Hair loss in Singapore – What is It, Causes, Prevention and Treatments

It’s normal to find a few strands of hair on your comb after a few brushes. It only becomes worrying when the amount of hair you find is a lot more than usual, and you’re seeing bald patches on your scalp, or your hair appears thinner.

If you notice this and have no clue if the amount of hair that you are shedding is natural, then it may be time to get hair loss treatment in Singapore. Here’s what you need to know about hair loss, and what can be done about it.

What is Hair Loss? 

It is normal for an adult to lose about 100 strands of hair in a day and the thinning of hair is unnoticeable because there is hair growth happening simultaneously.

However, hair loss happens when there is a disruption during the hair cycle. Typical hair growth and cycle involve:

• Growing stage
• Resting stage
• Falling stage

Hair loss will be a concern if you are losing more than 100 strands of hair in a day. Besides that, if there is a general thinning of hair or noticeable bald patches over the scalp, beard and eyebrows, then you may want to seek out a specialist for professional advice.

What Causes Hair Loss?

There are different causes of hair loss, and some are more severe than others. Here are a few reasons that cause hair loss:

Androgenetic Alopecia  

This is one of the most common causes of hair loss in both males and females, although it usually happens to females later in life compared to males. The three factors that cause this are:

• Testosterone
• Age
• Hereditary

Alopecia Areata  

The cause for Alopecia Areata is due to an auto-immune disease, where the immune cells of one’s body attack and damage the hair follicles. This will result in a patchy loss of hair over the scalp.

Chronic Illness and Nutritional Deficiencies    

Thyroid diseases, connective tissue disease and chronic kidney or liver disease can be a reason for hair loss. Nutritional deficiencies such as a lack of iron, vitamin D and zinc in a person’s body will cause apolecia as well.

Drug-Induced   

Some drugs like anti-cancer drugs and anticoagulants can cause hair loss. In rare cases, when the doses of anti-cancer drugs are high, the hair loss is permanent.

Anticoagulants which are blood thinner medication will affect the entire scalp, rather than just a specific area of a person who is consuming it to help with blood clots and prevent complications in certain conditions such as heart disease.

Scalp Diseases  

A bacteria and fungal infection and other local scalp inflammatory disorders such as seborrheic dermatitis may cause patchy hair loss as well as scaliness on the scalp.

Telogen Effluvium  

This hair loss that disrupts the normal hair cycle usually happens to a person 2 to 4 months after these situations:

• Childbirth
• Acute illness
• Physical and emotional stress
• Crash dieting

Traction alopecia  

When hair is being pulled too tightly into a hairstyle such as a ponytail, bun or braids, hair loss will happen too. Besides that, applying heat or chemicals to your hair constantly will also cause Traction alopecia.

Trichotillomania    

The effect of Trichotillomania is when bizarre shapes and patterns can be seen on the person’s scalp. It happens when a person is obsessed and uncontrolled in plucking their hair. Moreover, broken hair shafts and scalp excoriations can also be found on their scalp.

What Are Hair Loss Treatments  

Different treatments are available for the various causes of hair loss. It is crucial to consult a specialist and pick the proper treatment to prevent hair loss from getting too severe. So here are some effective hair loss treatments in Singapore.

Hair Transplant  

Hair transplantation in Singapore is a surgical technique available in Singapore that involves moving hair follicles from a different part of the body called the ‘donor site’ to the bald or balding part of the body, known as the ‘recipient site’.

The hair transplantation process may take 5 to 10 hours depending on the size of the hair transplant and may cost up to $20,000 or more. If you have decided to have thicker hair, another procedure is required to achieve the desired result.

Just like any other surgery, this hair transplantation procedure has some risks to it, such as:

• bleeding
• infection
• scarring
• unnatural-looking new hair growth

However, only about 5% of transplant patients have experienced post-surgical hiccups. The common side effect that would usually happen to patients is shock loss, where they would lose some of the original hair from the area where the new strands of hair are.

Non-Surgical Hair Replacement System 

Simply putting on a wig can sometimes be a hassle, especially since it takes time to make it look natural. A non-surgical hair replacement system will save you time and effort on putting on a wig while also increasing your self-confidence. This procedure involves using a hair toupee, a small wig or an artificial hairpiece to cover a bald spot made of 100% human hair.

The membrane of the toupee will be attached securely to your scalp, and the new hair will cover the bald spot. With the advancement of technology, the toupee in Singapore will not be noticeable as the ability to match your original hairstyle, colour, thickness, and texture will allow for seamless concealment.

If these types of effective hair treatment interest you, then book a slot with HairSpec and come for a free consultation for more information and options to treat your hair loss.