Are You Genetically Prone to Losing Hair? Newest Article Hair Transplant Information 11:41 PM

Understanding the biology behind hair loss, hair growth and how to treat it.

Hair is made up of strands of dead keratin cells that grow on every area of the skin’s surface except for the palms and soles. It might not be seen by the naked eye, but our entire body is covered in hair, most of which are so fine that they are practically invisible. Hair is made up of keratin, a protein that is produced in the hair follicles located in the skin’s outer layer. Follicles continually produce new cells that cause older ones to push out through the surface layer.

On average, the hair on our heads grows to about six inches per year or 300 micrometers per day. Both adult men and women have a head full of about 100,000 to 150,000 strands and naturally shed around 100 daily.

How does hair grow and why do we lose it? 

At any given time, around 90% of the hair on our heads is growing. While every follicle varies in life cycle, certain factors like biological predisposition, age, disease and physiological changes among others are able to affect their natural growth process.

Image Source

There are four phases of hair growth:

Anagen – The active growth phase of the cycle that lasts between 5 to 7 years for scalp hair and just 4 to 7 months for the eyebrows, armpits and pubic area.

Categen – Referred to as the transition phase that goes on for about 2 to 3 weeks where hair is pushed from the skin and becomes keratinized.

Telogen – This is the resting phase where the length of the hair remains stationary and can last anywhere between 3 to 9 months before cycling back to Anaphase.

Exogen – The shedding phase that causes hair to fall. Strands are detached at the shaft and do not affect the follicles which continue to generate hair.

Hair loss is normal—to a certain extent.

In order to reduce panic over the fear of hair loss, it is important to understand that not every follicle follows the same cycle. A lot of times, the first three phases would have been repeated before shedding takes place, giving rise to a significant amount of loss by the time hair finally falls out. If more strands than usual are left on your brush, don’t be quick to conclude that the loss is severe. You hair just might be following this biological process.

It’s your genes’ fault.

While it was mentioned that a lot of factors could influence the follicle growth cycle, let’s explore the biological predisposition that causes hair loss. This means that even before reaching an old or menopausal age or without contracting a disease, unusual hair loss could happen as determined by a person’s genes.

The biological predisposition for hair loss is called pattern baldness, known scientifically as“Androgenic Alopecia”.

Pattern baldness occurs in both men and women and is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. These external causes are not the root of actual hair loss per se but could significantly promote and worsen the condition.

How does pattern baldness look like?

Hamilton-Norwood Scale

The Hamilton–Norwood scale is used to classify the stages of male pattern baldness. The stages are described with a number from 1 to 7 (Image Source).

Male Pattern Baldness happens when hair follicles shrink due to androgenic hormones. This occurs in over 70% of men and is characterized by a balding temple and thinning at the crown area. Baldness usually begins at the hairline and gradually recedes backward, creating an “M” or horseshoe pattern around the temples.

Ludwig Scale

The Ludwig scale is a method of classifying female pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), and ranges from stages I to III. (Image Source)

Female Pattern Baldness affects a lesser portion of the population at only 40%. Unlike the receding hairline in men, hair loss starts at the center part in women and gradually widens over time. Noticeable thinning can also be observed around this area and hair loss will consistently be significant in number. Regardless, complete baldness rarely occurs as opposed to that in men, but overall thinning is likely to take place. While most cases begin somewhere between 40 to 60 years old, heredity and unhealthy hair practices can encourage the early rise of symptoms.

A new shampoo won’t do the trick.

A lot of people take hair loss as a case of incompatible hair product use. While it is true that our hair care practices can influence baldness, it should be resolved by more than just switching your shampoo and conditioner.

Because hair loss can also be attributed to a number of diverse factors, people may confuse pattern baldness to occur with stress or diseases when it is actually caused by something else. Attempting to treat hair loss with medications and management procedures gleaned from the Internet and other unreliable sources may even aggravate the condition.

Apart from tracing whether or not pattern baldness runs in the family, the only certain way that you are able to remove the fallen strands from your brush in peace is to seek the help of a medical specialist. This will end any unnecessary anxiety and allow you to treat the hair loss appropriately and effectively.

Dial your way to an effective solution

Different solutions are available, from hair growth pills and topical applications to laser therapy, all of which can be relatively effective depending on the cause of baldness and the patient’s reaction to treatment. To date, the permanent solution for hair loss is hair transplantation. This procedure can effectively restore lost hair and reshape the hairline and is performed as minor surgery with the patient fully conscious throughout the procedure.

