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Is this tough economy
tougher on you if you don't have hair? Oddly enough, a valley company
says it's seen more men coming in for hair transplants and hair pieces
because being bald can cost them on the job market. FOX 10's Linda
Williams reports.
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Friday, May 9, 2008
National Hair Centers Mark
Three Decades of Growth
by Lynn Ducey, Phoenix Business
Journal
 The
hair restoration industry is becoming increasingly popular -- not just among
aging baby boomers seeking to preserve their graying locks, but also among a
younger population apt to take action when it comes to their appearance.
"Twenty years ago, our clientele was really a more mature male. It was less than
5 percent women. Today, that is split right down the middle. We are seeing
younger and younger people coming in," said David McKenna, senior image
consultant with Phoenix-based National Hair Centers.
With more than two decades in the hair restoration industry, McKenna himself has
received treatments at the center and is proud to show off his results.
"There's been tons of research done on hair and hair loss, and it's really all
about how people feel about themselves. They were afraid of doing anything
because of what people were going to say. But today, it's not as big a deal," he
said.
According to a study conducted by
the Chicago-based International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, more than
100,000 hair restorations were performed nationwide in 2006. While that marked a
7 percent increase from 2004, the number of nonsurgical treatments increased by
a whopping 34 percent during the same period.
Surgical treatments replace and
move hair follicles, while nonsurgical treatments include using hairpieces and
weaves made from human hair. Unlike the toupees of the past, those in the
industry say today's options are high-tech and undetectable.
And while men make up about 90
percent of surgical patients, women comprise about 30 percent of those seeking
nonsurgical options, with most seeking services in their 40s and 50s, said ISHRS
spokeswoman Karen Sideris.
And just as the clientele is
changing with the times, so too are the technology and methods used to alter a
person's appearance.
Many physicians specialize in
surgical procedures, while businesses offer nonsurgical restoration options.
National Hair Centers specializes in hair transplant surgery, laser therapies to
encourage hair growth, and even a product called Virtual Reality -- a customized
toupée with a thin, flexible, skinlike membrane.
McKenna compares the changes in
hair restoration technology to the visible differences in cell phones from a few
years ago to today.
"That's our biggest focus -- that
naturalness of it. It's all about undetectability," McKenna said.
"We will actually fix transplants
that were done years ago," said Lisa Zimmerman, president of National Hair
Centers. "We can soften a front hairline and correct any type of imperfections."
Today, the Phoenix-based company
even offers a genetic test that can determine with 95 percent to 98 percent
accuracy whether a client is likely to develop pattern baldness in the future.
Zimmerman said many seek
hair-replacement options because they suffer from medical conditions such as
alopecia or are losing their hair because of chemotherapy. Consultants and
physicians work with them to achieve their desired looks.
"With alopecia, you can lose all
your hair or just in patches. Then, it comes and it goes. It's very emotional,"
said McKenna.
Zimmerman would not disclose
financials for the privately held company, but she said revenue has grown
consistently by 10 percent to 15 percent each year since the company was founded
33 years ago. Typically, National Hair Centers sees more than 400 clients a
year, she said.
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