5 Most Common Hair Loss Questions
Most every adult has experienced or knows someone suffering from hair loss. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, “it’s normal to shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day,” while 80 million men and women in the United States suffer from hereditary hair loss.
If you’re seeing thinning patches on your scalp or around your hairline or you’re finding loose hairs on your pillow each morning, you may have some questions about hair loss. What is causing it, and what can be done about it?
Here are the 5 most common hair loss questions we often hear from patients.
1. There’s always hair in the drain after my shower. Is this normal?
Try not to panic if you see wads of hair in the shower drain or on your brush bristles. Some daily shedding is normal; women lose 50 to 100 strands of hair each day.
Make sure you are shampooing regularly with non-toxic products; chemical-based hair products and dyes can damage hair and create breakage. Hair will thin as you age and will be more susceptible to breaking. Changes in nutrition and hormones can affect the hair, so supplement accordingly and follow a healthy diet to maintain optimal hair health.
Going bald doesn’t happen overnight and has a distinct pattern. Watch for an M-shaped or horseshoe-shaped hairline. If you see that, along with thinning hair, and hair loss, then it may be an indicator of impending baldness.
2. Can I stop male pattern baldness?
Depending upon the cause of the baldness and at what point you intervene, you may be able to stop—or at least significantly slow—male pattern baldness.
At the first sign of noticing hair loss, consult your doctor. In our office, we will help you find the right topical shampoo or serum, and we offer a variety of non-invasive treatments, such as medication and laser therapy that help to halt the progression of baldness.
3. What causes hair loss?
A wide variety of conditions cause hair loss in men and women:
Heredity: genes give us male pattern baldness
Diet, hormones, and stress: changes in your body’s chemistry, including living with stress, pregnancy, and nutrient deficiencies, can all contribute to hair loss
Medications and hair products: what you put in your body and on your hair matters; medicine and medical treatments (such as chemo to fight cancer) and hair coloring can bring on hair loss
4. How can I grow more hair?
It is possible to regrow hair in certain instances. The earlier you catch your hair loss, the better chance you have for being able to halt the progression of balding.
Several non-surgical procedures will help stimulate hair growth. Your doctor may help you choose a shampoo or serum that will help repair hair follicles and help hair to grow. Medications, such as Finasteride, Dutasteride, Minoxidil, Spironolactone, are all possible treatment approaches for hair loss. Additionally, P.R.P. (platelet-rich plasma), laser therapy, or scalp micro pigmentation are all procedures we offer in our office that have great hair growth results with low risk and little downtime.
5. What is involved in hair transplant surgery for hair loss?
Surgical treatment for hair loss is best for those with available areas of donor’s hair and larger bald spots.
Multi-Unit Graft Surgery
Graft surgery works by taking large strips of hair from donor areas and applying them to areas with less volume. This particular procedure is ideal for those who have large bald patches on the scalp where they would like to improve density. You can customize those multi-unit grafts depending on your type of hair and the extent of your hair loss.
F.U.E.
Follicular Unit Extraction, or FUE, is a technique of extracting hairs from donor areas to restore volume in balding spots. This method uses a small, round punch to move small follicular units from one space to another. This particular process is fantastic because it is precise and allows the doctor more control over the results.
Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Your Hair Loss Questions
These questions just scratch the surface when it comes to researching and preparing for the best way to treat your hair loss. We want to help you with your unique hair loss challenges.
Give us a call at 615-329-3900 to schedule a consultation with one of our hair restoration specialists. We will help you determine the best solution for your hair loss situation.