Archive for the ‘Hair’ Category
Prevention is better than cure – your hair will automatically replicate the feeling
Prevention is better than cure – your hair will automatically replicate the feeling
Hair Loss Prevention
The problem of hair loss has become a worldwide epidemic. As the body ages, the risk of hair loss becomes greater due to hormonal changes and a substantial decrease in active hair follicles. Although, about 95% of all hair loss can be said to be genetic, other factors like nutrition, overall health, hormone deficiencies, harsh chemical hair treatment and emotional stress also trigger hair loss. But there are effective ways that will help prevent hair loss in both men and women:
Eat a balanced diet containing adequate proteins and iron. Fruits, vegetables and healthy oils also prevent hair loss. Mega-doses of vitamins A and E can cause hair loss.
Keep your body hydrated because dehydration can make the hair look limp.
Exercise regularly as exercise increases blood circulation throughout the body, creates healthy body cells. Hair follicles are made up of cells and exercising keeps hair healthy. Cells reproduce when they are provided with increased energy and this directly affects the hair.
Reduce anxiety and stress through meditation and yoga or through other forms of relaxation techniques. Negative charges in the body have a negative effect on the hair.
Avoid harsh hairstyles like tight pigtails and cornrows. In addition, you must avoid the use of curling iron, hair blowers and hot rollers; these put pressure and stress on the hair as well as the scalp.
Harsh chemicals like permanent hair colour, hair sprays and gels are best kept away from the hair because they have the potential to damage the hair. Colouring and treating the hair also spoils the texture of the hair.
Use gentle shampoos and conditioners and wash the hair regularly with warm water to keep the hair healthy. The lathering ingredient in most commercial shampoos, called surfactant, can irritate the scalp and cause itching which results in damaged hair and thus increased hair loss.
Massage the scalp with essential oils like lavender and rosemary oil in an olive oil base to stimulate blood circulation to the scalp and promote hair growth.
Use herbal extract supplements such as saw palmetto, licorice root or nettle root extracts that block the formation of DHT or the hormone that causes hair loss. These supplements dramatically slow down and also prevent future hair loss naturally.
Keep hair safe from fungal infections by keeping the hair clean at all times. It is also essential that you do not share hats, brushes or hair care products to help prevent fungal infections of the scalp. Preventing hair loss due to fungal infections will require oral medication or special shampoos.
Pattern baldness can be prevented by using certain medications including topical medicines. Replacement surgery is also an option.
Drug or treatment side effect may also enhance hair loss. However, more often than not, once the treatment or medication is stopped, hair loss automatically ceases.
Smoking and alcohol also damage the blood supply to the hair follicles. Studies reveal that alcohol can indirectly influence baldness.
Prevent sun exposure as the UVA and UVB rays from the sun can damage the texture of the hair, making it easier to fall or break. Therefore, it is essential to prevent the hair from direct sunlight and covering the head is a good of achieving this.
Handle your hair with care because it is both delicate and fragile. It is as important to retain the hair strands as it is useful and important to curb its loss when it comes to having healthy hair.
Helping Hand for Hair Loss
Most hair loss is genetic and can therefore not be prevented in any way. However, other factors also influence hair loss and these causes can be prevented from resulting in hair loss. If you take some simple precautions and good care of your hair, you can delay and even prevent hair loss.
Hair can be lost to improper care and damage. If the hair is over-coloured, over-styled, or ill-treated with irons and blow dryers too often, it can result in hair loss. It is advisable to colour your hair once every two months or less. Colouring can damage the hair and you can have healthier hair if you donâ??t colour it. Furthermore, stretching your hair into styles that require pulling and braiding can also damage your hair. Care must be taken to desist from these hairstyles. Moreover, remember that brushing adds body to your hair and however essential it is, it should never strain your hair.
Proper nutrition and rest are both essential for healthy hair. Eating well, drinking plenty of water and getting enough calcium, will works wonders for our hair, keeping it healthy and enhancing its tensile strength. Getting eight hours of sleep is also important. This regulates all our body functions and facilities, keeping it in optimum working condition. Illness can also result in hair loss but when we keep our body healthy we are less likely to fall ill and thus have a better chance against hair loss.
Using a good shampoo and conditioner and keeping the split ends trimmed will also aid hair health. Instead of using hair dryers, it is better to let your hair dry naturally. Retain hair styles that set on their own and do not require a lot of styling on a daily basis, as this can irrevocably harm the hair. In addition, avoid wearing hats that rub on the scalp causing bald patches.
Taking good care of our hair and providing a helping hand to prevent hair loss will reap its own rewards in the long-term. Hair must be treated gently if we want it to stick around throughout our lifetimes.
If you have suffered hair loss and wish to alter that you can use various methods that help with hair restoration and growth. However this is not an overnight process and takes time regardless of the method chosen. Even the most effective hair loss product must be given a time period of at least 3 months before it can show any signs of improvement.
Hair is very much a part of our bodies and abusing the body can directly hamper hair growth and health, leading to most common hair loss. Being physically and mentally healthy can not only prevent but also restore hair loss.
Alternative Medicines and Treatments for Hair Loss
Complementary therapies if natural rarely have any side effects that are otherwise noted with prescription drugs. Two goals must be achieved when dealing with hair loss. They are:
Stop thinning and balding of existing hair Promote healthy and natural growth of hair
Natural ingredients do work to enhance hair health. Whatâ??s more, even if these products are not effective, they will not result in any untoward side effects. These products include:
Jojoba Oil, chemically similar to human sebum, is used as a vital ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products, especially skin care and hair care. When it is massaged into the scalp, it slows down the thinning and balding effect and effectively stimulates new hair growth.
Saw Palmetto, a well-known herbal treatment for hair loss, it has the capacity to slow down hair loss and stimulate new hair growth. In addition, it can block the build-up of DHT, the primary reason behind most hair loss. Working in a similar manner to Finasteride, saw palmetto is a natural yet effective hair loss treatment, without the side effects associated with prescription hair loss treatments.
Stinging Nettle, another well-known natural hair loss remedy, it has been used for ages now as a natural remedy for hair loss. Like Saw Palmetto, this also prevents the testosterone from producing DHT. It works best in combination with saw palmetto and Pygeum, effectively promoting hair growth and stopping further hair loss.
Pygeum, an herbal remedy for hair los, it works to impedes the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase that is responsible for the production of DHT. It prevents the production of DHT from testosterone. When used in combination with saw palmetto and stinging nettle, it stops hair loss in its tracks.
Green Tea has a remarkable ability to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, which in turn hinders and blocks the production of the hair loss causing hormone, DHT or dihydrotestosterone.
Hair loss can be embarrassing and frustrating and dip oneâ??s self confidence. However, there are no miracle cures for hair loss and every treatment is time consuming. We can also investigate other therapies that are in use to remedy hair loss. However, these therapies may or may not work for every individual. These therapies include:
Exercise is both preventive and therapeutic as it improves blood circulation to all parts of the body, including the scalp. Increased blood supply to the follicular cells will stimulate hair production. Although exercise cannot be counted on as a hair loss treatment, it does have a beneficial affect on the body.
Hormone therapy is prescribed for certain types of hair loss. Nonetheless it does come with its share of risks. Corticosteroids applied topically or injected into the scalp can be painful and may cause permanent scarring in the scalp. Hormone therapy in the form of birth-control pills may however reverse baldness due to hormonal imbalances in young women.
Cortisone when taken orally can stimulate new hair growth but that is likely to be temporary. Though Prednisone, another orally administered steroid, has been proven to be effective in some cases of alopecia areata, it does have its share of side effects which include weight gain, metabolic abnormalities, acne, and menstrual problems.
Hair transplantation is another technique used to combat baldness. This involves the relocation of skin from parts of the scalp that have active hair follicles to the bald areas. Several hundred plugs may be implanted before any hair growth can be noticed. Moreover, the transplanted hair may drop out, but then new hair usually grows from the transplanted follicles within a few months. This process is however both painful and expensive and does not retard genetic or age-related hair loss.
calp reduction is more a form of cosmetic surgery that involves tightening the scalp so that hair-bearing skin from the back and sides of the head is pulled towards the crown. Hair is then transplanted to the remaining bald areas. This process is also painful and expensive and does not halt genetic or age-related hair loss.
MHRA reviewed online clinic HealthExpress in UK for male pattern baldness. Get free hair loss consultation online and benefit of propecia next day delivery.
