The Right Hairbrush for Thinning Hair

Choosing the Right Hairbrush Can Prevent Hair Loss

If you are losing hair, brush up on your hairbrush knowledge to prevent further hair loss.

With all the hairbrushes on store and salon shelves today, it's hard to know what each brush does. But when you add a hair loss or thinning issue to your hair care needs, you really need to pay attention to certain features of hairbrushes that can help or hurt your situation. So, brush up on these brush facts gleaned from hairstylists and hair loss treatment providers.

• Invest in a natural-bristle paddle brush. It doesn't have to be an expensive boar-bristle brush -- any brush made of natural bristles or even combined with some nylon bristles will do the trick. This is the basic hairbrush, around for centuries and responsible for grandma's advice of "a hundred brushstrokes a day." This type of hairbrush is good for your thinning hair because the natural bristles gently reach to the scalp to stimulate circulation while distributing natural oils down the hair shaft to make hair as resilient as it can be. Also, the natural bristles cut down on static that can be caused by plastic brush bristles. Just skip the 100 strokes part because overuse would be damaging to fragile hair and scalp.

• Look for molded ball-tips. Most plastic-bristle styling brushes will have ball-tips to protect scalp from stiff, pointy bristles. When choosing a plastic-bristle vent brush or paddle brush for styling or blow-drying, look carefully at how the balls on the ends of the bristles are manufactured. Choose bristles with ball-tips that are molded, not simply glued on, because those catch the hairs and cause breakage -- and you definitely want to keep all the hair you have!

• Look for the cushion. A good-quality hair brush and one that is safest for use on fragile hair types will have a cushioned base that bristles are attached to, which provides the "give" when hair gets stuck to avoid pulling and breakage.

• Use a wide-tooth comb on wet hair. Never use any type of brush on wet hair, because it will pull tangled hair. Use a good conditioner to detangle hair in the shower; then, after gently pressing hair dry with a towel, use fingers first to separate hairs and detangle. If further detangling is required, use a wide-tooth comb.

• Reduce heat time. In order to cut your exposure to high-degree heat and to eliminate such extra steps as using a curling iron or flatiron, try a brush with a ceramic or metal base for straightening or a metal or ceramic core for round-brush styling and curling. When these brushes are used with the heat of a hair dryer, the core or base heats up to style the hair quicker, and possibly eliminate steps, and to limit heat exposure.

• Try an hourglass-shaped round brush. Another option in reducing heat exposure is to try a natural-bristle round brush with an hourglass shape. These brushes pull hair tauter in the center to create a tighter curl faster and might work easily for your fine hair, especially if you don't want to expose fragile hair to the metal- or ceramic-core curling brush or a curling iron. The natural bristles also let hair slide easily around the brush without tugging, catching or breaking hair. Use the larger-barrel brushes for longer hair and the smallest ones for short hair.

• Hold before you buy. Get a feel for how the brush moves in your hand. Look for brushes that have ergonomically designed handles made of wood or silicone that facilitate correct usage and make styling easier. You can do this research at the drugstore or the salon. Your hairstylist will be happy to show you which brush does what and give you styling tips with specific brushes for your specific hairstyle.
  

If you are suffering from hair loss, taking the time to educate yourself about myriad of different choices when it comes to hairbrushes can help you to keep the hair you have. A good hairbrush can be an effective tool for preventing hair loss.

Hair Types for Hair Extensions

Learn the Hair Types Used in Manufacturing Hair Extensions

 

Hair extensions can be created from several types of hair including human hair, synthetic hair or a mixture of both.

When selecting hair extensions, you will need to choose from human hair, synthetic hair or a combination of the two. By understanding the benefits of each type of hair, you will be able to pick the right hair extensions for you.

Human-hair extensions

Whether you want hair extensions to help disguise hair loss, add volume to thinning hair or just make a fashion statement, most experts recommend hair extensions created from natural human hair. Human-hair extensions can be washed, colored, styled and otherwise treated like your own hair. Of course, since they are made of human hair, these hair extensions look more authentic than synthetic extensions do.

"We use real 100 percent human hair," says Giovanni Mele, owner of Giovanni & Pileggi salon in Philadelphia. "Most reputable salons use human hair because it looks and feels more realistic and is easier to maintain and care for. Synthetic-hair extensions also are an option but are more limiting in what you can do with them."

The hair for human-hair extensions comes from all around the world. New York City trichologist Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips says, "The most common type of human hair used in extensions tends to be European, followed by Indian and Asian."

European hair is thin and shinny, making it a top choice for hair extensions. Asian hair can sometimes be too thick, so it is processed and thinned out using chemicals that can damage the hair, resulting in lower-quality extensions. Indian hair is usually similar in structure to the hair from Europe and therefore a popular option.

"Remy hair is the most often used and is the highest-quality hair," says Ron King, L'Oreal Professionnel stylist and spokesman and creator of Ron King Invisi-Tab Hair Extensions. "Remy hair still has the cuticle layer that all flows in the same direction as natural hair would."

Remy hair is often considered the best quality for hair extensions because the cuticles are not stripped. With other types of hair, an acid bath is used, which strips the hair cuticles, and then a layer of silicone is added to give the hair a shiny, smooth look. But the silicone eventually wears off when the hair is washed, causing the hair extensions to get dull, matted and tangled. Preserving the cuticles in Remy hair allows the manufacturer to create beautiful, natural-looking hair extensions that are extremely shiny, silky and soft -- as well as tangle free. Although Remy hair can be found in a variety of places around the globe, Indian Remy hair is the most popular.

Synthetic-hair extensions

In recent years, some concerns have developed about how the human hair in hair extensions is being procured. Horror stories exist about hair being harvested from corpses, young girls in Russia being forced to shave their heads and women in India not knowing their sacrificed hair is being sold by Hindu temples to be used for extensions. Because some of these stories are actually fact and not fiction, the ethics of hair extensions have been called into question.

While many hair extension distributors and manufacturers have developed ethics policies, reportedly only about 25 percent of hair imported into the United States for hair extensions is considered ethical. Because the origins of most hair extensions are untraceable, the only way you can be assured that ethical hair extensions are being attached to your head is by purchasing synthetic-hair extensions.

Synthetic-hair extensions have come a long way over the past decade. Created from synthetic (man-made) fibers, synthetic-hair extensions are far less expensive than their human-hair counterparts. Keep in mind, however, that maintenance costs will be pricier. Synthetic hair can be burned with heated styling tools and can tangle easily if not cared for properly.

For a period of time, some hair extension companies were making hair extensions out of a mix of both human and synthetic hair. Unfortunately, this was not a wise option, since the different hair types demand different care and treatment.

In most cases, to get a realistic, full head of extensions, you should stick with high-quality, ethical human hair. For hairpieces or short-term wear, synthetic hair can look authentic and be a more affordable option.

Hair Loss Concealers

Hair Loss Concealers Work On Small Thinning Areas of Hair

Spray or brush-on hair is not as silly as it sounds. For people with thinning hair, it can be a quick, convincing solution.

People experience degrees of hair thinning, often on the crown or top of the head. It may not be noticeable except when they expose that particular area. Their degree of hair thinning may not be so noticeable as to warrant hair transplant surgery or nonsurgical hair replacement, but may be addressed by use of a hair loss concealer.

Since hair loss occurs by degrees, the decision to use a concealer is a personal judgment call. As with concealers used on the skin to hide a blemish, hair loss concealers work to smooth out density differences over a small area, but is less convincing at hiding large and obvious thinning spots.

Such concealers are typically fibrous pigments that attach to existing hair or to the scalp itself, made up of polymers, keratin fibers, lanolin or other materials. In some cases, the fibers are electrostatically charged, drawn to existing hair as metal fibers are to a magnet. Otherwise, the concealer is in lotion or semi-solid form.

Hair loss concealers come in several forms to meet different needs: granular sprinkles applied with a shaker; aerosol, applied similarly to hair spray; brushed or wiped solids that coat and thicken longer shafts of hair to cover a thinning spot; and lotions that expand the volume of the hair itself.

Hair loss concealers work only when the haircut and hairstyle are appropriate. Most appealing, hair loss concealers and volumizers are a five-minute solution. With practice, the individual can incorporate the application of a concealer into daily grooming routines.

Hair Loss Condition: Female Pattern Baldness

Female Pattern Baldness Is a Typically Preventable Disease

The good news is that female pattern baldness can be successfully treated if you catch it early enough.

Overview of female pattern baldness

While natural hair loss in women is generally referred to as female pattern baldness, (or androgenetic alopecia ) women's hair loss is rarely classified as true baldness, nor does it often resemble the patterns of hair loss so often seen in men. With diffused thinning of the hair all over the head, hair loss, for women, can have a devastating affect on self-esteem. After all, a woman's hair isn't supposed to fall out. That problem belongs to men. Right? Well, not exactly. In fact statistics say that by the age of 80, some 57% of women will experience some level of female pattern baldness.

Causes of female pattern baldness

• Hormone imbalance -- Scientists have still not reached a consensus about the genetic and hormonal mechanisms that trigger hair loss, but DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) an androgen (male) hormone, is one of the main culprits in hair loss. In women, hormone imbalance often comes with age. Menopause might be the trigger for this extra dose of male hormone that causes hair to thin on the scalp and grow coarser on the face because the body begins to produce less estrogen.

