Regenerative Hair Treatments
8th Sense treats hair loss by combining regenerative micrografting using the patient’s own progenitor cells with Functional Medicine testing to identify hormonal, nutritional and metabolic causes behind it.
Regenerative Hair Restoration & Functional Medicine
Hair loss is not always simply genetic or an inevitable part of aging. It is frequently multifactorial, which is why successful hair restoration should start with the correct diagnosis.
At 8th Sense, we combine Regenerative Hair Restoration using autologous progenitor-cell micrografting with a personalised Functional Medicine assessment to identify factors that may be contributing to hair loss and interfering with healthy hair growth.
Dr Sly Nedic, MD, IFMCP, is a medical doctor and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner trained in the clinical use of autologous progenitor-cell micrografting for hair regeneration.
What Causes Hair Loss?
The most common progressive form is androgenetic alopecia (AGA), also known as male or female pattern hair loss.
In genetically susceptible individuals, androgen signalling, particularly DHT (dihydrotestosterone), contributes to progressive miniaturisation of the hair follicle. Terminal hairs gradually become finer, shorter and less visible.
However, hair loss may also be associated with:
genetic predisposition • thyroid dysfunction • iron or nutritional deficiencies • insulin resistance • PCOS • androgen imbalance • perimenopause and menopause • major weight loss • physical or emotional stress • illness or surgery • medications • autoimmune disease • inflammation and telogen effluvium.
That is why treating the scalp without investigating the patient may address only part of the problem.
Differential Diagnosis Is Essential
Androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium must also be distinguished from scarring alopecias, particularly lichen planopilaris (LPP), an inflammatory condition increasingly recognised in clinical practice. Active LPP can permanently destroy hair follicles and requires appropriate medical treatment before regenerative hair procedures are considered.
Regenerative Micrografting with Autologous Progenitor Cells
Treat the follicle. Identify the cause. Protect the new hair.
Regenerative Micrografting is one of the newer approaches to treating suitable patients with progressive hair thinning.
A very small sample of the patient's own healthy scalp tissue is collected and mechanically processed to produce an autologous cellular micrograft suspension containing progenitor cells and signalling components derived from the patient's own follicular tissue.
This preparation is introduced into areas of thinning hair to support the biological environment of existing, viable follicles and encourage improved hair growth and density.
Because the material comes from your own tissue, no donor cells are used.
The procedure is minimally invasive, performed in the medical practice and requires little downtime. Hair regeneration is gradual and usually assessed over the following months.
Early treatment is important. Regenerative therapy works with follicles that are still present and viable; it cannot reliably recreate follicles that have already been permanently destroyed.
Why Combine Regenerative Treatment with Functional Medicine?
Stimulating a follicle is only one part of hair restoration.
If the patient simultaneously has insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunction, iron deficiency, PCOS, abnormal androgen metabolism, menopausal hormonal changes, nutritional depletion or chronic inflammation, these factors may continue to interfere with normal hair growth.
As an IFM Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP), Dr Nedic combines regenerative hair treatment with an individualised medical and Functional Medicine assessment.
Depending on the patient's history and type of hair loss, investigation may include:
iron and ferritin • thyroid function • nutritional status • glucose and insulin • androgen and sex hormones • PCOS assessment • menopausal hormonal changes • inflammatory or autoimmune markers when indicated.
Testing is personalised rather than applying the same extensive panel to every patient.
FAQ
Regenerative Micrografting uses a very small sample of your own healthy scalp tissue to prepare an autologous cellular micrograft containing progenitor cells and biological signalling components. It is introduced into areas of thinning hair to support viable follicles and promote improved hair growth and density.
It may be considered for men and women with androgenetic alopecia and other appropriate forms of non-scarring hair thinning where viable follicles remain. The diagnosis and stage of hair loss must first be established. Completely destroyed follicles cannot reliably be regenerated.
Hair loss can have several simultaneous drivers. Thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, PCOS, menopause, androgen imbalance, iron or nutrient deficiencies, inflammation and metabolic dysfunction may contribute to poor hair growth. Functional Medicine assessment helps identify and address these potentially modifiable factors while regenerative treatment targets the follicle itself.
Active lichen planopilaris (LPP) or another inflammatory scarring alopecia must first be identified and medically controlled. These conditions can permanently destroy hair follicles, and regenerative procedures should not replace appropriate treatment of the underlying inflammatory disease.
Dr Sly Nedic is a medical doctor, IFM Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP) and trained practitioner in autologous progenitor-cell micrografting for hair regeneration. This allows 8th Sense to combine regenerative treatment of the follicle with medical investigation of the hormonal, metabolic, nutritional and inflammatory factors that may be contributing to hair loss.
*Disclaimer: Treatment results will vary on a patient to patient basis. No guarantees can be made.
