Thinning hair is a common problem that men and women all across the globe face today.
Whether you are struggling with male pattern baldness or with seeing your hair left behind on the brush, pillow, or shower… you are not alone!
Understanding what could be the cause of hair loss or thinning of hair, will help you reduce hair loss and potentially reverse it.
What can cause thinning hair?
Thinning hair, or hair loss, can impact both men and women. While men experience male pattern baldness, women struggle with thinning hair, bald spots, and widening part lines.
There are many factors that can contribute to hair loss outside of just heredity.
For example, stress, or a vitamin deficiency contribute to hair loss; both of these can be managed and potentially reversed.
On the other hand, more challenging to correct reasons include heredity, illness, or the side effect of a medication that cannot be discontinued.
Below is a list of common causes for hair loss:
- Stress both physical and emotional
- Pregnancy and other hormone fluctuations
- Nutrition imbalance or deficiency
- Heredity including male pattern baldness
- Hypothyroidism
- Medication
Hair loss is often times a symptom associated with an underlying medical condition. You should seek professional treatment at the first sign of it for the best chance of reducing and reversing it.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?
If you struggle with thinning hair, you may have tried to take matters into your own hands.
Changing your part line or your hair style in a such a way to cover the evidence of thinning hair are feasible options you likely considered. Or found products that cover or simulate more hair volume.
And that’s okay.
That being said, given the widespread reach of thinning hair, there are a lot of misunderstandings and even myths about what causes hair loss, which is why you should seek professional help.
WHAT DOES NOT CAUSE HAIR LOSS?
Let’s take a look at what is not causing your hair loss:
Shampoo: The shampoo you are using is most likely not the reason for hair loss. It is normal to lose a few strands of hair in the shower when washing your hair.
Too much product: Like shampoo, odds are this is not the culprit for hair loss. Some products are created to improve the health of your hair.
Age: As we age it is common to experience hair loss. While this can be attributed to natural changes in hormone levels, there is a not a magic age at which people start to lose their hair. Some people get grey hairs when they are 25, others when they are 50, the same goes for thinning hair.
Wearing hats: There is no clear link between wearing a hat or helmet and hair loss. The thought that you are pulling hair out when you take a hat off is more likely to mean that the hat itself is incorrectly sized.
HOW CAN I REDUCE HAIR LOSS?
Depending on the underlying cause for your hair loss there are many treatment options available.
An experienced medical professional would be able to diagnose the root cause, including if there is a nutrient or vitamin deficiency that is causing the hair loss.
It is okay to do everything you can to self-treat, including improving your diet or taking a supplement. Treatment through diet often means that the hair loss is temporary and once it is corrected, the hair may return.
Hair loss due to pregnancy in women does not generally require medical treatment. This type of hair loss will correct itself over time naturally.
Depending on the cause of stress, managing stress can reduce hair loss and improve overall health. Exercise and meditation are great places to start.
For moderate to severe hair loss that require treatment, there are other options available. These include both surgical and non-surgical options.
NON-SURGICAL HAIR GROWTH
Medication
One of the most common initial treatments for hair loss are prescription medications such as Minoxidil and Finasteride. Finasteride is known to cause unwanted side effects including decreased libido, sexual dysfunction, and gynecomastia or tender breast in women.
LED Light Caps
One of the latest technologies for hair loss are LED light headpieces. These can often be purchased online. Keep in mind that LED light can help to stimulate follicles and maintain hair but will not create new hair growth in areas of hair loss.
PRP Therapy
Gaining global popularity over the last several years PRP Therapy for Hair Loss is an effective treatment for individuals looking to reduce hair fall out and regrow hair that is in the early to moderate stages of hair loss.
The PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) therapy approach leverages your body’s own natural growth factors in the blood to stimulate collagen production and stimulate lost activity in your hair follicles.
This in-office treatment has been proven safe and highly effective. With no downtime, this is a great option for patients struggling with thinning hair or for individuals diagnosed with androgenic alopecia.
SURGICAL HAIR RESTORATION
Strip Hair Transplant
The Strip Hair Transplant method involves removing a strip of hair from a healthy non-balding part of the scalp and transplanting it into the balding region.
When done by a skilled professional, like Dr. Schuster, scars will not be visible and more importantly, results will look natural.
This treatment is ideal for people who have pattern baldness (both male and female), as well as patients with high and receding hairlines.
FUE Hair Transplant
Follicular Unit Extractions can be used to completely transform your overall appearance. Improve your hair by transplanting healthy hair follicles to the balding spot in the scalp.
By using your natural and healthy hair follicles you will have thicker, fuller hair again.
Dr. Schuster takes great care to ensure that the results look natural and can even take years off of your appearance.
Generally, this type of procedure only requires a couple of days of downtime before returning to normal activities. FUE transplants are an ideal option for patients suffering from baldness or hair loss from heredity.
READY TO RESTORE YOUR HAIR?
While hair loss is very common in men and women, it can be scary and could be a sign of a much larger problem.
If you are experiencing noticeable hair loss including large clumps of hair fall out when combing it when or you start to notice bald spots it is important to seek professional medical opinion for a diagnosis.
Treating hair loss early as soon as symptoms appear can lead to the best outcomes and even reversing of it. With advanced treatment options available, getting your confidence and full healthy hair back is within reach.