Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Feb 16;3(1 Suppl):S75-S80.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijwd.2017.02.016. eCollection 2017 Mar.

Hair camouflage: A comprehensive review

Stephanie Saed  1 , Omer Ibrahim  2 , Wilma F Bergfeld  2
Affiliations
Review

Hair camouflage: A comprehensive review

Stephanie Saed et al. Int J Womens Dermatol. .

Abstract

Hair is venerated, cherished, and desired in societies throughout the world. Both women and men express their individual identities through their hairstyles. Healthy hair contributes to successful social assimilation, employment, and overall quality of life. Therefore, hair loss can have detrimental effects on almost every aspect of a person's life. In this review, we discuss the myriad of options that aid in concealing and camouflaging hair loss to facilitate a healthier-appearing scalp. Camouflage options for patients who suffer from hair loss include full or partial wigs, hair extensions, concealing powders and sprays, surgical tattoos, and hair transplants. We describe these modalities in detail and discuss their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Keywords: alopecia; concealing; hair camouflage; hair loss; hair transplant; micropigmentation; tattoo; wigs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Example of patient with patchy alopecia areata.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Example of patient with severe alopecia areata, alopecia universalis subtype.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Wig cap with monofilament top, lace front, and handtied back with silicone around the perimeter to allow for better grip of scalp for individuals with total hair loss. Photo courtesy of Hair Enhancements of Pittsburgh (HairEnhancements.net).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Lace-front wig cap. Photo courtesy of Hair Enhancements of Pittsburgh (HairEnhancements.net).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Integration wig. Photo courtesy of Hair Enhancements of Pittsburgh (HairEnhancements.net).
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
(A) Androgenetic alopecia: thinning of the crown and frontal scalp prior to camouflage application. (B) Camouflage powder application resulting in instantly thicker-appearing hair.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Before and 1 year after surgical hair transplantation. Photo courtesy of Dr. Brett Bolton (GreatHairTransplants.com).
Fig 8
Fig 8
Linear scar secondary to hair transplantation surgery (A) is concealed with micropigmentation (B). Photos courtesy of Tino Barbone of The Scalp Micropigmentation Center (ScalpMicropigmentationCenter.com).
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Balding scalp (A) concealed with micropigmentation to mimic pores in scalp (B). Photos courtesy of Tino Barbone of The Scalp Micropigmentation Center (ScalpMicropigmentationCenter.com).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Aghaei S., Saki N., Daneshmand E., Kardeh B. Prevalence of psychological disorders in patients with alopecia areata in comparison with normal subjects. ISRN Dermatol. 2014;304370 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Banka N., Bunagan M.J., Dubrule Y., Shapiro J. Wigs and hairpieces: Evaluating dermatologic issues. Dermatol Ther. 2012;25(3):260–266. - PubMed
    1. Baxley K.O., Erdman L.K., Henry E.B., Roof B.J. Alopecia: Effect on cancer patients’ body image. Cancer Nurs. 1984;7(6):499–503. - PubMed
    1. Bernstein R.M., Rassman W.R. Follicular transplantation. Patient evaluation and surgical planning. Dermatol Surg. 1997;23(9):771–784. - PubMed
    1. de Boer-Dennert M., de Wit R., Schmitz P.I., Djontono J., Beurden V., Stoter G. Patient perceptions of the side-effects of chemotherapy: the influence of 5HT3 antagonists. Br J Cancer. 1997;76(8):1055–1061. - PMC - PubMed