Many men and woman are concerned over the loss of their hair. Thinning hair or balding can cause a person to become self-conscious, make them look older than they feel, and be a source of ongoing stress. Some hair loss can be stress related or due to nutritional factors. But in general hair loss is primarily caused by a combination of aging, a change in hormones, and a family history of baldness. As a rule, the earlier hair loss begins, the more severe the baldness will become. Hair loss can also be caused by burns or trauma, in which case hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment, and may be covered by health insurance. If you feel that your hair is thinner than you would like it or you your hairline is higher than you want, then hair restoration using micro grafts may be the answer for you.
The Best Candidates For Hair Replacement
Hair replacement surgery can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence,
but the results won't necessarily match your ideal. Many factors are involved
with obtaining the best outcome. This can include the size of the thinning
or hair loss area as well as the amount of “donor site” hair
thickness you have to obtain the grafts from. It's important to understand
that all hair replacement techniques use your existing hair. The goal
of surgery is to find the most efficient uses for existing hair. In addition,
unless you are already at the most extensive stage of hair loss, no one
can predict the final degree of hair loss that you will sustain.
Hair replacement candidates must have healthy hair growth at the back and sides of the head to serve as donor areas. Donor areas are the places on the head from which grafts are taken. Other factors, such as hair color, texture and waviness or curliness may also affect the cosmetic result. There are a number of techniques used in hair replacement surgery. Sometimes, two or more techniques are used to achieve the best results. Dr. Fedele uses a team approach to hair restoration to allow more grafts to be placed at one setting. Dr. Paul Weiss is part of this team as well as several technicians to help cut the grafts. Dr. Weiss has extensive experience with hair restoration procedures and we like to have you meet with him prior to your procedure.
Transplant techniques, such as mini-grafts, and micro-grafts, are generally performed on patients who desire a more modest change in hair fullness. Tissue-expansion and scalp-reduction are procedures that are usually more appropriate for patients who desire a more dramatic change.
Remember, there are limits to what can be accomplished. An individual with very little hair might not be advised to undergo hair replacement surgery.
Hair Loss In Women
Some doctors estimate that one in five women will experience some degree
of hair loss usually caused by aging, illness, or hormonal changes after
menopause. Women tend to experience a subtle thinning all over the scalp
rather than losing hair in patches as is common in men. To correct the
problem, some women choose to wear a wig or hair extensions. Others have
had some success using a topical prescriptive drug. The effectiveness
of such drugs varies in some patients and simply prevents further hair
loss without stimulating any appreciable new growth. Hair replacement
surgery may be the answer for those who feel uncomfortable with either
of these options.
Because mini-grafts are usually the surgical treatment of choice for filling-in thinning areas, good candidates for this procedure should have dense hair growth at the back of the head. Mini-grafts are harvested from this dense area and replanted in thinning areas to create a fuller look. Occasionally tissue expansion procedures may be used if the individual is judged to be a good candidate.
If you're considering a hair replacement procedure, it's important to understand that you will never have the coverage you had prior to your hair loss, but surgery may camouflage the thin areas and give you more fullness.
There are a number of non-surgical treatments for hair loss. These include topical agents such as Rogaine®, and oral agents like propecia®. These products can decrease the amount of hair loss you experience throughout a typical day. These agents have a temporary effect on hair loss and cessation of the medication will cause you to revert back to the amount of hair loss you would have before starting the agent.
Dr. Fedele and Dr. Weiss will tailor you procedure to achieve the best possible outcome for restoring a natural appearing hairline or fill in an area of thinning hair. For more information regarding hair restoration or for a consultation with Dr. Fedele call the Center for Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Inc. at (440) 951-4444.
This Website and Digital Images contained herein Copyright © GM Fedele, MD, 2007 All Rights Reserved; The information contained in this website including patient digital images may not be reproduced or distributed electronically or in print without permission from Dr. Fedele.
Dr. Fedele, a native of the Cleveland area, and his staff at the Center for Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, has been serving the communities of Akron, Beachwood, Canton, Chagrin Falls, Gates Mills, Lakewood, Lyndhurst, Mayfield, Mentor, Moreland Hills, Pepper Pike, Westlake, Willoughby, and the counties of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Summit and all of Northeastern Ohio for more than seven years.
