When trying to determine the average cost of hair plugs there are many factors that must be considered. Most people think you just go to a hair doctor and they stick some hair in the bald spot and it starts to grow. This is really not all there is to it. In fact, the hair restoration community has been actively seeking better and more cost effect treatments for hair loss in both men and women for decades. Ever since the first hair plugs were used in the US back in the 1950’s.  The cost of hair plugs is actually going down as these new procedures and techniques are utilized.

The causes of male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss are very closely tied together. Both of the conditions are caused by a genetic predisposition to hair loss in certain areas of the scalp. This is usually manifested as balding or hair thinning at the vertex and crown of the head while other areas of the head, such as the occipital or back of the head, continue to exhibit good growth. These areas of continued hair growth can play a big part in determining the hair transplant cost. The better the donation area the easier it is to harvest the healthy hair follicles and so the cost of hair restoration goes down.

The mechanism for pattern baldness is quite simple. There is a natural occurring hormone in our bodies, dihydrotestosterone (DHT),which is formed when the so called male hormone testosterone is metabolized. This appears to act on the body in two ways. One is to have a negative affect on the male urinary tract, in particular on the prostate gland. In fact, the way DHT was determined to be a cause of hair loss was in trials for drugs to treat enlarged prostate. During the trials it was noticed that the men who were taking the drug actually saw a decrease in hair loss and some experienced hair growth. Further testing showed DHT to be a contributor to male pattern baldness.

Some of the hair follicles on the men and women who show signs of pattern baldness seem to have a genetic predisposition to be affected by the free DHT in the blood stream. There are receptors on these follicles that attach to DHT and start the miniaturization process. The complete mechanism is not understood but it appears that the certain areas of the head have these follicles that are affected by the hormone. Thus the term pattern baldness is uses. As the hair goes through its natural cycles of growth and rest the dihydrotestosterone shortens the growth phase during each cycle and eventually the follicle has been shrunken to a point that it can not continue to produce hair shaft material. At this point the hair falls out and baldness is exhibited.

Cost Of Hair Plugs

The size of the area that is genetically predisposed to pattern baldness is a major factor in determining the cost of hair transplant procedures. Most clinics and cosmetic surgeons will adjust their charges based on how many hair units need to be transplanted from the donor area to the balding patch. Small areas can require a few hundred transplant units with the average amount being a thousand. If the pattern baldness is more advance then of course this number will increase and the overall cost of hair implants will be more.  Thus a person who has lost most of the hair on the affected area of the scalp is going to have a higher hair plugs cost than someone with only hair loss at the vertex of the head.

The other major factor in the cost of hair replacement is the per unit cost. This can vary from about $3 to $7 in the US. So as you can see the overall charges for hair plug surgery can easily reach anywhere from a few thousand to several thousand dollars.
When determining per unit costs the physician will look at such things as fullness of donor area and color and texture of the natural hair. It takes more thin, blond hair to give good coverage than thick, black hair unless the underlying scalp color is very light. If that is the case then more dark colored hairs are needed.

When determining whether you can afford a hair transplant procedure the best thing to do is check out several options. Many clinic advertise on line now and you can get really good information by visiting there sites. Once you have a couple you are interested in then meeting for a free consultation is very highly recommended. The cost of hair plugs is irrelevant if the procedure is not performed properly.

]]> http://hairplugsguide.com/cost-of-hair-plugs/feed/ 0 http://hairplugsguide.com/cure-for-baldness/ http://hairplugsguide.com/cure-for-baldness/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:44:04 +0000 Albert http://hairplugsguide.com/?p=96 If you are looking for a magical cure for baldness that you can take today and tomorrow have a new head of hair I am afraid you will be disappointed. There is help available for your hair loss but it will take a while before you see results. When people talk about cures for baldness they are really talking about two separate issues that have completely different treatments. You can either have a thinning hair problem that you think, or fear, will probably turn into full fledged baldness or your have a bald spot now which the hair has already fallen out of.

