Practice Description
also read: tips for choosing a physician
Technical Skill and Surgical Artistry 
For over 25 years Dr. Peter Panagotacos has specialized in
both surgical and medical treatments for hair loss at his dermatology
practice in San Francisco. He is well respected within the medical
community for his technical skill, conservative treatment philosophy,
and surgical artistry. Today, with improvements in surgical techniques
and advances in medicine, he believes that nearly everyone, male
and female, youthful and elderly, can do something about their hair
loss.
Happy Patients
He has seen that improvements in the appearance of his patients
are often followed by dramatic improvements in their self-esteem
and self-confidence. Many find that this enhances their business
and personal relationships. This in turn results in better overall
patient happiness, and Dr. Panagotacos likes happy patients!
read: tips for choosing a physician
Get the Full Benefit of 25 Years of Experience
Dr. Panagotacos personally works with his patients every step
of the way, from meeting with them for their initial consultation,
to performing all treatment procedures, and at each check-up visit
after treatment. Every patient receives the full benefit of his
having over 25 years of experience treating hair loss.
"First do no harm"
This credo is both the primary oath taken by all physicians, and
a summary of Dr. Panagotacos' treatment philosophy. Some surgeons
will perform procedures with more transplant grafts or more elaborate
scalp reductions, in order to achieve faster results, but with increased
risk to the patient. Dr. Panagotacos prefers to reduce the risk
to the patient, even if it means an additional session or two. His
conservative treatment approach reduces the risk of permanent loss
of donor hair follicles and possible scarring that may appear decades
after some treatment procedures.
Conservative Treatment Approach
During the initial consultation Dr. Panagotacos gains an understanding
of each patient's expectations, while at the same time he explains
the limits of what can be done.
Actually, he explains what
he is willing to do, for some other hair restoration treatment providers
are more willing to perform individual procedures that promise faster
and greater results, but with a substantial increase in risk of
immediate hair loss, or abnormal appearance 10 to 20 years into
the future. Each patient has only a very limited supply of "permanent"
hair follicles, and if some of these are lost following a risky
surgical procedure, they are gone forever. Furthermore, it is very
difficult to predict the extent of future hair loss a patient may
experience. The best doctors plan their treatment programs with
consideration for the worst-case hair loss scenarios.
Personal Standards of Excellence
Dr. Panagatacos' decades of experience have taught him to plan
for future hair loss, and to consider how the patient will look
20, 30, and 40 years out. He still has many patients who are pleased
with work he performed 10 and 20 years earlier. He will refuse to
do a procedure that, in his opinion, will not look good far into
the future. With this in mind, a realistic treatment plan is designed
to meet both his patient's current and future needs as well as Dr.
Panagotacos' personal standards of excellence.
Surgical and Pharmaceutical Treatments
Dr. Panagotacos is experienced in both surgical and pharmaceutical
hair restoration treatments, and he is able to select the best combination
of each treatment for each stage of each patient's treatment plan.
As an active educator teaching in the U.S. and internationally,
he stays current on the latest surgical techniques and medical advances.
He has been doing mini and micro grafts since they first gained
popularity in the United States, and he has been performing scalp
reductions for over 18 years. An acknowledged leader in pharmaceutical
treatments for hair loss, he has been prescribing Minoxidil along
with performing surgical procedures for over 15 years. Recently,
he has been prescribing Finasteride (Proscar & Propecia) and
other 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for certain qualified patients.
Surgical Artistry
Artistry in hair restoration surgery is possibly more critical
than technical ability. Artistry describes Dr. Panagotacos' ability
to design a natural-looking hairline, that will frame his youthful
patient's face both right after surgery and as the patient advances
in age. Artistry is the way that Dr. Panagotacos performs each transplant
session so that the patient does not have an "under construction"
look between procedures. And artistry is the way that Dr. Panagotacos
angles each graft and spaces the hairs for both the appearance of
maximum density and an overall natural look.
Diseases that Cause Hair Loss
While inherited "Pattern Hair Loss" is the cause
of most hair thinning, a wide range of disease conditions can also
cause hair loss, including disorders such as alopecia areata, lupus
erythematosus, thyroid disease, iron deficiencies, hormone imbalances,
infections, and drug reactions. Some hair growth disorders cause
temporary hair loss, while others can result in scarring or permanent
hair loss. As a Board Certified Dermatologist, Dr. Panagatacos is
an expert at diagnosing and treating these types of conditions.
Cosmetic Dermatology
In addition to hair restoration surgery and medicine, Dr. Panagotacos
also offers a range of cosmetic dermatology treatments including
both pharmaceutical and surgical procedures, such as the treatment
of spider veins, wrinkles, acne, scars, birthmarks, and moles. Cosmetic
treatments also include topical creams such as Retin-A, collagen
injections, chemical peels, and alpha-hydroxy treatments such as
glycolic acid peels. All of these treatments can help to create
more youthful looking skin. Dr. Panagotacos has been acknowledged
as a pioneer in the use of tretinoin (Retin-A) for smoothing aged
and sun-damaged skin ("Wall Street Journal", February
12, 1988).
Recommended by
The
American
Hair Loss Association
Recommended by
The International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
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