HAIR LOSS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

If you are experiencing hair loss, you have every right to be concerned. Hair loss – particularly sudden, dramatic hair loss – can be an indication of a significant medical event in addition to being a cosmetic issue. However, hair loss that occurs gradually is also a common, if unwelcome, phenomenon for women as well as men. While sudden hair loss should always be addressed by a physician, many forms of hair loss can be successfully addressed through lifestyle modifications, hair replacement therapies, and treatments to restore growth.

 

COMMON TYPES OF HAIR LOSS

Hair loss can occur in a variety of presentations. Here are some of the most typical types of unexplained hair loss.

• Male/female pattern baldness. While 85 percent of men will face noticeable hair loss by the age of 50, approximately 40 percent of women will also experience pattern hair loss by middle age. Though pattern hair loss often occurs alongside advancing age, it can begin as early as the late teens. In men, pattern baldness typically starts either as a receding hairline that gradually becomes more pronounced, or as a thinning at the crown of the head. In women, pattern hair loss generally begins as an evenly disbursed thinning along the top of the head, with the loss being most pronounced near the center part line.

• Alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that can cause patchy, irregular hair loss on the head and body. This occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing them to shrink and dramatically reduce hair production. This condition affects nearly 7 million people in the U.S.

• Traction alopecia. Traction alopecia occurs when the hair follicles have been stressed over a period of time due to continual tight pulling from hairstyling, such as tight ponytails and heavy and/or improperly installed hair extensions. Traction alopecia can be reversed if addressed quickly, but if the traction stress continues for years, it may not be reversible except through hair restoration interventions.

• Stress-related hair loss. Hair loss that occurs after a highly stressful or traumatic event is called telogen effluvium. When the body endures a shock or prolonged extreme psychological stress, the body may respond by entering the telogen phase, where the hair follicles go into a resting period and do not produce new hair. While stress is a frequent trigger, telogen effluvium may be caused by certain medications, iron deficiency, dramatic sudden weight loss, or hormonal fluctuations.

• Trichotillomania. This is a psychological condition that manifests in the desire to pull out hair when experiencing stress or anxiety. Patients might pull out hair from the scalp, hair from the eyebrows or eyelashes, or anywhere on the body.

If you are experiencing troubling hair loss, you should consult your doctor to determine the most likely cause. If your hair loss is due to a specific medical condition, there may be drug treatments that help to reverse the effects.

However, gradual hair loss that is not caused by a treatable medical abnormality might be corrected through targeted hair restoration programs. Some of the most effective restoration and rejuvenation procedures include:

LOW LIGHT LASER THERAPY

Low light laser therapy – also called low-level laser therapy or cold laser therapy – stimulates hair regrowth by generating cellular energy within the scalp. Laser wavelengths penetrate hair follicles, causing them to expand and produce new protein cells that form the hair root. This treatment is believed to trigger the anagen phase of hair growth.

It has also been found that the low-dose laser causes scalp stimulation that can encourage thicker hair growth than what the follicles achieved prior to hair loss. Several studies have found that the treatment can yield positive results in a diverse population of patients, but the precise laser wavelength and other factors that contribute to the most effective outcomes are still undetermined.

Low light therapy is a highly effective option for people who are at the beginning stages of hair loss, as the follicles are still receptive to stimulation.

COLLAGEN INDUCED THERAPY

Collagen induced therapy – also called microneedling – is a minimally invasive therapy that encourages hair growth by stimulating collagen production and neovascularization in the targeted area. This procedure involves the application of a medical grade needling device which creates tiny punctures in the treatment area, effectively encouraging cell regeneration and hair growth. In addition to encouraging collagen production that can facilitate follicle regeneration, the treatment also enhances the absorption of topical treatments like minoxidil or topical steroids when the therapies are combined.

The results of collagen induced therapy can be fast and dramatic, with some patients seeing results in as few as four weeks.

Abra Kadabra Hair & Healing specializes in providing effective, science-backed hair restoration and rejuvenation treatments to a variety of clients experiencing different types of hair loss, with different levels of severity. Our targeted treatments, administered by a certified trichologist, can help restore hair growth in the scalp area, and can also be used to stimulate eyelash and eyebrow growth. Using a combination of proven effective technologies and holistic herbal supplements and invigorating, detoxifying treatments, our clients overwhelmingly experience positive and even dramatic outcomes.

To learn more about our suite of treatment options for hair loss, please visit our hair loss clinic information page.