When faced with increasing hair loss your first thoughts may center on how to stop it and whether or not it is reversible. In certain cases hair loss can be reversible when the damaging causes are remedied. For others, it can be permanent if not caught and treated in the early stages. Addressing the underlying factors causing hair loss or hair thinning in men and women and undergoing necessary treatment can help prevent the most from becoming irreversible.
Androgenic Alopecia is the most common form of hair loss, also known as male or female pattern hair loss. This is genetic, and the result of the body’s transitioning of testosterone to DHT. While DHT as a hormone helps the body perform many functions, it can also overstimulate the hair follicles resulting in thinning hair and baldness. The good news is there are effective treatments for this hereditary condition, but it requires quick action on the part of the sufferer.
The most common treatments to halt and reverse Androgenic Alopecia include:
- Minoxidil, commonly sold as Rogaine
- Finasteride, commonly sold as Propecia
- Saw Palmetto, an alternative, herbal treatment
- Laser caps, an expensive but effective hair thinning treatment
- Nizoral 2% shampoo
Both the Propecia and saw palmetto treatment options focus on preventing the production of too much DHT. By blocking the testosterone transition, hair follicles are not progressively weakened until death which can reverse hair loss and hair thinning. DHT-inhibitors are therefore the first step in reversing hair loss. Minoxidil works by rejuvenating and reviving hair follicles that have shrunken from weakness, allowing thicker hair to grow. Laser caps work in a similar fashion, providing intense stimulation of the hair follicles and preventing the normal cycle of weakening resulting in baldness. As a result of the stimulation, hair typically regrows much thicker and fuller than previously.
While there is much hope for halting and reversing the most common type of hair loss, there are several types of hair loss that are not reversible. Certain diseases or imbalances of hormones that are integral to the growth of hair can leave patients with limited options. For others, hair transplantation is the optimal choice. Transplanted hair follicles are taken from areas naturally resistant to DHT, leaving you with hair that is safe from the threat. Thus, even if medications are not an option for you, there is hope.
Estetigraft is a hair restoration center located in Palm Beach Gardens. Our mother clinic is Estetica Institute for Plastic Surgery. For further questions or to schedule a complementary consultation please call us at 561-776-9555or visit us at estetigraft.com.
