Article on piloscopy...

[nameless]

can dr. wesley at least give us a timeline when he will reveal all the secrets? will it be this year, or next year? or even 2016?

hasn't he already patented all stuff? why not talk about it?

at least he can tell us one word regarding donor regeneration. is it reality or not? if yes, to what degree? is it even part of the goal he wants to achieve or is it only about the instruments to provide a scarless procedure?

it's so frustrating being in the dark. it makes us all angry.

I agree. We are only asking about the regeneration. Is it real and to what degree? If And how long does it take to regenerate? If it takes 6 months then if we want a lot of new hair it will require lots of time so that we can keep re-harvesting the same place. But if it regenerates fast then we can get a lot of coverage fast. We need answers to just a few questions:

1. Is there regeneration?

2. How much regeneration? 10% or what percent?

3. If there's regeneration how long does it take before the same areas can be harvested again and again?

[garethbale]

I'm so anxious to hear more on this.

It it's reasonable affordable, will allow a HT without shaving and offers possible regeneration I will be all over this. Otherwise I will just go to Turkey for standard FUE

Tired of waiting around for all these companies and products

[Carlos Wesley, MD]

Thank you for your replies, all, and I will try my best to address each of your points.

First off, we don't charge $20K. Fees have not even been determined at this clinical stage of piloscopy. The journalist was simply referring to the range of prices currently charged by different surgeons throughout the world (about $3K to $20K). That is simply all that she meant.

ShookOnes: I appreciate your research, but those investigations do not relate to our use of ACell (we are not placing it in a strip nor are we plucking hairs). As I mentioned in my original presentation, the application of ACell will parallel that used in Dr. Cooley's donor area study (see image below). The proposed difference is this: the piloscopic approach may leave the overlying hair fragment in place within its native environment. Incorportion of ACell (e.g. an ACell 'flush' of the underlying pilosocpic plane) coupled with the native environment holds promise of a percentage of the overlying donor fragments resuming their growth cycle. As our instrument development primarily has taken place on cadaveric tissue, this has not been the recent focus. Neither has hair growth - as both donor hair regeneration and new hair growth would be quite disturbing findings on a cadaveric scalp!! This also speaks to Joachim's point: there was never a mysterious presentation to Spencer or to anyone. It was my presentation of the similarities between Cooley's findings and our approach coupled with the potentially-advantageous differences that truly Spencer understood and shared my excitement for its potential. I have never promised this phenomenon, but do believe in its promise.

Perhaps, most importantly, I would like to respond to hellouser's statement that the "delays" are "embarrassing". The first promise we make as physicians is "First, do no harm." While we have been working diligently to develop instrumentation that meets quality assurance standards and provides a safe and effective method to improve upon the status quo, a number of responsibilities (regulatory, manufacturing, investigational review board, sterilization studies, instrument cleaning assurances, etc.) also come into play. Having a busy practice in NYC to maintain as these are all taking place, it's in nobody's best interest to let any of these important items slip through the cracks. I personally, would feel more reassured than embarrassed knowing that an instrument is being carefully designed rather than hastily thrown together and marketed.

While I certainly understand the frustrations of those who wanted this to be done and ready a long ago, I can assure you that I and my engineering team also share your "bloodshot eyes from sleepless nights scrolling through online forums like Hair Loss Help and Bald Truth Talk". The only difference is that ours come from scrolling through all of the design hurdles that we encounter. Thank you for your patience and we'll keep our nose to the grindstone!

[Artista]

Great response Dr Wesley!!

[ShookOnes]

The delays on Pilofocus are embarrassing. This should have been a commercially available treatment a long time ago. Whatever else is going on with this is basically a slap to the face of the hair loss community; announced last year only to be released god knows when.

someone's salty lol. thanks for your reply, Dr.Wesley... I'm hoping that there won't be too huge of a waitlist when you finally release this!

[FearTheLoss]

Dr. Wesley, we appreciate your responses. I just have two questions:

1. I know you don't want to give any proposed release date yet, but could you at least tell us when you plan to update the public on the results from your next phase trial? and if everything went as planned, understanding of course there are always potential issues that can obstruct timelines, when would this be available?

