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This Learning Center offers in-depth reviews of hair loss treatments and the leading physicians who provide them. Today, there are treatments that can stop or even reverse hair loss. Hair transplant surgery, when done right, can now produce results so natural that even hair stylists cannot spot them.
But it is critical to choose the right hair loss treatment and hair restoration physician, since the skill, talent, and experience of physicians vary widely, as do their results.
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For many hair loss sufferers, scalp "tinting" solutions are the most effective type of topical concealer. Tinting solutions like COUVRé, also commonly referred to as "masking lotions" or "concealing lotions," eliminate the contrast between thinning hair and the bald scalp by naturally darkening the skin and matching the tone to one's existing hair. By matching bald scalp to an individual's natural hair color, the harsh contrast of thinning hair is eliminated, and a fuller, denser appearance is achieved.
Although several types of masking lotions currently exist, one of the most popular and trusted is COUVRé. However, what makes COUVRé distinct from other masking lotions, or different types of concealers in general? Is COUVRé a quality concealer for both hair loss suffering men and women? Most importantly, what are other concelears users saying, and where can balding individuals purchase their own supply of COUVRé masking lotion?
Unlike comparable "shaker" application products (such as Toppik – a popular topical applicator product from the same makers as COUVRé), COUVRé is a tinted lotion, meant to minimize the contrast between dark, thinning hair and the balding scalp. According to the manufacturers, COUVRé is applied to the scalp using a specialized sponge applicator. Once the masking formula is on the scalp and providing sufficient camouflage, users are instructed to simply style hair normally and go about their day. The manufacturer of COUVRé assert that the application appears subtle, natural, will not appear "greasy or sticky," will not stain clothing or towels, and does not interfere with pores or affect natural hair growth.
According to both the manufacturers and satisfied users, COUVRé offers various benefits over comparable concealer products. First, because the makers of COUVRé are confident in the product, they ensure that, unlike some other concealers, COURVe will create a natural appearance without looking greasy or sticky, and does not clog scalp pores or interfere with existing hair shafts. Because of this, not only is COUVRé useful for those with thinning hair, but also for patients awaiting new growth from hair transplant surgery. What's more, COUVRé does not contain any harmful chemicals, can allegedly withstand perspiration, rain, wind, and even physical contact (such as touching the scalp). COUVRé comes in 8 different colors/tones (to match all hair types) and is equally effective in both male and female hair loss sufferers. Although COUVRé will withstand a variety of situations without smearing or smudging, it easily washes completely away with water and shampoo.
COUVRé Color Chart 
While COUVRé does offer many benefits above other concealer products, its popularity and reputation within the hair restoration community is likely due to several important factors. First, unlike some other concealing products, COUVRé application is both simple and fast. For many individuals, the ability to naturally conceal thinning hair without spending an excessive amount of time "getting ready," is a huge benefit. Furthermore, because COUVRé contains natural ingredients and does not interfere with native or implanted hairs, it is safe to use with other proven hair loss medications (like Rogaine/minoxidil and Propecia/finasteride) and during the new growth phase of hair restoration surgery. Because of its ease of use, effective nature, and ability to conceal hair loss in a variety of situations, COUVRé has become a reputable hair loss treatment and remains popular within the hair restoration community.
To read real reviews on COUVRé alopecia masking lotion from other hair loss suffering men and women, visit our hair loss forum and social community.
Our physician members perform a very refined hair transplant procedure called "Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation". Today there are two methods for doing this procedure. They differ only in the methods used to harvest and prepare the grafts.
Follicular Unit Extraction Video is provided courtesy of Dr. Alan Bauman.
How the follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant procedure is different than standard strip excision hair transplant surgery.
How the minimally invasive hair transplant procedure known as Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE is performed.
How follicular unit grafts are created under microscopic dissection and then placed into tiny incisions in the balding areas.
A staggering 50% of men and 30% of women will experience some degree of thinning hair by the age of 50. Along with state of the art hair transplant surgery and credible drug treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil), many balding men (and women) have added credible concealers like Nanogen to their daily treatment regimen.
As the term implies, concealers do not actually regrow hair but rather cosmetically enhance the appearance of balding areas of the scalp by reducing the contrast between scalp and hair color and/or adding fullness to thin, wispy hair follicles. Nanogen is no exception however, Nanogen is very popular and differs from other topical concealers in several areas.
Nanogen is made of microscopic keratin fibers. Keratin is the same material that natural hair is composed of, giving the product a natural look and feel when applied to existing thinning hair. Unlike other fiber-based hair loss concealers, Nanogen’s “nanofibers” have a patent pending, “dipolar” electrostatic charge coating that causes them to cling to existing hairs in a fashion resembling needles on a Christmas tree rather than lying flat against the follicles. It’s this perpendicular binding that gives what some users have described as an immediate “lift” to the hair. By increasing the diameter of each individual follicle from root to tip, Nanogen is able to enhance the appearance of hair density resulting in the illusion of a full head of hair.
Nanogen is available in ten different shades. These colors can even be combined to invisibly blend with your natural hair. The fibers are sprinkled onto the balding scalp from an applicator reminiscent of a large pepper shakerand then blended with the fingertips. Once the desired effect is achieved, there is an optional locking mist available to help the fibers stay in place through inclement weather conditions, intense exercise and perspiration.
Users should take care when applying Nanogen near the hairline. Over application can result in accumulation and an unnatural appearance.
Nanogen’s keratin-based nanofibers are an excellent choice for balding men and women wishing to improve the appearance of thinning hair. Unlike some creams, sprays or make-up type concealers, Nanogen fibers are odor-free, non-itchy, wash out easily and won’t stain your clothing or pillowcase. With practice, the application is clean, quick and simple.
For an in-depth comparison of Nanogen and similar fiber-based hair loss concealer Toppik, see the discussion topic, Product Review: Nanogen. To see what other members and Nanogen users are saying, you are encouraged to use the "search" feature of our hair restoration discussion forum.
Today hair loss sufferers have several legitimate and proven treatments for restoring their hair.
Over the past decade in particular, treatments for hair loss have made huge advances. Hair loss medication like Propecia (finasteride), Avodart (dutasteride), and to a lesser degree topical treatments like Rogaine often can stop or even reverse hair loss in most people.
However, neither Propecia nor Rogaine has been proven to restore hair in the frontal areas. Only hair restoration surgery has been successful in restoring hair in the frontal hairline area once it has been lost.
Done right, hair transplants are so natural that even a hair stylist cannot detect that a person has had a hair transplant. The days of the “corn row” or “Barbie doll” hair transplant are long gone.
Hair replacement systems or “hair systems” have also improved and become more refined. Those who are extensively bald and want to restore a full looking head of hair may find a hair replacement system to be appropriate.
There are also topicals, such as sprays and applications, which can do a surprisingly effective job of giving a person the appearance of having a much fuller head of hair.
Future hair loss treatments also hold the promise of making baldness a disease of the past.
Despite attempts by the FDA to regulate the promotion of hair loss products, balding men and women still need to be wary of the many questionable treatments that are often heavily advertised.
Each hair loss treatment has its advantages and disadvantages. We believe in empowering you with the tools and assistance to explore and evaluate all your treatment options. Ultimately the best hair loss treatment is the one that works best for you.
We encourage you to take your time and explore all your options before committing to any hair loss treatment.
Explore this and other web sites and compare notes with other hair loss sufferers about what does or does not work.
Our hair restoration discussion forum has over 180,000 searchable postings by other hair loss sufferers.
If you post your question or concern, typically several people will reply with helpful advice and suggestions.
To get expert medical advice and review all your hair loss treatment options, consider doing a free consultation with one of our quality member physicians.
To learn about our physicians, or to arrange a consultation, visit our physician finder.
Hair loss is a universal condition, affecting all ages, races, genders and nationalities. It’s estimated that “androgenetic alopecia,” or male and female pattern baldness affects 35 million men and 21 million women in the United States alone. This section examines how race, age and gender affect hair loss.
In physiological terms, human beings are all composed of the same bones, muscles, and everything else down to the cellular level. But there are specific differences.
Hair, in all of its variations, is one area in which human beings display their differences. Hair follicles can widely vary in terms of color, length, shape, thickness, strength and various other factors.
There are many ethnic groups to consider. But we will focus on the special considerations of Asians, Blacks (of African descent) and Caucasians.
Asian people typically have very straight hair. Their scalps contain fewer hairs per square centimeter, they actually have a lower hair density than that of Caucasian hair follicles. But because the individual hair follicles of East Asians are thicker, this gives the look and impression of greater hair density.
For these reasons, hair restoration techniques for East Asians, much like other races, must be sensitive to a variety of anatomic and cultural differences. For instance, East Asian females often have an increased likelihood of developing “diffuse alopecia,” or hair that thins evenly over the entire head than Caucasian females.
Even though it’s not a definite requirement, it’s very helpful for Asian patients to seek out doctors with experience in Asian hair.
Another consideration for East Asians considering hair restoration surgery is the increased chance of developing keloid scars. A keloid is a thick, irregularly shaped and elevated scar with uncontrolled growth that results from excess fibrous skin tissue. East Asians typically have a greater likelihood of keloid development than Caucasians, but less than that of people of African descent. Therefore, before undergoing surgery, East Asians may want to consider being medically evaluated for keloids.
People of African descent usually possess naturally curly hair. This curly hair gives the visual impression of increased hair density for a given amount of hair, which is beneficial in hair restoration surgery.
The hair follicles beneath the skin of people of African decent also typically curve more than Caucasians. This can make harvesting the donor hairs, without severing or transecting the hair follicles beneath the scalp, more difficult. A hair restoration physician needs to be very aware of this difference and adjust to its requirements.
As in the case of East Asians, people of African descent possess some unique hair and skin characteristics. Some of these medical conditions are more common in black skin than in white skin. This may increase the risk for post-surgical complications.
Those of African descent have a higher chance of developing keloid scarring when injured. This in turn leads to a greater chance of noticeable donor scars. Keloids aren’t a widespread problem. But those with a history of them are carefully evaluated in regard to their existing scars. The evaluation usually involves a small "test procedure" to determine if there’s a normal healing rate.
Another issue is that of postoperative skin discoloration. With darker skin, there’s often a greater risk of both increased and decreased skin color after injury or surgery. These risks can be determined by the patient’s medical and family history.
Ingrown hairs are also a more common problem in darker skin. If a patient has a history of ingrown hairs or other minor skin infections, this may signal a higher risk for ingrown hairs post-hair restoration surgery. Again, this risk can be determined by a small test procedure.
Caucasians (white people) may have a wide range of hair and skin types. However, if someone has dense and or coarse hair, as well as skin color similar to their hair color, they will generally achieve the best results for a given amount of restored hair.
Learn more about aging and gender hair loss
