Men turn to transplants or plugs for thinning manes

Dr. Marino A. Rios of the Cosmetic and Hair Surgery Institute, 1714 N. Mesa, showed an electronic caliper that measures the thickness of hair. He uses the device to measure the thickness of one of the tiny blades he uses in hair transplant procedures.

Michael Burson remembers having a good head of hair "back in the day." He laughs when he describes how he used to take his 1970s long-handled comb and run it through his feathered hair.

But along with disco music and those cool combs, Burson's fluffed and feathered locks are gone.

"Those were great times," the 47-year-old East Side resident said, while filling his motorcycle at a gas station on Viscount.

"I do miss having a thick head of hair, but I've accepted it," he said, referring to his partial baldness. I shave (my head) because it looks better. When I was in my late 20s, I kind of freaked about it and stuff, but then you see that you can't really stop it so, well, you accept it."

Well, some guys do. And some don't.

The shaved-head shiner is definitely in, thanks in part to jocks and celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Vin Diesel and Andre Agassi.

Thinning hair and baldness are common among men. It's common for everyone to experience thinning of hair as they age, doctors say.

While there is still mystery surrounding some aspects of hair loss, researchers know that the loss in men occurs largely because of genetics and male hormones.

Parts of the scalp are sensitive to hormones, which can make the hair follicles shrink, said Dr. Marino A. Rios medical director of the Cosmetic & Hair Surgery Institute, 1714 N. Mesa.

Drugs such as Rogaine and Propecia have been around a while and can help diminish hair loss. But as cosmetic procedures improve with advancements in technology, many people with thinning hair are interested in hair transplants.

If you're thinking about hair "plugs" or large patches that are "quilted" onto the top of the head, think again, Rios said.

"People don't have to be completely bald," he said. "Hair transplants can restore some hair to the head and achieve a good result."

Rios, who is a hair-transplant recipient himself, pointed out that people who are interested in hair transplants must have a realistic expectation.

"We can do a lot -- probably more than people think -- but to think you can regain your former head of hair, that's not going to happen," Rios said. "I tell my patients that it won't be the same as when they were young men. They have to understand we can't get all of that back."

For some, having at least a thin layer of hair on their heads is better than sporting a large bald spot, Rios said.

"For myself, I wanted to have at least a little (hair); it helps protect your head from the sun," he said.

Male baldness can occur in as many as seven different patterns -- from the common receding hairline to the bald spot on the back of the head. Some men lose it on the front and on the crown of the head at the same time, Rios said.

When men's hairlines begin to recede, the texture of their hair can change and become fuzzy.

"I just shave it because I think it looks better like this. My hair isn't smooth anymore. It got frizzy here," said George Ramos, 35, pointing to the front of his head.

Ramos, a bank teller, said he thought about looking into a hair transplant but figured it's out of his budget.

A hair transplant operation costs from $4,000 to $9,000. People with significant hair loss usually need more than one transplant operation, Rios said.

"We have two kids and instead of spending money on that, we have to save for their college," Ramos said. "I'm pretty much OK with it, and so is my wife."

Again, not all men are. "I have some patients -- usually they are young -- who are very upset about it. It can be very upsetting to the ego," Rios said.

Men can begin losing their hair as early as 21. For some, it is psychologically devastating.

Many young men want a hair transplant as soon as they see their hairline recede, but Rios and dermatologist Dr. Hector Franco said young men aren't good candidates for transplants.

"If it's done too early, the rest of the hair on the head will continue to recede," Franco said, "and they can be left with hair that sticks up in the front and looks like a rooster."

Rios said the better option for younger men is to try Propecia or Rogaine, which can diminish hair loss. However, that would require taking the drug for the rest of their lives.

"It is a commitment," Franco said. "And, yes, some guys don't want to do that."

Thinning hair can affect some women, too, though females with the problem lose hair in a different pattern than men. Women generally lose hair throughout the head.

Rogaine, or minoxidil, is the only treatment that has been documented to help stop hair loss in women, Franco said.

Hair transplants can be good options for men or women who are bothered by their thinning hair.

Hair loss can be caused by some medications as well as by a number of illnesses and even fungal infections of the scalp, Franco said.

When hair is transplanted, it is taken from the back of the head, which even on the baldest of men usually remains thick. Rios takes small grafts of skin and then cuts them into tiny pieces -- not large patches -- that he implants throughout the affected area.

It takes about four months for a transplant patient to see the full results. The transplanted hair has "memory," Rios said, and it continues to grow through a person's life.

During one transplant session -- which can take six to eight hours -- as many as 3,000 tiny hair follicles can be transplanted.

Rios has performed hair transplants on more parts of the body than just the head, too. Hair can be transplanted on the face for men and on the chest.

Rios has devised a new way to make white hair follicles more visible for transplant surgery.

He will present his method later this year at a meeting of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, of which he is a member.

"The technology keeps getting better and better," Rios said. "The tools are better, and we can get better results."