Blog Updates
Welcome to MHR Clinic’s helpful blog feed, The Hair Line. You will find it packed with beneficial advice and information if you’re considering, undertaking or have undertaken hair restoration.
August-2019
SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION – THE ADAPTABLE SEMI-PERMANENT HAIR LOSS TREATMENT
22-08-2019
MHR’s SMP technician Helena Fryer explains different applications for the increasingly popular cosmetic hair procedure.
MHR Clinic can help everyone who faces hair loss. However, the degree of hair loss each person suffers determines the type of treatment they should have.
For most, a medical program of prescription tablets with low level laser therapy and minoxidil lotion will suffice. And in some cases a hair transplant is necessary. But in some circumstances scalp micropigmentation provides the ideal remedy.
Scalp micropigmentation is a non-invasive treatment which deposits semi-permanent ink onto the scalp to replicate the look of hair growth where hair loss has occurred.
It is most commonly used to simulate the look of a closely shaven head of hair, akin to a grade zero clipper haircut chosen by many men at a barbershop. Through the use of blended pigments and micro-needles, which create pinpoint marks the size of one hair follicle, SMP creates an extremely realistic effect.
SMP is a delicate cosmetic procedure used to replicate the look of a closely shaven head.
While its application is sometimes referred to as a scalp tattoo, scalp micropigmentation only penetrates two layers of the epidermis opposed to five affected by a traditional western tattoo. This makes SMP a semi- permanent treatment. It is most suited to people with black, grey and brown shades of hair colour.
Due to its semi-permanent nature, it is recommended that short term top-ups are carried out every 12-18 months to help retain pigment intensity and the most natural look possible.
Scalp micropigmentation does not penetrate the skin deeply enough for the pigment to last forever; however lighter shades of pigment can last on the skin for up to five years and ones up to ten years. Other factors including skin type, skin condition, age, health, diet, environmental factors, and amount of exposure to the sun or sun beds also determine the longevity of the pigment.
Scalp micropigmentation is an adaptable hair loss treatment and can be used to help alleviate insecurities experienced from different types of hair loss and in other circumstances that negatively affect confidence.
Extensive Baldness
When male pattern hair loss reaches stages five and six on the Norwood scale, baldness has reached a point which is difficult to reverse with a hair transplant. SMP can restore the look of a full head of hair by covering the crown and hairline with pigment while cropping hair on the sides and back of the head close with a grade zero clipper cut. SMP creates the illusion of real hair by replicating the look of natural stubble with pigment. It provides the look of a full head of hair shaved short.
Scalp micropigmentation on the crown can be blended with closely shaved hair around the sides and back.
Thinning Hair
SMP is used to camouflage negligible patches of thinning hair that can benefit from a little brushing up. These minor areas of thinning hair are quickly and easily concealed by matching pigment to the colour of surrounding hair and placing pigment dots close together between existing strands so hair coverage appears thicker, fuller and stronger. The final effect is similar to that gained from using hair fibres, but with a more natural, longer lasting result and none of the bother of continually reaching for a tub of fibres.
Pigmentation inks are easily matched to hair colour to give a full look.
SMP can be used to fill the recessions above the temples to give the effect of a full hairline.
Receding Hairlines
As hair begins to recede at the front of the scalp, SMP can be carried out to restore the hairline. Using advanced techniques it’s possible to create a natural, feathered and broken simulation of closely cropped hair, so only a trained eye can spot the treatment and tell a hairline is receding. SMP only becomes noticeable to others if the hairline is sharp, straight or too low on the forehead, or if the pigment shade is too light or dark. Our SMP work avoids this so you receive undetectable results.
Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Totalis is an auto-immune disorder that causes total hair loss on the scalp. The condition affects men and women in equal numbers and can occur at any age, but it is more likely to affect teenagers and young people between 14 and 30 years old. It is common in people with other autoimmune conditions, such as an overactive thyroid, Crohn’s disease or diabetes. SMP can restore the look of a closely shaved full head of hair by covering the crown, sides, back and hairline on the scalp with carefully selected pigments to match skin tone and age.
