According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, an estimated 66.8% of males and 33.2% of females in the United States had a nonsurgical hair restoration process in 2012. [1] Hair replacement is a reliable option for individuals who experience hair loss due to heredity and medical related issues. Individuals needing hair replacement options have the option of surgical and non surgical. Surgical is considered as hair replacement which removes small pieces of the scalp that contain hair follicles and relocates them to an area on the head that is losing hair. The American Hair Loss Council describes non surgical hair replacement options as hair additions or hair prosthetics. [2] Examples of hair prosthetics include hair extensions, hair pieces, partial hair prosthesis, and toupees. These particular hair pieces will contain human hair, synthetic hair, or a combination of both. Hair loss comes in two major forms; heredity and medically. Medically, two common hair loss forms come from chemotherapy and alopecia areata. Chemotherapy is the use of medicines or drugs to treat a disease, such as cancer. Cancer cells tend to grow fast, and chemo drugs kill fast growing cells. Although these drugs travel throughout the body they can affect normal healthy cells that are fast growing too. The normal cells most likely to be damaged by chemo are hair follicles. Hair loss during chemo is a form of alopecia which causes thinning of hair and/or losing hair on all parts of the body. [5]
Alopecia areata is one of the most emotionally devastating dermatologic conditions. Alopecia areata is a unique, idiopathic disease in which there is patchy hair loss that is usually confined on the scalp but may occur on the general body surface. Alopecia totalis a condition if all the hair on the scalp is lost and Alopecia universalis is a condition if in addition to scalp, there is complete loss of body hair. This happens because the immunes system mistakenly attacks hair follicle which is where hair growth begins. Alopecia Areata can occur on virtually any hair bearing area, but it affects the scalp in approximately 90% of the cases seen in dermatology clinics. The disease can be classified based on the extent or pattern of the hair loss. The pattern of hair loss observed in alopecia areata can vary considerably, and less common presentations can be observed in minority of the cases, including reticular patches of hair loss. The course of alopecia areata is unpredictable. Up to 50% of the patients will recover within one year even without treatment. The most important factors indication a poor prognosis are the extent of hair loss present or an ophiasis pattern of hair loss and family history. [4]
Hair replacement can be a viable option for those experiencing hair loss. With the high number of hair loss cases nationwide individuals turn to hair replacement such as hair prosthetics which offers the most realistic look in hair replacement for the color and style can be adjusted to match the individual’s hair as opposed to synthetic hair. Hair prosthetics differ from the traditional budget or department store wig for the quality and materials used. The fit is adjustable to each person’s size and customized with color and style. [6] Whether seeking hair replacement because of heredity or medically, there is cost, care, and wear for the hair pieces. There are different price levels as well as a range of quality available in both synthetic and natural hair additions. For instance, personal hair prosthetics salons offer free consultations where an individual can be properly fitter for a hair piece. A natural hair prosthesis and a synthetic wig will differ in the amount of care needed. The hair in a synthetic wig is basically fibers from plastic; therefore you cannot place heat towards it. With a natural hair prosthesis being made from natural hair you can virtually do anything to the hair piece.
Furthermore, insurance coverage may be available if you are suffering from hair loss due to medical conditions. To find out if coverage is available a patient should ask their insurance provider if they have coverage for “Cranial Hair Prosthesis”. Many clients suffering from Alopecia or are undergoing cancer related treatments may be eligible under their health insurance coverage. If the patient’s insurance company won't cover the cost, the patient should talk to their doctor, hospital, or social worker. Many cancer centers are familiar with local organizations that provide recycled wigs, or free and reduced-cost wigs. The American Cancer Society may be able to help with providing a hair piece.
The hair replacement industry is back on track after a few disappointing years during the recession. This is definitely good news for the industry for as the willingness of individuals to invest in hair replacement is what the industry is solely dependent on. Professional salon hair replacement, wig and extension services are now rapidly growing more than ever in new popularity. There are more hair extension, wig and laser hair restoration service companies exhibiting at the professional beauty trade shows across the globe. Hair restoration, wig and extension services are now much more main stream popular with everyone from women, men and teens. Hair restoration certainly has its own special audience with those suffering from thin and thinning hair, alopecia and cancer treatments.