• Genetics -- Heredity can play a part as well, though scientists are only now identifying the genes responsible. Tendencies for female pattern baldness are inherited through your maternal line. If your mother lost her hair, there's a good chance you will, too.

• Pregnancy -- Women have often experienced some hair loss at some point in their lives because of hormonal imbalance, such as after a pregnancy. Hair grows thicker because of the extra estrogen, but sheds after childbirth. Still, that lost hair usually grows back normally after a few months. With androgen linked hair loss, the thinning of a woman's hair can go unnoticed for a time. She can attribute her hair loss to stress or diet or even health before the real reason becomes clear. By the time she becomes truly concerned, she's seeing white scalp through her hair.

• Medical issues -- Women experiencing hair loss should check with their doctor to make sure there are no medical reasons for their hair loss. Eliminate illness such as diabetes, thyroid conditions, stress induced alopecia, or prescription medication as the cause.

• External causes -- Female pattern baldness can also be confused with tension alopecia from over-styling or wearing too tight braids or extensions. Some women have even found certain IUD's to be suspect in their sudden hair loss.

The life cycle of hair

To understand the process of hair loss, it's important to understand how our hair reproduces in the first place. Hair grows from tiny hair follicles or living roots. The first phase of hair growth can last anywhere from two to six years. Those with a longer phase can grow long hair, those with a short growth phase can never grow hair past their shoulders before it falls out and starts over. The next phase is a resting phase. The hair stops growing as a new hair begins to replace it in the follicle and push its way up. When that new hair reaches the top of the root, the old, long hair will fall out or shed.

For reasons not fully understood, DHT chokes off the supply of blood and oxygen to the follicle.

So when a new hair sprouts, it is weaker, thinner, and unhealthier than its predecessor. This process is called miniaturization and it happens over and over until those miniaturized hairs can no longer reproduce themselves. Then the follicle dies. You have less hair regrowing, thus, thinner and thinner hair. Suddenly, you have female pattern baldness.

Take action against female pattern baldness now

Once you have determined that your hair loss is has no medical origin, it's time to address the problem. Give yourself a kick out of the depression that's settled in and realize that you must take action. Once hair follicles die, they'll never produce another hair for you. So the faster you try to stop your hair loss, the better your results will be.

Treatment options for female pattern baldness

First, there are DHT inhibitor over-the-counter products that might help stop the shedding and revitalize your strangling hair follicles. Results vary, but like Propecia for men, products like Provillus for women show promise in stopping shedding, regrowing and thickening hair.

Another recent development in female hair loss has been low light laser hair therapy. Laser hair therapy, applied in thirty minute sessions, stimulates blood circulation around the root and nourishes those dying follicles. Studies show nearly 90% of clients trying laser hair therapy showed visible improvement. With any of these methods, patience is a virtue. You won't see results immediately because, remember, the hair growth cycle has its own rhythms. Expect anywhere between four and ten months before you see a real difference.

Another option, a more expensive, but permanent one, is follicular transplantation. Hair is harvested from a donor site on the back of the head and implanted where the hair has thinned. The harvested hair is taken from an area not prone to female pattern baldness and will not be subject to the same genetic hair loss triggers as the original hair was. And the hair that regrows will be your own, living hair. Results are excellent with this new follicular technology.

Female pattern baldness: A summary

If you are experiencing female pattern baldness, don't give up. You owe it to yourself to explore all the possibilities. Make an appointment with a reputable hair restoration clinic and let them help you find your best options. As you try new methods, be patient and allow treatments a chance to work and keep expectations realistic. Along the way, you may just find yourself again.

Hair Loss Website Releases Trichotillomania Hair Pulling Disorder Video

HairLoss.com, the world�s most comprehensive website providing unbiased consumer information about hair loss and its treatment, has released the third animated video in their �True Beauty� series. The latest video release concerns Trichotillomania (TTM), or �Trich�, a disorder whereby one compulsively pulls out one�s own hair. �True Beauty� offers a message of hope to young women suffering from the hair pulling disorder, challenging them improve their overall health and perform simple acts of kindness to themselves.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, May 5, 2011 � HairLoss.com, the world�s most comprehensive online resource providing unbiased consumer information concerning hair loss conditions and their treatment, has released the latest video in their True Beauty series. Titled �True Beauty: Trichotillomania�, the presentation is the third release of a planned series of minute-long animated public service announcements created to raise awareness of conditions and disorders such as Alopecia areata and Cancer-related hair loss.

�Trichotillomania is not a hair loss disease even though the end result is hair loss,� explains Michael Garcia, Spokesman for HairLoss.com. �Rather, Trich is understood as an impulse control disorder, along the same lines as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, nail biting and even compulsive overeating, often triggered by depression and stress. But because it ends in hair loss and often treated by the hair loss industry, we wanted to make a statement on this often-misunderstood disorder.�

Produced by Bright Bulb Solutions, a boutique Internet marketing firm based in Los Angeles, the animated presentation features original illustration, music and animation. Recited by voice actor Wesley Horton, the sensitive narration is meant to appeal directly to young women suffering from the hair pulling disorder:

�True Beauty is attained when we feel good about who we are. But with the stress of modern life we think less of ourselves and - in one way or another - we pick and pull ourselves apart. But the trick to picking ourselves up and pulling ourselves together lies in nourishing our bodies with healthy food and exercise; by nurturing our minds with healthy thoughts; by cultivating healthy friendships. And ceasing comparing ourselves to others. We may find that the most effective treatment for Trich lies in simplifying our lives and in performing simple acts of kindness to ourselves.�

The storyline follows the experience of a young, crestfallen Trich sufferer, depressed and isolated in her darkened bedroom, drinking a soda and pulling at her hair and scalp. She realizes her ability to create any life she wants and envisions a better, brighter and more colorful existence typified by a healthy body and mind, as well as the earned love and security of true friendship.

�Trichotillomania is a complex disorder that demands sensitivity. Our challenge was to create a minute-long message that was meaningful and that didn�t trivialize the suffering of those affected by it,� stated Garcia. �We focused on the base message of HairLoss.com that is the heart of our progressive brand, which is: �If you suffer from any hair loss condition, improve your overall health through diet and exercise, dabble in fashion and style, practice creativity and cultivate meaningful, joyous relationships.��

�Will this approach help a young person to stop pulling her hair out? We�ll bet the farm it does.�

View "True Beauty" Trichotillomania video here: http://youtu.be/ffMJ4nePsvI

The True Beauty video series is available for free viewing and download on HairLoss.com as well as readily available for no-cost syndication on YouTube and other major online video sharing networks, notes Garcia. �Any Trichotillomania-treatment provider or hair loss provider specializing in treating Trich who wishes to assist in our efforts to raise public awareness of the sensitive issues surrounding this hair pulling disorder are being granted free license to embed the videos on their own websites and blogs.

Chinese Medicine as a Hair Loss Treatment

Balancing the Yin and Yang to Treat Hair Loss

Ancient Chinese medicine has an ancient protocol for hair loss issues that begins with optimizing the balance of yin and yang in your body.

When you first start to experience hair loss that takes you by surprise, you may be dismayed to hear about some of the choices of hair loss treatments available: FDA approved medications to take as long as you want to keep hair loss at bay, surgical methods of replacing hair lost, and non-surgical hair systems. But for those of you who are accustomed to trying and using different alternative therapies to treat your health issues, traditional Chinese medicine is worth a try.

Is Chinese medicine for me?

• I want to try non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical, natural remedies
  
• I believe in the ancient wisdom of eastern Chinese medicine
  
• I believe in a whole-body approach to my health
  
• I am familiar with taking herbs or being treated with acupuncture
  
• I rely on alternative therapies for my health issues
  

How does Chinese medicine work?
 
Dr. Bong Kim, founder of Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, C.A., explains, "The yin and yang energies in your body must be balanced otherwise negative health effects can occur. If yang energy is too much, one loses hair -- a deficiency in the kidneys can also cause hair loss and both cause 'heat' in the body to rise until hair falls out and does not grow back. Acupuncture helps to get rid of the heat and amplify yin energy in certain kidney meridians. And there is an ancient Chinese herbal formula called Seven Treasures for Beautiful Hair which does the same thing inside the body, but we can add herbs to it specifically for each person's situation." Chinese medicine practitioners believe that the condition of your hair follicles is directly related to your blood toxicity, so organs responsible for cleansing the blood, like kidneys, will be checked for deficiencies.

What can I expect from Chinese medicine?
 
A consultation with a Traditional Chinese medicine doctor will likely be interesting to uncover what is causing 'excess heat,' or yang energy, to build up in your body. Dr. Kim says that actually, excesses of anything cause too much heat, especially overeating. "I have found that hair loss usually corresponds with overeating, so we will work on reducing stomach function to help with hair loss, and we will work to restore balance to your body." You can take your herbal formula prescription by pill or by tea as prescribed by your practitioner and each formula will be specifically customized for your own personal yin and yang imbalance as well as any deficiencies uncovered in the consultation because, as Dr. Kim says, "heat only causes more heat." Anyone with overeating problems will also be counseled on a new, slower, calmer way to eat to further reduce heat to increase the yin energy. Excess amounts of animal fats and proteins along with excess sweets especially can create the heat that rises to the top of the head causing hair to fall out so they will be exchanged for fresh fruit and vegetables which keep the energy inside allowing follicles to hold on to hair roots.

