How to Conceal Hair Loss: Alopecia and Male Pattern Baldness
By camlo
This Hub is written for anyone suffering hair loss, whether through Male Pattern Hair Loss, or any other form of Alopecia. It's for anyone, man or woman, who feels not quite ready to use a hair replacement system.
Micro-fibres are an excellent solution to conceal hair loss, or to volumize fine hair. Based on my own experience, let me tell you the advantages and disadvantages of these products, and what to buy and what not to buy if you want to use them.
I'll begin by telling you the story of my own hair loss.
How it started
Somebody showed me a photo they had shot of me from above (my head) at a party. I was horrified! My scalp was actually visible through what I thought was a full head of hair.
Okay, so I had stopped using gel for a while now, because it seemed to make my hair look so thin. And when blow-drying, it somehow kept slipping out of the brush and flying everywhere but where I wanted it. These were just bad hair days, I thought, and a good hair day would come again soon, but it had been an awful long time since I'd had one of those days. A very long time.
The first thing I began to do was wear a hat or cap of some description whilst trying out every anti-hair-loss product on the market. Although I didn't seem to be losing more hair, I wasn't gaining any either, and it was costing me a small fortune.
And although hats, caps, and bandanas were fine in my free time, I couldn't wear them while working. A more permanant solution was needed.
I decided to shave it all off (right).
Soon afterwards, somebody asked me for the very first time in my life, 'Have you got a problem with your hair?'
There was only one possible response to that question: 'How can I have a problem with something I haven't got?'
My hair problem was, indeed, gone, and every day was now a ... um ... it was a NO hair day.
Being the sort who enjoys changing his appearance on a pretty regular basis, no hair days were becoming increasingly boring - I discovered that I did need my hair.
In hindsight, I dare say changing my appearance rather too often might well have been the cause of my hair loss in the first place; I've been every colour from platinum blonde, to green, to pillar-box red, to jet black since I was a teenager. Chemicals are not healthy for hair and head ...
One answer to my problem was a wig or toupée. But not just any wig or toupée. I needed one that would look absolutely real, and they cost money ... a lot of money. They are the type Hollywood stars use: Has it ever occurred to you that of all male movie stars, it seems that Bruce Willis and Sean Connery are about the only ones who have gone bald? Does this represent true hair loss figures among men? They're all having transplants or using those extremely expensive wigs.
I began to save ...
But I didn't need to for very long
One day, just when I'd started saving hard for a transplant or wig, I came across an ad in a popular men's fashion magazine for micro-fibres that are simply sprinkled on the head to make the hair look full again. The fibres bond to natural hair with static electricity, the ad stated, and stay there until the next wash.
When the package arrived a few days later, I went to the bathroom with my fine, lank hair, and came out three minutes later looking almost the same as in this photo, taken shortly before my problems began.
The fibres can be made of keratin (the same substance as your hair), like Toppik, or they can be synthetic, like Hair So Real (HSR). It really makes no difference which you use, the results are the same.
How to use the fibres
Always apply to freshly washed and dried hair, but before you do this ...
I recommend you use a scalp concealer like DermMatch or Couvré. Choose a shade that matches your hair color. Applied with the supplied applicator, it takes off shine, adds depth, and coats the hair, making it appear thicker. Only use it where you really do have hair, especially where the hair-line is concerned.
then dry your hair with a hair-dryer; the heat will swell the individual hairs.
Sprinkle on the fibres. Less is more. If you use too much, it will appear 'felted', and look artificial. If you tend to sprinkle too far over your hair-line to your forehead, just sweep it away with a cotton pad.
According to the manufacturer's advertising, the fibres bond to the hair with static electricity. I'm afraid they don't bond quite well enough. You'll need to use hairspray or a spray-on gel to hold them firmly. Once this is done, they do stay - even in rain and strong winds.
What you won't be able to to
If you want to 'keep your hair on', you won't be able to swim with it, shower, nor wear any kind of head gear, so think about this before buying: Is such a product suitable for your life-style?
Keratin shampoos and conditioners etc, which are claimed to 'fatten' the hair are useless, and offered to complement to the fibres. Don't bother with them. The same goes for special hairsprays. Whichever spray you choose, just make sure you spray from a good distance, otherwise the force will blow the fibres away before they've been 'fixed'.
The products I recommend are available from Amazon. As long as you've got at least some hair left on your head, you'll be able to use them very successfully.
My 'hair' future
I'm lucky to still have hair - just not quite as much as I'd like. I use DermMatch and Hair So Real to give me that little bit more, but ...
This won't be possible as of January 2011. I'll be attending school to learn Nautics, and part of the curriculum is swimming. Looks like I'll have to find a new solution - one of those wigs, I fear. I've already started saving, and I'll tell you about it in April, when my first training year is over (I'll be living on a ship throughout, and there'll be no opportunity for Hubbing).
Or maybe I'll just go back to NO hair days ...
Don't hesitate to ask me questions about these products; I'm always happy to answer.
Thank you for reading!
