|
Once lotions and tablets have not been
successful in stopping hair loss, most patients turn to hair
transplants. This is a surgical procedure and is the only
way that one can replace lost hair roots. Hair transplants
are often referred to as Hair Root Replacement. Hair roots
are taken from the back of the scalp under local anesthetic
and placed on the top of the head. There are various methods
for performing this procedure but by far the latest
treatments involving micro surgery, where micro grafts and
mini grafts are used, are the best techniques. The old
fashioned method used plugs. Although hair transplants using
the plug method grew hair very well when carried out by
skilled hands, it was very difficult to make them look
completely natural. Integrated Hair gave the answer! So
flexible is Integrated Hair that it is now used to improve
the appearance of 'the old fashioned hair transplant'.
Instead of having large numbers of hair roots per unit
(which is often required and indeed desirable) Integrated
Hair uses micro grafts and mini grafts which give perfect
detailed blending. Hair Root Replacement tends to be
expensive but it is by far the most natural way of regaining
hair especially if micro grafts and mini grafts are used
rather than plugs. Patients should always opt for micro
surgery where possible.
Implants are not hair transplants, but single synthetic
hairs placed into the scalp and held by a knot. At all costs
one should avoid implants as there is the chance of
infection and other complications. Although implants have
been banned in the United States there are still
approximately seventy clinics in Europe performing this
method. Implants are not growing hair and have no connection
with Hair Root Replacement, which is a procedure involving
surgery. Some hair transplant clinics offer both hair
transplants and implants and there is a tendency for
patients to get confused with the result so much so that
they chose the wrong treatment.
Wigs, toupees or hair pieces
are an alternative but not everyone's ideal choice. The word
wigs is normally referred to a full head of hair including
the back and sides. Wigs are usually more commonly used by
women. Since patients undergoing chemotherapy tend to lose
all their hair, a full wig is usually the answer. Toupees or
hair pieces are mainly used by men although it is not
uncommon for women to bald in the same male pattern baldness
as men and would also opt for a toupee or a hair piece.
Patients using a toupee or a hair piece would keep their own
hair at the back and sides and have the area on top covered
with the toupee or hair piece. The results are remarkable
and if worn correctly they are undetectable. Wigs, toupees
and hair pieces come in human hair or synthetic and in a
choice of various colours or mixture of colours. There are
various styles and lengths to chose from. One may opt to
have a wig, toupee or hair piece made-to-measure in which
case the result would be far better than an off the shelf
unit. Before choosing a wig, toupee or hairpiece it is
important to shop around. Just because the price quoted for
a toupee or hair piece may go into four figures, this does
not mean that the toupee or hair piece is a top quality
unit. One may buy exactly the same toupee or hair piece or
an even better one at a considerably cheaper price. Full
wigs tend to be much cheaper as they are normally
off-the-shelf items.
The only permanent remedy which exists today is the hair
transplant. This is by far the most natural way of regaining
one's hair. Since this procedure involves transferring one's
own healthy hair roots from the back and sides of the scalp
and placing them in the bald or balding area on top, there
is a limit as to the number of hair roots that can be
transferred. This of course differs from patient to patient
and is dependant on a number of factors such as size of area
to be treated, size of donor area, density of donor area,
likely future further hair loss, etc. In fact not every
patient is suitable for a hair transplant.
Apart from surgery, there are also wigs, troupes and
hairpieces that may be used to cover the bald area. Wigs
made from artificial or real hair, kept in place by
adhesives, are becoming more natural looking. Hair weaving,
also called "hair integration", involves adding to thin hair
by weaving or braiding human hair or synthetic fibres into
existing hair. Apart from the expense, this poses two
problems: first, it may be difficult to keep your hair and
scalp clean. And second, it stresses existing hair and may
cause it to fall out.
Sutured hairpieces may be
permanently stitched to the scalp, i.e. Synthetic hair
fibres or real hair from others is permanently attached into
the bald scalp by non-medical technicians. This is not safe
because whenever a foreign object is placed in the body,
there is always a consequent infection or skin allergy.
Thus the best option in this field is to have advice from a
reputable company, which specialises in wigs and toupees and
have one specifically fitted to one's area.
|
