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Hair loss can affect the emotional well-being and quality of life of most people who experience it. Several factors cause hair loss, including illness, hormone levels, and hereditary factors. These factors cause either balding or hair thinning on the scalp and other parts of the body. Though it is difficult to prevent many of the causes of hair loss, the good news is there are treatment options available. Hair loss can happen quickly or slowly, depending on the cause of loss. The root cause also determines whether the hair will grow back naturally or you will need a hair restoration treatment.
Common Causes of Hair Loss
Hereditary Hair Loss (Androgenic Alopecia)
Hereditary hair loss affects both men and women. It is the most common cause of hair loss throughout the world. Hereditary hair loss occurs in people who inherit specific genes which cause hair follicles to shrink. With time, the follicles stop growing hair. People usually experience this type of hair loss late in life. Still, there is a possibility of it occurring as early as teenage.
Can hereditary hair loss be treated? Yes! Treatment may help stop or delay hair loss in cases of hereditary hair loss. Some treatments can help restore lost hair in the thinning or balding spots. However, hair cannot grow back without treatment. So, if one does not get hair restoration treatment, the hair lair loss will persist. It is also important for one to start the treatment early to get maximum benefits.
Aging
Age is also a common cause of hair loss among men and women. With age, hair follicles stop growing hair causing hair thinning on the scalp. Other factors such as menopause and andropause kick in with age and slow growth of hair, making the thinning even more noticeable. Early treatment can help restore hair loss due to aging.
Alopecia Areata (Polygenic disease)
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing hair to fall off in small patches. People suffering from alopecia areata lose hair on the scalp, the face, and other parts of the body. According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, the condition affects 6.1 million people in the U.S. the disease can affect anyone regardless of age, sex or ethnicity.
The condition makes hair follicles to be smaller, and eventually, they stop growing hair. However, the follicles remain alive so hair can grow back. One can also get a hair restoration treatment to help stimulate the growth of hair.
Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy often cause loss of hair soon after starting treatment. However, hair starts to grow back soon after finishing the cancer treatment. A dermatologist can prescribe drugs to help speed up hair growth. Wearing a cooling cap during the treatment may also help reduce hair loss.
Hair Loss Treatment Options
Hair Transplant
A hair transplant is a noninvasive surgical procedure where hair follicles are transferred from one part of the head to a balding or thinning spot. A hair transplant is done by a plastic or dermatological surgeon, and the purpose is to restore hair where hair was lost. There are two methods of doing hair transplants: Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).
To qualify for a hair transplant, one needs to have enough healthy hair on the scalp to be transplanted to the balding/thinning spot. One also has to have the ability to grow hair on the thinning/bald spot. If the transplant is by FUE, the surgeon will take individual hair follicles and transplant them onto the receiving area. The FUSS method involves taking a strip of hair follicles from the donor site and diving it into smaller units before implanting them in the recipient site.
Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
PRP treatment for hair loss is a medical procedure where a person is injected with a concentrated plasma from their blood on the scalp to enhance hair growth. During the procedure, the doctor draws blood from the patient; the blood is then put in a centrifuge to separate the PRP from the other components of blood. The doctor then injects the PRP into the scalp on the thinning/balding areas.
PRP therapy is used to treat androgenic alopecia and to promote the growth of hair transplants. The effects of PRP therapy are visible after six months but are not permanent. Therefore, one might need to follow up on injections at least once a year.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormonal imbalance is a common cause of hair loss in both men and women. A drop in hormone production, especially testosterone in men and progesterone in women, causes hair loss. In addition, women lose hair due to hypothyroidism, where the thyroid does not produce adequate hormones required by the body. Hormone Replacement Therapy helps to stop and reverse hair loss by rebalancing the hormones naturally. It is a treatment that can be used in both men and women to replace or enhance hormone action to prevent or slow hair loss. Dr. Castrellón is a proud provider of Biote’s patented bio-identical hormone therapy which uses pellets expertly inserted into the skin for long-lasting and steady release.
Looking for Hair Loss Restoration Treatment in Miami, Florida?
The best way to determine which hair loss restoration treatment option will be right for your unique needs will be to schedule a complimentary one-to-one consultation with Dr. Castrellón. Together you can discuss your needs, goals, health history, budget, and more to create a custom treatment plan for you.
Get in touch today and get on the road to fuller hair (and fuller confidence)!
References
Hopkins Medicine, American Academy of Dermatology, NAAF, AAD.
Frequently Ask Questions
How Successful Are Hair Transplants? Graft survival rates following a hair transplant are between 90-95%. This essentially means that hair that’s transplanted from the donor area into the recipient area should remain in good condition.
Healing can take somewhere between 6 to 12 months. But once the healing process is complete, the transplanted follicles begin to grow hair that will fill out the bald patches on your scalp. This is hair that will continue to grow naturally as you get older.
A hair transplant can be performed for any person with sufficient hair loss, good donor area hair, a healthy scalp, in good general health, and who has reasonable expectations. 3 When the hair transplant is done by a well-qualified, trained, and experienced surgeon, results are natural and enduring.
Most patients see results between six and nine months after surgery. For some patients, it takes 12 months. It’s important to know that between two and eight weeks after the surgery, the transplanted hair will fall out. This is normal.
Most patients experience only slight discomfort as the numbing agent is applied. After the procedure you might feel slight discomfort as the scalp heals, but typically patients experience little to no pain during and after NeoGraft hair transplants.
