For many Americans, hair loss is expected to be a part of life. The first time you notice that you’re losing your hair, it may be after a shower or while vacuuming your living room. You may see a little extra hair on your brush and think that you must be under stress, or that you’re just aging. Then come the photos that show a bit more of your scalp than you are comfortable with.
Hair loss is a burden to many people and can have various causes, some are of which are temporary, while others may be permanent. There are two main categories of hair loss: Thinning and Breakage.
Thinning is the result of the hair follicle being less active, producing finer, thinner hair (or no hair all together). Breakage, however, is when already-weakened hair breaks at a much shorter length than it should.
Some common causes of hair loss in adults are:
- Heredity
- Hormonal changes
- Medical conditions
- Medications or drugs
- Chemotherapy
- Hats or head coverings
- Stress
- Tight hairstyles
What Can You Do to Prevent Hair Loss?
No matter if your hair loss is hereditary, caused by stress or illness, there ARE solutions. If you’re just losing a bit of hair, the simplest advice is to avoid tight hairstyles and avoid twisting or pulling at your hair. Tight braids can cause individual hairs to tear when the whole braid moves throughout the day, or during sleep.
Also, try to use moderation when treating your hair with styling chemicals, colors, bleaching treatments, and heat. All of these attempt to force the hair to be in some shape or color it isn’t naturally. This can cause the proteins in the hair (called keratin) to degrade, causing breakage and split ends.
For more severe hair loss, there are over the counter treatments that you’ve probably seen, such a Minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine®). But Minoxidil and similar drug treatments can have side effects, ranging from severe scalp irritation to headaches, chest pains, dizziness or fainting. Also, it must be used perpetually in order to maintain results. Once you stop using it, the hair loss will return.
Natural Solution to Treat Hair Loss
For a more natural and lasting approach, we often recommend regenerative cell therapy treatments to help reactivate hair follicles, which can help you to regain what you have lost. PRP (or Platelet-Rich Plasma) is an excellent option for many people who are losing their hair, no matter what the cause.
PRP treatment addresses hair loss, baldness, and thinning hair at the cellular level. Because PRP uses your body’s own cells and tissue, there are no risks for rejection, allergic reactions, or any other side effects which you may risk with drugs or other foreign materials.
This treatment starts with a simple blood draw. A machine then separates the blood, called a centrifuge, separates the plasma from the red blood cells. The plasma is then re-injected across the scalp, every half inch or so, in the areas where the hair loss is occurring. Most patients see a marked improvement within a few months. While most don’t require a second treatment, that may be recommended for a small percentage of patients.
Contact our office to learn more!