Hairy problem – VIVA investigates the bald question of male hair-loss

Did you know that 25% of men begin balding by the age of 30?

It’s caused because the hormones make hair follicles shrink and eventually, they become so small that they cannot replace lost hairs.

The condition usually starts in men aged 20 to 30 and follows a typical pattern with a receding hairline and then gradually the hair on top of the head also begins to thin.

So, what to do? Well you can shave it off, attempt a comb-over or just live with it. Or you could look at taking a tip from the ladies with hairpieces and wigs.

There’s also the option of transplants and many famous heartthrobs are rumoured to have taken this step to keep their looks.

Hairpieces – the pros and cons

Many men suffer from hair loss and the some men try to disguise hair loss by wearing a hairpiece or toupee (this is also known as a wig).

One advantage of this approach is that it is easy to do and does not require you to take medication or undergo a surgical intervention such as hair transplant surgery.

You simply attach the fake hair to your scalp, usually by using some type of adhesive. The wig can be partial, covering a small part of the head where hair is missing, or it can be large and cover the entire scalp.

However, the problem with hairpieces is that they often look obvious and fake, so that people can tell that this is not your natural hair.

A bad toupee can be worse than being bald, in many cases.

Even though there are drawbacks to wigs, there are times when it is a good idea; for instance, if you are suffering from temporary hair loss due to a chemotherapy treatment.

The use of wigs is likely to remain popular in the entertainment industry as well, so there will always be a market for them for entertainers in movies and plays.

Wigs can be custom made to suit a particular client and one form of this which is quite popular is the hair weave. Hair weaves are woven into the person’s natural hair and are particularly popular amongst women to lengthen their natural hair.

But even hair weaves have their downside, as they can place too much pressure on the natural hair leading to traction alopecia.

Why are wigs not as popular today as they used to be?

Sales of wigs have declined over the years as new treatments for dealing with alopecia have become available.

Not only have medicated foams and creams been developed to help promote hair growth,  but also other treatments such as low-level laser light therapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy and different types of hair transplant Turkey.

These various procedures have also become more affordable for people than was the case previously. There are also many more clinics and specialists offering treatment for different types of hair loss that men and women may suffer from.

The advent of medical tourism and its increasing popularity has also had a large role to play in why wig sales are down.#

People living in countries where procedures like a FUE hair transplant procedure is expensive can oftentimes fly to a nearby country where they can get the procedure at a fraction of the cost.

This certainly has been the case for people in the UK who often now choose to fly to Turkey for medical and cosmetic procedures, rather than staying in their home country and seeking treatment.

Turkey has had a booming medical tourism industry in large part due to the high quality of care, good safety records, and experienced professionals that are present at most clinics.