Today, there are a number of “treatment options” available designed to halt the ongoing thinning and loss of hair, designed to regrow hair and designed to replace hair that’s already been lost. In total, there are over 2,000 topical and oral products, a handful of hair restoration devices and about 5 surgical procedures currently used throughout the U.S.

But what works? What doesn’t? What’s right for you? Which of these truly provides hope, and which are nothing more than hype?

Let’s first simplify things a bit. We’ll answer some basic questions we receive from time-to-time. Then we’ll describe what each of the “proven” treatment options are and what they are supposed to do for you. In so doing, we’ll uncover what’s worth investing your time, your trust and your money.

Which of the current treatment options are permanent, natural and proven?

Only one. Surgical Hair Transplantation. Transplantation is a singular permanent solution (one surgery, and the results last a lifetime).

Which of the topical and oral treatment options are FDA-Approved?

Only two. Propecia (a DHT-inhibitor) and Rogaine (a “hair growth stimulator”). Hair restoration surgery does not require FDA approval.

Which of the treatment options have no side-effects?

Only one. Surgical Hair Transplantation.

Which treatment options can help prevent hair loss?

Only three. (1) Propecia is a DHT-inhibitor. It’s been successful at blocking the conversion of DHT by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. (2) Rogaine is a “hair growth stimulator,” and it can help regrow hair in the crown and bridge by increasing blood supply to hair follicles. (3) Surgical Hair Transplantation. By “staying ahead of hair thinning and loss” with a surgical procedure, you can actually prevent the appearance of loss from occurring at all.

Which of the treatment options are safe for both men and women?

Only two. Surgical Hair Transplantation and Rogaine. (Rogaine’s 5% Minoxidil is generally recommended for men while 2% is recommended for women.)

Which of the treatment options benefit the hairline?

Only one. Surgical Hair Transplantation. Both Propecia and Rogaine work primarily in the crown and bridge areas of the scalp.

ROGAINE® (topical)

Rogaine’s active ingredient is Minoxidil. Minoxidil was originally developed as a product to control blood pressure. Users found that they were growing hair in areas where hair didn’t exist previously. Minoxidil comes in a number of strengths, but the maximum non-prescription strength is 5%, which is generally recommended for men. The 2% non-prescription formula is generally recommended for women. A 12 ½ % prescription formula is available, but not widely used. The potential side-effects and skin irritation increase dramatically.

Rogaine is a “hair growth stimulator” which means that when it is applied effectively to the scalp, it absorbs into the skin… increasing blood flow to the tissue and hair follicles underneath. It primarily benefits the crown and bridge area of the scalp, but some have seen minimal benefit in the front and along the hairline.

Rogaine must be used twice a day, every day. Compliance and skin irritation are the two primary frustrations users have with the product.

PROPECIA® (oral)

Propecia’s chemical name is Finasteride. Finasteride was developed nearly 4 decades ago as a treatment for prostate hypertrophy (extended prostate). Proscar, a 5 mg version of Finasteride, is still widely prescribed today for treatment of prostate hypertrophy.

Proscar users found that the hair in their crown and bridge areas of their scalps was getting thicker, and they weren’t losing hair at the same rate they once were. Propecia, in essence, is a 1 mg version of Proscar. At 1 mg, it benefits the crown and bridge and does very little (if anything) for the prostate.

Propecia is a DHT-inhibitor. It can actually slow or halt the conversion of testosterone into di-hydrotestosterone (DHT) by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. Since DHT is known to be the primary cause of male-pattern baldness, stopping the conversion of DHT allows genetically susceptible hair follicles to remain intact, and in some cases increase in size. When hair follicles increase in size, the resulting hairs get thicker as well.

Propecia’s compliance is quite simple… just one pill a day, every day. The pill can be taken on an empty stomach without irritation. Side-effects are minimal and can include a reduced desire for sex (1% chance) and possible breast enlargement (less than a .25% chance).

REGENIX

The first step to discovering if Regenix is right for you is to have the in-depth hair and scalp micro-analysis performed. This may be done either in-person or through the mail. If you have additional questions or you would like to schedule an appointment for a micro-analysis in-person please contact the Clinic at 1-800-REGENIX.

Furthermore, unlike Propecia and Rogaine, the Regenix System of treatments are 100% drug-free. There is absolutely no risk of harmful or sexual side effects when using Regenix. Additionally, once an individual achieves his or her desired results with Regenix, simple maintenance will sustain the benefits. Where as with the drug based treatments daily, even twice daily use forever is required. If you desire an all-natural, personalized system to stop your hair loss then Regenix is quite possibly the solution for you.

www.regenix.com

LASERS

There’s been a lot of hype over low-level lasers being used to improve hair density. There’s also been a lot of mis-information about what they claim to do, what they can’t do and what clinical data is available to prove they benefit hair density at all.

The concept is relatively simple. Low-level lasers are known to increase blood flow to underlying tissue and can stimulate natural processes beneath the skin. Lasers are used in a variety of medical specialties with great success.

