Whether you are a man or a woman, the thought of going bald or even experiencing thinning hair is quite disheartening.  After all, it is hard to look your very best when you are worrying about the bald patch on your head!  But, what causes baldness in the first place and is there anything you can do to prevent it?  Here is a look at what causes hair loss.

Illness or Injury

The stress placed on your body when experiencing an illness or injury can lead to hair loss, either on a permanent or a temporary basis.  In some cases, you may not notice the hair loss until a few months after the trauma occurred.  This is because the hair went dormant when your body experienced the stress, but it takes a few months for the hair to actually fall out.

Health Issues

Certain health conditions can also lead to premature hair loss.  For example, hormonal changes brought about by a thyroid condition or even by pregnancy can lead to permanent or temporary hair loss.  Lupus, fungal infections of the scalp, diabetes and other genetic conditions, such as alopecia areata, can also cause hair loss to occur. Similarly, certain medications may also have the undesirable side effect of hair loss. Some medications that are known for causing this problem include anticoagulants, medicines used to treat gout, birth control pills, medicines used with chemotherapy and antidepressants.  Even taking too much vitamin A can cause hair loss problems.

Hair Styling

In general, hair styling won’t cause problems with your hair.  But, if you pull on your hair excessively and too tightly on a regular basis, it can cause scarring on the scalp and lead to permanent damage to the hair’s root.  Similarly, excessive chemical treatments such as bleaching, dying, straightening, tinting or perming can damage the hair and cause it to break off. Be cautious when using certain hair products and treat your hair with care.

Genetics

The most common cause of hair loss is genetics, which typically expresses itself through male-pattern-baldness.  Despite its name, male-pattern-baldness can affect both men and women, though men are affected more frequently than women.  With this condition, the hairs become thinner and less sturdy until they ultimately fall out.  Genetics play a large role in determining how old you will be when baldness strikes, how fast you will lose your hair and how much hair will be lost.

Are you considering getting a Bosley hair transplant, but you aren’t certain it is right for you? To help you with your decision making process, it is helpful to explore the pros and cons of a Bosley hair transplant first. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons you should consider.

Pro: Bosley Hair Transplants Use Your Hair

By using your own hair, you can be certain the transplanted hair will match the other hair on your head perfectly. This way, even your hairdresser will have a difficult time recognizing that you have had your hair restored.

Con: Bosley Hair Transplants Require Surgery

Although the procedure is relatively simple, the reality is that a Bosley hair transplant procedure is surgery. As such, there are certain risks associated with the procedure that you will find with any surgical procedure. Most transplants are completed without complication, but the fact that you are still getting part of your scalp cut away means that complications are possible. In addition, scarring is likely to occur, though a skilled physician will complete the procedure in such a way that scarring is minimal or undetectable.

Pro: Bosley Hair Transplants are Permanent

While Propecia® and Minoxidil can potentially help you with your hair loss difficulties, the results will go away if you stop using the medication. A Bosley hair transplant, on the other hand, provides permanent results. In addition, most hair transplant patients only need to undergo one procedure to get the results they are looking for.

Con: Bosley Hair Transplants are Costly

When compared to other hair restoration methods, the hair transplant procedure has a higher upfront cost.  When considering the fact that you have to continue using other drugs in order to maintain results, however, the long-term cost of a hair transplant is usually lower. Visiting a hair transplant physician for a consultation and price quote is the only way to truly know if the upfront costs are worthwhile.

Are you interested in exploring your available options for hair restoration? If you are suffering from baldness or if your hair is starting to thin out a little, it may be time for you to start looking at the options that are available to you. Here’s a look at the four best options available for hair restoration.

Bosley Hair Transplant

A Bosley hair transplant involves removing healthy hair follicles from various parts of your scalp and moving them to the areas where your hair is missing or thinning. By using your own hair, you get a completely natural look that perfectly matches the rest of the hair on your head. In addition, no ongoing maintenance is required with a Bosley hair transplant. In fact, once you have achieved your goals with the hair transplant procedure, you should never have to worry about covering up bald spots again!

The Bosley LaserComb

The Bosley LaserComb is the only medical device that the FDA has approved to help promote the growth of hair. This drug-free hair restoration option involves stimulating the hair follicles with the help of 9 laser beams. This option is not a good one for those who have experienced advanced hair loss, but it is a good choice for those who are still in the early stages of hair loss. It is also regularly used before and after a Bosley hair transplant in order to get even greater results.

Propecia®

Propecia is a medication that has also been approved by the FDA to promote hair growth. This prescription-only pill has to be taken orally every day and you must continue taking the pill in order to maintain the results. Most people have to take the pill for about one year before they notice a difference in their hair growth and, like the Bosley LaserComb, Propecia is best suited for those who are in the early stages of hair loss.

