There are several causes for loss, making each person’s case and choice in medical hair loss treatment very specific to them and only them. Let’s begin with an in-depth explanation of these causes.
Male/Female Pattern Baldness
Male and/or female pattern baldness is mostly the result of a combination of hormones and genetic predispositions. This mixture of factors leads to follicles (the tiny cavities in which strands reside) shrinking over time, producing a shorter and finer mane until new hair no longer grows. However, the follicles remain alive, but do not regrow. This detail means that regrowth is possible with treatment. The reason this condition is called male or female pattern baldness is because the loss occurs in a similar pattern for most people in this situation: a receding hairline coupled with thinning on the crown.
Alopecia
Alopecia is another common reason for loss. It is an autoimmune disease that is not contagious and is not due to stress. This condition occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks follicles, resulting in the loss. This disease mostly occurs in otherwise healthy people.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can sometimes result in alopecia. This is because chemo affects all of the cells in the body, not just cancer cells. Follicles are sensitive to this treatment because they multiply quickly, similar to cancer cells. This sensitivity to the treatment results in the immune system attacking the roots along with the cancer cells.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a different cause for loss from the others because it is an external factor. Trichotillomania is an impulse disorder that involves someone pulling out their own hair. The symptoms of this disorder are usually associated with stress, or triggered by a stressful event. This condition often manifests in adolescence, beginning around the age of 12 or 13 and is sometimes connected to puberty.
Solutions
There are many possible medical hair loss treatments that cater to each individual’s specific needs, depending on what their specialist sees as the most appropriate or effective for their case. The first of these treatments are topical solutions. Some come in the form of a foam or shampoo and are applied directly to the scalp. Another option is a Lasercomb, which is meant to revive follicles by using phototherapy to stimulate the follicles in thinning hair that have not yet died. Partial hair systems are another possible solution. These systems are strands that are inserted and sewn into the scalp one by one to replace what has been lost. Finally, there is also the option of a wig. Wigs come in a variety of textures, makeups, and styles. One can choose a wig of human, Cyberhair, or synthetic, depending on their preference.
There are many different causes an equally vast amount of options to choose from for medical hair loss treatment. Understanding the different reasons also helps to determine underlining causes that you may not have realized. The good part is that there are ways to help the situation. Over the years, options have grown in numbers.
