Hair loss is something that can completely destroy a person’s self-confidence. Hair loss is the progressive thinning of an individual’s hair which eventually leads to balding on the top of the head. Men are more likely than women to suffer from hair loss, but many women also suffer from this condition. It does not discriminate between gender, age, or race. The causes of hair loss can vary depending on one’s genetics and lifestyle – stress, poor diet habits, and medical problems among them – but regardless of one’s experiences, it can devastate anyone who suffers from it. Here is a detailed guide on how to deal with hair loss.
Try A Hairloss Subscription Service
One popular way of dealing with hair loss – if you can afford it – is to subscribe to a service that provides different products. There are many subscription services available for those who suffer from thinning hairs, and they’re effective in providing their subscribers with the specific treatments which are suited for them. Most of these services include regular scalp shampooing, customized supplements or vitamins to make up for any dietary deficiencies, and minoxidil treatments (a potent solution used by men only). Here are some things to look out for when choosing a service:
Scalp Shampooing
Scalp shampooing is one of the most important parts of any hair loss treatment. It relieves your scalp from any loose dandruff or dirt which might be blocking it, thus allowing nutrients to reach the body’s lost hairs more easily. Scalp shampooing also stimulates blood circulation in the scalp area, which rejuvenates the sick hairs and encourages healthy new ones into growing out. When selecting a service that provides these kinds of treatments, you should ensure that they have an efficient scalp purifying system – ideally one that uses thermal water as well as pressure washing to cleanse your hair head thoroughly.
Customized Supplements
The main cause for most cases of hair loss is dietary deficiencies, but many people do not realize this. A healthy diet is essential for a strong and resilient head of hair, but when suffering from hair loss it becomes increasingly difficult to eat the right kinds of foods that your body needs. Some services offer customized supplements that are tailored specifically to suit your individual regime in order to promote healthy growth in the scalp area. If you have medical conditions such as diabetes or blood pressure that might affect your eating habits, ask if these issues can be taken into account when preparing the supplement.
Customer Service
The personal touch is always important, and this is especially true for hair loss. When you subscribe to a service, you will be dealing with specific individuals who are knowledgeable about the industry and familiar with your particular case – make sure they’re the right people. Generally speaking, it’s better to work with a smaller service because reliability is key when you’re not feeling your best – having a specialist on hand 24/7 if needed can do wonders in making you feel that little bit more secure.
Price
Last but not least, ask yourself if you can really afford to pay the price of the service. Compare different providers. A comparison of Hims vs Roman, two popular services shows that Roman is relatively cheaper. So look around and try to find a subscription service that fits your budget so that you don’t have to keep draining your savings account so you can look good or feel confident about yourself again.
Medication
Another effective way to deal with hair loss is by taking medication prescribed by a doctor. The effects vary depending on which medicine you take, but most will either block DHT (a naturally occurring hormone in the body) or stimulate blood circulation in order to moisturize dry scalp areas and facilitate healthy new growths. Some medicines also help reduce hair loss by promoting thicker hair, which makes the scalp appear fuller. These are all prescription-only medicines, however, so be sure to ask if your condition is severe enough to warrant taking medication.
Propecia
One of the most popular remedies for hair loss among men is Propecia (active ingredient finasteride), which works by blocking DHT in order to slow down male pattern baldness. It takes about three months before you’ll start seeing results after taking Propecia, and it can take up to six months for maximum effects. However, once you stop taking the medicine or begin treatment with minoxidil, any new hairs that regrew will fall out again with time.
It is not recommended to take Propecia if you are looking to regrow your hair after balding because it will only slow the process, but it will keep your existing hairs healthy for longer. If you want to stop male pattern baldness before it starts, minoxidil is a much safer option than finasteride.
Rogaine
Rogaine (active ingredient minoxidil) is perhaps one of the most popular remedies among women suffering from hair loss. Unlike Propecia, which only works by preventing future hair loss, Rogaine can actually cause existing hairs in an otherwise balding head to grow thicker and stronger again – though this might not happen immediately. Several studies have also shown that it can be effective in regrowing hair on women who have experienced thinning hair due to menopause or childbirth.
It can take several months before you start seeing positive effects from Rogaine, so it’s important not to get impatient and stop using the product if your hair hasn’t grown back after a few weeks. However, with patience and regular use for about six months, Rogaine will most likely show results – just like Propecia.
Prostaglandin
Prostaglandin is a new treatment for alopecia that works by promoting blood circulation by using liposomes to carry minoxidil deep into the scalp. It has been used in clinical studies with great results – up to 40% hair regrowth within four months. Prostaglandins are only sold by prescription, but it’s much safer than other medications because it doesn’t have any negative effects on your hormonal balance or cause sexual dysfunction as finasteride does. However, you should avoid taking medications containing prostaglandins if you are about to undergo surgery because it could cause severe bleeding problems.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy was approved by the FDA as a method of encouraging hair growth back in 2011, although its long-term effects are not yet clear. The treatment uses laser light to stimulate the scalp and encourage growth, and it has also been found to prevent hair loss in both men and women. You can either get professional treatments done once every few weeks or buy your own equipment for home use.