 

Important Links:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/hereditary-patterned-baldness-a-to-z

https://genetics.thetech.org/ask-a-geneticist/balding-genetics

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/androgenetic-alopecia

Stop and Reverse Hair Loss Effectively Hair Transplant Information 11:39 PM

Excessive hair loss is a problem that not only affects you the moment your hair falls on the floor or when it sticks more on your brush than on your head. Hair loss is also a social and emotional roller coaster ride that may even lead you to a point of desperation and frustration. You can either live with it or fight against it. If there is anything good about this situation, it is that there are ways that can help you reverse your losses.

You must know that there are several reasons why you are losing your hair. But, no matter what those causes are, you can always cover your bases with the basics.

How to Stop and Reverse Hair Loss?

Eat right

Nourishing your hair with the right hair boosting nutrients will help it to be resilient, healthy and beautiful. If you are serious about your hair health, it is important to bank on these particular nutrients:

• Protein
• Zinc
• Iron
• Vitamin B12

Style it right

Another common mistake that a lot of hair sufferers do is abusing their hair with different styles and products. If you want to retain or regain your hair, you also have to be mindful of how you are styling it. Exposing your hair to too much pressure and chemicals make it vulnerable to breakage and excessive hair fall. 

Remember to keep your hair down once in a while, lose the ponytail, weave or tight braids. Let your hair and scalp breathe from all the goop and product you are used to using. 

All these can have detrimental effects to the structure and health of the hair, which can ultimately lead to hair loss.

Did you know that very tight hairstyles can also lead to permanent damaging effects? Most people are not aware that when you put too much stress on your hair and scalp, as with very tight weaves, the type of hair loss that results afterwards might lead to scarring that can impede hair regrowth. 

Therefore, while things are not so dire for you, give your hair a break (no pun intended).

Massage your Scalp

If there is an easy way to help you stop hair loss to some degree and promote better hair growth is to massage your scalp. This very simple, and yet very helpful, step that promotes optimum blood circulation. With better blood flow also comes better nourishment, making the area a fertile ground for hair regrowth.

Massaging the scalp may not directly result to hair growth, but this is certainly a reliable measure to boost the effects of other treatments. Be sure to be gentle on your hair and scalp when doing this, and it also helps if you use natural oils to add nourishment as you move along.

Live a Stress Free Life

Stress is a powerful emotion and its effects echo throughout the system. It sets off a cascade of reactions that usually lead to negative consequences, and sometimes at the expense of our hair. 

In fact, excessive hair loss, which results from high amounts of stress, is even referred to as stress alopecia. Although others may not suffer to that extent, high levels of stress can still result in increased hair fall. 

To avoid this from occurring, learn to manage your stress better. There are stress relieving techniques such as going for a massage, relaxation techniques or guided imagery. For all you know, you might just need to take some time off and just breathe.

Medications

One of the popular remedies for reversing hair loss is through medications. There are two brands that have been widely known to correct excessive hair loss, and that is Minoxidil and Propecia.

Minoxidil

This is an FDA-approved treatment to reverse hair loss, which also enhances follicle size to produce bigger strands of hair. It is a topical treatment that comes in different concentrations to promote hair restoration. This is the only treatment safe for women who are suffering from hair loss, and years of research and clinical studies can stand behind its hair restoration action.

Propecia

This is a drug originally created for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH), but it was found out later on that it also has a restorative action for the hair. A lot of men are using this product, and many can attest that it does work. The problem, however, is that it creates sexual side effects. A lot of men are complaining about it because this side effect was not relieved even after stopping the drug. Therefore, if you are interested in taking this course of action, be advised accordingly.

Supplements

Aside from the nutrition you get from your diet or the treatment you get from medications, supplements can also help improve your chances of restoring your hair. There are several hair growth supplements in the market today with a variety of formulation to help people regain their hair. Such products are often formulated with hair boosting nutrients, herbs and other special ingredients that promote hair growth.

There are a lot of people who swear by them. However, you still have to take these products with caution. What most people misunderstand about supplements is that just because it is formulated with natural ingredients, it is already safe. But the truth of the matter is that supplements can just be as potent in creating untoward reactions with medications you may be taking. This is why you should always inform your doctor first, especially if you are taking maintenance medications.

