Hair Loss Solutions
Some forms of hair loss have therapies that work well. You might be able to stop or at least halt hair loss with specific treatments. After other cases, such as alopecia areata, when there is patchy hair loss, hair may recover on its own in a year. There are both medical and surgical options when it comes to hair loss solutions.
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Types of Hair Loss Solutions to Try Out
There are various causes of hair loss, and while not all hair loss has a treatment many of them do! The solution you need to try out will ultimately depend on the cause of your hair loss so the best thing to do would be to consult with a medical professional. Some of the possible hair loss solutions include:
- Hair Transplantation
- Medication
- Laser Therapy
- Home Remedies
- Lifestyle Changes
Let’s take a closer look at these hair loss solutions and how they’re able to help assist with your hair loss problem.
Hair Transplantation
The most typical kind of permanent hair loss primarily impacts the top of the head. Making the most of your remaining hair with hair transplant surgery is possible. This is done by transplanting healthy hair follicles from your head’s donor area to the area that is afflicted, called the recipient area.
There are various methods that can be applied to this. All of these techniques entail surgically transplanting healthy hair into the scalp at the targeted locations for hair growth.
Thousands of people choose to get hair transplantations each year, and it is a tried and tested hair loss solution. There are three main types of hair transplant methods, namely FUT, FUE and DHI. IdealofMeD even offers a unique FUE DHI combination method. FUT is considered a more outdated hair loss solution which is why many opt for the FUE, DHI or combination of both.
Follicular Unit Extraction
The follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique is frequently used by individuals who typically experience balding on their crown. You’ll discover that there are two main varieties of the FUE process when it comes to acquiring FUE hair transplantation, namely the FUE Sapphire technique and the conventional FUE are available.
The Sapphire method is significantly less invasive than the regular approach and utilises a Sapphire Blade rather than a scalpel, which is the primary distinction between these two FUE hair transplantation techniques.
Due to its invasiveness, the FUT hair transplantation process is beginning to lose ground to FUE, allowing patients to select an alternative technique.
Direct Hair Transplantation
If you struggle with hair thinning, it is advised that you take the direct hair implantation (DHI) technique into consideration. Follicular units are harvested from the donor area in a manner that is similar to FUE hair transplantation procedure. The hair follicles’ implantation is where the distinction between these two methods are made.
When employing the DHI method, your surgeon places the harvested hair follicles using a Choi Implanter in the desired spot. Without causing any damage to the skin tissue nearby, these hair follicles are placed between your already existing hair follicles.
IdealofMeD Combination Hair Transplant
A balding crown with a receding hairline and thinning hair everywhere else is a fairly standard occurrence when it comes to hair loss in women and men. Consequently, many hair restoration clinics will encourage you to undergo separate surgeries, instead of a FUE and DHI Combination hair transplant. This, however, can end up making your hair transplant costs a lot more than originally intended.
Fortunately, IdealofMeD provides one of the best hair loss solutions and that is a hair transplant procedure using a combination of two techniques. This method integrates both the FUE and DHI methods into a single treatment, providing you the best hair transplant outcomes far faster than you would receive from any other method.
During your procedure, a medical team of up to 8 people will be working on you. The fact that you can get a hair transplant in Turkey makes it even better because you can anticipate reasonable hair transplantation expenses. In fact, it can occasionally be up to 70% less expensive than if you were to choose to do it in your hometown.
Medication
Medication can be either the cause of your hair loss or simply a great hair loss solution. When it comes to male or female pattern baldness, which is a hereditary disease, medications are readily available for you to try out.
Treatment options in the form of medications are available for you. The most common choices include:
- Minoxidil: Liquid, foam, and shampoo versions of over-the-counter Minoxidil, or Rogaine, are available for you to try out. For the most optimal outcome, use the product directly on the scalp once daily for women and twice daily for males. Of all of these Minoxidil options, most individuals seem to prefer foam that is applied directly to your wet hair.
You can use products containing Minoxidil to either regenerate your hair, decrease the pace of your hair loss, or simply to do both. To stop additional hair loss and to begin hair regrowth, therapy and continuous use of Minoxidil is essential for at least six months.
To determine whether the treatment is effective for you or not can oftentimes take a couple of months. If you find that this medication is proving to be a useful hair loss solution, then you will need to use it continuously in order to maintain the benefits of the medication.
- Finasteride: When it comes to hair loss in men, you can consult with your medical doctor who can prescribe Finasteride, or Propecia, which is a pill that you will need to take daily. Many men claim that after using Finasteride, they have experienced a reduction in hair loss with some even mentioning that they are seeing new hair growth.
One important thing to note, however, is that Finasteride is not recommended to be taken by any man over the age of 60. While this hair loss solution has many great qualities, there are some downfalls to it such as reduced libido and sexual function, as well as an increased risk of prostate cancer. While these are very rare side effects of Finasteride, it is still something to look out for.
