Hair Replacement - A Free Guide

Hair Replacement for Black Men

Although many men consider hair replacement procedures, black men in particular may be wondering if any options are specifically tailored for their needs. After all, African American men have a different texture and volume to their hair than white folks, so they need to make sure that any hair replacement program they use will cater to their specific needs.

In some ways, black men may have more success with hair replacement than their other peers. The curly nature of African American hair creates the appearance of very dense, lustrous hair even if this is not necessarily the case. Hair replacement measures that would show little improvement in people with flat hair oftentimes will have greater success for patients with darker skin.

Also, styling products made specifically for African Americans are, in general, less harmful to the new hair than other styling products. The reason why black styling products interfere less with hair replacement is because many black styling products are made from natural ingredients, such as olive oil, whereas other styling products contain heavy chemicals.

However, there are other factors concerning hair replacement specifically for black men that require special attention. With an attentive hair replacement surgeon, these shouldn’t affect the success rate of your operation, but they may cause complications if your hair replacement specialist is not mindful of your hair’s special needs.

First, black people have hair follicles in more of a radial arrangement from the scalp than people of European descent, whose hair follicles are more in straight rows. This means that extra care needs to be taken with both hair extraction and hair replacement. The hair must be inserted and removed from the follicles at different angles.

Also, any black men who are interested in hair replacement will have to be up to the challenge of maintaining their hair after the hair replacement operation has taken place. As black men have more brittle hair than their peers, they must be cautious with the new hair implants.

Also, black men may experience some slight complications following hair replacement surgery, but overall these complications are not much to worry about. First, African Americans may have more difficulty from any scarring, as black men’s scars tend to rise during the healing process. Also, black men are more prone to ingrown hairs due to the initial coarseness of the hair as it pushes from the follicle.

However, as mentioned earlier, as long as your hair replacement surgeon is aware of these issues (which he/she should be), you shouldn’t experience anything out of the normal.

Photo via paolo diani

Hair Replacement and Self Esteem

There are many reasons people seek out methods for hair replacement to restore their hairline, but the overwhelmingly common reason is due to self-image. A huge number of hair replacement patients often cite a perpetual and all-encompassing embarrassment with their lack of hair. They believe that their peers, coworkers, and family will judge them unless they successfully complete a hair replacement program.

The lack of self esteem exhibited by many hair replacement patients is usually the result of social stigmas against balding people as well as pressures from the media. Although balding characters and balding celebrities are becoming more commonplace, most of the stereotypes of balding men and women in the media are not at all positive. This often causes the hair replacement patient to become sensitive about their hair loss. This is especially the case for female candidates for hair replacement surgery. Even children who need hair replacement may suffer from self esteem issues stemming from their hair loss.

In truth, it is possible to experience hair loss without following any hair replacement program and still have plenty of self esteem. If you can make peace with your hair loss, you probably don’t need to undergo hair replacement surgery. If you do believe that hair replacement is essential for you to recover your self esteem, you may want to still consider some aspects of the hair replacement process.

First, your desire to use hair replacement surgery to bolster your self esteem might be clouding your judgment about the overall hair replacement process. Many people who are the victims of shady hair replacement clinics rushed into the process without carefully evaluating the options available to them.

Likewise, many people may assume that hair replacement is going to be an instant cure to their self esteem woes. This is not true. Many people start the hair restoration process with unrealistic expectations of the results. If the hair restoration effort doesn’t work, or doesn’t look absolutely ideal to the patient, the low self esteem usually doesn’t go away. In some cases, an unsuccessful hair restoration attempt may even lower your self esteem further. It’s important to think about your hair restoration plans logically and realistically.

Also, quite a few hair replacement patients discovered that their self esteem issues run deeper than just their hair loss. This is especially the case with many middle aged men who are interested in hair restoration. Hair loss is itself a symptom of a larger problem, usually concerning the anxiety and self doubt that comes with growing older.

Photo via Joe Coolman

Eyebrow Hair Replacement

Not everyone interested in hair replacement wants to regenerate their scalp. Many Americans have suffered from hair loss in their eyebrows, interestingly enough. Hair loss in the eyebrows occurs in people who have experienced physical trauma, or have repeatedly plucked hair from their eyebrows over a long period of time.

