Hair Replacement Techniques

For many men and women, the loss of hair from the scalp can be psychologically adverse.  Whether it is from lower self esteem about physical appearances, a wish to remain youthful, or older generation morays of baldness unacceptance, many men and women seek a fix for their hairless ailment.

Thanks to celebrities like Michael Jordan and Patrick Stewart in the 1990s, baldness in  men became much more accepted in the United States.  Still, many men wish to replace the hair lost from their heads.  Hair replacement treatments are available in both surgical and non-surgical forms.

Surgical Hair Replacement Options

Surgical options for men and women have evolved into a much greater standard than a few decades ago.  Through the work of a physician, hair can be harvested from other areas on the patient and transplanted on top of the head.  Here are the main types of surgical hair replacement:

  • Graft Transplants: The most common surgical hair replacement is the graft transplant.  In this procedure, hair follicles are removed from the fuller areas on the head and replaced on the hairline.  Grafts may be the size 15 to 25 hairs, but this creates that notorious ”plug” look.  Modern methods try to use grafts of 2 to 4 hairs, and even one hair follicle at a time, which is less evasive and results in a more natural looking replacement.
  • Flap Surgery: Flap surgery hair replacement is more evasive and requires numerous visits to a physician.  A patient must have healthy existing hair and is given a tissue expander on areas where hair is fuller.  When the skin under the tissue expanded areas is full enough, a surgeon will remove pieces of scalp from the top of the head and replace it with the newly grown tissue.

Non-Surgical Hair Replacement Options

For many men and women who do not wish for a surgical procedure, there are still options.  Depending upon the cause of your hair loss, you may be able to opt for a medical treatment.  If your cause is not treatable with prescriptions, then you always have simply aesthetic solutions.

Prescription Treatments

Recent medical developments have been made in hair loss prescriptions.  For men who are fighting hair loss because of an influx of the DHT hormone, the medication Propecia can be an effective means to stop male pattern hair loss.

Hairpiece Construction

Other options are simply aesthetic, such as the traditional hairpiece and toupee.  A hairpiece allows the wearer to enjoy the appearance of a full head of hair.  However, the individual is restricted in activities, such as swimming, where the hairpiece may become unattached.

Hairpieces, also known as hair prostheses, are constructed from polymer or mesh fabric and are custom made for the wearer.  There are pros and cons to polymer and mesh construction.  Mesh tends to be less durable and more expensive, but is very lightweight and comfortable.  Polymers are cheaper and more durable, but are less comfortable and less natural in appearance.

Actual human hair of similar color and type is used to try and make the hairpiece as authentic as possible to the wearer’s own hair.  However, because human hair is fragile, a hairpiece needs regular maintenance and may need replacing after time.

Hairpiece Attachment

Hairpieces that are detachable and temporary may be attached simply by using double sided tape or clips.  Some hairpieces are designed to be worn semi-permanently for up to 6 weeks or so with a glue or bonding agent.  A hair technician or stylist should be enlisted to perform the attaching and re-attaching of a semi-permanent hairpiece.

For those men and women who wish to pursue hair replacement, the good news is that many options are available that fit budgetary requirements and surgical tolerance.