Facts About Hair, Hair Loss and Hair Loss Treatments
Sara Wasserbauer, MD
Walnut Creek, CA
Less important today is the role of hair in protecting the scalp against physical injury, heat loss in winter and damage from solar radiation in summer - we have headgear for this kind of protection. Of the approximately five million hair follicles on the human body, 100,000 to 150,000 are on the scalp when the scalp is unaffected by hair loss. The number of scalp hair follicles is linked to hair color: the greatest number of scalp hair follicles is found in blonds, fewer in brunettes, and the least number in people with red hair. The normal growth rate of scalp hair is one-fourth to one-half inch per month. Hair growth has a cyclic pattern that can be affected by a number of genetic, disease, medication or other factors to cause hair loss. Hair is formed in the hair follicle and grows out of the follicle in a continuous cyclic pattern of growth and rest. There are three phases in the hair growth cycle: Anagen—growth phase, 2 to 8 years;
Catagen—degeneration phase, 2 to 4 weeks; and,
Telogen—resting phase, 2 to 4 months.During anagen the follicle actively grows hair.
During catagen the follicle is almost entirely degraded. During telogen the follicle rests prior to re-initiation of an anagen phase and the growth of a new hair shaft. As the new hair shaft emerges it pushes out the prior "dead" hair shaft, and the old hair is shed. About 50 to 100 telogen hairs are normally shed every day; these are the hairs we find in our comb, brush and shower drain. About 10 percent of scalp hair follicles are normally in telogen phase at any given time if the scalp is healthy and not affected by any condition that causes hair loss. Hormones: Key Factors in Hair Growth and in Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss The hormones called androgens are important control factors in hair growth and in inherited male and female patterns of hair loss. The androgen hormone testosterone and its metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are the key control factors: Testosterone is a key control factor in the growth of beard, underarm and pubic hair.
Scalp hair growth is not under androgen control, but scalp hair loss is associated with presence of DHT in male and female pattern hair loss. DHT plus the presence and activity of hair loss gene(s) are the key factors underlying male and female pattern hair loss.Genes: The Other Key Factor in Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss Male and female pattern hair loss is called androgenetic alopecia (AGA) because both androgens (andro) and genes (genetic) are involved. Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss.
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) "runs in families." It is an inherited condition associated with a specific gene (or genes) nor yet identified with certainty. Both the testosterone metabolite DHT and the gene(s) for hair loss must be present for AGA to occur. The gene(s) for hair loss makes scalp hair follicles extraordinarily sensitive to DHT, and this sensitivity eventually causes hair follicles to (1) stop producing hair, or (2) produce only miniaturized “peach fuzz” hair. The amount of DHT does not need to be greater than normal for AGA to occur; it is the presence of the gene(s) for AGA that causes DHT to halt growth in hair follicles. Patterns of inheritance of the hair-loss gene(s) can be unpredictable for the average person. Having a father or uncle with AGA makes it probable—but not certain—that AGA will occur in a son or daughter. Physician hair restoration specialists are familiar with the genetics of AGA and can usually counsel a patient regarding the onset and progression of male pattern or female pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), also known as male pattern hair loss, is one of the most common conditions affecting men. In the United States, 35 million to 40 million men are affected by AGA. In some men AGA progresses to baldness over most of the scalp. Degrees of hair loss range from this most severe form of AGA to the least noticeable loss of hair in the front temporal area above the eyebrows. Loss of hair in the front temporal area is usually the first place where hair is lost in male AGA; in some men the loss stops there and never progresses while in other man hair loss continues into other areas of the scalp. Progression of hair loss is rapid in some men, slower in others. A physician hair restoration specialist can often predict the final appearance of hair loss based upon the rapidity of onset and progression.
Sara Wasserbauer, MD
At the offices of Dr. Sara Wasserbauer, we offer a full range of laser treatments emphasizing the latest techniques and therapies with personalized service. Our Cutera Laser is what everyone is talking about - Titan skin tightening treatments, IPL photorejuvenation, and the fastest, most comfortable hair removal available anywhere. Dr. Sara Wasserbauer completed her undergraduate studies with a B.A. in Classical Archeology and minors in Chemistry, Biology and Psychology at the prestigious Dartmouth College. She then went on to earn her medical degree from the renowned Medical College of Ohio where she was designated Class Leader. After finishing her training in Internal Medicine, Dr. Wasserbauer discovered she had a natural aptitude and eye for aesthetic surgery. Growing up in a family that experienced severe hair loss in both the men AND women, she found herself drawn to hair restoration and the dramatic change it could have on one's appearance With the technological advancements in hair restoration surgery over the past 10 years she saw the potential of natural follicular unit hair restoration surgery to transform a person's outward appearance and inner self esteem. She states, "Hair loss can have debilitating effects on an individual's self image, impacting all facets of their lives from social to professional." Dr. Wasserbauer felt that with her surgical skills, training and natural empathy she could make a true difference in her patient's lives. 
To fulfill her ambition and satisfy her drive for aesthetic perfection she proceeded to train with some of the world's leading hair restoration surgeons. She completed the only accredited fellowship in Hair Transplantation Surgery in the United States, working with a national team of Board Certified Hair Restoration Surgeons to refine her craft and better understand the subtleties of the procedure and medical treatment options available. She next studied under one of the most highly published hair restoration surgeons in the country and a leading pioneer of follicular unit hair restoration surgery, the accepted "Gold Standard" of hair restoration surgery. Dr. Wasserbauer believes in a holistic approach to treating her patients. "I want to understand their cosmetic goals and create very customized treatment plans that will accomplish their objectives and fit their lifestyle. Today we have more treatment options available, both medical and surgical, to treat the hair loss patient than ever before. There is no reason to treat patients with a cookie cutter, one size fits all approach."
Sara Wasserbauer, MD
1299 Newell Hill Place, Suite 200
Walnut Creek, CA
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