Megan Fox’s Eyebrows: Full Eyebrows Are In

The eyebrow is an important part of facial symmetry and contributes to the aesthetic appearance of men and women. Eyebrows frame the eyes and are one of the first facial structures we look at as a society. Eyebrow transplantation surgery can often restore eyebrows to their natural youthful appearance.

Look at how different Megan Fox’s eyebrows are from 2003 to today. Today Megan Fox’s eyebrows are thicker and shaped to frame her beautiful face which brings out her blue eyes even more. Her thinner brows left so much space making her face look wider than it really is.

Eyebrows lose their natural full appearance by:

• Congenital Causes
• Trauma-burns, auto accident, surgery, ect.
• Radiation or Chemotherapy
• Medical, Autoimmune, or Systemic Disease
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Trichotillomania)
• Over grooming or management
• Normal Aging Process

Hair transplant surgeon of Irvine, California, Dr. Ken Williams adds, “Eyebrow hair transplantation is a safe and an aesthetically elegant procedure.  For those patients having the procedure there is typically a history of overplucking and over grooming.”  Before undergoing this type of hair restoration, patients should be aware that the hair transplanted to eyebrows will continue to grow in length and will need to be periodically trimmed.

For surgeons performing this procedure Williams adds, “The greatest challenge is knowing during the healing process that the new eyebrow hair follicle inserted into the recipient site may change its orientation and exit angle. This will cause a slight change to the transplanted hair’s orientation and result in an eyebrow hair that may be slightly elevated or improperly angled. The hair restoration surgeon must create the recipient sites so the new hair follicle grows parallel with the existing eyebrow hairs.”

The appearance of an eyebrow transplant will mature and soften over the course of a year, during which time the eyebrows can be groomed- tweezed, waxed, or shaped as desired. After the one year mark, a second eyebrow hair transplant procedure may be considered if patients would like to add density to the eyebrows.

Heidi Klum & Seal Headed For Divorce?: Lupus Causes Hair Loss

On Sunday, January 22, 2012 Heidi Klum and Seal announced they are filing for divorce. The two wed on May 10, 2005 and have 3 children together.  Heidi’s statement to the press on what led to split, via her rep, was relatable and gracious.  ”While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul-searching we have decided to separate,” the duo says in a joint statement. “We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart. This is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition. We thank our family, friends, and fans for their kind words of support. And for our children’s sake, we appreciate you respecting our privacy.”

Jet magazine reported on June 10, 1996 that at age 23 Seal was diagnosed with Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE). DLE is a rare form of Lupus causing scars of the face, ears, and scalp.  A majority of people with lupus experience some hair loss whether they have a form of lupus that affects several organs or a form that mainly affects the skin. Most of the time, though, lupus is unlikely to cause complete or permanent hair loss.

“Hair loss can be an early sign of lupus,before the disease is actually  diagnosed. Lupus causes widespread inflammation, almost always involving the skin, particularly, on the face and scalp“, says Irvine hair transplant surgeon Dr. Ken Williams.  He adds,  ”inflammation and other systemic medical factors, can cause the hair on the scalp to gradually thin out.  Patients may even lose their hair in clumps. or eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and body hair is also possible.

Although lupus-related hair loss can be shocking, the hair will most likely grow back once the lupus is medically treated and controlled by a specialist, such as a rheumatologist. The signs and symptoms of lupus often go into remission for long periods of time, but the disease tends to flare back up unpredictably. If a lupus flare occurs the hair loss may start again.

If your hair is falling out, consult a hair loss specialist to find out why. Unless you’re already being treated for lupus or you have other signs and symptoms of the disease, your hair loss is probably caused by something else. Among the possibilities are genetics, medications, hormonal changes, thyroid disorders, nutritional deficiencies, and stress.

For more information on Lupus please visit the Lupus Foundation of America.

Saints defeat Lions, but Drew Brees is losing fight against hair loss

On Saturday, January 7, 2012 the New Orleans Saints defeated the Detroit Lions with a 45-28 NFC wild-card victory.  Drew Brees led an unstoppable offense by throwing for 466 yards, the most yards in a regulation playoff game.  ”We were pulling out all the stops,” Brees said.  ”We play aggressive. We’re not going to apologize for that. That gives guys in the huddle a lot of confidence. We’re not going to pull the reins back. It’s pedal to the metal.” That type of aggression has led to many victories for the New Orleans Saints, and if Brees would show that type of aggression with his hair he may have preserved his frontal hairline and overall hair density.

