Emanuel Marritt, MD, received his medical degree from New York University. He is board certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, and is a fellow of both the American and International Societies of Dermatologic Surgery. For over twenty-five years, he has specialized in the field of hair transplantation, working both in medical clinics and as an instructor in medical schools. As an internationally recognized authority in the field, he has lectured to thousands of doctors around the country and around the world. Currently, Dr. Marritt is an associate clinical professor at the University of Colorado Health Science Center. In his capacity as a public advocate, he has appeared on such shows as the Today Show, Dateline NBC, and CBS This Morning.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

1. The Business of Baldness
2. The Psychology of Baldness
3. The Causes of Baldness
4. Cosmetic Hair Additions
5. Pharmaceutical Options
6. Surgical Options
7. Repair and Reconstruction
8. Decisions, Decisions
9. Being a Savvy Consumer
10. The Future of Hair Replacement

Index

Introduction

Hair loss--those two little words can strike more terror in the hearts and minds of men and women than almost anything else in our society. A bitter divorce, complete financial ruin, even certain death can be easier for a person to face than losing his or her hair. What is it about hair that drives people crazy? Why can it inspire both overblown self-confidence and abject despair? But really, how does it help anyone get through the day?

If you are reading this book, you probably have already experienced some hair loss--either a little or a lot. And if you want to know if and how you can regain hair, here is a book that will help answer all of your most important questions.

Why A Book On Hair Replacement
Misinformation is found everywhere--in magazines, on television, and even in doctors’ offices. It is becoming impossible for patients and sometimes even new doctors in the field to tell the hair from the hype, to separate the genuine from the gimmick. As a result, this book has been written with one goal in mind--to cut through the misinformation and help you get hair, either naturally or synthetically, in a manner that balances your expectations with the limits of the science. This is The Hair Replacement Revolution’s main objective. In order to achieve this goal, the book will:
• Get you, the reader, into the proper frame of mind in order to objectively understand the accurate and unbiased information on how to get hair.
• Discuss all of the available treatment options, including staying bald.
• Explain the realistic and safe outcomes of each hair replacement option.
• Answer all of the most common questions.

As it is with any major decision, the more information you have, the better able you will be to make a choice that satisfies all your needs. Seems pretty straightforward, no? Well, it is and it isn’t. Every book contains information. Every advertisement, brochure, video, or infomercial contains some kind of information. Therefore, it is the quality of the information that is most important to distinguish. What separates the information in this book from the information you may find elsewhere? With over thirty years of experience between us as hair replacement surgeons, we are well qualified to write this book. During our involvement in the field, we have always focused our attention on supplying accurate and honest information to our patients.

This book is designed to enlighten and educate you in all aspects of hair replacement. In other words, it will empower you.

What’s In This Book
Because, as with all things, there are dangers along the road to getting hair. This book is arranged as a practical guide, a road map to avoiding the pitfalls lying in wait as you search for hair. The book will start with the general then goes on to define the specifics.

Section one will look at the business, the psychology, and the causes of baldness. These chapters will examine many of the subtle, yet powerful, factors surrounding the practice of hair replacement. Then we will reveal why many people believe and want to believe the misinformation that abounds in our culture about baldness, and what they can do to realign those beliefs. It will help you better understand yourself, and your reaction to your hair loss. Remember, it is okay to be afraid and confused. Most men and women are very anxious when it comes to hair loss. The way in which you handle that fear, confusion, and anxiety is crucial in determining the outcome of your search for hair. Attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference.

Finally, section one will dispel myths about hair loss and clearly explain the causes of pattern baldness. This will give you the perfect spring-board into the rest of the book.

Section two will handle the technical aspects of the various procedures and options. It will cover in depth every available option, including staying bald. Yes, staying bald is a real option. You will read comprehensive discussions about hairpieces--what constitutes a good hairpiece, how they attach to one’s head; medications--how they work, what is safe to use; and finally, surgical options--with complete outlines of all the latest methods used for transplants, reductions, and flaps. In addition, for the men and women who need repair and reconstruction, we have dedicated a chapter to procedures that specifically address your special needs.

We have saved the best for last. Section three aims to evaluate not only the procedures, but also the doctor and support persons involved in selling you hair. The evaluation includes guidelines for proper treatment and the positives and negatives of each procedure.

This is the most valuable part of the book, because all options are not appropriate for all people. This evaluation will help you assess the options in relation to your own specific situation. It will also help you formulate realistic goals based on the limits of the technology.

The final part of section three will give you specific questions to ask. More important, it will tell you the appropriate responses that you should hear from your prospective doctor or hairpiece salesman. Section three as a whole, and Chapter 9 in particular, are like an instruction manual that you can refer to as needed.

THE POINT
By the end of this book you will become a savvy consumer; you will have knowledge, and knowledge is power. You will be armed and ready to ask the right questions and get the right answers while you decide what you want to do to get hair. We hope that once you have read the book, you will be fully aware of all the actions you can take to protect yourself and get what you truly want: good, safe, satisfying hair that lasts the rest of your life.

Review

"Harris and Marritt’s combination of intelligence, enthusiasm, attention to detail ... and high ethics [make] ... this book not only an outstanding gift to the public, [but] a gift to all hair replacement specialists."

--Iter Unger, MD, co-editor of Hair Restoration

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