Hair Loss Resources

Advise for Women with Menopause and Hair Loss

2011-11-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

Women experience a variety of symptoms associated with menopause. However, some are discussed more frequently than others. Hair loss is one of the most distressing yet infrequently discussed symptoms of menopause. As women enter menopause, reports of changes in hair thickness and integrity are common. The North American Menopause Society credits hair loss during menopause to the change in amounts of androgen and estrogen in the body as well as to genetic predisposition. Certain types of therapy, namely androgen and progestogen, may also result in hair loss and/or thinning.

If you are a woman struggling with hair loss during menopause, it is important to know that there are viable hair replacement solutions available to you for the particular type of hair loss you are experiencing. In this posting, I want to highlight two non-surgical hair replacement procedures that are commonly used by women struggling with hair loss during menopause.

Hair Additions

Simply defined, a hair addition is a nonsurgical hair loss solution that adds human and/or synthetic hair to a person’s existing hair or scalp. Hair additions may include but are not limited to: hair weaves, hair extensions, hair fusions, hair pieces, hair prostheses, and wigs. Hair additions are not simply a “pull it off the shelf and stick on your head” cosmetic accessory. Women should meet with an trained hair loss expert and decide exactly what type of hair addition, color, texture, and style is right for them.

Hair additions are suitable for people who have temporary or permanent hair loss due to genetic or medical causes. Additionally, hair additions are appropriate for women who are uncertain about or unable to undergo hair transplant surgery. Hair Additions are a perfect solution for people who want long, beautiful, thick hair and who want full control over the color, thickness, length, and style of their hair.

Hair Augmentation

Hair augmentation as a procedure that adds hair to areas where hair is thinning or the scalp is bald. A hair graft is bonded to the scalp or to the natural hair to compensate for hair loss and/or thinning. Depending on the degree of hair loss in a particular area, the overall hair density can be adjusted as well as being designed to cover the precise area of hair loss. Hair augmentation is highly individualized and tailored to meet your specific and individual needs.

Menopause and Hair Loss

Menopause is difficult enough without worrying about the emotional and psychological effects of female hair loss. If you are experiencing the early signs of hair thinning and you are trying to decide what to do, remember that you have many options. If you are in the throes of moderate to severe hair loss and aren’t sure how to proceed, you don’t have to make any decisions today. Be patient with yourself and keep gathering information. Explore the options available to you, seek out a hair loss professional you feel you can trust, and ask questions.

Female Hair Loss: More Common Than One Might Think

2011-11-22T06:05:00.000-08:00

According to Alopecia Studies & Hair Loss Alopecia Information, 40% of women by the age of 50 years old will show signs of hair loss. Female pattern baldness involves a pattern of hair loss in women that follows a particular cycle. Physicians attribute hair loss in women to hormones, aging, and other factors. Female pattern baldness may also be called alopecia, baldness, hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia.

Causes and Presentation:
The American Hair Loss Association explains that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an offshoot of the hormone testosterone, is a major contributor to many types of hair loss. Essentially, DHT attacks hair follicles and either damages the follicle or kills them entirely. Female pattern baldness has several different courses and presentations. The course of female pattern baldness may include an overall and gradual thinning of the hair on the crown of the head. When thinning hair occurs for women, it usually begins at the top of the scalp and widens through the center of the head. Hair usually grows at a rate of half an inch per month. Hair may grow from two to six years, fall out, and immediately re-grow. The hair growth process spans three cycles: growth phase (or anagen phase), resting phase (or catagen phase), and falling out (or telegen phase).

The American Academy of Family Physicians explains that the cause of female pattern baldness is undetermined. Potential causes may include: hormone imbalance, genetics, pregnancy, medical issues, and external causes. Complete baldness is relatively rare in women as compared to men. However, it may occur. Complete baldness occurs when hair falls out and a new hair fails to grow in its place. Although the causes behind baldness are not well understood, research demonstrates that baldness may be related to aging, changes in hormone levels, and/or a family history of hair thinning, hair loss or balding.

Female Hair Loss Treatment:
Once you’ve noticed hair loss, it is important to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will be able to determine whether your hair loss is a disorder that requires medical treatment. If the doctor informs you that your hair loss is not resulting from a medical problem, consider that permanent hair loss could be a reality. It is important to remember that female pattern baldness is not a medical disorder.

Many women prefer to receive treatment in an effort to slow the course of hair thinning and baldness. Minoxidil is the only drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat female pattern baldness. Minoxidil, which is most commonly marketed under the brand name Rogaine, helps hair growth in approximately 20-25% of women. However, hair loss begins once you stop applying Mixoxidil.