It is normal to shed hair everyday and the truth is we lose between 100-125 hairs on any given day.  However, some individuals may experience higher amounts of hairs being shed each day. Once a hair reaches the end of its growth cycle it will then shed from the scalp. At any given time 10% of our hair is in a “resting phase” and after 2-3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place.

As we age, both men and women will experience some hair loss. This is a normal part of the aging process. Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) accounts for 95% of hair loss, and it often times runs in families. In men this condition is usually referred to as Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). MPB is characterized by a receding hair-line and baldness on the top of head.  Women, on the other hand, don’t go entirely bald even if their hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread out evenly over their entire scalp while maintaining the frontal hairline.

Hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Ken Williams of the Irvine Institute of Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery adds, “Drew is one of the truly amazing football players in the NFL. But if he continues to lose hair, he will look much older than his chronological age if he does not intervene at this time in his life.  His hair loss is quite noticeable and I don’t want to see him lose any more.”

Hormones play a dominant role when talking about AGA. Simply put, both men and women produce testosterone and this testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with the aid of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT miniaturizes the hair follicles causing the membranes in the scalp hair density to decrease.

Men naturally produce more testosterone than women and therefore men experience more hair loss. Both male and female AGA is very common and easily treated medicallyand surgically. For medical treatment,  minoxidil is recommended for both men and women to apply topically twice a day. For men, taking the oral medication finasteride, DHT blocker, is strongly recommended. Male and female AGA responds well to low-level laser therapy, and platelet rich plasma therapy is a therapy with a potential future as well.  For surgical treatment there is the older and more invasive linear strip method, or the latest FDA approved hair surgery called Automated FUE.

Bon Jovi Death Hoax & Hair Loss

Jon Bon Jovi is the latest celebrity victim of the infamous “celebrity death hoax.”  Yesterday afternoon Jon quickly went to Facebook to set the record straight stating “heaven look a lot like New Jersey.”

In the early days of his career, Jon sported the infamous long big hair of the 1980s. Over the years his hair has been de-poofed and cut shorter to reveal significant hair thinning and hair loss of the frontal hairline. On February 20, 2009 Starpulse.com quoted Bon Jovi ”Oh, let me tell you, I am so worried (about my hair). I look at guys like Sting and think, ‘Well, he’s cool about it,’ but I’m already losing it a bit and I’m so aware of it. Someone told me that you have to regularly massage your scalp, so I do that all the time. You look like a jerk, but it’s got to be worth a shot, right?” At the end of 2009 Jon spoke with The Times, he said when his wife threw him a 40th birthday party he jokingly told her to take lots of photos because it would be “the last pretty birthday”. Jon Bovi reveals, “I ain’t gonna do no shots, no Botox, no hair plugs, anything. I’m comfortable enough in my skin to know that such is life. I’d rather age gracefully.”

Hair transplant surgeon Dr. Ken Williams, of OC NeoGraft Hair Restoration Center located in Irvine, California, advises patients to be proactive about their hair loss and diligent about their daily treatment program.  ”Daily treatment is key,” says Dr Williams, “the use of a DHT blocker like Propecia, and topical application of minoxidil will stop further loss and maintain the current hair density.”

Hair Loss Camouflage: Toppik Micro Fibers

Tired of hiding your thinning hair under a baseball cap, or just can’t wait for your newly transplanted hairs to begin growing?  Toppik Hair Building Fibers might be the solution to your problem. Toppik Hair Building Fibers give a natural and effective cosmetic cover-up  that conceals any signs of thinning hair and hair loss.

Toppik Fiber contains keratin protein fibers that cling to existing hair, even fine vellus hairs, through a static electrical charge that causes a magnet-like attraction, instantly making thinning hair look thick and full.  The fibers are so natural looking that they are indistinguishable from real hair and undetectable to the naked eye.

There are 9 different hair colors to choose from, making it easy for women who like to darken the hair in the winter and lighten in the summer. Toppik Fibers are strong enough to out last wind, rain, and perspiration; but gentle enough to be easily removed by shampoo.

