Hair Restoration

Hair Restoration 101: The Basics of Restoring Hair

As a whole, men and women often worry about their potential for going bald. Our hair defines who we are; hair can be our crowning glory or our mane of shame. A full head of healthy, vibrant hair shows the world that we are young, ready to tackle any challenge.

The amount of information and products available for hair restoration can be confusing at best. There are many hair restoration products on the market today that claim instant results, and you are wise to be skeptical. Instant hair restoration using non-surgical techniques is simply not possible. The costs will add up fast and you will still not have a full, healthy head of hair. Surgical alternatives are not only expensive, but painful, often requiring follow up procedures.

When you were born, you had the ability to live your entire life without the need for hair restoration. A poor diet, lack of exercise and a stressful lifestyle can all contribute to hair loss and the need for hair restoration. When the body is unbalanced, one of nature's reactions is hair loss.

There are two types of hair on the human body. Terminal hair is the hair found on our heads, faces, eyelids, pubic areas and male chests. Unlike vellus, which is the very fine hair throughout the rest of the body, terminal hair is visible to the naked eye. Terminal hair can be curly, straight, coarse or fine, and all the different types of terminal hair may exist on one person.

The basic structure of all hair follicles on the human body consists of the hair shaft, a sebaceous gland, and erector pili muscles. These tiny muscles connect the hair shaft to the skin and when they contract, goose bumps are formed. Sebaceous, or oil glands, are responsible for keeping the hair well lubricated. When hair is well lubricated, damage occurs less often.

Hair loss begins when the hair follicle is no longer able to produce healthy hair. DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, is the hormone responsible for hair loss. DHT is produced by the body with the enzyme 5-alpha reductase and testosterone. The abundance of testosterone and the lack of estrogen in the male body are what make men more susceptible to hair than women. DHT starves the papilla (which makes hair cells) by restricting blood flow to the scalp. Hair loss begins as the papilla are no longer able to make new hair cells. Thinner, weaker hair is the result of hair follicles that are only partially functioning.

When DHT is inhibited, papilla are able to recover with a renewed blood supply. Hair follicles will take time to recuperate, but eventually hair follicles that were producing thin, weak hair are able to regain their previous ability to grow natural, healthy hair. Results vary, but visible hair improvement should begin to show within several months.

It is with the thinner, weaker hair that many hair restoration products work best. Procerin, an herbal hair restoration formula, combines saw palmetto, gotu kolu, nettles, magnesium, and eleuthero root which has been shown to slow down the production of DHT in the body. As an herbal hair restoration product, Procerin is less costly than many prescription medications and will not cause impotence, a common side effect to prescription hair restoration medications.