Non-Surgical Options for Hair Restoration
By Rob Alvarado | Published on February 8, 2011 | 0 Comments
Over 80 million men and women in the United States are affected by hair loss. And yet, of those, fewer than 2% ever do anything about it. The reasons vary, of course, but a large number of people say they simply don’t want to undergo a painful, invasive surgical procedure.
What kinds of non-surgical options are available for hair restoration? There are several, says Atlanta hair restoration expert Rob Alvarado of Follicle Transplantation Group. But very few offer permanent results. One relatively new transplantation method called NeoGraft, however, is the least invasive hair transplantation procedure available today, and it may be the best option for patients who are looking for a less traumatic way to experience permanent results. This exciting new procedure offers minimal discomfort, minimal downtime, and far fewer risks than traditional hair transplantation.
Here, Alvarado says, are some of the options for hair restoration and the pros and cons of each.
Prescription Drugs
There are several prescription drugs available today that can help to slow hair loss or even re-grow hair. However, says Alvarado, the results can only be maintained for as long as you continue to use the medication. Over time, this can become extremely expensive. And, like any pharmaceutical product, these medications are not without side effects.
Over-the-Counter Products
Once available only by prescription, Rogaine (also called monoxidil) can now be purchased at your local drugstore in a variety of forms. Rogaine can be a highly effective way to maintain or restore a youthful hairline. Like prescription drugs, however, Rogaine’s effectiveness lasts only as long as you continue to apply the product. When you consider the cost of the product, used daily, over time, Rogaine becomes a very expensive option, even as compared to hair transplantation.
NeoGraft
For truly permanent results, Alvarado says, hair transplantation is really the only option. But now, thanks to NeoGraft, hair transplantation doesn’t have to be as traumatic as the hair transplant surgeries of the past.
As compared to traditional hair transplant surgery, NeoGraft is much less invasive, much more comfortable and just as effective, says Alvarado. While not a completely non-surgical procedure, NeoGraft transplantation is a microsurgical procedure performed with extreme precision under a surgical microscope.
The major differences between NeoGraft and traditional hair transplantation are related to the way the hair is harvested. Traditionally, hair is harvested in a “strip” from the back of the scalp. That is, a strip of skin, with hair follicles, is removed from the back of the head from ear to ear. Those hair follicles are then transplanted to the front of the head or wherever hair loss has occurred.
NeoGraft, however, does not rely on the removal of any skin. In fact, no scalpels are used at all. Instead, a special device is used to harvest very small follicular units from the most densely covered areas of the scalp. Because there is no cutting, the procedure involves less discomfort, no linear scar, less bleeding, and less risk of infection. The results, Alvarado says, are excellent. “NeoGraft has become the ‘gold standard’ of hair restoration,” he says, “and we’re proud to be the first hair restoration center in Atlanta to offer it.”
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.