Hair loss handbook

Hair loss affects millions of men and women. For most of them it can be a difficult, emotional problem, but fortunately there are effective preventive measures if the condition is diagnosed early, and there are regenerative therapies if the hair loss has progressed. Most people lose their hair simply because they have inherited a genetic makeup that is prone to baldness regardless of lifestyle. However, hair loss can also be caused by underlying medical problems, medications, infections and many other factors.Hair transplant for women · Regenerative therapies

Causes of hair loss

General physical problems that cause diffuse hair loss may include:

• anemia
• thyroid disease
• connective tissue diseases (for example lupus)
• severe nutritional deficiencies
• surgical procedures, general anesthesia
• severe emotional problems

In women, obstetric and gynecological conditions, such as postpartum and post-menopausal states, as well as ovarian tumors, can also cause hair loss. A relatively large number of medications can cause a temporary form of hair loss called "telogen effluvium", a condition that switches the hair from its growth phase into a resting phase, after which it falls out a few months later. Fortunately this shedding is reversible if the medication is stopped.

Apply now

Medications that cause diffuse hair loss include:

• blood thinners (anticoagulants)
• anti-seizure medications
• gout medications
• high blood pressure, thyroid disease and anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisone
• drugs that lower cholesterol and other lipids
• mood-altering drugs
• chemotherapy
• oral contraceptives (especially with a high progestin level) and diet pills
• high doses of vitamin A
• certain "street" drugs (for example anabolic steroids and cocaine).

Types of hair loss

Hair loss patterns and scarring

Although many dermatological diseases can cause hair loss, they result in a pattern that differs from hereditary hair loss or the diffuse forms of hair loss mentioned above. Hair loss can also be divided into scarring and non-scarring types. Alopecia areata is a genetic, autoimmune disease that characterizes non-scarring hair loss. It manifests with the sudden appearance of discrete round patches of hair loss (although the condition may become permanent). In its mild form it can be treated with local steroid injections. Traction alopecia, hair loss caused by constant pulling on the follicle (e.g. tightly braided hair or "cornrows"), is often reversible, but can become permanent if the habit continues for a long time. Treatment is only possible if the traction hair loss is not extensive and if the pulling habit stops. Scarring alopecia can be caused by conditions such as lupus, lichen planus or radiation therapy. Hair loss can be the result of cosmetic facial surgery, but such a scalp is fortunately often suitable for hair transplantation. Radiation therapy can also cause both scarring and non-scarring hair loss, and it can also be treated with surgical hair restoration if the area is localized.

Stress-induced hair loss

When the body experiences a traumatic experience, a nutritional deficiency or stress caused by illness, the rate of hair loss can increase. Women's hair seems to be more sensitive to the effects of stress than men's hair. The reason may be that in women with a genetic predisposition to hair loss the proportion of fragile, miniaturized hair is generally higher. It is important to note that stress usually causes a rarer type of hair loss called telogen effluvium, which is quite different from androgenetic alopecia. Telogen effluvium is the reversible shedding of hair in the resting phase, when the body senses that it has to redirect its energies elsewhere. Therefore stress temporarily changes the amount of hair loss, but the lost hair will probably grow back over time.

Solutions

Thanks to the great advances in medicine, there is now an effective solution for most types of hair loss. The most widespread is of course hair transplantation, which can be performed on women and men alike, but there are also scientifically founded regenerative therapies that prove effective among those struggling with hair loss. Such is the justly famous Rigenera Activa for the treatment of male pattern baldness, as well as the lesser-known (though all the more effective) I-PRF treatment. By clicking the highlighted words you can learn more about each of our therapeutic treatments, and if you have a question or would like to sign up for an assessment, you can easily contact us by clicking the button below.State-of-the-art hair transplant · Hair transplant for women · Rigenera Activa · I-PRF treatment

Apply now