When it comes to hair loss and Chinese medicine Acupuncturist Robert Luna of Blue Deer Healing in Los Angeles and "Acupuncturist to the Stars" warns that Westerners typically lack the patience required to see results of natural healing. "Chinese medicine differs from Western medicine in that we treat the cause of ailments, not just the symptoms." Luna, himself a graduate of Emperor's College, explains that Chinese medicine "asks a lot of the patients" but ultimately delivers better, longer-lasting results. "Even if you promise someone that their hair will grow back if they meticulously take their herbs, change their diet and come in for acupuncture treatments, most would rather take hardcore chemicals like Propecia. But that's the thing about Chinese medicine," he says. "The 'doing' and the commitment to your regimen is all part of the medicine."

Complications Chinese medicine as a hair loss treatment 
 
Inform your practitioner if you are allergic to any specific herbs. If you respond to alternative therapies and follow your practitioner's full prescription for improving your yin/yang energy balance, you should see some noticeable results within 4-6 months along with a noticeable improvement in overall health!

The bottom line on Chinese medicine as a hair loss treatment 
 
This type of treatment works best in those who have the time and patience to follow the practitioner's plan exactly, to provide a whole body approach to their hair loss.

Find a Chinese medicine practitioner
 
Take your time to interview and consult with several practitioners and ask about their beliefs and experiences solving hair loss issues. Ask about their training and education. Ask for testimonials from other hair loss patients.

Homemade Treatments for Healthy Hair

Home Hair Treatments are Safe, Natural and Inexpensive

Treating your hair at home, as opposed to going to a studio or salon is a lot like eating at home rather than an expensive restaurant.  It can be cheaper and better for you and help prevent hair loss.

Instead of running to the salon for expensive hair conditioners and treatments, turn to your kitchen!

Certainly a wide variety of store-bought hair products are available; however, you can also create treatments for healthy hair right in your own home. Experiment with these natural recipes and find the best solution for your hair issues.

Dull hair treatments

If your hair has lost its shine and body, it may be the result of too much product buildup. The ingredients in shampoo, conditioner and other styling products can leave your hair flat and dull. In order to break down any excess product that has accumulated on your hair, every month or so use a rinse that removes buildup.

Place one-quarter cup of baking soda into a bowl and add water to create a paste. You may need more baking soda if your hair is long.

Apply the paste to damp hair, from the roots to the tips. Massage into your scalp and cover your head with a shower cap. Allow the paste to set for 15-20 minutes while you create your hair rinse.

Mix one part apple cider vinegar with four parts cool water and 10 drops of lavender essential oil (or any other scent that you prefer). The fragrance of the essential oil will help to mask the vinegar smell.

Shampoo your hair as normal, using cool water to wash and rinse. As your final rinse, use the lavender vinegar mixture to remove any buildup remaining in your hair.

Dry hair treatments

This might sound like a fruit salad recipe, but it's actually a wonderful deep conditioner for dry, damaged hair.

The acid in fruit (especially citrus fruit) helps to add shine and manageability to hair, while powerful antioxidants protect hair from harmful environmental pollutants.

Blend together half of a banana, one-quarter of a cantaloupe, one-quarter of an avocado, 1 tablespoon of wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon of yogurt and the contents of a vitamin E capsule

Apply generously throughout hair. Cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave in for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Thinning hair treatments

Volume is important for those with thinning hair. Although volumizing shampoos and conditioners can help, this homemade hair loss treatment of nettle tea also will add volume to your hair.

Nettle is an herb that is common in the Mediterranean. The roots, leaves and seeds of the nettle are known for their numerous health benefits. Nettle tea can aid in fighting nearly everything, from coughs and asthma to muscle pain and arthritis. Additionally, it is used for skin and hair problems, intestinal disorders and allergies. Nettle tea can be used to add volume to your hair, since it coats and thickens the hair shaft. You can find nettle tea online and at natural food stores.

Steep a nettle tea bag in boiling water. Allow the tea to cool off and then pour it through clean, damp hair. Do not rinse; style hair as usual.

Frizzy hair treatments

Thin, frizzy hair looks damaged and lifeless; you can restore the radiance and eliminate the frizz with coconut oil.

Never rub your hair vigorously with a towel -- this can damage the hair shaft and make it even frizzier. Instead pat your hair dry with a thick, absorbent towel to get rid of excess water. Rub a small amount of coconut oil into the palm of your hand and then through your hair. Apply a little bit at a time -- you'll want your hair to look healthy, not oily.

You can also create a hair tonic for frizzy hair by mixing gin and egg yolks. Beat two egg yolks until frothy and then add two teaspoons of gin. Beat the mixture with a fork or hand mixer until it becomes foamy. Massage into your hair and scalp; then rinse with warm water.

Homemade hair treatment tips

Try to use your homemade hair treatments immediately after you make them. Do not allow them to sit out for any long period of time. If you don't use all of the mixture, seal the remainder in an airtight container and refrigerate. Use within five days for best results and to reduce any chance of spoilage.

Other natural ingredients that are good for your hair are honey, oatmeal and even beer! In addition to stocking the items that you probably have in your kitchen, many natural food stores have herbs, oils and other items that are effective as hair treatments, such as xanthan gum (a thickener).

Play around with ingredients to learn what works best for your hair. Don't overdo it -- two- or three-ingredient mixes are usually best. After experimenting and finding your ideal hair concoction, use it weekly or monthly to keep your hair healthy, strong and lustrous as well as to prevent hair loss conditions.

The History and Evolution of Wigs

Wigs: A Timeless and Proven Hair Loss Solution For the Ages

Wigs, in one form or another, have been around as long as there have been people with hair loss. That's a long time.

Wigs have existed for centuries. Let's take a look at the evolution of wigs from ancient times to modern day.

Wigs in ancient times

Wigs have been around since the days of ancient Egypt. Egyptians would shave their heads because of the danger of lice and the area's hot climate. In public, however, they wanted to have hair, so they would wear wigs. Egyptian men and women wore wigs as part of their daily wardrobe. Women often embellished their wigs with ivory ornaments and gold accents. The size and stature of people's wigs would oftentimes indicate their social or political rank. The more fancy and elaborate the wigs, the higher their status.

Egyptians weren't the only ancient civilization to wear wigs. Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians and other cultures often donned wigs -- particularly the wealthy population. During this time period in ancient Japan and China, wigs were worn only by actors or performers. Wigs were made from both animal hair and human hair.

Wigs during the Renaissance

During the Middle Ages, wigs weren't important or popular, since beauty and fashion were not at the forefront; however in the Renaissance period wigs emerged again as women showed off their hairstyles. It was quite common for well-to-do women to have several wigs adorned with elaborate jewels and other embellishments.

Covering baldness

Although Louis XIII of France might not have been the first man to disguise his baldness with a wig, he may be the most famous of his time. After going prematurely bald, he amassed a collection of elaborate wigs that he would wear for every occasion. During the 17th century both men and women of nobility in France and across Europe wore wigs. It was soon customary for all people of any stature to wear exquisite hairpieces.

Powdered wigs

In the 18th century sky-high, white powdered wigs made of horsehair were commonplace. These wigs featured many curls and long ringlets. "Big hair" was definitely trendy for European men and women. Wig makers had begun to emerge from Paris and throughout Europe. And as more wigs were produced, they became more readily available to the general population, rather than just the privileged.

In colonial America as well, powdered wigs were popular. There the styles were shorter and simpler than for their European counterparts. These powdered bob wigs were worn by political figures as well as middle-class people. By the end of the 18th century, the popularity of wigs began to fade. Soon wigs were worn only by those in the court and some aristocracy.

Wigs in the 20th century

During the 20th century, because of advances in technology in wig making, wigs looked more like natural hairstyles. Both synthetic and human-hair wigs are now available almost everywhere in the world. Human-hair wigs are the most versatile, as they can be styled in every way imaginable; however, synthetic wigs are easier to maintain than natural-hair wigs and are generally less expensive.

Although wigs are not as common as they were in centuries gone by, many people wear them to hide hair loss or to effortlessly change hairstyles. Some performers -- from Cher to Dolly Parton -- wear wigs on stage, and of course wigs are always popular as part of costumes on Halloween.

For those suffering from hair loss, wigs can be an essential part of your everyday wardrobe.

From the earliest of civilizations, wigs have been used by men and women for both practical and cosmetic reasons. Today, wigs have advanced to the point that there is a hairpiece to serve every conceivable niche.

Alopecia areata: Finding the Beauty

Finding What Works for Women With Alopecia areata

Enhancing fashion and style sense helps build confidence and self-esteem in women suffering from Alopecia.

"My message to women with Alopecia is, 'Get in the driver's seat. YOU decide how you want to feel. YOU decide how you want to look. You decide what makes you comfortable or uncomfortable.'"

So says Thea Chassin, founder of Bald Girls Do Lunch, a non-profit organization created for women suffering from Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune skin disease which stops the normal growth of hair on the scalp, brows, lashes and body and for which there exists no hair loss treatment.

Part of Bald Girls Do Lunch's mission is to enhance the self-esteem and self-confidence of women with Alopecia, a goal that is essential for all women with hair loss issues. Part of achieving that goal is learning to feel comfortable with the way you look with your hair loss and learning how to use make-up and accessories to create that comfort with your look.

 

Bald Girls Do Lunch

Chassin, who has had Alopecia areata since 1997, believes that having to really study your look after losing hair can actually present women with a great opportunity. "It can be a chance for women to enhance themselves in a way they may never have thought about before," she says.

