Alopecia and the Challenge of Hair Replacement

"You can't judge a book by its cover."

"Beauty's only skin deep."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Hackneyed proverbs like these are ingrained in our society just as are ideas of what constitutes "beauty". As women, like it or not, we put a value on how we look. Celebrity magazines constantly flaunt ideal beauty at us from the supermarket shelves: movie stars with the facade of perfect skin, perfect bodies and perfect hair (generally accomplished through air brushing, photo-cropping and Hair Extensions.)

There's no keeping up with that, and most of us realize it's what's inside that makes us beautiful. But when real women unexpectedly lose their hair through some medical crisis or simply because it begins to fall out, the boundaries of what's acceptable to us begins to shift. Hair Replacement experts understand that this hair loss can truly change the way we feel about ourselves. Our hair is the one thing that truly identifies us as women. Hair makes us feel feminine. We use it, hide behind it, change it and wear it as an accessory. We're often so attached to our hair that we let it define our beauty. So hair loss can be a truly devastating blow to self-esteem. Fortunately, according to hair replacement experts, there are many options for women today who experience hair loss. Wigs, Hair Extensions and hair systems can resolve this problem either temporarily or permanently.

So what can cause hair loss in women?

o Chemotherapy and radiation are major culprits causing temporary hair loss.

o Alopecia Arcana, or excessive hair loss, caused by medical factors, including: stress, fungal infection, diabetes, hormone changes and medication.

o Traction Alopecia - caused by hairstyles like corn rows, pigtails and braids that put undue stress on hair. Scarring caused by tension or use of harsh chemicals can cause permanent hair loss.

o Nervous pulling out of hair can cause patchy hair loss.

At any one time, there are around 100,000 hairs on our heads. We shed somewhere around 100 every day. Normally, new ones grow in right behind it. But any of the above factors can inhibit that hair growth, causing more hair to fall out than is being replaced. When women lose hair it is quite different from the male pattern baldness we see every day. Women lose hair in patches or get thinner all over. Wigs used to be the only hair replacement solution for this. But Hair Replacement experts are constantly developing new and better Hair Systems and hair extensions that are more breathable and wearable than old fashioned wigs. There are also new hair systems that allow what remains of a woman's own hair to be pulled through a hair system to volumize her hair. Hair extensions now come with removable clips for those not interested in the adhesive used in hair systems.

Hair systems, or human hair pieces built on delicate, virtually invisible lace caps, come in all shapes and sizes for women. If patchy hair loss is your problem, either hair extensions or small hair systems can be designed by a skilled hair replacement expert to disguise the problem while the hair is growing back.

There are many hair systems advertised on the internet. But be careful. All hair systems are not alike. The hair systems that come in a measure-your-own-scalp package over the internet will most likely be ill-fitting and disposable after three or four months. They are not cheap either, even though the end result will look that way. Look instead for one of the high-quality, custom hair replacement companies that has local hair replacement clinics and hair replacement experts on staff to help you custom-fit your hair system or hair extensions. These are more expensive, but in the end, it's difficult to put a price on self-esteem. If a woman can get through radiation treatments with her self-esteem intact, then the price of a hair system is low, indeed.

What can you expect when you use a hair system? If you find a great hair replacement company with local clinics, you will be fitted with a hair system by an expert who works with dozens of clients every week. After carefully measuring the area requiring hair replacement, technicians will manufacture a virtually invisible human hair system that is breathable and light. It will be attached with an adhesive to your scalp. Depending on your body chemistry and the amount you sweat, this hair system will stay in place for two to three months before requiring re-adjusting. The hair replacement technician will then style and color your hair system to match your own hair.

Hair sheds from hair systems and must be periodically re-knotted on. Hair replacement technicians will teach you how to touch up the adhesive on your own in case it comes loose around the edges. The same is true of hair extensions, whether attached to hair by adhesive or with clips. But, meanwhile, as you give your hair time to grow back in, you can live your life worry free. You can swim, bathe, exercise and do all the things you'd do with your own hair. But most of all, when you look at yourself in the mirror, you'll see you, and not someone you don't recognize. And the value of that kind of peace of mind? Priceless.