Ways to Treat Hair Loss
If you were asked to physically describe someone you know, one of your descriptors would likely be the person’s hair. You might describe it as brown, blonde, curly, short, long, etc.
Like it or not, your hair is one of the first things people notice about you. That is exactly why it can be a bit shocking to notice hair thinning or hair loss in the mirror.
Hair loss, also called alopecia, can affect your scalp as well as other areas of your body. Fortunately, you can take steps to slow it down and even restore your lost hair. There are many different ways to treat hair loss, but a hair transplant surgeon can help you find the right treatment option that works best for you.
Hair Loss Treatment Options
The best hair transplant surgeons will offer the choice of several different hair loss treatments to their patients, including the following:
Medication. Hair restoration medicines, such as minoxidil (used in Rogaine®) and finasteride (used in Propecia®), can help to slow down the progression of hair loss. The treatment can reverse the hair loss, prevent a receding hairline from continuing to recede, and boost new hair growth. Early treatment produces the best results, as is true of virtually any healthcare measure.
PRP therapy. Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a relatively new medical technique that is often used to enhance the results of hair transplant surgery. It may also be used alone in order to prevent additional hair loss by repairing shrinking hair follicles. PRP treatment harnesses platelets which are taken from a small blood sample from your own body, processed in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and then injected into your scalp to stimulate your body’s ability to repair its own follicles. This is performed by your hair doctor to improve hair quality and to stabilize hair loss.
Laser therapy. One of the newest arrivals on the market for treating hair loss is low-level laser therapy (LLLT), in which the hair follicles are treated with growth-stimulating laser light. This is especially helpful for people whose hair is thinning but not yet bald, and it works best when combined with other hair-restoration treatments such as PRP therapy. Laser hair therapy was formerly only available at a doctor’s office, but it can now be easily done at home in your free time by wearing it cap-style.
Hair transplant surgery. Also called hair restoration surgery, your surgeon will first remove a small amount of healthy hair follicles from other parts of your head, such as near the nape of your neck. The follicles are then transplanted into the balding areas, in groups of only one to four hairs per section, and they are placed in such a way as to match your own hair’s natural growth pattern. You may need more than one session to achieve the desired effect. Hair transplant surgery is considered the most effective hair loss treatment thanks to the permanence of the results. Full hair growth from hair transplant surgery usually occurs within 12 months. However, hair transplants tend to work better for men than they do for women for various reasons.
Hair Loss Expert in Kansas City, MO
An accurate diagnosis of the cause of your hair loss is critical to the ultimate success of your treatment. Dr. Scott Darling is a leading hair restoration specialist in Kansas City, and he will perform a hair loss evaluation before recommending the best treatments for you.
One of our goals at Darling Hair Restoration is to help his patients to understand the root cause of their hair loss so they can also prevent any further hair loss from developing. An expert in hair transplant surgery, Dr. Darling uses the latest hair restoration techniques for completely natural-looking results.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Darling, call us today at (816) 792-3400 or request an appointment via our online form now. We look forward to helping you regain a head full of hair again!