Many people who undergo eyebrow hair replacement have either very little of their eyebrows left, or may need to adjust the symmetry of the two eyebrows. You may not think that eyebrow hair replacement is that important, but think about how often eyebrows are essential to understanding someone’s body language and how important they are for communicating.

In truth, the methods used for eyebrow hair replacement aren’t that much different than the methods used for regular hair replacement. Most of the time, a strip of skin and hair from a donor area is grafted onto the eyebrow. Some additional caution needs to be taken in the placement of the grafts, however. The hair replacement specialist needs to make sure that the two eyebrows are roughly similar and symmetrical to each other. If this is not attended to, the whole point of eyebrow hair replacement is lost.

Although the most of the eyebrow restoration procedures fall under the umbrella of “natural hair replacement,” some artificial methods have also prevailed. As time has gone on, some folks with darker eyebrows have opted for eyebrow tattoo work. This isn’t how it might sound.

A very skilled artist is needed to stipple small marks on the eyebrow to give the illusion of a thicker, darker brow. Although tattooing is seeing more use in hair replacement procedures as time has gone on, it is especially on the rise in eyebrow hair replacement specifically. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that the tattoo artist has some background in tattooed hair restoration before you let someone inject permanent ink into your face. High quality inks must be used so the hair restoration effort is permanent. Otherwise, the inks will fade and you’ll just look tacky.

If you are interested in eyebrow hair replacement, be sure you’re interested for the right reasons. If you suffer from a psychological condition that caused you to pluck all your eyebrow hair out, you should probably address this issue with a therapist before seeking eyebrow hair replacement therapy. Otherwise, it’s quite likely that you’ll rip out all your new eyebrow hairs as well, which would just be a waste.

Photo via Ronan tlv

Hair Replacement for Women

Hair loss is a very difficult subject for women, as almost every woman expects to have a full head of hair throughout her life, and hair is a main source of pride for a woman. However, hair loss among women is a growing problem that affects almost 30 million women in the United States. Doctors are still not fully sure what exactly causes female pattern hair loss, but some suspected reasons include polycystic ovary syndrome and certain autoimmune disorders.

Every woman loses hair, but when larger amounts are lost, it is a warning sign for advanced hair loss. Most women lose 50-100 hairs per day regularly. A consistent hair loss of 150 strands of hair per day signifies that advanced hair loss is occurring. Very large clumps of hair loss are signs of a condition called Alopecia Areata, which is a genetic autoimmune condition.

Before seeking any type of treatment for hair replacement, it is important that a woman who is experiencing hair loss get properly diagnosed for the underlying problem that is causing the hair loss. However, after a diagnosis has been made, and a doctor confirms that the woman is a good candidate for hair replacement treatment, replacement treatments can be looked into.

Transplants are not a good option for most women

Just as there are hair replacement options for men, there are also new treatments and hair replacement options for women. Hair transplants are a good option for men, however, it may not necessarily be a great option for women. Women normally have what is called diffuse hair loss, which is overall thinning of hair density all throughout the head. Since transplants simply move hair from one part of the head to another, most women do not really benefit from hair transplants.

Minoxidil may work in some cases

Depending on the underlying cause of hair loss, minoxidil may work as a hair replacement treatment for women. Minoxidil is the active ingredient in products like Rogaine. Minoxidil works for several types of hair loss in women, however a doctor should always be consulted beforehand to be sure that minoxidil will work for the patient’s particular type of hair loss. Minoxidil is the only FDA approved topical medication for hair loss in women.

Early care works best for hair loss treatment for women

Most doctors agree that early prevention and care is the best option for hair loss. Women should seek medical advice as soon as they notice advanced hair loss. Some of the visible signs include a widening part in the hair or a smaller ponytail. No matter when the hair loss is detected, there are treatment options that are available. However, with early detection, hair loss can be minimized with treatments such as minoxidil and by treating the underlying cause of the hair loss.

Does Hair Replacement Look Natural?