The Causes of Hair Loss in Women
You’re not alone if you’re experiencing breakage, increased hair shedding or significant hair loss.
Hair loss in women is most often very gradual and is more easily affected by hormonal changes, medical conditions, and external factors. Hair loss in women is no less distressing than in men. More often women s hair loss is limited to the thinning of the hair especially around the crown area. A receding hair line is rare in women. It usually starts with the hair follicle becoming thinner, revealing more skin.
Hair loss or hair shedding is consistent within the hair growth cycle and it is normal to lose some scalp hair each day. The average human scalp has roughly 100,000 to 150,000 individual hairs and the normal hair growth cycle results in the loosening or shedding of about 100 to 150 hairs on a daily basis. New hair growth then emerges from these same previous dormant hair follicles, growing at the average rate of about half an inch per month.
Baldness or Alopecia happens when the normal pattern of hair growth is disrupted. The normal pattern of human hair growth is growing, resting, shedding and growing again. For a woman, thick, vibrant hair is our crowning glory, our vanity visible. Our culture strongly identifies femininity with a thick, silky head of hair. Society unfairly identifies dry, lack luster and thinning hair with old age, sickness and poverty.
Reasons for hair loss include physical, emotional, and genetic conditions. Hair loss can occur from many common causes that most women do not even think of. The number of women who suffer from stress and hair loss is growing. Stress leads to various health conditions which cause hair loss.
A woman’s hair is at its thickest by age 20. Once we pass 20, however, our hair gradually begins to thin, shedding more than the normal 100-150 hairs a day. For even the elderly woman, significant hair loss can threaten self image.
Female pattern baldness or Androgen tic Alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in women and is genetic in nature. The result is a shorter hair growth cycle, finer hair and excessive hair loss from shedding and breakage.
Coming off birth control pills and pregnancy can cause hair loss. Women may experience hair loss 2 – 3 months after having a baby.
Progesterone is another hormone that precisely targets the hair during menopause. It compensates by producing extra androstenedione, which prevents hair growth. Usually hair will return to its original thickness following menopause.
A healthy balanced diet, regular exercise, hydration and rest can go a long way towards preventing hair loss and maximizing the potential of your hair growth cycle.
Nutrition
Poor nutrition is often an underlying cause of hair loss as the hair is a reliable indicator of nutritional well being. Dull hair color or dry and brittle hair may be indicators of a deficiency in essential fats in the diet, oily hair may be a sign of a B vitamin deficiency.
Low-fat foods that rank high in protein, low in carbohydrates, can play a vital role in sustaining healthy hair growth and aid in preventing hair loss. Harsh chemicals may strip the natural oils from your hair and lead to breakage and poor hair growth. Dye, hair straightening and permanent solutions are highly destructive to the hair shaft and follicle as well as the delicate sebum balance of the scalp.
Be gentle with your hair. Allow hair to dry naturally rather than using a hair dryer. Wet hair is weak hair so handle with care.
Try not to constantly run your fingers through your hair, tug at the hair and avoid hair clips or rubber bands that pull at and break off the hair. Minimize the usage of mousse, gels and hair sprays. These products dry and weigh down the hair shaft and dull the natural luster of your hair.
Harsh hair treatment such as pulling with brushes, tight braiding and styling with irons and strengtheners can be a cause of female thinning hair.
Sun worshippers should make sure that hair care products have sunscreen properties to protect hair from the damaging affects of UV rays.
Hair loss is traumatic, however our hair is only part of who we are. Remember, that for some hair grows back as mysteriously as it disappeared
Finding what has caused your hair loss will greatly increase your chances of finding the right treatments to help re grow your hair.
Visit for more useful information on http://www.1st-growhealthyhair.com for Hair Loss Women , Hair Vitamins
Knowing all about Hair Growth
It is an innate desire of human beings to look attractive regardless of the hair type they have. Each ethnic race has its own standards of beautiful hair. These days, people pay much attention to the state of their hair. This element of our bodies has pure aesthetic function. However, the latter should not be underestimated, for millions of men and women suffer from this lurking fear of going bald. Mere presence of some beautiful hair strands on the scalp is of not much significance if not with coupled with some healthy and voluminous hair to match. You can have both the beauty and quantity if you follow some faster hair growth tips.
Logically, to be able to take good care and preserve hair beauty, we should know what hair growth actually is and how it grows. To start with, one should realize that hair is made of dead protein cells, called keratin. Protein, being digested in the body, forms different amino acids. The latter can be connected in the particular combinations, producing different forms of protein in our organisms: keratin, collagen, insulin, etc. The first one is the source of our hair.
Lanugo is one of the very first hairs a human being acquires. It appears on the skin surface during the intrauterine development of a baby. Lanugo is silky, glossy, and almost invisible, since it has no pigment. Besides lanugo, there are three more types of the human hair: – vellus hair, which is soft, fine, short, and non-pigmented; – terminal hair is pigmented and quite long; male arms, chest, and legs hairs are terminal, as well as hairs on the scalp; – intermediate – it is something in between the first two types; it is usually moderately pigmented.
The structure of the hair has two main parts: the hair shaft (the actual hair we can see on the skin surface) and the hair follicle (the point from which hair grows). Hair cells are formed in hair bulb, which is nothing but lower part of a cup-shaped hair follicle. The newly produced cells push the older ones out of the bulb. A hair bulb contains nutritious elements, oxygen, and amino acids necessary for hair growth, as well as eumelanin or pheomelanin pigment melanin; former makes our hair black or brown while latter accounts for red or blond hairs).
All the cells pushed out of the bulb continue to move out of the follicle, and beyond its boundaries they are known as hair shaft. The hair shaft consists of the inner part (cortex), which contains small amounts of water, vitamins, fats, pigment, and the traces of different metals. Cortex is covered by a protective layer – cuticle. If the latter is smooth, glossy, and undamaged, hair looks beautiful else it loses its shine and smoothness.
Just like the plants, which have periods of active growth and time to rest, our hair has the anagen phase, when new hair cells are constantly produced, the catagen phase, when hair stops growing and prepares to have some rest (1-2 weeks), and the telogen phase – resting time itself, during which all fully grown hairs are shed (5-6 weeks). Then everything starts all over again.
Growth of healthy hair largely depends on its normal healthy functioning and structure. The hair structure is divided into two parts – the non living part that is projected out of the skin of the scalp and the other living part, that remains buried inside the scalp skin. Both hair parts have various functions to perform, besides being an integral component of the hair growth cycles. Alteration in the normal cyclical process of hair growth is one of the main causes of hair loss. The factors that affect the normal hair growth cycle are hormonal imbalance and genetics. Though it is hard to take care of the above two factors of hair loss, it is essential for you to keep your hair clean and healthy with the use of well-formulated cleansers and conditioners.
Healthy and faster hair growth not only helps you to look beautiful, it helps you to tie them to good hair styling. Here is an interesting opportunity for trying the hair styling tips. You can also imitate the hair styles of some famous Hollywood celebrities. Apart from imitating the hair styles of celebrities follow the natural hair care tips and discover the secrets of faster hair growth for beautifully shining hair. So take proper care of your hair, promote faster hair growth and also give you the opportunity to the follow the trendy hair style. The best hair oil is Mira hair oil, this oil is known to stop hair loss and promote the growth of healthy hair. Mira hair oil does it all.
It will * Stop hair loss * Prevent graying * Allow your hair to grow thick and healthy * Eliminate dandruff and as woman it will Restore health and shine to your hair in just one application. * Gets rid of dry frizzy hair- get sleek frizz free hair. * Completely eliminates a bad hair day. * Makes hair shine and turns it to its natural state. * Repair chemical and damaged hair in just a few simple applications
And Gets rid of dry, dull hair naturally removes frizz Plus it ensures you will never have a bad hair day and stimulates the growth of strong, thick, silky hair that will get you noticed wherever you go! Get yourself a free trial using the link below in the author’s box below?
Rob Maraby is the author of over 25 self published books on health, beauty and marketing! Try Mira hair oil for Free Knowing all about Hair Growth-click here and you will not be disappointed
How to take good care of your hairs
Most women desire beautiful, healthy, shiny hair, but few are aware of the right way to acquire it. The key to healthy and beautiful hair lies in the use of natural hair care products. They are quite efficient for improving most types of hair provided they are applied in accordance with the specific hair care requirement.
