New techniques help address male hair-loss insecurities

Both women and men may suffer from hair loss, in addition to choose hairpieces, is there any other useful techniques to help them add volume of hair?? Check out what Lisa Schryver find on it.


By Lisa Schryver Tribune Content Agency

December 20, 2013 Most of us know a man who is suffering from hair loss. In fact, male hereditary hair loss is a medical condition that affects about 50 million American men, and can be inherited from either the mother's or father's side of the family. Clinically known as androgenic alopecia, male baldness is characterized by a receding hair line as well as a loss of hair on top of the scalp.

While many men with hair loss may suffer in silence, opting perhaps to ignore the issue or cover up the affected area with a hat, hair loss can have a much deeper impact on the male psyche than they may let on. Sure, one option is to bite the bullet and shave it all off, but doing so doesn’t get to the root of the problem. 



Chicago resident Sam Garcia, whose name has been changed to protect his privacy, knows firsthand the internal turmoil men go through in regard to their hair loss.


“My hair loss made me feel very insecure,” he explains. “I thought everyone was looking at me.”

As it turns out, Garcia’s paranoia is common among balding men, according to Dr. Gary Hitzig, author of “Help and Hope for Hair Loss: Questions and Answers about Rogaine, Restoration and Replacement” (Avon Books).

“I think that when men lose their hair, they feel like everybody’s looking at the top of their head,” says Hitzig. “It shakes their confidence.”

In his practice, Hitzig has encountered patients who felt so self-conscious about thinning hair, particularly after showering, that they refused to look at themselves in the mirror until their hair had dried. And they avoided swimming pools at all costs.

The typical pattern for androgenic alopecia in men begins at the hairline and gradually recedes to form an “M” shape, as in Garcia’s case. Eventually, the hair becomes finer, shorter and thinner, and creates a horseshoe pattern of hair around the sides of the head.

Taking the first steps

Garcia ultimately decided to move forward with a NeoGraft hair transplant, a minimally invasive follicular unit extraction method, with the hope of filling in the crown area of his hair.

“I love the way I look now,” he says. “I think I look younger, and I don't have to wear a hat all the time now.”

Garcia received the NeoGraft treatment at Embassy Studio in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Embassy specializes in hair transplantation procedures and non-surgical treatments such as laser hair therapy for both men and women.

A man has a 50 percent chance of experiencing hair loss by his 50th birthday. Because hair loss is so common, more and more men are seeking surgical treatment. Yet taking that first step can be daunting.

“They start with the most benign [over-the-counter treatment] and they think it’s working, but then six months later they get depressed again,” says Hitzig. “Something finally triggers them to do something about it.”

Seeking treatment for such a sensitive problem can be difficult at first, especially if you lack a support system. However, initiating contact with a hair restoration facility can be a dramatic boost for some.

“It can get really severe to the point where they won’t go outside, they stop going to school if they’re young and without a hat, they won’t go near anybody,” adds Hitzig. “They become social hermits.”

He notes that most of his patients have tried vitamins or “cure all” treatments often seen on late-night infomercials to no avail.

Regardless of what hair loss treatment you pursue, it’s best to start by seeing your doctor, as hair loss can sometimes be a symptom of a larger health issue.

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