Topical Minoxidil

Topical Minoxidil is a topical drug approved by the FDA for growing hair. During clinical trials, Minoxidil has been shown to slow down hair loss in some cases while also helping to regrow hair in certain parts of the scalp. Unfortunately, it does little to help with frontal baldness, which is where most men experience the majority of their hair loss. In addition, as with Propecia, Minoxidil must be used on a daily basis in order to maintain the results.

When it comes to hair restoration, you have options. Talk with your doctor about which option will best suit you!

To know for certain whether or not you are a good candidate for a Bosley hair transplant procedure, you should meet with a hair transplant specialist.  This way, he can examine your individual needs, hair pattern and amount of hair loss in order to determine if a Bosley hair transplant procedure can provide you with the results you are after.  Nonetheless, there are a few things to keep in mind when trying to determine whether or not a hair transplant procedure is right for you.

Of course, one of the first things you will need to consider is the cost associated with the procedure.  For most people, a hair transplant procedure will cost well over $1,000. Fortunately, most hair transplant offices are willing to work out payment plans that will allow you to go through with the procedure even if you cannot pay the full cost upfront.

Individuals with certain medical conditions also may not make good candidates for a hair transplant procedure.  Patients with conditions that cause the hair to be lost in the first place, such as alopecia areata, do not make good candidates for the procedure because the new hair follicles will also be likely to fall out.  Those suffering from lupus and those who will be undergoing a kidney transplant in the near future should also avoid going through the procedure.  If you have diabetes, it is also best to avoid undergoing a hair transplant procedure unless you have been doing a good job keeping it under control.

The bottom line is that it is important for you to be honest and forthright about your medical history and current condition when meeting with a Bosley hair transplant physician. This way, you can be certain you won’t be putting your health at an unnecessary risk and you can be certain you will get the best results possible.

In addition to considering your health, your physician will also need to determine your degree of baldness while also determining where you will likely lose hair in the future. This way, he can be certain to select the right hair follicles to transplant to the balding areas on your scalp while also transplanting follicles to areas that will likely start to thin in the future.  By transplanting hairs into areas that are likely to bald in the future, your Bosley physician can help ensure that you enjoy long-term results even as you start to lose additional hair.

Undergoing a Bosley hair transplant procedure is a smart move for anyone who is experiencing hair loss and would like to have a fuller head of hair.  Not only does it create great results, it also provides a long-term change that does not require any special upkeep.  It is important to realize, however, that the effectiveness of the hair loss procedure is partially dependent upon the amount of hair you have lost, the pattern of your loss and the quality and quantity of hair you still have on your scalp.  By talking honestly with your physician about your health as well as your short-term and long-term hair goals, however, you will be likely to achieve just the look you are looking for and will be thrilled with the final results.

So, if you are tired of dealing with a balding head, contact a Bosley hair transplant physician and start discussing your options with him right away.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to enjoy a much fuller head of hair!

If you are one of the thousands of people who is struggling with baldness, you may be interested in changing your appearance with the help of a hair transplant procedure. 

With the help of a hair transplant procedure, you can move your own hair to other parts of your scalp that are in need of more hair.  In this way, you can enjoy a completely natural looking head of hair without worrying about whether or not the color, texture and thickness of the individual strands will blend in with the rest of the hair on your head.  

But, what exactly takes place during a hair transplant procedure and who makes a good candidate for the procedure?

What to Expect from a Hair Transplant Procedure

Put simply, a hair transplant procedure involves removing hairs from certain areas of your scalp and replanting them in another area.  Of course, the exact procedure is a bit more complicated than that and requires years of experience as well as an artistic eye to complete a successful hair transplant.

After you have discussed your desired outcome with your physician and he has laid out a plan for your hair transplant procedure, you will be ready to complete this one-day procedure.  The first step of the actual procedure involves trimming the hairs from the donor area, which consists of the hairs your physician has determined are genetically resistant to falling out.

Once the donor site has been successfully trimmed, the physician will apply a local anesthesia to the area.  Then, the tissue containing the donor hairs will be surgically removed and sent to surgical technicians who will dissect the hair follicles and prepare hair grafts for the next step in the procedure.  In the meantime, the physician sutures the donor area in a way that prevents them from being visible.  Generally, these sutures are removed about ten days after the procedure is complete.

With the grafts on hand, the surgeon then makes tiny incisions in the area where the hair follicles are to be transplanted.  These incisions are made in an irregular pattern in order to create a more natural look.  Once the incisions have been made, the physician places the hair grafts inside.  

