Restoring your hair – Elements of the Paragon Protocol

Over 50% of men approaching 50 years old and 30% of women will experience balding during their lives.  Many of these same people have felt older when they look in the mirror or have seen pictures of balding or thinning hair.   Hair loss can have devastating effect on confidence and self esteem.

If you have felt a decrease in self confidence or would like to look younger, then consider the potential outcome after you restore your hair.  Using the ARTAS robot or other Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) devices Dr. Mark A. Bishara, board certified hair restoration surgeon, can restore many patients back to a more youthful and healthy looking stage. If another surgical procedure is indicated instead of FUE to achieve fuller hair and better density, a consultation with The Paragon Hair Clinic will bring that to light.

Many patients will present with diffuse hair loss or will have insignificant amounts of follicles to transplant and may not be good candidates to restore their hair.  Discussing these surgical and non surgical options to restore your hair will start your journey towards a more youthful you.

Non surgical treatments for hair loss may also be recommended by to restore your hair.  Non surgical adjuncts include platelet rich plasma therapy (or PRP), low level light therapy (LLLT), oral finasteride, and topical minoxidil with bimotoprost.

PRP, as seen on both Good Morning America and Good Morning Texas is carried out at the time of a transplant, or without a transplant, and repeated 3 times over 90 days.  Most patients will respond, at a rate of 70-90%, some outcomes better than others.  At the current time the Paragon Hair Clinic has chosen not to add amniotic and placental products until safety and efficacy can be fully determined.

Low level light therapy stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss in the majority of patients who remain compliant under the Paragon Protcol.  Using sustained light for as little as 6 to 12 minutes every day or every other day for 6 months shows results.  Patients who see results in the hair often experience shedding between 2-6 weeks which is normal and should not be alarming.  LLLT was initially developed by NASA and has been tested in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled method and increases hair mass in most patients between 6 and 10 months.

Finasteride 1mg per day or 2.5 mg every other day can also stimulate hair mass in the crown and posterior mid scalp but is less effective on the hair line.  Finasteride has been known to cause decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and gynecomastia in small percentages reported by Merck.

Minoxidil is also FDA approved to prevent hair loss.  Bimatoprost has also been used to stimulate eyelash growth and has been used by some opthomologists for hair mass stimulation. Bimatoprost is not used widespread for hair loss prevention because of the expense.  There is only one pharmacy that the Paragon Hair Clinic endorses for the production of a compounded form of Minoxidil 14% with Bimotoprost.

Using these four products together can give a response that is greater than using the individual components to restore your hair.