Receding Hairlines
As hair begins to recede at the front of the scalp, SMP can be carried out to restore the hairline. Using advanced techniques it’s possible to create a natural, feathered and broken simulation of closely cropped hair, so only a trained eye can spot the treatment and tell a hairline is receding. SMP only becomes noticeable to others if the hairline is sharp, straight or too low on the forehead, or if the pigment shade is too light or dark. Our SMP work avoids this so you receive undetectable results.
Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Totalis is an auto-immune disorder that causes total hair loss on the scalp. The condition affects men and women in equal numbers and can occur at any age, but it is more likely to affect teenagers and young people between 14 and 30 years old. It is common in people with other autoimmune conditions, such as an overactive thyroid, Crohn’s disease or diabetes. SMP can restore the look of a closely shaved full head of hair by covering the crown, sides, back and hairline on the scalp with carefully selected pigments to match skin tone and age.
Scars left from older hair transplant techniques can be covered up by a good SMP technician.
MHR Clinic’s Scalp Micropigmentation is carried out by Helena Fryer, an SMP expert who trained on Harley Street and has more than five years’ experience in practice. Her trademark techniques include the blending softer hairlines for more natural appearances. For more information about Scalp Micropigmentation contact MHR Clinic on 01565 745344.
August-2019
IRON, VITAMIN C AND THE ROLE EACH PLAYS IN A HEALTHY HAIR TRANSPLANT
07-08-2019
MHR Clinic consultant Matt Speight looks at some essential vitamins and minerals for great hair restoration results.
Receding Hairlines
As hair begins to recede at the front of the scalp, SMP can be carried out to restore the hairline. Using advanced techniques it’s possible to create a natural, feathered and broken simulation of closely cropped hair, so only a trained eye can spot the treatment and tell a hairline is receding. SMP only becomes noticeable to others if the hairline is sharp, straight or too low on the forehead, or if the pigment shade is too light or dark. Our SMP work avoids this so you receive undetectable results.
Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Totalis is an auto-immune disorder that causes total hair loss on the scalp. The condition affects men and women in equal numbers and can occur at any age, but it is more likely to affect teenagers and young people between 14 and 30 years old. It is common in people with other autoimmune conditions, such as an overactive thyroid, Crohn’s disease or diabetes. SMP can restore the look of a closely shaved full head of hair by covering the crown, sides, back and hairline on the scalp with carefully selected pigments to match skin tone and age.
Vitamin C has numerous benefits when maximising the results from a hair transplant or medical hair restoration program.
The human body requires certain proteins, vitamins, and minerals to efficiently produce healthy hair.
The role of iron in the lifecycle of a hair follicle has been well studied and documented. It has been found to be a vital constituent in an enzyme, called ribonucleotide reductase, which is essential for cell division in the follicle bulb. A lack of iron can result in freshly transplanted follicles struggling to generate new cells at a time when it is important for them to remain healthy and ready to produce healthy hair.
Furthermore, a low store of iron in the body results in less haemoglobin in the blood, which subsequently reduces the amount of oxygen carried to cells for growth and repair, including follicle cells that stimulate hair growth. For these reasons MHR Clinic advises clients on the benefits of ensuring their diets are balanced with a healthy amount of iron in the weeks and months before and after a hair transplant.
After determining a client’s dietary preferences we recommend those who eat meat consume at least two 4-ounce portions of red meat per week during their treatment program.
Where white meats are favoured by our clients, we suggest lean proteins such as pork and salmon are eaten. And for vegetarians, we highlight the value of lentils, beans, peas, spinach and other dark leafy greens.
All of these foods provide sufficient iron to promote good cell division inside follicles so they remain healthy and in optimum condition to produce strong hair growth.
Which brings us to the importance of vitamin C in sustaining healthy follicles during the entire hair transplant process.
A twice-weekly intake of red meat maintains iron stores at a level to support cell division in transplanted hair follicles.
