Category: Hair systems and wigs

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Is Hair Club a Scam? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just joined Hair Club and spent 2,000 to join because I notice hair loss on my crown. Did i waste my money? Is this a scam and are they allow to do this false advertisement? I just had my first appoitment but I did sign a contract. Just wondering if I got scammed

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You need to educate yourself before entering any program or signing any contract. It is not difficult to get information these days through the internet to compare different products and services. Hair Club is a company that offers systems (wigs) with various attachment mechanisms. These systems can be expensive over time. You should be able to meet with others who had the systems or treatments that are being offered to make the judgments you need. Hair Club also has a medical group that offers hair transplant services. Hair Club is a reputable organization offering many options for hair loss, but you should always do your research.

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Hair Loss InformationVirtual Reality Hair – The Adhesive Makes it Sticky – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

DenverChannel.com – Company Claims Hair In An Hour, No Joke

From the article —

“It’s paper thin, it’s a membrane. The hair is injected or looped through it so once it’s on, you can’t feel any types of bumps or ridges like conventional hair pieces used to be,” said Alan Humphreys of Virtual Reality.

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Just to be clear, this is not a hair transplant with permanent hair that grows. It is a taped-on hair product that costs $3000 to $6000 per year. At times it is difficult to tell the difference between wigs and medical treatments or surgeries (just look at the ads in the Yellow Pages and you will see what I am talking about), but in the case of this product, even the article has quotes from people on the street that provide mixed reactions. At least this news article is balanced.

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Hair Thinning Where Hair Extensions Are – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I have been wearing hair extentsions for 3 years now. The areas in which I have been wearing them seem to be thinning. I was wondering if the hair will grow back. Also, my scalp is itchy and burning in these areas. Sometimes it’s even painful. Should I go see a dermatologist?

The hair extensions were clip in so are they safe? I thought clip in extensions were safe and wouldn’t damage my hair.

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If your skin/scalp is irritated and ‘itchy”, you should see a doctor. Hair loss from hair extension is relatively common and is called traction alopecia. Most of the time if the insult has been ongoing, the hair may not grow back. Anything that pulls on the hair, even clip-ons, can cause traction alopecia. If you are now seeing thinning, then it is safe to assume that you are losing hair from the hair extensions. Best to stop using them now.

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Avodart vs Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was wondering if you give prescriptions for avodart. I had some frontal transplants in early 90’s but continued to lose behind transplant..i now wear a hair system and Have learned to live with it…i need to keep what hair i have in the back and on the crown so my systems do not have to be made any larger..I have been doing alot of research about avaodart..i was able to get a sample pack (2 weeks) from a dr friend..but need prescription to get more…

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Avodart (dutasteride) should not be the first line for you unless you are sure that Propecia (finasteride) is not working. I would be happy to evaluate you, but the few times I have prescribed Avodart, I had good reason to do it. The side effects on Avodart are more than the side effects of Propecia. If you have a void now developing behind the old transplants, have you considered fixing this (it is relatively easy)? It may allow you to get rid of your hair system. In any event, you need to have miniaturization analysis before any treatment to know what is happening to you.

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Hair Loss InformationScalp Tunnels and Attaching Wigs to the Scalp – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Received two semi-related questions, so I’ll answer them as one —

Hello,
Several years ago I had tunnel graft surgery and I’m now in need of the clips. Can you advise me on a source where I can find them? It’s been rather difficult to locate them

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Someone told me that you could sew a wig into the scalp. Is that true and does it work?

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Unfortunately, I do not know who might sell these clips.

For those of you who do not know what a scalp tunnel is, it is described in PubMed as:

A new procedure for attaching a hairpiece to the scalp is described. Two skin-lined tunnels in the anterior and posterior scalp are built, using a strip of free full-thickness donor skin fron the postauricular area. Silicone-coated metal clips, suitably fashioned from .062” Kirschner’s wire, are then attached to the hairpiece. The metal clips are inserted into the skin-lined tunnels and thereby anchor the hairpiece to the scalp.

These permanent tunnels (more like bridges made of scalp skin) are created to hold a wig (also known as hairpiece or hair system) in place instead of glues or tape. It is a barbaric and deforming process, not considered anyone’s standard of care today. Note that the description on PubMed is dated October, 1976.

There have been many things that people have done that are (in hindsight) a little nutty. There are three ways that I have seen the wig attached to the skull.
Sew scars

  1. The picture on the right was of a patient who went to a company in New Jersey who hired retired doctors to actually sew wigs through the scalp skin directly (see photo at right of patient with scars from this procedure). These almost always got infected and when the patient came back to the doctor, the stitches were switched to a non-infected part of the scalp. As you can see from the pictures, the scalp was heavily scarred from the infections. At one point, I was hired by the New Jersey Medical Board to prosecute the doctor, but the doctor was replaced by another who then went through the same legal process. When the State tried to shut this company down, the company closed down and opened under another name. I do not know if they are still playing this ‘cat and mouse‘ game with the State of New Jersey.
  2. A doctor actually drilled a metal connector into the skull. The wig had a male like clips that connected with a mechanical fit to the part that was drilled and cemented in the skull. The wig could be buttoned in and out with great ease.
  3. The art below shows skin tunnels (an old procedure that required a skilled surgeon to fashion in the scalp) which are use to tie ‘shoe laces’ that were attached to the wig. The process was promoted as simple as putting on and taking off your shoes (except you just did it with your wig).
Tunnel

