If your once-luscious hair is starting to look limp and thin, take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone.
For about 80 percent of men and 50 percent of women, hair loss is a part of life. Causes include genetics, hormones, medications, overuse of hair dye, diet, and stress. This is called androgenetic alopecia, also known as male-pattern or female-pattern baldness, and thinning or disappearing hair is a reality for many people.
It often begins without much pomp or atmosphere. There are a few more hairs than usual in the bathtub. If you look closely, it looks thinner than you remember.
Dr Emraan Imami of Imami Hair Restoration in Melbourne said: “Hair loss generally occurs gradually and most people lose about 50 to 75 per cent of their hair before they notice they are bald.” “During this period, the hair follicle shrinks or becomes smaller, and over time the hair follicle becomes permanently non-functional.”
When hair loss becomes noticeable, it’s time to take action. Once hair falls out, it is gone forever.
“Early intervention is key to preventing hair loss in both men and women,” says Imami. “Early intervention with aggressive medical and regenerative treatments can reverse miniaturization and promote hair preservation. Once the hair follicle shrinks and closes, no hair will grow back.”
The choice to do nothing is to accept baldness and opt for a hat, wig, hair powder, or scalp micropigmentation (SMP). This includes getting artistic tattoos on the scalp to trick the eye into thinking it’s actual hair.
Ultimately, the individual will only have to accept the bald patch, perhaps to the extent of shaving off any remaining hair. According to a study from the University of Pennsylvania, a shaved head in men should be considered, as it may signal dominance over even a full head.
Instead of doing nothing, Aubrey Blair chose to take action.
“I don’t want to look my age,” says the Merritt Island resident.
Blair, who suffers from male pattern baldness, first noticed his hair thinning in his 20s.
“I had hair, but it was definitely thinning,” she said.
She fought back, first using minoxidil at a time when hair loss drugs were gaining traction, and then progressing to treatment with protein-rich platelets (PRP) and PDO (polydioxonone).
PRP involves separating the patient’s own platelets using a centrifuge and injecting them into the area of hair loss. The theory is that the excess growth factors inherent in these platelets nurture the hair follicle back to its original rich state. Commonly used in cosmetic procedures, PDO threads promote cell division and regrow dormant hair follicles.
For a time, Dr. Blair was satisfied with PRP/PDO, but this was further enhanced by adjunctive treatments such as biotin supplements, which have been suggested to be able to help restore hair growth in people with biotin deficiency. I did.
But eventually, she felt her hair was in a slump again. She decided it was time to undergo the major treatment of hair transplantation, which remains the top option in the approximately $4 billion hair loss treatment industry.
“Hair transplantation remains the gold standard for hair regeneration,” Imami says.
The procedure has changed a lot since it was first introduced in the 1930s to help burn victims.
“This technology has improved significantly and now individual hair follicles can be transplanted to achieve artistic and natural results,” Imami said. “By transplanting a single hair follicle, the results are more natural and highly effective.”
This surgery is done on an outpatient basis and is much faster than it was a few years ago. Pretreatment with PRP, exosomes, and other drugs can help optimize results. Exosomes, or stem cell components, are of interest because of their ability to transmit signals that initiate cell regeneration.
Donor hair is harvested from the back of the head, where hair tends to grow thicker, but for men, it can also be harvested from the beard. Imami uses NeoGraft to accurately extract hair follicles with a 99% success rate.
NeoGraft is the next generation of follicular unit ablation technology that safely harvests and transplants individual hair follicles. It is semi-automated, which eliminates most possible human errors. The hair follicle is removed with a wand that extracts the hair follicle by suction. An incision is made with another tool and the hair follicle is transplanted at the same time. It is less invasive, reducing complications and scarring.
Blair quickly went through the process. “It felt like I was sleeping in a massage chair,” she said.
She admitted that things initially seemed to get worse before they got better. She experienced some initial hair loss as her scalp adapted to the treatment, but swelling was minimal. However, after a day off, Blair returned to work and then took a short vacation. She did not tell her family about the transplant, and no one at work or at home seemed to notice or ask her about it.
Her head experienced changes as new hair began to grow. Her hair was certainly darker so it looked thicker.
“This is a dramatic change,” she said. “It feels very full, yet very natural. I’ve had several people tell me that they love the way my hair works.”
Because the transplant is permanent, Blair doesn’t think it will be necessary to repeat the transplant. Especially since she stacks the odds in her favor by continuing PRP treatments and using over-the-counter hair loss prevention aids like those recommended by Dr. Imami. Organic shampoos and supplements rich in vitamins A to E, iron, and trace minerals, as well as products such as minoxidil, finasteride, and aldactone, all FDA-approved medications. Wearing a low-light laser cap, which looks like a baseball cap, for a set amount of time each day has also proven effective.
Imami points out that more women are choosing transplants like Blair’s.
“Ten years ago, there were so few medical options to treat thought hair that I could only suggest hair transplantation to my patients,” he says. “At the time, 95 percent of my patients were men suffering from severe hair loss or alopecia, and 5 percent were women seeking the same treatment.With the recent development of effective regenerative medicine treatments for hair loss, my Fifty percent of my patients are now women. Not only are the proportions of women in my practice changing, but both women and men are now dealing with hair thinning and hair loss at a much earlier age.”
For more information, visit imamihair.com or call 321-312-4168.
Support local journalism by subscribing at cm.floridatoday.com/specialoffer.
