Ask Roxanne
Welcome to a new monthly feature called “Ask Roxanne.” Over the years I’ve learned a lot about hair loss and the best way to deal with it. I’d like to share my experience and knowledge with all of you, and I also encourage you to write me at askroxanne@hair-replace.com with any of your questions. This month we’ll get started with two of the questions I’m asked most often.
Q. What really causes hair loss?
A. Hair loss is perfectly normal among both men and women. But the cause and progress of thinning and losing hair can be quite different. Many men develop male pattern hair loss which is characterized by a receding hairline and/or loss of hair on the crown. This type of hair loss is almost always genetic and cannot be prevented, although once it starts it’s impossible to predict how much hair will be lost over time. This condition is known as alopecia.
Nearly a third of all women will experience some form of female pattern hair loss. But it’s not always caused by genes. Aging and hormones also play significant roles, with many women not developing hair loss until the onset of menopause. Very often women with alopecia don’t lose hair in the front, but instead their hair becomes noticeably thinner.
For both men and women, both pre-existing medical conditions and various medical treatments (such as chemotherapy or radiation) or drug interactions often lead to hair loss. Stress is also a major medical reason for hair loss. In any case, if you are noticing sudden or dramatic hair loss your first step should be to check with your doctor.
Q. What are my options to deal with my hair loss?
A. Let’s start with one fact: the most common forms of hair loss – aging and genetics – are irreversible. There is no magic cure for baldness, despite what you may have read or heard. No pills, potions, herbs or shampoos will bring back a full head of hair.
If your doctor has ruled out any medical reason for the hair loss, you might first try Rogaine (minoxidil) or Propecia (finasteride). Rogaine is the first (and most common) FDA-approved non-prescription treatment for hair loss. Propecia is a prescription-only medication. Rogaine (and other topicals) and Propecia do work, but really successful hair restoration occurs in only a handful of people. Most often the results are fine, patchy hair – don’t expect a full head of hair. Also, Rogaine and Propecia don’t necessarily stop hair loss, only slow it down. And they are both expensive. Once you begin either treatment, you need to continue with them forever, or else the hair loss will continue. Finally, Propecia is recommended only for men, and because it is a prescription drug, it can interact with other medications.
A more radical approach is a hair transplant. First of all, you need to have sufficient scalp hair to harvest. Keep in mind that while the transplanted follicles do grow in their new location, hair transplants don’t stop the actual loss of additional hair. So as time goes on you might need more transplants. And that means you need to keep finding areas around your scalp where there’s enough donor hair. Now there’s no doubt that hair transplants can look great. But they can be extremely time-consuming, painful, and expensive, costing as much as ten thousand dollars, or even more.
Then there are hair replacement systems. That’s what I offer. Usually made of natural, lustrous hair, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to maintain. You get more flexibility and control over the style and design of your hair. Best of all, you see positive, immediate results.
Next month, we’ll get into exactly what hair replacement systems are. But I also want to know what questions you have. Send me your questions at askroxanne@hair-replace.com and if I pick your question you’ll receive a special thank you gift.
Also be sure to check below for detailed information about hair replacement systems.
General information:
For Men: For Women:
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