If lasers are effective in stimulating blood flow to hair follicles and accelerating the hormonal process of hair regrowth (getting hairs out of their “resting phase” more quickly), what users should be able to realize is slightly thicker hair and possibly more hair on the scalp at any given time.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC STIMULATORS

Believe it or not, there is a device on the market that claims it can actually stimulate the hormones responsible for hair growth into growing new hairs in follicles that have long stopped through the use of electro-magnetic pulses. It sounds far-fetched, there is virtually no clinical data supporting its claims and very few medical doctors take it seriously, but it is a product receiving a lot of attention.

The product works like this. Small, acupuncture-type needles are injected into the scalp, in areas of thinning and loss. The device is then activated, and slight electro-magnetic pulses are transmitted into the scalp. The result, over time, is supposed to be the reactivation of hormones responsible for hair growth and ultimately new hair.

We simply don’t find any supporting medical data to warrant recommending a device like this as a treatment plan at this time.

SURGICAL HAIR TRANSPLANTATION

The fastest growing cosmetic surgery today for both men and women is Surgical Hair Transplantation. And hair loss sufferers aren’t waiting until they experience extensive loss before having a surgical procedure anymore. More and more young men and women are considering the surgical solution as their preventative measure, their replacement measure, their only hair restoration measure.

There are currently a few surgical procedures available. The “donor strip” hair transplant procedure is the most commonly used, provides the best results, yields the greatest number of grafts, is virtually undetectable in the donor area and is considered the only viable surgical treatment by over 95% of the hair restoration surgeons in the United States. “Follicular unit extraction” is getting a lot of hype these days, but once we describe the risks, you’ll see why very few surgeons employ this technique and all of the dominant, respected names in hair restoration caution against it. “Scalp reductions” can still be an important surgical option to those considered candidates for the procedure. But since the donor strip method and micro-surgical techniques have evolved, scalp reductions have declined dramatically… practices ten years ago doing 30 scalp reductions a month are doing fewer than 5 in a year.

The Donor Strip Method

This is where a surgeon removes a section of hair-bearing skin from the back of the head, right around the base of the skull. These hairs are genetically different than those on the top and front of the scalp, destined to last a lifetime. The removal area is sutured together, leaving a very thin, almost undetectable scar blended into the hair in the back of the head. There’s no thinning, baldness and unless one shaves the back of the scalp, the donor scar is undetectable. All of the follicular units (which grow naturally in 1, 2, 3, 4 and even some 5 hair units) are extracted and placed in cool saline solution. Small incisions are made in the areas of thinning and loss, then one-by-one, each of the follicular units is implanted… in essence relocated. A trained, experienced and skilled surgeon can maximize density (implanting as many hairs per square inch as physiologically possible) and mirror a natural hair growth pattern. Single-hair follicular units are placed along the hair line in a perfectly natural , uneven line. All of the remaining follicular units are randomly scattered throughout the areas of need. The result is natural and permanent.

The Follicular Unit Extraction Technique

The concept makes sense, and it sounds great! Instead of making an incision in the back of the head, simply remove each individual follicular unit with a punch blade then relocate it to the areas of thinning and loss… all in one step. The problem is, it isn’t quite that simple.

Hair follicles don’t grow straight up and down beneath the skin. They grow at angles, and each follicle can be at a dramatically different angle than the follicle next to it. It’s virtually impossible to know for sure. Clinical studies have shown that 25% to 40% of all follicular units being extracted during follicular unit extraction are destroyed. They are simply cut in half. And since we have a limited supply of donor hairs, we can’t afford to destroy even one unnecessarily. Additionally, the punch blade will leave multiple scars throughout the donor area. When follicular units are simply extracted from areas of the skin, the result is an overall thinning to the remaining hair. Follicular unit extraction procedures last, on average, 30% longer, cost more, result in less density and compromise the donor area.

Every surgeon has this procedure option at their disposal; the vast majority sees that it just isn’t in the patient’s best interest to utilize it.

The Scalp Reduction

Quite simply, a scalp reduction surgery involves removing an area of scalp… in essence eliminating part of the “area” affected by hair loss. The result can be a reduced bald spot and greater coverage by the surrounding hair-bearing skin as it is pulled towards the spot where the skin was removed.

For a select few, scalp reductions are still a viable option. Those with scarring, areas of balding caused by areata alopecia (an auto-immune deficiency), isolated areas of baldness may find dramatic improvement after just one procedure. For most of us, however, the advent of micro-surgery and the donor strip method nearly a decade ago provides the best possible solution.

There are risks associated with scalp reductions. Since the resulting scar following a scalp reduction procedure, has a great deal of tension on it, stretching is a likely possibility. Traction alopecia (permanent hair loss caused by great stress on hair follicles) is another possibility. Reduction in scalp elasticity from a scalp reduction can compromise future hair transplant procedures.

Choosing the Right Surgeon – the First Time

Whether you are experiencing just the first signs of hair thinning or you’ve already lost quite a bit of hair… when you’re ready to begin a hair restoration plan, choosing the right surgeon (the first time) is the most important decision you can make. And sometimes, the answer is clear: