Every now and then there is a new and exotic advertisement going around claiming it can help lessen or stop hair loss. When these advertisements are published in sources that seem reputable, the average consumer may start to believe them. At US Hair Restoration, many of our patients send in questions regarding how real these methods and devices are, and if they should give it a try. In reality however, there are only a few real-world techniques that can actually help hair loss:

• Hair transplantation – the only permanent solution for hair loss. Hair is moved from the permanent zone to the balding area.
• Hair loss medications – Includes medications such as Finasteride and Minoxidil, which can slow down the hair loss process.
• Ketoconazole and Bimatoprost solutions – Two other solutions that appear to stimulate hair growth as one of their side effects.
• Herbel remedies – A few herbal remedies such as saw Palmetto that include DHT blocking properties.

Hair restoration has become a huge market, with over 60% of white males over the age of 50 having experienced some hair loss that requires treatment.  By looking at these numbers, it is no wonder why so many of these companies are trying to capitalize on it.  As a result, many devices are released, such as LED light hats, laser combs, magnetic devices, heating caps, and so on.  Most of them claim that they can benefit the consumer and help hair loss, but these companies are only looking to make a quick dollar.  Since they seem harmless and are relatively cheap, consumers are not hesitant to spend money and buy them if it will positively impact their appearance.

Since there are no regulations to put a stop to these types of advertisements, they will always be available on the market.  The best advice is to seek a skilled hair transplant surgeon and disregard the other gimmicks.

What is the difference between female and male hair loss? Female hair loss is not as common as male hair loss. Male hair loss is known as male patterned baldness. Female hair loss usually doesn’t lead to complete baldness like male hair loss. Female hair loss could be known more as thinning.

Female Patterned Baldness (FPB) touches the entire scalp, unlike Male Patterned Baldness (MPB). For female hair loss the donor hair in the back is not protected like it is for males. After the age of 50, most men have some degree of hair loss.

Women can benefit from hair restoration, so they can restore their hair in the balding areas. For women, the most important factor in receiving a hair transplant is the amount of hair they have in the donor area. If a women’s hair loss is similar to a male’s hair loss, the woman will be a better candidate for a hair restoration procedure.

Women’s expectations will not be the same as men’s expectations. A good hair transplant surgeon should be aware of that and set realistic expectations. If a man is bald, having 50% of his original density might seem like a dream come true. For a woman however, having 50% density will most likely not be enough.

If a woman goes to see a hair transplant surgeon wanting 100% of her hair density back, the surgeon should be honest with her and tell her that she might not receive the 100% density back in just one surgery. In order for a woman to be a candidate for hair restoration, the hair transplant surgeon should look at the different factors that will determine the candidacy for the woman.

The different factors that need to be determined for women regarding hair restoration surgery is the limited balding area, the donor/recipient mismatch, and realistic expectations.

• The Limited Balding Area means that the area that the woman’s head is balding shouldn’t be all over the head, it should just be in a certain area.

• The donor/recipient mismatch means that the donor hair on the back of the woman’s head should be in a much better quality than the area’s that are balding.

• Realistic expectations mean that the hair transplant surgeon should make sure the woman understands the reality of a hair transplant surgery. The hair transplant surgery only moves hair from one area to another area that needs to be covered.

Overall, the final factor that a women needs to consider before having a hair restoration procedure is making sure the hair restoration surgeon is experienced in handling hair restoration procedures in women. A well knowledgeable and experienced surgeon will do the best job possible to help the woman reach the goal that they want to reach.

A miniaturization study is very important in order to know what the level of hair miniaturization is for the patient. Using this method, the Doctor can also know what rate the hair is thinning. The hair restoration surgeon can compare the hair loss area to the individual’s normal healthy hair. The hormone that causes hair to thin is known as the DHT hormone. The hairs that are not affected by the DHT hormone are in the donor area, which includes the hairs on the sides and back of the head.

Hair goes through a cycling phase, where a hair shaft falls and after a few weeks another one begins to grow from the same follicle. In most cases the cycle won’t pass 20% of the hair shafts in any area. Hair loss will become active because the follicles of the hair go through a growth cycle. During the growth cycle process, there are resting intervals where the hairs slowly start to get thinner and miniaturization occurs. Only a small percentage of the hairs will be in resting phase. Miniaturization occurs when the hair shaft is no longer as thick as it was before. At that time the hairs become very thin and it is not seen to the naked eye.

 
When the hair restoration surgeon is doing the microscopic evaluation, he or she will determine the percentage of miniaturized hairs by area. When they look under the microscope at areas of the head, they estimate the percentage of miniaturization. If there is any part of the head that is over 20% miniaturization, that would be considered abnormal. That area would need to be evaluated and treated because that shows the surgeon that the patient will eventually lose the hair in that area. At that time the hair restoration surgeon will explain the different options that you have to prevent hair loss.  If your hair loss has been active for a while, the Doctor can also recommended that you have a hair restoration procedure.