Hair has been called a woman’s crowning glory. To look good is to feel good. Female pattern baldness and thinning hair can be painful, devastating, and embarrassing. Beauty is but one of many elements that comprise a woman’s life, yet one of the most important by which she is judged. Hair is a huge component of female beauty. Hair replacement or hair restoration may be an ideal solution if you suffering from thinning hair or moderate to severe hair loss.

According to Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair Ltd. inToronto,Ontario, modern, state-of-the-art hair additions can be an extraordinary solution for female pattern thinning. “A hair integration system is a state-of-the-art hair enhancement that adds any amount of fullness, length and body to your existing hair. It is feather-light, secure and completely undetectable.”

Parting Thoughts
Female pattern hair loss is a reality that many women live with every day. Although the effects of hair loss can exact an emotional and psychological toll on women, there are resources available to help you solve your hair loss problem. If you are struggling to maintain your positive outlook on life in the face of female pattern baldness, we encourage you to contact a trained hair loss professional and explore the various state-of-the-art hair replacement and hair restoration solutions that are available today.

Trichotillomania: Living and Coping

2011-11-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

Trichotillomania has been described by the National Institutes of Health as
“Hair loss from repeated urges to pull or twist the hair until it breaks off. Patients are unable to stop this behavior, even as their hair becomes thinner.

Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors. Trichotillomania is a type of impulsive control disorder. Its causes are not clearly understood. It may affect as much as 4% of the population. Women are four times more likely to be affected than men.

Symptoms usually begin before age 17. The hair may come out in round patches or across the scalp. The effect is an uneven appearance. The person may pluck other hairy areas, such as the eyebrows, eyelashes, or body hair.

These symptoms are usually seen in children:

An uneven appearance to the hair
Bare patches or all around (diffuse) loss of hair
Bowel blockage (obstruction) if people eat the hair they pull out
Constant tugging, pulling, or twisting of hair
Denying the hair pulling
Hair regrowth that feels like stubble in the bare spots
Increasing sense of tension before the hair pulling
Other self-injury behaviors
Sense of relief, pleasure, or gratification after the hair pulling

Most people with this disorder also have problems with:

Feeling sad or depressed
Anxiety
Poor self image”

——————————————————————————————

According to MayoClinic.com, for some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the urge to pull hair is overwhelming and can be accompanied by considerable distress. Some treatment options have helped many people reduce their hair pulling or stop entirely.

An article on Trichotillomania at Wikipedia.org suggests that support groups and internet sites such as the Trichotillomania Learning Center can provide recommended educational material and help persons with trichotillomania in maintaining a positive attitude and overcoming the fear of being alone with the disease.

Trichotillomania is classified as an impulse control disorder and leads to noticeable hair loss, distress, and social or functional impairment. Teens and adults with the disorder may find coping with the disorder in every day life somewhat easier by consulting a trained hair loss professional who may recommend a wig or hair prosthesis to mask the resulting hair loss and allow the sufferer to interact normally in social and public situations such as work and school.

Resources:
Trichotillomania Learning Center
OhioHealth.comMemphis Trichotillomania Support Group

FUE: Follicular Unit Extraction - Minimally Invasive Hair Transplant Surgery

2011-10-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

Follicular Unit Extraction Offers Minimally Invasive Surgery Technique to Hair Transplantation.

Hair transplantation is simply the transferring of hair from a "permanent" area of the scalp to another area in which hair has fallen out due to heredity or some other cause. For most men and women who lose the hair on the top of their head, the hair on the back and sides of their head is relatively thick and is likely to remain so for the rest of their lives. This "permanent" hair is harvested by means of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), and then meticulously dissected under the microscope to produce hundreds of tiny follicular unit grafts of one to three or four hairs each.

In hair transplantation, these newly created tiny grafts of "permanent" hair are distributed artistically over the balding scalp according to a carefully planned pattern. They quickly take root and, after a short resting period of four to six months, grow and keep on growing for the rest of your life.

Both the removal of hair follicles and subsequent transplantation create small surgical "wounds." Prior to Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), donor hair was removed by the more traditional method of "strip harvesting," which created a wound that had the potential to scar when healed.

Over the past decade, significant progress in the techniques of hair transplantation have tended to further reduce surgical invasiveness. Hair transplantation has moved steadily from the grafting of "plugs" containing 20 or more hairs to the use of donor-hair follicular units containing one to three hairs.

