The latest advance in the field of hair transplants is the lateral slit technique which can provide very natural looking hair restoration. The procedure uses very small cutting and incisions with specially made surgical tools and involves the transplant of hundreds of individual hairs at a time. The hair follicles are removed from the rear part of the head that don't fall out in male pattern baldness cases and are surgically inserted onto the bald patches on the top of the head.

The skill of the surgeon is important for a good transplant and the procedure can take time with patients spending up to a whole day in the surgery. The good thing is that the complete hair transplant operation is normally done with local anaesetic and so he or she can talk and even watch television or read a book, provided they keep there head from moving. Most patients report that they chat with the doctors and nurses throughout the operation.

Most people who receive good transplants say that they are pleased with the result and that their confidence levels are higher after the operation. The hair loss and transplant business is growing in the U.S. and Europe, with more people considering having the operations.

Some people think that actually having surgery is a step too far to regain their hair and would rather use medicines like monoxidil or finasteride (Propecia), which are less drastic hair restoration methods. Many doctors advise the use of these medicines before resorting to surgery which can be costly sometimes.

Hair loss can be extremely distressing for men and women and if you are suffering from hair loss the first step is to go and see your doctor and get some medical advice.