Hair Loss: Treatment Options by Type

Table Of Content

• The Best Hair Loss Treatments
• Certain exercises may offer effective treatment for depression
• Harvard Health Publishing
• Can hair loss in women be prevented?
• Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
• Common symptoms
• What are the best treatments for alopecia?
• Finasteride

Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying. A dermatologist can help you understand if you have hair loss, excessive hair shedding, or both, and help you identify possible causes. Taking steps to minimize and navigate stress before it overwhelms you could help lower your chances of experiencing physical side effects, like hair loss. The other group included 44 people who received plum blossom needle acupuncture — where acupuncturists insert 5-7 needles shallowly in a blossom pattern — combined with qi-invigorating superficies-consolidating therapy. If you suspect you could have a nutrient deficiency, ask your care team about testing to check your vitamin levels. Healthcare professionals can also help address other causes of nutrient deficiencies, such as eating disorders or health conditions that might block nutrient absorption.

The Best Hair Loss Treatments

While FPHL does often show up as you get older, it can happen at any point, particularly if you have a genetic predisposition. And while most FPHL patients are postmenopausal, Dr. Green has seen it in women in their twenties. Below are four of the most common culprits, according to our experts. Consider this your starting point for alleviating tress stress.

Certain exercises may offer effective treatment for depression

Female pattern baldness begins in the top-middle portion of your head. This falls around your center part, which is a natural line between the right and left sides of your hair. If you often style your hair to show a side part, you may not notice female pattern baldness immediately, but you’ll still see changes to the texture of your hair that indicate female pattern baldness near the center of your head. In the middle and later stages of female pattern baldness, you’ll lose hair on either side of your part and toward the front of your scalp. Once you've decided on where to scout your doctor, be sure your journey starts with a detailed medical history review, physical examination, scalp assessment, and sometimes specialized diagnostic tests.

Harvard Health Publishing

Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still others choose one of the treatments available to prevent further hair loss or restore growth. Results from clinical studies of mostly white women ages 18 to 45 years with mild to moderate degrees of hair loss report that after using minoxidil for eight months, 19% of users had moderate regrowth and 40% had minimal regrowth. Of those using a liquid without active minoxidil (a placebo) during the same time period, 7% reported moderate hair regrowth while 33% had minimal regrowth.

It's important to note that some forms of hair loss are temporary, while others may be permanent — therefore, treatments can vary depending on the underlying causes. You can style it, dye it and cut it to make a statement or tell your story of who you are. Hair loss can have an emotional impact on you because it affects the way you look, your self-esteem and your self-confidence.

Does castor oil for hair growth really work? We asked dermatologists to find out - CNN Underscored

Does castor oil for hair growth really work? We asked dermatologists to find out.

Posted: Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Other options include light therapy, hormone therapy, or, in some cases, hair transplants. If you notice increased hair loss, you’ll want to make an appointment with a dermatologist or other healthcare professional. They can help determine if you’re experiencing female pattern baldness or a different type of hair loss caused by other factors. Hair loss treatment varies based on what caused your hair loss or thinning hair.

Common symptoms

A review study published in 2022 found that it significantly increases hair diameter and hair count in patients with several types of alopecia. It typically isn’t covered by insurance, and it can be expensive, Mirmirani says. If hormone imbalances due to menopause, for example, cause hair loss, doctors may recommend some form of hormone therapy to correct them. Hair loss and thinning in females can happen for a variety of reasons.

What are the best treatments for alopecia?

Minoxidil usually needs to be used long-term to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. When the treatment is stopped, hair loss will begin again within 12–24 weeks. Research from 2015 suggests the regular use of LLLT may help stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth. In short, this type of laser therapy appears safe and effective as a treatment for people who didn’t notice improvement with standard hair loss treatments. Below you will find a list of treatments used to treat hair loss in women.

Start by nixing traumatic styling practices from your roster, Dr. Lo Sicco says, such as aggressive brushing (no teasing!), excessive heat styling, bleaching, and chemical hair straightening. Minoxidil may irritate your scalp and cause dryness, scaling, itching and/or redness. Surgical procedures to treat baldness are not usually covered by insurance. Immediately after surgery, regardless of which option you choose, an antibiotic ointment is placed over the area, and you'll be recommended to apply it twice daily for the first seven days. In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care.

The good news is that regrowth is possible for many types of hair loss. But it's a good idea to see a healthcare provider to get a diagnosis first—because the earlier treatment starts, the more likely you'll experience noticeable improvement. Some studies suggest that shining red light onto the scalp may promote hair growth.

The type of hair loss, as well as your overall health and desires, determine which hair replacement procedures are most suitable. A healthcare provider or dermatologist can help you navigate treatment for hair loss or thinning hair. Hair loss is complicated, with no shortage of causes and potential factors at plan.

Hair transplant, or restoration surgery, can make the most of the hair you have left. With any of the three surgeries, the recovery time lasts between three to six months with some redness, scabbing, or swelling. "Most patients are back to work within a week," Dr. Ziering says. "Transplanted hair falls out in a few weeks but then starts to regrow in a few months." Over the first several months hair growth will continue and tend to mature with final results visible between 12 and 18 months. All the experts agree that hair transplants should be the last step in your journey toward recovering your hair.

CCCA and LPP fall under the umbrella of lymphocytic scarring alopecia. The telltale signs of  these conditions are chronic inflammation of the scalp and the scarring of hair follicles, which can result in irreversible hair loss, Agbai notes. If you’ve noticed an excessive amount of hair shedding, a receding hairline, or that the hair on the crown of your head becoming increasingly sparse, you’re probably experiencing a form of hair loss.