Before getting into hair care specifics, first you need to find the out the issues or causes of natural hair care. Shedding hair is a healthy process because it allows new hair re-growth on the scalp. Any disturbance in the normal hair growth cycles can lead to excessive hair loss. Some of the common causes of hair loss are discussed below –
Imbalance in hormones’ level
Hormonal imbalances is the major reasons for hair loss in both genetic and other types of hair loss. It generally occurs when testosterone hormone is in excess. The hair follicle dies and hair fiber finally falls out. Thyroid hormones also play a major role in hair growth. Any disruptions in the normal production levels of thyroid hormones can be a cause of hair loss. Hair follicles contain receptors for thyroid hormones and are very sensitive to the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.
Mal-nutrition
Lack of proper nutrition is also linked to hair loss. Hair growth is a constant metabolic activity which requires adequate food supply. Without sufficient food supply to follicles, their normal metabolic activity decreases eventually resulting in diffuse hair loss. Apart from regular intake of food, an adequate presence of minerals (silica, zinc, iron, calcium, and magnesium etc.) vitamins, protein and amino acids in the diet are necessary for healthy hair growth. Some of the nutrient supplements are also required for proper functioning of hormones that are responsible for androgen metabolism.
Stress-induced hair loss
Experts generally take the view that the hair follicles are surrounded with a network of nerve cells. Any disruption in the normal nerve cells’ signals leads to adverse effects on the hair follicles and their growth. The only consolation is that it is temporary in nature and hair growth will be fully restored once the reasons for the stress fade away.
Harmful Chemicals
Synthetic hair care products generally contain harmful chemicals which can have severe, negative effects on hair follicles. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is a detergent used in shampoos, hair conditioners and other toiletry products. It damages the hair and can cause serious irritation of the skin. Formaldehyde is another poisonous chemical, used in some cosmetics, including shampoos, and conditioners as a preservative.
Many hair care products are either extracted from plants, or include other beneficial natural elements. They have been used extensively for treating hair problems successfully for years. Other than promoting healthy hair growth, these natural hair care products also impart a sweet, natural fragrance to the hair unlike that offered by their synthetic counterparts. Unlike synthetic products they are usually devoid of any side-effects.
Natural hair care products alone cannot promote healthy hair growth. Hair roots are alive and like any other organs of the body; they need nutrition to maintain their normal functioning. Vitamins are among the purest ingredients that can help ensure healthy hair growth on the scalp. The natural vitamins for hair growth which are most essential include those in the vitamin B group. Apart from these, vitamins including vitamin E and C are also helpful for hair growth.
Among other natural hair care products, the product which needs special mention is natural hair color. Natural dyes are generally safe to use and usually do not have any adverse reactions, although some people can be allergic to some natural dyes containing henna. The natural hair colors can help you to have healthy hair by their conditioning effect; moreover these natural dyes are devoid of poisonous chemical elements like bleach or ammonia. In addition to these herbal based natural hair care products available in the market, there are plenty of herbal and nutritional diet supplements available on the market to take care of you hair. Find out about some natural hair care tips and be informed about the active ingredients to take care of your hair and maintain hair health – gently and naturally.
Adequate care using natural hair care products is absolutely necessary to promote healthy hair growth. Apart from natural products, a disciplined lifestyle combined with a balanced nutritious diet is the key for healthy hair.
The best hair oil for hair care is Mira hair oil, this oil is known to stop hair loss and promote the growth of healthy hair. Mira hair oil does it all.
It will * Stop hair loss * Prevent graying * Allow your hair to grow thick and healthy * Eliminate dandruff and as woman it will Restore health and shine to your hair in just one application. * Gets rid of dry frizzy hair- get sleek frizz free hair. * Completely eliminates a bad hair day. * Makes hair shine and turns it to its natural state. * Repair chemical and damaged hair in just a few simple applications
And Gets rid of dry, dull hair naturally removes frizz Plus it ensures you will never have a bad hair day and stimulates the growth of strong, thick, silky hair that will get you noticed wherever you go! Get yourself a free trial using the link below in the author’s box below?
Rob Maraby is the author of over 25 self published books on health, beauty and marketing! Try Mira hair oil for Free How to take good care of your hairs-click here and you will not be disappointed
Top Six Tips to Stop Hair Loss in Men
Article by Sonia Aguila
The biggest nightmare for men is to experience losing their hair. Since hair is the crowning glory of our personality, hair loss can be extremely depressing especially in this image conscious society. There are many cures and ways to prevent hair loss in men but what are they?
Medical advances have made it possible to prevent and stop hair loss. A few years ago this would sound like a false promise but there are treatments that really work today. Most of them come in the form of taking medications and undergoing hair restorations. Here are fruitful tips to help you combat hair loss.
A good shampoo or DHT inhibiting shampoo can help slow down or possibly even stop hair loss. It will also help if one learns to shampoo the right way: deeply and thoroughly. Unwashed shampoos left on the scalp may aggravate hair loss by irritating the scalp. Remember, a hair growth shampoo should be used in conjunction with other hair loss remedies or treatments for the best possible results.
Minoxidil lotion (Regaine regular strength or Regaine extra strength) is applied twice daily to the scalp. Minoxidil was originally invented as a treatment for high blood pressure; the hair growth is a side effect that, in this case, has proved useful. It is not available on NHS prescription, but can be purchased over-the-counter. About 60 per cent of patients benefit from it to varying degrees and its effects start to wear off as soon as it is stopped.
Finasteride (Propecia) is a medicine taken in tablet form that partially blocks the effects of the male hormones (an ‘anti-androgen’). It is used in a higher dose to reduce the size of the prostate gland in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy. Propecia has been shown to halt further hair fall and promote re-growth of scalp hair in approximately 80 per cent of patients after three to six months. Treatment must be continued to sustain the improvement in hair growth.
Hair transplant surgery has improved since its early days and can be an effective way of covering a balding scalp. Plugs of hair are taken from the back and sides of the head, where hair tends to continue to grow, and is placed in the scalp where it is needed. This works well and real hair grows to mask the baldness, but even these days the transplanted plugs make it look a little like doll’s hair.
Hair concealers are possibly the safest and easiest treatments to use. If you use hair concealers properly it can produce desired results. With a little practice you will be able to conceal any bald patch with ease. Hair concealers can be solid products (like colored powder that coats and thickens your hair), sprays (aerosolized polymers for thickening hair) or particles (charged with static electricity tiny hair fibers that intertwine with your own hair).
Wigs and toupees are also used to conceal bald spots and make you look more impressive. A good wig can really work wonders but as a matter of fact it is usually expensive and extremely fragile. Toupees are very similar to wigs but generally cover a very much smaller area.
Men who are suffering from hair loss should explore the aforementioned methods to combat their receding hairline before it is too late! By providing you with these tips to stop hair loss, you have more ways than ever before to hang on to your hair. Baldness may one day be a thing of the past, and in the meantime you can do a lot to prevent hair loss if you follow these fruitful tips.
About the Author
Stop Hair Loss | Effective Hair Loss Products
Some Natural Remedies For Hair Loss
Article by Caizechong
How to naturally regrow lost hair? Can you regrow hair naturally? Believe it or not, regrowing hair naturally is not difficult. But what types of remedies are going to work best for you? There are numerous ones that also serve to help your body in other ways.
1. Protein deficient diet can lead to hair loss. Studies reveal that people experiencing thinning hair show deficiency in proteins. One of the natural ways to regrow hair is to have a diet high in proteins. As hair is made up of proteins, a protein rich diet can surely restore natural hair regrowth. Foods in which protein is found in high amounts include chicken, fish, nuts (almonds), cheese and beans. Along with proteins, intake of other nutrients such as minerals and vitamins can also help to regrow hair naturally.
2. Cycling, swimming, jogging, walking, etc tend to lower testosterone levels. This, in turn, lowers DHT levels which might mean less hair loss. Note: Heavy weightlifting exercises will make DHT levels increase (which is why bodybuilding has been linked to hair loss).
3. Aloe, Arnica, Birch, Burdock, Catmint, Chamomile, Horsetail, Licorice, Marigold, Nettles, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Southernwood and Stinging nettle are the major herbs that are used for hair growth. These herbs increase the circulation and the supply of blood in the scalp. Herbs like Aloe, Nettles and Stinging nettles help to clean the blood and the skin for hair growth.
