Hair loss treatment

Hair loss can’t always be prevented and can be caused by either genetics or the environment. But there are treatments and remedies that might help slow down the process.

Before you go out and buy supplements and special tonics, learn which ones have shown some promise in preventing or treating hair loss.

Hair loss could be caused by:

• Gradual thinning on top of head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting people as they age. In men, hair often begins to recede at the hairline on the forehead. Women typically have a broadening of the part in their hair. An increasingly common hair loss pattern in older women is a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia).
• Circular or patchy bald spots. Some people lose hair in circular or patchy bald spots on the scalp, beard or eyebrows. Your skin may become itchy or painful before the hair falls out.
• Sudden loosening of hair. A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen. Handfuls of hair may come out when combing or washing your hair or even after gentle tugging. This type of hair loss usually causes overall hair thinning but is temporary.
• Full-body hair loss. Some conditions and medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can result in the loss of hair all over your body. The hair usually grows back.
• Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp. This is a sign of ringworm. It may be accompanied by broken hair, redness, swelling and, at times, oozing.

Follicular unit transplantation (FUT)

FUT is the more “classic” method. It involves removing some skin, typically from the back of your scalp, where there’s an abundance of hair. A surgeon then removes the follicles from that strip of skin. Finally, they reinsert the hair follicles into the part of the scalp where you’re experiencing hair loss.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE)

Laser treatment is thought to help reduce the inflammation in follicles that prevents regrowth for some types of hair loss like alopecia areata. For other types of hair loss, a 2013 review Trusted Source suggests that treatment from low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may increase hair growth through other mechanisms.

Eat Sufficient Zinc and Iron

Zinc and iron are nutrients that are important for a number of different functions regarding our health and wellness. When it comes to haircare, both of these minerals are important for having strong, healthy hair. In fact, some types of hair loss have been actually linked to iron deficiencies, which is a problem in its own right considering iron is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. In the same study posted in the Dermatology Practical and Conceptual journal, researchers didn’t only link insufficient iron levels to hair loss, they also found that people who increased their zinc intake actually have improved hair growth.

The problem is that zinc can become toxic when taken at high levels (above 225mg a day), and this can cause lead to negative and painful side effects, like cramps and vomiting. For this reason, it’s best to get your zinc and iron from foods rather than supplements, unless you’ve been giving a nutritional plan by the doctor.

The truth is that nutrition plays a huge role in your hair’s health, so it’s important to get all your essential vitamins and minerals to grow strong hair that looks great. Here are some foods that are rich in zinc that you should think about adding to your lunch or dinner that could improve your hair’s health and growth:

• Lamb

• Pumpkin seeds

Balanced diet

Protein

As hair is made of protein, ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is crucial for making hair strong and healthy. If you are not consuming enough protein in your diet, your hair is likely to become dry, brittle and weak. Extremely low protein diets may result in restricted hair growth and even hair loss. Choose chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products and eggs as excellent sources of protein along with vegetarian sources such as legumes and nuts.

Iron

Iron is an especially important mineral for hair and too little iron is a major cause of hair loss. The hair follicle and root are fed by a nutrient rich blood supply. When iron levels (serum ferritin) fall below a certain point, you may experience anaemia. This disrupts the nutrient supply to the follicle, affecting the hair growth cycle and may result in shedding. Animal products such as red meat, chicken and fish provide iron with a high bioavailability, meaning the iron is readily available to the body. Vegetarians can raise their iron stores by including lentils, spinach and other leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and salad greens.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron so foods high in vitamin C are good to eat in conjunction with iron-rich foods. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant so is used readily by the body. The best sources are blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries and sweet potatoes. Vitamin C helps in the production of collagen which strengthens the capillaries that supply the hair shafts.

Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are important fats our body cannot make itself, and therefore must be obtained through our diet. Omega-3s are found in the cells that line the scalp and also provide the oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated. Include oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, trout and mackerel and plant sources like avocado, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is needed by the body to make sebum. Sebum is an oily substance created by our hairs sebaceous glands and provides a natural conditioner for a healthy scalp. Without sebum we may experience an itchy scalp and dry hair. Include animal products and orange/yellow coloured vegetables which are high in beta-carotene (which makes vitamin A) such as carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

Scalp protection involves other important minerals, notably zinc and selenium. A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss and a dry, flaky scalp. Fortified cereals and wholegrains are a good source of zinc along with oysters, beef and eggs.

Vitamin E

Reduce stress

Stress is part of being human, and it can help motivate you to get things done. Even high stress from serious illness, job loss, a death in the family, or a painful life event can be a natural part of life. You may feel down or anxious, and that’s normal too for a while.

A person might try home care strategies, but these should not replace professional treatment for an underlying health condition that may be causing thin hair, such as a nutritional deficiency.