Cures For Baldness

If the problem is thinning hair that is turning into baldness then you have options to keep the hair you have and hopefully grow some back. The two main treatments to stop the loss of hair are both FDA approved drugs. The first is Finasteride which is taken orally and is targeted at limiting the amount of DHT in the body. DHT is the culprit behind male pattern baldness. This hormone bonds with the hair follicles and shortens the hair growth sequence. After a few rotations the hair follicle and hair shaft have withered away. There are some drawbacks with this drug. Women are not allowed to take the drug if they are of childbearing age and men can experience such things as decreased libido and lower sperm production. This doesn’t seem like a very good trade off for a balding treatment.

The second drug that the FDA has found is helpful against a loss of hair is Minoxidil. This drug is vasodilator. That means it increases the size of the tiny blood vessels in the body. It is thought that this drug is effective by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles. Minoxidil does not seem to have any serious side effects and it can be utilized by both men and women safely. This drug is usually applied to the scalp in a lotion or shampoo form. Although neither of these is a cure for male pattern baldness they do work to lessen, and often times stop, the hair loss. In some patients there also is an actual increase in hair.

Natural Cure For Baldness

If you are looking for a natural cure of baldness then there are several herbal remedies that have shown promise as treatments for male pattern baldness also known as male pattern hair loss. The first of this is from the Saw Palmetto palm which is found near the Southeastern Gulf Coast. For years this extract has been used to treat male urinary problems. DHT has been linked as a cause of such things as enlarged prostate in men. Recently, the hair loss properties have also been utilized.

Another natural cure is Stingy Nettle Root. Like Saw Palmetto this root has been used to treat urinary problems for years. Pygeum is another natural remedy that shows great potential. It is derived from the bark of the Prunis Africana tree and is currently being studied in Europe for its ability to treat urinary disorders and hair loss. A fourth potential is Emu oil. Emus are large flightless birds that have been prized for their healthy meat. It appears as thought the oil from this bird also may promote health in general and hair growth in particular.

A Cure For Baldness

If you truly have lost all your hair in an area of your scalp then none of these treatments are going to be of much help. The only two options you have is to get a toupee or to look into hair implants. Hair implants or hair grafts are very effective at getting hair to grow in a bald area. A cosmetic surgeon first removes growing hair from one area of the scalp and then transpants it to the bald area. This is the closest new cure for baldness that there is. Once the hair is implanted it will continue to grow for years to come.

A cure for baldness may never come totally but there are options that can help a person to keep what hair they have and re-grow a certain amount more. If you are really concerned about your hair loss you want to look at having a hair implants surgery with hair plugs.

]]> http://hairplugsguide.com/cure-for-baldness/feed/ 0 http://hairplugsguide.com/dht-blocker/ http://hairplugsguide.com/dht-blocker/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:40:09 +0000 Albert http://hairplugsguide.com/?p=92 When a man starts to lose his hair the best treatment he can use is a DHT blocker to counteract the effects of male pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness (MPB), also known as male pattern hair loss (MPHL) is a genetic condition that can be passed on to children from either the mother’s side of the family or the father’s. The results are the same: premature hair loss and balding of certain areas of the head. DHT blockers are one of the most effective ways to deal with this conditionl

When a man suffers from the agony of MPB he is experiencing increased levels of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is an androgenic hormone derived from the male hormone testosterone. Increased levels of DHT in the body will result in free DHT bonding with the hair follicles in certain areas of the scalp. Most noticeably the front of the scalp, the top and the crown area. The key to treating hair loss in these areas is to block the DHT in the blood stream and thus stop if from bonding with the follicles. When the DHT bonds with the hair follicles it seems to inhibit the normal growth cycle of the hair. Each cycle that is interrupted shrinks the follicle more until it finally whithers up and the hair falls out. If this androgenic hormone can be blocked the effects of MPB can be eliminated. There are four main ways to deal with this problem

DHT Blocking Four Ways

The first way to keep the DHT from attaching to the hair follicles. At this time there is not goo mechanism for this to happen. The second way is to reduce the production of the hormone. This is accomplished by limiting the enzyme that converts the sex hormone testosterone into the metabolite dihydrotestosterone. There is a particular enzyme that is responsible for the product of this hair loss hormone. If you can limit the enzyme you can limit the amount of DHT.

