FYI Cosmetics

Nearly 50% off all men and women experience hair loss.  While everyone normally sheds and regrows hair daily, hair loss results when more of that hair is shed than grows back. Hair loss or alopecia can be defined by four different types: traumatic alopecia, drug induced alopecia alopecia areata, and androgenic alopecia.  Traumatic alopecia is hair loss due to an injury to the affected area where the hair will not grow back anymore.   Drug induced alopecia is caused by medications such as chemotherapy.  Alopecia areata is a disease state that caused hair to fall out in spots or evenly all over the body.  Androgenic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss and is genetic.  Often referred to as male pattern baldness, androgen alopecia can be found in both men and women and is the most treatable form of hair loss.

Whether the hair loss is caused by illness, genetics or medication, several treatments are available to assist in maintaining or restoring hair.   Medications such as Propecia (finasteride), is a daily pill that can help to restore and maintain hair loss in men.  Propecia ceases the progression of hair loss, while maintaining the remaining hair.  This effect works as long as the pill continues to be taken.  Effectiveness of this medication has been reported to cease hair loss in 60% of men who use it on a daily basis.  Minoxidil or the brand name Rogaine is a topical treatment used for maintaining existing hair.  It has also been reported to stimulate hair growth in 50% of both men and women. The important fact to keep in mind with taking medication for hair loss is that should the medication be stopped hair loss will likely occur to the new growth as well as the hair that was maintained by taking the medication.
Hair transplantation is the only permanent solution for hair restoration.  Hair transplants are a minor surgical procedure that is done under local anesthetic.  The process involves removing from an area of the head that is genetically programmed not to fall out) and is referred to as donor hair.  The hair transplant surgeon removes the donor hair, sutures closed the area it was taken from, leaving a thin scar that will be covered by existing hair.  The tissue that has been removed is then sectioned into micrografts (1-3 hairs) and follicular units (groups of hair that grow naturally together).  The tiny incisions are then made in the scalp and the dissected hair follicles are then inserted.  A tiny blood clot then forms around the hair follicle and the healing process begins.  The hair “takes root” in its new area and will begin to grow within a few months.  This hair is genetically programmed not to fall out the hair making the results permanent as the hair continues to grow throughout a person lifetime.  More than one surgery is needed to achieve the desired result and cost for the surgery can range from $2500- $10000 nationally.  One procedure can take from 2-5 hours to complete.

Additional treatments for hair restoration can include wigs or hair pieces, scalp rotation and scalp reduction (bald tissue is removed thereby making the bald area smaller).

Consult a hair restoration specialist to determine which procedure is right for you.
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