Asian Hair Restoration

Hair loss is a common concern that affects millions of people around the world, leading many to turn to various hair restoration treatments to revitalize their appearance. For Asian patients, hair restoration requires special consideration due to the distinct characteristics of Asian hair, including thicker, straighter hair follicles and unique growth patterns.

Dr. Richard Chaffoo is a co-founder and surgical director of California Hair MD, one of the Top Hair Loss Clinics in the World. Dr. Chaffoo is America’s Only Triple Board-Certified Hair Transplant Plastic Surgeon, and his practice is one of the only hair restoration practices in the USA under the codirection of a triple board-certified plastic surgeon and a board-certified dermatologist. Dr. Chaffoo trains and teaches other plastic surgeons interested in hair restoration at the annual Aesthetic Society meeting and is involved in cutting-edge research to develop new treatment options for hair loss.

Dr. Susan Stuart is a board-certified dermatologist and hair restoration specialist with more than 20 years of experience. Dr. Stuart is the go-to dermatologist for several publications, including Cosmopolitan, Better Homes & Gardens, InStyle, and the Huffington Post. She is also involved in research focused on novel and groundbreaking hair loss treatments and works with the medical device industry to help develop new technologies.

To explore your hair restoration options, please schedule a consultation online or call your closest California Hair MD office:

About Asian Hair Restoration

Asian hair restoration is a treatment that helps restore denser and thicker hair growth in areas of the scalp experiencing thinning, shedding, or patchiness in patients of Asian descent. Hair loss can occur in both men and women, with the most common form of hair loss being androgenetic alopecia, or male or female pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia is a common disorder among Asian men and women, with studies reporting an incidence of up to 73%. ⁽¹⁾

California Hair MD offers a variety of both non-surgical and surgical hair restoration treatments, including follicular unit extraction, follicular unit transplantation, low-level light therapy, platelet-rich plasma, medications, and more. Each of these treatments can restore healthier, thicker, and denser hair, in addition to restoring your confidence.

About Asian Hair

Asian hair is unique for several reasons. Asian hairs have a greater diameter than both African-American and Caucasian hair, which is due to a more compact hair cuticle that consists of a greater number of layers. These cuticle scales have narrow intervals between them, providing extra strength to Asian hair while additionally absorbing stress more uniquely. Asian patients are also known to have lower hair density compared to other races, although this can vary. Asian hair also has a faster growth rate, especially compared to Caucasian hair. ⁽²⁾ Because of these unique characteristics, it is important to work with an expert who understands these nuances.

Benefits

There are several benefits to undergoing hair restoration, including:

Personal Consultation

The first step to restoring your hair is attending a personal consultation with Dr. Chaffoo. During this consultation, he will meet with you individually to discuss our hair restoration treatments. He will ask you about your medical history, current prescriptions, concerns, and treatment goals to understand your health background and hair restoration motivations. He will also perform a physical examination to evaluate your scalp.

He will use these details to determine your candidacy and create your treatment plan, recommending the best procedure(s) for your circumstances, tailoring certain aspects to address each of your concerns.

To schedule this consultation and receive your personalized treatment plan, please contact us online or call the office most convenient for you:

Preparation

Preparing for a hair restoration procedure is fairly straightforward. During your consultation, Dr. Chaffoo will provide you with a set of personalized instructions after creating your treatment plan. These instructions may vary from patient to patient, but following them closely will ensure the best outcomes. These often include, but are not limited to:

Procedure

At California Hair MD, we have several available treatments to restore Asian hair. Dr. Chaffoo will select the best procedures and techniques for your circumstances during your consultation.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a surgical hair restoration procedure that uses a circular punch tool to extract individual hair grafts from a specified donor area before placing them into areas of the scalp experiencing hair loss. ⁽³⁾ At California Hair MD, we utilize several different advanced tools to perform FUE, including the Artas i-X-i, NeoGraft, and SmartGraft.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is a hair transplant procedure that excises a strip of skin from the back of the scalp to harvest a large number of grafts at once, before individually dissecting the follicles and placing them into the scalp. This procedure is ideal for patients who are experiencing more extensive hair loss or prefer wearing their hair in longer hairstyles.

Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT)

Low-level light therapy (LLLT), or low-level laser therapy, is a treatment that uses lasers or LED light to stimulate new hair growth. ⁽⁴⁾ This treatment uses a process called photobiomodulation, during which low-intensity lights stimulate cellular activity. This treatment is non-invasive and ideal if you are just starting to lose hair and wish to address it early on.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an emerging treatment that uses the regenerative properties in your own blood to stimulate new growth around the scalp. This serum contains three to six times the average concentration platelet enrichment of whole blood ⁽⁵⁾ and more than 20 types of growth factors, making it a nutrient-rich formula for your scalp. ⁽⁶⁾ Dr. Chaffoo can perform this treatment by collecting a sample of your blood, processing it, and then re-administering it to the scalp using a fine needle. Patients can receive PRP as a standalone hair restoration procedure or as part of another treatment to enhance its results.

Finasteride

Dr. Chaffoo can also prescribe hair restoration medications, such as finasteride, to help you restore your hair growth. Finasteride is an FDA-approved medication that helps manage androgenic alopecia by inhibiting 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme seen in male development, to stop the conversion of testosterone to DHT— the main hormone responsible for hair loss. This helps slow the effects of hair loss and can increase hair count within 12 months. ⁽⁷⁾

Recovery

Recovering from Asian hair restoration can vary depending on the type of treatment, although most patients return to their routines fairly quickly. If you receive a non-surgical treatment, you will be able to return to your activities immediately after your appointment, as LLLT, PRP, or medications have no recovery time. On the other hand, you may need to dedicate several days to recovery if you receive a surgical hair restoration procedure, such as FUE or FUT, with specific restrictions.

Results

The results of hair restoration will develop gradually, with the full results of your treatment developing after approximately 12 months. You will be able to enjoy thicker and denser hair, as well as new growth that replicates your natural growth patterns.

The longevity of your results can vary depending on the treatment you receive. Surgical hair restoration procedures, such as FUE and FUT, provide generally permanent results. Treatments such as LLLT or PRP require ongoing maintenance appointments to maintain their effects, and medication requires long-term commitment to see results.

Cost of Asian Hair Restoration in Los Angeles and San Diego

The cost of your Asian hair restoration can vary, as we design each treatment plan around your specific concerns and goals. Pricing reflects the type of procedure, the number of grafts involved, the size of the treatment area, the scale of treatment, and other factors. We will discuss the cost of your procedure with you after finalizing your treatment plan.

To learn more about the cost of your customized hair restoration treatment, please schedule a consultation online or call your closest California Hair MD office.

References

1. Lee WS, Lee HJ. Characteristics of Androgenetic Alopecia in Asian. Annals of Dermatology. 2012;24(3):243. doi:https://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2012.24.3.243
2. Maymone MBC, Laughter M, Pollock S, et al. Hair Aging in Different Races and Ethnicities. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2021;14(1):38. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7869811/
3. Sharma R, Ranjan A. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant: Curves Ahead. Journal of Maxillofacial & Oral Surgery. 2019;18(4):509-517. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-019-01245-6
4. Pillai J, Mysore V. Role of low-level light therapy (LLLT) in androgenetic alopecia. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery. 2021;14(4):385. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/jcas.jcas_218_20
5. Paichitrojjana A, Paichitrojjana A. Platelet Rich Plasma and Its Use in Hair Regrowth: A Review. Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2022;Volume 16:635-645. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/dddt.s356858
6. Garg S, Manchanda S. Platelet-rich plasma—an “Elixir” for treatment of alopecia: personal experience on 117 patients with review of literature. Stem Cell Investigation. 2017;4:64-64. doi:https://doi.org/10.21037/sci.2017.06.07
7. Zito PM, Bistas KG, Syed K. Finasteride. PubMed. Published 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513329/#article-21771.s2