The third leg then of limiting DHT is to limit the amount of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme is responsible for converting the testosterone into DHT. Most dht blockers will work on limiting this enzyme which means the body does not produce very much free DHT and thus there is not a lot in the blood stream. The FDA approved drug Finasteride treats male hair loss in exactly this way. It limits the manufacture of the hormone responsible for the hair loss condition.

There are two main products that contain Finasteride. The first is Propecia. Propecia is effective against 5-alpha reductase 2. There are actually two isoenzimes of 5-alpha reductase. Propecia controls number 2 but it does nothing for the number one isoenzime. This means not all the areas affective by the increased levels of DHT are treated. Propecia tends to only work on the top of the head and the middle front of the head. It does not seem to be very effective, if at all, in stopping hair loss near the hair line or above the temples.

Best DHT Blocker

Dutasteride is another trade name for Finasteride. This drug has an effect on both 5-alpha reductase 1 and 5-alpha reductase 2. Because it limits both is appears to be more effective.

The fourth leg of the DHT stool is to limit the substances that contribute to the manufacture of DHT. This includes cholesterol which has been linked. Some natural DHT blockers will limit it by attacking the build up of the compounds that are used to make the hormone.

Natural DHT Blocker

There are several natural methods for blocking the DHT. The build up of this substance has also been tied to male urinary problems so remedies that have a positive effect on such things as enlarged male prostate usually work very well as natural DHT blockers. DHT blocker shampoo often times has some of these ingredients in it.

The first is Saw Palmetto extract. This is a short palm that is found in the Southeaster US. It has been used for generations to treat male urinary problems. The second natural extact is from the Nettle Root. Again this is affective with male prostate problems and also seems to help with hair loss. Pygeum, which is derived from the bark of the Prunis Africana tree, is another natural remedy that shows relief from male urinary problems. Studies in Europe are currently being conducted to determine its effectiveness as a hair loss treatment. Pumpkin seed oil and emu oil are both natural occurring oils that many people believe help with male pattern baldness.

DHT Side Effects

There are three main side effects noted by men who use DHT blockers. The first is a decreased sex drive. Since most men are worried about how hair loss affects their relationships this would not be a good tradeoff. Men also report a difficulty in achieving orgasm and decreased sperm production. These side effects may or may not be worth it to you.

DHT For Women

Because of the possibilities for birth defects women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant are not given prescriptions for DHT blockers. In particular, Propecia can affect the development of the sex organs in baby boys in the womb. Women are not even allowed to handle the tablets especially if the safety coating is removed.

DHT blockers are an important part of any treatment that contains hair loss products. They seem to be effective with at least a slow down in hair loss and sometimes will also re-grow some of the hair lost.

]]> http://hairplugsguide.com/dht-blocker/feed/ 0 http://hairplugsguide.com/hair-restoration-for-women/ http://hairplugsguide.com/hair-restoration-for-women/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:47:23 +0000 Albert http://hairplugsguide.com/?p=89 Hair restoration surgery for men is very popular and effective for nearly 90% of balding men in this country. This cosmetic technique has helped thousands of men to receive a hair line and fairly full head of hair again. When contemplating hair restoration for women the situation can be different. In fact, for years most women were not candidates for this procedure and it was assumed that women’s hair loss would just be something to live with. This may be changing.

When a man develops balding it us usually caused by androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. This condition is exhibited by hair loss around the face, on the top of the head, and the crown of the head. This hair loss is due to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is a metabolite of the male hormone testosterone. This just means it is formed when the hormone is metabolized or used up in the body. Both women and men have this hormone to varying degrees. In pattern baldness the DHT shrinks the hair follicles in the areas of the scalp that exhibit balding. It does not affect all the hair on a man’s head though, as you have probably seen a guy can be bald on top the head but still have good hair growth around the sides and back of the head.

These areas of hair growth are known as stable sites. The hair follicles at these areas of the head do not tend to be affected by the build up of DHT. Thus when hair follicular units are removed from these donor areas and transplanted into the bald spots the hair can grow for years to come with not problems caused from the affects of male pattern baldness. These hair implants are very effective at filling in the bald spots for men.

