Alternative #1 - Topical Hair Growth Products
There are many topical hair growth products you can apply to the scalp to help stimulate hair growth. Two of the better-known products include Propecia and Rogaine. These treatments help stop hair loss, and may help stimulate natural hair growth! Discovered in the early 90s, Doctors designed Propecia for restoring hair loss in men by reducing follicular shrinking. Only men can use Propecia as it is a steroid derivative and thus contains high concentrations of male hormones.
Rogaine on the other hand, reduces the shrinkage that commonly occurs in hair follicles. Men and women can use this treatment method to help reduce hair loss. Also called Minoxidil, Rogaine is the only treatment agent approved by the FDA for treating hair loss. To use it you just need to shampoo it in! Before using you should know there are some side effects associated with use, including dizziness, shortness of breath and itching. Some patients experience lower blood pressure resulting from Minoxidil use. If you have any of these symptoms you should consult with your doctors. Most patients will use this product twice daily for one year.
Alternative #2 - Human Hair Extension
Human hair extensions are all the rage, particularly for women experiencing thinning or hair loss. Even Hollywood stars use human hair extensions to add volume and luster to their hair. Have you ever noticed how some stars magically go from a short to a long style in a couple of weeks rather than years? No it's not an illusion; they are using human hair extensions. These are a great and much more natural alternative to wigs. One of the best advantages of human hair extensions is you can add texture and weight to your hair regardless of the hair you have to start with. You can easily hide hair extensions and thus look natural. You should only look for extensions that use the best quality human hair. Hair extensions can be applied by individual strands or wefts. Individual strands can be added through weaving, waxing, gluing or a number of other methods.
Keep in mind that weaving is much less problematic than other techniques because it minimizes damage to your natural hair. Wefts allow you to create hair extensions by blending them into your hair to match perfectly. They are attached by a braid made from your own hair and run down the back of your scalp. While human hair extensions aren't necessarily cheap (they can run you anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a couple of thousand) they do look natural and most consumers praise them for their natural and lustrous appeal.
Of course you can always opt for a human hair wig instead of an extension. Some people buy wigs for the shear fun of trying something different. Keep in mind however that a wig may be much warmer than a natural looking hair extension. The flip side however is most wigs are inexpensive and you can wear them time and time again. Just remember to go for human hair versions and not synthetic. Synthetic materials generally look very fake or plastic!
Alternative #3 - Hair Transplants
Hair transplants in modern times are nothing like hair transplants of old. Doctors first began experimenting with hair transplants in the early 50s. During this time they realized that they could move hair follicles from one area of the body to the scalp. E
arly hair plugs however looked much scarier in many cases then simply going bald. Fortunately today hair transplantation is much more advanced and effective. Today doctors use follicle unit micro grafts of hair they implant along the balding portions of the scalp. These may include the top of the head and forehead. Micrografts can be applied to create a natural look. This is often considered one of the best alternatives to replace hair permanently. |