4. Having a clean head is another way to increase hair growth. Removing dead skin cells, oil, dirt and styling products from the hair and scalp allows hair follicles to breathe and grow hair. Just as clogged pores cause skin problems, clogged hair follicles cause hair growth stagnation. Roots cannot grow hair if they are blocked with oil and dead skin. One home remedy for cleaning the hair is making an egg shampoo. The yolks of two eggs, two ounces of mineral water and a tablespoon of lemon juice is a recipe recommended by the “Homemade Shampoo Recipes” on the Your Hairstyles website. Mix all the ingredients and apply the mixture to your scalp and hair. Rinse with warm water. Another option is to use commercial shampoos.
5. A very useful technique that boosts hair regrowth involves gentle massage to the scalp. Concentrate more on massaging the bald areas, but ensure that the massage is evenly given to the whole head. Poor blood circulation to the scalp, is the main cause behind thinning of hair. A scalp massage promotes better blood flow, necessary for healthy regrowth of hair.
6. Essential oils are associated with many beneficial effects for both the mind and body. Over the years, many have been used as natural remedies for thinning hair, hair loss as well as other skin and hair conditions. They are extremely concentrated and should normally be applied using a base or carrier oil (olive oil is especially good for healthy hair growth and removing residues from your scalp). Methods of application include: hair oil, rinse and massage.
7. Saw palmetto is the herbs that are used in the products like folligen and revivogen. The extract of this herb is mixed in the composition of the medicine. Some pills are also available from the ayurvedic treatment that helps in the hair growth and regrowth. Other herbs for hair growth are listed and explained below.
About the Author
Author is an online medical researcher on hair loss treatment and yeast infections treatment. Click read more on hair loss treatment, yeast infection treatment.
In the Hair Replacement Industry, “Sincerity Goes a Long Way”
Introducing White Cliffs Hair Studio, the best thing to come from England since â?¦ the Beatles?
His face was the picture of earnestness and sincerity as we spoke in the parking lot of the nondescript studio located just outside of Indianapolis. â??This company has given me back my life. It has delivered me from years of feeling hopeless.â?
The young man Iâ??m speaking to is Jeremy, a 22-year-old graduate student at the University of Indiana and the company heâ??s speaking of isnâ??t a corporate headhunter or a shrink or an employer. Heâ??s speaking of an Indianapolis hair replacement studio that, according to Jeremy, â??has given me back the confidence to enjoy my life without looking ten years older than I am.â?
Jeremy is a handsome man with a baby face and a serious manner. He has already explained that heâ??s â??baldâ? but upon close inspection, there is no proof whatsoever that he has lost one single strand of hair from his head. The sun is shining and I can see the color and natural highlights as well as the density and what appears to be hair growing â?? emerging â?? from his scalp.
â??Touch it,â? challenges Jeremy. â??Run your fingers through my hair.â?
Iâ??m shy to do this in a parking lot, but I do. I explore his head with my fingertips searching for some sign that this kid is putting me on. I feel no creases or bumps aside from the normal features of his scalp and head. I examine his hairline. I see hairs growing everywhere. I look closer.
â??All of the hair on top isnâ??t mine,â? he says.  â??The hair on the sides and back is mine.â? Then the talk turns serious. â??When I began losing my hair at age 17, I wanted to die. I didnâ??t believe I would ever find anyone to love me and I hid in a hat for five years before I found White Cliffs on the Internet. They had just opened here in Indianapolis. They are a British company but now theyâ??re here. To me, they are the coolest thing to come from England since the Beatles.â?
Jeremy tells me he is performing a poetry reading on campus this very night, an â??open micâ? affair. He tells me that his restored hair allows him to focus because he isnâ??t worried about what other people are thinking. â??This is the best money Iâ??ll ever spend,â? he says before driving off.
Inside Iâ??m now visiting with Paul Sandor, the owner and operator of White Cliffsâ?? Indianapolis hair replacement studio. Weâ??re looking through Jeremyâ??s file and Iâ??m examining the photos Paul took of Jeremy when he first came in for a consultation.
â??Can you believe itâ??s the same person?â? Sandor asks. â??Look at that hair.â?
I reply in the negative but I hadnâ??t even focused on the differences of the hair. Iâ??m looking at the eyes, the face. Iâ??m trying to reconcile the sad, hopeless and lifeless face of the young man in the photos to the handsome, colorful, intense and full-of-life face of the person I was just speaking to in the parking lot 30 minutes before.
Then I allow myself to take in the entire photo and I see a young, premature balding man with a scant amount of hair on the top and a recession pattern that goes back clear to the crown.
â??Thatâ??s quite a transformation,â? I finally say to Sandor, who is standing back smiling broadly.
â??Thatâ??s what we do here,â? he replies, still beaming. â??We change lives for the better.â?
â??What does a â??transformationâ?? like this cost?â? I asked, bracing myself.
He directed me to again look at the photos and to reflect on Jeremyâ??s current look and outlook. I did. â??So the question, then, isnâ??t â??what is the costâ??â? he said, â??as much as it is â??what is the valueâ?? of the transformation.â?
I wanted to press him for a straight answer but instead I heard myself saying, â??Well, if I take what Jeremy told me at face value, and I examine these photos and add that to what I understand about human nature, I might conclude that the value is priceless.â?
â??Exactly,â? he said, patting my shoulder with as much enthusiasm as if I had just recited the winning question on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. â??Now you understand what White Cliffs is all aboutâ?.
White Cliffs Hair Studio originated in London in 2003 and began as a single studio called Hair Loss Centre. The premise of the founding partners was to found a company dedicated to hair loss sufferers by hair loss sufferers.
According to the company profile on their website, the two principals were both hair loss sufferers who had tried every hair loss treatment method under the sun including laser treatments, topical remedies, surgery and nonsurgical treatment methods.
After years of research and many, many thousands of dollars later, they had realized that they had become experts in their own right. Determined to save hair loss sufferers both time and money, the partners â?? Andrew and Warren â?? decided to open Hair Loss Center in the elegant Mayfair section of London. Think Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
From those humble beginnings sprouted White Cliffs Hair Studio, now known Internationally with studios throughout the United Kingdom including Scotland and Ireland.  Studios in India, Canada, Australia soon opened, followed by three studios in the United States in Cleveland, Indianapolis and, most recently, in Chicago.   Paul Sandor owns and operates all three US enterprises.
What made White Cliffs stand out so quickly was their multi-solution approach to solving hair loss. â??In the beginning, before I became a White Cliffs studio, I only offered nonsurgical hair replacement,â? said Sandor. â??Hair loss is more complex than that. You need more tools than that. Itâ??s like that saying: If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything like it is a nail. Now we offer every solution for every type of hair loss condition.â?
I was still thinking about Jeremy when Paulâ??s next client, Lerna, walked into the office. Lerna is a beautiful 42-year-old African American woman who works as a public school teacher in Indianapolis. She looks and dresses conservatively but said that this wasnâ??t always the case.
â??Ever since I was a child, I embraced all the African traditions as far as beading and braiding my hair,â? she said, laughing. â??All through my teens and twenties, I used harsh chemicals and even harsher braiding techniques. But I was young and even though everyone warned me to take better care of my hair I didnâ??t listen.â?
While in her mid-thirties Lerna was diagnosed with traction Alopecia, a common cause of hair loss due to extended tension exerted on the scalp hair, such as is caused by ponytails and braids. She was shocked when she cut her hair short one year to find that underneath all of her outer hair, she had lost significant amounts of her hair in patches.
â??It was nightmarish,â? she said, â??but little did I know that my nightmare was only beginning. The road to finding an expert and professional who cares and really understands how to help someone like me is not an easy one.â?
Lerna related a four-year quest to restore her natural appearance as well as â??everything else I lost when I lost my hair; the self-esteem and the self-confidence.â?
â??I went to six different salons before I found White Cliffs,â? she relates. â??They all put hair on my head, but it wasnâ??t my hair. And thatâ??s a big difference. They all wanted me to shave off my remaining hair in order to give me the density I wanted and they didnâ??t understand why I would want to keep what is there, what is still mine.â?
She had spent over ,000 over six years without getting what she paid for. Today, her hair looks both natural and stylish. Unlike Jeremy, her front hairline was her own actual hair. While the traction Alopecia had caused her hair to recede slightly, it still looked natural for a woman her age.
