Cosmetic Surgeon 411 Directory

The supermodel Tyra Banks raised some eyebrows in Hollywood when she used her TV show to declare “National ‘Real Hair’ Day”, unveiling to the audience what she looked like with just her natural hair, rather than her usual extensions, weaves and wigs.

Banks said that she wanted to “open up stereotypes of beauty” and so went on stage with her hair slicked back. She then wet it and invited members of the audience to come on stage and verify that it was her real hair.

In a press release, she said that National Real Hair Day was intended to encourage women to celebrate their natural beauty and dispense with fakeries like hair extensions.

Hair extensions, ‘bumpits’ and weaves have become more and more common over recent years, but there have been fears expressed that they may be leading to early baldness in women as they become overused.  Stars such as Victoria Beckham and Paris Hilton have had their pates scrutinized in the national press, with suspiciously pink patches being put down to constant hair treatments and extentions, which put stress on natural hair and the scalp.

Male celebrities have also been in the spotlight over whether their locks are natural or have been given a helping hand from the hairdresser or even the cosmetic surgeon. Whereas once celebrities trying to cover up the baldpatch were fairly obvious, as their only recourse was the painfully unnatural toupee, in recent years the development of hair transplant surgery and medications like Propecia have made bald-patch spotting a far more challenging pastime.

Hair transplants are definitely the most popular hair loss treatments for the men, while women seem to prefer to make their hair look healthier through the addition of false hair weaved into their own.

That’s not to say the female celebrities haven’t been getting hair transplants too, but if so they have been hiding them a lot better. Unfortunately, hair loss in women had considerably more stigma than male-pattern hair loss and female hair loss treatments are rarer. Women can’t use Propecia, the only prescription med proven to combat hair loss – so once it’s gone its gone.

This means that Tyra Bank’s initiative could not only work to boost women’s self esteem, but could also ensure that they escape the curse of premature hair loss.  If women do follow her example, then their hair is likely to remain healthier and thicker, meaning that though temporarily they may not have such impressive hair styles, in the long term their hair will benefit hugely.