It is generally acknowledged that hair loss may be stopped or reduced in some individuals with hair loss drugs like Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride). However, these drugs may not be effective in replacing lost hair, especially around the hairline, and they only work as long as you are actively using the product [Click Here for more Detailed Information]. Other methods are available to cover up areas of baldness such as Hair "systems" or "clubs," which are wigs, toupees and hair pieces which require constant maintenance, including washings, re-applications and even typical "repair" costs.

"Hair Restoration", typically refers to hair transplants where your real hair is taken from another area (typically the back or sides of the scalp) and is transplanted or moved to the area where the hair is being "restored."

Hair that is taken from areas of hair from the the back or sides is known as "donor dominant hair" which is the hair that will continue to grow throughout the life of most men. The transplantation of this hair to a bald area does not change its ability to grow; "donor dominance" is the scientific basis for the success of hair transplantation.

Hair transplantation surgery has improved in leaps and bounds over the past decade. The days of the "plugs" and "barbie doll hair" are gone, and the age of single hair-, micro-, and mini- grafting has arrived. Through the use of the variable sized hair grafts along with new and improved instrumentation, the accomplished hair transplantation surgeons can create a natural hair appearance that is appropriate for each individual patient. Single hair-grafts have the finest and softest appearance. Although they do not provide much density, they do provide the critical soft hairline that is the transition to thicker hair. Reconstructing a new hairline is a skill requiring surgical as well as artistic skill. It is critically important to get it right the first time and thus requires considerable forethought and planning.

Getting it Right. Examining the hairline of a non-balding person will show the presence of numerous single hairs in the very frontal hairline. Micrografts are small grafts containing 2-3 hairs that are placed behind the hairline to provide a gradually increasing hair density. Lastly, minigrafts contain 4 or more hairs are placed well behind the hairline so that the single hair and micrografts can blend naturally into the density provided by these larger grafts.

Dr. Rose is a practitioner and a pioneer of follicular unit grafting techniques (micro-grafting) and single follicle grafting. Equally important, Dr. Rose has dedicated his hair restoration work to the natural appearance of the hairline. The aesthetics of hair are what first attracted Dr. Rose to hair transplant surgeries. His approach is to treat each patient with the procedure that is right for their needs, while delivering a natural finished look.

For more information on Follicular Unit Transplants, Dr. Rose's techniques and the benefits, click here.

For a video overview of Hair Restoration, click here.

Other hair restoration techniques include Scalp Reductions, Tissue Expansion and Flap Techniques. These techniques are typically utilized by plastic surgeons. They "Pull Up" or "Move" sections of the scalp. These are very invasive procedures for very dramatic changes.

For Scalp Reductions, the bald area of the scalp is surgically reduced. One consideration is, if the patient has enough "laxity of scalp skin". Scalp skin that has very little laxity (the ability to stretch) may not be a good foundation for scalp reductions. Scalp reduction is for coverage of bald areas at the top and back of the head. It's not beneficial for coverage of the frontal hairline.

Tissue expansion is a procedure commonly used in reconstructive surgery to repair burn wounds and injuries with significant skin loss. For hair restoration applications, a balloon-like device called a "tissue expander" is inserted beneath hair-bearing scalp that lies next to a bald area. The device is gradually inflated with salt water over a period of weeks, causing the skin to expand and grow. When the skin beneath the hair has stretched enough, another procedure is performed to bring the expanded skin over to cover the adjacent bald area.

With Juri Flap surgery a section of bald scalp is cut out and a flap of hair-bearing skin is lifted off the surface while still attached at one end. The hair-bearing flap is brought into its new position and sewn into place, while remaining "tethered" to its original blood supply.