Hair Loss: Causes, Types, Treatment and Therapy

Hair loss can affect only your scalp or your entire body, with temporary or permanent results.

Learn how it develops, what causes it, its pathological forms, methods of diagnosis, treatment and therapy, and what to do.

Hair loss occurs when new hair doesn’t grow to replace fallen hair. An average person typically loses 50 to 100 hairs per day. However, this isn’t noticeable because new hair is growing simultaneously. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it’s more common in men than in women. Baldness usually refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss is the most common cause of baldness.

Some choose to let their hair loss progress without treatment or concealment. Others try to cover it with hairstyles, hats, or wigs. Most choose one of the available treatments to prevent further hair loss or restore hair growth.

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Hair Loss What It Is, Causes, Types, Treatment & Cure

The Hair Life Cycle

Hair loss is a natural phenomenon. Each hair follicle has its own life cycle that can be affected by age, diseases, and a wide variety of other factors. The hair life cycle lasts from 2 to 7 years and is divided into the following phases:

  • Anagen (growth phase). This is the active phase of hair growth. Up to 80-90% of scalp hairs are growing at any time.
  • Catagen (transition phase). During several weeks, hair growth slows as follicles shrink and hair stops growing. About 3% of all hairs are in this phase at any time.
  • Telogen (resting phase). The hair follicle is in complete rest and no longer grows. About 6%-8% of all hairs are resting at any time, and this phase usually lasts 2-4 months.

Causes of Hair Loss

Various causes, such as diseases, poor nutrition, hormonal disorders, or excessive stress, can cause hair loss. It can be the result of heredity or simply be a normal evolution of the aging process.

If you’re experiencing problems with thinning hair or baldness, your dermatologist must identify the root of the problem to determine appropriate treatment.

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Pathological Forms of Hair Loss

Treatment and Therapy for Hair Loss

Hair loss treatment can be divided into two major categories: conservative treatment which includes medication, and surgical.

Medications for Hair Loss Treatment

Medications, as well as some products, can also help slow down or prevent hair loss.

  • Minoxidil, which prolongs the anagen phase of hair, has proven to be one of the most effective pharmaceutical substances against hair loss.
  • Topical application of corticosteroids to the scalp aimed at combating inflammation that causes hair follicle degeneration. Non-specific treatment is mainly applied in cases of hair loss of unclear etiology, where there is no causal treatment, such as in cases of diffuse, scarring, or alopecia areata.
  • Anti-hair loss products, such as shampoos, lotions, conditioners, serums with active ingredients and natural herb extracts that are dermatologically tested.

Other Conservative Treatments

  • Autologous hair mesotherapy, also known as “autologous growth factors” hair loss treatment, is a new, promising treatment based on harnessing the patient’s own healing and growth forces.
  • LLLT laser therapy aims to improve cases of androgenetic and diffuse alopecia by improving blood circulation and hair nutrition. However, it’s more effective in combination with other treatments, and its effectiveness varies depending on individual hair loss characteristics. It’s not the ideal solution for hair loss due to increased testosterone levels.

 

Surgical Treatment

  • Hair transplantation is a surgical implantation procedure that solves the hair loss problem once and for all. The most modern FUE hair implantation method guarantees a permanent solution to the hair loss problem with perfectly natural aesthetic results.

Dietary Supplements for Hair Loss

Supporting conservative treatment against hair loss, numerous products are used, mainly shampoos, lotions, or ampoules with nutrients, dietary supplements with vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, etc.

Generally, the effectiveness of these means in treating hair loss is controversial, but it’s considered that proper and balanced nutrition, rich in plant fibers and vitamins, especially B group vitamins, trace elements such as zinc, and natural products like aloe, contribute to proper hair nutrition and health.

Hair Loss Diagnosis

Diagnosis should be made by a dermatologist specialized in hair loss. Hair loss has many causes, but proper diagnosis will reveal what’s causing your hair loss and determine if your hair:

  • Falls gradually or suddenly
  • Is weak
  • Can regenerate on its own
  • Requires treatment to grow back
  • Needs immediate care to prevent permanent hair loss

Before proceeding with diagnosis, the dermatologist will perform a physical examination and ask about your diet, medical and family history, and hair care routine. Then, they may subject you to tests, such as:

Blood test. Helps reveal medical conditions or vitamin or other component deficiencies that may contribute to hair loss.

Pull test. The dermatologist gently pulls several dozen hairs to see how many come out. This helps determine the stage of hair loss.

Biopsy. Taking samples from the skin or hairs removed from the scalp to determine if an infection is causing hair loss.

Microscopic examination (Trichogram). Examination with a special microscope to identify possible hair shaft disorders.

Phototrichogram. The most modern diagnostic method using a micro-camera and special computer software to monitor response to therapeutic treatment and accurate measurement of hair density and diameter.

Genetic testing. The examination is done to detect the presence of genes in the patient’s DNA that are associated with the likelihood of developing androgenetic alopecia.

Prevention of Hair Loss

Proper hair care will help combat hair loss. Avoid pulling when brushing and styling, especially when your hair is wet. A wide-toothed comb can help avoid pulling hair. Avoid intensive styling and overuse of tools like flat irons or curling irons, and reduce as much as possible the use of accessories like hair ties or clips.

Ask your doctor about medications and supplements you’re taking that might cause hair loss. Also ask them about available treatments, such as minoxidil or autologous hair mesotherapy. Protect your hair from sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light. Stop smoking. Some studies show a correlation between smoking and baldness in men.

Also, for people with sensitive, fine, and weak hair with a hereditary history of hair loss, the use of mild shampoos with neutral pH, suitable for daily washing, is generally recommended.

Why Choose Us

Advanced Hair Clinics is one of the most specialized clinics where the diagnosis and treatment of hair loss is an absolutely personalized process. With 5 international awards for our services and thousands of satisfied patients from around the world, for many years we have been taking care to provide safely and consistently the most modern hair loss treatment services. If you are experiencing hair loss problems, contact us.

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