What is Hair Loss Concealer?'

Name: Ray

Question: What is a hair loss concealer? Is it another word for a toupee?

Answer: Hi, Ray. Concealers and toupees are different products, even though they are both used for the same purpose - to hide hair loss.

A toupee is a hairpiece or small wig which covers the top of the scalp, whilst hair loss concealers are cosmetic products applied to the wearer's own hair to make it appear thicker.

There are three main types of concealers: microscopic fibres, coloured sprays and a scalp dye. These are all cosmetic products that may help to make thinning hair look fuller for men and women.

Microscopic fibres come in a variety of colours and are applied to the hair via a shaker-style container, with leading brands including Nanogen Nanofibres and Kerafibre. They cling to the users' existing hairs, helping to make them look thicker, and are set in place with a spray. They can generally withstand some rain after being set properly but have to be reapplied every day as they are intended as a temporary hair loss solution. This product is rumoured to be used by the likes of Wayne Rooney and David Beckham.

Coloured sprays are used to darken the scalp, making it appear the same colour as the hair, so that the skin becomes less obvious. This method has often been used on actors with Male Pattern Baldness during their performances - when beauty work isn't an option - as the hair only needs to look thicker from a distance as this option can look quite unnatural close up.

Bigen is a jet black dye traditionally used in barbers which specialise in Afro hair. It is generally suitable for anyone whose hair is black and often gives a more natural appearance on darker skin tones.

Using Bigen involves painting the mixture onto the scalp and hair so that, as with the sprays, the scalp is less defined and a thicker area. It can be used to create more defined edges than coloured sprays which can be a good feature but, if used to create too harsh an edge, can create extremely unnatural-looking hairlines. Bigen fades over time so regular applications are needed.

Another, more long-term procedure that can help to hide hair loss is scalp micropigmentation. This is a form of medical-grade tattooing, whereby tiny dots in a number of shades are tattooed onto the scalp, over a number of sessions, to mimic the appearance of real hair in a buzzcut style.

Due to the light exposure the scalp receives, this needs to be re-done a few times a year. It must be done by a specialist in this specific type of tattooing, which uses different needles and ink to regular tattoos, as it can go very wrong in untrained hands.

None of these options will regrow hair or help in any way to prevent baldness, they are simply temporary measures to make hair look thicker.

If you are looking for a longer term solution for addressing hair thinning, a consultation with a specialist will provide a diagnosis of your condition and recommendations for appropriate, clinically-proven hair loss treatments, as well as additional hair growth supporting products to use alongside them.