The technique of follicular unit extraction (FUE) has shown the potential to harvest donor hair with minimal invasiveness and much reduced potential for scarring at the site of donor hair removal.

Follicular unit extraction is the method of removing single hair follicles from a donor site, using extremely small excisions, and is considered to fall within the definition of minimally invasive surgery. Hair transplant surgery as a whole is considered as outpatient procedure.

Currently, the most common method for removing donor hair on the scalp is to surgically remove a small strip of follicle-bearing skin and underlying tissue; the follicles to be transplanted are then dissected out of the follicle-bearing strip. Although donor wound scarring is an infrequent complication of such a procedure, the potential for scarring concerns some patients. FUE offers an alternative for selected patients who have a medical history of scarring or who are concerned about the possibility of scarring.

Follicular unit transplantation continues the ever-growing emphasis on achieving a “natural” look for hair transplant patients, especially in the all-important area of the front hairline. It is a technique that, like micrografting, uses one to four follicular units to achieve a natural distribution of hair coverage over the scalp and avoid the corn-row or “pluggy” appearance that has historically been associated with hair transplantation.

An additional advantage of follicular unit transplantation is that individual follicular units are the natural hair-bearing structure in the scalp, and transplanting them as units increases the likelihood of natural growth after transplantation.

The availability of Follicular Unit extraction and transplantation expands the number of options a patient may consider for surgical hair restoration. Whether it is the best option for an individual patient depends upon the individual patient characteristics, including cause of hair loss, type of hair loss, likelihood of hair loss progression over future years, and the patient’s wishes for the “look” that he or she wishes to achieve from hair restoration.

After this new hair grows out, it can be washed, cut, or styled in whatever way you like. There is nothing fragile about transplanted hair. It can even be permed or colored. A person with a transplanted head of hair can sleep, swim, ski, go to the barber shop – in other words – do everything they ever did before, knowing that once again they have their own hair back again. And best of all, no one will know!

Transitions Intl. Donates to Friends of Kids with Cancer

2011-05-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

In November of 2010 Judy Ciapciak, the Executive Director of Friends of Kids with Cancer, a non profit group in St. Louis, was presented with a toy chest of assorted toys to benefit the children she works with. This contribution was presented by Transitions International, as part of their way of giving back to the communities they visit when they hold their convention for Transitions International members. The transitions board members that made this possible are Alica Stevens, President and owner of Genesis II, Virg Christoffels owner of Christoffels and Company, Dave Barker, owner of International Hair Restoration Systems, Nikki Walsh, owner of P.K. Walsh, Dennis Murphy owner of HairQuarters, and Scott McCarty, owner of Shear Pointe, Inc.

2011-04-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Great article on school bullying and what to do about it today in the Victoria (Texas) Advocate newspaper by writer Sarah Womble:

Sarah Womble

"Do you remember the school bully who went around teasing and threatening you or your classmates? Remember how you felt? Remember how you wished he would just go away?

Ever wondered what happened to someone who was teased or bullied or what became of the bully himself?

Teasing and bullying is an ongoing problem for many of our children. Research reports shows that at least 20 percent of children ages 2 through 17 experienced one or more forms of bullying during the past year.

According to a nationally representative survey, the risk for being bullied peaks during middle childhood, with the highest rates occurring among 6- to 9-year-olds.

An exception was Internet harassment, where the peak age was 14-17.

Those who are the victims of teasing and bullying can experience long-term consequences. Victims of bullying may suffer from anxiety, fear and low self-esteem. They may avoid peers, school and social activities where they may be exposed to teasing or bullying. In some cases, children may drop out of school to avoid being harassed or attacked.

"Negative consequences for those who bully have been demonstrated as well," said Rick Peterson, assistant professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service parenting specialist. "Childhood bullies have school attendance and performance problems. Those who bully tend to become aggressive adults and are more likely to become involved in criminal activities."

Read the entire article here.

New NeoGraft Hair Transplant Procedure: No Scars.

2011-04-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

PHOENIX, AZ. (Fox 10 News) - Looking in the mirror was getting harder and harder to do for Clay Johnson. Watching his hair thin and recede, he decided it was time to make a change.

"It's a very quick procedure and there's no reason people have to suffer with baldness at all anymore," said Dr. Ryan Tsujimura.

North Valley Plastic Surgery is one of the first to offer hair transplants with no scaring surgery and you don't have to be put under using NeoGraft. The machine which just recently hit the market suctions out anywhere from one to four hair follicles at a time from the back of the head, then implants them into balding areas.