Hair loss is a traumatic condition that causes both social and psychological stress. With so much riding on personal appearance livelihoods can be grossly affected by hair loss. In a perfect world, hair loss would not be an issue, but in today’s image conscious world, hair loss is stigmatized. Those who suffer hair loss may be subject to discrimination and even social snubbing. Many who suffer hair loss are left mulling over the decision on which hair replacement procedure to invest in. Each option available has its benefits and drawbacks, the one thing they all have in common is cost. With so much at stake both financially and socially, it begs the question: Does hair replacement look natural?

Currently, there are three basic hair replacement options open to the consumer, hair systems, hair replacement surgery, and hair replacement drugs and topical treatments. Each of these options has a range of benefits and drawbacks. The factor most important to the consumer is how natural the end results look. Most people who are considering hair replacement would like to see results that are completely natural-looking. The first option, a hair system, is a covering much like a wig or toupee. The system is held in place with tape or glue and blends in with the existing hair line. These systems can cost upwards of $2000 and the results are quite natural-looking. There are those who say that detectability can be an issue depending on the type of hair loss experienced. This worry leads to two other options.

Hair replacement surgery is the next step for many when the idea of wearing a hairpiece is not effective. The procedure for hair replacement surgery is straightforward. A strip of donor hair taken from the back of the head is removed. This donor strip is then cut into segments with one to three follicles in each segment. The plugs are then set into the area of hair loss, this procedure is done on an outpatient basis under a local anesthetic. The surgery is effective and natural looking, but can only be performed on certain types of bald patterns. The cost is also something to take into consideration with many procedures in the range of $10,000 to $20,000. These two factors lead many to the third option: medication and topical treatments.

Medication and topical treatments are available for those who do not want to deal with the embarrassment of a hair piece or the expense and recovery time of a surgery. The medication is either taken orally or as a topical treatment. Minoxidil is the active ingredient in most over the counter preparations and is available in formulations for both men and women. The cost is the most manageable between $30 to several hundred depending on dosage requirements. This treatment is most natural looking when dealing with early stage hair loss with limited thinning. The treatment also is dose dependent meaning that any resulting hair growth will last only as long as the patient stays on the medication.

Hair Replacement Costs and Dangers

The cruel sting of hair loss can almost be too much to bear. In the wake of modern technological advancements the idea of hair replacement has gained legitimacy. In the past the only option for anyone was concealment. This is no longer the case. The procedures available to today’s consumer are tried and tested with a margin of success. This makes the prospect of doing something about hair loss a serious consideration. Weighing the pros and the cons is only part of the battle; the details of each procedure can lead to dilemmas. The question must be answered: is having the chance to have hair again worth any risk associated with a potential procedure? It will warrant taking a closer look at hair replacement costs and dangers.

To be sure there are ways to deal with hair loss outside of hair replacement. A person who is willing to hand over their wallet and their lives to any procedure should look into why they want to change their appearance. A responsible person should analyze the factors that are contributing to their decision to seek out treatment for hair loss. Counseling can help a person decide whether or not they truly want and need hair replacement, thus saving money and avoiding any risk. If the decision for hair replacement remains a strong driving force then education on the costs both hidden and visible, of each procedure should be carefully evaluated.

The first treatment that many consider the “gateway” procedure would be a hair replacement system. This is technically a covering that is specially tailored to the recipient to comply with the type of hair loss they are experiencing. The systems are made from real human hair that is carefully matched to make a seamless transition. The hair replacement system is then adhered to the scalp via adhesive. The newer systems are miles away from standard old wigs and toupees as technology has allowed for advancements in this arena. Detection is always a concern with this option mainly due to the recipient’s self-consciousness. The cost of such a system begins in the low hundreds and can soar into the mid thousands.

The second treatment is the most invasive and the procedure that is considered the “gold-standard” of hair replacement. Surgery for hair replacement is a medical procedure requiring several pre-procedure visits with the surgeon. These visits will determine the type of hair loss being experienced and whether the recipient will be an ideal candidate for a successful procedure. The risks involved with the treatment are that of any surgical procedure, though most of the treatment is performed in an outpatient environment. Costs range from the mid thousands to the tens of thousands.