Our fellow Hubber, Fastfreta, has written a Hub about a nutritional formular she developed that really did make her hair grow back to it's former glory. Recommended reading for anyone suffering Hair Loss: HOW I GREW MY KINKY HAIR WITH LITTLE MONEY
Learn more about Male Pattern Baldness and DHT Blocker (for women, too) from our fellow Hubber Billyaustindillon: Thinning Hair Remedies - DHT Hair Loss - Hair Loss Reviews and Minoxidil Hair - Minoxidil For Men - Thinning Hair Women.
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Comments
Many reasons play role in hair loss For urban citizens the main reason for hair loss is pollution. Good hair care with good nutrition will help a lot
It was a wonderful experience to hear a guy talk so frankly and openly about his hair. And the pics are great, Camlo.
Since you'll be facing a decision shortly about hair when you enter your nautics course, I thought I'd share one woman's opinion with you...I happen to think a shaved head on a guy is extremely attractive, for what that's worth!
Best of luck to you in your upcoming adventures.
this is a brilliant hub..... i love your honesty....
So many men shave their hair off just because they choose to, i can never understand that really, maybe it's fashion....
What a great surprise! I just got home from work to find all these comments ...
@MBP: Intimidating? Me? Must just be the photo ... But it is amazing how much of a difference hair makes to our faces.
@Vydyulashashi: In my case, it's hereditary. But you're right, nutritian etc. does make a big difference to hair. One problem we have here in Cologne is very hard water which is apparently very bad for the scalp and hair. Apart from that, I also used to use a lot of chemicals. But with it being hereditary, it would have happened anyway.
BTW, there's a very good Hub by Fastfreta. She had a hair loss problem and devised a nutritional formular which actually worked for her. I'll go and see if I can link it to this Hub.
@Sally's Trove: Hi Sherri! Are you trying to say you'd like me to go back to 'no hair days'? Maybe I will; I quite liked the look, and it would be convenient for the school, even if boring ... I think the shaved head looks very good on some men, especially those with broader faces and a good head shape. I'm afraid mine's not so good at the back.
I had to go through a lot of pics to find relevent ones. The first two are scanned from publications (nothing really important though), and seem a bit blurry, and the third is a photo of a poster that somebody made of me.
I didn't mind being frank in the Hub. I wanted to write about the products from first hand experience, and that's the only way it would work.
Oh yes, the school will be an adventure - three months stuck on a ship. I'll have to do that every year for the next three ... not sure I'm looking forward to it ...
@Joy56: Hi Joy! Thank you for another great compliment!
Well, shaving certainly looks better than a bit of hair at the sides and back. And as for shaving in spite of a full head of hair, well, as I say to Sally's Trove, it does look good on some men. And some men know what some women, like her, think of it :-)
I also have to admit, when my head's shaved, I tend to stroke it a lot ... and I'm not the only one :-)
I'm not sure it's a fashion thing, but it is completely acceptable nowadays.
Okay, thank you all! I love receiving comments, so four at once is a real treat. Really appreciated!
What an interesting product. I'm sure after reading this the product will experience a surge in sales. Very well written hub camlo.
If anyone comes to read it, that is :-) We'll see.
Thank you for coming over to take a look, Fastfreta, and for the nice comment.
All the best, Camlo
Camlo, wonderful info here. Using your own photos make this article believable.I think residually you will do quite well with this hub as well.
Now about men's hair. Most women (not girls)I know like it#1 clean!There is a big icky factor to touching greasy hair. ..or smelling stale hair products!I personally like the very,very short hair, or shaved.Yours looks good both ways. The shaved do looks sophisticated, and the other picture with hair looks casual but groomed. Long hair is just okay, as long as they can pull off looking masculine. I can't stand to be seen with a prissy looking man!
Camlo, I just have to jump in here one more time.
Through the years, I've come to accept whatever has happened to me, including age and other things that were genetically determined without my having any say in the matter. My goal is to keep life simple. This means accepting that some will find me attractive and some will not, and it's got nothing to do with hair (hair is just as important for a woman as for a man). So I keep my hair convenient and comfortable for ME.
Now to Bayoulady's comment. If we girls want to run our fingers through a guy's hair, we don't want to be told to not mess it up, or to come away with some kind of fiber on our fingers, or even worse, to be told "not to touch."
Hair does make a difference to our faces, as you said, no doubt about it, but there is much more to us than our faces.
Go for what is comfortable for you that you don't have to spend so much time on that the effort infringes on your life's goals.
As you said earlier, "I also have to admit, when my head's shaved, I tend to stroke it a lot ... and I'm not the only one :-)" Isn't that good?
I'm not saying you should go back to a shaved head, but just that you might want to go to a place where being you is not compromised by effort above and beyond the worth of the effort.
Hi Bayoulady and Sherri!
A really good point about running the fingers through ... Well, this can be done with the fibres, and they stay on the hair as long as a not too strong spray has been used. After a couple of years of using them, I can honestly say that nobody has ever noticed. Although I don't talk about this usually, I did ask a couple of hairdresser friends and, even to their expert eyes, the fibres are undetectable. The only time they tend to shed is at night on the pillow case, so it's a good idea to have a dark one.