Tiger Woods Wins Chevron World Challenge & Reveals Hair Loss

On Sunday, December 4, 2011 Tiger Woods swung his way to victory at the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.  Tiger birdied the final two holes and beat Zach Johnson by one stroke.  It has been two long years, 749 days to be exact, since Tiger has won either an official or unofficial tournament. After delivering a 10-foot downhill clutch birdie putt on the 18th hole Tiger gave an enthusiastic fist pump and the crowd erupted. After a quick celebration Tiger raised his cap in the air and revealed his receding frontal hairline and thinning temporal points.

It’s no secret that Tiger, currently  35 years old, has had a difficult 2 years both personally and professionally.  Has all that stress finally revealed itself through his hairline or is just unlucky genetics? Truthfully, it’s probably both. Most men have sometime of family history of hair thinning or hair loss, and emotional/physical stress can kick an existing condition into overdrive. Hair transplant surgeon Dr. Ken Williams of OC NeoGraft Hair Restoration Center located in Irvine, California treats men with this condition and appearance regularly and he has some advice. ”Tiger is my favorite pro golfer, but he definitely has experienced hair loss and there is no better time like now to start a medical treatment before he loses more hair follicles, ” says Dr. Williams. “Outside of starting a medical stabilization program, hair surgery could be considered using FUE with NeoGraft or traditional Strip surgery to add density to his frontal hairline and re-establish his temporal points,” adds Williams.

New Hair Loss Study-Inflammation May Play a Role

Pittsburgh Steelers professional football player and safety, Troy Polamalu, has made quite a name for himself off the field of football in humerous television commercials.  In August of 2010 Procter & Gamble, producers of Head & Shoulders shampoo, took out a million-dollar insurance policy for Polamalu’s hair. To our knowledge his hair still looks strong and healthy as Troy shows no signs of hair loss or disease.  But is his youthful healthy scalp and hair related to the hair product he uses?

We will probably never know for certain, but a healthy scalp is vital to good hair growth. For those patients who suffer with an itchy scalp or other scalp related problems, have you every wondered why your shampoo is not completely stopping your seemingly dry itchy scalp or hair loss?

The answer to that question was discovered in a new study on the role of inflammation in hair loss published today in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. The study, “The Role of Inflammation and Immunity in the Pathogenesis of Androgenetic Alopecia,” was performed by  physicians from Cornell and Duke University, and well-known New York dermatologist, Dr. Neil Sadick. The prime objective of the study was to determine the role of immunity and inflammation in women who experience hair loss.

In plain english, the researchers concluded that hair loss and an itchy scalp that you thought was caused by dandruff or dry scalp, may actually be caused by inflammation of the hair follicle and surrounding skin anatomic structures like the Bulge and basal layer of the skin. “This is an excellent study that gives new insight into how hair loss occurs,”  says Dr. Ken Williams, Irvine, California hair restoration physician. Williams adds, “they used topical steroid creams as a part of their treatment protocol and they clearly demonstrated how successful it can be in treating hair loss.  But we need more confirming data before treatment protocols are established.”

An unexpected finding from this study were specific body proteins, called immunoglobulins and complement, were found deposited in portions of the skin (epidermis or dermis) and hair follicle. These unique proteins are hypothesized to cause a type of inflammatory response in the hair follicle that interferes with the physiology of hair cycle or growth. Although this study details the hair loss physiology in very technical and scientific language, these inflammatory proteins, nonetheless, are felt to interfere with the hair cycle.

Tom Hanks Hair Loss-Genetic Testing for Children

There are many inheritable characteristics children stand to obtain from their parents, and an unfortunately hair loss is one of them. If Tom Hanks‘ sons, Colin and Chet, want to know if they will one day in the future develop their father’s receding hairline, there is new science that will help them gather that information. DermaGenoma has revolutionized the field of genetic testing with Hair Dx.  Hair Dx is the newest and exciting science based and FDA approved genetic testing for hair loss.

In the field of hair restoration, the greatest challenge is when to begin treatment for hair loss for those genetically at-risk children whose parents suffer from hair loss. It is a well-known fact that many at-risk teenagers and young adults will not notice their hair loss until approximately 50% of their hair follicles are permanently gone. Although the medical research is lacking, the question is always asked by those patients at risk because of a strong family history,  is it reasonable to begin a medical treatment program before the hair loss is observed.  The hair Dx test provides the needed accuracy for the patient to decide on an early prevention program.

