Hair loss can occur for a variety of reasons including natural aging, genetics, skin disorders, medications, disease and treatments for disease. When hair loss occurs, there are many options available for replacing the lost hair ranging from pharmaceutical or surgical intervention to commercial hair pieces. Determining which hair replacement option is right for you depends on your underlying reasons for hair loss.
Hair Systems
For situations where surgical and pharmaceutical hair replacement is not an option (such as after chemotherapy) a commercial hair system is one option for replacing lost hair. Commercial hair systems go by many names including hairpieces, toupees or wigs. Hair systems vary widely in cost based off of quality and brand name. For example, a hair system made from synthetic hair will be much cheaper than a hair system made from real hair.
Medications
Several medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, are also available to help replace lost hair. For example, the over-the-counter drug minoxidil (commonly sold as Rogaine) can be applied twice daily by both men and women to increase hair growth; However, new hair growth may be thinner and limited according to the Mayo Clinic. For men with hair loss problems, finasteride (commonly sold as Propecia) can help increase hair growth by blocking dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to male-pattern baldness.
Scalp Reduction
A more invasive option for hair replacement is a scalp reduction. During a scalp reduction the bald areas of your scalp are removed. The parts of your scalp that still have healthy hair growth are then pulled together, essentially eliminating the bald spot. Scalp reductions are only an option in cases where hair loss is limited to a small specific area of the scalp.
Hair Transplant
The most invasive and expensive hair replacement option is a hair transplant procedure. During a hair transplant, grafts of skin with healthy hair growing follicles are removed from one area of the body and transplanted to balding or thinning areas of the body. Grafts are tiny plugs of skin containing only a few follicles with hair strands. As the area heals, the new grafts will begin growing hair normally in their transplanted area. According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the color and characteristics of the hair will remain similar to the area they were taken from, making it important that similar hair is used on the transplant site.
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