It could take up to a year for Minoxidil and Finasteride to start working, and in order to see any results from this hair loss solution you’ll need to continue taking these medications.
Laser Therapy
For some types of hair loss, such alopecia areata, laser treatment is thought to lessen the inflammation in the follicles that hinders them from regrowing. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may promote hair growth for other types of hair loss by means of other techniques.
For people with non-scarring alopecia who do not respond to or endure routine hair loss treatment, LLLT is a safe and potentially efficacious treatment option. Combining LLLT with medications such as Finasteride or Minoxidil may increase hair growth.
Based on research showing how LLLT promotes graft survival, it may be further suggested that LLLT has the potential to be employed in the immediate aftermath of hair transplant surgery to accelerate the recovery time and improve the viability and early growth of the grafts.
Home Remedies
When it comes to hair loss solutions, one of the first treatments most individuals give a try. If you want to feel better about the way you look, you might want to experiment with different styling solutions. Although not a permanent solution, you can try volumizing styling products, dyeing your hair, or getting a haircut that hides a widening part of your hair.
You can even try making use of extensions or wigs which are often covered by insurance if your hair loss is due to medical reasons. Many even opt for just shaving their heads. Both permanent and temporary hair loss can be made less visible with these hair loss solutions.
There are a few other home remedy hair loss solutions available that can potentially aid in the regrowth of your hair. Let’s take a look at what some of these are:
- Onion Juice: According to the notion, the sulphur in onion juice promotes new hair growth. While there is very limited research on this remedy, a small study has shown that over 70% of individuals with alopecia areata that used onion juice showed new hair regrowth.
- Iron: Low levels of iron are associated with hair loss since it is a necessary nutrient for your body that assists with carrying oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. If your body is lacking iron, you can either opt for supplements or eat iron-rich foods such as spinach, liver and red meats. It is suggested that you consult with your doctor beforehand as too much can make you throw up and become constipated. Acute hepatic necrosis brought on by a severe iron overload can result in multi-organ failure and death.
- Aromatherapy: For more than a century, people have utilised the oils of sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, and thyme to treat hair loss. It is believed that a substance in them promotes hair growth. Try massaging your scalp nightly for at least two minutes with one or more of these oils. Thereafter, cover your head with a warm towel to aid in absorption. Additionally, this massage has a pleasant scent and promotes relaxation.
- Green Tea: Compounds found in green tea have been known to have many health remedies, and hair loss solutions are said to be one of them! It is suggested that the EGCG compound found in green tea helps with hair growth.
- Massage Your Scalp: Massages not only feel great, but they also have the potential to prevent hair loss. The scalp is massaged to stimulate the hair follicles which in turn promotes hair growth.
There are multiple other home hair loss solutions for you to try out, including foods that promote hair growth. You will just need to do additional research to ensure that the solution you want to try will work out for you.
Lifestyle Changes
There are various factors that contribute to our loss, some of which are unintentionally self-inflicted. Making minor changes in our lifestyle can make a tremendous difference when it comes to controlling your hair loss. Let’s take a look at some of the hair loss solutions you can take into consideration.
- Alleviate Stress & Tension: Your hair, as well as the rest of your body, can suffer immensely from stress. A hectic lifestyle may cause hair loss. Thankfully, there are many ways to reduce your stress such as meditating, doing yoga for hair loss and even getting enough sleep.
- Eat a Balanced Diet: Maintaining a healthy diet may help keep your hair in good condition which is why it’s part of our hair loss solutions list. Ensure that your diet contains a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, and lean meats. You should also limit the amount of sweets you consume.
- Quit Smoking: Many smokers didn’t know this, but smoking doesn’t just affect your lungs negatively, it also results in hair loss.
Pros & Cons of the Various Hair Loss Solutions
While there are many hair loss solutions, you should know that they won’t all help everyone. If you do choose to try one or more of these hair loss solutions, you should know that they come with pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at what some of those are.
Types of Hair Loss And Solutions That Work
When it comes to choosing which of the hair loss solutions will be the best for you, the type of hair loss you’re struggling with will play a big role. Some of the various types of hair loss include:
In order to know which type of hair loss you’re suffering from, along with the severity of it, you will need to consult with a medical professional who will then run some tests. From these tests, your doctor will know the type of hair loss you’re suffering from, what the best hair loss solutions for it are and whether or not you have hope of growing that hair back.
Let’s go over each of these different types of hair loss and see which hair loss solution would best suit them.
Alopecia Areata
An autoimmune disease is the cause of the hair loss in question. Both healthy body tissue and hair follicles are attacked by your immune system. This will stop your hair from growing back and cause abrupt hair loss.
