No- Shampoo Craze

Removing dirt from your hair is important in keeping the hair and the scalp clean. With the current craze of  no-shampoo this isn’t the best course of action for your hair.

Just rinsing your hair through with water is inadequate to remove the dirt and grim that is stuck to your hair shaft or on your scalp. Water is not strong enough to remove sweat, bacteria or dry skin from your scalp. For this to be removed from the head and the scalp you must use a form of soap.

What the problem was originally, is rejecting some of the chemicals added to shampoo with the intention of making the hair cleaner. Sometimes these chemicals are too strong for healthy hair.

Look for good quality shampoos that don’t contain sulphate. This can strip the hair of some of the good oils naturally found in the hair, which allows it to be supply and strong.

You can try to use conditioner in place of shampoo, but don’t do this too often as it won’t remove all the dirt and the grime from your hair. However, it will make your hair feel soft and healthy.

The thoughts that the no-shampoo concept will increase the chances of your hair staying on your head longer, is inaccurate. If you are predisposed to a genetic hair loss, not washing the dirt out isn’t going to stop the hair from falling out. This will happen regardless of whether you wash your hair or not. There are only two licensed products by the FDA that will actually work to preserve the hair and might even help restore hair that has receded that you apply to the hair directly.

If you suffer from allergies and you don’t wash your hair with shampoo then you are at risk of having the effects of the allergies longer. For example, if you suffer from hay fever and the pollen particles stick to your hair when you are out, rinsing your hair in water is not an effective way for the removal of the pollen. This can increase the length of time of exposure to the allergen and this can make your symptoms worse.

At worse a no washing regime can create, an environment that allows the bacteria to grow on your scalp and this can lead to inflammation and blocked pores. This is going to cause more problems with the hair than washing with a sulfate free shampoo. The inflammation and the blocked pores can lead to an increase in hair falling out as the follicles struggle to deal and fight off the invaders to the body.

Therefore, while many people are opting for the no-shampoo washing of their hair, they are increasing their chances of actually losing more of their hair to their poor hygiene routine. It is important that you look after you head and hair, choosing products that are less harmful to your body and the environment is the better way to go rather than opting for the no-poo in keeping your hair in the best possible condition.

New Salon Treatment For Hair Loss

A new treatment is hitting the salons in New York, in a way to help those women that are experiencing hair loss. The new trend has made its way from France to improve the lives of women who feel their hair is thinning.

The aim of the session is to experience a massage of the scalp and then to vacuum the hair. The idea is to increase the blood flow to the scalp and this improves the circulation. Great hair needs to have a fantastic blood supply that provides the food that the follicles need to grow each hair shaft.

A strong hair shaft produced by a hair follicle that is healthy, reducing the risk of damage and breakage or stunted growth. The potential of the hair follicle is amazing and provide this with the right environment and you would expect great strong hair.

However, while having great hair that isn’t thinning in any way is always on the wanted list, what this treatment can’t do is to stop the hair falling out through genetic reasoning or any other medical condition. Therefore, while it can improve the circulation of the blood to the head and scalp, it can’t affect the way the hair follicle is going to perform. It might be a great way to support the hair that is there. However, just two products have FDA approval and only one of these is suitable for women.

One of the concerns relating to this type of treatment is if you are vacuuming your hair there is the potential for increasing the amount of DHT in the blood to reach the hair follicles and in effect make the hair fall out quicker than it previously would have. There is no evidence to suggest this would happen, but there is also no proof that this method will prevent hair loss. It might feel great though.

What is important is to seek professional help from a specialist like Dr Katona who can look at your problem, to make an assessment and give you professional advice as to what will work for you.

Understanding the cause of hair loss is just as important as finding a solution, which you are happy. While many people put thinning hair down to age this is not always the case. It is important to get this checked by a medical professional. Talk to your doctor about your hair problems and they will perform some basic tests to ensure the condition isn’t a medical problem.

Therefore,  the idea of vacuuming your hair to improve the circulation of blood flow to the hair follicles seems like a great idea, this alone isn’t going to prevent your hair falling out through genetic reasons or any other medical condition. This is why it is important to seek professional help in the first instance so you are sure that any treatment you seek is going to benefit you and your hair now and in the future.

Call us today with any questions. 630-823-4002

Hair loss in Women

Hair loss is not restricted to men; women suffer hair loss too. However, women use their hairstyles to reduce the appearance of any noticeable hair loss. A high percentage of women who experience hair loss seek no advice from a doctor or a hair specialist as to the cause of the hair loss. Talking to a hair stylist is not good enough if you are experiencing hair loss, it is important to check there are no medical reasons that are contributing to the increase in hair falling out.

One of the main causes of hair loss in women is genetic female pattern hair loss; another name is androgenetic alopecia. This can affect a person from as early as their late teens to much further in adult hood. It doesn’t present itself as a typical case of receding hairline or a patch on the top with no hair, but a complete thinning of the amount of hair follicles.

Often the hair thinning is noticeable in the person’s parting, or in the reduction in the amount of hair in a ponytail, including the overall length of the hair.

This type of baldness is miniaturization, due to the hair shaft not growing for long before going into the shedding phase. They are often no longer than hair found on the arm.

There are ways in which you can treat this condition; you don’t have to suffer in silence, feeling afraid and silly for mentioning an increase in the amount of hair that is falling out is not a waste of the doctors time, it could prevent further loss and even an answer to the cause.

An FDA approved medication for women must contain minoxidil with a strength of 2% or 5%. It is better suited to women to get the lower dose medication because the 5% has more tendency for growing facial hair too and this isn’t an acceptable hair growth for any woman.

This product works by increasing the length of the cycle before the shedding. What is important to consider is the cost, you must apply the lotion twice a day for at least six months before you will notice any regrowth.

Talking to a hair specialist At Katona Hair Restoration, could recommend other treatments that will met your needs including the option of a hair transplant; while many would think this an expensive option. The cost of putting minoxidil lotion on the hair twice a day, until you decide that going bald is acceptable, is also very expensive.

Therefore, if you have noticed an increase in the amount of hair you have lost then it is important to check out your health to ensure there are no other medical conditions for the hair loss. A deficiency in iron will see an increase in the amount of hair falling out, increase in iron, normally in the form of tablets prescribed by your doctor and this will improve the hair quality.

Hair loss is not a condition that is easy to deal with, it can affect how a person feels and talking through these concerns is an important part of any treatment plan.

What is Trichotilomania?

Hair loss is a difficult topic, any form of hair loss is traumatic; if you are losing your hair to a medical condition or just because of your genetic make-up is one thing. What does it mean if you are pulling out your own hair?

Trichotilomania is a condition where you actually pull out your own hair; it can be in patches and is more likely to be on the head. However, dealing with this condition, even admitting that you are pulling your hair out, is a difficult one.

There is a feeling of shame attached to the condition, often the hair pulling happens in secret or it is covered with hair styles and hats to prevent people seeing what you are doing to yourself. However, there are times when a person isn’t aware they are pulling out their own hair, you can even do this when you are asleep.

Understanding that this is a medical condition is the first step. Often people feel they are alone with the condition and that no one will understand as to the reason for the pulling of their own hair.

It is stress induced and can happen at any age. Children can suffer this condition and when they are young, it is an equal split between the girl or boy divide. However, as they age, the girls continue on this path and become leaders in the condition compared to boys.

There is no cure for this condition. However, it is possible for those people who suffer from this illness to know there is hope and treatment, which can help control the compulsion to pull out their own hair.

One of the best types of therapy is talking or cognitive therapy, it is about understanding why a person feels the need to pull and what feelings they are using the hair pulling to hide. Whilst many people might think this therapy isn’t for them, it has a great success rate with a number of different conditions, which relate to the mind.

Talking therapy is one of the best treatments that you can find; it allows a person to understand what makes them behave in a certain way and it is possible to work out triggers, which can set off an episode. If management techniques are in place, it can prevent the action from starting.

Some medications that work for some of the sufferers; they are in the category of SSRI and SRI. These are both in the family, which helps many people with mental illnesses and they can help with treating trichotillomania. This medication helps many people who are suffering from depression and taking the medication isn’t going to have a negative impact on your life; it might help repair some of the feelings and make you feel normal.

Therefore, while many people with trichotillomania want to hide the condition and not admit they have a problem. It is an illness for which there is help available. It is not something you should leave untreated because of feeling embarrassed amount mentioning the problem, there is help out there.

Desperate Remedies That Don’t Work

It is a known fact that baldness will affect 70% of men at some point in their life. However, what is worrying is the amount of people that turn to the internet and family for advice on how to deal with their hair loss, instead of seeking medical help. Some conditions can cause your hair to fall out and these need checking to rule out any possibility of another health issue.