For many years, hair replacement treatments had an uncomfortable stigma. Men and women were hesitant even to look into treatments and procedures. Hair replacements look extremely obvious and instilled a sense of reluctance in clients. New and improved technology has revitalized interest in the industry for those suffering from hair loss. One of the newer technologies concerning non-surgical hair replacement is known as vacuum prosthesis. It is actually a method that is currently employed for attaching hair pieces. This involves a shell made from silicon which has human hair already imbedded in it by hand in order to achieve a more natural look once the shell is attached to the scalp. This is then applied to the skin of the scalp and a strong vacuum seals the silicon. Additionally, this vacuum is created by applying clear film made from co polyester and then attaching it to the bottom of the silicon shell. Vacuum prosthesis is also a much more reliable option if the scalp has been damaged by burning or has deformations in it. Regardless of the shape or smoothness of the scalp, the piece conforms to the head. Also, one of the more important advancements in the industry is the waterproof adhesives. The client does not have to worry about scalp sweat degrading the effectiveness of the adhesive and in most cases; it forms a strong enough bond so that even going swimming will not affect its effectiveness.
Dr. Anderson of the Anderson Hair Sciences Center is the first and only hair restoration surgeon in Georgia to offer the very latest in cutting edge technology in hair restoration, the ARTAS Robotic System. It is a state-of-the-art, surgeon-controlled medical device that safely and with robotic-precision performs the removal portion of an Follicular Unit Extraction hair restoration procedure, a process that until now was done manually. With the FUE method of hair restoration, Dr. Anderson is able to transplant hair without any linear or noticeable scarring, using no scalpels, no stitches, with a dramatically shorter recovery period than for patients who received a traditional linear strip method hair restoration. The ARTAS Robotic System is a tool Dr. Anderson uses to perform efficient, precise follicular unit extraction (FUE) procedures with unparalleled accuracy.. It allows very short hairstyles, which is a well-known limitation of the traditional procedures. The recovery time is significantly shortened, with noticeably less discomfort, and with less physical restrictions that following a traditional linear strip procedure. The ARTAS Robot Assisted FUE System scans and digitizes a small area of the scalp to identify and track each hair using complex software algorithms, and custom, stereoscopic surgical cameras. Updating coordinates every 20 milliseconds, the ARTAS System’s image-guided robotics harvests follicular units for transplant with micron-level precision. Each follicle is selectively harvested with minimal trauma to the surrounding skin to maintain the look of your donor area, with no linear scar that is associated with traditional linear strip techniques. Dr. Anderson creates recipient sites in the areas of loss, carefully making each site individually to create as natural pattern as possible, following the angles of your own hair, and creating permanent, natural hairlines. The follicles are gently implanted into the recipient sites individually.
Hair Club for Men Ltd., Inc. provides hair restoration solutions for men and women. The company offers hair transplantation surgical treatments for hair loss; non-surgical hair replacements; extreme lasercomb hair restoration; and hair loss prevention therapy services for men and women. It is also engaged in researching, developing, and testing hair care products. The company was founded in 1976 and is based in Boca Raton, Florida with hair loss centers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Hair Club for Men Ltd., Inc. operates as a subsidiary of HC (USA), Inc. In 2004 Regis Corporation purchased the business for 210 million in anticipation that it would generate strong cash driven by the growing number of cases at the time. However, Regis suffered more than $40 million loss in the first nine months of 2012 on revenues that have to slowly spiral downward since 2008. Recently Regis Corporation agreed to sell Hair Club for Men and Women to concentrate on its domestic chain. Regis which owns and franchises Supercuts, Sassoon, and Mastercuts brands, will sell its Hair Club subsidiary to Japanese wig manufacturer Aderans for $163.5 million.