Female hair loss gives a new meaning to the phrase “bad hair day”.  As women our hair is one of the most important accessories we use everyday to make us look our best.  Our hair has been defining us as girls, and then women, from the time we had enough hair for our mothers to put a bow in it.  So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when a woman suffers from hair loss, it can have a devastating effect on her sense of confidence and self image.  When you see a man who is balding it is considered nothing out of the ordinary however, if you see a woman who is suffering from thinning hair she looks out of place and you think “I wonder what is wrong with her?”

We spend hundreds of dollars a year at the hair salon having our hair styled, coloured, and highlighted; not to mention the amount of money spent on hair care products.  So the first place we would look for a hair loss product would be at the salon.  Unfortunately there isn’t a shampoo or hair styling product that will cure hair loss.

The first place you should look for answers is at your family physician’s office.  The goal is to investigate the cause of your hair loss and make a diagnosis.  He or she may treat you themselves or refer you to a dermatologist.  Either way it will involve providing a medical history, a scalp examination, some blood work and perhaps a scalp biopsy.  The causes for hair loss in women can include low iron, thyroid disease, recent stress or illness, pregnancy, hormonal disorders and scalp disease. One of the most common causes is genetic female pattern hair loss or androgenetic alopecia which is characterized by hair loss which usually starts a few centimeters behind the hairline and progresses through the middle of the scalp.  A thorough investigation is required before any treatment is started because the causes of hair loss in women can be so varied.

There are a variety of non-surgical and surgical treatments available.  One non-surgical option is Rogaine, a topical solution that is applied twice a day to the affected scalp that can help slow down the progression of hair loss.  Topical cosmetics such as DermMatch can be used to camouflage the thinning areas.  Hair extensions can also be used to augment thinning hair.  For women who have extensive hair loss and are not suitable candidates for other treatments choosing a wig may be an option.

Hair transplantation is a very effective treatment for female pattern hair loss.  Hair is taken from the sides and back of the scalp and transplanted into the thinning areas.  Using modern techniques of “follicular unit grafting”, grafts are transplanted one at a time creating incredibly natural results.  Hair transplants can also be used to restore hair in the temples and hairline after a facelift or brow lift to camouflage the scars.  Eyebrows that are sparse due to over plucking can be transplanted and so can eyelashes.

At the Seager Medical Group we are experienced in these techniques and have helped pioneer the advances in the field of hair restoration surgery.  We pride ourselves in being able to not only restore your hair but your self confidence as well.

Dr. McKenzie appears as a guest on CFRB 1010's Guy Talk Radio Show on Sunday August 10. The topic of this live phone-in radio show was "Are bald men more sexy?" Dr. McKenzie is pictured in the studio with hosts Dale Curd and Owen Williams.

At a recent Gala Reception, attended by business leaders, the media and civic dignitaries, Dr. Mark McKenzie was pleased to accept the Consumers Choice Award 2008 for the Best Hair Restoration Clinic in the Greater Toronto Area on behalf of the Seager Hair Transplant Centre. The Consumers Choice Award is a mark of excellence and the winners are chosen based on the results of a survey which is performed among two major groups of consumers; the general public and the business community. This award is a great honour & The Seager Hair Transplant Centre has shown that it continues to live up to its standards of excellence by winning this award for the second year in a row.

The Seager Hair Transplant Centre was privileged to be a Gold Sponsor in the recent Toronto Police Association Charity Golf Day at Angus Glen Golf Course.. Money raised was donated to the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness http://www.ccfaa.com/, which is a non-profit, non-government, charitable organization dedicated to eliminating child abuse. Pictured are the "Intrepid Seager Foursome": Staff Sergeant Kevin Murrell, Jaan Vaikla, Dr. McKenzie & Kevin Hurford. Over 500 golfers participated in the day which was a great success.

Dr. McKenzie has been the Medical Director of the Seager Hair Transplant Centre since Dr. Seager retired in 2006, but his hair transplant career stretches back to 1994. He has been a member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery since 1995 and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery. In Dr. McKenzie's own words "In the 1980s, when I was beginning to lose my own hair, I saw the results of the "hair plugs" and was never particularly impressed. In the early 1990s, a plastic surgeon with whom I was working, drew my attention to the advances that were taking place in the field of hair transplantation. I researched these new techniques and became involved as both physician and as a patient. Since the early 1990s, I have seen the trends from plugs, scalp reductions and flaps, to minigrafts, micrografts, follicular units, multi-follicular units, lasers, Minoxidil and Propecia. Having the luxury of being able to stand back and evaluate these innovations over time, I can honestly say that the results that we are achieving at the Seager Hair Transplant Centre are consistently the best that I have seen. In keeping with our traditions of excellence and innovation, we will continue to be at the forefront of the hair transplant field as we endeavour to provide the best possible hair restoration experience and results for our patients."

The Seager Hair Transplant Centre, which is located at the Centenary Hospital in Toronto, is devoted to hair restoration surgery. Under the direction of Dr. Mark McKenzie we perform all-follicular unit megasessions using binocular stereoscopic microscopic dissection of the donor hair. The follicular unit grafts are then transplanted one at a time into the bald or thinning areas by dense-packing, using the "stick and place" technique which yields incredibly natural results. This is performed while the patient is mildly sedated which keeps them very comfortably relaxed. This technique which was pioneered by our founder, Dr. David Seager, has been deemed by other hair transplant physicians to be the "Gold Standard to which we should all aspire." This is borne out by the fact that patients travel from all over the world to have their hair transplant procedures performed in our clinic.

The staff and patients at the Seager Hair Transplant Centre are excited about the launch of our new website. E-mails are coming in thick and fast from colleagues, friends and patients about the new look and content of the site. There's an old saying that "A picture is worth a thousand words", and the website proves this maxim. The results of the follicular unit megasessions seen on the patient photos and videos coupled with the enthusiastic comments from our patients are very impressive. Visitors to the site enjoyed watching the videos of Dr. McKenzie answering the frequently asked questions, such as, "Who is a good candidate for a hair transplantation?", "What can I expect on the day of my hair restoration procedure?", "How does your experience as a hair transplant physician as well as being a hair transplant patient affect your approach to patients suffering from hair loss? and "What makes the Seager Hair Transplant Centre different?" The explanations are clear & concise and Dr. McKenzie communicates in a way that is very easily understood. We hope you find the information useful and welcome you to check us out in person or to send us an e-mail.