It is normal to have some hair loss, but if the loss escalates, it may cause concern or indicate a health issue. On average, patients can lose approximately 100 strands a day. Medical conditions, such as alopecia areata and fungal infections, can cause rapid hair loss.
Blood tests can detect an imbalance in female and male hormones, iron deficiency anemia, thyroid hormone deficiency, and other causes. Causes can include hereditary problems, hormonal imbalances, diseases, stress, medications, and tight hairstyles. Once the issue is identified, doctors will recommend a treatment targeting the root problem.
Various treatments are available to help solve hair loss problems and improve hair growth. Hair transplant surgery works by accumulating and collecting hair follicles from the back and sides of the head and implanting them in balding or thinning areas. Doctors can harvest hair follicles by Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)techniques.
FUT surgically removes a strip of skin and hair from the back of the scalp to harvest the follicles. The scar from the procedure will be covered by surrounding hair growth.
FUE extracts hair follicles from a site with good hair and creates small holes to insert the hair into the affected areas. The procedure leaves small, dotted scars that will be hidden when hair grows out.
ARTAS
robotic hair transplant is an automated alternative to the
FUE method. It targets and harvests from areas with high volumes of hair
follicles.
PRP
(platelet-rich plasma) injections are also helpful in
targeting hair loss. This procedure starts with blood drawn from the patients.
The blood cells are separated in a centrifuge to harvest only the plasma that
contains growth factors. Doctors then inject the plasma into the scalp to
improve blood circulation and hair growth. It is less invasive than hair
transplant surgery, but 3-5 sessions are needed. Results are sometimes
unpredictable.
There
are also at-home treatments such as Capillus, a laser light therapy.
Patients can wear this as a cap for a few minutes daily to stimulate hair
growth.
Topical
and oral medications such as Minoxidil and Finasteride help
stimulate hair growth.
Some hair loss might be preventable. Patients
should avoid stress, tight hairstyles, harsh brushing, certain hair treatments,
and excessive heat from styling tools.