Women Hair Restoration

This is not true for women with hair loss and patchy baldness. Female pattern baldness does result in patches of baldness but they are not localized like a man’s. That means they can be anywhere on the head. This is both good and bad. The bad part is this means all the hair follicles on a female’s head are susceptible to DHT shrinking. Thus if a cosmetic surgeon transplants hair from one area of the scalp that still has hair growth, and places it in the bald spot, the chances that it will just whither up and fall out are very great. This means most women are not good candidates for this standard hair restoration procedure.

Luckily there may be another option. Since women’s hair loss is not localized they tend to not lose the hair that borders the face. Men, on the other hand, almost always have this receding hair line problem. Thus it is very important for men to get a good quality hair implanted at the front of the scalp in order to rebuild the hair line and reframe the face. Women do not have this problem. In fact female hair restoration does not usually have to worry about the quality of the hair shafts because the balding spots are on the top, sides, and back of the head. This means hair that does not completely match the natural hair found on the head can be used as filler to give the women the appearance of a fuller head of hair.

A new method has been developed that may be able to help with hair restoration for women by taking advantage of this fact. Follicular Unit Extraction is a method of hair transplantation that may be able to help. With this procedure individual hair follicles or hair follicular units are removed instead of entire sections of scalp. This means the hair from other parts of the body may be used as transplant donors. For example, the unwanted underarm hair may be able to be transplanted on the head to fill in bald spots. The texture of the hair shafts do not match the head hair usually because it is courser and darker but if it is used as a filler for women’s pattern baldness it may give good results.

Since there are not many hair restoration products for women this may help with balding spots. It is certainly worth talking to a cosmetic surgeon about this possibility. Hair restoration for women is a tough challenge but there are options available. Don’t give up and keep looking for the treatment that will be right for you.

If you are looking for a natural hair loss remedy then there are two options that have really shown to have some affect on keeping the hair growing that a person already has. The first remedy is an extract of the Saw Palmetto palm which is located along the US gulf coast. This plant has been used for centuries by the Native Americans of the area to treat problems with male urinary tracts. Hair loss and urinary tract problems seem to go together so treating one is often times treating the other. This extract can be taken in pill form for the best results.

The second natural hair loss product is Nettle Root. The root of this plant is also active in native medicine to treat urinary problems. It seems as thought this extract works like the Saw Palmetto but it does not appear to be as potent.

Best Remedy For Hair Loss

The remedy for hair loss that seems to work the best is a drug that has been approved by the FDA. Finasteride is a drug that was in clinical trials for the treatment of enlarged male prostate. During the trials it was determined that men with hair loss in the study were seeing an improvement in their hair situation. Further studies indicated that the drug did seem to stop hair loss and actually increased some hair growth depending on how long the person had bee suffering the loss of hair. This is an example of science following natural medicine. Saw Palmetto and Nettle Root are both natural remedies for male prostate problems and also help with hair loss. This is the same thing the government researchers found with Finasteride.

Sometimes the best hair loss remedies are not necessarily only the drugs that come out of expensive labs. Sometimes it can be just as effective to look toward natural medicine.

]]> http://hairplugsguide.com/best-hair-loss-remedy/feed/ 0 http://hairplugsguide.com/prevent-hair-loss-with-these-tricks/ http://hairplugsguide.com/prevent-hair-loss-with-these-tricks/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:45:19 +0000 Albert http://hairplugsguide.com/?p=83 If you are experiencing some thinning hair and you want to prevent hair loss before it gets too bad then you are on the right track. It is much easier to deal with hair loss and keep what hair you have than it is to try to do something after all the hair has fallen out and you are bald. There are many things you can do to keep your hair but once it is gone about the only thing you can do is get a hair implants procedure.

Hair Loss Prevention

Before we look at how to prevent hair loss lets find out what is causing it. The vast majority of hair loss, particularly in men, is caused by a condition known as male pattern baldness. This hair loss condition is passed down from one of your parents by genetics. It was believed for years that the gene for baldness was passed on the mother’s side but recent genetic research has indicated that the gene responsible for this condition can be passed from either side of the family.

