Medical Wigs and Hairpieces for Women, Men and Children - From Chemotherapy, Thyroid and other Treatments Resulting in Thinning Hair - Rochester, New York

New-U Hair Replacement Specialists in Rochester helps men and women experiencing medically-related hair loss as a result of chemotherapy, thyroid, or other medical disorders and treatments.

The hair loss brings a loss of privacy and self-image that many find harder to deal with than the actual treatment. For this situation, we recommend that you choose a wig from a selection of full cap wigs.
 

 
Cancer

The word alone creates fear and confusion. Patients face not only the uncertainty of their disease, but the anxiety of treatment - particularly hair loss.

This article provides facts about the relationship between chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hair loss. Its aim is provide you with the information you need, using non-medical language, to understand what is happening to your hair, and why.

Hair Growth
Hair grows from the root, from the hair follicle, where a constant process of cell division occurs. Amino acids taken from blood feeding the follicle join with dividing cells, resulting in cell chains. Eventually these cell chains link up with one another, resulting in a long fiber. At this point, the nucleus of the original cell is dead, and the amino acids have formed into a hard keratin.

Keratin is a protein, and it is the substance our hair and nails are made from. It is a lifeless substance that results from the "pushing" of newly forming cells in the follicle. As the keratin protein is pushed out, our hair grows from the root. The growth of our hair follows a cyclical pattern that is one of the body's most active "growing" processes: building shafts of hair for a period of time, and then resting.

Anticancer Drugs
Cancer is a condition of uncontrolled cell growth. Anticancer drug administration aims to reduce or stop this process. However, anticancer drugs act on both normal and cancerous cells, and are most likely to destroy cells that reproduce quickly. Hair follicles divide rapidly, which is why they are affected by chemotherapy. At any one time, about 85% of scalp hair follicles are reproducing.

Because a variety of drugs are used for chemotherapy treatment, hair loss depends upon the type prescribed and the dosage. Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss, and except in rare instances, hair loss is temporary. When treatment is completed, the hair follicles will resume processing amino acids from your blood and creating new hair for you.

Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy employs high energy rays to inhibit the growth and division of cancer cells. It destroys all cells' ability to grow and multiply in the area of application; however, cancer cells are more sensitive to radiation than normal cells. If treatment is applied as a cancer cell is about to reproduce it will prevent the cell from doing so, and the cell will die. Still, radiation therapy can sometimes affect normal tissue, causing side effects. One possible result of treatments to the head and neck is hair loss. Some or all of your hair in the area being treated may be lost. In most cases, hair growth will resume at the end of the treatment cycle.
 

Other Causes of Medically Related Hair Loss

Medical related hair loss can be attributed to several causes that can include:

Trichotillomania (Compulsive Hair Pulling)

Many people have nervous habits, but people who pull out their hair compulsively can suffer emotionally as well as physically. Compulsive hair pulling is a deep secret for most people who do it, but it is not especially rare. Psychiatrists estimate that four million Americans have what is called trichotillomania (trick-o-till-o-main-ee-a).
 

Hair Loss Alternatives

There are several options for dealing with hair loss once it occurs. You may choose to cover your head with a hat, scarf or turban. Or you may choose to replace your hair either with a wig or with a prosthetic hair system.

If you choose to replace your hair, you'll be happy to know that fake looking wigs are a thing of the past. New technologies have made both human hair wigs and synthetic wigs appear highly realistic because they can be fitted to the shape of your head. Human hair wigs are typically more expensive and require more maintenance. Synthetic wigs are less expensive (although some special models are more expensive), and are easier to style and wash. Synthetic wigs also dry more quickly, and require less care.
 

Human Hair Wigs

For the very ultimate in comfort and style there is nothing like a high-quality human hair wig. Contrary to popular belief, not all medical wigs are hard to maintain. In fact, because you can use hot blowers, rollers and curling (straightening) irons you have a lot more styling options.

Human hair wigs are cut and customized to the look that you want. For this reason we do not have set styles as with synthetic wigs.

At New-U Hair Replacement in Rochester, New York, we offer FREE private, confidential consultations to help you determine which hair loss treatment is best for your individual situation.

Live life the way you want, without embarrassment, without being self-conscious, with a full head of hair again. Take the first step to a new you. Schedule your free, private and confidential hair loss evaluation today.

With hair restoration, there are lots of options to consider but only one phone call you need to make. JUST CLICK HERE or call (585) 272-7320.

After all, Seeing is Believing!