"When your image changes like this, you go through a transitional time of saying, 'I don't look like I did'," she says, urging women to give themselves time, to try different things and to be experimental.

Women should decide what their best features are and work on emphasizing those while taking a look at the total face and determining the colors, textures, proportions and accessories that should be combined for a total look.

Chassin, whose hair loss includes the eyebrows, says that she now has the eyebrows she always wanted, the arch that she never had, because she has learned how to draw them on herself, in the shape, placement and angle she desires.

Chassin is also a big proponent of what she calls "No Little Bandanas."

 

Scarves, head wraps and hats

"I like to see women with Alopecia learn how to tie fashionable scarves and head wraps," she says. "Because they're beautiful, they can make a whole outfit.

"My favorite scarves are big squares, about 30 inches by 30 inches. I show people how to make buns out of them, how to wrap them fashionably, how to tie them sideways. There are so many options, colors and textures that they're a whole other realm to excite women about."

Without hair, your head is smaller, which can be a problem if you decide to wear a hat without a wig -- and on hot days or a day at the beach, going without a wig is often the best option.

"I love hats, because I want to shade my face and not burn my scalp; but hats can be too roomy," Chassin remarks. "Here's where that scarf comes in. You can tie up a fashion scarf in a way that's comfortable, it makes the hat fit better and it absorbs perspiration. You look great, you're comfortable, and you're not dealing with a wig."

The versatility of scarves is also a plus, as one can be worn on the head one day, around the waist as a sash the next, or as a shawl on another day.

 

Alopecia, style and fashion

Necklines are also important. When bald, a lower neckline, a U neck or V-neck, is usually flattering. "It elongates the neck, gives elegance to your whole line that you might not have with hair," Chassin explains.

What if a woman feels her ears are too accentuated due to hair loss? Chassin suggests perhaps wearing a lightweight beret at an angle that covers one ear, with an interesting earring in the other. "No one is going to notice what's going on with your ears," she says. "They'll see a nice beret, they'll focus on your whole look."

Appropriate makeup can also play a role in creating a look, especially given the quantum leaps that have been made in this area. Today's best foundations no longer leave an orange, streaky look and can be applied over the entire head. Or you may want to consider a bronzer, which Chassin calls "a bald girl's best friend."

Wigs, of course, are one of the most popular options for women with hair loss. With wigs, you not only have to take into consideration the same factors you do with "real" hair -- cut, color, etc. -- but also the added difficulty of perhaps not having access to really talented stylists who know how to work with wigs. To overcome this limitation, Chassin recommends that women really educate themselves, find out what they need to look for in a wig and its design, and understand what is best for their faces and shapes.

About.Com's beauty section can help with this. Chassin says the site shows celebrity faces and hairdos and identifies what works or doesn't and why or why not. "Find the faces and figures that are most like yours and see what works," Chassin says.

Finally, don't be afraid to get professional advice, especially from make-up artists; don't let embarrassment keep you from getting valuable help.

Bald Girls Do Lunch�, in collaboration with artists from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, held a special event on March 1 in New York designed to help women with Alopecia learn about finding the appropriate look for a hair loss lifestyle. Chassin hopes to replicate this event in many locations.

"Looking great and feeling great despite hair loss -- that's the key," Chassin says. "No one should be telling you how to look or how to feel. Every woman deserves to have a completely normal, happy life."

The Art of Choosing a Wig

A Wig Is a Fantastic Hair Loss Treatment Option If Done Right   

 

Choosing the right wig isn't a simple matter. Fortunately, we've done the research for you.

 

Whether you are experiencing a hair loss condition or you just desire a new look, a wig is a simple, affordable and fantastic option.

The cost of a wig
 
The first thing you'll want to consider is your budget. High-end wigs can cost thousands of dollars. While they are worth the money, you may not have that type of cash to spend on a wig. If that's the case, you will be glad to know there are other options that offer cheaper solutions.

Wigs usually feature either synthetic hair or real human hair. Additionally, the wigs are either machine-made or handmade. The cheapest wigs use synthetic hair and are machine-made, while the most expensive wigs use 100 percent human hair and are handmade.

Real versus synthetic hair
 
Authentic human hair has one big advantage: It looks and acts natural. You can style it just like you would your own hair. Its versatility is a major selling point. For example, if you want to add curls, straighten it or change color, it's easy to do.

Even though synthetic hair isn't nearly as versatile, its durability is actually better than real human hair. If you lead an active lifestyle, synthetic could be a better option. Maintaining a wig that uses synthetic hair is a breeze, and the wig itself will last longer. Also remember that synthetic hair is much cheaper than human hair.

Handmade or machine-made wigs
 
When you are comparing wigs, you may notice that handmade wigs often look more natural than machine-made ones. Most handmade wigs are sewn one strand at a time, which adds a realistic appearance. That said, technology is rapidly advancing in this field, so modern machine-made wigs are looking better and better. You will need to compare the two options side by side to determine whether the increased cost of the handmade version is worth it to you.

A custom fit wig
 
Another big decision when you are shopping for a wig is whether you are going to order a custom wig. You may opt to purchase a premade wig, which will save you time and money. A custom wig could take months to construct and could be exponentially more expensive; however, the advantages are numerous. Not only will a custom wig fit perfectly, but also it can be made to blend with your current hair to create the hairstyle of your dreams.

When shopping for a premade wig, never make a purchase without trying it on. Ask a lot of questions so that you know exactly what you are buying. If you want real human hair, beware of wigs that claim to be human hair but are actually blended with synthetic hair. Look in the mirror from all angles and also make natural movements to ensure that the wig will stay in place.

Color me beautiful
 
Selecting the color of your wig is the real fun! Don't limit yourself to colors to which you are accustomed. Instead, consider going a few shades darker or lighter. Sometimes making a drastic change -- such as going from brunette to blonde -- can make your wig appear even more natural because the color change will stand out, not the fact that you are wearing a wig.

Unsure of the color and style of wig you want? You can find software online that allows you to upload your picture and digitally "try on" different hairstyles and colors with a few clicks of your mouse. Check out: TheHairStyler.com, Taaz.com and other virtual makeover Web sites. If you find a look that you love, print it out and take it with you when you go wig shopping.

The most important thing to remember is to be patient. Buying a quality wig is an investment; you will want the wig to last at least a few years. Shop around, look for stores that specialize in wigs and consider all your options.

The Pros and Cons of Minoxidil

Can the Topical Treatment Minoxidil Solve Your Hair Loss?

Minoxidil works as a hair loss treatment, but not as easily as people think it does.

The smart brand marketing of Rogaine (minoxidil) when it was approved for over-the-counter sales led millions to expect to regain hair with ease. But 14 years later, have real experiences with the product lived up to hype?

Not for everyone. It works for only about 50 percent of patients who try it. Generally speaking, they are under the age of 40 and in an early phase of hair loss (i.e., thinning began less than five years ago). In other words, start using it as soon as you begin to notice a bald spot.

Note: the second pharmaceutical product available for hair loss treatment, Propecia (finasteride), is reviewed in separate articles on HairLoss.com.

Minoxidil works, but only to a certain extent

Minoxidil (brand names include Rogaine, Women's Rogaine, Rogaine for Men Extra Strength, Regaine, Apo-Gain, Gen-Minoxidol, Hairgro, Minox, Med Minoxidil, Hair Regrowth Treatment) works only on individuals, male and female, with androgenic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness). For reasons unknown, minoxidil is slightly more effective for women than for men.

The location of where you are losing your hair seems to matter a lot as well. The crown of the head, the vertex, is much more responsive to minoxidil than is frontal or hairline loss. One study (D. S. Walsh, C. L. Dunn and W. D. James, "Improvement in Androgenetic Alopecia (Stage V) Using Topical Minoxidil in a Retinoid Vehicle and Oral Finasteride" [Arch Dermatol, 1995]) found that 36 percent of users experienced sufficient results over 30 months of use such that they felt compelled to spend time and money on the product. Of study participants, 32 percent said new hair growth was long enough that it had to be cut (often the regrowth is more of a peach fuzz than strands of hair).

Not so surprisingly, formula strength matters -- it's a situation where more is more. Regular Rogaine, a 2 percent concentration formula, and Rogaine for Men Extra Strength, a 5 percent solution, have been compared side by side in a couple of studies. One (V. H. Price and E. Menefee, "Quantitative Estimation of Hair Growth: Comparative Changes in Weight and Hair Count with 5 percent and 2 percent Minoxidil, Placebo, and No Treatment" [Elsevier, 1996]) compared hair mass, which is the weight of hair in a defined area of the scalp, in both products to find that the extra-strength formula indeed produced a 55 percent increase, compared with a 25 percent increase in the lower-concentration formula, after five months of use. Importantly, that mass-effect declined with both products after five years' use, to 25 percent and 15 percent increases, respectively.

The second study looked at actual hair counts, finding that the higher-strength formula does result in more hair shafts per square centimeter: 25 additional hair follicles per square centimeter from the 5 percent solution, versus 21 follicles in the 2 percent solution and 9 follicles in a placebo group, after a 48-week period (R. J. Trancik, "Update on Topical Minoxidil in Hair Loss" [Proceeding of the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1998]).

One effective application is for hair loss due to chemotherapy. Research sponsored by Rogaine's manufacturer, the Upjohn Company (now Pharmacia), on 22 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer found that the 2 percent topical solution decreased the duration of alopecia caused by chemotherapy, with no significant side effects (Duvic, Lemak et al., Division of Medicine, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1996).

