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I’ve recently come across the concept of hair implants http://www.hairloss.com/. I was wondering if you see any viability in this procedure, or is this another tactic of some money making company basically blowing smoke where the sun doesn’t shine?

You have to always beware of such advertisements, particularly when it sounds too good to be true. At first glance, the site reads as if it is a hair transplant with hair from another person, and without surgery! But then, the website interestingly discusses some bonding of human hair (not your own) to the skin with some bonding material.

My conclusion — it is just another type of wig.

I have used a hair system for a few years. Some seem to be better than others,but I am looking for the most undetectable result. I thought of having partial hair transplants done in the front- this is the area most detectable as fake. Have you any ideas of the best possible solution for me?

What I can tell you is that the combination of hair transplants in the front and a hair system behind it works for many people. You are correct in that the hair systems are generally easy to detect in front, so if you have a good hair transplant in front of the hair system, you will have considerably more freedom in styling your hair.

Hello NHI physicians,

I’m thinking about getting a hair transplant in the future, but at the moment I think I’m a bit too young for one (under 25). I have diffuse MPB on the crown (it’s quite severe), and am thinking about shaving the top off and using a hair piece/hair system until I reach the age when the MPB is more stable.

My question is, would the glue or bonding method from using a hair piece damage my scalp in any way that would prevent me from getting a hair transplant in the future?

I appreciate all the information you all have provided on this site.

Glues, tapes, and even clips are methods used to hold down the hairpiece to the scalp, which can cause even more hair loss. These will likely not prevent you from getting a hair transplant in the future, but you’re running a huge risk of causing yourself more trouble with hair loss. Weaves also cause traction alopecia. There is really no way around this. The decision to go with a hairpiece is a more common decision than those that want hair transplants, possibly because of the perceived cost difference and/or the fear of a surgical procedure. The choice may be a very expensive one, however, as the 5 year cost for a hair system can run well over $15,000. See My Hair System Cost Me Over $16,000 In 5 Years! for a breakdown, as sent in by a patient.

If you are losing your hair from MPB, be sure to also consider finasteride. This is a prescription medication and requires you to meet with a doctor.

do you have to be completely bald to wear a hair system? what if you are just thinned out and have a few bald patches? when you shave your head, does it grow back under the hair peice?

Yes, your hair may grow under a hair system. The reason you wear a hair system, though, is because you are thinning or balding… and because of that you may notice less and less growth as time goes on as the natural balding process is ongoing. In addition, some hair systems that use glues or tapes to attach can put traction on your scalp that may in turn put traction to the growing hair and cause them to fall out, possibly permanently.

The hair like Travolta wears is NOT costly as mentioned in the article.Also not required to go into a salon to have it attached.There are a number of sites on the net that sells this type of quality piece for less than 200 dollars.I have 2.Also Hollywood hair web site shows John`s hair for 159.00

Thanks for the information. It seems like you’ve done your research… or perhaps you’re just selling something. These type of hair systems can go for thousands of dollars, but there will always be a cheaper company there to undercut the more expensive model. Plus, I assume that like many celebrities, John Travolta would have a personal stylist, adding to the overall cost. Judging by the photos (see here) though, perhaps his stylist got the day off.

What is the best system of non-surgical hair replacement? And are there any that Are there any that just cover part of scalp rather than try to give you back a full head of hair?

Thank you

You have to look at many factors to determine which one will be non-surgical hair replacement option suits you best. This will include price, quality of product, ease of use, and what creates the most natural appearance.

Hairpiece / hair system:
Hairpieces start with with a section of netting called the foundation, which is cut and molded to the approximate size of the bald scalp area. The highest quality hairpieces are custom made and can cost thousands of dollars each. They might be made of human hair. These usually only last for a few years and need regular maintenance and upkeep, washing, and repairs. Sooner or later (usually less than 2 years) the hairpiece needs to be replaced. Most people have two hairpieces — one to use when the other is being washed or in repair.

Weave:
Weaves are another option. In this method, strands of the client’s own hair are pulled through openings in the foundation (mesh) of the hairpiece, tightly securing it to the foundation. This commonly causes traction alopecia and results in more hair loss from the constant pulling.

In continuing with the theme from yesterday of old links I forgot to post sooner…

Check out Connery’s hairpiece at the Guardian Unlimited in the UK for a short editorial on Sean Connery’s lack of hair. In talking about his early career (in which he wore a hairpiece), the article begs the question of whether or not James Bond himself could’ve been a trailblazer for balding men everywhere.

Article: Connery’s hairpiece

I’ve been wearing a toupee for the last 10 years. I am a 35 year old male. I’ve recently had some issues with my scalp being irritated, so I’ve decided to take the toupee off while at home and allow the scalp to heal and recover a bit. I actually have not reattached the toupee to my head in a week or more, and still have a couple of areas on my scalp that remain red and dry, where the tape track has set for years.

My question, will these red marks go away over time? Is there anything I should be doing to moisturize or care for my scalp?

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

I do not have the benefit of examining you in person, but you seem to describe some local irritation. These marks should go away in a few weeks, but without a physical exam I do not know what you have. The red marks can be a local irritation, or a permanent scar, or an infection, or even cancer (though it is not likely from what you describe). Please follow up with your primary care physician.

Was sold a tunnel graft system (San Francisco) in the 80’s but switched to a bonded system. Do you know how much it costs to remove the tunnels? Who would you recommend in CA?

Thanks

I would have to see you to determine what has to be done. I have removed tunnels in the past. Fortunately, there are not many people who have them anymore. I have an office in the Bay Area (San Jose), so you can come see me. Please call my office at 800-NEW-HAIR if you’d like to setup a free consultation.

For the readers, a tunnel is a bridge of skin created in the scalp so that a wig can be secured to the bridge, holding it in place. The wig has ’string’ attached to it and these strings are passed under the tunnel and then tied in place, like tieing your shoe lace. Some people have more than one tunnel to hold the wig in position.

Is it advisable to use a great portion of your donor area to create a really dense fontal area and then wear a hairpiece behind it? It would seem better than a relatively sparce whole head transplant??

If you are willing to continue using a hair piece, then this is an excellent way to go. I have done this many times so that the people who have ‘obvious’ hair pieces can be closer to completely undetectable.