Up to 40% of women suffer from excessive hair loss. In fact, most women suffer from exactly the same type of hair loss as men – androgenic alopecia. Despite that, when we think of hair transplantation, we usually think of men.

It’s time to think again.

Women with androgenic hair loss can definitely benefit from hair transplant procedures. Androgenic alopecia in women results from a combination of hormonal issues and genetic predisposition. Androgenic alopecia is a condition that leads to an increasing shortening of the growth cycle of the hair. The end result is that the hair stops growing completely.

Unlike men, women typically do not end up completely bald. Instead, a woman’s hair becomes extremely thin, usually on the top of the head, making styling and camouflage of the problem almost impossible. It’s at this point that many women look for help.

What makes a good candidate for a hair transplant? A thorough evaluation from a qualified hair transplant surgeon is the place to start! You should be looking for an established clinic with a thriving practice, such as SureHair International. But there are some points to keep in mind even before you go for an evaluation.

To begin with, you need to be realistic about your final outcome. Hair transplantation is not a procedure that can make your hair thicker than it already is. In effect, the hair transplant procedure will move hair follicles from one part of the scalp to another – but it does not create new hairs. This means that the best outcome is one that creates a better cosmetic result.

Your surgeon will be looking for a good ratio of potential donor hair to recipient area.  For instance, if you have very thin hair on top of your head, but the hair along the sides and back is also limited, you may not have a reasonable amount of donor hair available. If you have very generalized thinning, it’s possible that you have limited donor hair.

Keep in mind the type of hair that you have. Wavy or curly hair will look thicker than fine or straight hair. Wavy hair will also cover more of your scalp. You may also get better coverage with coarse hair. Coarse hair again covers more scalp. Fine hair may not cover as much scalp as other hair types, but it tends to result in a very natural-looking result. So these factors will have to be balanced out with your objectives for the hair transplant procedure.

If you are in good overall health, you tend to get a better result with transplantation. If you are a heavy smoker. have poorly controlled diabetes, or have other conditions that affect circulation and vascular health, you may find that the transplanted follicles do not grow as well as expected. Your surgeon will discuss these kinds of issues with you as part of the evaluation for your hair transplant procedure.

admin Hair Care, Hair Loss, Uncategorized female hair loss, female hair loss treatment, Hair Loss, hair loss canada, hair loss clinic, hair regrowth treatment, natural hair regrowth

The technology in the hair transplant field has come along way especially in the last 15 years. The discovery of naturally occurring follicular units, and the ability to use a microscope to dissect hair into follicular units means that a hair transplant can be virtually 100% natural.

The most established follicular unit technology is the strip method. In the strip method, a strip of skin is taken from the back and sides of the head and then dissected into follicular units (grafts) and then placed into the thinning area into small holes. In experienced hands, the results can be spectacular. However, in a small percentage of cases the door scar did not heal well or widened. This led to the idea of transplanting hair into the scar to make it less obvious. The hair was harvested from the back and sides of the head one at a time by using a small punch biopsy so that it would not leave behind a very visible scar. This was the birth of the FUE (follicular unit extraction).

Initially the FUE was designed for small cases where only a few grafts were needed. With the FUE method you cannot see the root of the grafts until it is pulled out of the head. As a result, traditionally there is a high rate of transection which means the root of the follicle is cut and will not grow. This was considered acceptable since only a small number of grafts were needed. Since the FUE method leaves very small scars that are very hard to see, many doctors started promoting the FUE method as an alternative to the strip method.

The FUE has been promoted as a “scarless” surgery. This is not true. It is true that often the scars are so small that a patient can wear the hair very short. The technology for the FUE has evolved and now there are powered drills that help take out larger number of grafts in a more efficient manner. However, for reasons we do not understand, sometimes even when large number of “good ” FUE grafts are planted in a FUE transplant, many will not grow. I am sure that with time the technology will improve.

A word of caution about the FUE. It does leave a scar. If a hair transplant is done using 2000 grafts for example, then the patient will be left with 2000 little scars. This may not be a problem the first time. However, if a patient needs a second transplant with 2000 grafts, then he will have a total of 4000 little scars at the back of his head. This can leave the patient with a “swiss cheese“ look. Furthermore, it becomes more and more difficult to find “good grafts” amongst the scarring in the donor area when the FUE is used. Typically with the strip method one scar is all that is produced no matter how many surgeries.