How does minoxidil work?

How minoxidil reduces hair loss is actually a mystery, since it was discovered by accident when use of the anti-hypertension drug Loniten was found to increase and darken fine body hairs. One imagines the scientists working on this had their eureka moment within one or two nanoseconds of coming upon this fact.

But two decades later, no one knows for sure how it works. It may be due to the way the medication dilates blood vessels, which on the scalp might stimulate hair growth. Minoxidil is a potassium channel opener, which causes hyperpolarization of cell membranes, possibly another reason it works.

To stem hair loss, minoxidil is applied topically (as a cream or foam). In pill form the medication is in a higher concentration and only approved for treating hypertension.

There are side effects to minoxidil

For the person first using minoxidil, there is often an initial period of paradoxical increased hair loss. Disturbing as that may be, this seems to be the scalp's way of ridding itself of weaker hair follicles to make way for stronger shafts. Other known side effects and issues are:

• Scalp irritation, likely because of the product's alcohol content
• Itchy scalp and dandruff
• Dizziness or rapid heartbeat (rare)
• Not recommended when the scalp is already irritated, injured or sunburned, which would allow the medication to be absorbed by the body at a higher and potentially dangerous level
• Formulated for scalp application and not recommended for use elsewhere on the body
• Effects on a fetus in women who are pregnant are unknown; however, women who are nursing are warned to not use it
• Rogaine users with severe, refractory high blood pressure might experience hypertrichosis, which is hair growth on the face or other bodily areas. The incidence of this occurs in about 3-5 percent of women who use the 2 percent solution and higher among women using the 5 percent solution.

Note that no animal or human studies indicate cause for concern regarding cancer and minoxidil.

Costs of minoxidil (and beware the snake oil salespeople)

According to online stores selling Rogaine, a three-month supply of the foam product is about $50, which is much lower than when the medication was first released (and protected by its original manufacturer by its patent, which expired in 1996).

But at least one company that operated clinics and treatment centers for hair loss, Avacor (Global Vision Product, Inc.), falsely claimed superior treatments that amounted to nothing more than a minoxidil solution repackaged as a shampoo (sold alongside herbal supplements that lacked clinical studies to support claims of efficacy). A class action lawsuit was successful in driving the clinics out of business. This case serves as a reminder that any medical solutions should be investigated closely for legitimacy -- and how hair regrowth charlatans are always looking to make money from people who are experiencing hair loss.

Minoxidil: The bottom line

To summarize, minoxidil will be most effective if you

• Use it as soon as you start to notice a thinning
• Are under age 40
• Are a woman; women get better results than men
• Use the stronger solution, as it will yield more results
• Are attentive to potential side effects, particularly if your scalp is irritated by sun or the medication itself
• Stay out of the sun or always wear a hat when outdoors
• Accept the fact the results in five years won't be as good as in one year
• Plan to continue using it to realize any beneficial effect

Propecia and Avodart a Crapshoot

These Hair Loss Treatments Aren't Worth the Apparent Risk

The chorus of concerned voices warning the public about the potential adverse side effects of hair loss medications Propecia and Avodart have been getting louder recently.

The latest voice to join the chorus comes from Boston University School of Medicine whose research has shown that Propecia and Avodart, two drugs frequently prescribed to treat hair loss, can cause irreversible sexual dysfunction in men.

That sexual dysfunction is listed as a potential side effect of these medications and that physicians continue to prescribe them - and that furthermore, men are willing to take on that risk - is nothing short of shocking. It speaks to the desperation of those who lose their hair and who seek out this type of treatment that offers negligible results in the first place.

It seems that our modern culture should have evolved long past this level of shortsightedness where we undermine our most basic human functions and drives in a desperate attempt to gain back our hair. To mate, to procreate, to enjoy our sexuality is one of the most basic pleasures of being human. Why would we risk losing that even temporarily for something non-life threatening? It begs the question: Why would the FDA approve such a drug?

If you watch and analyze the marketing messages coming from the biggest players of the hair loss industry (Hair Club for Men, Bosley) you would swear that hair restoration is all about increasing sex, not taking it away. The carefully presented images of a man with a full head of hair, with a woman in each arm is undermined when we know what the women don't know.  He's lost his libido.  Now he has to take Viagra and an anti-depressant.

At present, there is no known cure for what is termed "genetic hair loss", or androgenetic alopecia, hair loss that is caused by a variety of genetic factors in both men and women. For this type of hair loss, only cosmetic "solutions" such as nonsurgical hair replacement will restore one's natural appearance and restore a full head of hair.

It's time to stop considering any treatment that essentially offers desperate people a "quid pro quo" approach to improving heath that silently states: "You can have some negligible hair growth back in exchange for your sex drive."

Even the best cosmetic hair loss treatment presents a "this for that" tradeoff but to a dramatically lesser degree. The position of HairLoss.Com is a no-brainer. Risking the very function and foundation of human life to gain negligible hair growth is a crapshoot that has virtually no odds of winning. Once you've paid for Propecia or Avodart, you've already lost.

Hair Transplant Surgery and Leg Hair

Can Leg Hair Be Used for Scalp Hair Transplant Surgery?



Some hair transplant surgeons report success using body hair for scalp transplants, but other doctors aren't so sure. 

The techniques used in hair transplantation have undergone improvements since the method was first introduced in Japan in 1939. Now, a reportedly new technique is getting attention for transplanting body hair to the scalp -- but not all hair transplant surgeons expect it to be effective.

Hair transplant surgeon Robert Jones, M.D., of Oakville, Ontario, performed innovative chest-to-scalp hair transplantation in 2008, using techniques that reportedly improve on previously poor results. Dr. Jones' breakthrough -- published in the June 2008 issue of Dermatologic Surgery (34 [6]: 857; Epub 2008 Mar 24; PubMed PMID: 18363725) -- was that he was able to implant the hair into scar tissue on the scalp. The scar tissue was the result of a previous hair transplant (the scar is typically a line across the back of the head where hair, now in front, was "harvested").

Another doctor, Sanusi Umar, M.D., who is associate instructor of dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, was interested in replicating the technique. Dr. Umar maintains a clinic in Redondo Beach, Calif., where two patients were looking to improve on their previous hair transplant surgery. Both were specifically dissatisfied with the appearance of their hairlines (the place where hair meets the forehead), which Umar reportedly fixed by transplanting between 1,500 and 1,800 leg hair follicles. While body hair may be different from what grows from the scalp, the two patients were pleased with the end result.

"The hairline was fully grown and soft-looking by nine months," Dr. Umar told a writer for The New York Times, explaining that one of the patients "started combing his hair backward and sporting a ponytail, exposing his hairline comfortably." In eight subsequent cases (one of whom is a woman), the technique reportedly has worked equally well. In each, says Umar, traditional hair transplants were ineffective or unworkable because of scar tissue or lack of donor hair.

Doctors who are skeptical about leg hair or body hair transplants
 
Matters of appearance are largely subjective, of course. And what works on one head may not work on another.

Several hair transplant surgeons shared their thoughts with us on the technique. The first was Robert Bernstein, M.D., of Bernstein Medical in New York City. Dr. Bernstein, a hair transplant surgeon, says he tried the technique a number of years ago but was dissatisfied with the results. "I don't think it's a good idea," Bernstein says. "With leg hair, you have one hair per hole, not follicular units." Scalp hair, unlike the rest of the body, has multiple hairs rising out of each follicle. "Leg hair is very fine. It might thicken up a little bit but not enough. In men you want full thickness, but this can make it look like it is miniaturizing, as it does when you're losing it."

Bernstein also notes that because leg hair emerges from the skin on an angle, more wounding of the donor site occurs as each hair is individually extracted. He does consider body hair, from the chest or back, to hold better potential for success. "But it's still extracted one hair at a time," he concludes.

Robert Leonard, M.D., of Leonard Hair Transplant Associates in New England (Boston, Cape Cod, New Hampshire and Rhode Island), concurs with Dr. Bernstein. "It is very undesirable to harvest donor hair from anywhere except the scalp to restore scalp hairlines," he says. "The reason for this is that the hair growth cycle on the leg, for example, is very different from that of scalp hair. These hairs do not grow as long, and the characteristics of the hair itself are different."

Dr. Leonard has harvested hair from the beard and pubic areas, but he is adamant in his disagreement that the procedure described by the California doctors would be effective for most patients. "It should be more expensive to perform this rarer unorthodox procedure," he says. "There would have to be a very good reason even to consider it, such as no further scalp donor hair to use.

A nuanced view of why body hair can be donor transplant hair
 
Responding to The New York Times story, Dr. Alan J. Bauman, medical director of Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, Fla., writes, "Body hair transplantation remains controversial to some degree because the cycling and growth rate of non-scalp follicles may be much slower than those on the head. Results can therefore be somewhat unpredictable; however, Dr. Umar seems to have had some good success with the leg hair in these particular cases, which is encouraging." Bauman indicates he has used beard hair in the past, "which seems to grow quite robustly on the scalp."

So rather than look at this as a long-awaited breakthrough for all hair transplant patients, it might instead be considered an industry niche, an option when the standard approach --harvesting donor hair from the back of the head -- simply does not work.

Hair Transplant Surgery: What You Must Know

Before Hair Transplant Surgery, Be Armed with Facts

For those who weigh the pros and cons of each solution, these hair transplant surgery facts are a must read!

