Losing hair is as anxiety ridden as finding out you have a terminal illness. The fear, the panic and the uncertainty seem to take over our lives. Baldness, or Male Pattern Baldness, has many different causes but only a few effective treatments. The newer ones, however, have seen some impressive results which can alleviate a lot of the ongoing anxiety.
Hair loss, or alopecia, is caused mainly by genetics. Over 90% of men who experience hair loss, or male pattern baldness, are being adversely affected by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. There is no way to replace DHT, but certain medications are formulated to slow down the speed of its loss.
Other causes include medications having side effects including hair loss. Another is severe illness. Any time vitamins are depleted from the body, the body fights back by sending needed nutrients to vital organs, and our bodies don't believe feeding hair follicles is important. And of course, there's chemotherapy. Nothing affects hair follicles like high doses of poison.
Researchers have been working for years to perfect treatments and cures. Some work well, others work on certain individuals only, and still others are fairly successful but outrageously expensive.
Success comes in many forms: pills, surgery and ointments. There are some laser treatments that do produce pretty good results in many individuals. Of course, others will swear by something they bought from a roadside quack that might include cow dung, herbs, or some other disgusting mixture to either swallow or rub into your head.
Only a few decades ago, the only and best remedy was some pretty antiquated hair transplants. Success was not overwhelming. Infections and total failure were more common. These were expensive and painful to say the least. Very few patients enjoyed long term success. Some lost all their new hair and the money for the surgery. Procedures did improve along with associate pain and even costs. Long term success rates increased and severe infections that resulted in hair loss decreased drastically. However, these new surgical procedures are still surgery and they still come with risks that include everything from allergic reactions to the anesthesia, to tissue rejection.
Treating your hair loss will depend on how much hair you have lost and why. If your hair loss does not have an obvious cause (genetics, chemo, etc.), your doctor might run some tests to check for things like hormone imbalances. In many instances the underlying cause is treated, the condition is corrected, and your hair grows back on its own.
If there are no underlying causes to treat, then the loss of hair is treated separately. Your doctor can help you decide on an appropriate course of action. Usually a physician will start off with less risky procedures such as topical ointments and then graduate to more aggressive methods depending on your reaction to and results with a specific treatment.
If you are seriously considering a surgical option, you would be doing yourself a favor to get an independent evaluation first. Virtually no one is turned down if they show up at a clinic asking for a hair transplant. These are full service, self pay elective surgeries and when you walk through the door, you are revenue. Listen to your own doctor or at least find a dermatologist to get a thorough evaluation before making an expensive, painful, and irreversible mistake.
Hair loss, or alopecia, is caused mainly by genetics. Over 90% of men who experience hair loss, or male pattern baldness, are being adversely affected by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. There is no way to replace DHT, but certain medications are formulated to slow down the speed of its loss.
Other causes include medications having side effects including hair loss. Another is severe illness. Any time vitamins are depleted from the body, the body fights back by sending needed nutrients to vital organs, and our bodies don't believe feeding hair follicles is important. And of course, there's chemotherapy. Nothing affects hair follicles like high doses of poison.
Researchers have been working for years to perfect treatments and cures. Some work well, others work on certain individuals only, and still others are fairly successful but outrageously expensive.
Success comes in many forms: pills, surgery and ointments. There are some laser treatments that do produce pretty good results in many individuals. Of course, others will swear by something they bought from a roadside quack that might include cow dung, herbs, or some other disgusting mixture to either swallow or rub into your head.
Only a few decades ago, the only and best remedy was some pretty antiquated hair transplants. Success was not overwhelming. Infections and total failure were more common. These were expensive and painful to say the least. Very few patients enjoyed long term success. Some lost all their new hair and the money for the surgery. Procedures did improve along with associate pain and even costs. Long term success rates increased and severe infections that resulted in hair loss decreased drastically. However, these new surgical procedures are still surgery and they still come with risks that include everything from allergic reactions to the anesthesia, to tissue rejection.
Treating your hair loss will depend on how much hair you have lost and why. If your hair loss does not have an obvious cause (genetics, chemo, etc.), your doctor might run some tests to check for things like hormone imbalances. In many instances the underlying cause is treated, the condition is corrected, and your hair grows back on its own.
If there are no underlying causes to treat, then the loss of hair is treated separately. Your doctor can help you decide on an appropriate course of action. Usually a physician will start off with less risky procedures such as topical ointments and then graduate to more aggressive methods depending on your reaction to and results with a specific treatment.
If you are seriously considering a surgical option, you would be doing yourself a favor to get an independent evaluation first. Virtually no one is turned down if they show up at a clinic asking for a hair transplant. These are full service, self pay elective surgeries and when you walk through the door, you are revenue. Listen to your own doctor or at least find a dermatologist to get a thorough evaluation before making an expensive, painful, and irreversible mistake.
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Look over these key loss of hair treatment resources and educate yourself before deciding on a course of action. Click here.
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