23rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Spotlights Latest Research, Scientific Advances in Treating Hair Loss
GENEVA, IL. – August 27, 2015. Colombian-born singer/songwriter Shakira, one of the best known Latin-American pop artists, now has another accolade to add to her long list of career achievements — best hair. The world’s foremost hair restoration physicians voted her as the female celebrity with the best hair in a recently completed member survey released by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
The survey found 55.4 percent of ISHRS members polled chose Shakira as the female celebrity with the most desirable locks, beating out Amal Clooney who received 23.5 percent of the votes for best hair.
All things hair restoration will be featured when the ISHRS hosts its 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting, September 9-13, 2015, at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago, Ill., USA. This one-of-a-kind educational event is expected to draw more than 800 physicians and surgical assistants from around the world dedicated to achieving the most natural looking hair restoration results through the use of the latest technological developments, the latest research, and the skillful surgical art of hair transplantation.
"Our recent member survey confirms that hair restoration is more popular than ever, with 397,048 procedures performed worldwide in 2014 — a 28 percent increase from 2012," said Sharon Keene, MD, president of the ISHRS. "The ISHRS is committed to the professional development of our members, and meetings like this allow physicians from many specialties to share ideas and learn the latest techniques and technologies from many advanced physicians in the field of medical and surgical hair restoration."
This premier scientific meeting offers attendees the opportunity to participate in a variety of interactive sessions, including a live patient viewing where the physician audience can assess the results of actual patients from a variety of cases that utilized different approaches and techniques.
"Hair restoration physicians of all levels — from advanced practitioners to the beginner — can hone their skills through the numerous hands-on instructional opportunities that our comprehensive Continuing Medical Education (CME) program provides," said Nilofer P. Farjo, MD, chair of the 2015 Annual Scientific Meeting. "This, coupled with the knowledge gained from sharing best practices with leaders in the field, makes the meeting an unmatched learning experience."
A sampling of the hot topics to be presented at the ISHRS Annual Meeting includes:
Hair Biology — Understanding what makes hair follicles tick — especially when they don't behave normally and stop growing — is an exciting area of research in the field of hair restoration. One featured presentation in this area explores the concept of how the same number of follicular stem cells are maintained even when hair loss or baldness occurs. The question of how these follicular stem cells can be reactivated is the driver behind some important laboratory based initiatives. An important discovery linking fat precursor stem cells to the local regulation of hair follicle growth, and the potential role fat cells can play to "turn on" the hair follicle growth cycle, will be the topic of the Advances in Hair Biology lecture.
Concomitant Therapy — New studies with bioenhancements and bioadjuncts and their impact on hair growth will be discussed in this growing field of research. Presentations in this area include the use of natural ingredients to influence hair growth exploring the scientific evidence to determine the efficacy of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for hair growth, as well as reviewing the results of a combination therapy approach for female pattern hair loss using topically applied minoxidil compounded with corticosteroids, LLLT, and an oral vitamin-based supplement. The emergence of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a possible treatment for androgenetic alopecia based on preliminary evidence also will be addressed, including a study examining whether combining fractional laser therapy with PRP produces any added benefits.
Female Hair Loss and Restoration — With more women turning to hair restoration every year, researchers are continually investigating new therapies and fine tuning existing techniques to address the specific needs of the female patient. Presentations in this area include how appropriate candidates can benefit from a surgical technique designed to enhance the hairline, the role of androgens and genetics in female pattern hair loss, as well as the pros and cons of eyelash transplantation.
Concerns of the Young Patient — The 2015 ISHRS Practice Census revealed that only 1.8 percent of male surgical patients worldwide were under 20 years old, making young men the smallest patient group treated by age. While some young men in their late teens may notice early hair loss, they are typically not ideal candidates for hair restoration surgery for male pattern hair loss. Presentations in this area will address the importance of proper evaluation of early hair loss, the possible role of medical therapy in treating young men, and instances where young patients are good candidates for hair restoration surgery.
For a complete copy of the program, visit https://ishrs.org/AnnualMeeting.html. Media interested in attending the meeting can register for complimentary press passes by contacting [email protected]
To help patients understand the causes and available treatments for hair loss, the ISHRS has produced a series of videos available on its website (www.ishrs.org) entitled “Why Do Women Lose Their Hair?” and “Why Do Guys Lose Their Hair?”
About the ISHRS
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) is a global non-profit medical association and a leading authority on hair loss treatment and restoration with more than 1,200 members throughout 70 countries worldwide. Above all, the ISHRS is dedicated to achieving excellence in patient outcomes by promoting the highest standards of medical practice, medical ethics, and research in the medical hair restoration industry. The ISHRS also provides continuing medical education to physicians specializing in hair transplant surgery and is committed to delivering the latest information on medical and surgical treatments to consumers suffering from hair loss, and most commonly from androgenetic alopecia—male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss. It was founded in 1993 as the first international society to promote continuing quality improvement and education for professionals in the field of hair restoration surgery. For more information and to locate a physician, visit www.ishrs.org.
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