"It's very new, we're very excited about technology..it's the first machine that can harvest the micrographs," said Tsujimura.

Clay never really looked into hair transplants because he knew the popular "strip method" involved surgery and left a scar. "It leaves a scar on the scalp and especially for men who like to wear their hair short, you see a white line going all around the scalp and it's very hard to camouflage it," said Tsujimura. The best candidates are men and women who are just starting to lose their hair.

The NeoGraft procedure can add up. It Clay's case, it was about $12,000, but it's given him a confidence boost which he says is priceless. "It makes me feel better about myself..certainly everyone wants to look their best, feel attractive and for me, I don't like and see a version of myself that is less than I'd like it to be..I like to look the best I can," he said.

The whole process can take time. Clay's procedure started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 4:00 p.m. and it will take about a year to see full results. In some cases, this can be a one time thing, but depending on the person, you may have to back for another procedure. It's all out of pocket since insurance does not cover the procedure.

Locks of Love from UCF Softball Knights

2011-04-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

For UCF softball players Patrice Fee (Cocoa, Fla.) and Lacey Dinney (Binbrook, Fla.), long hair was part of their identity–until recently. Both had hair down to their belly-buttons and felt it was an essential part of their look until a spur of the moment decision happened at this year’s Relay for Life event, where both got 10.5 inches cut off their hair to donate to Locks of Love.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. The organization will use the hair donated by Fee and Dinney to make high quality hair prostheses.

“We were at Relay for Life volunteering at the softball tent when we noticed they were cutting hair for charity on stage,” explained Fee. “All of my teammates were telling me I should do it because of my long hair. So I said I would do it only if Lacey did it too.”

After convincing Dinney to join her on stage, both Fee and Dinney had their hair measured and each met the 10-inch requirement. “I’ve been growing my hair out for three years,” Dinney said. “I’ve donated in the past, but didn’t feel ready yet to donate again. But, when I was getting measured, I looked over and a cancer survivor was looking at my hair and smiling. She told me how she would have loved to have hair like mine and I knew in that moment I had to do it. So Patrice did it too and we were less freaked out.”

The hair cutting took place on stage to Katy Perry’s song, “Firework.” The crowd of at least 100 spectators cheered and snapped pictures as Fee and Dinney held hands and braced themselves for the first snip.
Although the girls were nervous, Dinney found the experience incredibly rewarding.

“It was hard, especially when they hand you your ponytail,” Dinney recalled. “I was so nervous, but it felt so good afterward. After hearing the cancer survivors tell us how proud they were of us and that we were heroes, it was awesome. People need it more than we do. The experience was awesome. I would definitely do it again.”

Fee said she feels great about donating. “We were both really attached to our hair, but at the end of the day, it’s hair,” Fee said. “It’s going to someone who can love the hair as much as I loved the hair. Hair grows.”
The hair was cut off as a ponytail, which the girls will now mail to Locks of Love. By mailing it in themselves they will be able to receive information on the story of the hair and the child it is helping.

For now, the athletes are learning to adjust to their shoulder-length bobs. “My mom had to go buy me bobby pins because I’ve never had short hair,” Fee said. “I like not having heavy hair on my neck. It’s not as hot and not in the way for softball. Although the rest of the team was inspired by Dinney and Fee to donate their hair as well, no one else met the minimum length requirement yet. “Everyone is trying to grow their hair out now so they can donate too,” Dinney said.

Fee and Dinney are not the first UCF softball players to donate to Locks of Love, as former Knight Ashley Van Ryn also clipped 13 inches off her hair in 2008 to help children in need.

Anyone interested in donating to Locks of Love, please visit the organization’s website at locksoflove.org, where you can read about its specific requirements and other information about donating to this amazing cause.

Gordon Ramsay: Hair Transplant Procedure Recipient

2011-03-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

According to the London Daily Mail, celebrity chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay had a hair transplant using a “radical new treatment” called follicular unit extraction that “leaves no scars.” Unfortunately the Daily Mail reporter apparently didn't do their homework. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) has been a proven and widely respected hair loss transplant procedure for well over 10 years.

Follicular unit (FU) extraction is a procedure for obtaining follicular graft units from donor areas on the scalp. Follicular unit transplantation is the surgical procedure for transplanting follicular unit into the scalp.

