STEM CELLS FOR

Hair

Regenerative hair growth offers patients a safe, effective, non-surgical method of hair restoration. At Docere Medical, we employ Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), stem cells derived from your own fat, Exosomes, and other growth factors to stimulate hair to move from …

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This simple, “lunchtime” procedure can dramatically improve hair density and
health in both men and women. While it will not grow new hair where there is
no growth at all, it can strengthen waning follicles to turn thinning hair shafts
into thick ones.

WHAT IS PLATELET
RICH PLASMA (PRP)?

PRP is essentially blood that has been centrifuged and has had the red and white blood cells removed. Produced in just a few minutes from a normal venous blood draw, PRP contains a powerful mix of growth factors that can enhance tissue regeneration, healing and hair follicle growth. PRP has been studied widely and has established itself to be effective and safe as a medical treatment in the fields of oral surgery, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery and wound healing. Its use in hair restoration is relatively new but several studies have shown it to be an exciting non-chemical, non-pharmaceutical alternative to surgery.

HOW ARE STEM CELLS FROM YOUR FAT, EXOSOMES AND GROWTH FACTORS BENEFICIAL IN HAIR RESTORATION?

Docere Medical is one of the early regenerative medicine clinics to offer you the option of using stem cells derived from your own fat tissue. After performing a lipoaspiration procedure (miniature liposuction), the stem cell-rich, Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) is extracted from the whole adipose and these stem cells can be added to PRP to further boost the regenerative process on a cellular level. Research has shown that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC’s) have proteins that exert diverse skin rejuvenating effects, such as the stimulation of collagen synthesis, triggering the growth of new blood vessels, as well as hair growth stimulating effects. Exosomes and Growth Factors are also getting a lot of buzz in the hair restoration space. Although relatively new, these biologics have become an important additional tool in the toolbox for restoring hair.

Blood is drawn in the office and spun in a special centrifuge. The PRP is separated from the blood.

A lipoaspiration is performed, usually on the flanks (love-handles), and the fat is processed over the course of 45 minutes to isolate the SVF.

The scalp is cleaned then local anesthesia is administered to numb the treatment area. The highly concentrated platelet-rich plasma is then injected (alone or in combination with your own stem cells).

The patient may drive home. Usually, no sedation or medication is required. The procedure takes about 1 hour for PRP alone and 2 hours for PRP with SVF.

WHEN CAN I EXPECT
TO SEE RESULTS?

Improvements in hair growth typically become most evident between 4-8 months in conjunction with the typical hair growth cycle.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Six months of stem cell

REFERENCES

Fukuoka, H. Suga, H. Narita, K. et al. The latest advance in hair restoration therapy using proteins secreted by adipose-derived stem cells. Amer J of Cosmetic Surg. 2012; Vol 29, No 4: 273-82.

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Miao, Y., et al. Promotional effect of PRP on hair follicle reconstitution in vivo. Derm Surg. 2013; 39:1869-1876.

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Greco, J., and R. Brandt. Preliminary experience and extended applications for the use of autologous platelet-rich plasma in hair transplantation surgery. Hair Transplant Forum Int’l. 2007; 17:131-132.

Cervelli, S. Garcovich, A. Bielli, G. Cervelli, et al. “The effect of autologous activated platelet-rich plasma (AA-PRP) injection on pattern hair loss: clinical and histomorphometric evaluation,” BioMed Research International. Volume 2014.

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Greco, J., and R. Brandt. The effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma and various growth factors on non-transplanted miniaturized hair. Hair Transplant Forum Int’l. 2009; 19:49-50.

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Zheng, J. Choi H. Choi D., et al. “Autologous platelet-rich plasma: a potential therapeutic tool for promoting hair growth”. Derm Surg.2012: 38:1040-1046.

The following are the most commonly asked questions at Docere Medical. If, after reading, you have any additional questions that we did not cover here, please feel to contact us at any time!

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Questions

Is stem cell therapy a "miracle cure"?

No. While stem cell therapy shows promise in the rapidly growing body of scientific data, it has not been scientifically proven to be effective. Based on full-time stem cell therapy experience since 2014, we are very careful to only treat patients that we think we have a chance of helping. Namely; patients who are in overall good health who wish to improve the health of their skin, hair and sexual organs using the healing power of their own bodies. We do not treat any systemic disease at all. While we have helped many people, there are people we have treated that we have not helped at all. Our experience is that overall, we help more people than we don't help, but there is nothing about stem cell therapy that is either a "miracle" or a "cure".To add a new question go to app settings and press "Manage Questions" button.



What are the risks of the procedures?

There are very few risks involved. You are certain to be sore for a few days after the procedure, but that is a side effect, not a risk. Temporary bruising, redness and swelling are common after Dr Killen's procedures but generally improve within a week. Infection is a serious risk, but is extremely rare. The biggest risk of these therapies is that they won't help your condition, however, performed properly, they will not make your condition worse.



Does insurance cover these procedures?

Short answer: no. Long answer: stem cell therapy and PRP are considered experimental procedures. While some insurance companies will pay for platelet rich plasma or bone marrow aspirate concentrate when used by a surgeon in conjunction with certain orthopedic surgeries, they generally do not pay when used as an injection. For this reason, Docere Medical has a 'payment at the time of service' policy.



Do the Stem Cells come from my bone marrow, from my fat, or from both?

