One thing you absolutely do not need when you are trying to fight hair loss is a hair replacement center that will give you bad information just so they can make a sale. The problem is there is so much bad information today that it is really hard to tell who is telling you the truth and who isn’t. This seems to be even more of a problem when you are looking for hair loss solutions because, quite frankly, there are a lot of snake oil salesmen still around who will try to sell you anything in order to get your money. The lesson is, when looking at hair replacement centers be sure to take everything with a grain of salt.

Hair loss has been a problem for at least 5500 years as witnessed by a hair growth remedy found written on the wall of an ancient Egyptian tomb. This concoction had, among other ingredients, healthy doses of animal blood and cow dung. It is doubtful the recipient received any hair growth benefits from this and he probably smelt pretty bad too.

One of the most effective ways to cover up baldness over the years has been to use a hair replacement system. Up until about the 1970’s this was the number one way to treat hair loss in men. In fact, it was actually the top of the line when it came to famous men who wanted to have a full head of hair again. You may not have heard the term hair replacement systems before but what I am talking about is a toupee. I know this word brings up all kinds of connotation about funny movies with guys losing their hair in their soup or getting it caught on an umbrella. These scenes brought lots of laughs, and rightly so, but they also perpetuated a misconception. Most men who wore a toupee had no trouble when it came to keeping them on.

But today’s hair pieces are even better. New attachment systems, based on new adhesives instead of rubber straps, allow the man to go out in the wind and even swim in the pool without the worry of his hair falling off. If you are on a budget then you really need to look into a hair replacement system as the way to deal with your balding problem.

When choosing a hair replacement system you need to be comfortable with the business and the people. When you show up for your consultation the staff should be friendly and professional. Before hand you should have checked with the Better Business Bureau to see if there had been any complaints about their service. When you meet with the hair system representative they should be attentive to your needs. If it feels like their only goal is to sell you a system, any system, then do not sign. You do not need to be pressured.

Also, if they say the only way you can try their product is to sign a contract then this is a bad sign. You should be able to try a hair piece for 30 days and return it if you don’t like it. The reason they want you to sign the contract is more than likely because they do not have superior product. There are many really great hair replacement systems on the market today so you don’t have to take the first one that comes along. Check around and do your own research. You really want to be knowledgeable about the possibilities before you go to the hair replacement center.

Hair pieces got a real bad name, some people say it was deserved, in the late 60’s and early 70’s as more and more people developed a real negative attitude toward them. The majority of this problem really came from comedy shows and movies which continued to show men with hair pieces that either looked terrible or fell off into the guy’s soup. It got so bad that no one wanted to be caught dead with a hair replacement system on his head. Suddenly, a lot of men who had been using the hair piece for years with good results were scared to even try wearing it in public.

Of course, like a said before a lot of the blame for the negative feelings can be laid right at the feet of the toupee’ manufacturers. Instead of constantly trying to improve their produce, they rested on their laurels and made the same mistakes over and over. The hairs on these old models were tied into the base material which meant no matter how hard a man tried to keep the piece flat on the head, the bumps from the knots would show through. The second problem was the attachment system. Often times the hair replacements would fall off when the man bent down or blew off in the wind. This did not occur as much as the movies made it out but it did occur. Both of these problems have now been alleviated with good results.

The base material is now a man made flexible material that allows for the individual hairs to be injected into the base instead of tied. This means the ultrathin base hugs the scalp just like a second skin. This makes the base unnoticeable which allows for closer inspection. The second problem with the attachment has also been solved by using new adhesives. The adhesive is applied and then the hair replacements are put in place. The hair piece then stays attached for days or weeks. It works so well that a man can go out in a wind storm or go swimming without worry about the piece falling off. Every few months the hair replacement system is sent into a hair replacement service company where it is cleaned and serviced. The spare is usually worn at this time.

The hair replacement for women systems, wigs, are not used that much any more because of the same problems with the toupee. The techniques developed for males are now being applied to hair replacments for women also. If you are losing your hair and you can’t spend thousands of dollars for hair restoration surgery then look into the new hair replacements.

