Cosmetics for Hair Loss - Bernstein Medical - Center for Hair Restoration
About Header Image

Q: I am a 33 year old women and am just starting to thin on the top of my scalp behind my frontal hairline. What should I do? Should I have a hair transplant?

A: There are a number of things that you should consider that can be effective in early hair loss. These include minoxidil (Rogaine), laser therapy, and using cosmetics specifically made to make the hair appear fuller. Lightening or streaking the hair, as well as parting the hair off to the side, will also make the hair appear fuller.

If a surgical hair restoration is performed too early and there is still a lot of existing hair in the area, the hair transplant may actually accelerate hair loss. Surgery should not be performed prematurely.

Also, it is important that the doctor check the stability of the donor area, using densitometry, to make sure that the procedure is even possible. For those women who are good candidates, and if it is done at the appropriate time, a follicular unit hair transplant is a great procedure that can produce really natural results.

Posted by

Q: I am suffering from Pseudopelade for four years now. I have lost a lot of hair & there are big bald patches on the top of my scalp that are difficult to hide. Is there any hair transplant surgery or follicle transplant surgery possible in my case, or anything else I can do? — T.L., Boston, MA

A: In general, hair transplantation does not work for Pseudopelade (a localized area of scarring hair loss on the top of the scalp) since the condition is recipient dominant rather than donor dominant.

With a donor dominant condition, such as androgenetic hair loss, the tendency to have the condition, or be resistant to it, is located in the hair follicle and moves with the hair follicle when the follicle is transplanted to a new area. Therefore, in androgenetic alopecia, healthy permanent hair taken from the donor area in the back of the scalp will continue to grow in the a new location in the balding part of the scalp.

In a recipient dominant condition, such as Pseudopelade, the problem is in the skin, so if you perform a hair transplant into an affected area of skin, the transplanted hair will become affected by the same process and be lost.

The disease process can often be slowed down with anti-inflammatory agents, such as corticosteriods, applied or injected locally and the bald area can be camouflaged with cosmetics specially made for use on the scalp. See the Cosmetic Camouflage Products page on the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website.

Posted by

Q: I am a 45 year old woman and I am beginning to thin on the top of my scalp. I don’t want to use medications and I don’t think that I am quite ready for surgery. Is there anything else I can do? — E.H., Rye, NY

A: There are a number of things that you can do that can make you hair look more full and help disguise the thinning. Lightening ones hair will allow the hair to reflect more light and appear thicker. In lighter-skinned races it will have the additional advantage of decreasing the contrast between the hair and skin and thus the skin will essentially act as a filler between the strands of hair.

Streaking the hair is also helpful to make the hair look thicker. Waving or perming will help as well, as it will give the appearance of more volume. Normally, the hair tends to fall into a natural part where it is the thinnest. If you part your hair in the thickest area (usually the side opposite from where you are used to, or slightly lower on the same side) this will make the hair appear fuller and less see-through.

Finally, there are a number of cosmetic products that can make you look like you have more hair.

Visit the Cosmetics for Hair Loss page on the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website.

Posted by

Q: I have a question about one of the products referenced under the Camouflage section of your website. As you suggested, I have begun to use DermMatch as an alternative to a hair transplant as I have diffuse thinning and been told that hair restoration is not an option right now. I have been very impressed with the results of DermMatch. However, I am concerned that the product might be damaging my existing hair or impeding future growth. Should I have any concerns about this product?

A: None of the well-known cosmetic camouflage products will damage hair or inhibit its growth.

The products come in a variety of forms, including sprays, creams, powders.

A list of these products, their descriptions, and the telephone number where you can obtain them can be found on the Cosmetic Camouflage Products page of the Bernstein Medical website.

Posted by

Q: Are camouflage agents harmful to newly transplanted follicles after a hair transplant?

A: Cosmetic camouflage products are not harmful to grafts per se, but they may make it difficult to keep the transplanted area clean right after the hair restoration procedure.

They may be used safely as early as one week following a hair transplant, since at this time they can be gently washed out without disturbing the newly transplanted grafts.

These products are useful in reducing any residual redness and can make the transplanted area appear fuller until the new grafts grow.

There are a number of products that can be used and they come in a variety of forms: creams, sprays, powders and gels. To find out where to get them, go to the Camouflage page.

Posted by



Browse Hair Restoration Answers by topic:








212-826-2400
Scroll to Top

Learn more about hair restoration

Hair loss has a variety of causes. Diagnosis and treatment is best determined by a board-certified dermatologist. We offer both in-person and online photo consults.

Provide your email to learn more.