A hair specialist like Dr Katona could look at your hair, give you a detailed plan on how to deal with the current situation and how to prevent further hair loss. Turning to the internet to find answers and cures that just don’t work, there is currently no cure for genetic reasons or predisposition to prevent a person from going bald.

A few years ago, a farmer made the news because he had discovered a cure for his baldness. He allowed the cows to lick the top of his head and hair growth was returning. A cows tongue is rough and this roughness applied to the head is going to stimulate the blood flow to the area. Some treatments are available which stimulate the blood flow, and there are some technical reasons as to why stimulating the blood flow can increase the hair growth.

A follicle needs a certain amount of blood for it to function effectively. If this slows down then the hair reduces its ability to grow, increasing the blood flow can increase the potential for hair growth. However, there are better methods available designed especially for an increase in the blood flow in the head rather than needing to find a cow that will oblige.

Other old wives tales passed on through families include placing different ingredients on to the head and rubbing these in to stimulate the hair growth. A popular option on the internet now is cream designed to treat thrush. This cream is available over the counter without prescription, at your local pharmacy.

The concept behind this is to apply the cream to the head and apparently, over time, you will notice hair growth. What is concerning about this cream is, it is not licensed as a hair growth treatment. The people who have discovered this are not documenting any side effects to the cream, they are not doctors; they don’t understand what this cream is doing to their brain. One of the common comments is the relationship between the application of the cream and the person experiencing headaches.

Therefore, there is some reaction happening in the body to the application of this product. It is therefore vital that any treatment that you seek to use to help restore your hair comes from a specialist in the field. This way you are assured that any recommendations for products to use or procedures to help reduce the appearance of hair loss is FDA approved for the type of application they are suggesting and not listening to anybody on the internet for medical advice.

Facial Hair Transplant Trend

There is an increase in hair transplants for beards and mustaches. Having the ability to grow full beards and mustaches isn’t easy for some people, it can affect their confidence.

With the F.U.E. procedure developing and more improvements over time, there is now an option for those who would like to grow a beard or a mustache. Facial hair growth can look patchy; it is often a sign of immaturity and only when a full beard develops does it become easier.

Beards have become popular in the media with male celebrities supporting the bearded look. However, it is important to realize that many of these men have had the additional support from a hair transplant to ensure a thick and even covering.

This type of procedure is important in some parts of the world with businessmen who get respect if they support a beard or a mustache. It becomes a tool, which they can use as a way to project themselves as mature and respectable.

The procedure is simple and straightforward with minimal fuss; any redness is quick to disappear, only lasting a few days. The transplanted hair follicles will fall out leaving behind the root, which will grow and mingle in with the beard already in place, making it look fuller.

The surgery itself is becoming even more popular, more than certain plastic surgeries. It is easy to see why a change in the fashion of men in the public eye can have a positive effect on men all over the world. Male grooming is big business and it is important they want to look and feel good too.

However, there are men affected with scars on their face. This can make a person feel uncomfortable with their appearance, being able to cover up scars with a natural treatment that encourages hair growth, is a solution.

Therefore, there are reasons why a person might consider the concept of having a hair transplant to improve the look of their beard or mustache. It can hide scars or improve their standing in the business community, or purely for cosmetic reasons, wanting the fullest beard or mustache possible.

The procedure is relatively easy and the results will come through in a few months, where you notice the thickness and a more even coat of hair on your face.

It is an option that you should consider if you are considering growing a beard or mustache and worry about thinning hair or an uneven spread of hair. This is sounds like something you are interested in please reach out to Katona Hair Restoration for your free consultation today!

4 Myths About Hair Transplants

Hair transplants have become popular since they hit the headlines with famous people claiming the latest round of hair transplant procedures. This helps the focus of the business and brings it as an acceptable form for dealing with hair loss; this is not a problem for hair loss clinics worldwide; the problem is the myths that surround hair loss and the procedures, which are wrong.