Upon establishing that you are indeed a candidate for treatment, we will decide whether to harvest stem cells from your bone marrow (BMAC), from your fat (ADSC), or from both. Most of our patients at Docere Medical opt to use stem cells from fat for their procedures. PLEASE NOTE - due to changes in the regulatory environment, we plan to totally discontinue the use of ADSC by November, 2020. Clearly, if you have too little subcutaneous fat to consider lipoaspiration, then ADSC is not an option and we will opt instead for BMAC alone or for not using any of your own stem cells. If you have a history of bone or blood cancer, we opt for ADSC suspended in platelet rich plasma. In addition to stem cells, Docere Medicine uses Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) in most of our procedures. We are also able to use Exosomes and Polycyte (growth factors from umbilical cords), often in combination with PRP and stem cells, although Exosomes, Polycyte, and PRP can also be used alone in patient's not wishing to have their own stem cells harvested.



Do you have an Anesthesiologist so I can sleep through the whole thing?

Yes. We contract with board certified anesthesiologists to offer our patients 'deep sedation'. Deep sedation uses much gentler medications than general anesthesia, but you are very much asleep, you don't feel anything, and you don't remember anything afterward. It is the same type of sedation used for colonoscopies or dental procedures. It is our experience that we get better outcomes when people sleep through it. As such, our prices are structured so that sedation is included in the cost of treatment; you are not required to be sedated, but you are paying for it, so why not do it?



How many treatments will I want to do and how often will I receive them?

Results vary, and unfortunately we don't help everyone. Based on our overall experience, at the one-year mark after an ADSC/BMAC treatment, some of our patients are still going strong with major improvement and do not request a second treatment at that time. Others have had mild improvement and may request a second treatment. Once we get people where they want to be, most people require tune-up treatments every two to six years. Some of our patients are "non-responders" and have no improvement at all. Factors include patient health/habits, adherence to post-treatment guidelines, and severity of the condition. Additionally, many patients have seen benefit from following up their stem cell procedure with PRP injections. If patients choose to use PRP injections afterwards to further activate stem cells, we recommend waiting 4-6 weeks in between treatments.



How soon might I notice improvement?

These therapies are intended to stimulate the growth and repair tissues. Typically, patients notice improvement after four to eight weeks and continue to notice continual improvement months after the treatment. Hair procedures often take longer to see results, as much as 6 months in some people.



How will I feel immediately after the treatment?

After the procedure, you will have localized soreness and discomfort, especially after lipoaspiration. Injections in the hair, face and sexual organs may cause mild discomfort for a few days but symptoms are generally mild. Most patients find over-the-counter medications and rest sufficient to help with the pain. Facial rejuvenation procedures leave skin red and moderately swollen. Bruising is also possible, especially around the eyes and mouth. Post-procedure ointments and recommendations on skincare will be provided. Arnica and Bromelian creams may also help with bruising. Patients are allowed to wear make-up the day after the procedure and must wear sunblock daily for 3 months to avoid hyperpigmentation. Sexual optimization patients may feel swelling and mild discomfort in the genitalia for a few days. Patients will be provided with devices for home use to encourage blood flow and further improve healing. These devices are generally used in the three months following the procedure.



Are the results permanent?

Unless you are a vampire, nothing in this life is permanent. The treatments we offer are intended to reverse tissue damage and degenerative changes and turn back the hands of time, but they do not stop the hands of time. Whether you need follow up therapies will largely be determined by your general health and rate of aging, as well as your response to the initial treatment. Most people require tune-up treatments every two to four years. (New question): Can I do stem cell facial rejuvenation if I also do Botox, fillers or other facial treatments? Yes! If you are using neurotoxins like, such as Botox, or fillers (such as Juvederm or Restylane), you will just want to make sure there is a 2-week period of time between when you receive those injections and when you have your stem cell facial procedure. Dr Killen is also able to do Botox and fillers in certain patients on the day of the stem cell procedure, but this would need to be discussed with her ahead of time. When it comes to other medical facial treatments, such as lasers and radiofrequency therapies, you'll want to discuss the timing with us, but in general you'll be fine to do any procedures within a month of your stem cell facial rejuvenation. (new question): If I have had a hair transplant, can I still do stem cell hair injections? Yes. Absolutely. In fact, many hair transplant physicians are using regenerative products during the hair transplant to help the grafts take better.



What Guarantee do I have that will be satisfied with the results?

None. We are happy to report that our overall patient satisfaction rate is very high. We grow almost entirely by word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied patients. We help more people than we don't help, but we don't help everyone. We have found that the severity of the condition is much less of a predictor of the clinical outcome than is the overall health of the person being treated. If you're unhealthy, it is entirely possible that your stem cells don't function properly. We have observed that we tend to have inferior outcomes in people who are smokers, heavy drinkers, heavy narcotic users, diabetics, have uncontrolled hypertension, sleep apnea, lousy diets, and who have a negative outlook on life.





What recommendations do you make to optimize the outcome of Stem Cell Therapy?

Mostly common sense: wholesome diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, fulfilling interpersonal relationships, avoidance of smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. Dr. Killen also recommends beginning Neo40 nitric oxide supplement at least 2 weeks before the procedure. Other therapies that are known to increase the health and activity of stem cells and production of nitric oxide, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and pulsed electrical magnetic field therapy (PEMF) may also be useful. Low level light therapy (red light therapy) can also be useful as an after-treatment therapy to help with bruising and swelling. We also ask our patients to avoid the use of NSAIDS (such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen, or Aspirin) and steroids in the two weeks before the procedure. Limiting use of blood thinning supplements, such as fish oil/omega 3 fatty acids and Gingko Biloba, is also encouraged.



1389 Center Drive, Suite 340

 Park City, Utah 84098

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