The natural remedies below may help thicken thin hair, regardless of whether further treatment is necessary.

Eggs

Eggs are rich in protein, which is essential for strong, thick hair.

The male pattern baldness (MPB) form of androgenetic alopecia (there is also a female pattern baldness) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By age 35, two-thirds of American men will have some degree of appreciable hair loss and by age 50 approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. About 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness begin the process before they reach 21.

Hair loss can significantly affect a man's interpersonal relationships as well as their professional life. It is not uncommon for men to change their career paths because of hair loss. Learn about the different male pattern baldness treatment options currently available.

The American Hair Loss Association recognizes how devastating male pattern baldness can be for men of all ages and has created resources for men to get completely objective answers to their hair loss questions. We strongly advise against researching your options through the Yellow Pages or commercial websites. Hundreds of products and services are sold to the vulnerable hair loss consumer, but currently only three FDA-approved products have been clinically proven to stop or prevent hair loss. Also, there are only a handful of surgeons performing surgical hair restoration to state-of-the-art standards.

If you often style your hair with hot tools -- or you color, bleach, or perm a lot -- you can damage hair's protective outer layer. The result is "split ends." Thankfully, there are hair products to help mend the damage. Look for conditioners with protein. They sink into the hair shaft and repair split ends. The fix only lasts until the next shampoo, so you'll need to use them regularly.

If you’ve started noticing thinning hair or have a family history of male pattern baldness, you may not be able to completely stop your hair loss. But you may be able to slow or prevent it.

Consider trying these tips to help prevent hair loss in males:

• Find ways to lower your stress levels.
• Support your overall health by eating a nutritious diet and staying physically active.
• Avoid hairstyles that tug and pull on your hair.
• Use hair products that support preventing hair loss.
• Avoid smoking.
• Try scalp massages.
• Talk with a healthcare professional to see if any medications or medical conditions could be increasing your hair loss.

1. Why does my hair fall out so easily?

Hair loss is an extremely common occurrence and affects most people in varying degrees at some point in their lives. Hair loss can occur due to one or a mix of the following: severe stress, genetics, illnesses such as thyroid disease and anemia, nutritional changes, hormonal changes related to puberty, pregnancy and menopause, vitamin D deficiency, or side effects of strong medication (such as chemotherapy).

Follow the link for more information about causes of hair loss.

2. Why is my hair thinning?

Hair thinning in male pattern hair loss can be attributed in a percentage of males to genetics and hair follicle sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Female pattern hair loss which has similarities to male pattern hair loss in terms of miniaturization of hair follicle has no known cause.

3. How many strands of hair fall is normal in a day?

It is normal to lose about 100 – 150 hair strands every day.

4. Is there a difference between male and female hair loss?

Both men and women can experience androgenetic alopecia, which is triggered by hormones and genetics. Hair loss often occurs faster and more extensively in men. In fact, hair loss in men may manifest as early as adolescence with the onset of hair recession near the temples, and the appearance of the characteristic “M” shaped hairline. Hair loss in women, on the other hand, experience diffuse thinning at the top of the head, which shows at the part line. Diffuse thinning can occur as early as their 20s and 30s, due to hormonal changes and aging. In some cases, hair thinning and baldness in women may also be caused by treatable illnesses such as thyroid disease or anemia.

5. Can stress cause hair loss?

This depends on the amount of the stress you’re experiencing and how much effect it has on the normal functions of your body. Normally, the mild stress we experience on a day-to-day basis is not enough to cause hair loss. However, severe stress that is a result of serious or traumatic events, such as divorce, a drastic change in diet, surgery, or extreme weight loss, may cause a physiological imbalance in your system. This physiological change often leads to hair loss because it “shocks” your body’s normal routine. Thus, many of its natural functions are disrupted, which includes your natural hair cycle. The sudden physiological changes in your body may trigger a larger amount of hairs on your head to go into a “resting phase”, and thus it may seem that you’re only losing hair and that there is no growth.

6. Can shampoo and styling cause hair loss?

The act of shampooing merely only loosens hair that is about to fall out. Excessive hair styling may weaken or damage hair, and lead to hair breakage. However, both methods have not been proven to be direct, underlying causes for hair loss.

7. How to cure male pattern baldness?

Medical treatments include topical and oral medicines, like minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia). It is important to note that these treatments require continuous maintenance. Many people continue to lose hair despite using these treatments.
Click the link for more information on limits of hair loss drugs.

8. How to stop hair loss in women? Does stem cell therapy work for hair loss?

Identifying the cause of your hair loss is the first and most important step you should consider before taking any kind of medication. In order to diagnose a case such as this, several biopsy points must be taken from the scalp, which will then be sent to a respected university pathology department that specializes in hair to ensure a correct diagnosis.

The most common diagnosis of hair loss in women is androgenetic alopecia, for which there is a 99% success rate in treating with stem cell based therapy; while in alopecia areata and lupus, there’s about 50% success rate. It must be noted, however, that stem cell based therapy may have limited benefit for patients with a scarring type of alopecia or conditions like lichen planopilaris.

9. Is it normal to be bald at 18? What is the best age for hair transplant?

In our experience, it is not advisable for someone young, who has aggressive hair loss, to undergo a hair transplant. Since the donor area is limited and the area needing transplant is large, there is a mismatch in the patient’s expectations and the actual feasible results. If a young person were to go ahead with a hair transplant, the end result would not likely look as good as they would want. According to the Rule of Decades, in a group of men in their 20s, 20% are likely to have hair loss. This means that 80% of men in their 20s still have good hair. With that said, any form of hair transplantation will not be able to achieve the same full volume that so many of their contemporaries have and will have throughout their 20s, due to the fact that hair transplants are also very limited by nature. It is advisable that someone this young should wait at least 10-15 years in order to properly determine the full extent of his pattern baldness, after which he may consider having a hair transplant.

Young men dealing with hair loss may also consider two FDA-approved drugs to help: minoxidil and finasteride, although in our clinical experience, younger patients do not respond very well to minoxidil and finasteride.

A good option for young men to consider as a treatment for hair loss is TrichoStem® Hair Regeneration. There is a significant improvement reported in the regression of thinning hair, and in the span of 3-5 years, there has not been any significant trends of people needing multiple sessions.

10. Is it possible for grafts falling out after hair transplant?

It is not unusual for a few hairs to be shed after hair transplantation. Sometimes, when a scab flakes off, it can cause hair breakage without affecting the actual grafts. Keep in mind that the grafts are deeply embedded under the skin and must be physically cut out in order for it to be non-viable. It is also important to remember that it is highly unlikely that the follicle or the dermal papilla (the key part of hair) will fall out.

11.What is the difference between hair transplants and hair weaving? Which treatment should I opt for?

Hair weaving refers to the superficial attachment of synthetic or human hair to a person’s existing hair, in order to achieve the appearance of longer or thicker hair. Hair transplantation refers to a procedure wherein grafts of a person’s own hair is surgically removed from their head, and is transferred to another area where hair is lacking.

12.Are hair transplants a temporary or permanent answer for my baldness?

By definition, hair transplants are taken from the “permanent” zone in the back of the scalp therefore, the hairs which survive the transplant are not likely to thin or fall out. With the follicular unit transplantation method (FUT), hair is taken from the donor area of the back of the head that has hair follicles genetically resistant to hair loss, so these improve their rate of survival. In many cases of follicular unit extraction method (FUE), hair is often taken outside of the permanent zone, so at least some of the transplanted hair is susceptible to hair loss. While the donor area can be harvested for hair grafts again after some time, it is a limited source of hair.

Other factors can cause transplanted hair grafts to fall out, such as blood pressure during transplantation (“popping”), not enough blood supply reaching transplanted follicles, or having the hair follicles remain outside the body too long before being transplanted.

Hair transplants also do not prevent the loss of native hair that surround transplanted hair. The loss of native hair around transplanted hair is what results in the “pluggy look” of hair plugs. When Trichostem® Hair Regeneration is used in conjunction with hair transplants, it stops the future loss of native hair, increases survival of transplanted hair grafts, and thickens native hair.

13. Is hair transplant permanent or temporary solution for my baldness?

The general term used for grafts falling out during the early post-operative period is “shock loss”. This occurs because the grafts and the adjacent hairs have been subjected to swelling and trauma from the actual procedure. Sometimes, a patient may experience a period (roughly 4-6 months after the surgery) wherein his existing hairs look a little thinner, or that the grafts are not growing or cannot be seen anymore. Keep in mind that hair is quite resilient and that it usually takes approximately one year to 15 months to see improvement. There is a lot of variability between the hair growth cycles of individuals, as well. Some people’s hair grows faster, while others slower. On the other hand, if something had gone wrong with the surgery, the manifestations would be noticed earlier on and would be a lot more obvious.

14. What to do with scabs after hair transplant?

After hair restoration procedures, patients are afraid of doing anything that might hurt their grafts. The scabs and crusts are basically dead skin cells, mucus and other products of the healing process. To keep hair healthy, they have to be properly scrubbed off with a proper moisturizer and a good shampoo. The scabs usually disappear after a couple of weeks.

15. How can I get my hair in better condition?

On a superficial level, there is no harm in having a well-balanced diet and consuming an adequate amount of vitamin B and iron. Getting regular checkups to diagnose and address any underlying causes, such as anemia or thyroid disease, is another mode of prevention one should consider.