Generally, the physician will place the smallest grafts containing just one or two hair follicles in the front o the hairline, while grafts containing four or five follicles will be placed further back.  As a result, the patient will actually have hundreds of tiny incisions all over his or her head, each containing one or a few tiny hair stubbles that are ready to grow!

Although most people think of men when they think of baldness, the reality is that baldness can affect women as well.  

As such, many women are interested in learning more about hair restoration in order to eliminate bald spots or to fill in areas where the hair is thinning.  But, is there anything special that women need to know about hair restoration before they take the jump? Keep reading to find out more!

The Differences Between Men and Women Balding

Women can experience balding in the same pattern as men, in a condition that is referred to as male-pattern baldness.  Most women, however, experience what is referred to as female androgenic alopecia.  With this condition, the woman experiences thinning throughout her hair rather than in a pattern.  

Because women typically experience balding in a manner that is different from men, medications for encouraging hair growth such as Propecia® are not FDA-approved for women.

Women may lose hair for different reasons than men.  For example, starting or discontinuing the use of birth control may lead to hair loss.  Similarly, hormonal changes brought about by pregnancy can also lead to temporary hair loss.

Hair Restoration Options for Women

In general, the best hair restoration option for women is to get a hair transplant.  This is because hair restoration products are either not approved for use by women or they simply are not effective against the type of hair loss most women experience.

With hair transplants, healthy hairs are removed from certain areas of the head and moved to areas where hair loss has occurred. These hairs are genetically programmed to grow for longer periods of time. As a result, the transplanted hair is a perfect match with the woman’s hair.

In addition to helping with thinning hair on the scalp, many women also choose to undergo hair transplants on their eyebrows.  With these transplants, hair is removed from the woman’s brows and strategically placed to help thicken eyebrows that have become too thin.

While men and women can benefit froma hair transplant, women have special needs when it comes to hair restoration.  Therefore, it is important for them to talk with their doctor if they experience hair loss in order to examine potential health issues.  In addition, women should be sure to talk to a hair transplant physician who is experienced with female patients.  This way, they can be certain to get the best results possible.

You may have heard someone say that he was so stressed that he wanted to pull his hair out. But, did you know that stress really can cause you to lose your hair? Whether you are experiencing emotional stress or physical stress due to an illness or injury, it is possible to lose your hair on a temporary or even permanent basis in response to the stress your body experiences.

Temporary Hair Loss from Stress

When temporary hair loss occurs from stress, the condition is referred to as telogen effluvium. With this condition, your hair either lies dormant or completely stops growing for a period of time. Ultimately, the hair falls out and grows back about 6 to 9 months later. It is important to note, however, that every day stressful situations, such as dealing with co-workers or experiencing relationship troubles, generally does not result in hair loss. The death of a loved one or the stress associated with going through a divorce, on the other hand, may result in enough emotional stress to cause hair loss to occur.

Physical stress associated with thyroid problems and pregnancy may also result in hair loss. As such, some experts believe this stress-induced hair loss may be related to changes in hormones. In addition, those who experience hair loss linked to hormonal changes generally regrow their hair within a few months or a couple of years.

Permanent Hair Loss from Stress

It is also possible to experience permanent hair loss from stress. This generally occurs when the white blood cells attack the hair follicles, resulting in a condition referred to as alopecia areata. Although it is possible for the hair to grow back when this condition occurs, getting the hair to return may require undergoing special treatment programs. In addition, unlike telogen effluvium, alopecia areata may affect the entire scalp and possibly even body hair.

You might also experience hair loss if you engage in certain activities in response to your stress. For example, if you tend to twist your hair or rub your scalp when feeling stressed, it can ultimately lead to temporary or possibly even permanent hair loss in the affected area. Therefore, in order to help reduce the risk of stress-related hair loss, it is a good idea to learn and practice stress-management techniques that will help you cope with your stress more effectively. Not only can learning to manage your stress help you keep your hair, it can also enable you to have a happier life!

With baldness being such a common problem around the world, it shouldn’t come as much surprise to learn that many myths about hair loss have developed over time. While some of these myths can be humorous, the unfortunate reality is that some people take these myths seriously. As a result, they may actually increase their chances of becoming bald or, at the very least, waste a whole lot of time and money doing something that won’t really help with their hair loss problems. Therefore, it is important for you to be able to separate fact from fiction when it comes to hanging on to and taking care of the hair you have.

Brushing Your Way to a Full Head of Hair

One common myth states that brushing your hair 100 times per day will help stimulate your scalp, which will encourage it to grow more hair.  This myth may seem logical at first, particularly since many people think hair loss is due to poor blood circulation in the scalp.  The reality is that stimulating your scalp will not help you keep your hair or regrow the hair you have lost.  In fact, research has shown that brushing your hair too often could actually injure your hair and cause you to lose if faster!

