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An Update In Stem Cell Therapy

What are stem cells?

Stems cells are the foundation of every organ and tissue in our body. Throughout our lives stem cells replace injured tissues and cells that are lost every day, such as those in our skin, hair, blood and the lining of our organs. Stem cells have the ability to change into other types of cells, making them essentially unprogrammed cells or “shape shifters”. Since stem cells can become bone, muscle, cartilage and other specialized types of cells, they are at the center of a new field of science called regenerative medicine. Stem cells harvested from a patient have the potential to replace countless cells of the body and are capable of treating diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Autoimmune Diseases and more. They may heal the body by replacing cells plagued with disease or the inability to produce a healthy immune system response by regenerating healthy new cells that can.

Simple Example of stem cells

When we have a paper cut on our finger, the damaged cells that were cut release chemicals on their own called growth factors. These growth factors activate dormant stem cells in the surrounding tissue which produce new skin cells and heal the wound. Once it is healed, the stem cells again become dormant. Stem cell therapy works essentially in the same way to heal injuries and diseases.
Two simple things define stem cells:
• They can “self renew” – Meaning they can multiply and produce greater numbers of themselves.
• They can “differentiate” – Meaning they can develop and change into at least two different types of specialist cells that carry out a specific function.

4 Known Types of Stem Cells

• Adult Stem Cells – Derived from an adult human body.
Most commonly used stem cell for treatments and widely accepted. In instances where adult stem cells are obtained from the intended recipient, the risk of rejection is essentially non-existent. Consequently, more US government funding is being provided for adult stem cell research.
• Embryonic Stem Cells – Derived from embryos.
These cells require specific signals to differentiate to the desired cell type. If they are simply injected directly, they will differentiate into many different types of cells, resulting in a tumor derived from this abnormal pluripotent cell development. The directed differentiation of ES cells and avoidance of transplant rejection are just two of the hurdles that ES cell researchers still face.
• Fetal Stem Cells – Derived from aborted fetuses.
These have developed further than embryonic stem cells and are a little more specialized – their options are limited. However, they can still produce most types of cell in the body.
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) – From some parts of the human body.
These stem cells are engineered from older, fully specialized cells. Scientists encourage these limited cells to act like embryonic stem cells again, with the ability to become any type of human cell. This is a complex technique that has only recently been developed and is the subject of much ongoing research.

How is stem cell therapy administered?

Stem cell therapies are injected into the vein (intravenous treatment). There are two types of intravenous methods which are discussed below.
•Direct Injections – Injections administered directly into the site that needs repair such as muscles and tendons.
•Intranasal – Administered to a highly vascular pathway of the nose to encourage more stem cells to travel past the blood brain barrier.

what this means for Alopecia areata

Alopecia Areata is an auto immune disease where the immune system attacks hair follicles. It usually does not threaten health, but it can greatly affect the way a person looks. A patient that receives adult stem cell treatment injections (Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment) will find that it will stimulate his / her immune system, promote cellular regeneration and improve symptoms associated with Alopecia. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) uses the patients’ own blood and processes it with a concentration of the body’s own cells which contain healing and growth factors.

alopecia areata Research

A blog published in Bernstein Medical Center for Hair Restoration detailed the success of a method that used hair cloning therapy to treat alopecia areata. The study was conducted by Marwa Fawzi, a dermatologist at the University Of Cairo Faculty Of Medicine, who used stem cells from the scalps of eight children with alopecia areata to regenerate their own hair.
Six months after the hair cloning treatment, the results showed a 50% increase in hair in more than half of the subjects. One of them, an 8-year-old boy, grew nearly a full head of hair after being almost completely bald before treatment.
After being convinced of the results, Dr. Fawzi analyzed the new skin samples on the head and examined the hair follicles themselves and found that the injected stem cells had migrated into the follicles. The stem cells stimulated the follicles to transition from a dormant phase to a hair-generating phase (just like our above paper cut example).
[calltoaction]To learn more about our Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), please contact us at (817) 473-2120 today or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.[/calltoaction]

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ARTAS Hair Studio Increases the Amount of Hair Transplanted

Recently, Restoration Robotics launched  ARTAS Hair Studio.  This state of the art product allows the patient and surgeon plan and produce a simulation of a possible outcome.  Although this product has some limitations to the realistic look of the transplanted hair, it does allow for a formal interaction between the surgeon and the patient that spawns more thought into the over- all operative goal and leads to increased numbers of hairs being transplanted.

The most common cause of dissatisfaction of hair transplant patients in my practice and in patients that come to me from other practices is that they didn’t get the thickness that they wanted.  The ARTAS Hair Studio allows the patient to “Test Drive” their appearance and modify the operative plan under the guidance of the surgeon.  It becomes the surgeon’s ethical and responsible role to provide guidance on safe and age appropriate hairline design, donor capacity, and realistic expectations on social and physiologic downtime.  The ARTAS Hair Studio becomes paramount providing a sneak preview to esthetic results that vary with amount of hair.
Put together with a well informed consult discussing preventative hairless measures backed by randomized double-blinded placebo controlled trials, the ARTAS Hair Studio is quickly becoming the standard of care in hair restoration planning and patient education.
ARTAS Hair Studio also integrates directly with the robot and becomes the operative plan for the patient ensuring that the patient is receiving exactly what he is intending to recieve.
For a consultation please call 817-473-2120 or email [email protected].  Skype and other internet-based consultations are available.
Mark A Bishara M.D., P.A. and Paragon Hair Clinics care for patients world-wide.
Dr. Mak A Bishara, M.D. P.A. performs robotic follicular unit graft selection for residents living around Mansfield, Southlake, Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, and surrounding the DFW area in North Texas.