Salmon is an ideal substitute source of iron for those who prefer fish to meat.
Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron through both the stomach and intestine walls. It also enables the mobilisation of iron out of storage in the body and into bodily systems and functions.
Its power to bind to iron and carry it to essential destinations for healthy cell reproduction is why we advise clients to consume foods with high vitamin C content alongside those with high iron content.
Furthermore, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant helping to rid the body of free radicals which thwart healthy hair growth. And it is also an essential component in the production of collagen which strengthens capillaries supplying nutrients to the hair shafts, keeps hair strong and prevents it from ageing.
But as vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin our bodies don’t store it or accumulate too much of it in our systems, which is why daily intake is highly important.
Lemon, oranges, blueberries, strawberries, green leafy vegetables including cabbage, blackcurrants, broccoli, kiwi, guava, sweet potatoes and papayas are rich sources of vitamin C that you should consume daily alongside iron when undergoing hair restoration.
Vitamins and minerals have an important part to play in achieving the best hair restoration results possible.
July-2019
LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY – THE BENEFITS, HISTORY AND SCIENCE
24-07-2019
MHR Clinic CEO Craig Henton explains why LLLT is so effective in promoting hair growth.
MHR Clinic leads its industry in providing low level laser therapy as a successful way to promote hair growth.
Each MHR Clinic houses a suite of laser therapy chairs, used every day by many of our clients to stimulate their hair follicles into growth cycles.
We often administer the treatment to reduce the extent of each hair transplant needed by our clients. In many cases, such as Hollyoaks actor Adam Rickitt, we completely eliminate the need for surgical procedures by using low level laser therapy.
Many other clinics told Adam he needed an extensive hair transplant. We restored his hair from an advanced state of hair loss to a full head of hair by prescribing weekly laser therapy sessions with herbal treatments and micro doses of prescription medicine.
MHR Clinic has invested in the highest class of laser therapy technology for the most safe and effective distribution of the light spectrum needed to restore thinning hair.
We perpetually achieve impressive regrowth of hair for our male and female clients who undergo LLLT. You can see the proof on the results page of our website.
Ex-Corrie star Adam Rickitt maintains a full head of hair with low level laser therapy at MHR Manchester.
Many hair transplant surgeons choose to cast shade on low level laser therapy because it successfully reduces the number of follicles needed at transplant. They prefer to transfer higher numbers of follicles as they can represent it in the fee they charge for their work. While they try to diminish its standing in the field of hair restoration, we repeatedly hear our surgeons remark on the quality of donor hair it produces for FUE, and the fewer number of follicles needed to complete procedures.
It may not be the best thing to offer in terms of our clinics’ profitability but we put the client first. The overall success of their treatments are important to them and us.
HISTORY
We understand our word may not be sufficient for some, so we thought we would throw a little more light on the subject.
Low level laser therapy’s use as a hair restoration treatment was discovered accidentally in 1967 by a Hungarian surgeon who tested its power to reduce skin cancers on shaven mice.
The physician, Endre Mester, recorded hair growing back much more quickly on a group of mice receiving LLLT than the group he left untreated.
Since then it has been used widely on people to promote healthy hair growth while other medical applications have also been uncovered, including the acceleration of healing in sports injuries.
Referee Mark Clattenburg undergoes low level laser therapy at MHR Manchester.
EVIDENCE
LLLT, also known as cold laser therapy, works by directing photons from between 800 and 860 nanometres on the light spectrum at a person’s scalp. The light band triggers the bio-stimulation of cell structures in the scalp and hair follicles.
People also receive increased doses of this type of light from intense sunshine, and that is why our hair quality and its growth often increases when we go on holiday to a sunny destination.
In the last few years medical bodies have begun to increase trials for the application of LLLT. They have proved it to be effective as a stand-alone remedy, and in conjunction with other hair loss treatments.