By now you've learned that hair transplant surgery is the only permanent solution for repairing your hair loss and that with today's technology and artistry on the part of the physician, a totally natural crop of new hair can be your end result, where there was once baldness or thinning. You understand that it's a medical procedure of transplanting hair from where it is growing healthy to a place where it is not growing and that it continues to grow normally where transplanted.

You may have determined that there are two types of hair transplant surgeries. One is the strip method, which works best for larger areas. The new Trichophytic Closure is a technique by which to trim the edge of a line scar closure so that hair actually grows through the scar so ask your physician about this procedure because it really minimizes line scars. The other way to obtain donor hair is by Follicular Unit Extraction where self-contained follicle units with roots are removed and replaced to the new area. Dr. Bernard Nusbaum, M.D., Hair Transplant Surgeon, Faculty of the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Dept. of Dermatology, takes us through some facts you may not realize about the procedure to help you make your decision:

• Through neither procedure will you ever be able to shave your head -- as a hairstyle. To minimize any scars from ever showing you will need to keep your hair at least two inches long.

• There's no way to know how far your baldness will progress. If you are a very young man in his twenties and even thirties, your balding pattern may not be well enough established. There is no existing exact technology for predicting the future of your balding. We look at family history, examine pattern currently, but still can't be 100% sure.

• To minimize future hair loss and help new re-growth be as healthy as possible we highly recommend the FDA-approved drug therapy of Propecia and topical Rogaine as long as you want to halt any additional hair loss. Otherwise, hair may recede and erode further beyond your transplant, requiring additional surgeries in the future.

• Male pattern baldness is a progressive condition of hair loss over time, so you may end up with isolated areas at the crown of your head that cannot be transplanted because you will be out of donor hair. A similar problem is the result if you end up with advanced Type 7 balding, in which you are left with a small rim of hair around the perimeter. In these cases, you may have to accept baldness on the top or back of your head, even if you have already had successful transplant surgery in the past on the top and to frame your face.

• The first night of the surgery your scalp is going to feel sore where the hair was taken but the next morning it should feel better.

• You will be required to shampoo gently every single day for about 14 days post-op to remove the little scabs and crusts (along with any bacteria) that will form on the implants as the healing process progresses. It takes about two weeks for crusts to come off -- any stitches are removed at around 10 days.

• Infections are extremely rare and healing is fast because scalp has such good circulation. If you have pus, redness, or fever those are signs of infections. Call your doctor.

• For the first few days, you should sleep in a sitting position, at a 45-degree angle, to minimize any forehead swelling for which you can use ice compresses. Any swelling should disappear in a few days and has no consequences.

• New hair grows in noticeably between three to six months. You may not be happy with your new hair growth until six months when you can actually see it. Your transplant will continue to fill in about 20-30% more by 12 months -- at which time you will have the final result.

• Sometimes transplanted hair may grow in a different, wiry texture at first as the follicle's ability to form a normal cuticle readjusts. It will straighten out and soften up -- don't worry!

• The price depends on the area to be covered -- some surgeons charge by the follicle or graft -- some charge by the session. The procedure generally ranges from $5,000 to $13,000 dollars.

• The procedure can be repeated after a year as the scalp stretches, as long as your surgeon says you have enough healthy hair to transplant.
  

The Evolution of Hair Systems

How Hair Systems Have Evolved Through the Ages

Hair systems have been worn throughout history as a status symbol, as a practical head protection or to cover hair loss. With today's technology, hair systems have evolved to cover up every type of hair loss but in the most inconspicuous way.

It's interesting that hair loss has had a bad rap since before the year one. Between 1 B.C. and A.D. 1, the Roman poet Ovid, famous for his erotic works of love, wrote Ars Amatoria ("The Art of Love"), vividly displaying his bald bias with the following: "Ugly are hornless bulls, a field without grass is an eyesore, so is a tree without leaves, so is a head without hair." Even Julius Caesar was noted by historians to be uneasy about his baldness and tried to hide it by brushing his hair up and toward his face and willingly wore the honor of the laurel crown whenever possible because it hid his baldness. Later, around A.D. 800-900, even the character Scheherazade from The Arabian Nights asks, "Is there anything more ugly in the world than a man beardless and bald as an artichoke?"

The first hair systems were found in ancient Egypt

Because ornate wigs were first found in the tombs of the pharaohs, it was thought that wigs and toupees (a partial hair replacement usually worn on the top of the head) were worn only by the powerful, as a status symbol. But in a 1997 dig near the predynastic capital of Egypt called Hierakonpolis, an ancient working-class cemetery was discovered with a focus on hair. Of the three mummified women, one had gray hair colored with henna, another had hair woven with extensions and a third wore the earliest toupee (made from sheepskin) ever found, dating back to approximately 3200-3100 B.C. The ancient Egyptians also wore hairpieces attached with beeswax and resins to shield their shaved heads from the sun. Wigs were mainly found in ancient Western cultures, including those of the Greeks and Romans, but not in the Far East, where wigs were mainly part of costumes.

A photograph owned by the New York Public Library depicts another type of Egyptian wig and wig box found in an Egyptian tomb and believed to date back to the 18th dynasty, 1400 B.C. The wig is made of human hair and attached to netting, much the way it is done today. According to the TV show "How It's Made," the oldest way of creating a hairpiece was to use goatskin to simulate the scalp and then hook hair into it using an embroidery needle.

The first wig-makers' guild was formed in 17th-century France

After the fall of the Roman Empire, wigs fell out of use for thousands of years until about the 16th century, when they were reintroduced for practical purposes aside from improving appearance. Because of the unhygienic conditions of the era, head lice was a problem, so people shaved their head and wore a wig, which was easily deloused. It was the royals who perpetuated the elaborate wig trend for men into a frenzy in the 17th century, hence the term "big wig," as King Louis XIV of France (1638--1715) was depicted in paintings.

A wig-makers' guild of skilled professionals was established in France in 1665 because 17th-century wigs were increasingly long and showy and expensive to produce. They were made from natural human hair, but around the time of the plague, this caused uneasiness, as wearers wondered if the wig was made from the hair of someone dead from the plague! The hair of horses and goats was often used as a less expensive alternative.

During the 18th century, the trend in hairstyling for women, depicted in paintings of Marie Antoinette, included very high hair extended upward with artificial hairpieces, other objects, hair from animals and elaborate themes all held together with lard; the lard eventually became rancid and attracted vermin as the women slept, originating the term "rat's nest."

The powdering of wigs began as delousing and evolved into a pure white coloring for men and a bluish-gray tint for women. Fancy powdered wigs on men and powdered natural hair with supplemental hairpieces on women were an essential part of full-dress occasions and were used until almost the end of the 18th century. In 1795, the British government levied a tax on hair powder, which effectively ruined the powdered-hair and -wig trend.

The 19th and 20th centuries and the demise of the word "toupee"

The wearing of wigs as a symbol of social status was largely abandoned in the newly created United States and in France at the beginning of the 19th century, although wigs continued to be worn in the military and the court system. Only the first five American presidents, from George Washington to James Monroe, wore the powdered wigs of 18th-century Europe. By the early 20th century, wigs fell out of fashion and were often worn mostly by old women who had lost their hair.

Most wigs are made by hooking hair one strand at a time into a fine lace or netting. Modern base materials for hand-tied human hairpieces usually consist of a combination of skinlike thin material such as polyester mesh, silk, monofilament, silicone or thin polyurethane. Because the hair is pulled through and knotted strand by strand, similar to rug hooking, the term "wearing a rug" became synonymous with wearing a toupee and was the butt of jokes in mainstream pop culture in the 20th century. Laurel and Hardy used slapstick toupee humor during the 1920s and '30s. Before that, Thaddeus Stevens, a 19th-century U.S. congressman known for his quick humor, once ripped off his toupee and handed it to a woman who had asked for a lock of his hair (collecting locks of hair was like collecting autographs).

According to the U.S. Patent Office, even the name has evolved: The first toupee patent was filed in 1921 and the first hairpiece patent was filed in 1956. Toupees are now referred to as hairpieces or hair systems to avoid the negative and humorous associations with the word "toupee."

20th-century hair systems become mainstream for men

By the 1950s, hairpiece manufacturers started to build credibility by successfully advertising hairpieces to men in major magazines and newspapers -- and even the Sears Catalog. The craftsmanship had also evolved, pioneered by Max Factor, the Hollywood makeup artist whose hairpieces were almost invisible, with each strand of hair sewed to a piece of fine flesh-colored lace.

By 1959, Time magazine estimated annual U.S. sales of toupees at $15 million. And by 1970, Time estimated that 2.5 million out of 17 to 20 million balding American men wore toupees, mostly because of improvements in toupee technology and craftsmanship and a desire to appear younger. The mid-1970s gave rise to the Hair Club for Men and founder Sy Sperling's famous tagline, "I'm not only the Hair Club president, I'm also a client," to prove how well made and natural looking his hairpieces were using his "Bio-Matrix Strand-by-Strand Technology."

It wasn't until 1998 that the adhesive cyanoacrylate was FDA approved as Derma Bond, a medical-grade adhesive, and embraced by the hair replacement industry as a long-lasting, better way to adhere a hair system to the head than traditional weaves, which caused traction alopecia (hair loss due to the pulling of the attachment) and irritation from other tapes and adhesives that were being used. This type of adhesive allows skin to breathe and hair to grow and was perfect for very active lifestyles and for a lower-maintenance, more permanent bond. Still, the hair system business was never geared toward women.