Common misconceptions about hair transplants are:

1. You will have the end result of perfect full head of hair. This is not accurate, the idea of a hair transplant is to replace some of the missing hair but not take it back to a complete head of hair, this would look unnatural and not something any doctor in this profession would recommend. It is about giving a person the confidence in his or her own appearance, something that losing your hair can take away from you. It is important to realise that the results are going to take at least a year if not longer, to show.
2. The procedure is painful. There is going to be some discomfort after the procedure, but during the transplant, the doctor will give you a local anaesthetic.. If you feel any pain during the procedure, it is important that you tell the doctor and they will give you more local anaesthetic.
3. There is an option for a scar free surgery. There is no option that is scar free, there are scars because of the nature of the procedures; if you have opted for the strip method, you will have a scar from that, even with the FUE method, there is scaring because the machine will cut a hole into the head to remove the hair follicle.
4. Wait until you are bald. It is more important to seek medical attention from a hair specialist as soon as possible because while you might not be ready for a hair transplant at that point, the doctor could talk through the different options that are open to you in the preventative measures. Dealing with the hair loss early can help to prevent the situation getting to the point that you have no hair left. The sooner you can make a plan to stop your hair from falling out, the bigger the potential you have for keeping more of your hair long term and this will make how you feel about your hair more manageable.

There are many myths about what you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to your hair. What is important; is to remember if it is affecting you and how you feel about your appearance then it is time to seek help, go to a specialist and talk through with them the options open to you and what they recommend. Listening to myths and not acting on your own instincts can mean the problem gets worse, just because you didn’t go for help at the first instance.

Can Hot Water Cause Hair Loss

How you wash your hair, could be causing your hair to become thin and even be causing an increase in hair loss. The temperature of the water that you are using can damage your hair.

Hot water is not good for the hair, not only does it strip the oil from the hair and scalp it can also damage the hair follicle too. The reduction in oil in the scalp can lead to a dry and flaky scalp.

Hot water will open the pores on the skin and this allows the heat to damage the follicle; it can harm the hair shaft making it brittle and liable to snap or actual damage to the follicle making it shed the hair prematurely.

Hot water can reduce the length of time a colourfast solution remains on the hair, meaning you will require to recolour more often, not only costing you more money but also increase the potential damage the colour will do to the hair shaft over time.

It is not just hot water that damages your hair, but also the styling products that are hot. A hair dryer and straighteners will damage the hair, making it go dry and brittle, causing breakage and resulting in poor quality hair. You are burning the hair shaft with the high temperatures.

However, what is important to understand that whilst the human hair is strong, most of the time and it can endure a lot of harsh treatment from heat and chemicals, it is not impossible to destroy. The human hair is incredibly strong, especially for it size and thickness. However, harsh beauty regimes that damage your hair is potentially going to cost you your hair.

If you continue to treat your hair badly then if it starts to fall out or become thin. What is the answer? The first thing you must do is start being kind to your hair. The next step is to seek the guidance of a specialist; they will be able to guide you through the steps to create great looking healthy hair.

A specialist will recommend the products, which are good for your hair and the products that you should be avoiding. They will be able to guide you on the journey of better looking and healthier hair.

Therefore, if you think just because you don’t use a tonne of style products or add chemicals in the forms of dye; remember you can still be damaging your hair just with the temperature of the water that you use. Turning down the temperature of the water, could protect your hair from unnecessary breakage and fallout. Understanding the right hair-care regime is important if you want to protect your hair, as much as possible.

Why Have An Eyebrow Transplant?

A journey of over plucking or a natural thinning of the brow. Whatever your circumstances it is important that you discuss your concerns with a qualified doctor able to perform the eyebrow transplant.

As you mature the hair which you had previously can start to thin on the eyebrows too, it can be due to over plucking or just a natural decline in eyebrow hair.

It is also possible that while many eyebrows look naturally even, some just don’t grow and it can be a source of embarrassment. This can make a person feel uncomfortable about their appearance and hinder their choices in life, because they just don’t feel confident in their own abilities due to how they feel about their looks.

While those people without hair loss issues might not be able to appreciate the pain and the suffering that these people feel on the inside, it is important not to feel alone or embarrassed by your situation.

There is help available, talking to a hair specialist, or even your doctor, is important. Making sure the hair loss is not because of any medical condition is the first step. Some medical conditions can have a negative impact on your hair, but so, too, can some medications, therefore it is important that you check this with an expert first.

Talking to a specialist in the field of transplants is important; they will guide you through the process as to what you need to do and what you can expect. It will depend where the hair follicles are harvested as to the care you will need to provide after the procedure.

It is important to follow the advice of the doctor; they might ask you to reduce the risk of damaging the transplant and this can include not participating in some activities just for a short period to let the healing process take effect.

There is going to be minor evidence of the procedure on your eyebrows for a few days, it is important that you allow your body the time to heal and for the tiny scabs to fall off naturally.