But, I must admit, I do prefer that nobody does touch my hair - just in case :-) On the other hand, those really stiff and spiky styles can't be touched too much either, even with real hair.
It's true, though, that I'd prefer to be able to totally forget about my hair, and I can't really do that with the fibres. Still, they are one viable and affordable option for both men and women with a hair loss problem. They can also be used with a DHT Blocker and other treatments, so they're good for the time between losing and gaining again.
Another thing is, when I find a good hair replacement, I won't appear to have no hair one day, and tons of it the next, which would be very suspicious.
But both your comments tempt me to go back to the shaved look ...
As Bayoulady says, cleanliness is the #1 thing - I agree totally, and as Sherri says, I should 'Go for what is comfortable for [me] that [I] don't have to spend so much time on that the effort infringes on [my] life's goals' - totally agree there too, and your last paragraph. Really good points everyone should consider.
Isn't it amazing how much of a problem the hair on our head can become :-)
Actually, I've been very lucky in all other ways. I still look young, have never had a weight problem (as far as gaining is concerned), have never been ill - excellent genes, basically, except for the hair ones ... Well, I suppose we can't have everything.
Thank you for these really good comments - food for thought for both me and others who might read, and a good opportunity to elaborate a little on the products.
BTW, I agree with you there, too, Bayoulady - men should take good care of their appearance, but 'prissy' never looks good on a man.
Thank you both for the great comments! You can jump in whenever you like, Sherri :-)
All the best, Camlo
Camlo you are a super man! I love the honest way of your hub. Is always great to say things which people can relate to. I had so much fun reading your hub!! Keep them comming I will read them!
Lizzy
I never knew about these products, good hub. I'm far from needing them now, but in the future, who knows?
Hi Lizzy! Great to see you again!
I just wrote this Hub according to the way things really are, so I suppose that's why it seems so honest. A strange thing though, that I can write about this, but I never talk about it.
I'm really glad you enjoyed reading, and I will try to do more soon.
Thank you very much for the very kind words.
All the best, Camlo
Hi Anonimuzz!
It seemed I was far from having a hair loss problem, then all of a sudden, I found I had it. Apparently, we don't usually notice we have it until about 70% of hair is already gone. Anyway, I do hope you keep your hair, look after it well, and never need these products.
Yes, I don't think too many people know about these products, which is why I thought it might be a good idea to write a Hub about them. Glad you liked it!
Thank you for coming by to read and comment!
All the best, Camlo
Makes sense to me :).
Hi Chris!
Do you speak from experience? :-)
Thank you very much for coming by to read.
All the best, Camlo
Damn, camlo, don't freak me out! /me runs to the mirror to check the hair.
:-) Hi Anonimuzz!
Don't worry about it - worry is not good for your hair.
If male pattern baldness runs in your family, it's a good idea to keep an eye on it though. And, as I say, always look after it.If you do start to thin, go to a dermatologist, who might be able to help. DHT blockers also bring better results if you don't wait until it's nearly all gone. http://hubpages.com/hub/Hair-Restoration and http://hubpages.com/hub/Rogaine are two great articles on this by Hubber Billyaustindillon. But I truly hope you never need it, Anonimuzz.
All the best, Camlo
sie sehen cool.Ich mag deine Ehrlichkeit.das Problem ist immer there mit ma'nnern. aber es ist temperory ich denke
Ich denke nicht, daß es bei mir temporär ist, Akulkarni1234 - leider. Aber Probleme gibt es nicht; nur Lösungen, wie ich immer pflege zu sagen.
Natürlich habe ich die coolste Fotos ausgesucht :-)
Danke, daß du vorbei gekommen bist!
Camlo
I enjoyed reading your articles very much. I have heard some of the tips on hair loss before but did not really get the chance to read any articles on them. I too have some hair loss problem and now trying some therapy to keep my hair intact.
Thomas of http:LINK SNIPPED
Hi Thomas!
I hope the therapy works, and that you found something useful in this Hub.
Thanks for coming by, reading and commenting!
All the best, Camlo
GREAT HUB/wigs are so expensive/My niece has alopecia--she's only 15 and her wig will cost 400.00!! Please read my Hub, The Heartache of Alopecia: One Teenager's Story.
Hi Gloria!
Hair loss is bad enough for anyone, but for a fifteen-year-old girl, well, calling it a nightmare would be an understatement.
I've known a couple of women who have suffered alopecia, and their hair did actually grow back as suddenly as it began to vanish. I hope this be the case with your niece, and soon!
I've just read your Hub, and will be over again in a moment to comment. I'd recommend it to anyone suffering this problem: http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Heartache-of-Alopecia-
Thank you very much for coming by!
All the best, Camlo
MBP 21 months ago
Hi Camlo I never would have recognized you without ur hair, I must admit it is a very intimidating pic. Good luck with nautics school