Cosmetic Dermatology and Hair Care

Numerous disorders can cause follicular damage, which can result in hair thinning and loss on the scalp, as well as the face, including the eyelashes and eyebrows. Some medications, such as chemotherapy, often have the same effect, and can frequently be permanent. Hair loss, not only on the scalp, but in the eyebrow/eyelash region can be due to hormonal changes, decreased thyroid function, nutrient deficits, emotional trauma or stress, and commonly occurs during the natural aging process. Complete hair loss, and even mild thinning, can have a variety of psychological effects such as anxiety, depression and even social withdrawal. Depending on etiology, certain pharmaceutical approaches, namely Minoxidil or steroids, in conjunction with nutritional supplementation and/ or laser therapies, for example, have proven helpful for some patients who are losing scalp hair. For those with follicular damage to the eyebrows and eyelashes, products containing Bimatoprost are becoming increasingly more popular. While some patients may experience regrowth and even lengthening of their eyelashes, most report no efficacy in the regrowth of their eyebrows. For patients whose efforts to mitigate hair loss have been unsuccessful, hair transplants may be an option for the scalp or the eyebrow area. In addition to the aforementioned treatment modalities, there is also an alternative or adjunct procedure that can be done with little to no side effects, and relatively no down time: Micropigmentation. This technique involves the use of tiny needles situated closely together, and along with expertly matched and placed pigments, can create the look of natural eyebrows. There are limitations for large areas of hair loss on the scalp, though advanced practice procedures not only help reduce the appearance of bald patches or receding hairlines, micropigmentation is also very effective for those suffering from trichotillomania, as it can completely restore the look of hairs in the eyebrows and scalp that the patient has previously pulled out from those areas. It is also recommended for the illusion and restoration of natural appearing eyebrows in cases of follicular damage, and to darken the lid at the base of the eyelashes. Micropigmentation can also be used to camouflage and aesthetically correct scars after the surgical repair of a buccal hemangioma, cleft lip, and hypopigmentation from scarring, UV ray sun damage, for areola color restoration after mastectomy, and on the grafted skin of a burn survivor.