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Bumps Where My Hair System Attaches – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I wear a hair piece (system) on the top of my scalp only. It is taped on and I love it. The top of my hair is fake and the bottom half is my own. No one can tell and no one knows, except my hair specialist. My problem is that I noticed a few weeks ago I have developed two little bumps on the front of my hairline (right where the tape is). These bumps do not move or hurt. When I remove the system for a few hours I noticed that the bumps lessen but not completely. Should I be worried. I can’t go to my doctor as I don’t want him to know about my hair situation and he’ll probably send me for tests which means more people will know my secret. (I’m very sensitive about my hair loss) When I check bumps/lumps on the internet it indicates tumor?

Should I be worried? My hair specialist thinks it’s because of the hair system and doesn’t think I should be worried.

These bumps sound like something caused by irritation, possibly from rubbing of your hair system. Get a doctor to see it or ask your hair system expert about it. I am sure that you are not the first to have it. I can not tell you what it is without seeing it myself.

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Regulation for Wig / Hair Transplant Facilities – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

WigFrom Shakopee Valley News in Shakopee, Minnesota

“YOU’LL FLIP YOUR WIG: Rep. Frank Hornstein (D-Minneapolis) wants to create a new state bureaucracy to regulate “hair transplant facilities.” One of the purposes of investigating hair-weave artists is top make sure there is no “conduct which is likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public.” (House File 1069) Maybe it’s time to bring back Ron Popeil’s spray-on baldness remover.”

I think what the author is trying to say, is that there are facilities/clinics/wig salesmen who pray on unsuspecting men. This is a consumer protection issue. These facilities may have deceived the public, which can result in a fraud that might harm them. The regulation of wig-makers may be at the root of the problem and although some hair transplant doctors may be also a focus of such legislation, I would like to believe that doctors would not be included in this group. There are laws that regulate what the doctor can and can not do. These laws exist in every state and these laws require the doctor to fully inform patients as to what can be done and what can’t be done with any particular treatment as well as alternatives to any suggested treatment (it is called ‘informed consent’).

I have been told horror stories by young men who respond to an ad in the newspaper (or TV) promising hair. Desperate for a solution to balding, the young, unsuspecting man goes into a wig facility and is sold some solution to his balding problem which is poorly defined. Before he knows it, he finds that the hair in the front of his hairline has been shaved off. The salesman says: “Don’t worry” and a wig is placed over the shaved area. There is no obligation to purchase a ‘system’, of course, but if the young man does not buy it, he must leave with a partly shaved head. The sale is easily made under such duress. This wig ‘system’ is attached with glue and it pulls out the hair the longer a person uses it. In effect such ‘systems’ accelerate the balding process and many wig salesmen understand that and make their money from the recurrent revenue produced by monthly adjustments to the systems and replacement systems. Sales are commission driven, so the sale is all important. The costs for the wig is a big business with wigs that sell for thousands of dollars. Everyone needs two wigs — one to use while one is being washed or repaired. I have been told that the cost for such hair systems run well over $10,000 over a five year period.

Could that be what this legislation is about?

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Almost Completely Bald from a Perm – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi doctors,
Can a perm cause hair loss? My mother had her hair styled professionally a month ago and it now looks like she’s losing her hair. I don’t know if the style just made existing thin patches more visible or if the perm could actually cause the hair loss.

Thank you

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SalonI saw a lady just the other day who was wearing a ‘full helmet’ wig. When she took it off, she had almost no hair anywhere on her head. She looked like she had just had extensive chemotherapy, but in reality she had a perm some 5 years ago. The perm brought on an immediate reaction with about 95% of her hair gone within a month. The hair never returned. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could offer her to help her. What impressed me was the totality of her hairlessness from something simple as a day visit to her hair dresser. She was so concerned about exposing her hairless scalp to me, that I did not ask her to allow the use of her photographs, even from behind.

As for your mother’s hair loss, I wouldn’t be able to know what the cause is just based on the email you sent. It is possible that she had existing hair loss, or the styling could’ve caused it. There are a number of factors that could be the reason for her thinning hair.

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A Bald Spot in Female After Hair Extensions Removed – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My 27 year old daughter just called me frantic about some bald spots that were found in her hair. Her story sounds nutty, but please listen and let me know what I might can tell her that will help to calm her down. She had cut her hair pretty short and truthfully loved it, but her husband thought it looked a little butch. Unfortunately, this made her feel self conscious, so she had longer hair added to hers. From what I understand the hair pieces were glued in. Those were taken out today and she is hysterical because she now has bald spots. So, can you possibly tell me anything we can do to help point her in a direction to try and seek some help.

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It sounds like the glue pulled out hair. If this is just a short, one time episode, the hair should grow back. Constant traction over longer periods of time can cause permanent hair loss. I would recommend waiting 6-8 months and after the hair goes through a cycle (worst case) the hair should grow back. Otherwise, she should see someone within my specialty for consideration of a small hair transplant procedure, but waiting for up to a year is better just in case it does grow back. The usual wait time is under 6 months, but I say a year to be safe.