The problem with laser therapy is that it’s quite expensive, so unless you have the money to burn you might be better off saving your cash for some of the other remedies on this list. It can also take up to six months before you start seeing results, but some people report that they see positive effects after just a few sessions.
If you opt for it regardless, here are tips to prepare you:
- Don’t wash your hair within six hours of treatment.
- Cleanse your scalp thoroughly the night before the session to remove any dirt, oil, or lotion that might cause problems with the light.
- Don’t style or dye your hair during the course of treatment because it could get damaged by the heat from the laser.
- Do not use laser treatments if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant.
Hair Transplant Surgery
Hair transplant surgery is the only method that has been proven to be completely effective in male pattern baldness, but this comes at a high cost. The procedure can take four or five hours, and it’s quite painful afterwards. Here are the types of hair transplant surgery methods:
Mini grafts
The most common and least expensive method of hair transplant surgery, where the surgeon removes a strip of skin from the back of your head with hair follicle attached and then replants it in the balding parts. However, this method does not allow for much precision because it’s impossible to control which hairs will grow and which won’t.
Micrografts
This is where the surgeon can more precisely transplant hair follicles from one part of your head to another. The method uses a microscope for magnification and requires more time, skill, and precision from the surgeon as well as some anaesthesia.
Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT)
Unlike Mini or Micro grafts, FUE makes use of a special type of punch tool, which extracts individual hairs from donor areas. This is the method that doctors use most often now because it has proven to be both effective and less likely to leave behind any visible scars. It takes up to ten hours per session so it can be quite painful and time-consuming as well. It’s also the most expensive treatment, but it’s overall the best solution for male pattern baldness if you can afford it.
Strip Method (FUT)
The same technique that doctors employ for FUE is used in this method, but instead of removing individual hairs, they cut out a strip of hair follicles and then stitch up the donor area. Despite its higher costs, this method does have some advantages over FUE. For one thing, it’s not painful because there are no local anaesthetics or injections involved, making it fast and easy to perform within only three to four hours.
Scalp Reduction Surgery
Scalp Reduction Surgery is another type of surgery that has proven to be effective in male pattern baldness, but it is only recommended if the condition has advanced so far that your doctor can’t use any of the other methods. You’ll have to shave your head completely and then let the hair grow back again for up to a year after surgery before you can see what results you’re going to get. The surgeon will remove large sections of skin from the back and side of your head and then stitch them together into a smaller area with reduced hair follicles. It’s quite painful as well as being an expensive treatment, so don’t opt for this one unless you’ve exhausted all your other options first.
If you decide to go for hair transplant surgery, make sure that it’s performed by an experienced professional who knows what they are doing, otherwise, there might be side effects like infection or scarring along with even worse complications like a complete loss of all transplanted hairs!
You will need to wait about two months for your head to heal before you can style your hair again because after the surgery the newly transplanted follicles are very sensitive. If you wish to maintain your existing hairline or create a new one then you should opt for a safe and effective laser treatment instead.
Surgeons recommend that patients stop using finasteride at least six weeks before getting a hair transplant because this hormone-blocker makes their treatment less successful. You can start taking medication again once your transplanted hair has grown out enough it will not be affected by any post-surgery side effects of the medication anymore.
Water Treatment
The ancient Egyptians were famously known for their use of water as medicine, and it turns out that they weren’t just playing around. Drinking plenty of water can be one of the best things you can do to treat baldness, as it increases blood circulation and keeps your scalp hydrated.
- Drink 2 litres (68 ounces) per day if possible. You can even buy yourself a special bottle or container that holds more liquid than usual to help keep track of your daily quota.
- Drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning, before you eat or do anything else. This will help your body to rehydrate after a night’s sleep and make it easier for your body to flush out toxins as well as give your skin a good glow from all those lost impurities.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these can dehydrate you more quickly than normal drinks like juice or soda.
Find A Support Group
When suffering from hair loss, it can be difficult to come to terms with reality at first – especially if you’re young and haven’t experienced it before. It’s easy to get frustrated or depressed when you lose your hair without understanding why, but there are support groups that can help you get through this period of uncertainty. Many forums exist online where people who suffer from similar conditions convene and discuss their personal experiences in handling their own cases of hair loss. By joining a support group, you’re not only making new friends who might understand what you’re going through better than anyone else, but also learning how they handled the problem and what their experiences have been.
Dealing with hair loss is never easy, but there are many treatments available that can help you regain your old look or even give you a completely new and better appearance. If you’re not sure where to start then consulting a doctor is always the best option, they’ll be able to give you their professional opinion on the most suitable treatment for your personal situation and walk you through what’s going to happen next every step of the way.
