Facial & Eyebrow Hair Restoration

Latest surgical techniques for enhancing eyebrows, beards, chest hair and more featured at ISHRS 30^th World Congress in Panama City, Panama, October 27-29, 2022

Earlier this year Dr. Sara Wasserbauer was named the Chairperson for the 30th ISHRS World Scientific Congress in Panama.

In her welcoming message to the over 1,500 members to the Panama meeting she wrote:

“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” ― Confucius

If you haven’t figured it out yet, most hair surgeons come to this profession from another; Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, Neurosurgery, Dermatology, Plastic Surgery, Internal Medicine…

Maybe this is why we all feel a special kinship; we found our medicine “home” not through our first experience, but through trial and error. Without a doubt we are all in the “hair family.” For instance, I don’t know another society that includes “Collegiality” in their Mission Statement.

This is typical of Dr. Wasserbauer’s kindness and inclusiveness. We will report more on the meeting shortly. Below is a recent Press release published by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery on body and facial surgery that cites Dr. Wasserbauer’s knowledge and expertise in this precise surgery.

CHICAGO – October 11, 2022. Despite the impression of permanency in procedures coined “permanent makeup” for fuller eyebrows, beards and chest hair, results of these type of procedures typically have a three-to-five-year shelf life. For those looking for a permanent solution to enhance hair on these and other parts of the body, only body hair transplantation performed by a qualified hair restoration surgeon produces permanent results.

A new member survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) found men and women are turning to body hair transplantation to add fullness to several areas of the body that experience hair loss. Specifically, the survey reported that in 2021, among women, eyebrow transplantation accounted for 11 percent of surgical procedures. Among men, moustaches/beards accounted for 4 percent of surgical procedures.

Body hair transplantation procedures are performed using the same type of proven techniques that hair restoration surgeons use to restore scalp hair. In the case of an eyebrow restoration procedure, tiny single or double hair follicular units from a donor area where hair has a similar texture as eyebrow hair – such as the back or side of the head – are transplanted to the eyebrow area in one outpatient procedure. The transplanted hair then grows slowly over the course of several months, typically reaching full growth within six months.

“The excellent results of body hair transplantation are a direct result of the years of research and training that hair restoration surgeons undergo in order to perform this highly specialized procedure,” said Sara Wasserbauer, MD, FISHRS, Program Chair. “What’s more, when performed by qualified, trained physicians, it is the only procedure that produces permanent results that are both natural looking and undetectable.”

Dr. Wasserbauer added that while many people opt for body hair transplantation for aesthetic reasons including bolder eyebrows or lusher eyelashes, others undergo procedures such as chest or facial hair transplants due to cultural expectations that equate ample hair in these areas as a sign of masculinity. Another reason people consider body hair transplantation is to repair a scar on an area of the body that has resulted in permanent hair loss.

The latest surgical and aesthetic advances in body hair transplantation will be presented at the ISHRS 30^th World Congress, October 27-29, 2022, in Panama City, Panama. This annual educational gathering attracts world-renowned leaders in hair transplantation including an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, allowing members from around the world to hone their skills and learn from the best in the field. One of the 12 general sessions available – The 3Bs: Brows, Beards and Body – will focus on body hair transplantation, while other educational offerings will highlight female hair loss, the importance of hairline design in hair transplantation, regenerative medicine and non-surgical treatments, and clinical pearls, among others.

“Hair restoration surgery is a $4.5 billion-dollar (USD) industry, due in large part to patients around the world continuing to seek a permanent solution to hair loss,” said Nilofer Farjo, MBChB, FISHRS, president of the ISHRS. “Hair loss of any kind – whether it occurs on the scalp or other parts of the body – can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life. That’s why permanent hair restoration techniques have become so widely used for men and women of all ages suffering from different types of hair loss.”

About the ISHRS

The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) is a global non-profit medical association and the leading authority on hair loss treatment and restoration with 1,000 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.

About the ISHRS 30^th World Congress

For a complete copy of the program and schedule, visit: Meeting Outline. Media interested in attending the meeting can register for complimentary press passes by contacting the ISHRS at [email protected].

About the Survey

Conducted by Relevant Research, Inc., of Chicago, IL, USA, the ISHRS 2022 Practice Census is a compilation of information provided solely by participating physicians. The information published in this survey was developed from actual historical information and does not include any projected information. The margin of error for the sample is within plus or minus 6.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. For a full reprint of the ISHRS 2022 Practice Census Report, visit Hair Restoration Statistics.