The FU is identified as a small bundle consisting of 1 to 4 hair follicles, full-thickness as well as fine hairs, and the oil glands, muscles and connecting tissue that accompany and support hair follicles. According to the ISHRS, if you look closely at the closely-clipped scalp from above as you would look at a wheat field from an airplane, you can see that scalp hair does not grow in even distribution like wheat in a field but rather in little groups of hairs that seems to be clumped together. These little groupings of hairs are called follicular units (FUs). When the scalp is examined under a magnifying glass or microscope, these FUs look like islands. The identification, harvesting and transplanting of FUs requires the training and skill of a physician hair restoration specialist.

The extracted FU may be used intact, or may be divided into smaller units for transplantation. Single follicular units are often used to fill in a hairline, multiple FUs to provide greater density in the center of the scalp. Follicular unit transplantation is a newer surgical technique that continues the modern emphasis on achieving a “natural” look from hair transplants. It is a technique that, like micrografting, uses 1 to 4 units to achieve an even distribution of hair coverage over the scalp and avoid the “row of corn” appearance that was common many years ago.

The availability of FU transplantation expands the number of options a patient may consider for surgical hair restoration. Whether it is the best option for an individual patient depends upon the individual patient characteristics, including cause of hair loss, type of hair loss, likelihood of hair loss progression over future years, cost of procedures the patient may consider, and the patient’s wishes for the “look” that he or she wishes to achieve from hair restoration.

In the case of Chef Ramsay, one source close to him is reported to have said that "while his hair may not have been obviously receding, it had become an issue for him."

Derek McGinty: The Quest for Hair. Part 1

2011-01-11T10:04:00.001-08:00

Additional Information: Detroit, Michigan Hair Loss Restoration Clinic

Stress: It's Effect on Your Health, and What You Can Do About It.

2010-12-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

Great post over at RealAge.com today on stress and it's effect on your health. According to the article:

"Stress activates the nervous system, stimulating the secretion of certain hormones and increasing blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, metabolism, and blood flow to the muscles. Much of the time, this process is helpful. The boost in activity helps the body meet greater demands during crises -- for example, to run from a direct threat or to think and act quickly and efficiently when tackling a demanding task.

"But all of this extra physiological activity may take a toll. Normally, the body can recover when the stressful situation subsides. But when the stress response is turned on too often, or for too long without time to recover, the body pays a price.

"Depending on the amount of stress, this price could be high. Several studies have indicated a link between elevated stress levels and deficiencies in immune system function. In fact, long-term, unrelieved stress may depress immune system function so much that the body becomes more vulnerable to colds, flu, and other infections. Research has also linked excessive stress to chronic illnesses and diseases, including heart disease and cancer."

The article goes on to provide helpful hints and proven methodoligies for relieving or reducing stress in your life. Read the entire article here.

Additional Information: Milwaukee Wisconsin Hair Loss Restoration Clinic

Animals of YouTube sing "Deck the Halls"

2010-12-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

Burn Victim Transformed

2010-12-04T22:21:00.000-08:00

Veteran WPIX 11 newscaster Marvin Scott reports in this undated video about the "transformation" of 11-year-old burn victim Brittany, of St. Louis, Missouri. Source: AlopeciaWorld.com.

WIGS FOR KIDS: Although unrelated to the above video, Wigs For Kids does some amazing work in this area on a nationwide basis. When children lose their hair, whether as a result of medical treatments, health conditions, or burn accidents, they don't just suffer physically. The change in their appearance can drastically undermine their self-image and sabotage their self-esteem. To combat this additional trauma, Certified Cosmetic Therapist Jeffrey Paul founded Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit organization that has been serving children suffering from hair loss since 1980.

Looking back over the past 25 years, Paul says he cannot believe his incredible journey. He was a successful hairdresser with a thriving business. He traveled all over the world to work with powerful presidents and gorgeous models. But one day, his 15-year-old niece walked into his salon, crying. She tearfully begged him to stop her hair from falling out. His immediate thoughts were that it was not serious.

But when he saw the look in her father's eyes, he knew it was something more. It turned out that she had just been diagnosed with leukemia. "Uncle Jeff, you know I've been trying to get on the gymnastics team all my life," she cried. "My hair is going to be falling out when it's time to try out."

Although chemotherapy would help save her life, it would also leave her with no hair. "I promised her that she would have hair," Paul says. "And when you make a promise to a kid, you keep it."

Neograft Hair Transplants - Rachel Ray

2010-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

On a recent episode of Rachael Ray, Dr. Youn describes NeoGraft as a revolutionary breakthrough in hair transplant technology and compares it with more traditional ‘linear-harvest’ techniques.

