When it comes to prosthetics for Hair Loss its easy to think about the unnatural looking toupees that became infamous over the years. In reality hair prosthetics have never looked as realistic, while offering a greater degree of comfort and styles. Typically hair prosthetics are referred to as wigs, hair pieces or hair extensions.
Wigs will be very familiar to all of us and we’ve probably seen our fair share of unnatural looking wigs that we may have laughed at. However you will have come across a lot more people wearing wigs than you thought, you just didn’t know it was a wig. Wigs were first documented in 1675 in the UK, but wigs are believed to date back to Ancient Egypt!
The one thing that we look for in a wig is self-confidence in how we look. If the wig looks natural and seamless, then that’s one less thing to have to worry about. The technology on how wigs work and the materials used to manufacture them have changed drastically over the years. Because of this the costs for a wig can vary from as little as £10 to well into the hundreds. Custom wigs are usually regarded as being a luxury purchase, but there is an endless array of wigs available on the market today.
Hair pieces have become an incredibly popular option for men in recent years. You may have even seen viral videos on social media of how these hair pieces are applied. These semi-permanent prosthetic option have replaced the more traditional toupee that can be easily removed. Sometimes marketed as “non-surgical hair replacement”, these hair pieces are glued in place and typically left in place for 4 weeks. After this the hair piece is removed, cleaned and re-glued in place. The hair piece itself will likely only need to be replaced itself every 4-6 months. The hair piece can be showered in, exercised in and stand up to every day life. Once applied the hair piece can easily be cut to match the hair style you would prefer. It is worth considering that the costs of maintaining a hair piece will be ongoing, where as a wig can be a one-off purchase.
Hair extensions are the most popular type of hair prosthetics and is the only prosthetic mentioned here that isn’t associated with concealing hair loss. Salons up and down the UK offer hair extensions as a way of having longer hair, an increase in hair density or even to add coloured streaks into the hair. While not necessarily used by hair loss sufferers, hair extensions are actually responsible for causing more hair loss sufferers! To keep the hair extensions in place they are attached very tightly to the roots of existing hairs. This can cause a form of hair loss called Traction Alopecia. The constant stress and pull put onto the roots of your hair will cause damage over time. This damage, when sustained over long periods of time, will lead to the hair no longer growing. Hair extensions should be used sparingly so no long term damage is caused.