This time I got to see her without her hair prosthetic applied to her head. â??Patchy hair lossâ? described her hair condition perfectly. She had a lot of her own hair, with large patches of thinning and missing hair. Sandor had applied a â??Volumizer hair systemâ? to her head, a thin, weightless mesh base with hair tied to it that perfectly matched her own hair, texture and color. The base contains openings for her own, natural hair to pull through it, perfectly blending with the tied-on hair, making her bald patches virtually disappear and giving her instant density and an instant smile.
â??These people here are very sensitive,â? she said. â??They care deeply about me. I feel that. Like Paul always says, Iâ??m not a client and heâ??s not a businessman. Weâ??re in a partnership. Weâ??re equals. Thatâ??s the sort of relationship I like to be in where nobody has the upper hand.  It feels comfortable. Sincerity goes a long way with me.â?
The White Cliffs of Dover in Britain are a sight to behold. They are chalky, white cliffs that form an important part of the English coastline and are deeply inscribed with significant national identity, history and meaning. For thousands of years these cliffs have formed a symbolic guard against enemy and foreign invasion of English ports.
To the British, these cliffs represent their national pride and values of strength, fortitude, courage and beauty.
White Cliffs Hair Studio claims the same values as their namesake cliffs. An examination of their website illustrates a study of smooth elegance, style and technology. Their marketing messages are fine-tuned into short, powerful phrases that cut right to the heart of hair loss.
In one banner a young woman is leaning carefree with her head in her hand, along with the message: She looks great and feels great. Hair Restoration is life restoration. The confidences to exceed her limits and to see herself as she is � beautiful.
Another banner portrays a chemo patient posed with a physician and the words:Â Maintaining a whole and healthy appearance during your recovery helps you to feel better â?¦ which helps you to heal better.
Like a menu at a fine restaurant, they outline their treatment offerings with each treatment accompanied by pages of frequently asked questions, photos, videos and testimonials. Lightly sprinkled throughout the website are testimonials of British celebrities and accolades from organizations and websites dedicated to hair loss.
While they made their name with their nonsurgical hair systems â?? which they manufacture themselves in their own factory â?? all studios now offer laser hair therapy, hair transplant surgery, hair extensions, topical treatments, and special â??Cancer wigsâ? â?? prosthetics â?? for those undergoing Oncology treatments who temporarily lose their hair as a result of the treatments.
The partners – in order to fund and provide free hair loss products and services to children with financial need – formed the White Cliffs Foundation.
Bill Smith, editor of HairSite.com, one of the world’s largest and longest running websites dedicated to hair loss, recommends White Cliffs and offered this perspective:
â??Iâ??ll tell you what is different about White Cliffs. Theyâ??ve mastered the relationship with the client, which in this industry has become one of the most important factors for success. Nowadays, the materials that go into a hair system are more or less the same anywhere you go. In the end, success in the non-surgical hair replacement business depends on two things: artistry and customer service. In other words, the craftsmanship that goes into building an undetectable hair system and how well a salon manages client relationships. White Cliffs is one of the very few full service salons that has managed to do both extremely well and that explains why they have become so successful.â?
Sandor himself reads Smithâ??s quote and nods approvingly. â??Heâ??s right. If we assume all things are equal in terms of materials, you still need talent and caring to turn it into something beautiful because only when its done with a high level of skill does it work as far as restoring the hair but also the self-esteem and self-confidence; the restoring of life.â?
â??Thatâ??s the White Cliffs way,â? he adds reassuringly. â??Thatâ??s â??the better wayâ??.â?
Travis M. Keeler is a hair loss expert with specialized knowledge of nonsurgical hair replacement and hair transplant surgery. For more information about the opportunities and pitfalls of hair replacement, please visit: Hair Replacement Video.
Best Hair Care Products for Your Hair
Article by Riki Morkal
The most expensive products are not necessarily the best hair products. Many of these products are very commercial and expensive, which gives people the illusion they are the best. In fact, there are indeed many natural products for hair that is inexpensive but effective.
Generally, people often want to take off easily when it comes to their hair problems. They depend on what the advertisements say, and the views of their stylists. The problem here is that all these data sources can be trusted 100%. Many of these companies just trying to promote their product better. Therefore, it will eventually try product after product without making any real progress.
There are many hair products on the market, but how do you know which ones are the best hair products? This article will help you discover some of the best products you can buy to treat your hair problems.
To begin, you must first define the part of hair that you want to improve. Some people may want more moisture, while others may want even more smooth and silky hair. Since everyone has different needs, the products are suitable for them are different. There are four main products for hair, which can be acquired primarily shampoo, conditioner, serum levels and masks.
Shampoos are by far the most common type of products that people buy for your hair. Shampoos are designed to clean and remove excess grease and dirt in her hair, making it completely dry. It is important that you buy a good shampoo, shampoo because the quality is often poor can do more harm than good to your hair. Some of the best shampoos added vitamins in it, as well as ingredients such as shea butter and jojoba extract. These types of products have less chemical content, which is ideal for hair.
Air conditioners are often used after shampooing. Although it is not necessary to use conditioner every day I use it occasionally to maintain moisture in your hair. If possible, use daily for best results. good conditioners helps lock moisture into your hair which is important if you want to have healthier hair. Shampoo does not help retain moisture. Note that low-priced air conditioners are very waxy, which is not good for hair because it blocks the hair cuticle, giving the illusion that he is brilliant.
For those who are serious about treating your hair, hair serum can be very useful and effective. Hair serums are specialty products that specifically address the problem. Its high concentration allows you to work directly on the cause and remedy. Over time, your hair will be healthier and brightest of this treatment.
These products are the best natural hair, you’ll find in this article are very safe to use and have little or no side effects. Unlike its commercial products, which are chemicals that can damage your hair, using natural hair products is an excellent choice, without having to suffer the consequences. Why are not heavily promoted through advertising, most people are not aware that these products exist. Although they are harder to find their common store, you can purchase online.
Two important factors in maintaining good hair care products provides moisture and retain moisture. Some products only address one issue that is only a temporary treatment. If moisture is not maintained, any treatment that is applied to the hair will be in vain. The most natural hair product should be able to tackle the task is to provide moisture retention and humidity at the same time. Only a few have unique products of these two features.
About the Author
Visit http://www.plasticcosmeticsurgeryindia.com for Plastic Surgery India and Hair Transplant in India.
Densitometry and Video-Microscopy in the Hair Transplant Evaluation
Densitometry and Video-Microscopy in the Hair Transplant Evaluation
Densitometry is a technique that analyzes the scalp under high-power magnification to give information on hair density, follicular unit composition and degree of miniaturization. It can be used to help evaluate a patient’s candidacy for hair transplantation and help predict future hair loss. More recently, video-microscopes have been developed that can project the image onto a computer screen and provide a permanent digital record. This paper describes the value of taking objective measurements, using densitometry or video-microscopy, in the hair transplant evaluation.
Background
One of the earliest methods of measuring hair density was devised by Bouhanna, who used camera attachments to create a “phototrichogram,” an ultra close-up photograph of hair exiting the scalp. This method provided the capability to document the quality and quantity of hair shafts. However, the disadvantage of this innovation was that an assessment could not be done until after the film had been developed. [1]
In 1993, Rassman introduced a small hand-held instrument, the Hair Densitometer, to make densitometry easy to perform during a consultation. [2, 3]. The hair densitometer is a self-contained, portable, device that houses a magnifying lens and an opening of predetermined size. The hair is clipped short (~ 1-mm) and the unit is placed directly on the scalp. An assessment is made from a standard 10mm2 field. Multiple measurements taken from different parts of the scalp are often helpful, particularly if there is significant variability from one location to another. [4] An advantage of the hand-held densitometer is that it is inexpensive and readily available to be used during the consultation and can provide immediate information regarding a patient’s candidacy for surgery.