Children and adults can both be affected by alopecia areata, which typically begins unexpectedly. Alopecia Totalis, or total baldness, could occur as a result of alopecia areata. To help treat this illness, there are medications your doctor could prescribe for you such as topical minoxidil, anthralin cream or ointment or topical corticosteroids. You could even try intralesional corticosteroids injections which is the most common hair loss solution for alopecia areata. Another option that many opt for is a hair transplant.
Telogen Effluvium
When hair follicles reach the resting stage, also known as the Telogen stage in the hair growth cycle, they lose their ability to create new hairs. A person may lose anything between 300 and 500 hairs per day, which is commonly brought on by a medical condition or event such as a fever, medicine, or childbirth. In order to treat this, your doctor or dermatologist will often prescribe some medications.
Tinea Capitis
This is a fungus that most frequently affects kids but can occur in adults too. It is brought on by ringworm, which leaves a patchy, itchy, red, and scaly region on your scalp. Fever and swollen glands are other side effects. Oral antifungal medicine is a part of the treatment for tinea capitis. Terbinafine, Fluconazole and Itraconazole are some of the most effective antifungal medicines used as tinea capitis hair loss solutions.Your hair will grow back if treated promptly.
Androgenetic Alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia is more commonly known as male or female pattern hair loss. This genetic hair loss is brought on by hormonal or genetic factors. Hormones known as Androgens have an impact on this type of hair loss, essentially giving it its name.
Treatments for androgenetic alopecia in both men and women include topical minoxidil and oral finasteride. Although neither of these drugs can fully correct baldness, they can both stop additional hair loss. Both must be used consistently to keep their effectiveness. Alternatively, you could also get a hair transplant which is a lot less hassle when it comes to treating this type of hair loss.
Hypotrichosis
Rare hereditary condition known as hypotrichosis causes very little hair to develop on the scalp and body. By the time they are 25 years old, the majority of hypertrichosis patients will have lost all of their hair. There aren’t many hair loss solutions available, however, in rare circumstances medicine can help thicken or regenerate hair.nA dermatologist or specialist must accurately diagnose your hair loss in order to choose the best course of hair loss treatment.
Anagen Effluvium
Chemotherapy is one of the medical procedures that contributes to this type of hair loss. In addition to killing cancer cells, the drug may also prevent the hair follicles from forming hair shafts. Chemotherapy frequently causes temporary hair loss, but there is medication that can assist with this. Some patients find that wearing a cold cap throughout their therapy prevents or significantly reduces hair loss.
Cicatricial Alopecia
Cicatricial alopecia is a rare kind of alopecia that culminates in hair loss. The hair follicle becomes irritated, leaving scars on the scalp and not allowing the hair to regrow. This type of hair loss is easily treatable with medications prescribed by your doctor.
Other Causes of Hair Loss
Apart from the typical causes of hair loss mentioned above, there are a few other reasons you might be suffering from hair loss. Let’s see what some of them include:
- STI’s: Untreated STI’s, such as Syphilis, can result in you losing your hair patches throughout your scalp.
- Your Thyroid: Your hair may start to thin if you have thyroid problems. When you brush your hair, you might notice a clump of hair coming out, which is a very typical symptom for people with thyroid disorders. Nevertheless, you will notice some hair growth if you are treating your thyroid condition.
- Certain Deficiencies: There are various vitamin, mineral and nutritional deficiencies that can cause hair loss. As one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiencies in the world, iron deficiency is well-known to be correlated with hair loss. Additionally, a deficiency in biotin, zinc, vitamin A and E, selenium and antioxidants also cause hair loss.
Diagnosing Hair Loss
Ultimately, you need a medical diagnosis when it comes to hair loss. In order to correctly diagnose your hair loss, your doctor will most likely conduct a series of tests. Some of these tests could include:
- Blood Tests: This is done to check if there are any underlying medical conditions that could be causing your hair loss.
- Scalp Biopsy: For a microscope examination of the hair roots, your doctor takes scrapings from the epidermis or a few hairs removed from the scalp. This can assist in determining whether your hair loss is being caused by an infection.
- Pull Test: In order to gauge at which stage the shedding process is at, your doctor will gently pull several of your hairs to see how many fall out.
- Light Microscopy: Your doctor examines hairs that have been clipped at their bases using a specialised tool to help discover if there are any hair shaft abnormalities causing your hair loss.
In addition to these tests, your doctor will also ask you a series of questions with regard to hair loss that might run in your family. This is to see if your hair loss is hereditary.
After diagnosis, your doctor will also go over all possible hair loss solutions that would best help your condition. It would benefit you greatly to follow your doctor’s suggestions when it comes to hair loss solutions if you wish to see the optimal results for your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hair Loss Solutions
Jorn
Last updated by Jorn on August 18, 2022. Content medically reviewed by D. Demirel, MD.