There will be no visible sign of the procedure within 5 to 7 days post-op and this is fantastic, even in this healing period there is very minimal notice of the procedure taking place.

Often people who opt for this surgery are more surprised by the number of hairs being transplanted, this gives the fuller appearance that is desired by the modern trend.

Therefore, while you might not need an eyebrow transplant yourself, however, there are people that will benefit from the procedure giving them confidence and pride in how they look. It is an important aspect of hair restoration, helping people accept how they look and feel about themselves.

Call us today for more details 630-823-40020

Dealing With Alopecia

What is important to realize is that you are not alone, if you have an alopecia diagnosis there is help available and this can come in a number of different forms. Your doctor will offer you the medical support, give you the information you need to make the right medical choices. However, sometimes you need something different; something that only people with the condition are able to give.  Understanding and support to know that you are not alone and that together you can manage your condition and you can move forward with your life.

There are no cures for the condition or the numerous different strains of alopecia. It is something that you will need to manage and move forward with being present in your life. There are charities and organizations whose function is to help and support those individuals who are dealing with alopecia. They have the expert advice as to what you can do to feel better and to manage your condition to a point where you feel good about yourself and are able to move forward with living a full life.

People all over the world, young and old, suffer from different forms of alopecia. It is important to know what you can give another person, who is suffering and unable to move forward and start living their life again. Hair loss is an important indicator at initiating depression in a person. Connecting with people who have felt the same or had similar experiences, can help another person to manage their own condition.

Building bonds with others who have experience of this condition is important if you want to understand the condition; also, what you can do to help yourself and others; it can help strengthen you and your determination to succeed.

Stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on your hair and if you are already experiencing problems with alopecia, not managing your condition and your emotions can make the situation a lot worse. It is important that by connecting with other people, talking through how you feel and listening to how other people have managed to move through this and managing their condition. This can help you focus on creating a plan, manage your alopecia and not just cope, without objections to move forward and to feel better about your condition, how you can manage it is important and not be managed by the condition.

Building your confidence is vital in managing alopecia, it is about finding ways that you can feel better about yourself, it can be from finding a wig to wear, talking about your condition to others or wearing a scarf so no one notices. Improve your confidence and you will start to feel in control and that is the key to successful alopecia management.

Therefore, if you have a recent diagnosis of alopecia and you are feeling alone, it is important to reach out to others who have experienced similar feelings and talk through your problems and ways to manage your condition.

How To Hide A Hair Transplant

If you are contemplating hair transplant surgery and have worries about what people will think, you can deal with this in a few ways. Prior to modern technology becoming available, the recovery process was longer, the scars were visible for a longer period and in truth, the surgery was a major event that was difficult to hide unless you had a period to adjust and not just a few days.

With the improvement of the procedures, it is possible for there to be no visible signs of surgery even after a few days post-transplant. This will depend on a number of factors but it is possible that after 5 days the holes where the transplant happens are no longer visible.

Many people, including famous people, are becoming more open about going for a hair transplant surgery and this makes it easier for many people to comprehend that hair transplant surgery is becoming a more acceptable form to contemplate.

If you are open about the surgery it does cause less speculation as to what has happened and this is important for some people, it means less people discussing the options or procedures that you have gone through, without knowing the facts.

If you are thinking about or worrying how to hide, the procedure talk to the doctor that is performing the surgery. They might give you a guide to the period that the scars tend to be visible and maybe book this time off work.

One technique is to draw the attention away from the hair itself before the procedure, wearing a hat of some description, even growing a beard is a great way to take the emphasis off the hair itself and no one will realise that you have had the procedure because they have focused on other aspects of your appearance.

It is important that you feel comfortable with the process, which you are going to go through, and for this reason, it is important to discuss these concerns prior to surgery, so you have more information as to the outcome of the procedure and the recovery time you will need to allow post-surgery.

If you need options as to how you feel about your hair, it is important to discuss all options with your specialist. Some procedures might be more suitable than others; it is important to talk these through with your hair specialist. If you haven’t enough information, no matter how often you ask, then the specialist isn’t for you. Dr Katona will listen to your concerns and recommend a course of treatment that will meet your needs. He will go through the concerns which you have and put your mind at ease.

Therefore, if you are concerned about the after care, or the visibility of the procedure then you might want to talk about these with the doctor who is to perform the surgery; they are there to guide you through the process and are there for your after care, too.