Hair is part of our body that we take for granted and we can’t even think of losing them in our teenage years. Well, the truth is when they start to shed, it gives a hard blow to your confidence and self-esteem.
Hair loss is the loss of hair from the body, it can be a loss from one part of a body or a whole body. Hair loss in most cases involves the head and affects approximately 60% of men and 10% of women. Less commonly, it also involves eyebrows, eyelashes, or the entire body. Your hair is an important part of your identity because it is always one of the first things people notice. You make a significant effort to make your hair and ultimately your whole appearance stand out.
So how will you know you are having a hair loss. Well, here are few symptoms you may encounter commonly:
Several factors are responsible for causing hair loss:
Hereditary conditions are a common cause of hair loss in both men and women. This condition is “ANDROGENIC ALOPECIA”. Male and female pattern baldness also refers to this condition. In males, this condition manifests with thinning and loss of hair from the top and front of the head or both. In females, it presents with thinning of hair at the top or crown of the head with intact hairlines. A family history of hair loss is a strong predictor of hair loss in men and occurs in most men with increasing age.
Different body conditions disturbing hormonal balance cause hair loss like thyroid problems, pregnancy, and childbirth.
Various infections contribute to hair loss like fungal infections (ringworm), skin infections (cellulitis, folliculitis), and syphilis.
Some medical conditions like diabetes, lupus erythematosus, and auto Immune diseases like alopecia areata also cause hair loss.
Burns, major surgeries, and emotional stress causes rapid hair loss, a condition also called telogen effluvium (a condition caused by excessive stress in which hair follicles are arrested at a resting stage and don’t grow anymore resulting in thinning and hair fall)
Some drugs also cause hair fall. Chemotherapy is the most common example. Other drugs are anti-depressants, drugs used for arthritis, birth control, and anabolic steroids.
Hair loss always comes with a lot of problems regarding self-image. It causes stress and psychological disturbance. You feel less confident, struggle with low-esteem, and also partner up with depression and anxiety.
All this sounds disastrous to you, right? There’s some good news waiting for you. You can still restore your hair using modern techniques depending on some conditions and that’s what we’re going to tell you.
You have seen a lot of ads about medicines, oils, shampoos, and other products to restore your hair, more than you previously had. The truth is some of these may help in controlling your hair fall but none of these products you see on television and billboards are going to be your saviors. Seeking treatment for some underlying conditions like hypothyroidism and diabetes may control hair loss.
Most commonly used for hereditary hair loss or baldness are:
These medicines have mild to moderate effects and don’t suit everyone. Not to mention, they have unfavorable side effects that most often look for alternatives to minoxidil.
Hair transplant has become increasingly popular in recent decades and the most performed cosmetic procedure in men. It is generally considered an option after other methods are proved ineffective.
Generally, hair transplant procedures are of two types:
FOLLICULAR UNIT TRANSPLANT(FUT)In FUT, a strip of skin containing hair follicles from a Donor site (a site of the head, mostly at the back of the head and on sides of the head, which contains natural thick hair, and which has not fallen or undergone baldness) is taken by giving a linear incision after the local anesthetic has been injected.
This skin strip is then further incised to separate hair follicles from surrounding tissue microscopically. During this time the recipient site (where there is baldness and thinning of hair, mostly front and sides of the head) is prepared by creating tiny separate holes for transplantation of hair follicles.
When the follicles are extracted they are transplanted individually to a recipient site. The incision is sutured which is removed after 10 to 14 days from the donor site.
Another technique is Follicular unit extraction(FUE). In FUE the donor area is first shaved and then instead of taking a skin strip, follicular units are directly extracted from a donor site and then implanted on recipient sites.
Both procedures have their advantages and disadvantages. It depends on the patient’s hair condition, the extent of baldness, age, previous hair transplants, the patient’s expectation, and finally the surgeon’s assessment and recommendation.
FUT
FUE
Other options include stem cell therapy and robotic surgeries. These are new advancements that are refined over time and help in getting more painless and desirable transplantation.
Everyone planning or undergoing a hair transplant questions about him being a good candidate or not. Many different conditions play their role in achieving the desired effects of hair transplant surgery. Following conditions strongly favor a great hair transplant:
The type of hair you have and some of their features also decide your potential for a good candidate.
A surgeon will always, first, look at your hair density at the donor site (On the back and sides of the head). Adequate and thick hair is always a good feature for a hair transplant. If the density of hair is low or insufficient hair is present, there is a poor chance of your hair transplant.
If you have curly hair, then that’s good news for you. Curly hair tends to occupy more area thus giving a dense look of hair as compared to straight hair.
The more your hair matches your scalp color, the greater your chances of achieving the desired effect. A greater difference between your hair and scalp makes the bald area more visible thus reducing desired results. If you have the same hair and scalp color, you are good to go.
Thicker hair blocks more light from passing through them and reflecting on the scalp thus making the baldness less visible while thinner hair helps pass more light creating a clear view of baldness. If you have thicker hair not only your number of grafts will be reduced, but also it will make your transplant more successful.
If your scalp has more laxity, it will be easy for your surgeon to remove follicles and transplant them to your recipient site. If the scalp is tight (low laxity) it will make follicles extraction more difficult thus affecting the quality of hair transplant.
You may not be a better candidate for a hair transplant due to the following features:
One of the most decisive factors while going for a hair transplant is your expectation. Some people believe that going through a surgical and a bit costly procedure will solve their problem and will give them the dense natural look they had before hair fall. The truth is like all other procedures this too has its limitations.
You need to understand that exactly your previous look cannot be restored. This process involves the transplant of a limited number of hair follicles and all of them don’t grow into complete thick hair. There is also shedding of transplanted follicles after some time.
Some of you may believe that undergoing repeated surgery for their hair loss will cover for their loss while the reality is the surgery itself is a traumatic procedure and sometimes can do more harm than good in a process called “Shock loss of hairs” where there is more hair loss and thinning due to repeated trauma.
So, anyone of you planning to get a hair transplant should keep a reality check.
Some of these side effects can be expected after surgery, but with the use of modern techniques, they are greatly reduced.
Hair transplant surgery is a modern and effective treatment for hair loss as compared to all other treatment options.
Its results are desirable and satisfactory if patients have certain requirements fulfilled. Also, the result greatly depends on the expertise and technique of the surgeon. Always discuss your expectations with your surgeon and dermatologist and surely go for Hair Transplant if you fit the criteria and your surgeon recommends.
Where we say that healthcare providers are excellent at diagnosing and treating patients but administrative…
Brief overview of the gut-brain axis Have you ever observed that when you're really worried,…
Definition of adaptive fitness Imagine exercise facilities and programs that welcome people just as they…
Have you ever felt a new spot, bump or a breakout right before an exciting…
Self-love, a term that encapsulates acceptance, care, and compassion towards oneself, plays a pivotal role…
In the kingdom of natural health and wellness, the spotlight increasingly shines on fulvic acid…