Archive for the 'Hair Loss' Category

There’s one undeniable fact about the human head – it sticks out of the top of your body and represents the first thing other people see when you come into view. In some cultures, it’s acceptable for the head to be completely covered. So, if you go to a strict moslem country, women will only appear in public wearing a hijab (a headscarf) or a burqa which covers the head and upper body. In other cultures, men must cover their heads, e.g. in Sikhism, men are required to wear a turban to cover their uncut hair. Such religious observances and cultural practices are useful if people’s hair begins to thin or fall out. The loss remains hidden. In Western cultures, the majority of people are not obliged to cover their heads. Hence, the decision to do so is often taken as a sign they are beginning to lose their hair and want to hide the fact.

There’s been considered coverage in the press recently about Andre Agassi. He was one of the best tennis players of his generation and remains a celebrity of sufficient star power that he’s publishing a tell-all autobiography. As part of the prepublication marketing campaign, he’s been making one or two startling admissions. No doubt this will do wonders for the book sales figures. The most exciting is the story of his drug abuse. What? Andre Agassi a drug cheat? Well, the story goes that, as his hair started to drop out, Andre got depressed. Just think. Here’s this cool, long-haired athlete with women throwing themselves at his feet and then all his hair starts to drop out. At a stroke, his sex appeal is gone. So he did a little crystal meth, as you do when you get depressed, and then lied about it when the tennis authorities started talking about banning him. Then he cleaned up his act, shaved his head and wore his baldness with pride, marrying one of the sexiest women tennis players on the planet to prove his full recovery.

So what were his choices way back in time. There’s no way he could have worn a wig. Just imagine he’s serving for the title in a Grand Slam Tournament and his hair unexpectedly drops off. People are also going to notice if he starts having transplants. So he did the only thing possible to maintain his charisma. He shaved his head. Today, there’s a new option. Taken early enough in the hair loss cycle, propecia stops hair loss, may prompt some regrowth and maintains a “head of hair” for as long as you keep taking the drug. The World Anti-Doping Agency has not placed propecia on the list of banned substances so modern athletes can preserve their spectacular plumage with chemical support. This just leaves one question. Is Agassi now going to be prosecuted as a result of baring his soul. The answer is a little complicated. The statute of limitations has expired on the drug use so he’s safe there. But there could be possible consequences for lying to the tennis authorities. No doubt he had good legal advice before admitting this and so can laugh all the way to the bank as people buy his autobiography.

You’re losing your hair. Your doctor has just explained to you that hair restoration is the definite solution to your hair loss. He says that without intervention, you’re probably going to end up looking like your bald uncle. Hair restoration surgery offers hope. Still, you remain hesitant.

But will you let this opportunity to reclaim your hair pass, just because you’re afraid of something you have never tried?

Will it be painful?

Fear of pain is the main reason why most people are hesitant to undergo hair transplantation. You may have heard of relatives or friends who previously underwent the procedure, and complained that it “hurt like hell.” You should realize, however, that the procedure has drastically changed over the past 4-5 years.

Ronnie Talent, CEO of Legacy Hair Center in Charlotte shares, “I used to work for the worlds largest hair restoration and hair replacement chains, and I’ve seen thousands of men and women go through this”. He adds” Many of the larger practices still use the “old way” of administering the anesthesia, which was sometimes a little uncomfortable.

We use the Pyllo Anesthesia Method, our patients described the pain during the entire procedure as almost non-existent. I’ve heard at most 1, in a scale of 1 to 10.”

Using advanced techniques for giving anesthesia, a well-trained hair specialist can ensure your comfort throughout and after the procedure. Before surgery, you may also be given medication to alleviate your anxiety.

Will your friends notice?

The stigma of an ugly hair transplant may be worse than that of a balding head. Perhaps you’re worried about colleagues teasing you on your failed attempt at hair restoration. You wouldn’t want complete strangers to give you the puzzled look, wondering why you have doll-like hair. Besides, you don’t just want more hair. You want a natural hairline, too.

“The most important part of the restoration procedure is the hairline… “ Talent adds.” If you simply need a little more density in the back, many doctors can do that. But if they want an undetectable hairline, they have to see someone who offers advanced frontal and temporal hairline techniques, or they’ll spend their lives having people stare at their hairlines.”

The solution to these concerns is simple: seek an experienced hair loss expert. Do not be misled by large-scale advertisements; they may tell you only half-truths. Try to look for previous clients. Find out if they were satisfied with the outcome and listen to their recommendations. Hair transplantation doesn’t just require surgical skill. Your doctor should have the artistic creativity to give you aesthetically pleasing results.

Will you be able to afford the cost?

The cost of hair transplantation varies from one hair loss center to another. The cost will also depend on the number of sessions you require to cover your scalp’s balding areas. Your hair specialist will take into consideration your age and the quality of your hair among other factors, and should be able to give you a reasonable estimate.

Do not be ashamed to ask about hair loss options within your budget. An honest hair specialist will explain to you the pros and cons of both surgical and non-surgical hair loss options. Your hair specialist should take the time to answer your questions, and not just push you into getting the procedure.

In the end, it is most important that you trust your hair specialist. Only then will he be able to allay your fears, guide you to reasonable expectations, and give your satisfactory results.

New research published in the journal Biology of Reproduction reveals that consuming soy milk and other soy products could reduce hair loss and male pattern baldness. How? When the body breaks down isoflavones from soy products, one of the resulting compounds is equol, which blocks a form of testosterone called DHT that has been linked with hair loss and baldness. The hair loss prescription drug, Propecia, works in much the same way by blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT.

Naturally, soy milk is far less expensive than prescription drugs, and there are a great number of health benefits derived from consuming products made from soy. But does this latest research mean that men suffering from hair loss should switch to soy milk?

Here’s my take: soy milk may be able to stop hair loss, but that’s only part of the picture. Hair loss also results from premature aging, which is caused by consuming metabolic disruptors in foods and drinks. These are chemical ingredients like white flour, high fructose corn syrup, sodium nitrite, hydrogenated oils, aspartame and MSG that slowly poison the human body. One of the best ways to avoid hair loss is to start choosing healthy whole foods instead of eating the standard junk foods consumed by most people.

Another point here is that soy milk is good for you regardless of whether it helps with hair loss. I consume it on a daily basis and wouldn’t think of touching cow’s milk. Cow’s milk, it turns out, causes chronic sinus infections, asthma, constipation and a whole host of other health problems that all fall under the category of “stagnation.” Giving up cow’s milk and switching to soy milk is a good nutritional strategy for both men and women regardless of their risk of hair loss.

The bottom line? Soy milk may in fact help with hair loss, and that’s one reason to start drinking it, but there are many, many more. And, frankly, it may not stop your hair loss outright, either. But it sure doesn’ hurt to try it and see. Give yourself several months to determine the result.