Cortisone injections

Another treatment, that may not be as popular as the others, is cortisone injections. This may not be the most comfortable solution, but it has been proven to work. In this method, cortisone is injected directly into the scalp to block the hormonal activity that promotes hair thinning. According to some experts, this treatment is perfect for those who are suffering from inflammatory scalp disease.

Laser Hair Therapy

Lasers are considered to be revolutionary treatments for hair loss. They are easy, quick, non-invasive and also efficient in delivering success. When directed on the problem area, lasers reduce the inflammation of the follicles that stop the generation of new hair. This treatment is supported by several studies all of which are pointing for its efficacy. In a study where treatments were done two times a week for 26 weeks showed an increase in hair density.

What is good about laser treatments is that they are convenient. This can be done at a doctor's office for just a few minutes, or you can do it yourself using a take-home device. Laser combs are among the latest trends in non-invasive hair restoration treatments.

Surgical Hair Restoration

If you have the guts, the money and the qualities to be a good candidate, then hair transplant surgery is an excellent treatment to rely on. Although this is a rather drastic and invasive treatment to restore hair, this procedure is known to have a good success rate. This procedure uses your own hair, which is taken at the back of the head (donor site), and then transplanted to the bald areas. These hairs take on the characteristic of the hairs on the new site so it does not shed anymore, but instead it grows healthily. 

However, success also means that you take good care of the results and that you primarily choose a good surgeon to do the job.

Hair transplant surgery is a very delicate procedure that requires a very keen eye for aesthetics and skill to pull off a natural-looking result. The healing process is gradual, but with proper aftercare, you can get safe and successful results that are also highly satisfying. In fact, a lot of men are willing to invest in a good procedure because such treatment is definitely paid well with results that are long lasting.

If you are interested in getting FUE hair transplant in Melbourne, contact Dr. M. Alam of MediHair Hair Transplant at enquiry@medihairtransplant.com.au, or 1300 355 325.

Now that you have read through these facts, I hope that you are made more aware of your options on cutting back your losses with excessive hair loss. This may be a very desperate situation, or an embarrassing one at the least, but know that you can tap into several sources for a solution. If not for total restoration, you can at least make your circumstances better.

Why Younger Men Are Going Bald? Hair Transplant Information 2:32 AM

Do you ever notice that today hair loss is not only an old man's dilemma, but to some young men as well? 

Yes, just like premature wrinkles, hair loss can also do some serious damage among young men. Not only they lose their hair, but so does their confidence. This is why a lot of these gentlemen are now scrambling to find a solution.

Hair loss at an early age

Why are young men going bald? 

Baldness is not some sort of illness or curse that afflicts a chosen few. Back in the day, bald is something that can only be described to old men. This is because they are usually the ones most affected by it with the degradation of the hair due to aging. But this is where the tricky part comes in. Baldness is definitely one tricky issue, and men just might find it a betrayal of some sort.

The major reason why some men are losing hair early is because of a bad gene that he inherited from either of his parents. This particular genetic compound dictates the fate of your hair. So if you see any side of your family where baldness is prevalent, then chances are high for you, as well. This is what is called androgenetic alopecia.

[PLEASE READ] Hair Loss at 23: A Young Man’s Struggle

Androgenetic alopecia

This is also referred to as male-pattern baldness affecting two-thirds of men showing signs of hair loss by the age of 35 or earlier. DHT, or dihydro testosterone, is the culprit for this condition. DHT is a by-product of testosterone that affects the hair follicles causing these to become finer. It also causes the hairline to recede and eventually have hair follicles fall in excessive amounts.

Male pattern baldness is called as such because the hair loss actually follows a pattern (Please see the image below). It either starts thinning at the front resulting in a regressing hair line, or it could start thinning at the middle portion of the scalp and eventually grows in diameter outwards.

Diagnosing Men's Hair Loss: Norwood Scale

For this reason, some guys prefer to just shave it all off to avoid the embarrassment of being obvious that they are already losing hair at a young age. Let's face it, hair for men is a sign of virility and youth. So it's definitely a blow to their body image and self-esteem when it just starts falling off.

Not to end on a bad note, here I give you some advise on how you may be able to stop or minimize the damage.

Here are measures to help you deal with this problem.