Recently, a news show showed a new machine that takes out follicular units automatically using the FUE method. This new machine was marketed as being the “latest breakthrough” in hair transplant technology. In fact, the machine has been around for many years and was not considered a reliable method of doing the FUE. I know for fact that the company who makes the machine has improved the technology and that it is now at the 7th generation with the device. This is good news. Myself and other hair transplant doctors are waiting to see how well the machine performs before considering routinely using such as a device.

However, it seems that some doctors are now purchasing the new machine with the intent of performing hair transplants when they have little or no experience performing hair transplants. A hair transplant is a very delicate procedure that takes an entire team of people to perform. It takes a lot of practice and experience to do a good hair transplant.

There are many reputable hair transplant doctors who feel that it is not appropriate for non-experienced doctors to jump on the bandwagon and perform hair transplants because “the machine will do all the work”. If a machine could perform all the technical aspects of a hair transplant, you still need a doctor to plan and design the transplant. You can’t just put hair anywhere! You need to plan for future hair loss. A doctor needs to have the artistic skills produce a natural hairline and understand donor recipient ratios and density gradients. Think of it this way: there are air guns that will put nails into wood boards very quickly and efficiently. However, you wouldn’t let a machine build your house – you still need a contractor who knows how to build a house!

There is a time and a situation where any technology will serve you well. Make SURE you speak to an experienced professional who can offer the right technique for you!

* Additionally you can visit the International Hair Restoration Surgery website (www.ishrs.org) and read their position paper on the FUE method.

Dr. Nelson Ferreira, B.Sc., CCFP, MD
Medical Director, Sure Hair International
2115 Finch Ave. W, Suite 401,
Toronto, M3N 2V6
Tel: 416-747-7873 Fax: 416-747-7441
Email: care@surehair.com

admin Hair Care, Hair clinic, Hair Loss, Hair Replacement Hair Loss, hair pieces, Hair Replacement, hair restoration, hair transplant, hair transplants, natural hair regrowth

Suffering from hair problems? Guess what? You are not alone. Almost 35 million people have been experiencing hair loss in the United States ever since 2008, and the numbers continue to rise with each passing year. The President of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, Edwin S. Epstein has quoted that hair loss is suffered by 50% of men and 25 % of women all over the world. This problem can occur due to stress, thyroid problems, use of certain drugs, allergies to cosmetics, or genetic reasons.

Hair fall is a huge issue for both the genders. After all, no one wants to sport a bald patch in public, right? Women are more conscious about their hair style, therefore hair fall or baldness has a huge impact on their self-confidence and morale. The biggest issue is that these problems are not restricted to a certain age group anymore. Teenagers and adolescents are being affected by it too.

The important question is how to stimulate regrowth? The answer is simple: it is best to opt for natural hair regrowth. It is the safest form of treatment available as it does not require any surgery and is completely painless in nature. There are various methods to achieve the above purpose such as:

* There are many natural regrowth products that are available in the market nowadays. It can be a medicated solution or come in the form of a gel with detailed directions of usage. Make sure that you are buying from a reputed brand after consulting a therapist. Products that are not genuine can lead to dangerous consequences.

* In case you don’t have the time to apply gel to your hair, then you can easily opt for vitamin pills. Consult your doctor to know more about the types of pills. You can also eat more vegetables and fruits that are a rich source of vitamins that will stimulate the natural hair regrowth.

* Herbal remedies are perhaps the closest to natural growth. By using different herbs it is possible to nourish the dead follicles so that they become active and start to grow hair once more. Your therapist can tell you more about the different types of herbs. There are safe and don’t cause any side effects.

Want to try out natural hair regrowth? SureHair.com is a clinic based in Canada that deals with such treatments. All you have to do is visit their website and make an appointment with them. They have qualified therapists on board who will work with you to tackle the issue and outline a treatment program for you. Their charges are also extremely reasonable and will not burn a hole in your pocket. No longer do you have to worry about hair loss problems!

admin Hair Care, Hair clinic, Hair Loss, Hair Replacement hair regrowth, hair regrowth treatment, natural hair regrowth