Surgical and Cosmetic Options to Treat Baldness

Baldness does not discriminate. You may be young or old, rich or poor, male or female, privileged or disadvantaged, but if hair loss is programmed in your genes, there is little you can do to prevent getting bald. Every year, millions of people pursue warfare to fight thinning hairlines, bald patches and receding curls. A traditional battle arsenal may include pharmaceutical medications, herbal therapy, surgical intervention, or simply wearing wigs. However, hair loss experts say that modern science can offer more advanced techniques to fight baldness in addition to widely spread conventional therapies and artificial toupees.

Hair transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Leonard, who runs his lucrative practice in Braintree, points out that balding Americans should think “outside of the box” while deciding what hair growth procedure to choose. “Many patients still opt for old-fashion techniques of hair restoration, such as plugs, while more reliable and highly advanced surgical treatments are now available,” he says.

New hair transplant techniques include scalp implants with multiple hairs, which produce naturally-looking, thick mane. Dr. Leonard says that the hair-re-growing effect of modern transplants also lasts longer and creates a much better hair appearance.

However, such procedures can be quite costly, ranging from $4,000 to $8,000 for the surgery.

Other, less invasive and cheaper types of therapy, may include the prescription oral drug Propecia or the foam Rogaine, a monthly supply of which can cost anywhere from $35 to $80, depending on a seller. Yet another option is LLLT, or low-level laser therapy, which is becoming increasingly popular among consumers and which may cost up to $4,000 for a series of procedures.

Medical insurances typically do not cover the cost of hair restoration treatments, classifying them as cosmetic. However, baldness can be a medical problem for many women and almost half of all males, and Americans spend millions of dollars from their own pockets on battling it.

“Hair loss also makes people look many years older than they are, which especially concerns women,” – states Dr. Leonard.

According to experts, male-pattern balding usually starts from the front area of the scalp; while women tend to gradually lose their locks from the top of their heads, particularly after menopause.

Although not every hair loss sufferer is willing – or able to afford – to undergo surgical restoration or pop up pills to restore their locks, modern fashion standards dictate that we all, and particularly women,  have a head full of shiny, thick hair.

In addition, even the most advanced hair restoration procedures may not be as effective as we wish they were. “No one has ever re-grown their locks to full extend from pills or topical medications like Rogaine,” says manager of a Hair Replacement Centre, Tom Mansour.

Mansour sells modern wigs and other pieces that are designed to replace our natural locks. But in no way do these fashionable accessories look like your grandmother’s falsies, he says.

In the past, wigs were manufactured in bulk and they obviously looked fake and even embarrassing,” adds Mansour. Nowadays, toupees are stitched together and styled to agree with every client, and they look so natural they cannot be distinguished from your inborn hair.

Although mass-produced wigs can cost significantly less than customized models – starting at only $35 per piece, tailored synthetic models are a better fit but they can be ten times more expensive, with the prices ranging from $300 to $1,000 for each piece.

“A good wig can instantly make you look at least ten years younger,” – says Mansour.

Robin Makris