1. Tweak your diet

If you are serious about improving your hair loss, you need to learn how to make smart food choices. Sometimes, it takes an act of just sprucing up your diet to make dramatic changes.

According to a research, you can start by avoiding fried foods. This actually helps a great deal because it decreases oil gland activity, which reduces the occurrence of your testosterone being switched to DHT. Sweets should also be kept minimal because sugar also triggers more testosterone to be released. And with more of it in circulation, you only make it more available for conversion into DHT.

2. Check your shampoo

Being more scrutinizing about the shampoo you are using can also help you save more hair from falling. Ketoconazole, which is an anti fungal, can also have testosterone reducing action, though not in alarming amounts, but enough to keep DHT formation controlled.

A 2011 Belgian study even backed this up by claiming that balding men in their study who used shampoo with one percent ketoconazole two to three times a week for six months experienced a reduction in hair shedding of up to 17%.

3. Check your health

Sometimes, hair loss may stem from other conditions in your body. For instance, thyroid problems could cause your hair to shed in excessive amounts. Go to your primary care physician to check for other reasons that could put off these hair shedding. This not only saves your hair, but it just might save your life as well.

4. Light up your head

How low-level light therapy work?

Another measure that a lot of hair loss sufferers are looking into is low-level light therapy. This is an FDA approved treatment for mild to moderate baldness. Studies even show that regular use of light therapies resulted in increase in thickness and density of the hair. This is why there are portable devices available today.

5. Hair transplant

Wayne Rooney had hair transplant in 2013 to combat hair loss.

If you are really serious and financially able to afford a hair transplant procedure, this would be a perfect solution. But not to rain on your parade, not everyone can undergo this treatment. Financial aspect aside, this procedure should be done on the right patient.

Most of the time, hair transplant surgeons do not perform on younger patients, especially those in their teens or early twenties, as hair loss at this age has not yet stabilized. If the procedure is done too early on, there is a big chance that hair loss could still continue in other parts of the scalp, therefore damaging the result and requiring another session. It pays to go to a reputable surgeon, one who will be honest with you with the results and the course of treatment that would suit you best.

Now that you've got the basics down, do start with making the changes right away, then slowly try your luck with the possible treatments available. Go through it in phases. Start with the simple, and if it doesn't give you the results you want, work your way up the ladder.

Hair transplant should be your last option. Some of you may want to jump right into surgery but are having trouble with affording it. Good news is that you can find clinics today that offer financing options to help you pay for the procedure that is easy on the pocket.

If you are interested in getting FUE hair transplant in Melbourne, contact Dr. M. Alam of MediHair Hair Transplant at enquiry@medihairtransplant.com.au, or 1300 355 325.

FUE Hair Transplant by MediHair Hair Transplant Melbourne Hair Transplant Information 1:16 AM

FUE Hair Transplant Melbourne

The Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE hair transplantation technique has recently became the popular choice in hair restoration these days. It has attracted the attention of patients who have the fear of going under the knife and living with a liner scar on the donor site. FUE uses an advanced and modern method that provides a permanent answer to your hair loss problem.

Compared to the traditional FUT technique, it is more delicate and complicated to perform. While the procedure takes a challenging operation of two 3 to 5-hour sessions to complete, the results are proven to meet your expectations and will leave incredibly satisfied. This is achieved with the use of highly efficient instruments and the expert hands of Dr. M. Alam of MediHair Hair Transplant Clinic.

FUE VS FUT Hair Transplant Procedure (Image Source)

To give you an idea on the meticulous procedure involved in FUE to give you outstanding hair restoration results, let us take a detailed look at the step-by-step process of this advanced hair transplant technique.

Consultation

As with any cosmetic surgery procedure, the FUE hair transplant begins with a one-on-one consultation with our FUE expert Dr. Alam. This is the best time for Dr. Alam to make a thorough examination of your hair loss. The scalp, density of hairs in the donor site and severity of your condition will be assessed, taking into consideration the existing hair loss and how it will progress in the future, help the doctor determine whether you are a good candidate for hair transplant.

Based on this, a personalized treatment plan will be designed. This will include the number of grafts needed to provide coverage based on your realistic expectations. Once this has been completely discussed, you will be given preoperative instructions to prepare you for the procedure.

Pre-operative Instructions

While the FUE technique is considered to be a minimally-invasive cosmetic procedure, there are preoperative instructions that you need to follow to ensure a speedy healing after your hair transplant treatment.

