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Innovations In Hair Transplant And Other Alternatives To Hair
Loss
By Dr. Jay B Stockman O.D.
Although many people do not have visible hair loss, hair loss is a
natural daily occurrence. Approximately 50 to 150 hairs are lost
each day, but most hair regenerates because the hair follicle
remains intact. If the follicles shrink due to heredity, hormones,
stress, infection, certain prescription medication, illness,
nutritional deficiency or age, the hair is not restored. When
shedding significantly surpasses hair growth, baldness occurs. This
Male Pattern Baldness usually begins at the forehead or on the top
of the head, and progresses to the familiar horseshoe-shaped fringe
of hair. Depending on your type of hair loss, treatments are
available.
Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important
to find the cause so that it can be properly treated. A doctor
usually inspects the hair shafts, and may perform a biopsy of the
skin. A biopsy helps determine if the hair follicles are normal; if
they are not, the biopsy may indicate possible causes. If the
doctor's examination finds signs of irregularities or other serious
illness, blood tests to identify those disorders may be required.
Assuming no diseases, or pathologies there are two medications that
can treat baldness effectively. Minoxidil, originally used to treat
hypertension, has been shown to stimulate hair growth in adult men
and women with a certain type of baldness. The exact way that this
medicine works is unknown. Hair growth usually occurs after the
medicine has been used for several months and lasts only as long as
the medicine continues to be used. Hair loss will begin again within
a few months after Minoxidil treatment is stopped. Minoxidil is
applied directly to the scalp on a daily basis. Minoxidil can be
used for both men and women.
Proscar, a medication used for prostate enlargement, works by
blocking the effects of male hormones on the hair follicles and is
taken by mouth daily.
Individuals with increased levels of the hormone DHT in the scalp
experience a shortening growth phase or thinning of the hair.
Proscar lowers the level of this hormone, and contributes to the
normalization of the hair growth cycle. Proscar may be used for men
only.
Improvement may occur with either of these drugs when taken for
several months. The most important effect of these drugs may be to
prevent further hair loss. The effects last only as long as the
drugs are taken. A more permanent solution is a hair transplant, in
which hair follicles are removed from one part of the scalp and
transplanted to the bald area. During this procedure, the surgeon
removes a section of hair form the back of the head, near the base
of the skull. This area of hair is genetically different because
they do not have the gene for hair loss in their follicles. Only a
small scar is left and unless one shaves the back of the scalp is it
not noticeable. The donated follicles are then placed in saline
solution, while small incisions are made in the areas of hair loss.
Each individual donated follicle is placed creating an uneven
ordinary hairline. After the hairline is formed, the remaining donor
follicles are put where thinned or balding spots occur.
In the newer hair transplant technique, only one or two hairs are
transplanted at a time. Although this technique is more tedious, and
time consuming, it does not require removal of large plugs of skin
and allows the implants to be oriented in the same direction as the
natural hair.
If satisfactory treatments are not appropriate for your type of hair
loss, you may consider trying different hairstyles, wigs, hair
weaves, hairpieces, or artificial hair replacement, or very simply
wear a hat.
About the Author: Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for
Affordable Hair Transplant Surgery Visit
http://hair-transplantsite.com for
more information.
Source:
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