Contact our Chicago, Illinois hair loss treatment and transplant surgery facility to schedule a confidential consultation with Dr. Marc A. Pomerantz.
Phone: (866) 351-2272
20 E. Ogden Ave.
Hinsdale, Illinois 60521
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So what does work? Well, there are many "solutions" to baldness and thinning hair in both men and women. Here at our Chicago, Illinois practice, hair loss treatment with hair transplant surgery is one of the surgical remedies we offer. There are also a number of medications and age-old solutions that can work; however they are often not as effective at hair replacement. The following information should help you decide the best treatment. Or, Dr. Marc A. Pomerantz can answer your questions directly in a one-on-one confidential consultation.
Although there are a variety of techniques involved in hair transplant surgery, traditional methods are typically performed by removing a strip of donor hair from an area of the head that still exhibits hair growth. The donor hair is meticulously transplanted onto bald or thinning areas of the head, and new hair growth is stimulated. Our Chicago, Illinois hair loss treatment surgeon uses a number of different methods that have improved upon the traditional technique.
The field of hair transplant surgery has been transformed by the concept of follicular unit transplantation. The process involves follicular units of hair transplanted from the back of the head to a thinning or balding area on the top or front of the scalp. The new placement of hair will continue to grow after transplantation, as if the hair was never lost to begin with. This innovative procedure requires an extreme level of skill and precision that Dr. Marc A. Pomerantz is proud to possess.
Learn more about follicular and multi-follicular hair transplantation surgery.
Another difficult method of hair transplant surgery used by our Chicago, Illinois hair loss treatment specialist is called punch grafts. Dr. Pomerantz will punch cylindrical holes in the scalp that match the graft from the donor site, ultimately reducing the amount of bald scalp and enhancing the ability of the donor hair to improve your appearance. This type of hair transplant surgery is often difficult and more time consuming, but Dr. Pomerantz believes that the improvement in the patient's final appearance is worth the extra effort.
Hair transplantation does not have side-effects. As with any surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection from this hair loss treatment, but it is small. At our Chicago, Illinois practice, hair transplant surgery is done over a few procedures, and does not require daily application or medication. Additionally, hair transplantation is a hair loss treatment that does not require monthly adjustment or cleaning by a specially trained professional. You never need to fear that your transplanted hair will come off in the shower or when it is windy. You can swim without fear of dislodging it or having it rinse out.
You clean your transplanted hair in the shower with the rest of your hair. You "adjust" your hair as frequently or infrequently as you like, with a barber or hair stylist. Hair transplantation hair loss treatment may be more expensive initially, but will cost less in the long run, over the life of your hair. Finally, transplanted hair changes with the rest of your hair. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, it will lighten along with the rest of your hair. As you age, it will grey along with the rest of your hair. If you choose to cover or color that grey, it takes color like the rest of your hair.
Contact our Chicago hair transplant surgery practice to set up a confidential consultation.
The most significant risk involved in hair transplantation is that the procedure will not be done properly. If your doctor does not have the hair transplant experience or sense of artistry to lay out your new hairline properly during hair loss surgery, and if he or she does not pay sufficient attention to the normal hairlines of people with faces shaped like yours and of your ethnicity for hair replacement, your hairline will not look natural. If he or she uses grafts that are too large for your hair transplant surgery, your hairline will look toothbrush-y and artificial. This is why it is important to study "before" and "after" hair loss and baldness treatment photos of your prospective doctor's previous patients, and perhaps even meet some patients in person, before you decide to proceed. Your doctor should not be "adequate." Your doctor should be excellent. Dr. Marc A. Pomerantz has been serving Chicago, Illinois-area patients with quality hair transplant surgery for more than three decades. His record of successful results has made him one of the most respected hair transplant surgeons in the region.
Although a person can learn to live with hair loss, the effects of the condition may be disconcerting. However, a reasonable understanding of thinning hair and hair loss may restore lost confidence. In addition, a person with a firm grasp of the condition of hair loss may be a good candidate for hair loss treatment because of his or her reasonable treatment expectations. This leads us into other, non-surgical hair replacement options. There are two hair loss medications that seem to prevent, or at least reduce, hair loss.