• Stop taking Vitamin E, B Vitamins, blood-thinning and anti-inflammatory medications two weeks prior to surgery date.
• Abstain from smoking at least one week before the surgery up until two weeks after the procedure.
• No drinking of alcohol at least three days before the surgery.
• No coffee or caffeinated drinks before the day of the surgery.
• For those with light blonde or white hair, it is advised that you dye your hair dark brown. This will make it easier for the doctor and the instrument to properly visualize the hair follicles. Also, it is best to dye the hair at least two days before the surgery to ensure that coloring has already been removed from the scalp.
• Blood tests may be needed before the day of surgery.

Hair Trimming

Hair trimming is an integral process in the FUE technique, as this will provide better ease in extracting the hairs from the donor site. For smaller sessions, a long strip may be shaved that can be easily covered by the existing hair above it. For larger sessions, the entire back and sides of the scalp will be shaved to a 1mm in length. If you are unsure of how short you need to trim your hair, it is best to keep long as the doctor will trim it in its appropriate length on the day of the surgery.

Taking Photographs and Drawing the Donor and Recipient Areas

Photographs of your head taken at different angles will be done before the procedure. This will provide a before and after overview to help the doctor analyze the postoperative results.

After that, the doctor will strategically draw the donor area/s where the donor hairs will be collected to avoid any patchy areas in the donor area. The same will be done on the recipient area.

Anesthesia

Once the plotting of the donor and recipient sites have been done, local anesthesia will be injected on the donor area to make sure that the FUE procedure is almost pain-free. In certain cases, a saline solution will be injected in the donor area to raise the scalp for easier follicle extraction.

Extraction of Follicular Units

The next step involves the actual extraction of the follicular units or hair grafts. For the FUE technique, the doctor will use a microscope and micro-needle to make small circular incisions around the individual hair grafts. This will create an approximately 0.7 to 1 mm micro punches on the donor area, which quickly heals around two to three days. Dr. Alam only uses the latest technology and newest technique to ensure that transection or hair graft damage is kept at a minimum.

The individual grafts are then carefully extracted using a forceps gripping it above the surface. The follicles are then placed in low temperature containers with a specialized solution according to the number of hairs they have. This is to preserve the grafts while the recipient is being prepared for the transplantation by our team of expert hair technicians.

Typically, a gold standard of around 1,200 to 1,500 follicular units can be taken out per session per day. After the extraction, you will be allowed to have a 30-minute break to have a light snack or lunch. 

Follicular Unit Implantation

Once the extraction process has been completed, a local anesthesia will be injected on the recipient area. The doctor will then proceed to strategically make small incisions in predetermined sections of the balding area using a fine needle. The grafts are then placed carefully into the incisions. This is where aesthetic component is highly considered to make sure that the new hair growth will look natural and blend seamlessly with the existing hairs.

Image Source: HairTransplantDoctorUK

Dr. Alam will define the hair depth, angulation and growing direction of each hair graft in relation to the surrounding implanted or existing hairs. The doctor will also place 1 to 2 hair follicular units in the hairline section to achieve a soft and natural look and 3 to 4 hair follicular units behind it to create a fuller look.

This meticulous process and long hours of extraction and transplantation are the reasons why FUE is considered to be more expensive.

Post Surgery and Healing

Image Source: HairTransplantNetwork.com

Once the entire procedure is completed, the doctor will provide you postoperative instructions that you will need to strictly follow.

One advantage of FUE is that because it does not require making a large incision at the back of the head, healing and recovery period is very short and quick. All it needs is to wait for the incisions to properly heal and the scabbing to fall off, which happens between 2 to 5 days.  Also, there is little to no downtime. This means that you can resume to your daily activities immediately after the treatment.

However, it should be noted that final and permanent results will not be seen until after the year. This is because the new hair takes on the natural hair growth cycle.

Getting the desired coverage to your scalp takes patience. But the long hours in the clinic chair and the wait for the results will definitely be worth once you get to see the exceptional results of your FEU hair transplant procedure. And since transplanted hairs are not susceptible to hair loss, you get to enjoy its lush results forever. 

If you are interested in getting FUE hair transplant in Melbourne, contact Dr. M. Alam at enquiry@medihairtransplant.com.au, or 1300 355 325.