One common myth about hair loss is that “Wearing a hat will cause hair loss by depriving hair of oxygen.” This is generally not true – but there is a caveat. Hair follicles receive their oxygen supply from the blood stream and not the air so wearing a cap will not deprive hair of oxygen. Wearing a very tight cap over time can cause a traction alopecia along the edges of the cap though.

Patient who are looking at hair restoration surgery often have many questions surrounding the procedure. A common question is, “When can I drive?” You can drive yourself home. As long as you do not require more than the normal amount of anesthesia you can drive yourself home. It is extremely unusual for people to want sedation for this procedure, but if you elect to have sedation, you will need a driver to and from the procedure. Anotehr common question is, “How long will the surgery take?” This is completely variable. Depending on the number of grafts and the degree of baldness, surgery may take anywhere from 4-14 hours. In some cases, multiple sessions are needed to obtain the desired results. Patients are also very concerned about when to undergo hair transplants and ask, “What is the ideal age for a hair transplant?” There is no ideal age for a hair transplant. The important thing to remember is what the expected balding pattern of the person is before they get a transplant. Balding will continue even after a transplant. If the surgeon is not careful he can create a hairline which will look unnatural as further hair loss occurs. This can then produce a very difficult problem if the donor site is already used.

While there are many questions about hair loss, these are some common questions that patients ask who are either balding or considering hair restoration surgery. At the end of the day, education and understanding are important before undertaking any kind of treatment.

If you are suffering hair loss, the first step is to consult a physician who is experienced with hair loss and treatment. Some causes require medical treatment before any hair restoration can be undertaken.

Dr. Verret is a hair transplant specialist in the north Dallas suburb of Plano, Texas. For more information about androgenetic alopecia,facial hair transplants, or other hair restoration services, visit Dr. Verret on the web or call for a consultation 972.608.0100.

Post from: Aromatherapy

Common Questions & Myths About Alopecia

According to some estimates, two persons out of every hundred suffer with some form of alopecia hair loss. The condition can range in gravity from small bald patches, to complete hair loss on the scalp to total loss of body hair altogether.

This simple fact sheet answers the main questions people have regarding alopecia hair loss:

What’s a good definition of alopecia hair loss?

For a start, let’s make sure we can pronounce the word correctly. Al-oh-PEE-shah is how alopecia is pronounced, with the third syllable PEE getting most of the emphasis. Alopecia refers to “partial or complete hair loss.” Often you see it called by it’s proper title “Alopecia Areata” and additional words may be added to indicate the severity of the condition or the specific area that is affected.

Multilocularis: Bald spots on various parts of the head

Barbae: Bald patches only on the beard

Totalis: Hair loss affecting the head and scalp completely

Universalis: No body hair at all

How does a person develop Alopecia hair loss?

Alopecia hair loss affects men, women, old and young, from all races and cultures. Heredity can be a factor. Records show about 20% of sufferers have relatives who also have the same condition.

The records indicate however that the majority of children who suffer with alopecia did not have parents who had the condition and on the other side, most of the parents with alopecia did not have children who suffered with the condition.

Alopecia hair loss is not contagious. It is classified as an autoimmune diseases meaning the body’s natural defences can turn on itself. In this case, a virus or some other environmental factor, can trigger off the sequence of events which causes white blood cells to attack the cells in the hair follicle which cause hair to grow.

The main question for many is: Will hair grow back again?

Everyone is different. There are various ways in which a person might be affected:

The hair might regrow but it later falls out again

There are only a small number of patches, and hair eventually regrows never to fall out again

Hair is lost and then regrows with this sequence repeating itself over many years

For most people, they find the hair that comes back is the same color as the hair they lost in the first place

Occasionally, a person might find that the hair that regrows is whitish in color. Eventually however it returns to the color of the original hair

So how can alopecia hair loss be remedied?

A variety of drugs are currently used which can have a positive effect on hair growth, although there is no ideal solution at this time. These include:

Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is an FDA approved drug which helps combat pattern hair loss in men and women

Corticosteroids – strong drugs used to suppress the immune system

Depending on the extent of the alopecia hair loss, there are different avenues open to cope with the change in a person’s appearance. Some use scarves, hats, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, and other accessories to hide or divert attention from the hair loss. A very useful resource is the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (alopeciaareata.com) which puts alopecia sufferers in touch with each other through a network and message board arrangement so ideas and thoughts can be shared.

Post from: Aromatherapy

Is Alopecia Hair Loss Irreversible?

According to some estimates, two persons out of every hundred suffer with some form of alopecia hair loss. The condition can range in gravity from small bald patches, to complete hair loss on the scalp to total loss of body hair altogether.

The main questions many people ask about alopecia hair loss are considered here:

What’s a good definition of alopecia hair loss?

Alopecia is pronounced al-oh-PEE-shah with the emphasis on PEE, the third syllable. Alopecia specifically refers to “partial or complete hair loss.” Alopecia Areata is the full title and this is often followed by other words or phrases to indicate which part of the body is affected and to what extent.

Multilocularis: Bald spots on various parts of the head

Barbae: Bald areas affecting just the beard

Totalis: Hair loss on the whole head and scalp

Universalis: A total absence of body hair

How does a person get Alopecia hair loss?

This condition is not limited to a particular segment of the population. It can affect males and females of all ages and races. Heredity can play a role it appears, as 20% of individuals with the condition have family members who suffer with alopecia hair loss.

However, statistics show that the majority of children with alopecia hair loss did not have parents who suffered with it. Conversely, the majority of parents with the condition did not have children who suffered with it.

Alopecia hair loss is not contagious. It is classified as an autoimmune diseases meaning the body’s natural defences can turn on itself. In this case, a virus or some other environmental factor, can trigger off the sequence of events which causes white blood cells to attack the cells in the hair follicle which cause hair to grow.

The main question for many is: Will hair grow back again?

This varies from person to person. Here is a sampling of how different individuals are affected:

Hair regrows but falls out again

Hair loss is limited to a few patches, it regrows and never falls out again

The hair may regrow but then fall out again repeating this cycle over a period of years

In most cases, the regrowth is the same color as the hair before

Occasionally, a person might find that the hair that regrows is whitish in color. Eventually however it returns to the color of the original hair

So how can alopecia hair loss be remedied?

A variety of drugs are currently used which can have a positive effect on hair growth, although there is no ideal solution at this time. These include:

Rogaine, also called Minoxidil because of the main ingredient, is a drug designed to treat male and female pattern hair loss. It has been approved by the FDA.

Corticosteroids – strong drugs used to suppress the immune system

Depending on the extent of the alopecia hair loss, there are different avenues open to cope with the change in a person’s appearance. Some use scarves, hats, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, and other accessories to hide or divert attention from the hair loss. A very useful resource is the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (alopeciaareata.com) which puts alopecia sufferers in touch with each other through a network and message board arrangement so ideas and thoughts can be shared.

Post from: Aromatherapy

Alopecia Hair Loss – Will Hair Grow Back?