Hair growth

The protein that produces hair follicles is called keratin, which is located in the outer layer of the
skin. It is these follicles that produce new hair cells. As new hair cells are made, the old hair
follicles get pushed out through the top of the skin (about 6 inches a year). The hair that is visible
is actually strings of dead keratin cells. The hair has a unique growth cycle that occurs in three
phases which areanagen, catagen and telogen. All of these three phases happen simultaneously
and each has their own characteristics, which determine the length, texture and life of the hair.
Also the body contains of two types of hair; vellus hair and terminal hair. Both vellus and
terminal hair have their own characteristics and its own cellular construction. A person typically
has about 100,000 to 150,00 hairs and can loose up to a 100 a day.

Anagen - The anagen phase is one of the most active phase in hair growth. During this phase, the
cell in the roots hair divides itself rapidly. When the hair is in this phase, it will grow 1cm
every 28 days. During this phase the hair in the scalp grows for a period of 2 to 6 years.
Catagen - The catagen phase last for about 2-3 weeks, and is a transitional stage. When a hair is
at this stage, the hair stops growing and the root of the hair sheds and shrinks. 3% of all hairs are
at this stage.
Telogen- During these periods 10% to 15% of all the hair are at the resting phase, which lasts for
100 days. At this stage, the hair is rested. Normally a person can shed 25-100 telogen hairs a day.

Hair loss
Hair loss, which is also referred to as alopecia, is a very common condition. It occurs not just
amongst men, but women as well. According to the American Hair Loss Association, 85% men
will notice their hair significantly thinning in their 50s. In some men, hair loss can happen in
their 20s. There are many factors that can contribute to hair loss such as; thyroid disease, low
vitamin levels and anemia. Alopecia areata is a temporary hair loss patch, and in most cases, the

hair grows back without treatment. The most common types of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia,
alopecia areata, involutional alopecia, telogen effluvium, trichotillomania, and alopecia
universalis.
Androgenic alopecia - This condition can affect men and women. In men, this condition is
referred to as male pattern baldness and in women, female pattern baldness. A male can begin
losing their hair in their teens or early 20s, in females, this condition usually starts in their 40s.In
males, these conditions start in the hairlines and then gradually the hair disappears from the
crown to the frontal scalp. Generally in women,it occurs over the entire scalp, but is most
noticeable at the crown of the head.
Alopecia areata- This condition can cause complete baldness or patchy hair loss and starts
suddenly. It can affect young adults and children. In 90% of the cases, the hair will regrow
within 2 to 3 years.
Involutional alopecia- This conditions occurs gradually with age, where the hair thins and
becomes less and also shorter because the hair goes into a resting phase.
Telogen effluvium- This condition is due to changes in the growth cycle of the hair, where a
multitude of hair goes into a resting phase, all at the same time. This can cause the hair to
temporally shed or cause subsequent thinning.
Trichotillomania- This is a psychological disorder that is seen mostly in children, where an
individual will pull out their hair.
Alopecia universalis- This condition affects all of the body hairs not just the head. With
Alopecia universalis, all of the body hairsfall out.

Hair transplant The Numbers

According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS),a survey published
in 2011 showed that there were approximately 923,599 hair transplant proceduresperformed
world wide. In Canada, there were 8,598 procedures performed, an increase of 63% since 2008.
In 2008, ISHRS reported that 85.9% of patients were men and 14.1% of them were women.

Hair transplant Procedures

Since the early 1950s, surgeons have been performing hair transplants, making it one of the most
common procedures for a surgeon to perform. In the past, hair transplant were done in a crude
fashion, where a piece of the scalp was removed and then sowed back on this method is still
practised today. Hair strip surgery leads to large visible scars and long recovery times. However,
with the advancement of technology like NeoGraft, hair transplant has become a more gentle,
minimally invasive procedure that leaves no visible scars.
Below is a video explaining the difference between NeoGraft and the traditional strip surgery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JcPWfUOt0o

NeoGraft Getting Started

The first step in achieving a full set of hair is to setup a consultation with a certified facial plastic
surgeon. When Dr.Torgerson conducts a consult, he first sits down with the patient at his
Toronto clinic and goes through the patients health history. After which he explains to the
patient, the different options that are available. If the patient decides to proceed with NeoGraft,
Dr.Torgerson explains any health risks and complications that might arise.
Once this is done, Dr.Torgerson will create, with the patient, a hairline that is suitable for his or
her hair goals.

NeoGraft The Procedure

Dr.Torgerson will begin a NeoGraft hair transplant procedure by first disinfecting the scalp and
then administering a local anaesthesia into the scalp. This allows the patient to feel no pain and
to undergo the procedure in comfortable manner.
Once the anaesthesia is administered, Dr.Torgerson uses the NeoGraft to make small incisions in
the back of the head. This is known as the harvesting stage.
Then Dr.Torgersons NeoGraft technicians will divide the hair that was harvested. This can
contain approximately 500 to 2000 tiny grafts of hairs.The individuals hair quality and size of
the area where the hair is being transplanted will determine the number of grafts being used.
Once Dr.Torgerson has prepared the grafts, he will will disinfect and inject a local anaesthesia in
the area where the hair is being placed. Then with a small needle, he will create micro incisions
and place each graft into the incision thus creating a new hairline. Once the hair is transplanted
Dr.Torgerson will cover it with a surgical dressing.

A hair transplant procedures can take up to 4 to 8 hours, depending on how much hair is being
transplanted. If a person continues to lose more hair or wants thicker hair, then they will require
having more than one NeoGraft session.

NeoGraft After the Procedure

After the hair is transplanted, a person scalp will feel very tender, and pain medications are given
for comfort. A person should see results from the hair transplant within 1 to 3months. During this
time, the transplanted hair falls out. After approximately 3 months, an individual will notice new
hair growth; 60% of the new hair should grow back in 6 to 9 months. Most plastic surgeons will
prescribe Minoxidil and NeoLights after the transplant to help with the hair growth. There is only
1 day of downtime associated with a hair transplant.
Like all surgical procedures, there are risks associated with this such as; infections,bleeding,
scarring, and unnatural-looking new hair growth. When the new hair grows, some individuals
may experience folliculitis (a infection in the hair follicles). Folliculitis can be easily treated with
antibiotics. The other risk is called shock loss, is a sudden loss of the transplanted hair, which in
most cases is not permanent.
In conclusion, the way a person should view a hair transplant procedure is risk versus reward,
and in this case, the reward outweighs the risks. A full set of hair can make a man or a woman
look 10 to 20 years younger in just a few hours.