Hair loss in men or women can contribute to the appearance of looking older than chronologic age. One of the hair restoration procedures may be used alone, or in combination with a procedure for facial skin rejuvenation to take years off of a patient’s apparent age.

Any person who feels that hair loss is a problem should consult a dermatologist. The first step in treating hair loss is diagnosing its cause. Causes can include heredity, various acute and chronic diseases, nutritional deficiency, medications, radiation, and improper hair treatments.

The most common cause of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness, a condition with a hereditary basis. In women the most common conditions are androgenetic alopecia baldness, and telogen effluvium which causes thinning of scalp hair but not bald patches. A condition of unknown cause called alopecia areata occurs in both men and women, causing hair loss in small circular patches.

Based on medical evaluation, a dermatologist will recommend the procedure that is right for the individual patient. Treatment options include:

• Male pattern baldness may be medically treated with topical minoxidil or oral finasteride, drugs that can restart hair growth in some patients.

• Hair restoration surgical procedures include hair transplant, scalp reduction, scalp extenders, and scalp lifts. To learn more about surgical hair restoration procedures, please see the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Web site.