A 44 year old Indian male presented with all over hair thinning, experiencing for 4-5 years, but noticeably over the last 2 years and was looking at preventing hair loss. He had a long family history of male hair loss (Brother, Father, Uncles, Grandfather), and no medical issues He reported progressive thinning across from his Crown to mid-section. He had been concerned about his hair loss and because he didn’t like the look of hair on the sides and back and no hair on top, he decided to shave his hair really short.  He didn’t suffer from any pain, itching or scalp issues. After a failed attempt treating his hair with two other Hair Loss companies, he decided to come and see Ashley and Martin as a last resort. He is very skeptical about treatments for preventing hair loss., and after 3 months of trying to convince the client to try our treatment, has decided to give it one more shot.

Examination revealed an extensive thinning down mid-section and vertex, slight thinning hairline and decreased luster and shine of the hair overall, consistent with a diagnosis of Male pattern hair loss stage VI. There was no scalp inflammation, and no evidence of infection or scarring scalp disease.

RealGROWTH^® treatment was initiated with Topical and Oral treatment. Also recommended Laser Therapy sessions, minimum once a fortnight for 15 mins. At his follow-up visit at 4 months, the patient reported significant increase in density and regrowth. He said that he noticed a change at around three weeks of treatment. He started Laser Therapy sessions once/twice a week. No side effects or issues with the treatment.

Photos revealed a significantly increase in hair density through mid-section, and noticeable healthy hair. Figure 1 shows the comparison between the baseline and 4 months appearance. Further use of RealGROWTH^® treatment is needed to achieve maximum regrowth  and maintenance. Client is very happy with his results and now not skeptical on preventing hair loss.

When you experiences hair loss, you might see two things escape down the drain– hair and confidence. Thanks to medical and technological advancements and breakthroughs, a plethora of treatments is now available to tackle hair loss. But, as they say, prevention is better than cure, so why not do your best to prevent hair loss in the first place?

Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to prevent hair loss.

Avoid Hair Exposure to Chemicals and Heating Tools Frequently

Extended, regular use of chemical-heavy shampoos, hair styling products and heating tools like hair dryers and straighteners may damage hair beyond repair by weakening the proteins inside it.

Shampoos that contain a lot of silicone, parabens and other artificial ingredients make hair rough, dry and fragile, which eventually leads to hair falling out and sometimes even scalp irritation. And heating tools are even more dangerous than you can imagine. The heat generated from styling tools can burn the scalp and damage hair follicles.

Try to switch to organic and chemical-free products and don’t over-shampoo – reducing hair washing frequency can actually improve the health of your hair. It would be extreme to tell someone to never use heating tools on their hair, rather, it’s best to practice moderation. When you do feel like styling your hair –such as for a special occasion or event – make sure to use a heat protection spray to minimize hair damage. Get haircuts regularly to get rid of split or dead ends – this can instantly improve the look of your hair.

Eat Healthy

Your diet directly affects your hair health. Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet comprising of vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates, and omega 3 fatty acids will help keep your hair in good shape. Extreme diets and dramatic weight loss can cause hair to fall out. For women in particular, iron is very important.

Stay Stress-Free

Stress can alter the natural hair cycle: it forces hair follicles into their resting phase, causing them to fall out prematurely. If you suffer from stress, look into things like meditation, yoga and cardio exercise and try to avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

The value a woman places on her hair is high. Women obsess over their hair, how to wear it, the colour, length and style and then one day they notice maybe their normal part is a bit wider then it had been before, or perhaps that their ponytail is not as thick as it used to be. This should be your cue to schedule an appointment – not with your hairdresser but with a hair loss expert.

Hair Loss and Hormones

Some causes of hair loss in women are signs of other things going on in your body, which is why talking to your doctor about this seemingly embarrassing situation can be helpful. Your doctor will want to know about any other symptoms and take some tests. Your test results will offer your doctor some clues to what’s causing your hair loss. Especially important will be hormone levels since the drop in certain hormones can lead to hair loss. There are some things that can cause hair loss that you may not even think of some medications have the side effect of hair loss, a dramatic crash diet limiting your nutrients may starve your body and your hair of vital nutrients, even certain hair styles that add more stress on your hair can be the culprit.

Family History

Around 60 percent of women will deal with hair loss at some point in their lives. Tell-tale signs that the culprit is female pattern baldness are a family history of either male of female pattern baldness and looking at a woman’s scalp with a magnifying glass and noting hair follicles of different sizes.

Treatments Are Available

Once you have been diagnosed with female pattern baldness it is important to understand that there are treatment options available to you which your doctor will discuss with you. There are prescription treatments available that may be available to you, such as Spironolactone and Finasteride medications that can be prescribed to postmenopausal women.

Unlike men, women tend to retain a line of hair on the forehead and experience a thinning in the part of their hair. This leaves options like hair teasing, different hairstyles and thickening treatments such as shampoos and serums available at the drugstore, as viable options to help cover over the loss or make it less noticeable. For those looking for more permanent choices and who are willing to consider it hair transplant surgeries are an option, hair is surgically moved from one place on the scalp to another.

One of the best treatments for female hair loss is revolutionary Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). The benefits of a laser cap are numerous: patients can do it at home in their own time so treatments are regular, making them it more effective, and the cap has 224 laser diodes which cover a substantial area of the scalp. To see an improvement in hair loss, a laser cap needs to be worn just 30 minutes a day, every other day.

Whichever way you choose to manage your hair loss, it may be helpful know that there are options out there and that this experience is faced by many other people all over the world.

Book in a Free Consultation to discuss what hair loss treatments are suitable for you.

Hair loss can sometimes be a confronting issue, especially when it affects more than 60% of all men and 40% of all women within their lifetime. With this being the case, there seem to be more questions than answers. In this post we toss up the top 6 do’s and don’ts of hair loss – from brutal hairnemies (Hair enemies) that can prevent hair growth to products that will assist in retaining the locks.

DO’S & DON’TS

DO dry your hair gently

If you’re the type of person who vigorously rubs their hair with a towel after showering – consider using a fine cloth or drying your hair gently with a blow dryer. Rubbing your hair with rough materials such as a bath towel can cause damage to your scalp and hair follicles. Excess force breaks off finer hairs, meaning that newly emerging ones won’t even stand a chance of staying on the scalp.

DON’T overload with hair products

Try to avoid using hair styling products such as gels and waxes. Their purpose is to help hold hair into place by clumping the hair strands together – if hair is thinning, this can draw unwanted attention to an exposed scalp.

DO aim for a healthy lifestyle

When it comes to growing your hair healthy, diet plays a bigger role than you think. Foods such as organic meats, vegetables and fruits will assist in providing the healthy conditions needed for hair growth. Omega 3 fatty acids in particular are found in cells that line the scalp.

DON’T raise your stress hormone levels

Paradi Mirmirani, a dermatologist with the Permanente Medical Group rebuts the common misconception of minor stress having to do with hair loss – “Stress because you’re late to work…is not going to cause you to lose your hair.” Events that can dramatically have an effect on stress levels though, are different. “Something that causes you to lose sleep,” she says, “or changes your appetite and raises the levels of stress hormones.” Significant stress can sometimes change the body’s physiological functions, causing more numbers of hairs to go into resting phase and shedding within months.

DO seek professional advice

No one can help more than those who have spent their lives dedicated to the research and treatment of hair loss. Though talking to someone about something as personal as hair loss is often challenging and confronting, professionals can answer your questions and offer you suitable treatment solutions for your hair loss. You can be at ease knowing that your questions are being discussed with someone who is credible and can be trusted.