NeoGraft assists with Follicular-Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant procedures–which uses no scalpel and no stitches and leaves no linear scar. For more information on NeoGraft, visit http://www.baumanmedical.com/.

FUE hair transplant procedures using NeoGraft are available at a variety of hair transplant clinics nationwide. Watch an FUE procedure from start to finish at www.hairofnalts.com What is FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction? FUE is a minimally-invasive harvesting technique in hair transplant surgery that does require the use of scalpel, stitches or staples in the donor area. FUE leaves no linear scar and enables patients to return to physical activity quickly and wear their hair short without the risk of a tell-tale linear scar.

FUE has the added benefit of being associated with less discomfort than traditional hair transplant techniques.

What is NeoGraft? NeoGraft is a mechanical hair transplant device which assists the surgeon in performing FUE hair transplantation. It is often called an ‘automated’ FUE device, but in reality the operator needs significant skill and high-powered magnification to perform the procedure properly. NeoGraft allows for more accurate harvesting of hair.

Pythons, John Cleese, and Hair Transplants.

2010-11-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

Let me say right up front: I’m a great Monty Python fan. And when there was a Python marathon on TV a couple of Saturdays ago, absolutely nothing else got done around the house. So it naturally follows that John Cleese, “british actor, writer and tall person” – also of Fawlty Towers fame — is one of my all time favorite persons. (I will save my total devotion to Fawlty Towers for another post).

You may imagine my surprise and delight, therefore, when lo and behold, while surfing around the web this evening, what do I stumble upon but a news story from 2008 (Post Chronicle) where he talked about his then recent hair transplant. Cleese revealed he had had the procedure done during a talk show interview. When asked why he chose to have surgical hair restoration rather than a non-surgical hair replacement, he replied: “Because I have got a very strange shaped head.”

I would have loved to see the entire interview, but alas...

According to the article, the former "Python" also apparently discussed plans for a movie he was writing at the time based upon his ongoing and reportedly bitter divorce from his third wife. The tentative title: ”May Divorce Be With You.”

Seattle Area Woman's Dog Detected Her Breast Cancer

2010-10-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

According to KING5 TV News in Seattle, a Ballard, Washington area woman who detected breast cancer in her dog, has had the favor returned. Last year, Fay Cluckey's American Exkimo dog Tinker Bell incessantly scratched at Faye's right breast over a three month period, says Cluckey. Her daughter, Millie, urged her mother to go to the doctor. As a result, Faye's breast cancer was caught early and treated successfully.

The irony of this story is that three years earlier, Faye found a lump on Tinker Bell's breast. She took the dog to the vetrenarian and two surgeries later, Tinker Bell was cured of breast cancer.

A woman and a dog, so in tune with each other, they found each other's cancer and saved each others lives. "Pay attention to your dog," said Cluckey, "Don't ignore it. If they're obsessed with something, get it checked."

Patches of Hair Loss: Diagnosing Hair Loss in Children and Teenagers

2010-08-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

(CORTLANDT FORUM) -- A teenaged boy presented with a six-month history of patchy alopecia over his scalp. Four years earlier, he had a similar episode of hair loss that resolved spontaneously after a few months. His mother had experienced episodes of patchy hair loss that had resolved spontaneously.

Six months earlier, the patient noted clumps of hair loss resulting in three patches of alopecia over his occipital scalp. Two of the patches resolved, but one did not. Physical examination revealed one well-circumscribed circular patch of alopecia on the right occipital scalp. What is the diagnosis?

Read the entire article at Cortlandt Forum.

Hair Loss and the Appearance of Aging

2010-07-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

In an article on their website, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery suggests that "one of the most common reasons men and women consider hair transplantation surgery is to overcome what they perceive to be an age-inappropriate appearance. They don't want to appear older than their calendar age or appear older than they wish to appear."

The article goes on to state that "the reasons to avoid age-inappropriate appearance can be personal, work-related, or a combination of both. In both personal and work environments, age-inappropriate appearance can substantially influence one's self-regard, and one's interpersonal and work-related relationships. Age is objectively measured in years, but the appearance of age is assessed subjectively. It is often the subjective assessment by others that counts the most in one's personal and professional life."

While most people you encounter in your daily life probably have no idea what your calendar age really is, they nevertheless "quickly make judgments regarding your appearance of age. Along with their assessment of your apparent age as seen through their eyes, they may make some judgments regarding what may be called age-related values," the author suggests, such as vigor, self-regard, youthfulness or agenessness.

