In politics, the name of the game is to entice voters. Earlier in his political career, one current presidential candidate, Senator Biden of Delaware, figured that one way to snare the electorate was to turn back the clock through hair surgery. Whether that will help the gray-haired 65-year-old Democrat overcome the 66–1 odds on a victorious run for the White House or encourage any of his hair-losing rivals to consider a similar procedure is anybody’s guess, but what the presidential hopeful did to achieve a more youthful appearance in the 1970s has become a booming business in the 2000s.

The figures tell the story. Last year, Americans — with New York City and Los Angeles leading the way — shelled out $1.2 billion for 100,445 hair restoration procedures. That’s a nearly 50% increase from the roughly $812 million doled out for around 88,000 such procedures in 2004.

These numbers come from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery of Geneva, Ill., whose president, Dr. Paul Cotterill, says the number of such procedures in this country should jump by another 20% to 30% this year, to an all-time high of 127,000.

Why the surge? “Because the results are so great. On average, you look eight to 10 years younger,” Dr. Cotterill, who has offices in New York and Montreal, said. The surgery — which usually takes three to five hours — involves taking strips of hair from hairy parts of the head and implanting them in the balding areas. The procedures used today, Dr. Cotterill notes, are a lot easier and more efficient than they used to be.

All told, the ISHRS has 700 members worldwide, of which two-thirds — about 470 — operate in America. On average, hair transplants range in price from $3,000 to $15,000, with an average of around $7,000. The more visits to the doctor and the greater the number of hair grafts used in the procedure, the higher the cost.

Well-known figures who have had hair surgery, according to press reports, include Frank Sinatra, Elton John, and a former New York Yankee, Wade Boggs.

America is hardly alone in the hair transplantation boom. Last year, according to the ISHRS, about 225,800 hair restoration procedures were performed worldwide, up 34% from 2004. Interestingly, in America, which accounts for nearly 50% of all hair restoration procedures, women are turning to the procedures in a more substantial way and now represent between 10% to 15% of the general market.

Also noteworthy is the growing number of hair surgeries performed on younger men. Last year, according to the ISHRS, 17% of the men who sought surgical treatment for hair loss were between 20 and 29, versus 15% in 2004.

More than half of last year’s patients (nearly 58%) were between 30 and 49 years old, with patients in their 30s the age group with the largest number of people undergoing hair restoration surgery. That’s another shift from 2004, when patients in their 40s comprised the largest number.

Incidentally, if you’re looking for a career change, one that pays pretty big bucks, becoming a hair restoration surgeon might be worth thinking about. Not only is it a growing business, but, on average, such medical specialists, Dr. Cotterill tells me, earn anywhere from $500,000 to $1.5 million a year.

One top hair restoration surgeon who boasts a growing international clientele and a healthy seven-figure annual income is Dr. Joseph Neiman, head of the Neiman Center for Hair Transplantation in Buffalo, N.Y. His sessions average between $7,500 and $8,500. He has been conducting hair restoration surgery for about 27 years, and estimates that his annual volume has averaged growth of about 10% a year since he started his practice.

Dr. Neiman, who confines himself to one surgery a day, said he could easily do more if he chose because “the business is growing so fast.” One reason he cites for the rapid growth — about which I have also heard from a New York City surgeon, Marc Avram — is the public’s growing awareness that the procedure has reached the stage where the surgery is now virtually undetectable and the hair looks very natural. As a result, Dr. Avram said, patient satisfaction has become very high.

Dr. Neiman warns that anyone contemplating such a procedure should confine themselves to a certified surgeon. Untrained surgeons in the field, he points out, can often perform procedures that will produce scarring and unnatural hairlines.

Dr. Avram, who charges $10,000 for the procedure, told me that every colleague he talks to around the country tells him they’re very busy. The doctor, whose patients include athletes, journalists, actors, and models, noted that he has a waiting list of several months for his hair surgery procedures.

Does hair restoration surgery make sense?

“Only if you want to look younger,” Dr. Avram replied.

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