A number of other hand-held instruments to measure density have been developed with the similar basic elements of magnification, illumination and a calibrated field or ruler. With more recent technology, digital trichograms allow the physician to take quantitative measurements of hair shaft diameters and provide an immediate, permanent record of this information. [5-7]
The densitometer was initially used to quantify a patient’s donor density, to estimate the total number of grafts that could be safely obtained from the donor area, and help predict the change in reserves over subsequent transplant sessions. [3] With the introduction of Follicular Unit Transplantation in 1995, these authors began to use densitometry to assess follicular unit composition (the number of terminal and miniaturized hairs that each individual unit contained) and follicular unit density (the spacing between units), as these additional factors were found to be important in the assessment of the donor supply and in the overall surgical planning of follicular unit transplantation procedures. [8-10]. The use of densitometry was soon expanded to guide the surgical treatment of those with racially distinct hair characteristics, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of balding women, and to further define the conditions of diffuse patterned and un-patterned hair loss. [10-12]
A number of other hand-held instruments to measure density have been developed with the similar basic elements of magnification, illumination and a calibrated field or ruler. With more recent technology, digital trichograms allow the physician to take quantitative measurements of hair shaft diameters and provide an immediate, permanent record of this information. [5-7] [Figure 2]
The densitometer was initially used to quantify a patient’s donor density, to estimate the total number of grafts that could be safely obtained from the donor area, and help predict the change in reserves over subsequent transplant sessions. [3] With the introduction of Follicular Unit Transplantation in 1995, these authors began to use densitometry to assess follicular unit composition (the number of terminal and miniaturized hairs that each individual unit contained) and follicular unit density (the spacing between units), as these additional factors were found to be important in the assessment of the donor supply and in the overall surgical planning of follicular unit transplantation procedures. [8-10]. The use of densitometry was soon expanded to guide the surgical treatment of those with racially distinct hair characteristics, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of balding women, and to further define the conditions of diffuse patterned and un-patterned hair loss. [10-12]
Miniaturization
Normally, follicular units contain 1-4 terminal hairs of uniform diameter and, occasionally, fine vellous hairs, with the two hair populations being clinically distinct. In androgenetic hair loss, the action of DHT causes individual terminal hairs in some follicular units to miniaturize, where they begin to decrease in diameter and in length until they resemble vellous hairs. Eventually, these hairs will disappear. In androgenetic alopecia, hairs in varying stages of involution (and thus of varying diameters) cause these two distinct populations of hairs to merge into one continuum. The changes eventually cause visible thinning in affected areas, but may initially be detectable only through densitometry.
At first, miniaturization involves only one or two hairs in select follicular units, but eventually progresses to involve all the hair follicles in genetically susceptible areas. It has been the observation of these authors that a shift from focal to generalized miniaturization precedes the actual loss of affected hairs, so that total hair counts remain relatively constant until end-stage baldness. [8] Said another way, the progressive thinning associated with androgenetic hair loss (particularly in the early stages) is caused by a decrease in the hair shaft diameter of an increasingly larger number of hairs, rather than by the actual loss of individual hair follicles.
Miniaturization, unfortunately, can also occur in the back and sides of the scalp. When it affects a person’s donor area, it will have profound implications for surgery. Although miniaturization in the donor area is a relatively uncommon occurrence in men, it is quite common in women, explaining why so many more men with hair loss are candidates for surgery compared to women. In all cases, donor miniaturization must be assessed prior to considering surgery.
Densitometry Measurements
Densitometry is extremely helpful in evaluating patients for hair transplantation. When determining which persons are candidates for hair transplantation, it can be used to measure the absolute donor hair density (i.e. # of hairs/mm2), the composition of follicular units (i.e. the number of 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-hair units), and the degree of miniaturization.
Although the precise hair density and composition of follicular units will not be known until after the donor strip has been completely dissected, at the time of the consultation, densitometry can tell the doctor the approximate hair density. This will enable him to determine how much hair will be obtained from a certain size strip or how large a strip will be needed for a required number of follicular unit grafts.
Densitometry will also give information regarding the cosmetic impact of the hair restoration. Other hair characteristics being equal, if a person has a high number of 3- and 4-hair grafts, he/she would be expected to have a fuller hair transplant than a person with predominately 1- and 2-hair follicular units.
For example, a typical Caucasian would have follicular units in his/her donor area that contained, on average, 2.25 hairs each. If there were 1 follicular unit per mm2 in the donor area (0.9 to 1.0 is normal) then one would need 2,500mm2 of donor tissue for a 2,500 graft procedure. A donor strip that was 1cm wide would need to be approximately 25cm long to contain 2,500 follicular unit grafts. See the following table.
Stereo-microscopic dissection of the donor strip would yield approximately 14% 1-hair grafts, 53% 2-hair grafts and 33% 3- and 4-hair grafts. The single-hair grafts would be used to create a soft, natural frontal hairline and the 3- and 4-hair grafts would be used in the forelock area to create the appearance of central density.
Small variations in follicular unit density can have a significant impact on the procedure. A person of similar hair shaft characteristics (i.e. hair diameter, color and wave) that had 2.0 hairs per follicular unit, also spaced 1mm apart, would require exactly the same size strip for a 2,500 graft procedure. In this case, however, the follicular units would, on average, have less cosmetic value and the person should expect a thinner look from the surgery as only 17% of the grafts contain 3- or 4- hairs. In addition, the ability to create central density via graft sorting would be reduced. On the other hand, with a donor density of 2.4 hairs per unit, 40% of the grafts will contain 3- or 4-hairs and the ability of the surgeon to create density in the forelock area using only naturally occurring follicular unit will be significant
If we look at the total number of hairs contained in the follicular units, we note that for a 2,500 graft procedure, a person with 2.4 hairs per follicular unit will have 1,000 more hairs than a person with a density of 2.0.
Densitometry, therefore, gives the physician information regarding the number of single hair units that can be anticipated from a given size donor strip (without having to subdivide larger units) and the degree to which the larger follicular units can create central and forward weighting to enhance the aesthetic impact of the procedure.
Donor Miniaturization
Normally, the donor area shows little or no miniaturization and the density counts described above are useful in predicting both the short- and long-term outcome of the procedure. However, if genetic hair loss affects the donor area, the situation changes dramatically. Once full-thickness terminal hair begins to miniaturize, the cosmetic value of the follicular unit begins to decrease and the value of the grafts will be diminished. In other words, just because hair is transplanted, it doesn’t make the hair transplant permanent – the hair in the donor area must be permanent.
Early detection of miniaturization in the donor area is a warning sign that the donor area is not stable and that the person may not be a good candidate for surgical hair restoration. If any miniaturization is detected in a young person, i.e. under the age of 25, red flags should go up that their donor area may not be stable. When miniaturization is noted in a teenager, the risk of developing diffuse un-patterned hair loss (see below) is significant. In an older adult male, some miniaturization, perhaps up to 20%, is consistent with being a good surgical candidate.
Unlike men, adult women often have significant levels of miniaturization in the donor area, so the mere presence of miniaturization is not necessarily a contraindication to surgery. However, miniaturization does indicate an unstable donor supply and one has to make a judgment regarding the risk/reward of the procedure. The physician needs to consider the absolute number of full terminal hairs that are available for the hair transplant, the risk of further miniaturization, the area that needs to be covered, and the risk of the surgery accelerating the hair loss. This is particularly important to consider in women, since hair is often transplanted into an area that has a considerable amount of existing hair – some of which is at risk of being shed from the surgery.
In women, when the risk of continued miniaturization of the donor area is added to the risk of the surgery accelerating hair loss in the area to be transplanted, a far fewer percentage of women are good candidates for surgery compared to men. To think otherwise is disingenuous.
Diffuse Patterned and Un-patterned Alopecia
The importance of donor miniaturization as a factor affecting a person’s candidacy for a hair transplant was emphasized almost a decade ago in the paper “Follicular Transplantation: Patient Evaluation and Surgical Planning.”[4] In this writing, we described two conditions; “Diffuse Patterned Alopecia” (DPA) and “Diffuse Un-patterned Alopecia” (DUPA). These were first mentioned by O’tar Norwood when he devised the classification of androgenetic alopeica that bears his name. These two conditions, however, were not detailed in his paper and never received much attention. This was unfortunate because their understanding gives important insights into how to determine who will be a candidate for hair restoration surgery. [5]
Diffuse Patterned Alopecia (DPA) is characterized by diffuse thinning (miniaturization) in the front, top, and vertex of the scalp in conjunction with a stable permanent zone. DPA is usually associated with the persistence of the frontal hairline and, in the early stages, the thinning is relatively even across the top of the scalp. This contrasts with regular Norwood patients that have early hair loss at the temples and in the crown with balding that spares the top of the scalp. Patients with DPA can be good candidates for hair transplantation due to their stable permanent zone; however, they have an increase risk of shedding after the hair transplant, due to the diffuse miniaturization across the top of the scalp.
