Non-Surgical Hair Restoration: Wigs Are Not All They Are Stacked Up To Be!

When you decide to take action on your hair loss, you need to weigh your hair restoration options. After seeing your doctor for a diagnosis, you might think a toupee (partial wig) or full-scalp wig is an easy, consequence-free way to cover up the problem. While wigs are a non-surgical means of hair restoration, be aware of the problems associated with wigs before making a decision. With modern advances in hair restoration surgery and medicines, you may be better off without a wig.

Wigs can be helpful for temporary hair loss, such as may be associated with chemotherapy and certain medications. (People without hair loss may safely enjoy wearing wigs once in a while for instant styling on special occasions.) Consult with a licensed cosmetologist who will measure your head and select high-quality wig. Be aware that tightly binding your existing hair or using glues adhesives may damage your natural hair. When your hair grows back, stop using the wig.

For the more common progressive hair loss, often due to male pattern balding or hormonal imbalances, think hard before getting involved Continue reading →

Can You Count on Saw Palmetto to Stop Hair Loss from Testosterone Patches?

saw palmetto

Is herbal remedy saw palmetto effective for blocking DHT and stopping hair loss?

When you start playing with your testosterone levels, you might be trading one problem for another. Weight lifters sometimes use testosterone patches to build more defined, stronger muscles. Average men and women are talked into thinking they have low testosterone (“low T”), even if their testosterone levels are age-appropriate, and they buy testosterone patches or supplements to address issues such as sexual dysfunction, decreased libido, poor mood and low energy.

However, spikes in testosterone can elevate dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels. The body naturally converts testosterone to DHT. In individuals genetically prone to male pattern balding, additional DHT triggers or exacerbates hair loss on the top and front of the scalp.

Recently, companies that sell testosterone-elevating supplements and testosterone patches have started saying that you should take the herbal remedy saw palmetto at the same time, to prevent hair loss from the testosterone. Continue reading →

The Oil-Absorbing Properties of Hair

Hair easily absorbs oil

The media is currently reporting that organizations are ostensibly collecting human hair from salons, and dog hair from groomers, to create booms. These booms could be used to help prevent the Gulf of Mexico oil spill from coming ashore. Why hair?

Hair naturally absorbs oil. There are microscopic glands in the skin that give off a waxy and oily substance named sebum. Sebum lubricates the hair and skin of mammals. This oil waterproofs and protects the skin and hair by preventing them from becoming dry, brittle, dehydrated and cracked. Continue reading →

Can I Have a Hair Transplant Using Someone Else’s Hair?

 

 

Question: Does a hair transplant mean using someone else’s hair? I know it is possible to transplant organs and tissue from one person to another – is that how a hair transplant works?

Dr. Shapiro, Hair Transplant Doctor Answers: It is technically possible to transplant hair from one person (possibly a cadaver) to another, however, this is never done. Virtually all person-to-person transplants run the risk of rejection.

Rejection means that the immune system recognizes the new tissue as an invader and attacks it. Anti-rejection drugs have been developed to minimize this problem. However, anti-rejection drugs can have very serious side-effects and health risks, because they weaken the immune system and increase the possibility of infections. Person-to-person hair transplants are not worth the risk, given that auto-transplants (donor tissue from the patient’s own body) are usually possible.

Hair transplants are auto-transplants. Hair follicles are transplanted from Continue reading →

Hair Transplant Surgery Can Give Job Seekers an Edge

Hair loss can affect your job search

Hair loss can hinder your job search

Everyone has been pulling their hair out over the financial crisis that started in 2007. With an unemployment rate at around 10%, many workers have found themselves unexpectedly laid off and looking for work. With such a tight job market, even the smallest competitive edge can make the difference in getting hired.

Job discrimination based on age (or apparent age) or appearance is illegal, however, the reality is that discrimination can be difficult to prove. When two equally qualified candidates are final competitors for a job, the hiring manager has to make a difficult choice. Studies have shown that people really do tend to make decisions about a person based on his or her appearance and apparent age. Clearly, this type of decision-making is not limited to show business and sales.

Thirty-six percent of men one study believed hair loss would negatively impact their occupation.1

The economy is not the only thing receding. Hairlines also tend to recede as male workers age. The biggest money-making years generally start at around age 50, when at least half of men are experiencing male pattern balding. Older workers are at a particular disadvantage Continue reading →