The first hair loss treatment is Minoxidil, sold under the name Rogaine. Minoxidil was originally used as a medication for people with high blood pressure, but it was discovered that people who took the drug grew hair in odd places, like the forehead. Experimentation showed that when applied to the scalp, Minoxidil reduced hair loss and could possibly cause hair to regrow. Minoxidil, in the topical application Rogaine, was originally available only by prescription, but is now sold over-the-counter both as a topical solution and as an added ingredient in some shampoos. The hair loss treatment Rogaine can be used by both men and women.
The main problem with Rogaine is that it only works on hair loss at the crown. It does nothing for receding hairlines. The second problem is that it is overrated. Many people will see reduced hair loss at the crown with Rogaine, but few will see regrowth. The third problem is that it is a demanding routine. Rogaine must be applied twice a day, every day. Finally, and most disappointingly, Rogaine loses its effectiveness over time. After 3½-4½ years, Rogaine stops working.
Recently a second drug called Finasteride has been introduced under the name Propecia. Propecia is a pill that must be taken daily. Originally developed to reduce enlarged prostates, Propecia blocks the body's use of the male hormone testosterone. Propecia is only available by prescription, and can only be taken by men.
Like Rogaine, Propecia has only been shown to be effective against hair loss at the crown. Also like the hair loss treatment Rogaine, Propecia only helps some men, and mostly prevents additional hair loss; very few men actually regrow hair. Propecia has not been available long enough to tell if its effects are temporary.
There are two things you should know before deciding to take Propecia. The first is that there are side effects. Some men experience rashes and other allergic reactions, a loss of interest in sex, difficulty achieving an erection, testicular pain, and a reduction in the amount of semen they are able to produce. In clinical tests, these side effects went away when the subjects stopped taking the drug. Of course, so did any improvement in hair regrowth.
Not much is known about the long-term effects of taking Propecia. We do know that when men have diseases that reduce testosterone, they experience disturbing changes. The voice changes, the testicles shrink, beard growth is reduced, and the breast tissue becomes enlarged. Long-term use of Propecia may produce the same side-effects.
Propecia must be handled with extreme care. Women, especially pregnant women, should never handle the Propecia tablets because of potential birth defects that can result from contact with a broken tablet. Men with families should think carefully about bringing this drug into their homes.
Another hair loss treatment is to cover the scalp. Options range from the application of colored powders, sprays, or creams, which color the scalp to match the remaining hair, to hairpieces. Coloring agents can be somewhat effective in hiding the appearance of thinning hair. Of course, it cannot be used on areas where the hair has been totally lost; the difference between a crown covered with hair and a painted crown is obvious. Most modern coloring substances are reasonably waterproof, and will not run during normal showering or swimming. However, the color will have to be re-applied frequently to maintain the illusion of this hair loss treatment. Finally, while scalp coloring is effective at a distance, or even during normal interaction, it does not stand up to intimate inspection.
Hairpieces are made from a netted base to which human or animal hair or a synthetic material is attached. The hairpiece is fitted and molded to the wearer's scalp and then attached through a variety of methods.
The better methods of attachment, bonding and weaving, are typically long-lasting. The wearer can swim and shower without fear of losing the hairpiece. However, water cannot adequately penetrate the base of the hairpiece, and shed skin cells and oil are trapped beneath it. This is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, and the result is a smelly mess. These hairpieces must be removed monthly for cleaning; many wearers have two hairpieces, so that one can be worn while the other is being refreshed. In addition, the hairpiece must be adjusted, as the wearer's own hair grows.
Hooks or clips can attach a hairpiece temporarily. This permits the wearer to remove it for daily cleaning of the scalp. Unfortunately, this makes the hairpiece less secure, and the wearer must constantly guard against its becoming detached. Again, as the wearer's own hair grows, the clips or hooks must be adjusted closer to the scalp. This is why, although a hairpiece represents a lower initial investment than hair transplants, the cost-of-ownership is much higher.
Our Chicago, Illinois hair loss treatment and hair transplant surgery staff can help you with any questions or concerns you may have. Please contact the Chicago Hair Institute for more information on surgical and non-surgical hair replacement options. Dr. Marc A. Pomerantz looks forward to meeting you and discussing the best method to help you meet your goals.