Hair Restoration

Men and women who are experiencing hair loss can benefit from the hair restoration treatments we offer at our Barrington, IL, plastic surgery practice. Dr. Renee Burke offers both hair transplants using NeoGraft® and hair restoration with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to help improve the appearance of your hair and minimize the effects of hair loss. Both treatments are performed in the comfort of our office, allowing you a safe, private treatment experience with natural-looking results.

Causes of Hair Loss in Men

There are many causes for hair loss in men; some of the most common include:

• Genetics: Androgenic alopecia, often called male pattern baldness, is the most common cause of hair loss in men. It is an inherited condition that often starts with thinning on the top and sides of the head that follows an established pattern.
• Medications: Certain medications such as blood thinners and medications for blood pressure and cholesterol can cause temporary hair loss. The hair often grows back once the medication is discontinued.
• Stress: Physical and emotional stress can cause noticeable hair loss called telogen effluvium a few months after the stressful event. This condition, also called shedding, is usually temporary. The hair grows back a few months after it has fallen out.
• Immune system disorder: Alopecia areata, often called patchy baldness or patchy hair loss, causes patches of hair to fall out on the scalp. This condition is often temporary and goes away on its own, although some people experience repeated episodes of hair loss and regrowth.

Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Hair loss in women has a variety of causes, including those that do not apply to men. Common reasons for female hair loss include:

• Genetic: Androgenic alopecia, called female pattern hair loss in women, is an inherited condition that causes gradual thinning over the top of the head. It rarely results in bald spots.
• Stress: As with men, emotional stress (such as the death of a loved one or a divorce) and physical stress (such as sudden weight loss) can result in a large number of dormant hair follicles leading to hair loss that is noticeable yet temporary a few months after the event.
• Pregnancy: During pregnancy, increased hormones can make the hair grow thicker and faster. A few months after delivery, hair growth usually returns to normal as hormone levels reset, resulting in sudden hair loss (telogen effluvium).
• Menopause: Women can develop a receding hairline, called frontal fibrosing alopecia, due to dropping hormone levels during peri-menopause and menopause.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Due to elevated levels of male hormones, PCOS can cause androgenic alopecia in women.  
• Tension: Certain hair styles such as tight braids and ponytails can cause traction alopecia, which means the hair falls out from constant tension on the follicle. The condition can be reversed if caught before the follicles are permanently damaged.
• Autoimmune disorders: Hair loss is associated with a variety of disorders including lupus, Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, and Crohn’s disease. Alopecia areata is an immune disorder that can cause a circular or patchy hair loss pattern on the scalp.
• Medications: Hair loss in women can be related to various medications, including those to manage blood pressure and thyroid function, as well as high doses of vitamin A. Discontinuing birth control pills or other hormones can also cause hair loss.

No matter the cause of your hair loss, Dr. Burke offers solutions to help restore your hair and enable you to gain confidence and feel like yourself again. She will meet with you for a personal consultation to determine the cause of your hair loss, discuss your individual needs, and develop a treatment plan to help meet your goals.

NeoGraft Hair Transplant

NeoGraft is a type of follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant surgery. It is an ideal treatment for men with male pattern baldness who have reached a point of stability in their hair loss. For women, NeoGraft can be used to fill in thin spots on the crown of the head or restore thinning eyebrows.

FUE With NeoGraft

During a hair transplant procedure, hair follicles are taken from the dense-growing hair in the back of the head then transplanted to areas where hair has been lost. Neograft uses a pneumatic device to gently harvest individual hair follicles, which allows you to avoid the unsightly scars of the strip method. This process also preserves hair follicles more effectively than other hair transplant procedures because it is automated, which means that the hair follicles are handled less during the transplant process, increasing the success of the transplant process.

What To Expect During the Neograft Procedure

Before the procedure, your scalp is numbed using a local anesthetic. Then, the hair follicles are harvested from the back of the scalp, where the hair is most dense. The follicles are then transplanted to the areas of the scalp where hair has been lost. During each session, your technician will typically place 500 to 2,000 grafts. The process is completed in a few hours, and most patients only require 1 to 2 sessions to achieve their desired results.

NeoGraft Recovery

Most patients can return to nonstrenuous work a day or two after their NeoGraft treatment and resume more strenuous activities in about 2 weeks. Shedding typically occurs at this point and is a normal part of the process.

Transplanted follicles take about 3 months to begin producing hair. The results of NeoGraft hair transplants are most noticeable after 6 months and continue to improve over the first year as hair grows in.

Do NeoGraft Results Look Natural?

When performed by an experienced technician who has an eye for aesthetics, NeoGraft results look very natural. There will be no telltale linear scar along the back of your scalp, so you can even wear your hair very short.

PRP Hair Restoration

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is another option for hair restoration for men and women. PRP uses components of your own blood to stimulate your scalp and encourage hair regrowth. By triggering your body’s natural healing properties, PRP helps stimulate hair follicles to continue growing terminal (thicker) hairs and slow the thinning process.

What To Expect During the PRP Procedure

First, we draw a small sample of your blood. The blood is then processed in a centrifuge to create a platelet-rich serum. Our nurse injectors then inject PRP or platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) into the areas of the scalp where hair loss is becoming noticeable. While similar to PRP, PRF has a higher concentration of platelets and also contains white blood cells and stem cells.

PRP Recovery

There’s minimal recovery time required after the treatment. Results of PRP or PRF hair restoration become visible over time as hair follicles renew hair growth. Dr. Burke recommends a series of treatments at regular intervals for best results.

Hair Restoration FAQ

Does the PRP hair restoration treatment really regrow hair?

Research has shown that PRP effectively treats androgenetic alopecia by increasing hair density in treated areas.

How long will the PRP hair results last?

Final results typically last several months, although patient experiences vary. Additional treatments are needed every few months to maintain the improvements you gain.

How long before I see new hair growth?

New hair growth begins around 3 months after NeoGraft and is typically noticeable in 6 months. With PRP, improvements develop gradually with multiple treatments as follicles reactivate. Patients respond differently, so it’s important to be patient.

Is NeoGraft the best hair transplant option?

If Dr. Burke determines you are a good candidate for hair transplant surgery, NeoGraft could very well be your best choice in terms of recovery, effectiveness, and the quality of results.

How long does NeoGraft last?

The final results from NeoGraft are long lasting; however, the aging process will continue and likely have an effect on your hair.

Does the harvested hair grow back after the NeoGraft hair transplant?

Hair does not regrow where the hair follicles are harvested. It is not noticeable because the follicles are randomly selected from the donor area of the scalp.

What’s the best hair loss treatment?

There is no single “best” treatment for hair loss. The right choice for you depends on why you are losing your hair, the extent of your hair loss, personal preference, and other factors. Dr. Burke will help you understand your options and choose the treatment that is most likely to work for you.

Schedule a Consultation

If you’re interested in learning more about your hair restoration options, request a consultation with Dr. Burke using the online form, or call our office at (847) 382-4400 to schedule an appointment.