The third treatment for hair replacement is the most cost effective but also the most controversial. Medication and topical treatments for hair loss have been on the market for decades. These drugs are offered as both over the counter and with a prescription. The effectiveness of these medications is highly debatable due to the fact that individual results vary widely. Costs are between $30 per dose and several hundred depending on dosage.

The Risks of Hair Transplantation

There are many risks that must be taken into account when considering hair replacement through hair transplantation surgery. As with any surgery, there are a variety of things that could go wrong during and after a hair replacementreplacement surgery, including failure of the surgery, infections, and scarring.

One of the worst results that can occur from hair replacement surgery is an unsuccessful surgery. An unsuccessful hair replacement surgery can mean a number of things. One failure is when the transplanted hair follicles die. This means that there will be no new hair growing in the are where surgery was performed. Hair replacement surgery can also result in hair growing back in patchy and random patterns. In both of these cases, another hair replacement surgery is required. Having multiple hair replacement surgeries greatly increases the chances of something going wrong.

Another complication that can occur with hair replacement surgery are infections. Whenever someone has surgery, they run the risk of getting an infection. Despite doctors taking every precaution to sterilize their tools and the operation room, the body is in a weakened state during and immediately after a surgery, leaving it susceptible to infection. Infections can be particularly dangerous during hair replacement surgeries, as the infections are in the head and very close to the brain. Such infections can spread and cause serious problems if they occur.

Scarring is another risk of hair replacement surgery. Scars can occur in the areas where hair has been transplanted to or the areas where hair follicles were taken from. The scars can ruin the look of any hair replacement surgery and are one of the worst results that can be seen. The only way to fix the scars is with more cosmetic surgery that would have many of the same risks as hair replacement surgery.

While these risks can be intimidating, they do not mean that hair replacement surgery isn’t a good option. The best way to cut these risks down is to make sure the doctor performing the hair replacement surgery is well qualified, experienced, and has a proven track record of success. When considering a doctor for hair replacement surgery, make sure they have a history of successful surgeries and before and after pictures to look through. Make sure all of the before and after pictures are taken from the same angles, in the same conditions, and with the same background. Picking a good doctor to perform a hair restoration surgery can greatly decrease the chances of any complications occurring from the surgery. A good doctor will make sure their patient isn’t susceptible to complications from the surgery, prescribe antibiotics to prevent infections, and they have enough experience to make sure the hair replacement surgery is successful.

Hair Replacement Through Wigs

There are many medical hair replacement solutions. These range from hormones people can take to hair replacement surgeries, and can have some serious medical side effects. That is why many people prefer to buy wigs for hair replacement rather than spending their money on medical treatment. Wigs and toupees are actually much better made and inconspicuous than most people think. Wigs also have many benefits over medical treatments, with their lower cost and lack of medical side effects.

Wigs are a good option for those looking into hair replacement options. There is a wide spread belief that wigs and toupees look fake and can easily be spotted. While this might have been the case in the past, the technology for wigs and toupees has improved significantly to create hairpieces that are basically indistinguishable from real hair. Many hairpieces are made out of real human hair, and different colors can be chosen to match anybody’s natural color. Hairpieces also come in a variety of styles, whether somebody wants short, medium, or long hair. Perhaps the best feature on many modern hairpieces is the silk underlay that goes on the head. The underlay can be colored to match a person’s skin tone to make the hairpiece look even more natural.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of using a hairpiece for hair replacement is the fact that hairpieces have no side effects. Hair replacement surgeries are a popular option for those seeking hair replacement. The problem with hair transplant surgery is that, like any surgery, it can have complications. If done incorrectly, or if someone’s body does not react well to the surgery, they can be left with infections or scarring on the surgical site. Simply getting a wig provides the benefits of a hair replacement surgery without the risks.