Hair loss surgeon Dr. Ken Williams of OC NeoGraft Hair Restoration Center in Irvine, California uses Hair DX genetic testing in his hair loss practice. “This test is based on solid science and academic understanding of DNA. It completely transformed what we know and how we treat hair loss in men and women” says Dr. Williams. “Those young adults can benefit from knowing their genetic test results so they can make a more complete decision on whether to start a medical prevention program.”

The Hair DX genetic test is not just for men, but it assist hair loss specialists in determining if specific medication, i.e., Finasteride,  will benefit women. In young men like Mr. Hanks children who have a strong genetic history of hair loss, it helps predict hair loss or thinning. If a patient is diagnosed early, timely medication stabilization and treatment programs will help delay miniaturization of the hair follicle.

Look Out Kim Kardashian: Divorce Causes Hair Loss in Women

Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from husband Kris Humpfries on Monday, October 31, 2011. Even though Kim and Kris were only married for 72 days getting divorced is tough.  After filing couples must begin splitting their finances, property, and kids — all of these factors can lead to high levels of stress. According to a new study, all of that stress can lead to increased hair loss in divorced women.

Dr. Bahman Guyuron, the study’s lead author, found that women who have had multiple marriages (including widows and divorcees) suffer more hair loss than those who are happily married. In men, marital status did not appear to impact hair loss patterns; genetics and excessive smoking were the top factors. He analyzed the lifestyles and hair patterns of 66 identical male twins and 84 female twins to determine which external factors contribute to hair loss.

The study, which was presented at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons‘ annual conference in Denver, also revealed that other external factors could contribute to hair loss in women. In particular, sleeping more than eight hours per day, excessive smoking and sun exposure can increase your risk.

So what can women do to combat hair loss? Hair loss surgeon Dr. Ken Williams of OC NeoGraft Hair Restoration Center in Irvine, California recommends “…common sense and advice such as routine exercise, moderation of alcohol and absolutely no tobacco products. If a patient’s stress is too overwhelming then consider seeing a counselor or pharmacologic support by seeing your primary care physician or mental health expert. Hair loss has no common cure but Minoxidil twice daily helps maintain the health of the hair follicle.”

Hair Loss After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Early this week E! news reported that Fashion Police cohost and E! news anchor, Giuliana Rancic, has been recently diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.

October is breast cancer awareness month and The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2011 are staggering:

• 230, 480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women
• 57,650 new cases of non-invasive/earliest from of breast cancer will be found
• 39,520 deaths from breast cancer (women)

In honor of this month allow us to shed light on a topic that is too often overlooked when treating breast cancer: hair loss in breast cancer patients and survivors.

Everyone knows that chemotherapy causes hair loss, but it is assumed once chemotherapy has stopped the survivor’s hair will grow back. What is documented is oncologist may inadvertently be prolonging hair loss for breast cancer patients and survivors by not recommending FDA approved hair restoration medications.

The drug Letrozole, generic name for Femara®, is often prescribed to breast cancer patients and survivors. Letrozole lowers estrogen levels in women, which may slow the growth of certain types of breast tumors that need estrogen to grow in the body. Letrozole was made available for prescription in 1997.

While there are many potential side effects for Letrozole such as high cholesterol, hot flashes, osteoporosis, nausea, etc.,  the side effect most often dismissed or overlooked by treating physicians is hair loss.

In  the Oxford  Annals of Oncology, a  published article entitled Alopecia in a premenopausal breast cancer woman treated with letrozole and triptorelin, physicians found that women complained of a “daily scalp hair loss while combing and progressively developed a diffuse non-scaring alopecia” while on Letrozole. When other causes of hair loss were eliminated, the conclusions from this study showed when topical minoxidil 2% was applied twice a day hair loss stopped, approximately 6-8 weeks later, and hair regrowth was seen.

Hair loss surgeon Dr. Ken Williams of OC NeoGraft Hair Restoration Center in Irvine, California recommends women start using minoxdil 2% or 5% twice a day before starting on Letrozole therapy.  “Women shouldn’t have to chose between cancer and hair loss”, says Dr. Williams.

For Guliana Rancic, and all women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, we pray for faith, hope, and strength to come to you in your time of need.