Movember: Part II of II

Posted in General

Published by SmartGraft on November 24, 2020

For some, what begins as a personable charitable campaign during a month of thanksgiving turns into a realization that facial hair needs tending. Some will learn that they can’t grow facial hair or that their hair grows in sporadic patches on their face as a result of genetics, injury or surgical scarring, and this can lead to feelings of inadequacy and a desire to practice better self-care. SmartGraft physician and UC San Diego dermatologist, Dr. Arisa Ortiz, notes that “growing a thick, healthy beard is on trend now more than ever. If a patient wishes to thicken a patchy beard, or in some cases is gender transitioning, SmartGraft is an effective option for creating a natural-appearing dense beard.” For individuals who struggle to address a patchy beard, solutions need not go to the extreme of shaving it all. Treatment solutions for beard health include oral solutions like Minoxidil, the key ingredient in Rogaine.
In about 40% of cases this solution will work to enhance beard appearance. Other oral nutraceuticals, like LOCKrx by SmartSolutionsRX, a drug free and customizable hair health system, can help to address the internal factors that affect beard health, helping to plant the seeds to long term growth and beard healh. Cindy Rager, COO of SmartSolutionsRX notes that “Because of its total approach from the inside as well as from the outside, LOCKrx can be a perfect solution for helping to create and maintain the best environment for hair growth, including beards. Many patients are reporting to their physicians that hair fall has slowed dramatically in a few short weeks.” Prescription medications and other options may also be an option. Before turning to permanent solutions for hair loss, SmartGraft physicians Dr. Melissa Toyos and Dr. Rolando Toyos “recommend an oral supplement, compounding minoxidil with added nanomicellular vitamin A to double the efficacy ten add a prostaglandin and anti-inflammatory to further hair growth potential.” Permanent solutions for beard growth include FUE beard transplantation with the SmartGraft. Just as with any scalp hair treatment procedure, beard transplantation with FUE assistance is practically painless and involves extracting donor hair on the sides of the face, chest, or the back, and then matching the collected follicles with existing facial hair and carefully transplanting it to the recipient site. Skilled transplantation is key to ensure the hair is transplanted at the correct angle and to ensure even thickness across the facial area. SmartGraft physician, Dr. Jennyfer Cocco regularly treats patients for beard restoration and shares the process, noting that the process involves preparing the donor site, shaving the hair close to the scalp so the direction of growth can be seen, and then extracted with the SmartGraft FUE device. For patients of Dr. Nikko, beard restoration is possible because of SmartGraft technology. In this case, the patient suffered from alopecia areata and wanted to fill in his beard that had become patchy. Dr. Nikko and his team permanently transplanted donor hair that was taken from the back of the scalp, and meticulously placed the transplanted grafts in the beard. These photo examples were taken six months apart.

For those blessed with a healthy beard and ability to grow a mustache, the month of November offers an opportunity to give back and raise awareness for men’s health. For others, November is a reminder that not all are able to grow facial hair due to genetic reasons, scarring, or underlying medical conditions. In an effort to grow for a good cause, you may also discover a need to focus on your own health. Thankfully there are remedies available for both men and transgender women wishing to enhance their facial hair and these options range from supplements to topical solutions and to permanent restoration options. To learn more about which treatment plan is best for you, visit www.smartgraft.com/find-a-doctor. To learn more about Movember and create your own Mo-ment, visit www.movember.com.