I’m sure you are very familiar with the old comedy movies that always made fun of a guy with a toupee or hair piece. Invariably the piece would fall off at the worst time, usually when he was eating his soup or trying to impress a pretty woman. The wearers of toupees saw this also and they started to be the butt of many jokes. This eventually caused a dramatic decline in their use. In fact, the number of hair pieces sold today is a small fraction of the number sold in the 1950’s and 60’s. The manufacturers saw this decline and realized they had to do something fast before their business slipped into oblivion. They decided to change the name and improve the product. Classic marketing 101.

Men’s Hair Systems

The hair replacement systems of today are much improved over their counter parts from forty or fifty years ago. One of the big improvements is in how the hair piece is attached to the head. It used to be that a rubber band was used to keep the hair in place. This invariably came loose and allowed the toupee to slip or fall off. Today, high tech adhesive systems are used which allow the wearer to swim, play sports, and even go out in a hurricane. The adhesive is applied to the scalp and the toupee is then placed where it is desired. This allows the piece to actually stay attached for weeks at a time so you don’t have to take it off at night any more. Usually, the hair replacement systems of today are worn for an extended period of time and then returned to the manufacturer for cleaning while a spare is then worn. This works great to keep the hair looking fresh while still covering up the bald spot.

If you want even more attachment you can get a hair weave system. With this type of system the natural hair is actually weaved through the base material of the toupee and combined with the hair attached to base. This gives an even more natural look than the hair system by itself. The problem with this idea is that it actually exacerbates the hair loss of the patient. In a condition known as Traction Alopecia this weaving actually causes the remaining hair to break off at the scalp or fall out and thus make the hair loss even worse. Weaves are not as popular as they once were.

Hair Extension systems

A place where weaving is still effective is in hair extension systems. Using a hair extension involves adding a partial covering of the head instead of a full coverage like you find with hair replacement systems. The extension is weaved into the hair in such a way that it is unnoticeable from the surrounding hair. If you use hair extensions them be careful because it can also cause Traction Alopecia.

Natural Hair System

Of course when choosing the proper system for your situation you will need to determine whether you desire human hair or artificial hair. Although there have been many advances in the manufacture of man-made hair material it still does not match the look and feel of natural hair. If you are going to spend the money for a high quality hair replacement system you might as well get the top of the line and that means human hair.

As you can see the old name toupee really should be thrown by the wayside. The new hair systems are much better looking and stay where they should. If you don’t find out more about this way to deal with hair loss then you are short changing yourself.

True or False

(1) Baldness can be caused by vitamin deficiencies or poor circulation to the scalp.

Answer: False. Common baldness or male pattern baldness (MPB) results from family history, aging and the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is found at the temples, at the crown and on top of the scalp.

(2) Surgery for hair replacement requires that a patient has a good growth of hair on the sides and at the back of the head in order to qualify for transplantation.

Answer: True.

(3) There are a number of methods used in transplanting hair. Sometimes several techniques are used to achieve a desirable outcome.

Answer: True. Different types of grafting techniques as well as plastic surgery can be incorporated into a transplant procedure.

(4) Scalp reduction, a technique used in hair replacement surgery, is also known as advancement flap surgery.

Answer: True. This technique involves advancing the portion of scalp with hair forward to fill in a bald area.

(5) Hair replacement surgery can’t give you the same coverage you had when you had hair.

Answer: True. Hair replacement systems can furnish more fullness and fill in thin areas but you won’t have the same head of hair you once had.

(6) Broad scars known as “stretch-back” scars can result from some scalp reduction techniques.

Answer: True. As with any surgery, there are a certain number of risks when undergoing hair transplantation, such as scarring, bleeding and infection.

(7) Surgical hair replacement cost is determined by the techniques employed, the number of grafts needed and the condition, color and texture of a candidate’s existing hair.

Answer: True. All the aforementioned factors are taken into consideration when determining hair replacement costs.

(8) Among the hair replacement systems that are currently available, flap surgery is one of the newest techniques used in surgery.

Answer: False. This type of plastic surgery has been performed now for over twenty years.

(9) It can take as long as two years before you complete all your sessions of transplants.

Answer: True. Of course, much depends on the nature of your existing hair and the amount of baldness.

(10) Hair transplant surgery typically requires a hospital stay.

Answer: False. Surgery normally takes place in a physician’s office at a hair treatment facility or at an outpatient surgery center.

(11) Total surgical hair replacement cost can be broken down in payments or financed on a monthly basis.