Persons suffering from hair loss are acutely aware of these factors. Happily there are a number of options available from topical treatments, to laser hair therapy, non-surgical hair replacements, hair extensions, wigs, and surgical hair restoration. This is a really great article, and you can read the entire article here. Kudos to the ISHRS.

SecurElegance from Hair Prosthesis Institute in Nashville

2010-07-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Hair Prosthesis Institute in Nashville, Tennessee has just told us about their new line of beautiful 100% human hair wigs for women. Here is their television spot announcing "SecurElegance". Sheryl and her crew should be very proud of this addition to their line of women's hair replacement solutions!

SecurElegance is a natural human hair wig line whose quality and comfort is among the highest rated product lines the marketplace. Sheryl can be reached at 615-662-8722.

The Hair Replacement Roller Coaster Challenge

2010-07-27T22:27:00.000-07:00

The Myrtle Beach Sun News reports that a present-day hair replacement system can survive the twists, turns and dips of a 150-foot roller coaster. And Dennis Murphy, owner of HairQuarters hair replacement studio in Surfside Beach, South Carolina proved it. Dennis rode "The Time Machine" at Freestyle Music Park to disprove what he considered to be inaccurate portrayal of a middle-aged man losing part of his hair piece in a scene from one of the park's TV commercials.

Murphy kept his hands on the roller coaster handles and the brownish gray hair piece stayed snug on his head throughout the entire ride. It came through unscathed by the ride's end, only showing signs of a strong wind.

"I don't know if I proved my point," said 63-year-old Murphy. "I proved it to me and that's all I care about ... As you saw on the ride, [the toupee] blows in the breeze."

He said he doesn't think Freestyle Music Park will pull the advertisement, and that's okay. "It's a great ride. I appreciate them giving me the opportunity," he said. "Hopefully, people will come out and see that it's not a big deal."

John Stine, director of sales and marketing at the amusement park, sat next to Murphy throughout the ride, which was recorded by a special video camera mounted on the front of the ride which the amusement park purchased especially for this test.

"I'm pleased to say that he proved us wrong," he said. "It came out of left field, but we wanted to respond."
Stine said their TV spot advertisements are meant to be "fun and humorous" and that they have no intention in offending anyone. At this time, Freestyle Music Park has no plans to stop running the ad.

And that is just fine with Dennis, because it gave him the opportunity to show the world that modern non-surgical hair replacement technology can provide people suffering from hair loss with a great looking head of hair that is so real you can't tell it's a hair piece at all.

Watch videos of news coverage of the Challenge here.

Laser Hair Loss Treatment

2010-07-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

Low level laser hair therapy (LLLT) is a revolutionary, non-surgical breakthrough for both men and women suffering the devastating effects of hair loss. With laser hair therapy, you can achieve thicker, fuller, shinier, and healthier looking hair. The low level lasers are "soft" lasers often referred to as "cold" lasers.

Low Level Laser Hair Therapy treatments utilize a device containing therapeutic soft low level light lasers which delivers light energy directly to the scalp.

In 1964, Professor Andre Mester began experimenting with the use of low-power laser energy in Budapest, Hungary. In his experiments with wound treatment on mice, he noticed rapid healing due to microcirculation of blood supply. This healing was also obvious in Laser Hair Rejuvenation treatment of diabetic patients suffering with dystrophic sores.

This theory through its evolution has since been refined and is widely becoming one of the most popular non-invasive hair loss treatments. Until very recently, the use of low level laser treatment has been relatively underutilized in North America. Today, however, there is increasing awareness and acceptance of low level laser therapy, particularly since the approval by the US FDA of the HairMax Laser Comb.

Miss Delaware Has Alopecia

2010-06-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

According to CBSNews.com, newly-crowned Miss Delaware Kayla Martell isn't your average beauty queen. The bright and bubbly 21-year old Milford native suffers from an autoimmune disease called alopecia, which attacks hair follicles.

The news report goes on to say that Martell has been bald nearly ten years, but she hasn't let that stop her from going for her dreams.

After five years, she was crowned Miss Delaware on June 12, and her biggest was inspiration, a five-year-old girl named Lilliana Hakim, who suffers from the same disease.

Read the full story here.

Virg Christoffels Teaches Latest Hair Restoration Techniques in Hong Kong

2010-06-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

Virg Christoffels recently returned from a ten day teaching and learning experience in Hong Kong. Virg is the owner of Christoffels and Company of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, one of the upper midwest's leading hair replacement and hair transplant clinics. Virg was invited by the Harvard Group to come to Hong Kong and share his knowledge of working in the hair replacement profession for 35 years and also share some of the latest technology and techniques that he is using in the business today.