Preventing hair loss is really all about dealing with the causes of pattern baldness. The main culprit is a build up of DHT in the body that eventually blocks the blood flow to the hair follicles or hair roots. Without the proper oxygen and nutrients these little hair factories can not work properly to make hair shaft material. The hair becomes thin and whispy. Eventually it withers away and breaks off. The hair follicle then becomes encased in fibrotic material and will never produce again. This build up of DHT is the main culprit and either the DHT itself or the effects must be dealt with if you are going to prevent hair loss.

Preventing Hair Loss

There are two attacks a person can take when dealing with a thinning hair or balding problem. The first is to limit the cause of the hair loss and the second is to treat the effects of the buildup of DHT. The FDA drug approved to treat the levels in the blood stream is Finasteride. This drug is taken by tablet. It originally was developed to treat male prostate gland problems but it was found to also treat hair loss. These two conditions have a very close tie in. This drug works very well but it is only for men as it can cause birth defects when women handle the drug.

How To Prevent Hair Loss In Women

There is an FDA approved drug that is OK for women to use. Minoxidil is a vasodilator which means it enlarges the small blood vessels in the body. This allows more blood to flow to all parts but in particular it means a better supply to the hair follicles. A 5% solution of this drug is applied topically to men’s hair loss areas and a 2% is applied for women. This drug is effective but not quite as good as Finasteride. But, it is the only FDA hair loss drug approved to prevent hair loss in women.

Tips To Prevent Hair Loss

I call these tricks because they seem to make a difference but they are not approved by the government. One way to get more blood to the follicles is to massage the head. Many people do this with essential oils to enrich the scalp. Olive oil is also popular because it appears to help clean the pores and follicles of dirt and buildup. There are two natural extracts that also seem to make a difference. Saw Palmetto and Nettle Root have both been used as natural remedies for male urinary problems and recently for hair loss in men. Henna is an Indian natural herb that has been used for centuries to keep hair healthy.

Exercise and a well balanced diet along with cleaning have all been used. If your hair loss is caused by toxic chemicals, which it could be, then this could have a dramatic effect.

The fact is, trying to prevent hair loss is really much easier and cheaper than dealing with the loss after you have bald spots. Like most everything, hair loss prevention is much more cost effective than baldness treatments.

Cost Of Hair Transplant

The vast majority of baldness is caused by a condition known as pattern baldness. The most commonly known form of this is male pattern baldness that affects men but there are also lots of instances of female pattern baldness. Before you determine the cost of hair transplants you really should know what caused the problem to start with so you will have some good questions to ask when you visit the hair transplant clinic.

Male pattern baldness results in an actual dying off of the hair follicles that produce the hair shaft material. This is caused by a build up of DHT on the follicle which stops the flow of nutrients and oxygen. As this slowly occurs you can see the hairs start to get thinner and thinner and they eventual wither away and fall out. At this time the follicle is mostly inactive and will become encased in fibrotic material within a short time. When this happens the follicle will never produce hair again. The interesting thing with men is the hair at the sides of the head and back are not susceptible to this problem. Thus even if the entire top of the head is bald there is a good chance the surgeon can find ample hair to transplant from the back of the head that will continue to grow for years. This good donor area greatly reduces the hair transplant cost.

Cost Of Hair Transplants

By using this donor area as a place to get individual hair follicles the surgical procedure is shortened and thus the hair transplantation cost is reduced. There is another method known as Hair Follicular Unit Extraction in which individual hairs are removed and then placed in the bald spot. This method can utilize hair from all over the body but it is more expensive than the standard method. The hair transplant cost with this method is more and the surgery takes longer but there is no removal of scalp material and no scarring.

With the standard method you can look at a few rules of thumb to get an idea of the cost. In the US, you can usually expect to pay between three and seven dollars for each hair follicular unit that is transplanted. Each of these are known as [hair implants] or grafts and are actually composed of one to three hair follicles in a bunch because that is how they grow naturally.

