Hair loss has many causes including genetics, stress, poor nutrition, drugs, and hormonal changes due to thyroid disease. Baldness occurs when the hair follicle shrinks over time resulting in shorter and thinner hair.
A healthy diet can prevent and cause hair growth. Foods containing Vitamin E like almonds, walnuts and strawberries promote circulation on the scalp. Vitamin C rich foods like broccoli, kiwi and oranges produce collagen, which is important for hair growth. Biotin containing foods like almond, avocado, eggs and nuts are great for healthy scalp. Vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid), Vitamin A and iron containing food are essential. Also the amount of protein intake should be adequate.
Regular exercise, yoga and meditation can decrease stress and help prevent hair loss.
It is also important to avoid heat products like dryers and irons, excessive washings, shampoos with sulfate, pulling while brushing or wearing a pony tail.
There are many medications and procedures that can be done to treat hair thinning and loss, the best results occur with the combination of these.
Finasteride (Propecia) reduces the levels of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), which is a derivative of testosterone. DHT is suspected to be the main cause of male pattern baldness (genetic hair loss) and it is responsible for hair follicles to shrink.
Minoxidil (Rogaine) solution can also be used and it is applied to the scalp to stimulate the hair follicle. It has proven to slow the hair loss for many men and grow new hair as well.
Antiandrogens like Spironolactone can also be used, they block the DHT from reaching the follicle. It is used in postmenopausal females or in male patients that want to avoid the use of DHT inhibitors due to their side effects.
These medications work well but hair loss returns when you stop using the medications.
Platelet Rich Plasma procedure can be done with or without microneedling.
The procedure consist on drawing the patient’s blood, it is then centrifuged and blood components like red blood cells, white blood cells are separated leaving PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma). It is a concentration of platelets and growth factors that stimulate hair growth. It contains PDGF (platelet derived growth factor, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and TGF (transforming growth factor). PRP is injected into the scalp by injection with a small needle size or it can be applied topically while performing a microneedling procedure.
PRP and Microneedling
Microneedling is a painless noninvasive procedure that consists of tiny needles that penetrate into the skin and triggers your body’s wound healing response. It has been shown to stimulate the production of proteins that are responsible for the development of new hair follicles. During the procedure, microneedling creates channels into the skin that allows the penetration of PRP.