Answer: True.

(12) The cost of non surgical treatments for hair replacement such as medications or hair replacement systems, over time, can exceed the cost of surgery.

Answer: True.

(13) The average cost of hair grafts is $5 to $6 per graft.

Answer: True. Grafts can range from $3 to $8 per graft depending on the procedure but the average price is about $5 to $6 per graft.

(14) The charge assessed for each hair graft increases if the client must undergo several sessions.

Answer: False. The price for each hair graft generally decreases if the patient must undergo several sessions.

(15) The cost for a custom hair piece for men is, on average, $500.

Answer: False. The average price tag for a custom hair replacement is around $1200. In addition, this type of hair replacement must be replaced yearly and reattached and styled about every month which adds to the cost.

How’d you fare? Did the quiz cause you to lose a few more hairs?

One of the most important things to decide first, when choosing your hair replacement product, is the type of system or base to use for it. Conventional hair replacement systems use polyurethane coated perimeters with a nylon base. These older style systems have the advantage of being very durable and strong, and they are also very easy to care for usually lasting for a whole year without needing to be replaced. Unfortunately, they don’t give you as natural a look as other systems do and you are rather limited in the style you can wear.

The more popular skin hair replacement system, or second skin membrane system, are made from a very thin co-polymer membrane. Individual strands of hair are either tied to or looped through it, giving this a very natural appearance that can be worn in any style. This base is fairly delicate though, and you would need to replace it two or three times a year, depending on whether you wear it full time or not.

Finally, there is the lace hair replacement system. This is very difficult to see against the skin. Hair is knotted into the lace, giving it the appearance of actually growing out of the scalp. This is particularly useful for front hair pieces, as the hairline is very natural looking. As with the skin hair system, it will need to be replaced several times a year, depending on how much use it gets. Most specialists recommend this type of base, as it is light weight, your scalp can breathe through it very easily and it’s the most natural looking system.

Usually, you will have to send hair samples so that the best match for your hair type can be determined. Unprocessed hair, meaning natural hair where the cuticle is still in the hair root, is the best type of hair replacement. It is more expensive than the processed hair (which is hair which has had the cuticle stripped, and is then chemically colored), but many people prefer spending the little extra to use unprocessed hair when choosing this type of non surgical hair replacement.

Of course, once you have your hair replacement, you will also need to invest in some products that will help you care properly for it. These product include items such as adhesive removers, special shampoo such as moisturizing shampoo or color maintenance shampoos, conditioners and holding sprays. You generally should not use normal products, but will need to invest in products specifically designed for the special care of your hair replacement.

There are a lot of hair replacement options available but one of the best and fastest is a hair system.  Originally known as a Toupee’ this name developed a bad connotation because of all the comedy movies that showed men with bad toupee’s falling of in the wind or when he bent over.  Some of the best classic comedies included this as part of their slap stick.

Sears Roebuck revolutionized hair pieces by starting a mail order business in the early 1900′s.  Most of these sales were advertised in print showing before and after pictures and telling the story of how important it is for a man to have a hair covered head.  Most of the advertising, like today’s hair restoration system advertising, dealt with the business and social aspects of having a bald head and how a fitted hair piece could quickly solve these problems.

The best hair replacement system is going to be one in which the underlying material, the weave, matches the scalp color and texture as possible.  It also depends on the material the base is made from.  Bases are constructed of weave or polymers.  Polymers are used when an imitation skin texture is needed.  These polymers are usually always matched by color to the scalp.

Mesh bases are usually used when there is a concern of the hair line.  The mesh is able to show a much more natural line a polymer base is.  The main problems with weave bases is they are very delicate thus easily torn and they are susceptible to acid breakdown caused by normal body acids.

Hair replacement systems are not as popular as they once were probably because of the many choices that are now available.  There are now drug therapies that can be used for hair restoration along with hair implants and hair plugs.  Also it seems that more and more people are just accepting baldness so it doesn’t have the social stigma it used to.  In fact many men completely shave their heads when they are starting to have patchy baldness so their entire scalp is bald.

Hair replacement costs vary depending on the construction of the piece and where it is purchased. With the advent of the internet there are now many more possibilities for men to find a good system at a reasonable cost.  This offers a great non surgical hair replacement method that will look good without you having to go to the doctor’s office.