Top Hair Restoration Technologies for 2021

There’s never been a better time to offer hair restoration at your clinic as advancements in new hair replacement technology develop. Hair transplantation has become a well-established treatment to offer clients dealing with hair loss. Surgical methods continue to get better, and the latest procedures delivering remarkable, natural-looking results—and more people are taking notice. 

The total market for hair restoration treatments has increased 16% since 2016. As the technology becomes more advanced, so does the ability of clinics to transform this powerful market into sustainable growth.

Leading Treatments to Combat Hair Loss and Stimulate Growth of New Hair

Drug/Topical Therapies

Minoxidil was the first drug treatment the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved for hair loss. Today, it is still one of the most popular topical treatments for hair loss. Patients often opt for minoxidil-based shampoos and topicals that are available over the counter to treat early hair loss and thinning. When used properly, minoxidil-based solutions can lessen hair loss, but it’s unclear whether these products can effectively stimulate new hair growth, especially for older men and women. 

For men with hair loss, finasteride may be an effective solution. Finasteride is an oral medication that prevents testosterone from forming DHT, the androgen hormone that is often the cause of decreased hair growth in hormone-sensitive follicles. Because it works on the body’s testosterone, finasteride is not an ideal option for female patients. Minoxidil, however, can be used with men and women—but it promises the most effective results when used in combination with other hair restoration technologies. 

Note that drug-based hair loss treatments only work if they are used properly and consistently. That means that drug-based treatment plans should only be used with patients who will comply with the treatment recommendations.

PRP Treatments

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has been used in facial treatments for some time and is now being adapted for use as an effective hair restoration treatment. 

PRP therapy uses the patient’s blood plasma to stimulate cells. Blood contains two primary components: red blood cells and plasma, which is comprised of white blood cells and platelets. Platelets are rich in growth factors that act as a kind of stimulant to skin cells. With PRP therapy for hair loss, these growth factors can trigger dormant hair follicles to restart, leading to new hair growth.

PRP therapy may be used on its own, but one study has suggested that it may also help improve the viability of hair transplants following the initial procedure.

Hair Cloning

This technique is still in an experimental stage, but in theory it may offer an ideal method of stimulating dormant hair follicles to encourage regeneration. The hair cloning process involves extracting healthy hair follicles and growing them in a lab, sometimes with artificial skin. Once the hairs grow, they are extracted. The hairs are then combined with living skin cells and new active hair follicles are created. Cloning offers more transplants with fewer extractions, but because this method is still being developed, it’s unclear how effective it may be in the long term.

Low-Level Laser/Light Therapy

Currently, several low-level laser or light devices have been approved for use as at-home hair restoration devices. These devices range in power output and configuration. They require users to commit to treatment intervals that vary from 90 seconds to 25 minutes, either every day or multiple times a week at a minimum. While some studies have shown noticeable increases in hair density with these kinds of therapies, the results are not permanent. If patients reduce or stop the use of these devices, their hair loss resumes.

Here’s a closer look at some of the latest technologies to address hair loss.

FUE Over FUT Going Forward 

As medical aesthetic technology advances, so do hair restoration techniques. Prior to 2016, the most well-regarded procedure had been Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), which involves an invasive strip procedure. However over the year, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) has been growing steadily in popularity because of its minimally-invasive nature and natural-looking patient results. 

With FUE, hairs are extracted individually from the donor site, with very little of the surrounding tissue removed. For this reason, FUE is less invasive than FUT, and doesn’t leave a visible, linear scar, a primary concern among clients. Healthy follicles are then sorted and prepped for implantation. FUE procedures don’t require stitches, and the tiny extraction sites leave virtually no detectable scars. These sites are easily concealed with longer hair strands nearby and will heal by themselves, typically within three to seven days. 

Furthermore, manual FUE is now being replaced by the superior advantages of devices that can perform automated, or robotic, FUE such as NeoGraft^® and ARTAS iX™ by Venus Concept. These advanced, technology based FUE restoration treatments deliver highly successful outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Is Manual FUE Outdated?

The short answer to that question is, yes. 

Automated Follicular Unit Extraction is one of the best developments in the hair replacement field in recent years. It is a lot less taxing on the physician when compared to manual FUE, and it solves several drawbacks that impact your practice’s ROI:

Doing FUE manually is a laborious and time-consuming process, making the procedure more costly for patients and your clinic. With automated FUE, you can pass the savings in time spent on to your clients through a competitive pricing model.

Automated NeoGraft^® and Robotic ARTAS iX™ FUE

Venus Concept offers two state-of-the-art hair restoration devices: NeoGraft^® and ARTAS iX™.

During a NeoGraft^® session, the treatment provider extracts individual hair follicles from the donor area on the back or sides of the head using a specialized device and then implants them in the area where more hair growth is desired. The assistance of a pneumatic motor and suction allows for precise pressure control for both extraction and implantation. The automatic counter and touchscreen user interface built into the system help eliminate the inefficiencies of common manual tools and procedures while enabling physicians to offer hair transplants with consistent clinical outcomes. The newly implanted hair follicles continue the natural hair growth cycle and results improve overtime, with full realization at 9-12 months post-procedure.

ARTAS iX™ uses a similar process, except things are made easier with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine vision, and robotics technology. This robotic hair transplant machine offers precise, efficient, and repeatable harvesting with simultaneous recipient site-making and implantation functionalities in a single, compact platform. The device’s intelligent algorithms, precision and speed work to protect existing hair and maintains a natural appearance for the newly implanted hair. The innovative system leverages state-of-the-art technology to enable accurate and efficient harvesting, recipient site-making, and implantation functionality, using image-guided robotics for precise and repeatable results.

Both of our highly advanced, intelligent hair restoration systems eliminate the problems of manual FUE and FUT. Our automated NeoGraft® and robotic ARTAS iX™ FUE procedures maximize patient and physician comfort, are minimally invasive, leave no linear scarring, and offer fast recovery times. The most important thing of all, they have helped hundreds of thousands of hair restoration patients gain their confidence and life back!

Hair Restoration Support With VERO Hair™ 

VERO Hair™ is a full-service solution for growing your hair restoration business with the latest technologies and comprehensive business support. It includes both our automated and advanced robotic FUE technologies as well as extensive post-sales support tools, including clinical training, marketing, and business development programs, giving you the competitive edge in the expanding hair restoration market. 

Adding hair restoration to your clinic’s list of services is a robust way to expand your clientele, boost your clinic’s profile, and increase revenue. Speak to one of our experts today to see how we can support your success.