A normal person loses somewhere between 50 and 100 hair strands per day as part of the natural hair growth cycle. Usually, new hair strands grow in place of the old ones, ensuring you have a head full of hair. If new hair does not replace the fallen hair, then it becomes a hair loss problem. If you are noticing hair thinning and bald spots on your head, you may still have time to reverse it and restore your hair.
In this blog, we will give you complete information about hair loss, including its types and common causes. We will also cover the most effective methods to stop hair loss and when to seek them.
A] Types of Hair Loss and Their Causes
- Androgenic Alopecia: Androgenic alopecia is the medical term for genetic baldness. This condition refers to male and female patterned baldness. This is the most common type of baldness, affecting almost 50% of the world’s population.
- Alopecia Areata: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack the hair follicles. It causes bald patches on the head and hair loss from eyebrows, eyelashes, and beard.
- Telogen Effluvium: Rapid hair loss caused by emotional or physical shock is known as telogen effluvium. This can be a response to extreme stress, traumatic events, menopause, childbirth, and other hormonal changes.
- Tinea Capitis: Fungal infections like ringworm can cause small bald patches on the head. These bald patches are scaly and itchy. If this is not treated in time, the bald patches can grow and cause various healthcare problems.
- Traction Alopecia: If you tie your hair tightly in a bun or braid or wear a tight scarf, it can put a lot of pressure on your hair’s roots. This makes the roots weaker, leading to hair fall.
B] Effective Methods to Reverse The Effects of Hair Loss
1. Oral Medication and Ointment
Oral and applied medications are often the first suggestion doctors make when treating early-stage hair loss. These are safe, effective, cost-effective, and convenient options for a number of patients, especially compared to hair transplants and laser therapy. Minoxidil-based creams and gels are often recommended to be applied to the affected area. Minoxidil helps to reverse hair thinning by promoting new hair follicles. Oral finasteride is often prescribed to men to slow the rate of hair fall. It is one of the best ways to prevent hair loss in men by inhibiting the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is one of the primary hair-fall hormones. These medications are often only recommended for men and must be taken only after a doctor’s consultation.
2. PRP Treatment
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment uses the patient’s own blood platelets to reactivate dormant hair follicles. A small sample of blood is collected from the patient’s arm and placed in a centrifuge machine spinning at high speed. This separates the platelet-rich plasma from other components of blood. This plasma is then injected into the affected area, which stimulates dormant hair follicles, improves blood circulation and promotes hair regrowth. It is a highly effective and permanent treatment, ensuring healthier, thicker hair.
3. Corticosteroid Injections for Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is an unpredictable condition because the patient’s immune system is the root cause of the problem. At Auro Skin Clinic, we often recommend injections of the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide for treating the issue. Triamcinolone acetonide injections are applied directly to the bald patches on the head, which helps to suppress the local immune reaction. Patients need injections every 4-6 weeks for best results. It primarily works to reduce inflammation, which in turn promotes the regrowth of hair follicles and stimulates new hair growth. However, it is to be noted that this only works for small-to-medium-sized bald patches.
4. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)
Low-level laser therapy is one of our most effective and advanced hair treatments in Mumbai. LLLT employs low-intensity laser light that stimulates the cells in the targeted area and promotes tissue repair and regeneration. The light emits photons that are absorbed by the cells, improving their quality. It is a safer, more tolerable, and less invasive treatment than hair transplant surgery. LLLT is suitable for both men and women and offers noticeable results. However, you need to attend multiple sessions for about a month before you start seeing results.
5. Hair Transplantation
Hair transplants are one of the most effective and in-demand hair loss treatments today, with the global market size expected to reach 141.88 billion by 2032. During a hair transplant, the doctor surgically removes hair from parts where it is the thickest and implants it into the areas with thinning or balding. This method not only restores hair even during advanced stages of hair loss but also gives you a natural look. Hair transplantation is the recommended option for men and women facing androgenic alopecia (inherited baldness), as all other treatments are often not effective.
Also Read: Hair Regrowth with Stem Cells: Unveiling a New Era in Dermatology
C] How to Choose the Best Treatment for Hair Loss?
If you notice hair thinning or bald spots, we recommend that you consult our hair and skin care clinic in Mumbai. At Auro Skin Clinic, our dermatologists diagnose the root cause of the problem and understand the severity of hair loss, individual preferences, and medical history to tailor a treatment plan.
For patients in the early stage of hair loss, oral medication, and ointments might do the job. Patients suffering from alopecia areata would need corticosteroid triamcinolone injections along with ointments. Meanwhile, patients experiencing male-pattern baldness and stress-related baldness would prefer PRP therapy and hair transplantation.
Conclusion
Hair loss is a common problem that almost everyone faces in their lifetime; however, not everyone experiences hair loss in the same way. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, fungal infections, trauma, and autoimmune disease. If you are looking to restore your hair, Auro Skin Clinic offers a wide range of hair loss treatments in Mumbai, such as LLLT, hair transplants, and PRP therapy. Reach out to us today for initial diagnosis and treatment planning.
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