2. Have you looked into using AmnioFix in part of the trial and not just ACell? Apparently in Dr. Coles last study, 6/12 hairs regenerated using Aminofix, while only 2/12 regenerated with ACell. I realize you are taking a completely different approach, but I thought I'd make you aware of this.

Keep up the good work.

FTL

[stayhopeful]

Dr. Wesley, we appreciate your responses. I just have two questions:

1. I know you don't want to give any proposed release date yet, but could you at least tell us when you plan to update the public on the results from your next phase trial? and if everything went as planned, understanding of course there are always potential issues that can obstruct timelines, when would this be available?

2. Have you looked into using AmnioFix in part of the trial and not just ACell? Apparently in Dr. Coles last study, 6/12 hairs regenerated using Aminofix, while only 2/12 regenerated with ACell. I realize you are taking a completely different approach, but I thought I'd make you aware of this.

Keep up the good work.

FTL

These are just all incredible developments. If pilofocus proceeds and can demonstrate 6/12 or 50% regeneration, or even 30% regeneration and deliver robust and thick results, then we are talking about a real potential resolution for a lot of suffers. If you consider a scarless procedure with maximal graft survival and 30% donor regeneration, I go from being a no way candidate for transplantation to a real candidate

Thank you for everything Dr Wesley . I hope you are rewarded substantially when this comes to fruition

[Canuck]

Thanks for the response, Dr. Wesley - I'm glad you cleared up the "upwards of $20,000" statement. I'm really looking forward to when Pilofocus is ready - keep cracking the whip on that engineering team!

[FearTheLoss]

Also Dr. Wesley, I don't mean to bombard you with questions, but with the piloscopic method be viable for body hair transplants or does it only work on the scalp? If it could remove beard hair without scarring that would bring a plethora of new grafts into use for a lot of people.

Thanks again,
FTL

[Artista]

Hi everyone , Wanted to let you all know that Dr Wesley and I had a very nice phone conversation yesterday-approx 20 minutes. He had updated me on Pilofocus. Again , I'm sorry but I cannot get too specific on certain areas but I can tell you that his technology has really advanced. His innovatively new instrument,The 'Piloscope' is NOW completed. Now it's on to perfecting the process of medical cleanliness and sterilization . There is a lot more involved in that then most of us would realize.
Especially since his updated Pilofocus method is a new science in hair transplantation.
As I have been saying, Patience IS a Virtue my friends.
After our phone conversation yesterday, I personally FEEL now more than ever before that this WILL BE a Game-Changer!!! Not kidding friends! I can't wait to be one of his phase test patients,, that will happen after that update I had mentioned to you. I'll respond better tomorrow morning CST. I'm on my iPhone right now and must go. Cheers to ALL

[158nikka]

Thanks for the updates Artista, any word on the regeneration sector of pilofocus?

[bald fighter]

regeneration ! YES OR NO ?

[FearTheLoss]

Did he state yet when your procedure will be?

[Thinning@30]

regeneration ! YES OR NO ?

This is what interests me most with respect to Piloscopy. Artista, I realize you may not be able to share information on regeneration at this time, but I really wish we could clarify this. Scarless transplantation would be nice, but without regeneration any new type of procedure won't be much use to high norwoods or people destined to become high norwoods.

[Artista]

Friends-You all must keep this in mind...
Dr Wesley has been so very busy consumed with updating and improving his Piloscopic instrumentation out in Utah,
plus also having to treat his many patients back in NewYork.
The regenerative aspects of his new 'Scarless' technology i.e. The 2013 phase test 'before&after' photos were INDEED breathtaking BUT, it certainly was and still is ANECDOTAL at this point in time.
Dr Wesley had said to me last Friday that the next Phase Testing timeframe may begin about September of this year. ( me being one of his patients)
Keep in mind that it was predicted to happen at the end of this spring or early this summer. It was of course an approximation. Medical science studies are what they are. The next Phase Test will tell us so much more.
(Sorry but I am at work this evening, responding via my iPhone )