traditional lectures with workshops on human cadavers as well as live patient demonstration.
The purpose of this symposium is to bring together leading surgeons from all the core specialties who perform reconstructive and cosmetic surgery (plastic surgery; dermatologic surgery; facial plastic surgery; ocular plastic surgery and oral maxillary facial surgery) in order to educate and advance this growing field.
Sentiment in the field of surgical hair restoration is increasingly favoring the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) as a possible storage solution to achieve the three goals stated above. Dr. Wesley has even noted anecdotally the benefit of incorporating PRP into the intra-operative graft storage process as patients appear to produce transplanted hair growth slightly earlier than the standard timeline at which transplanted hairs are normally appreciated.
While these observations related to PRP are promising, the mystery behind this product remains: What is it about PRP that may produce this benefit? Is there a particular element within the autologous solution that is most critical in the stimulation of hair growth and development? To shed light on this question, Drs. Wesley and Unger collaborated with immunologists at Mt. Sinai Medical Center to investigate the following variables on hair characteristics:
- The degree of physiologic concentration of platelets in PRP
- The specific concentration of certain growth factors thought to be involved in the stimulation cascade:
◦ Endothelial derived growth factor (EGF)
◦ Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
◦ Two different forms of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) - The type of influence on hair phenotype the use of PRP has including:
◦ hair mass
◦ hair density
◦ hair caliber
By directly correlating the specific characteristics of the PRP solution with the degree of influence it has on hair characteristics, we will better understand the nature of this product and, ultimately, ensure the most consistently beneficial results.
This two-day CME event entitled "Advances in Facial Reconstruction & Cosmetic Surgery: A Hands-On Cadaver Workshop & Board Review Program" will be held on June 1st & June 2nd 2013. This symposium is one of the few in the country, which will combine traditional lectures with workshops on human cadavers as well as live patient demonstration.
The purpose of this symposium is to bring together leading surgeons from all the core specialties who perform reconstructive and cosmetic surgery (plastic surgery; dermatologic surgery; facial plastic surgery; ocular plastic surgery and oral maxillary facial surgery) in order to educate and advance this growing field.
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