Understanding Your Hair Loss Treatment Options

ALTERNATIVE

DESCRIPTION

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

Hairpiece, such as wigs and toupees

• Various types of attachments to hair and scalp to cover bald area

• Quick Solution
• Greatest density
• Non-surgical

• High maintenance and cost
• Destructive to underlying hair and often appears artificial

Minoxidil (Rogaine)

• Topical solution applied once or twice daily to scalp

• FDA approved
• Over the counter
• Low Cost
• Can be effective in slowing hair loss progression

• Used daily and indefinitely
• Re-growth rare and usually vellus hair only
• Most effective in early balding stages
• Application may be messy

Finasteride (Propecia,Finpecia)

• Daily prescription pill that blocks 5 Alpha Reductase (DHT)

• No messy application
• Most effective in stabilizing hair loss and regrowing hair
• Effective for all balding patterns

• More expensive
• Used daily and indefinitely
• Potential effects on breasts, genitals, pregnancy

Low-level laser therapy

• Light therapy applied to the scalp

• May increase the thickness of hair shafts

• Requires ongoing applications
• Does not stop or reverse hair loss
• Does not improve post hair transplant healing or growth

Laser grafting

• Graft receptor sites are made with laser
• Donor site is harvested conventionally

• Claims of better healing and more natural appearance although not in fact demonstrated

• Scars to scalp
•  Poor yield and stunted hair produces low density
• Possible scarring under the skin

Micropigmentation

• Specialized tattoo technique that simulates hair look

• Non-surgical
• Overcomes inadequate donor supply
• Best for shaved head look

• Does not grow hair
• Does not turn gray
• Limited color range

FUT (True & Dorin Strip Procedure)

• Superficial layer of donor-bearing skin removed
• 1-4 hair follicular unit skin grafts microscopically prepared
• Receptor sites created with tiny customized micro-scalpels
   

• Allows for optimal amount of grafts to be done in one session
• Grafts cost less than with FUE
• Uniform distribution and density
• Best scalp healing
• Good in thinning areas
• Partial restorations look natural
• Allows creative hairline design

• Moderate discomfort in the donor area in post-operative period 
• Sutures must be removed after 10 days
• Thin linear donor scar will show if head is shaved

FUE (True & Dorin Extraction Procedure)

• Rapid proprietary motorized system for extracting intact follicular unit grafts one by one
• 1-4 hair follicular unit skin grafts microscopically prepared
• Receptor sites created with tiny customized micro-scalpels

• No sutures
• Minimal discomfort
• Tiny non-linear pinpoint scars
• Uniform distribution and density
• Best scalp healing
• Good in thinning areas
• Partial restorations look natural
• Allows creative hairline design

• Less grafts can be done per treatment
• More treatments may be needed
• Yield may be less than with FUT
• More expensive
   

ARTAS

• Computer assisted robotic follicular extraction system

• Faster than non-motorized systems
• Replaces direct extraction by the doctor
• Highly accurate

• Slower than True and Dorin FUE
• Graft bases have denuded follicles
• Donor must be shaved for procedure
• Scalp donor only

NeoGraft

• Automated device that uses suction to assist in follicular extraction and placement

• Same as FUE
• Speeds up extraction process over non-motorized system

• Being used by unlicensed technicians in non-hair restoration practices
• Not effective for graft placement
• Risk of graft dehydration

Punch Grafts

• Transplanting non-follicular unit skin grafts containing 5 to 20 hairs

• Most specialists believe there aren't any
• A small minority believe they create the highest density of all hair transplants because bald scalp is removed

• Classic "tooth brush/plug" appearance with risk of increased scarring and cobblestoning
• Wastes donor follicles
• Difficult to do with thinning hair

Scalp Extension

• Two step surgical procedure using an implanted extension device

• Removal of large area in one month
• Device does not show

• Risk of infection and stretching back
• More discomfort, more expensive

Scalp Expansion

• Silicone balloon inserted under scalp and expanded with saline injections over several weeks

• Very large areas of scalp can be removed

• Risk of infection
• Deforms appearance
• More discomfort, more expensive

Scalp Lift

• Extensive surgical procedure with entire scalp moved

• Elimination of most baldness in a single procedure, but must create hairline with 2-4 transplant procedures

• General anesthesia
• Prolonged discomfort
• Permanent scalp numbness
• Risk of hair follicles dying

Transposition Flaps

• Various methods of rotating a section of scalp from the side to the top of the head

• Achieves greatest density of frontal zone
• Quicker result

• Hair facing backwards, scar on edge of hairline mist be hidden with the use of transplantation
• Risk of hair follicles dying
• Does not cover crown