There is no denying how negatively hair loss can impact one’s life. The stigma pushed further by media, celebrities, and magazines is only adding fuel to fire. Given the emotional distress of baldness, men and women fervently rush to the internet to find a solution that would stop their hairline from further receding. An opportunity a capitalist society would not let go of, hence thousands of pages on the internet have emerged to promote products that claim to permanently solve the age-old issue of hair loss. The truth is, there is only one permanent solution to baldness and it is hair transplant.
Hair transplants
Hair transplantation is a surgical solution to hair loss that can either be minimally invasive scar-free (FUE) or inconvenient (FUT). The procedure restores hair in bald areas by relocating follicular units from areas of hair growth to areas of hair loss. Since, fortunately, the hairs in the back tend to be resistant to hair loss, upon relocation they do not loss their anti-balding properties, initiating hair growth in deserted areas.
Hair transplants are growing more popular among men for their successful results and, most importantly, convenience over alternative solutions.
Alternative solutions to hair transplants
There are currently strictly three effective anti-hair loss procedures aside from hair transplants
1- PRP therapy
PRP therapy is a recent treatment that has already growing popular. PRP is an abbreviation o platelet rich plasma. The concept of PRP therapy is to utilize growth factors found in our blood to reverse hair loss and even repair muscle damage. The treatments starts by withdrawing blood from the patient the standard way. Later, the blood sample is centrifuged and PRP is collected to later be injected into the scalp.
Growth factors will then consequently stimulate follicular units and aid their growth. The treatment is divided into monthly sessions and depending on the patients severity of hair loss, they may need anywhere from 1 to 8 sessions.
The treatment is repeated yearly to maintain hair growth. Since the person’s own cells are used, there is no side effects.
2- Minoxidil
Minoxidil is a hair loss treatment that comes in a form of a shampoo or lotion that should be applied twice daily. The mechanism by which Minoxidil operates to prevent hair loss, is not yet fully understood. The lotion or shampoo causes side effects such has increased body hair growth and scalp irritation. Generally, it is the concept of having to apply the product daily that people find hard to keep up with. Clearly the medication is high-maintenance as once its use is halted, hair loss is guaranteed to presume.
3- Finasteride
The medication comes in a form of a pill that functions as an inhibitor of the conversion testosterone to its hair loss initiating form, DHT. The medication should as well be taken daily to terminate the conversion process of testosterone to DHT. As may be clear by now, without consistency in consumption, the medication will not work as effectively. Moreover, finasteride causes side effects that include weight gain, breast tenderness, and depression.
Contact us
If you would like to know more about hair loss treatments, contact us for a free virtual consultation session with a medical specialist to address all your concerns.