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Robotic Follicular Unit Graft Selection In North Texas by Dr. Mark A. Bishara

Surrounding Areas

Dr. Mak A Bishara, M.D. P.A. performs robotic follicular unit graft selection for residents living around Mansfield, Southlake, Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, and surrounding the DFW area in North Texas.

Importance of Robotic Follicular Unit Graft Selection

Robotic follicular unit graft selection is important during hair restoration surgery because the surgeon can select 2 hair, 3 hair or 4 hair follicular unit grafts and avoid taking single hair grafts when they’re not needed. This supplies more total hair transplanted during the transplant procedure than a typical nonselective process will provide.

How does this work?

The robot sees different hairs that are grouped together with two or more hairs.   Using the optical guidance system with two separate cameras you can distinguish these from single hair grafts.  Dr. Mark A. Bishara, M.D. P.A. programs the robot to only select out thick, more robust follicular units which provides the patient with more hair and a thicker result with minimal soft tissue wounding in the donor area.  This advancement is by far the most significant benefit towards the economy of motion during the procedure.
 

Please call 817-473-2120 or email us at [email protected] today!

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Am I A Candidate for a Hair Restoration Procedure?

The best way to find out if you are a candidate for a hair restoration procedure is to go to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon specializing in hair restoration. The answer will depend on the cause of your hair loss, your age, the stability of your donor supply, how extensive you hair loss is, your expectations and a number of other important factors that will be taken into account.
For the right candidate hair restoration surgery can significantly improve your appearance and general sense well being, however, not everyone is a good candidate for the surgery and those who are must have realistic expectations before undergoing a hair transplant procedure.
Remember there is a finite amount of donor hair that can be moved to the thinning areas of the scalp. If that hair isn’t used in an efficient manner the outcome of the procedure might not meet your expectations.  Every patient is examined on a case-by-case basis, but here are some general types of patients that are great candidates for hair transplants:
The best candidates for hair restoration surgery are:

  • Men who have been losing their hair due to Male Pattern Baldness for more than five years or who have progressed to a Norwood class 3 or above.
  • Men with realistic expectations and who understand that their hair loss might continue to progress even if they are taking prescription medication to stop the progression.
  • Men who have been balding for many years and who’s pattern has stabilized and are interested in just adding some hair to provide a more youthful appearance.
  • Men and women who have lost hair due to trauma or burns
  • Men and women who have lost hair due to other cosmetic procedures such as face-lifts.

Some women are candidates for hair restoration surgery. They are:

  • Women who have suffered hair loss due to mechanical or traction alopecia (non-hormonal).
  • Women who have had previous cosmetic or plastic surgery and are concerned about hair loss around the incision sites.
  • Women who have a distinct pattern of baldness, similar to that of male pattern baldness. This includes hairline recession, vertex thinning (on the crown or top of the scalp), and a donor area that is not affected by androgenetic alopecia.
  • Women who suffer hair loss due to trauma, including burn victims, scarring from accidents, and chemical burns.
  • Women with alopecia marginalis, a condition that looks very similar to traction alopecia.

Please visit the website of Dr. Bishara, who specializes in Hair Restoration, Robotic Hair Transplants and Plastic Surgery at www.MarkBisharaMD.com or call our office at (817) 473-2120.

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Seeking to Correct Hair Loss with Hair Restoration

A recent survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) showed that men and women around the world are seeking to correct hair loss while they’re younger rather than putting it off until later in life.
Since the ISHRS starting tracking data on hair restoration in 2004, the extrapolated worldwide volume of surgical hair restoration procedures performed from 2004 to 2012 increased 85 percent.  What explains this tremendous increase in people seeking help for hair loss, even during tough economic times?  We believe the unprecedented growth and increased popularity in hair restoration over the past decade can be directly attributed to the continual refinements and advances in this type of surgery – together with proven medical therapies – that produce natural-looking, permanent results.
Other key findings of the survey include:

  • The number of women undergoing hair restoration surgery worldwide increased 20 percent from 2004 to 2012
  • Patients aged 30 to 49 sought treatment for hair loss more than any other age group
  • In 2012, ISHRS members chose John Mayer and Sofia Vergara as the celebrities with the best hair

The ARTAS System is a 21st-century technological innovation that was introduced into the hair treatment field in 2011 to treat male pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia. The system is sophisticated, utilizing computer assistance to harvest hair follicles during the actual process of hair replacement. ARTAS incorporates a number of elements in its operation, including an image-guided robotic arm and special imaging technologies that coordinate together for the purpose of implementing the “follicular unit extraction (FUE)” technique upon the recipient of the system.
In our practice, we offer patients some of the latest techniques in hair restoration surgery and proven medical treatments that can help men and women permanently restore thinning hair.  If you are interested in hair restoration treatments, including ARTAS robotic hair transplants, and the latest treatment options, we would be happy to speak with you or invite you for a consult at our office.  Please call our office at (817) 473-2120, visit our website at www.MarkBisharaMD.com, or click on the link below.
Get our Free Guide on Robotic Hair Restoration
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