The true selling point on hairpieces is that they always work. Hair replacement surgery and therapies are not guaranteed to work. It often takes buying many different medical solutions to see gains in hair replacement, and even then it is fairly unpredictable as to how the newly grown hair will look. It could grow back thin and patchy rather than thick and full. A hairpiece only needs to be purchased once, and it will always provide the look of a full head of hair. With a hairpiece, thin or uneven growth is not something to worry about. A person can even choose which hairstyle they would like, an option that would be unlikely for someone growing hair back through medical procedures. When it comes down to it, hair pieces are an affordable and very effective solution to hair replacement.

Rogaine For Hair Replacement

Rogaine is one of the most well known hair replacement treatments in the world. Many men turn to Rogaine when they begin to suffer from hair loss, but just how effective is Rogaine on its own? Is Rogaine a viable hair replacement treatment all by itself, or is it best used with other hair replacement treatments? We will look into the facts about Rogaine and see just how effective a hair replacement treatment it truly is.

The first thing that must be understood is that many people have different causes for their hair loss. This means that while Rogaine might be an effective hair replacement treatment for some, it might not for others. For example, Rogaine is marketed towards men in the regular form and Rogaine Extra Strength. Rogaine Extra Strength is absolutely not for women, and women are cautioned that using Rogaine could cause the growth of unsightly facial hair. This is because men and women have different reasons for their hair loss, and different body chemistry, therefore the Rogaine has a different effect between the two genders.

It has been determined that men are the primary market for Rogaine, but will all men have a successful hair replacement treatment in Rogaine? The answer is no, because much like how men and women are affected differently by Rogaine, different men are affected differently. There are many men for whom Rogaine will not be effective. Men who have been balding for over 10 years usually do not have good results with Rogaine. Similarly, men who are completely bald usually don’t find Rogaine to be an effective hair replacement treatment. This because Rogaine is only effective in what is known as the vortex area, the top of the scalp. Rogaine is not an effective hair replacement treatment for the sides and back of the scalp.

Now that we have determined the situations in which Rogaine is not an effective hair replacement treatment, we will look at where Rogaine is successful. Rogaine is most effective on younger men who have first begun balding. Since Rogaine only works for the vortex area, it has best results on men who are suffering from a receding hairline. Rogaine also grows more effective when there is some hair remaining in the vortex area. The success of Rogaine as a hair replacement treatment, even on men who fit the description just given, still widely varies.

Some men who use Rogaine do indeed begin to grow hair back in their balding areas, and can indeed have a full head of hair again. Others will grow some hair back, but the hair will still be thin and wispy in their problem area. Still others will not have continued hair loss, but they will not grow any new hair in their balding areas. These are all considered successful hair replacement treatments by Rogaine, but they are successful to very different extents. In the end, a person suffering from hair loss should see a dermatologist to see whether Rogaine or a combination treatment would be the most effective hair replacement treatment.

Pros & Cons of Hair Replacement

If you are considering undergoing hair replacement surgery, you should definitely do your research and think about it deeply before jumping in head first. Make a list of pros and cons based on your own feelings, the opinions of those you trust, your doctor and whatever information you uncover as you study up on the hair replacement process and how it can affect you over the short and long term. Sure, if you have the money, you could just go down to Hair Club for Men today and get started and go blindly into the process hoping for the best. But you didn’t just get bald today, did you? It was a process over time – and you deciding you were finally tired of being bald was a decision that you arrived at over time, wasn’t it? So why would you rush into the actual action itself before really thinking it through?

Hair replacement is by no means to be taken lightly, so start making your personal list of pros and cons of going through with it today. Why do you really want your hair back? Is it to make other people like you more, to feel more confident, to get noticed by girls, to get a leg up at the office or just because you like the look of having a full head of hair as opposed to not. Just like every scalp is different, so is every person and so your list will be specific to and related directly to your life experience and where you are at in the present time in your life. You don’t want to start getting your head carved up just to realize it was a silly whim because of some fake girl you thought you were enamored with and didn’t even care about you as a person. You may find, after you’ve made your list of pros and cons and taken some time for serious contemplation that you don’t even really care about being bald and are happy just as you are. You need to love yourself and be okay with yourself inside and out, with or without hair first and foremost, before you can ever be at peace or satisfied on this earth. And no piece of carpet or hair can change that if you are truly, deeply unhappy with yourself, the world or life itself.

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