Surveying Hair Replacement Options

Whether you’re a man or a woman, losing your hair doesn’t mean
you have to present a bald head to the world; in most cases, your
options range from the simple, like plopping a department store
wig on your head, to the more complicated (and expensive), like
pricey hair systems or hair transplant surgery.
Minimizing or hiding hair loss
In a society used to chemical fixes and instant gratification, your
first response to falling hair may be to search the drugstore
shelves for a tonic that will replace lost hair — or at least preserve
what you still have. You want to believe that these tonics will do
the job and restore your head to its former glory. There are med-
ications that can help save your hair, but you may not want to
resort to medication, at least not just yet.
Chapter 3 gives you a wealth of information on taking care of your
hair because, although good hair care by itself can’t help you fight
genetic hair loss, it will keep your hair looking good while you still
have it. In cases where hair loss results from disease or mechanical
damage, good hair care can help you keep your hair as well as
keep it looking good.
In Chapter 8, we introduce some of the products that can work
with the hair you have left to give the illusion of fuller hair. It’s not
quite as simple as spraying silly string on the top of your head or
using a can of paint to color your bald spot, but today’s spray-on
or powdery products can definitely improve your hair’s appear-
ance for some time without looking weird.
Wearing a wig
When we say “wig,” we don’t mean the powdered version com-
monly worn in the 1700s — although if that’s your style, who’s to
stop you? In this book, we use the terms “wig” or “hair replace-
ment system” (hair systems for short) when we are referring
to a hairpiece as a hair replacement option for men or women
(usually wigs for women and toupees for men, but the terminology
is flexible).
Wigs have improved tremendously over the last few decades, and a
good one is virtually undetectable. (Your hair stylist will know, but
he or she may be the only one.)
A wig can be a quick fix for temporary hair loss, such as the hair
loss from chemotherapy treatments, or it can be your lifetime
solution to lost hair. Many women have several wigs and can
change from “Gee, you need a haircut” to a freshly trimmed look
overnight. Men may have many hair systems to wear in various
settings or situations.
You can buy an inexpensive wig for less than $100, but if you want
it to be foolproof, you probably have to spend more than that. A
good wig (or wigs) can easily run into the thousands, and it’s pos-
sible for the maintenance fees to rival those of your car or condo.
Turn to Part III for all the details on buying and caring for hair
replacement systems of all sorts.
Pharmaceutical, laser, and topical
treatments
If hair loss looks like it’s going to be a permanent part of your
life, you may be ready to turn to prescription medications or
treatments to minimize your losses. The good news is that treat-
ments are available to help slow hair loss caused by inherited
male pattern baldness. (See Chapter 9 for a rundown of prescrip-
tion medications, Chapter 10 for a list of herbs that some people
swear by, as well as dietary recommendations for maintaining a
healthy scalp.)
For many women, hair loss may also respond to medication, or, if a
specific disease process is causing the loss, by addressing the
health issue.
Anyone can have healthier hair by modifying their diets, but giving
you hair through medication is a bit more selective. Medications
have limitations and may only work on certain types of hair loss.
They can be used in addition to surgical procedures, such as hair
transplant, to help slow continuing hair loss (yes, you still lose hair
after a transplant — not the transplanted hair, but hair in balding
areas) or to help you keep your hair as long as possible.
Zapping your head with lasers to help your hair grow may sound
like science fiction, but some laser treatments can do just that.
Chapter 11 has information on which laser treatments may help
and which ones will part you from your money without adding a
hair to your head.
Considering hair restoration surgery
Hair transplants were an option out of reach for many men until
fairly recently. With new advances in technology and better access
to well-trained surgeons who work with modern techniques, the
option of transplant is more accessible — and more men are taking
advantage of it.
Around 100,000 American men have hair transplants every year,
and the results are truly remarkable. What’s most impressive is
that these men look so natural that not even their hairdresser will
know for sure!
The difficulties of transplants in the past — the pluggy look —
have been largely overcome with better technologies and well-
trained surgeons. The main objection to a hair transplant is the
cost, which is why it’s vitally important that you pick a hair trans-
plant surgeon who will give you the most for your money in terms
of positive, long-lasting results.
Although the cost of a hair transplant can sound exorbitant at first
glance, it may not be as far out of your reach as you think. The fact
is that a hair transplant costs less than five years’ worth of buying
and maintaining one decent quality wig!
We devote Chapter 13 to advising you on how to choose a hair
transplant surgeon (price should never be your main considera-
tion!), take you through the transplant process, and go home with
you and your new hair in Chapter 14 to look at how life will be after
your transplant.