Cutting Your Way to Thicker Hair

Some people believe that cutting their hair will help it grow back faster and thicker. This myth likely originated from the fact that hair appears to be much thicker and healthier after dead ends are trimmed away.  While it is certainly true that clipping split ends away will help make your hair healthier, there is no truth to the myth that cutting hair helps make it grow faster.  In addition, if you don’t have split ends, cutting your hair isn’t going to help make it any thicker either.  Everyone has his or her own unique hair growth cycle, which is mostly based on heredity and nutrition, and cutting it will do nothing to change that.

Taking Pills for Luscious Locks

While there is certainly no harm in taking vitamin supplements in order to improve your overall level of health, don’t get your hopes up that they will help you hang on to your hair.  If you were suffering from a vitamin deficiency resulting in hair loss, the loss would be distributed throughout your body – not concentrated on one area of your head.  No amount of vitamins will help you change your hereditary hair patterns. On the flipside, taking performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids can actually lead to hair loss in men, so that is just one more reason to stay away from these drugs!

Are you uncomfortable with the size of your forehead? If you have long felt that your forehead is too large, you will be happy to learn that a Bosley hair transplant could potentially help change the appearance of your forehead in a way that will be more pleasing to you.

Experiencing the Bosley Difference

When it comes to getting a Bosley hair transplant, the procedure is really quite easy to understand. First, the physician examines your medical history as well as your hair and scalp in order to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for a hair transplant. If you are unhappy with the size of your forehead, your Bosley physician will take this into consideration when determining whether or not you will be a good candidate for a transplant.

Reshaping Your Hairline

If your Bosley physician determines that you are a good candidate for a hair transplant, he will discuss your options with you so you can be sure to make the decision that is right for you. In most cases, addressing an oversized forehead involves reshaping the hairline. Though care needs to be taken to ensure the hairline is reshaped in such a way that it still appears natural, reshaping the hairline can go a long way toward making your forehead appear smaller and more proportionate to the rest of your features. Furthermore, by styling your hair in a certain matter, you can further hide an oversized forehead in order to create a more attractive overall appearance.

Enjoying Long-Term Results

While a Bosley hair transplant cannot actually reduce your forehead by eliminating it, a physician with an artistic eye can create a new hairline that will help you achieve the results you desire.  Furthermore, the procedure is almost guaranteed to provide you with long-lasting results. This is because the procedure involves removing hairs from the areas of the head that typically grow hairs that are pre-programmed to be long-lasting. By transplanting these genetically resilient hairs to other parts of your head, they will continue to grow for the same amount of time as they would have grown if they had been left in their original location. As such, you will experience long-term results after your Bosley physician reshapes your hairline and effectively reduces the size of your forehead.

If you are interested in learning more about Bosley and how it can help you reduce your forehead and achieve the look you desire, contact Bosley today!

If you are considering a Bosley hair transplant, you may be worried that your hair transplant may grow and fall out again. After all, who wants to go through the trouble of meeting with a physician and undergoing surgery if the results will not be long-lasting? Furthermore, who wants to pay the expense of getting a hair transplant if you will only need to repeat the process a few years later? Fortunately, this is not something that you need to worry about when you get a Bosley hair transplant, as Bosley physicians take every step possible to ensure you enjoy long-lasting results and never need to undergo a transplant again.

The Genetics of Hair

To understand why the Bosley hair transplant provides long-lasting results, it is helpful to first gain a better understanding of the genetics of hair. Put simply, all of the hairs on your head are genetically programmed to determine when they will fall out. This genetic programming rests within the hair follicles and not within your scalp. Therefore, unless you suffered from a certain condition or had an accident resulting in your hair loss, the hairs that you lost were pre-programmed to fall out. For most men, these pre-programmed hairs are located at the top of the head. The hairs on the back of the head, on the other hand, are typically programmed to last well into your golden years.

The Bosley Process

Since the hairs on the back of your head are typically programmed to be long-lasting, these are the ones that your Bosley physician selects to transplant to a new location on your scalp. By choosing those hairs that are genetically programmed to last, you will enjoy new hair growth from the transplanted hairs for years to come.  Unlike certain hair recovery products that are currently on the market, you do not need to continuously use any products on your hair in order to keep the hair in place. Furthermore, there is no need to undergo additional transplants. For most clients, one transplant is all that is needed to enjoy long-lasting results.

If you are not sure if you are a good candidate for a hair transplant, it would be a good idea to set up a free consultation with a Bosley physician. After examining your medical history and the quality of your hair follicles, your Bosley physician will be able to give you a realistic idea of what you can expect to achieve from a hair transplant.