Hair can turn grey overnight, tight hats cause baldness, cutting your hair during a full moon will make it grow healthier and blondes, who have more follicles, have more fun. The only true statement here is that blondes have more follicles, the rest are simply myth says renowned hair restoration specialist Dr Jennifer Martinick.
Dr Martinick, past president of the International Society of Hair Restoration (ISHRS) Surgery, warns it’s important for people with concerns about hair loss to discern between the many myths about the condition and medically-proven facts. Dr Martinick, who has specialised in the field for over 28 years, says there’s a new myth circulated each year about some miracle treatment or revolutionary hair loss procedure.
However, Dr Martinick says those who seek their information from a reputable and relevant medical source are less likely to be misled by myths which can range from old wives tales to marketing promotions about so-called revolutionary hair replacement procedures.
Hair Extensions:
Dr Martinick, a visiting consultant to Medical Hair Restoration Australia, says there is a lot of misunderstanding around about hair loss that can occur as a result of hair extensions and hair weaving. Dr Martinick says feedback from ISHRS physicians suggests that people with weaker hair may need to exercise more caution with hair extensions. She says in certain circumstances hair extensions can cause traction alopecia a form of alopecia which occurs as a result of the tension created on the hair shaft.
While traction alopecia is commonly associated with tight braids and pony tails or other hairstyles which pull on the hair, more people are being affected by hair extensions. She says hair loss caused by extensions is fairly uncommon, in some cases weak hair can be affected by extension techniques that involve weaving the extensions into the natural hair. This is because the weaving technique can put strain on weak hair and a better option for women with weak hair may be to use clip on extensions that can be taken out each night. Take the extensions out each night and assess if the weight of the additional hair is causing any damage, Dr Martinick says.
If it isn’t then by all means continue to use them, however if they are it is advisable to avoid using hair extensions.
Can scratching cause hair loss?
Many people are unaware that the repetitive action of scratching the head can cause hair loss. Dr Martinick advises people with consistently itchy scalps to seek treatment from their dermatologist. She says seborrheic dermatitis is a condition marked by itchy, red, scaly skins that can occur on the scalp.
She says while seborrheic dermatitis may cause some hair loss from the roots, the itching and scratching associated with it can damage the hair shaft and cause significant hair breakage.
Dr Martinick advises people with concerns about hair loss against being taken in by promises of miracle cures.
She says proven treatments for hair loss include clinically approved oral medications, topical solutions, nutritional supplements, low frequency laser therapy and hair transplantation. A lasting solution, which rejuvenates the scalp, encourages new hair growth and prevents further hair loss, is found in a multi-therapy approach combining medical treatments and surgical procedures.
Help Hair Whey Protein Shake, a nutritional supplement, developed by leading US hair restoration surgeon, Dr Shapiro, is also reporting healthy hair growth. Imported and distributed by Medical Hair Replacement Australia (MHRA), Help Hair provides all the structural proteins, vitamins and minerals to make stronger, healthier hair growth and minimise hair loss.
The whey protein concentrate, which contains Chinese herbs for promoting microcirculation to follicles, is all natural, allergen and growth hormone free.
Modern Hair Transplantation:
People seeking a permanent solution for hair loss can take greater comfort in proven transplant techniques where hair is transplanted in the same way it grows naturally.
The Martinick Technique is a synergy of medicine, mathematics, science and artistry, is setting the gold standard in permanent treatment for baldness.
Relying on highly precise planning, the technique is successfully used to create a natural looking transplant, make judicious use of available follicles for transplant, ensure optimum survival of donor grafts and minimise patient time in surgery. The core philosophy behind the technique and the training system for the surgical team is to ensure higher graft survival, decreased procedure time and maximised patient comfort.
Transplanting different groupings of follicles together something which is unique to the Martinick Technique has the advantage of giving patients a greater, natural and denser looking head of hair in just one or two procedures.
