CosmeSurge specialist on UAE’s rising cases of hair loss and transplants as a solution

Dr Hossein Yavari, a specialist dermatologist at Dubai's CosmeSurge, on the UAE’s rising cases of alopecia, or hair loss, and the most effective, long-term solutions.

CosmeSurge's specialist dermatologist Dr Hossein Yavari. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Dr Hossein Yavari, a specialist dermatologist at CosmeSurge’s newest clinic in Dubai Marina, has a waiting list extending to weeks and a packed appointment book – but not for the reason you might expect. We sat down with him to discuss the UAE’s rising cases of alopecia, or hair loss, and the most effective, long-term solutions.

Your waiting room is overflowing. What are the majority of patients here for?

Some of them come for cosmetic procedures: Botox, fillers and laser treatments for everything from rejuvenation to mole removal. I also have many, many appointments for hair transplants. Some weeks I have transplants every single day.

Are women seeking hair-loss treatments as much as men?

Definitely. Over the past two years I must have handled about 100 cases of women, 100 separate female cases of hair transplants and probably about 150 to 200 for men.

What’s the age range of these patients?

They are normally between 25 and 45. For males, hair loss can begin as early as puberty, so around 15 years of age, and for ladies it’s a little later. It’s all dependent on hormones and it is, of course, a hereditary condition, which is why there’s no cure.

What does the hair-transplant procedure involve?

The transplantation depends upon the grade of hair loss. If someone is completely bald, we would grade that at about 6 or 7. This would mean the person doesn’t have enough hair on the back of their head, or the density and quality of hair in that area of the scalp is not good enough, so we might look to the chest or lower abdomen as a donor area. The same applies if the person’s hair on the back of their head is very curly and we’re unable to take hairs one-by-one for transplantation – we would again then look to the chest, lower abdomen or, in some cases, the legs.

What about the surgical procedures and the average recovery time?

We have two types of hair-transplantation procedures. One type is follicular unit transplantation or strip method of harvesting – it’s a surgery with a recovery time of maximum seven days, but the patient can go to work two, three days afterwards. The other method is called follicular unit extraction, where hairs are taken one-by-one without cutting the skin and there is almost no recovery time, so 24 to 48 hours later, the patient will be back at work.

What’s the success rate and how long will the transplants last?

If hair has been transplanted from the back of the head, the chest or belly – the effect is permanent. Basically, if the transplanted hair is not affected by hormones, then it will supposedly stay forever.

Finally, let's talk about Botox. Why has there been a resurgence in popularity?

It’s been around for 20 to 25 years, but we have recently seen an increase in appointments because we’re using it to treat more areas of the face. Previously, it was mainly just the forehead and crow’s feet, but now we’re using it for the jawline and neck, which has something of a lifting effect. Of course, it is also frequently used for medical conditions such as hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating. But for the face, many popular new areas include the treatment of a droopy mouth – where we elevate the corners. We also now treat “smoker lines”, which appear vertically along the lips.

• CosmeSurge has branches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah. To book a consultation, call 04 447 1777. For a full list of treatments and price options, visit www.cosmesurge.com