Fast-forward to 2011 and undetectable hair systems

With today's technology, non-surgical hair replacement procedures focus on the simulation of a realistic natural, undetectable hairline. Using a new thin, light and breathable material similar to that of a contact lens, hair replacements and custom solutions, using names such as SensiGraft and new technologies such as Folligraft, in which the hairs are directly applied to the scalp, have elevated the technology of hair replacement and hair systems.

Now there is an emphasis on solving women's hair loss and thinning issues, and because of the newest technologies women can now wear hair systems rather than full wigs if their hair loss is confined to the top and crown of their heads or integration units when thinning occurs all over the head or at the part line.

Hair Loss and Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Research Is Promising As a Hair Loss Treatment

 

With stem cell research, researchers study cellular regeneration therapy using a patient's own platelet-rich plasma on the basis of wound-healing principals to treat hair loss.

Those with alopecia areata are first to see success

"We are about 40 patients into the study, but one of our patients was so thrilled that his hair started growing in after about 2 months that he alerted the local media -- and then we had to tell our story!" says Dr. John Satino, clinic director for The Hair and Scalp Clinics in Clearwater, Fla. Satino and partner and medical director Dr. Michael Markou, a primary investigator for the Merck Pharmaceutical clinical research on Propecia, have run and administered some interesting tests and documented success with alopecia areata patients in regrowing hair in a patient's bald patches. Currently they are taking on test patients and beginning to document and test the long-term effects of this treatment to test its viability as a long-term solution for hair loss. "The advantage is that we are seeing hair growth in bald areas. The disadvantage so far is that if a pattern of baldness exists down the road, the new growth can be affected by that. So far we are seeing the greatest benefit in young people suffering from alopecia areata."

How the stem cell study procedure works

The term "stem cells" is used loosely. According to the National Institutes of Health Web site information on stem cell research, an adult stem cell is a type of cell found in many organs that can transform itself into a specialized tissue or organ cell when necessary. The primary role of adult stem cells in a living organism is to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible, and that has led researchers and clinicians to ask whether adult stem cells could be used for transplants like the adult blood-forming stem cells from bone marrow that have been used in transplants for 40 years. Scientists now have evidence that stem cells exist in the brain and the heart. If the differentiation of adult stem cells can be controlled in the laboratory, these cells may become the basis of transplantation-based therapies. But the isolation and identification of these stem cells throughout the human body is still in its infancy.

What this study procedure is using is actually platelet-rich plasma (PRP) isolated from the patient's own blood, explains Satino, not only the clinic director but also a biomedical engineer who has demonstrated and performed many studies, including those of Propecia and Rogaine. "The idea of this way of stimulating follicle regeneration is based on the principals of wound healing ... a sort of cellular regeneration therapy." Satino explains that when an area like the scalp is disturbed slightly, such as by abrading it gently with a laser, it shocks the body into healing mode, and when combined with the person's own growth factors in PRP drawn from his or her own blood, it can stimulate the faulty follicles into an anagen phase of growth and give them the support they need to grow. "First we draw patient's blood to separate out the small amount of PRP which contains platelet-derived growth factors, including three proteins that act in cell adhesion. These three -- called fibrin, fibronectin and vitronectin -- create a matrix for cells to build upon, while the growth factors signal the epidermis and the follicle to interact with the dermal sheath. We then irritate the scalp with a laser, which moves the follicle toward an anagen phase as it tries to heal, and we inject the growth factors in the PRP, which migrate into the follicles to start the whole process. This promotes angiogenesis and mitogenesis ... a sort of jump start for the follicles. We know that adult stem cells only are useful wherever there is an injury and that they are not specialized. We are also testing the topical application of the person's PRP in addition to the effects of low-light laser therapy, Rogaine and Propecia in conjunction with this new treatment to find the most effective treatment protocols."

The outlook of stem cell research as a hair loss treatment

So far, hair in all 40 patients has grown back in patients with alopecia areata. "It seems this procedure has the best results for the younger patient. The youngest we have treated is 15 so far, but the most important thing is to test the long-term results." Satino adds that they have also begun soaking hair transplants in PRP and injecting into transplant incisions and have gotten faster healing and thicker, faster hair regrowth in transplant patients. "But again," cautions Satino, "we don't know how the balding pattern may affect this procedure. For example, in a transplant patient, if the hairline recedes further, he will be required to get additional transplants to cover the new balding area. We have definitely found our new procedure to be most effective on bald patches in the crown and back of a patient's head. A patient may still need to supplement results with Minoxidil, Propecia or laser hair therapy."

Proving the result, getting FDA approval

So far, the procedure is approved by the FDA as a soft-tissue injection for wound healing in hair transplants, not for hair regrowth. "In the meantime, we are taking on new patients to test the procedure at about one-quarter the price of a typical transplant procedure," Satino states. "We are documenting all the results with a cast, and we mark the spot and count the hairs in one square centimeter. We test and measure hair strength and diameter and we do a recount in three months, six months and one year along with photos to document results." He adds, "We plan to publish results in some peer-reviewed dermatology, hair transplant and laser journals in the coming year. We have refrained from performing the double-blind placebo tests and the independent review boards until we have the funding and the basis to do so to gain FDA approval as a long-term hair loss treatment.

Feedback from the hair loss treatment community

While the local news has picked up the story and the clinic is getting test patients from all over the world, Bob Rider, owner of Hair Replacement Clinic in Dayton, Ohio, who has been in the business for more than 40 years, says he wishes it could be that simple. "Growing hair where there is none existing for any reason is like growing a new organ. It's just not at all simple." Dr. Sara Wasserbauer, a board-certified, California-based hair transplant surgeon, adds that in the hair community, "We're always looking for the clue to growing hair, and looking toward science and previous studies, as this study has, definitely holds some promise. But at this point, it's too soon to tell, because there is no consistency in the results yet."

Hair Loss Treatment Website Releases Second Public Service Video

HairLoss.com, the largest social network dedicated to providing unbiased information about hair loss treatments and conditions, has released the second animated video in their "Hair is Important" series. The sixty-second video raises public awareness of the importance of hair and how baldness can affect self-confidence and self esteem.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL -- HairLoss.com, the Internet's most comprehensive resource for unbiased consumer information and education concerning hair loss treatments and conditions, has released the second of a series of animated, one-minute-long public service announcements titled Hair is Important.

According to Michael Garcia, spokesman for HairLoss.com, this second video release "aims to illustrate to the public that men and women who are trying to restore their hair through such treatments as hair transplant surgery or nonsurgical hair replacement are really trying to restore much more than just their hair."

The video states that hair is so important that is gives people the confidence to project who they are, allowing them to accomplish great things, while a montage of noted historical figures with notable hair, from politicians to entertainers, is shown.

The influential website unveiled its newest video on March 15. Produced by Bright Bulb Solutions, a Los Angeles-based Internet marketing firm, the animated presentation features original illustration, music and the following voiceover narration:

"Hair is important. What we do with our hair allows us to project who we are what we believe in, how we see ourselves and how we view the world. Our hair can give us the confidence to lead, to make an impression, to express a viewpoint, to entertain, to make our mark, to change the world. That is why restoring our hair is about more than looking good. It is about feeling good. It is about looking like ourselves and feeling like ourselves again. Restoring our hair is restoring our quality of life. Why? Because Hair is Important."

According to Garcia, HairLoss.com has contracted with Bright Bulb Solutions to produce an entire series of public service announcement videos to "portray an intelligent and compassionate message of understanding" for those not only suffering from the physical and emotional effects of hair loss, but for those who choose to seek treatment for their condition.

"Restoring hair is about restoring self-confidence and self-esteem," said Garcia. "There's an emptiness that follows losing one's hair. Oftentimes, the hair loss sufferer doesn't even realize just how much they have lost, besides hair, until they find a solution to their hair loss and get it all back."

The first two videos of the Hair is Important video series are available for free viewing and download at HairLoss.com, as well as available for free syndication at YouTube and other major online video sharing services. Hair loss providers who wish to assist in HairLoss.com's efforts are being granted free license to embed the videos on their own informational or retail websites.

Hair Care Tips for Women with Hair Loss

An Ounce of Hair Loss Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure

From changing your diet to changing your styling habits, much can be done to prevent hair loss.

Unlike male pattern baldness, female hair loss is usually more spread out, or diffuse, resulting in thinning hair all over the head instead of in one particular area. You may not notice excessive hair falling out -- as some hair loss is simply due to hair growing back at a slower rate or not growing back at all, not necessarily falling out at a rapid pace. Any hair that does fall out you will likely notice in your brush, in the shower and on pillows rather than by looking in the mirror.

If you are experiencing hair loss, consult your doctor to investigate the cause. It may be due to hormone changes, medications, thyroid disorder, extreme stress or a number of other reasons. Whatever the cause of your hair loss, follow these hair care tips to keep your hair as healthy and strong as it can be.

Eating a balanced diet can prevent hair loss

 

Your diet doesn't just affect your body -- it also influences the health of your hair. Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meat (or other protein sources such as eggs or tofu) and whole grains. Avoid processed food as much as possible. Pay attention to your vitamins and minerals. B vitamins, folic acid and biotin are all important for healthy hair and skin. Vitamin C also can aid in improving scalp circulation. Zinc can stimulate hair growth because it enhances immune function, while the amino acids L-cysteine and L-methionine can improve the quality and texture of your hair.