As low level laser therapy generates hair growth, MHR Clinic frequently administers it to men in combination with measured doses of finasteride and DHT-blocking shampoos to reduce dihydrotestosterone and halt male pattern baldness. We also advise the use of minoxidil hair lotions to further relax the scalp’s blood vessels for better supply of oxygen and nutrients.
RESULTS
Trials on 225 patients in 2014 by the American Society of Clinical Dermatology found LLLT “to be a safe, alternative treatment for patients with androgenetic alopecia in both men and women.”
The American Society of Clinical Dermatology went on to report in its journal that LLLT showed particular “efficacy in combination with topical minoxidil and when accompanying finasteride treatment.”
More recently, in 2016, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Journal concluded that LLLT was “a promising monotherapy for androgenetic alopecia” and served as “an effective alternative for individuals unwilling to use medical therapy or undergo surgical options.”
But as we’ve said, the results speak for themselves. Take a look below and on our results page.
For more information about using low level laser therapy to restore your hair please contact one of our clinics. Our knowledgeable staff are happy to help you.
Adam has weekly LLLT in conjunction with micro doses of medicine. The results speak for themselves.
JUST TO BE SCIENTIFIC ABOUT IT…
When low level laser therapy is used cell proteins in the scalp membrane produce a chemical known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which converts to AMP (adenosine monophosphate) in the hair follicle. AMP releases energy for a metabolic process needed for hair growth. The simultaneous release of nitric oxide from cells during the process also leads to improved vascular blood flow in the scalp, increasing the distribution of nutrients and oxygen to hair roots and promoting a growth (anagen) phase. As a result genetic male and female pattern baldness is halted and reversed by low level laser therapy.
July-2019
DJ CHRIS EVANS REVEALS HOW HAIR LOSS MEDICINES ALONE WERE ENOUGH TO RESTORE HIS GINGER MOP
10-07-2019
MHR Clinic CEO Craig Henton explains the power of medical hair restoration treatments.
Radio presenter Chris Evans used his Virgin breakfast show to air discussions on men’s hair treatments last week as he opened up about his own battle against hair loss.
The outspoken DJ first revealed he was using hair loss medicines to prevent the shedding of his ginger locks in 2011.
He told Radio 2 listeners: “I went to a trichologist and he told me, ‘There’s stuff we can do. If you lose your hair in your early 20s or your late 50s it is male pattern baldness. And if it happens anywhere in between we can fix it.’
“He did all these tests and gave me all these things that are an ongoing process. I’m trying to protect what I’ve got.”
Ex-Corrie star Adam Rickitt maintains a full head of hair with low level laser therapy at MHR Manchester.
This week he added to his history of hair restoration by explaining on air: “I’ve been on drops of these medications for years now, about five or six years. I was nearly bald and I’m not at all now.
“I don’t have the thickest head of hair in the world but I do have hair now, more than I did.”
The broadcaster’s revelation is testimony to the power of medical hair treatments as an alternative to having a hair transplant.
Taking finasteride tablets in combination with minoxidil lotions can reverse hair loss in men and restore male pattern baldness to its former growth cycle.
Chris Evans is just one beneficiary of their power to do so. We at MHR Clinic have helped hundreds of other men achieve the same result.
Finasteride reduces the effect of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) on the scalp’s follicles, halting further hair loss and stimulating them to recover a normal growth cycle.
Minoxidil is used in foam, liquid or lotion form and can be prescribed in high doses to men and women suffering mild to moderate hair loss. It acts on the scalp to widen blood vessels, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach each hair follicle.
MHR Clinic usually prescribes these medications in combination with a course of low level laser therapy. It is another safe, effective and affordable treatment proven to restore hair growth and enhance hair quality.
Patients typically undergo two 40-minute laser therapy sessions each month in conjunction with one or both prescription medicines, as well as herbal supplements.
These treatments can be used as an alternative to a FUE procedure or in conjunction with one, when necessary. For Chris Evans the treatments alone were more than enough to give him back his hair.
If you are suffering hair loss but aren’t sure on the best course of action for you, then MHR Clinic can advise you on the available options. In many cases the more affordable medications are sufficient.