Virg was in their two studios for six days consulting with clients, showing them what he is doing in Sioux Falls and conducting training classes for their staff. The week ended with a seminar that demonstrated the latest hair replacement methods to 30 potential new clients and existing clients.

Virg said the time was not only a chance to demonstrate to them what he has learned, but he also was able to bring new ideas back to Christoffels & Co.

Hong Kong is a beautiful city and Virg and Cheryln had the opportunity to experience the Chinese culture in seeing how they live and do business and also to eat some true Chinese food.

Nikki Walsh Discusses Female Hair Loss Treatment on Jordan Rich Show on WBZ Boston.

2010-06-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

Nikki Walsh of PK Walsh Hair Replacement Studio in Boston, Massachusetts was recently on the Jordan Rich Show on WBZ in Boston.

"This was actually my second time on. Jordan Rich was doing human interest that night. He is a great guy and was very prepared before I went in. He had all our website printed out and was knowledgeable about what we do.

"I wish I could have gotten calls on air, however even on the radio I think women think their voice will be recognized."

> Listen to the Show

"Since it was 11pm on SuperBowl Sunday," Nikki said, "I didn't think anyone would be listening, but boy oh boy. I had more people telling me they heard me on air than I would have thought possible. I did get a few inquiries about hair loss but they were from another state and Canada. I was nervous at first, you can hear it in my voice in the beginning.

"Than it was fun, the 1/2 hour went by way to fast. I would have stayed on all night if I got invited.

"This may be funny, my publicist told me it was 11am which I knew from listening to him he was on late, so I just thought I was being taped like last time. I drove all the way there with John and then went home and did my best to stay awake until I had to leave again."

Nikki Walsh - PK Walsh Hair Replacement for Women, Needham, Massachusetts

TV News Reporter Battles Breast Cancer in Public

2010-06-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Mulligan is being treated for breast cancer. When her blond hair began to fall out she had it cut and went shopping for a wig with her young daughters. Cynthia Mulligan works as the Education Specialist and Host on CityNews Toronto. She is battling breast cancer and has come to see the latest technology in wigs at Continental Hair in Toronto, Ontario. Her motto: "Look Good. Feel Good."

She is sharing her cancer experiences in a very public way: Mulligan, as a Citytv reporter in Toronto, Ontario is blogging and doing television reports as she traverses the Canadian medical system and the challenges of undergoing chemotherapy and loosing her hair.

In the story she filed above, she talks about why she decided to investigate a wig (or hair prosthesis), why she took her young daughters along, and how she talked with them about breast cancer.

Follow Cynthia's CityNews Blog at CityTV's website.

2010-06-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

Dr. Grant Koher Hair Transplants in Raleigh North Carolina. Dr. Grant Koher, of Raleigh and High Point, North Carolina. provides surgical hair restoration and follicular unit hair transplantation. He has performed hair transplant procedures for men and women for over 20 years.

Currently affiliated with Jernigans Hair Replacement Clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina, Dr. Koher is a hair restoration specialist and is board certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery. Dr. Koher performs hair transplants for both men and women suffering the devastating effects of hair loss, baldness and thinning hair. Watch video of Dr. Koher discussing FUE hair transplantation on Youtube.

Susan Jernigan - Jernigan's Hair Restoration, Raleigh, NC

Hair Loss: The Fear Factor

2010-06-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

“The key to change is to let go of fear.”

I came across this quote from Rosanne Cash the other day as I was thinking about how fear can paralyze us from sometimes the simplest of pursuits. All because when we are facing the unknown, our imaginations take over and a perfectly mundane task suddenly erupts into a mountain we could never conquer, so why try?

I think this is the struggle some women with hair loss face when taking the first steps to research their options for hair loss solutions. Hair loss is typically associated with aging men, but more than ever, women experience female pattern thinning and balding as a result of hormonal changes, thyroid disorders, medical treatments and stress as well as through genetic predisposition to hair loss.

Women research solutions for female hair loss, but it’s not uncommon that it take several attempts before they gather the courage to schedule a consultation. It’s difficult for women to discuss their hair loss problems, but once they let go and overcome that mountain of unfounded fear, find a hair replacement specialist that meets their comfort level and standards, the rest of the journey is an easy, downhill ride. Then their fear is likely replaced with the regret that they didn’t take action sooner.

Tina - Hair Prosthesis Institute; Nashville Tennessee