Hairpieces, wigs, caps, and hair systems come in all shapes, sizes, and quality. Sir Elton is clearly enamored with his hairpiece most likely because his hair loss is extensive enough that a hair transplant would not be able to fix the problem with sufficient cosmetic density for him.

Someone with a Norwood 6 or 7 hair loss, i.e., advanced baldness, may look better with a hairpiece or with a shaved head rather than a very limited hair transplant result. Interestingly, a Norwood 4 or 5, which is still pretty extensive baldness can be corrected with adequate cosmetic density if the donor hair is sufficiently dense and preferably, the hair coarser or thicker. (see Norwood grading scale). Good donor hair can cover a lot of sin, and it is one of the most important parts of a clinical evaluation for me when I am determining the candidacy of a person who is planning to undergo hair restoration.

Because Elton tends to wear his hair like a rock star, i.e., very long and shaggy, I really do not have any major criticisms about his hairpiece. As most of you may know, I am a strong advocate in combining hair restoration with a hairpiece in those individuals who lack sufficient hair for a full hair transplant and have become accustomed to the density provided by a hairpiece. The technique would involve one of several methods. In someone who has enough donor hair, then that individual could have a hair transplant to the frontal area and use a hairpiece to cover the crown region. That would be ideal if there is enough donor hair. If not, then a hair transplant into the very frontal area of the hairline plus the temple area can be an excellent option for someone who lacks sufficient donor hair but needs a more natural result in areas that a hairpiece simply does not offer the best results for, namely the hairline and the temple region. Finally, for those who have a hairline that they are happy with using a hairpiece, hair transplantation of just the temples and temporal point may be sufficient to change what seems somewhat unnatural to one that seems more natural in appearance.

Samuel M. Lam, MD, FACS is a board certified hair transplant surgeon in Dallas, Texas. To learn more about Dr Lam’s hair restoration procedures and hair pieces, wigs and caps, please visit our website hairtx.com or call 972-312-8105 to schedule a consultation.