In the less common Diffuse Un-patterned Alopecia (DUPA), the miniaturization process occurs over the entire scalp, so that the person lacks a stable permanent zone. People with DUPA tend to lose their hair at an early age, often beginning in their teens. In the early stages, there may be only a slight suggestion of decreased hair volume overall and actual thinning may only be noted through densitometry. Over time, the back and sides of the scalp can take on a transparent appearance, particularly when the hair is cut short. Because the donor area is not permanent, hair transplantation is contra-indicated in patients with Diffuse Un-patterned Alopecia.
Although fully manifest diffuse un-patterned hair loss is relatively uncommon in men, there are many younger patients who have slightly increased degrees of miniaturization in the back and sides of the scalp, making the long-term stability of the donor area questionable. In these patients, the decision to recommend hair restoration surgery is particularly difficult. As a general rule, if the decision is difficult, it is best postponed, since, over time, the stability of the donor area will become more obvious. A mistake can leave the patient with transplanted hair that will thin over time and a donor scar(s) that may become visible.
Both Diffuse Patterned and Un-patterned alopecia also occur in women. However, in contrast to men, the DUPA pattern in women is much more common, possibly occurring 10 times as frequently as DPA. As in men, female patients with DUPA are not good candidates for a transplant, except in the instance where the goal is solely to soften the frontal edge of a hairpiece. The high incidence of Diffuse Un-patterned Alopecia in women partly explains why many fewer women are good candidates for hair transplantation as compared to men.
It is important to emphasize that other, non-genetic, causes of hair loss must be considered in cases where the balding pattern is diffuse. These include anemia, thyroid disease, connective tissue disease, gynecological conditions, severe emotional events, and medications. Although the presence of miniaturization likely points toward a hereditary cause of the hair loss, with diffuse hair loss other etiologies must always be entertained.
Conclusion
Densitometry is an important tool for the evaluation of hair loss and for assessing candidacy for hair transplantation. Measuring donor density and assessing the degree of miniaturization in the donor area should be an integral part of the evaluation of every patient in which surgical hair restoration is considered. This will enable physicians to better select those who are good candidates for a hair transplant and help identify those patients in whom the procedure is contraindicated. For patients having a hair transplant, these measurements will enable the physician to better estimate the size of the donor strip and be better able to anticipate the aesthetic outcome of the hair restoration procedure.
References
1. Bouhanna P: Phototrichogram: a technique for the objective evaluation of the diagnosis and course of diffuse alopecia. In W Montagna et al. (eds). Hair and Aesthetic Medicine. Roma, Salus Ed. 1983: 277-280.
2. Rassman WR, Pomerantz, MA. The art and science of mini-grafting. Int J Aesthet Rest Surg 1993; 1:27-36.
3. Rassman WR, Carson S. Micro-grafting in extensive quantities; the ideal hair restoration procedure. Dermatol Surg 1995; 21:306-311.
4. Bernstein RM, Rassman WR, Seager D, Shapiro R, et al. Standardizing the classification and description of follicular unit transplantation and mini-micro-grafting techniques. Dermatol Surg 1998; 24: 957-63.
5. Stough DB, Haber RS. Hair Replacement: Surgical and Medical. St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 1996: 139-140.
6. Van Neste D, Dumortier M, De Coster W: Phototrichogram analysis: technical aspects and problems in relation to automated quantitative evaluation of hair growth by computer assisted image analysis. In Van Neste D, Lachapelle JM, Antoine JL (eds). Trends in Human Hair Growth and Alopecia Research. Dordrecht, Kluwer Acad. Pub, 1989: 155-165.
7. Hayashi S, Hiyamoto I, Takeda K: Measurement of human hair growth by optical microscopy and image analysis. Br J Dermatol 1991; 125:123-129.
8. Bernstein RM , Rassman WR, Szaniawski W, Halperin A: Follicular Transplantation. Intl J Aesthetic Restorative Surgery 1995; 3: 119-32.
9. Bernstein RM, Rassman WR: The logic of follicular unit transplantation. Dermatologic Clinics 1999; 17 (2): 277-95.
10. Bernstein RM, Rassman WR: Follicular Transplantation: Patient Evaluation and Surgical Planning. Dermatol Surg 1997; 23: 771-84.
11. Bernstein RM, Rassman WR: The Aesthetics of Follicular Transplantation. Dermatol Surg 1997; 23: 785-99.
12. Norwood OT. Male pattern baldness: classification and incidence. So. Med. J 1975; 68:1359-1365.
Dr. Bernstein is Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University in New York. Dr. Bernstein’s hair restoration center in Manhattan is devoted to the treatment of hair loss using his state-of-the-art hair transplant techniques. To read more publications on hair loss, visit http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/.
From Scalp to Brow: Eyebrow Transplants are Hair Transplants Too
From Scalp to Brow: Eyebrow Transplants are Hair Transplants Too
Eyebrow reconstruction as a hair transplant technique is based on the technology first reported by Krusis in Germany in 1914 and later by the Japanese in the 1930 and 40s. In 1943, Tamara reported that single-hair grafts should be used for the hair restoration as these would look the most natural. Nearly a half-century later, when the most advanced type of scalp hair transplantation consists of using naturally occurring follicular units containing 1-4 hairs, the most refined type of eyebrow transplant still consists of using individual hair follicles.
The advance in eyebrow hair restoration lies, therefore, not in the use of individual hairs – this has been known for a long time – but in the adoption of techniques used in scalp hair transplantation that enable the physician to carefully isolate these individual hair follicles from the donor scalp.
The specific technique is called stereo-microscopic dissection, and it enables the surgeon to generate a hair follicle that contains all the essential anatomic structures necessary for maximum survival and growth, but that is devoid of the excess tissue that makes traditional grafts too cumbersome for the nuanced restoration of the eyebrows.
A carefully dissected single-hair micro-graft, trimmed of excess epidermis, dermis and fat, has the flexibility to be inserted into the tiny opening made with a fine hypodermic needle and placed at an angle almost flush with the skin – two techniques that are essential for the most natural restoration. The tiny recipient sites allow the grafts to be placed very close together. However, when closely placed grafts are angled so acutely, the base of one follicle literally lies under the shaft of the next, so that any extra volume to the graft can leave an unnatural lumpiness on the brow. The slender, microscopically dissected grafts have no volume other than the functional follicle, so they are perfectly suited for this closely spaced, acutely angled graft placement.
The Hair Cycle
The normal hair cycle varies from months to years; depending upon the part of the body the hair is located. Each hair regenerative cycle has a growth phase called anagen and a resting phase called telogen. The anagen phase for scalp hair ranges from 3-6 years while the anagen phase of the eyebrow hair is significantly shorter. The rate of growth for scalp hairs ranges from .30-.41 mm per day (about a half inch per month), while the growth rate of the eyebrow hair is half of that.
When scalp hair is transplanted to the eyebrow, the longer hair cycle of the scalp hair makes it grow to a cosmetically unacceptable long length. This necessitates frequent trimming of the eyebrows that is not only a nuisance, but that produces a cut end that is less elegant than the finely pointed tip of an uncut hair.
Over time, the transplanted hair will assume some of the characteristics of the site that it was transplanted into and the length of the transplanted hair will begin to gradually decrease. It is not known if the transplanted follicles will eventually assume the full characteristics of the surrounding eyebrow hair, but work by Wang et al. suggests that influences of the recipient are more significant than was previously thought.
Indications for Eyebrow Hair Restoration and Reconstruction
A variety of conditions can result in a loss or alteration of the eyebrows. Probably the most common is self induced – caused by repeated plucking of the eyebrows for aesthetic reasons, or less often from a compulsive disorder called trichotillomania. Those who pluck hair as an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) should not be transplanted without addressing the OCD first, since transplanting the eyebrow will fail as the patient returns to old habits.
Other forms of physical trauma that may result in loss of eyebrows include car accidents, burn injuries, defects from surgical procedures, and radio- and chemotherapy. Burns or trauma may result in the formation of scar tissue that initially precludes hair transplantation. In these cases, reconstructive surgery may be necessary before the eyebrow hair transplant can be accomplished. Thickened scars may respond to injections of corticosteroids and, once thin, may readily support the growth of transplanted hair.