On the other hand, large doses of vitamin A (100,000 IU or more daily) over a long period of time can actually cause hair loss. Therefore, don't overdo it with vitamin A.

To prevent hair loss, wash and dry gently

 

Many doctors recommend using baby shampoo if you are suffering from hair thinning or hair loss. Do not shampoo more than once a day -- preferably every other day. Most people don't realize that their hair can stay clean for two to three days.

When shampooing, lather gently, focusing on cleaning the scalp and allowing the shampoo to clean the hair itself as it is rinsed out with the water. Follow up with a moisturizing conditioner to keep your hair hydrated.

Blot your hair dry with a towel, rather than rubbing vigorously. Skip the blow-dryer, flatiron and other hairstyling tools whenever possible. If you don't have time to air-dry your hair, towel-dry it first and then use the blow-dryer for the shortest time possible, preferably less than five minutes. Although the low heat setting is preferred, 20 minutes on low heat actually does more damage than 5 minutes on high heat.

Don't twist up wet hair in a towel on top of your head or pull hair into a tight ponytail or use elastic hair bands -- these things will cause breakage. Also avoid using the chemicals in straightening or coloring hair products. If you need to dye your hair, consider henna or other natural hair dyes.

Try a home hair loss remedy

 

Although these remedies won't regrow hair, they can help to keep your scalp and hair healthy and rejuvenated.

    Essential oil massage

Massage your scalp and the roots of your hair with a few drops of essential oil. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap and then place a warm towel around it. Leave it on overnight and then shampoo with a mild, moisturizing shampoo. Repeat weekly.

    Eggs-and-honey treatment

Combine two egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of honey. Massage the mixture into your scalp and hair. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. Shampoo gently to remove any honey residue.

    Aloe vera conditioner

The aloe vera plant is known for its powers to heal burns and treat skin conditions; however, it can also be used as a home remedy for hair loss. Simply skip using conditioner and instead massage aloe vera gel into your scalp.

After 15 minutes, rinse out the aloe vera. Be sure to rinse thoroughly with warm water to avoid an oily scalp.

Profile: National Alopecia Areata Foundation

NAAF Offers Hope and Support to Those with Alopecia Areata

The National Alopecia Areata Foundation Tirelessly Pursues Its Mission

Some 4.7 million Americans are afflicted with alopecia areata, an autoimmune skin disease in which people's white blood cells begin attacking hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. Typically, alopecia areata presents with small, round, smooth patches of skin caused by clumps of hair failing out. In roughly 5 percent of cases, it may progress to total loss of hair on the scalp (alopecia totalis) or to loss of total body hair (alopecia universalis). The course of the disease is unpredictable; hair may grow back in and fall out again many times without a pattern.

Alopecia areata occurs equally in men and women and may strike at any age, including childhood. In some cases it may occur once and never again; in others there may be lengthy, extended periods between incidences; and in still others, it is persistent or chronic.

There are no FDA-approved hair loss treatments specifically for alopecia areata; however, doctors often utilize cortisone injections or topical minoxidil- or anthralin-based creams and ointments, with varying degrees of success.

In 1981 the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) was founded to help those with alopecia areata meet the challenges associated with this condition. The foundation has grown over the years and is now the leading voice for the alopecia areata community in the United States. It is also intent on using its resources wisely. NAAF has met all 44 standards of operating excellence from the National Health Council and all 20 standards from the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, and it spends over 85 percent of donations on programs.

HairLoss.com (HLDC) spoke with NAAF's president and CEO, Vicki Kalabokes, about the foundation, its work and its goals.

HLDC: Can you tell me a little about the programs and resources that NAAF offers?

Vicki Kalabokes: NAAF is the largest nonprofit resource for information about alopecia areata, for both children and adults. We have a very clear mission: to support people with any form of alopecia areata, to raise awareness of alopecia areata and to fund and encourage research to help people with alopecia areata.

We have been funding research since 1985, and we really started from the ground floor. There wasn't much research prior to this, and so we had to start with basic biology. For example, no one even knew much about how a hair follicle worked. So first we had to learn basic information about how hair follicles work. And from that research we grew. Eventually, scientists developed a mouse model of alopecia areata. Dr. Angela Christiano's work in genetics of alopecia areata has been very important, leading to a July 2010 article in Nature detailing her discovery of eight genes that are associated with the disease. Our efforts also led to Dr. Amos Gilhar's discovery that alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, and Dr. Christiano has now found that the way the immune system attacks the follicle is related to other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease.

We are very proud that we were able to push for government funding of a National Alopecia Areata Registry, which now includes 9,000 people with alopecia areata, of which some 3,000 have given blood samples. So there are a lot of data that are now available for research, and much of the alopecia areata research is because of NAAF's efforts.

We're very strategic about our research funding. I mentioned that there is a relationship between alopecia areata and type 1 diabetes, so we have focused a good deal of our new research in a lab at the University of Colorado that is doing work in type 1 diabetes; we'll be able to "piggyback" by funding a fellow in that lab who is doing NIH-funded research to help further determine the immune mechanisms of the disease. This will eventually lead to treatment options. You know, we have 5 million people in the United States with alopecia areata, so it's a tremendous market -- but there is not an FDA-approved drug for treatment yet.

In terms of awareness, we are constantly sending out news releases, planning events, advocating on Capitol Hill, working with the media. We're very fortunate to have Charlie Villanueva, from the Detroit Pistons, who does "meet-and-greets" with kids with alopecia areata; Kayla Martell, this year's Miss Delaware; and Allison Waggoner, of Shop NBC, to help us. And every year we have a new theme for Alopecia Areata Awareness Month in September; this year it's "Go to Bat for Alopecia Areata," and we're working with Major League Baseball teams to have awareness opportunities at games.

Support for those with alopecia areata is key

HLDC: What about your support programs?

VK: We have 60 support groups throughout the country, with 30 more internationally. We coordinate them and assist support group leaders. We also have information packets; newsletters; e-newsletters; a patient conference that attracts about 1,000 people; including 350 kids; and much more. One of our services is our marketplace, where we sell items that help people with alopecia areata make it through the day -- things such as temporary eyebrow tattoos and wig stands for traveling. We don't make a profit on these; we just link to them because there is a real need for specialized products for our people. We also offer our Ascot Fund, which helps people get hairpieces who otherwise would not be able to afford them. This can have a huge impact. For example, we had a 14-year-old girl who recently got a wig through the program, and the change in her body language was unbelievable. She was so happy to have a wig and told me she used to have one, but when she was 9, some kids took it from her and burned it. And we had another family in which the husband, who had always been the breadwinner, was suddenly disabled, and his wife, who has alopecia areata, had to get a job. Her entire outlook changed when she got the wig, which gave her more confidence and helped her get the job that her family needed. Her whole life changed.

HLDC: What do you think people with alopecia areata are looking for when they establish contact with NAAF?

VK: The first thing is "How do I deal with this?" They are usually so happy just to know that they are not alone. Most people don't know there are others with alopecia areata, but they learn that there's a huge universe they never knew about.

HLDC: What are some of NAAF's future (short- or long-term) goals?

VK: We are very focused on our seven-year strategic plan, which is designed to help move forward the Treatment Development Program. This is a major, $6 million plan that's so important because we need an effective treatment program for people with alopecia areata. It is very carefully planned, and yet has plenty of room for change, so that if, say, an unexpected development takes place in year two, we can accommodate it in year three.

Society and alopecia areata

HLDC: Although men with traditional male pattern baldness still often experience a feeling of some stigma associated with hair loss, it does seem that society as a whole has grown more accepting of traditional baldness (for example, more bald movie stars as leading men, a "coolness" attached to a shaved-head look, and so forth) Do you feel that this greater acceptance extends to individuals with forms of alopecia areata as well?

VK: Yes, definitely there has been some change. I think, however, that there's been less change among the kids. They still get teased or bullied for having no hair. That's something that we work on tremendously. Our school information packets are so important; they help teach about the disease and educate, which hopefully cuts down on the teasing. Also, we did a survey of kids with alopecia areata and asked them how others perceive them -- something like 80 percent of the kids answered that people, especially adults, stare at them.

In the adult population, I think the loss of hair on the scalp is accepted more, but I believe that men with alopecia universalis still have a really difficult time. It's kind of considered OK for them to lose scalp hair but not OK to lose eyebrows and eyelashes. It's difficult for women, too, but women at least have more experience with eye makeup. And for everyone with alopecia universalis, losing so much facial definition is hard.

HLDC: I know this may be a difficult question to answer, as it requires a generalization, but for those with alopecia areata, what do you think is a bigger obstacle -- how they feel about having alopecia areata or how they believe other people will feel about alopecia areata?

VK: They go through the five stages of grieving, so it really depends on the stage they're in. But the more they come to accept it, the more others do, too. Others respond to how you are responding to yourself. Feeling self-confident is crucial.

HLDC: What would you say are the major emotional or psychological issues that arise for those with alopecia areata? Are they different from the ones that arise for children with alopecia areata?

VK: Kids have a different sense of self; before age 6, they're not as cognizant of themselves. In adolescence, it can be a real issue. But it can actually be more traumatic for those who first get it as adults; they're not ready for it and have to work harder to develop their coping skills.

HLDC: What else would you like to tell us?

VK: We hope more people find us and that more people understand what alopecia areata is and become more accepting of people with it.

For additional information, go to www.naaf.org.