Hair Loss: 5 Paths to a Full Head of Confidence

In today’s media-driven world, all attention is on the face. And yes, the area right above it.

Hair loss is an issue for men (and women!) of all backgrounds and ages. Male pattern balding affects tens of millions of men in the United States alone. 33% of American men begin to show signs of balding before the age of 35; while a staggering 40% of women show hair loss before 40.

It can be devastating to lose the defining feature of health and youth. There are several ways thinning hair affects the average person. These include changes in:

  • Confidence
  • Sex Appeal
  • Ability to Style
  • Appearance of Age

You may try to mask issues with hairstyles or with hats and caps. But many seek more permanent solutions, other than doing away with it allIf you’re man or woman who’s confused about the solutions out there, here’s news: you’re not the only one. The age-old problem of hair loss hasn’t changed in history (though the treatments have!).

Today, there are more options than ever before. These include a swath of natural supplements, drugs, lasers, transplant techniques and regrowth treatments. It can be difficult to navigate through each type. Here are 5 popular treatments (along with a healthy lifestyle) that can well put your hair back in your hands.

1.) Propecia (Finasteride)

Originally designed to prevent prostate cancer, Propecia comes with a beneficial side effect of hair loss prevention. Finasteride is the first drug in history to treat male pattern baldness. It works by blocking the production of a male hormone in the scalp (DHT) that shuts down follicles that cause pattern baldness. Careful though, Propecia is a committed treatment and isn’t for women. Once you stop taking Propecia the hair you’ve retained with the drug will be lost within 3 to 8 months. Side effects may include loss of sexual desire or impotence.

2.) Minoxidil

The most well-known hair loss medication is Rogaine, which uses minoxidil. It’s the only FDA-approved drug for the condition other than Propecia. There are oral and topical applications of the drug. Minoxidil both slows the progression of hair loss and promotes the growth of new hair. It works by widening blood vessels, allowing more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to reach follicles.

This is also a lifetime-use treatment. Once you stop using a minoxidil product, your hair will thin at the same rate as before. Side effects include shedding, unwanted body hair growth, itching and allergic reactions. Often Propecia and minoxidil products are used in tandem to treat hair loss on dual fronts.

3.) Laser Light Therapy

Laser treatments come in several forms, including professional laser light treatments and at-home devices. Laser therapy applies photons to tissue helping to revitalize weak cells. Some devices stimulate blood flow which may promote new hair growth. It’s not a direct baldness solution; light therapy has shown to maintain hair for some. And there are critics questioning its effectiveness. A benefit of using a laser light is that the side effects are minimal and these can be used in conjunction with other treatments.  

4.) Hair Transplant

Hair transplants are a well-established, long-term answer to baldness. There are two types of hair transplants: follicular unit strip surgery and follicular unit extraction. Both move hair from one part of the body to another. Strip surgery transplants a strip from the back of the head. The unit extraction method moves grafts of smaller sections for transplant. Once hair is moved it will begin to regrow as usual over time. Downtime for transplants ranges from 3 to 10 days. The risks include bleeding, scarring, infections, unnatural hair growth, and dying follicles. Healing can take months and you may need several transplants for full coverage.

5.) PRP + ACell

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) + ACell injections is a new technique used to treat baldness through follicles and hair roots. This treatment is two part. ACell slows down thinning by providing a structure hair follicles can build upon. PRP, often used in sports medicine, amplifies natural healing. This may promote new hair growth and slow hair loss when applied to damaged hair follicles. Injections are composed of factors from your own blood: so risks are low and there is zero downtime.

A downside of ACell + PRP is that it’s an advanced technique not available everywhere. Treatments typically last a year. We offer this treatment at our Bay Area location.

Visit San Francisco Plastic Surgery and Laser Center’s PRP + ACell for Hair Regrowth page for more information about this procedure.  

 

 

Alcohol & Plastic Surgery: Just Say No

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It can be a hard thing to give up your nightly glass of wine with dinner, or to say no to a cocktail with friends after work—but if you have a plastic surgery procedure coming up, you should think long and hard before having a drink. Here’s why: Do you remember when I told you that nicotine is a vasoconstrictor (meaning it makes your blood vessels close up)? Well, alcohol is just the opposite—it’s a vasodilator—and that’s not a good thing, either, because it makes your blood vessels open up and flood your surface tissues. 

