Hair Replacement: Viable Solutions For People Who Suffer With Hair Loss

A full head of hair is considered a sign of beauty and strength

. For this reason many people who have begun to lose their hair often panic and rush to hide or fix the problem. They find there are several options. They can choose over-the-counter hair restoration products, prescription drugs, laser combs, specialized shampoos, hairpieces or surgical hair replacement. Each method works to varying degrees depending on the severity of the hair loss. But for a growing number of people with severe hair loss the most effective and natural looking solution to their problem is surgical treatment to replace their hair.

Human hair consists of the shaft which protrudes above the skin and the root located in the follicle below the skin. Temporary hair loss is caused by temporary damage to the hair follicles. This is called Telogen Effluvium. Permanent damage to the follicles, called Anagen Effluvium, leads to permanent baldness. About 25% of men and women begin seeing some hair loss by their mid-20s. By age 50 almost 85% of people begin to suffer with thinning hair. At that point most begin to look for the quickest way to regain their hair.

When it comes to hair replacement, most people begin with the lowest priced treatment. Many over-the-counter hair restoration products and specialized shampoos can help with temporary hair loss. However, if the problem is permanent hair loss, then the sufferer has to consider using a hair piece or wig or looking into surgical treatments. Often their decision is informed by what they can afford. For the average person that means they may have to look into buying a wig or hairpiece which matches their natural hair and is not too conspicuous. It is a bold step which often requires some research in order to find one with which they are comfortable.

Hairpieces are usually to be made of either a mesh fabric or polymers. Each one has their strengths and weaknesses. Typically made from polyester or nylon, mesh fabric hairpieces are light, cool, comfortable and create a natural looking hairline. They are extremely life-like in appearance. However, mesh fabric hairpieces tend to be expensive and very delicate. They react with body acids, degrade after a short period of time and must be replaced very often. Hairpieces made with polymers, on the other hand, are relatively inexpensive and durable. The downside with hairpieces made from polymers, either polyurethane or silicone, is they tend to be hot and uncomfortable to wear and look artificial. Because of their relatively low price and ease of use hairpieces are the most popular form of hair replacement.

For people who can afford it, surgical hair replacement is the most natural looking and effective way to solve the problem of hair loss. This technique can be used by both men and women. It involves taking individual hair follicles from a donor site on your head and implanting it on the area of your head in which you have lost your hair. One to four strands of hair normally grows out of each hair follicle. Today's advanced techniques allow surgeons to move these follicular units and insert them into the bald spot in a process called Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT).

The hair to be transplanted can be harvested using two methods, strip harvesting and follicular unit extraction (FUE). In strip harvesting a swath of scalp containing growing hair is surgically removed and reinserted in the area where there is no hair growth. This technique involves stitches in the scalp and recovery time is usually 2 weeks. In follicular unit extraction individual hair follicles are removed from one area of the head and reinserted into the area where the hair is thinning. This process is less painful and recovery time is just 7 days. In both cases the patient's own hair grows and fills in the bald spots.

by: Mark Glendale

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