Hair Pieces, Wigs and Hair Prostheses

Hair additions and replacements are available for people who do not or cannot undergo medical or surgical treatment for hair loss. In cases such as a patient receiving chemotherapy as a cancer treatment, a hair replacement ("wig") may be temporary until hair regrows after the treatment ends. A hair replacement may be permanent for a person who is congenitally unable to grow scalp hair.

Hair extensions and additions may be chosen by a person who wants to achieve a cosmetic effect.

Full hair replacements ("wigs") are genuine medical prostheses for people who are temporarily or permanently unable to grow scalp hair. Wigs of varying styles are used for cosmetic purposes, and by actors and actresses to fulfill the appearance of a role.

A nonsurgical hair addition is defined as a hair-bearing device that is added to existing scalp hair to achieve a cosmetic purpose. This definition covers hair weaving, hair extensions, hair fusions, hair pieces, and synthetic hair.

The person who is considering a hair replacement or extension can usually benefit from the advice of an experienced specialist in hair prostheses. Advice may include:

• Choice of materials to be used in the hair device;
• Design of the hair device to achieve a desired cosmetic effect;
• The original cost of a hair device and cost of regular maintenance-a cost that can be thousands of dollars;
• Placement of the hair device to achieve a desirable cosmetic effect and avoid an undesirable cosmetic effect such as a too-low hairline;
• Choice of hair-to-hair or hair-to-scalp attachment to maintain appearance and avoid any allergic reactions to adhesives;
• Selection of the hair device likely to achieve the best cosmetic effect over a period of time;
• Long-term care of the hair device and of the scalp to maintain good scalp hygiene;
• Regular inspections of the hair device to detect changes in color and texture; and,
• Costs associated with various options (for example, custom-made versus off-the-shelf), and costs of replacing the device regularly due to loss of color and texture.