This is bad for two reasons:

  1. This process takes blood away from your vital organs (like your brain and heart)

  2. It causes your body to swell. You’ll be swollen enough after surgery without adding to it with booze!

Alcohol also affects the blood itself—it makes blood platelets less active, and therefore less able to coagulate. Because of this, drinking before and after surgery puts you at greater risk for post-operative bleeding, and make your healing process take longer than it would if you didn’t have any alcohol in your system.

Another big concern with surgery is dehydration—and since it’s a diuretic (it increases your rate of urine formation, making you pee more often than you should), alcohol is a big culprit in this arena. You’ll already be dehydrated after surgery; if you add to that by drinking alcohol before or after your procedure, you’ll feel absolutely awful in the days that follow.

The bottom line? Avoid alcohol as much as possible in the weeks before and after cosmetic surgery. If you slip and have one drink a couple of days before surgery, you’ll probably be fine—but consuming alcohol the night before or immediately after your surgery is asking for trouble!

Introducing #AskDrUsha FAQ Video Series

We are excited to announce our new FAQ video series #AskDrUsha. We will be covering a range of topics, from surgical to non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Dr. Usha Rajagopal is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and the Medical Director of the San Francisco Plastic Surgery and Laser Center. For over 20 years, Dr. Rajagopal has utilized her unique perspective of female cosmetic surgery to educate and empower women. She specializes in cosmetic surgery of the face, breast and body, and her office is a premier center for cosmetic dermatology, medical skin care, and laser treatments.

Stay tuned for our first featured episode about vaginal rejuvenation procedures:

We look forward to this educational experience and hope you enjoy it as well! 

Follow us on social media and use the hashtag #AskDrUsha with any questions you might have.

Dr. Usha Rajagopal's Mother's Day Special

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With Mother's Day just a month away, we are excited to celebrate moms everywhere and announce our special offers below:

CoolMom CoolSculpting Special
Buy 3 Get 1 CoolSculpting Cycle FREE (Save $750)

Skin Tightening & Facial Rejuvenation 
Ultherapy, IPL Photofacial, Infini RF
20% off regular prices  

Plump Your Lips
$550/syringe for lip fillers

Mommy Makeover 
Free consult with Dr. Usha Rajagopal and discounted Summer Special pricing applied. Looking to restore your pre-pregnancy shape? Learn more.

*Mother's Day Special is valid until Friday, May 12th. 
Schedule your appointment below or call us at (415) 392-3333.

What is the Difference Between Labiaplasty and Vaginoplasty?

Loosening of vaginal muscles can be caused by multiple different factors – Sometimes due to childbirth, especially if there is more than one child, and others it is simply a side effect of aging. Whatever the reason, when vaginal muscles start to become lax, it can lead to an inflated, thick labia that increases labia discomfort for outdoor activities like cycling and horse riding, and hampers your sex life too. Some women also have a large, distended labia right from the time of birth. With the advent of sophisticated technology, it is possible to restore a certain degree of tightness in your nether regions. There are two techniques for this purpose – vaginoplasty and labiaplasty. People tend to use the terms interchangeably but they are definitely not the same.

Labiaplasty vs. Vaginoplasty

Vaginoplasty

It is also referred to as vaginal rejuvenation or tightening, and as is evident, the procedure helps to tighten the inner muscles of the vagina by fusing the stretched muscle located at its rear end, which shortens it, using sutures for the muscles to pile up and narrow the cavity, cleaning up extra vaginal lining, and tightening the soft tissues around it. You need to recover for 4 to 6 weeks before resuming sexual intercourse and related activities. The reduced size of the vagina greatly heightens sexual pleasure – it will be worth the wait.

Labiaplasty

This procedure is exclusively for the labia minor and majora, commonly known as “vaginal lips”. Labiaplasty is for enhancing the outer appearance of the genital organs or reducing labia discomfort by shrinking the size of labia and reshaping it. There are two methods for this procedure such as:

  • The extra tissue around the labia is removed – the tissues are sculpted along the inner folds till the labia are shaped aesthetically and all irregularities have been surgically resolved.
  • The 2nd technique involves a sliver of tissue being cut out from under the labia, in a “V” shape, while the edges are sewn back together.

Absorbable sutures are placed post-surgery for healing, and you can make a full recovery within just 4 to 6 weeks.

It is normal to be apprehensive about surgeries for delicate body parts, but rest assured you are in the hands of the highly qualified Dr. Usha Rajagopal with over 20 years of experience and more than 1000 successful procedures in her portfolio. To leave a query, simply enter your  details into the form on the right, click submit,  and you will hear from us soon.