Hair Loss: What Can You Do?

by Valerie Gladstone — December 31, 2007

A follow-up to our earlier story about hair loss : Probably the most difficult aspect of losing your hair is coping with the change in your appearance. It can be frustrating or upsetting to have to deal with other people's reactions and having little success with various treatments. There are a few things you can do:

• Go to a doctor to learn about the cause of your baldness and the treatment options--Be wary of alternative treatments that have no proven track record and/or may cause dangerous or unpleasant side effects.

• Talk to your family and friends--If they understand the cause of your baldness or your concerns about your looks, they will be compassionate. They'll also probably be less concerned about changes in your appearance than you are.

Giving the Illusion of More Hair--Tips from Manhattan Hair Colorist Penny Errico-Nagar:

• Shorter hair looks thicker. Longer hair can look straggly, even when it isn't thinning.

• Well-placed highlights and lowlights create a balanced contrast on the head that reflects light. This contrast emphasizes the style and makes it harder to see right into the scalp. Color also slightly roughs up the cuticle and makes the hair shaft appear plumper.

• Don't tease and spray your hair to make it higher on the scalp; it only makes a teased bubble that you can see through to the scalp. Volume is fine as long as it looks natural.

• Curlers or a light body wave can help hair appear thicker. Stay away from straight hair, which highlights imperfections.

Alternatives to Rogaine and Other Growth Treatments

Non-surgical restoration involves any method in which the hair that is restored to the balding areas is not growing hair. This includes everything from toupees, weaves, and hair systems to more sophisticated technology that graft hair to the scalp through non-surgical means. If you are interested in a weave or hair system, speak with your hair stylist about how to find the best ones. There is a wide selection.

Hair transplants and scalp reduction surgery are available to treat hair thinning and loss when more conservative measures have failed. During transplantation, a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon takes tiny plugs of skin, each containing one to several hairs, from the back or side of your scalp. The plugs are then implanted into the bald sections.

Scalp reduction means decreasing the area of bald skin on your head. Your scalp and the top part of your head may seem to have a snug fit. But the skin can become flexible and stretched enough for some of it to be surgically removed. After hairless scalp is removed, the space is closed with hair-covered scalp. Scalp reduction can be combined with hair transplantation to fashion a natural-looking hairline in people with more extensive hair loss.

Surgical procedures to treat baldness are expensive and can be painful, and include risks of infection and scarring. Consider only board-certified dermatologists, plastic surgeons, or cosmetic surgeons, and check local and state medical boards for a record of patient complaints before choosing a doctor. Consult with this doctor to confirm the cause of your hair loss and review all treatment options, including non-surgical ones, before proceeding with surgery.

Products That Don't Work

So-called "thinning hair supplements," "hair farming products," and "vasodilators" for the scalp do not promote hair growth. Thinning hair supplements are no more than hair conditioners that temporarily make your hair feel or look a little thicker. Their main ingredient, polysorbate, is also found in many shampoos. Promotional materials for hair farming products claiming that they will release hairs that are "trapped" in a bald scalp, many of which are herbal preparations and can do no such thing. And so-called vasodilators neither increase the blood supply to the scalp nor promote hair growth.