Hair Loss Treatments: Comprehensive Solutions for Hair Regrowth

Losing hair is a natural part of the hair growth cycle, but excessive hair loss can be distressing. While it was once primarily associated with aging, individuals as young as their mid-30s are increasingly experiencing this condition. Hair loss affects men and women differently, both in its patterns and causes, and it often impacts appearance and self-confidence. Fortunately, a variety of advanced hair loss treatments can effectively address this concern.

In this guide, we’ll explore the causes of hair loss and discuss the best hair loss treatments for men and women, including natural remedies and non-surgical options.

What is Hair Loss?

Hair loss refers to the excessive shedding of hair strands beyond the body’s ability to regrow them. Typically, losing up to 100 strands per day is normal, but disruptions in the hair growth cycle can lead to thinning, patchy hair loss, or baldness. Both men and women across all age groups can experience this condition.

What Are the Causes of Hair Loss?

Several causes of hair loss are different for both men and women.  

Causes of Hair Loss in Men

• Genetic inheritance (male type of baldness)
• Medical conditions like anemia (a condition when your body produces less than a normal amount of red blood cells), thyroid problems, and diabetes (increased blood sugar levels).
• Certain anti-cancer and antihypertensive medications.
• Radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
• Infections like ringworm infections.
• Nutritional deficiencies like poor iron intake.
• Severe emotional or physical stress
• Autoimmune, as seen in alopecia areata 
• Using excessive hair creams or gels or certain hairstyles (traction alopecia) 

Causes of Hair Loss in Women 

• Genetic inheritance (female pattern baldness)
• Hormonal imbalance as seen in PCOD (polycystic ovarian disease), pregnancy, lactation, and menopause.
• Emotional stress
• Poor iron intake
• Excess vitamin A intake
• Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
• Antidepressants

How is Hair Loss Treated?

Your dermatologist (a doctor specializing in diagnosing and treating diseases and conditions related to the skin, hair, and nails) will treat hair loss depending on the extent and type of hair loss.

Treatment options include:

Medication 

It is often the first line of treatment doctors recommend, either in topical application, injectables, or oral ingestion. 

• Topical minoxidil helps to stimulate the growth of hair follicles to promote hair growth and significantly reduces hair thinning.
• Finasteride is a drug that inhibits hair fall and promotes new hair growth.
• Antiandrogens are medications that inhibit androgens (sex hormone) to prevent damage or destruction of hair follicles.
• Topical or injectable corticosteroids help to prevent hair loss by stimulating hair follicle growth.
• Antifungal drugs help to treat hair loss caused by ringworm infections.

Hair Transplant

A hair transplant is often the last treatment resort when medications fail to show improvement.

• This procedure involves replacing the hair lost over a bald area of your head (recipient site), extracted or transplanted from a donor site using fine needles. 
• It is performed under local anesthesia, and the hair follicles and their roots are removed from the back or side of your head (donor site).

Advantages

• It yields permanent results.
• It enhances your overall appearance and self-confidence.
• It is a cost-efficient procedure without any extra maintenance cost.

Disadvantages

• It may lead to postoperative complications like bleeding, infections, and inflammation around the recipient site.
• Hair growth may look unnatural.

Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

PRP is an advanced, innovative, non-invasive procedure that involves the following steps:

• The surgeon draws your blood, which is processed to extract platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
• PRP consists of growth factors that accelerate the growth and healing of your hair follicles.
• The PRP is injected into the areas of hair loss using a syringe with tiny needles, which prolongs the growth phase of the hair cycle.

Advantages

• It is safe and effective. 
• Non-surgical, non-scarring, and painless procedure
• Yields natural-looking results

Disadvantages

• It is a costly procedure.
• There could be mild itching and discomfort while injecting the PRP.
• There is a risk of nerve damage and tissue harm.

Laser Therapy

Laser Therapy is another non-invasive method and completely safe method that involves using laser beams on the scalp to stimulate hair follicles. It involves the following steps:

• In laser therapy, dermatologists use different wavelengths of laser beams to focus on your scalp. 
• The light energy from the lasers is absorbed by the hair follicles and converted to heat energy, which increases the microcirculation, evenly distributing blood and nutrients to the hair follicles.
• Furthermore, the light energy emitted also stimulates the cellular activity in your follicles to help prevent hair loss.

Advantages

• Increase in hair strength and density
• Provides effective, long-lasting results
• Painless with minimal postoperative side effects

Disadvantages

• It is a time-consuming treatment. 
• Costly when compared to other treatments
• The lasers used may interact with other medications.

Microneedling 

This is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure:

• This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and uses small skin rollers with tiny needles that can help induce stem cells in the hair follicles.
• The needles create small micro-injuries to promote hair growth.

Advantages

• This is a non-surgical procedure without any bleeding or scarring.

Disadvantages

• There is mild pain and bruising noticed due to micro-injuries
• You will likely experience some redness, inflammation, and scalp swelling.

Lifestyle modifications 

Certain conservative tips can help promote hair growth when hair loss occurs due to hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiency, or hormonal fluctuation.

• Pregnancy and lactation-related hair loss are temporary and will resolve on their own.
• Lifestyle changes can help to treat the underlying cause, like PCOD, to prevent hair loss.
• Consume a healthy, well-balanced diet to manage nutritional deficiencies. 
• Biotin supplements can also aid in controlling hair loss to a great extent.  
• Inculcate a good hair care routine, including regular oiling and using the right hair products. 
• Adopt relaxation techniques like Yoga and meditation to manage stress. 

Take the First Step Towards Better Hair

Hair loss can affect anyone and is no longer restricted to aging. From medications to innovative treatments like PRP and laser therapy, effective solutions are available for both men and women. Additionally, natural remedies and lifestyle changes can play a significant role in preventing and treating hair loss.

If you’re concerned about hair loss, consult a dermatologist to find the best hair treatment for your specific needs. With the right approach, you can restore not only your hair but also your confidence.

Consult your dermatologist for further evaluation and treatment that best suits you!