The other variable is the area to be covered as this is in direct relationship to the number of hair unit grafts that must be implanted. Depending on the size of the area you should expect to have several hundred to a few thousand individual grafts. It really depends on area to be covered and also the color and thickness of your hair. Only a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in hair loss can make that determination.

There is also another option that is becoming very popular. Many people are taking surgery vacations. Countries such as Brazil and Thailand offer packages for a vacation and a cosmetic surgery procedure. Most of the surgeons have been trained in the US and Europe so their results are top notch.

This is just another option when looking at the hair transplant cost.

For example, it has been determined that male pattern baldness is caused by a buildup of DHT in the blood stream. This does two things, it causes the hair follicles to stop producing hair and it also causes problems with male prostates. Surprisingly enough, there are two natural hair loss remedies that have been used for years to treat male urinary tract problems and apparently they have an effect on hair loss also.

Natural Hair Loss Remedy

The Saw Palmetto extract is derived from this low growing palm that is found in the South Eastern US and Gulf states. Native Americans have known about its health benefits from before Europeans arrived on these shores. The Nettle root extract is another hair loss remedy that has been used for centuries to treat male problems. The nettle is found in both Europe and the Americas. It also has been shown to decrease the levels of DHT in the blood.

Female Hair Loss Remedies

Neither of these herbal hair loss remedies, Saw Palmetto or Nettle root, should be taken by women without consultation of a doctor. The FDA approved drug that limits DHT in humans, Finasteride, is not prescribed to women due to the fear of birth defects. Before starting any hair loss treatments you should consult with your physician or health care provider.

One of the remedies for hair loss that seems to be safe for all people is massage. It appears as though the DHT buildup inhibits the healthy flow of nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles by the tiny blood vessels in the scalp. Massage seems to excite the tissues below the skin line and thus allow more blood to flow naturally. Many people combine massage with some type of oil. For example, Jojoba oil has been used extensively by natives in the US Southwest to treat hair and keep it healthy. Essential oils from herbs have also been applied along with the massaging techniques. This increased blood flow is actually what another FDA approved drug is designed to do. Minoxidil is a vasodilator which means it causes an enlargement of the tiny blood vessels in the body which would allow better flow to the hair follicles providing them with what they need.

Aloe vera has been one of the best hair loss remedies as used by Native Americans is the warmer parts of the country, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It was often combined with Jojoba. From the Indian sub-continent we get Henna. This traditional herb has been used to condition hair and stop if from becoming brittle and breaking off.

Lastly a person can take care of his or her overall health in order to help with hair loss. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is important along with ridding the body of toxins. Some people claim rubbing the scalp with olive oil will help to cleanse the pores and follicles allowing the hair to grow. Exercise is another important ingredient to help with keep a good blood flow to all parts of the body.

I hope these ideas will help you in your quest to treat your hair loss. Not all natural remedies for hair loss may work but many of them seem to be close to what the FDA has approved.  Sometimes the best hair loss remedy is something that has been used in local medicine for years.

]]> http://hairplugsguide.com/natural-hair-loss-remedy/feed/ 0 http://hairplugsguide.com/what-are-hair-implants/ http://hairplugsguide.com/what-are-hair-implants/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:08:44 +0000 Albert http://hairplugsguide.com/?p=75 Hair implants are also known as hair plugs, hair grafts, and hair transplants. Once a person has lost all the hair on an area of the scalp it is the best, and mostly only, method to get hair re-growing once again. The great thing is the hair is your own so it will match the other hairs around the balding treatment area very well. In theory, the hair implantation procedure is quite simple but it does take a very skilled surgeon for a great result.

Hair Implant Surgery

The hair implant procedure involves removing hair follicles from one area of the scalp and implanting them into the bald area. This is usually done by removing a strip of scalp from the back of the head and then removing the follicle from that strip in groups of one to three follicles. A technician will prepare the follicles for implantation by removing any excess material and cleaning the associated support structures. The surgeon then creates very small slits or holes in the scalp at the bald spot and inserts the hairs into these very tiny holes. Within a few weeks the hair has started to re-establish itself as it begins to connect to the blood supply in the scalp. Hair implants for men are usually harvested from the back of the head as this area does not generally experience balding like the top of the head does. When the hair all dies in a particular area about the only option is to get hair implants. Women can also be helped with hair implants for women with just a little different procedure.