Women with eyebrows that they deem to be too thin occasionally have them tattooed, but this almost invariably looks unnatural. The situation worsens as the pigment is engulfed by macrophages and brought deeper into the dermis causing the black-brown color to take on a bluish hue. The pigment can be successfully removed with lasers, but then the once thin eyebrows become totally devoid of hair.
A common dermatologic condition that may cause the loss of the eyebrows (and eyelashes as well) is alopecia areata. This is a genetic, auto-immune condition that manifests with the sudden onset of discrete, round patches of hair loss with normal underlying skin. It can be treated with injections of cortisone, but tends to re-occur.
Systemic diseases may also cause the loss of one’s eyebrows and there are also congenital abnormalities that are associated with the absence of eyebrows and/or eyelashes.
In some patients, the disappearance of one’s eyebrows is a normal occurrence with age and genetic hair loss results from the progressive thinning (miniaturization) of the hair until it is barely noticeable.
For any eyebrow transplant procedure to be successful, one must be certain that the underlying condition that caused the hair loss in the first place has been corrected. Once the hair loss is stable, hair restoration may be contemplated.
The Design
Persons who seek eyebrow hair restoration (or any hair transplant, for that matter) generally have particular desires, goals and prejudices on what the ideal shape of their hair should be. Creating natural looking eyebrows can be a difficult task because of the differences between a patient’s prejudices and normal eyebrow design. Eyebrows are as different as faces, so “normal” is a relative term. If beauty is the focus for females, there are rules that can be applied to help define a beautiful eyebrow. Men, who are not satisfied with their eyebrow shape, often want their eyebrows to have a special character, such as the look of Albert Einstein. Some men think that bushy eyebrows are the most desirable as they represent male virility or genius. Women, on the other hand, want delicacy and more well defined shapes. These differences in the preferences of each sex must be understood and incorporated in the design of the restoration from the outset.
Beauty is not just determined by a specific angle or a precise number of grafts. The art of the restoration requires that the surgeon gets “inside the head” of the patient and understands what he or she wants to achieve. In contrast to balding men, who often cannot remember where their hair was when they were young and who are thus open to any design that will give them hair, the person seeking eyebrow restoration often has very specific ideas in mind. The doctor’s job is to moderate the patient’s perspective and make sure that it is reasonable. Mistakes are in full view and can leave a patient with a problem that may require years of plucking to correct.
Proper angulation is the most important aspect of any eyebrow transplant. The hair in the upper part of the central edge of the eyebrow usually points upward to the hairline, while the hair on the lateral aspects points horizontally, towards the ears. The hair in the upper part of the eyebrow should be pointed slightly downward and the lower portion slightly upward, so that they will converge in the middle, forming a slight ridge and resembling the pattern of a feather.
The eyebrows must be put in flat, or they will stick out pointing forward. The surgeon controls the direction and the distribution as the hair is transplanted into the eyebrow, and fine skills are required to densely pack single hairs into the small needle tracks that make for an undetectable wound.
The Technique
The outline of the eyebrow transplant should be carefully delineated using a fine surgical marker according to the design that the doctor and patient had agreed upon during the consultation. Markings should also be used to indicate the directional change of the hair as one moves medial to lateral. It is often helpful to make these markings above the brow (outside the area that will be transplanted) so that they are not lost as the sites are being made.
Once the markings are complete, the patient should be given a mirror to make sure that this is what they had discussed and that the design is satisfactory. At this point we find it helpful for the physician to leave the room (another staff member should still be present) to give the patient a few minutes to reflect on the design.
A small amount of anesthetic should first be injected in the supra-trochlear and supra-orbital notches to create a nerve block to numb the medial and lateral aspects of the brow. Local infiltration using a mixture of xylocaine or bupivicaine and epinephrine can further anesthetize the area and provide rigidity to the eyebrows. Tumescence enables the physician to keep the recipient sites more superficial and at a more acute angle and minimizes bleeding. Due to the small volume of fluid needed, a separate tumescent mixture is generally not necessary. The use of corticosteroids and other particulate solutions should be avoided when injecting around the eyes.
Recipient sites should be created using 20-22g needles (or equivalent instruments), depending upon the coarseness of the hair. If the patient’s scalp hair is very light and fine, 2-hair grafts can be used in the central part of the brow to create extra density, but these grafts should not be placed near the edges.
Recipient sites should be created holding the instrument as flat as possible to the skin surface, as there is always some elevation of the graft in the normal process of healing. In making the sites, the instrument should be gripped between the thumb and the first and second fingers and held nearly flush to the skin surface. The instrument should not be held like a pencil, as this will not allow the angle to be significantly acute.
The number of grafts needed for the eyebrow hair transplant can vary greatly from as few as 75 per brow to as many as 350. Men generally require significant more grafts than women. It is helpful to make the recipient sites first so that one can determine exactly how many hairs need to be harvested. It is important to remember that follicular units will yield 2-3 grafts on average, depending upon the patient’s donor density.
If the donor hair is obtained from a strip, then one should excise 1 cm2 of tissue for every 200 grafts required (since there are approximately 100 follicular units averaging 2.3 hairs each per cm2). If hair is obtained via follicular unit extraction, then the staff should dissect the grafts into individual hairs as they are removed from the scalp, so that the doctor can determine exactly how many are needed.
In women, the finer hair in the area over the ears should generally be harvested. In men with fine hair and coarse eyebrows, the area adjacent to the occipital protuberance is usually the coarsest hair on the scalp and may be the best match.
The grafts should be inserted using fine jeweler’s forceps under loop magnification. The hair must be literally stuffed, rather than inserted, into the sites, as the site is too small to accommodate both the graft and the forceps.
No dressing is required post op and the patient is instructed to sleep with his/her head elevated. The following morning, the patient should gently irrigate the transplanted area to remove any dried crusts. This should be done in the shower at least three times the day following surgery and twice daily for a week. After each shower, an antibiotic ointment should be applied to the brow to help soften any crusts and enable to them to be more easily removed with the next washing. There is often bruising after the surgery that may take a week or more to subside to normal. Bruising is usually most apparent in older patients with significant sun damage.
As the transplanted hairs grow they will require occasional trimming. Using a gel or wax will help them keep the hairs flat as the hair has a tendency be unruly, particularly when they first start to grow. As mentioned above, the hair growth will tend to slow down over time and the hair will begin to assume some of the characteristics of the surrounding hair due to influence of the recipient site.
Patients should understand that two or more sessions may be required to achieve a desired look. Sessions are best spaced a minimum of eight months apart so that the doctor may have the benefit of seeing the first session actually grow in before planning the second.
Challenges of Eyebrow Transplants
When eyebrows are transplanted using scalp hair, they invariably retain some of their donor area hair characteristics of shape, shaft thickness and growth rates. If a person has coarse hair and fine eyebrows, a transplant from the scalp may not be a good match, particularly for a woman who requires delicacy of the new transplanted eyebrow. It is possible to decrease the diameter of the hair shaft by trimming off part, or all of the bulb, but this risks producing an irregularly shaped hair.
Curly eyebrows from an African American kinky haired person with coarse hair may not produce the directional control that the patient needs in a transplant (as African hair has a strong character, particularly in the coarse haired person). As such, some people may not be good candidates for an eyebrow transplant. With newer placing techniques, it is now possible to place the hair so that the curve is oriented in the appropriate direction.
As part of the normal healing process, wounds tend to contract. As a consequence, the cylindrical defect created by the transplanted hair will tend to contract and orient itself more vertically. This will tend to lift the hair slightly away from the skin giving the brow a bushier, unruly appearance. Making the recipient sites at a very acute angle can partially compensate for this, but some elevation may still occur.
Conclusion
Eyebrow transplantation is a safe, out-patient procedure that can significantly enhance one’s appearance. It is particularly helpful for those individuals who have defective eyebrows caused by disease, accidents or that have been self-induced. However, eyebrow restoration is a nuanced procedure that demands technical skills and artistic knowledge beyond that required for the treatment of a balding scalp. For those physicians who have the aesthetic inclination and who are interested in taking time to develop the special skills necessary for this procedure, eyebrow restoration can produce a significant improvement in the appearance of select patients.
Dr. Bernstein is Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University in New York. Dr. Bernstein’s hair restoration center in Manhattan is devoted to the treatment of hair loss using his state-of-the-art hair transplant techniques. To read more publications on hair loss, visit http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/.
