Alopecia, or hair loss, is a widespread illness that affects more than 80 million Americans. So, how can you tell if you’re losing more than usual?
Every day, most people lose around 100 strands of hair. Most of them won’t notice a difference since new strands are forming to replace the ones that have been lost. However, if fewer or no strands of hair come back and you see a receding hairline or thinning patches, you may have alopecia.
Hair loss not only impacts your look but may also create mental stress and undermine your confidence. However, there are a few treatments you may try to deal with your hair loss.
Hair Transplant
Hair transplants are procedures that are used to add more hair to a thinning or balding area of your head. It is accomplished by transplanting hair from thicker areas of the scalp or other regions of the body to the thinning or balding area of the scalp. So don’t worry, a hair transplant in Toronto got your back! In most circumstances, hair transplants are more successful than over-the-counter hair restoration methods. However, there are a few issues to consider:
- In three to four months, anything from 10% to 80% of the transplanted hair will fully regrow.
- Hair transplants, the same as natural hair, will thin over time.
- People with dormant hair follicles (sacs beneath the skin that normally contain hair but no longer generate hair) may have less successful transplants, although a 2016 research found that plasma treatment can assist up to 75% or more of transplanted hairs fully come back.
Hair transplants are not suitable for everyone. They are mostly used to restore hair if you are naturally balding or thinning, or if you have lost hair due to an injury.
Because most transplants are performed on your current hair, they are ineffective for treating people with:
- balding caused by chemotherapy or other treatments
- heavy injury scars on the scalp
- baldness and extensive thinning
Before deciding on any hair transplant technique, consult with your doctor or a transplant surgeon. Understand that while neither operation is certain to be effective, scarring is a possibility.
Microneedling
Microneedling (also described as skin needling or collagen induction therapy) is a form of treatment in which little needles penetrate the skin to produce microscopic punctures. These little contact areas stimulate the body’s wound-healing response and the renewal of skin cells.
Microneedling activates the dermal papilla, or stem cells in hair follicles, to increase growth in the case of hair loss. The notion is that by inflicting small wounds, the body’s natural defenses will stimulate healing and, as a result, new hair creation, hence reversing hair loss.
The dermatologist will apply a topical anesthetic to your scalp 45 minutes before treatment. This helps to relieve any discomfort you may be feeling.
During the micro-needling procedure, your dermatologist will utilize a roller with needles. The needles’ lengths can range from less than one mm to a few millimeters. They are all housed in a single portable device. The roller-like equipment is moved along the treatment region, causing pin prick injuries. The procedure’s duration differs depending on the size of the treated region, but it normally takes less than 10 minutes. Products such as Calecim’s Advanced Hair System can be applied during and after the treatment, to promote fuller-looking hair that is both denser and thicker. This is achieved through Calecim’s proprietary active ingredient, PTT-6, which is full of exosomes and growth factors.
Microneedling therapy may be beneficial if you have natural hair loss or thinning, or if you have androgenetic alopecia, a hereditary hair loss condition caused by an overreaction to androgen hormones. Those who have already lost all of their hair in one area or on their entire scalp will see little if any, benefit from this therapy.
Rogaine
Rogaine is classified as a vasodilator. The precise mechanism of action of minoxidil (the active component) remains unknown. However, it is thought to operate by partly expanding hair follicles and extending the hair development period. With more follicles in the growth phase, your scalp will have more hair covering.
This treatment comes in the form of a foam or a liquid that you apply to your scalp. It is accessible over the counter without a prescription. It may take a few months of usage before your hair begins to thicken. If you do regrow hair, if you stop taking minoxidil, you will lose it again.
Rogaine is most effective in persons who have genetic hair loss at the vertex of the scalp (the area at the back of the head, just behind the crown) or in women who have overall hair thinning on the top of the scalp.
It also works best for those who begin using it as soon as they see indications of hair loss and will not assist persons who are already fully bald.
Propecia
Finasteride (Propecia) is one FDA-approved medication for hair loss. The effects of finasteride on male baldness were documented as early as 1974. This type of medication is a tablet that you take by mouth.
However, finasteride might take a long time to show a significant difference in hair growth. In one research, some persons using finasteride for hair loss observed an improvement as soon as a year after starting therapy, while more had advantages after 5 to 10 years.
As a result, while finasteride is beneficial for many people, you may need to use the medicine for at least a year before noticing significant improvement.
Platelet-rich Plasma
PRP injections are becoming increasingly popular for a range of diseases ranging from sports injuries to hair loss. The therapy accelerates healing in a specific location by using the patient’s blood cells. A dermatologist will take a small amount of your blood and place it in a machine that will separate the plasma from it. The plasma is then injected into the areas of your scalp where you are losing hair. Dermatologists estimate that the entire operation takes about 10 minutes. The therapy is typically administered once a month for three months, with a follow-up treatment every three to six months.
Low-level Laser Therapy
Low-level laser therapy, also known as red light therapy and cold laser therapy, emits photons into the scalp tissues. The photons are taken up by weak cells, resulting in increased hair growth
According to doctors, research shows that this scalp therapy may benefit the following conditions:
- Male-pattern baldness
- Alopecia areata
- Chemotherapy-induced hair loss
- Hair growth and healing after a hair transplant
The sooner you address your hair loss symptoms, the more probable it is that therapies will help you regrow your hair. Speak with a medical specialist now to get started on your path to a fuller head of hair.