Direct Hair Implants

Direct hair implants, also known as Follicular Unit extraction, is a step above the standard hair transplantation procedure. With this method the individual hair follicular units are removed with a special surgical instrument. This means there is no scarring from the removal of scalp material because the scalp stays intact. This method allows for the removal and implantation of hair from other parts of the body also. This body hair is utilized only as a filler usually because it is of a different texture than scalp hair. Thus the surgeon will use transplanted scalp hair at the hair line and can fill in the bald area with body hair.

Artificial Hair Implants

Artificial hair implants are just what they sound like. Man made fibers are inserted into the bald spot instead of hair follicular units. Since these are not living hair but instead artificial hair strands they do not grow. This means if you style them short they will be short forever. Styling becomes very important when you have artificial hair implants. There is also more possibility for infection with this method

Overall, hair implants are the best way to get hair growing in a bald spot because the hair is your own so it matches the surrounding hairs perfectly. Also, you now have hair that is growing and will continue to grow for years to come.

]]> http://hairplugsguide.com/what-are-hair-implants/feed/ 0 http://hairplugsguide.com/hair-plugs-cost/ http://hairplugsguide.com/hair-plugs-cost/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:30:09 +0000 Albert http://hairplugsguide.com/?p=71 Hair plugs have been applied in the US for the treatment of baldness in men for over 50 years. During that time the procedure has been improved many fold to give a result that is natural looking and last for years. The first tries at the procedure were not very good though, as surgeons did not have the tools or the micro-surgical techniques necessary to manipulate the hair follicles in such a way that the implanted hair matched the surrounding hair. Although the cost of hair plugs is not cheap it is a great alternative to bald spots.

When the hair transplant method was first being utilized was the term hair plugs came into being. The early pioneers of this cosmetic surgery actually removed a portion of scalp from usually the back of the head. This scalp section was then cut up in to little pieces and then inserted into slits made in the bald spot. As you can imagine this did not give very good results and was very noticeable. These grafts resulted in hair groups that stuck out in every which direction. This is the where the term hair plugs came from. The hair looked like the artificial hair that is plugged into the head of a cheap dolls. Just clumps of hair sticking out of the head.

The first big advancement was when micro-surgical techniques allows for the removal and placement of individual hair follicular units. That is, the hair shaft, hair follicle, and associated parts. This allowed to surgeons to place the hairs in a more natural position and allowed for a more natural look. It was as this time that the cost of hair plugs for men finally started to make sense from a results stand point.

The use of this method went on with a few modifications for years until the next big advancement in hair plug therapy took place. People were complaining about men’s hair plug cost because not only was it expensive but there was still some scarring from the removal of the scalp portions at the back of the head. Granted, the scarring was smaller because now scalp was removed in thin strips instead of chunks but there was still scarring.

The next change came with the introduction of Follicular Unit Extraction. This method allows for the removal of individual hair follicles and small groups of follicles. There is no scarring with this method and the only irritation looks like a pin prick and is quickly healed up. Use of this method actually allowed for the use of hair from other parts of the body besides just the scalp. This body hair works well for filling in the bald hair spots.

When you are contemplating the cost of hair plugs you need to take into account where the procedure is performed. The hair plug cost is going to be more in the US and Western Europe than other countries like Brazil and Thailand that are aggressively working toward a cosmetic surgery industries.

Even within the US there are variations in hair plug costs but you can usually expect to pay between $3 and $8 per implanted unit. These units consist of one to three hair follicles bunched together because that is how they grow naturally, The normal patient usually requires between a few hundred and a few thousand of these units.

The cost of hair plugs is not cheap but if you have areas that are completely bald then this is about your only option other than getting a hair replacement system also known as a toupee. Hair plugs costs can be dramatically reduced though by looking for a cosmetic surgery vacation package.