Tips For Managing Hair Loss

If you’ve been noticing a slowly receding hairline or have spotted some early signs of balding, the key step you should immediately take is to schedule a visit (or in today’s Covid-19 situation, a phone consultation) with a doctor or dermatologist to make sure your hair loss isn’t a sign of a more serious health issue!

However, if you’re assured that the reason behind your hair loss isn’t a serious medical issue, let’s get down to the business of managing your hair loss!

More specifically, let’s dig a little deeper into what causes hair loss, the treatments available for hair loss restoration and what hair specialists or hair loss specialists in Singapore can do for you.

What Causes Hair Loss in the First Place?

Hair loss (alopecia) can be caused by many factors and conditions. Some people can experience temporary hair loss (telogen effluvium) while others experience long-term hair loss.

Several genes in your mother’s and father’s family determine your susceptibility to hair loss. In fact, genetic factors play a bigger role in hair loss than environmental factors!

Here are a few more common causes of hair loss:

• Alopecia Areata: An autoimmune condition with an unknown cause that leads to patchy hair loss on the scalp
• Alopecia Totalis: An autoimmune condition with an unknown cause that leads to loss of all hair on the scalp.
• Disease: Including cancer,diabetes, and lupus
• Hair styling: Can cause hair loss if hair is excessively styled, straightened or brushed. Hair loss can also occur because of dying, bleaching or perming treatments.
• Hormonal changes or imbalances:This may occur during pregnancy, birthing, discontinuing use of birth control medication or devices that affect hormones, the onset of menopause, thyroid conditions, or severe emotional trauma and shock.
• Medical treatments: Radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer can cause hair loss.
• Medications: Medications including blood thinners, anti-inflammatories, anti-fungals
• Nutritional deficiencies: Hair loss can be caused by unhealthy dieting, eating disorders, or poor nutrition,
• Traction alopecia: This condition occurs when the scalp is scarred, and hair roots are damaged from over styling or pulling hair too tightly in hairstyles like ponytails, braids, or pigtails.

What Treatments are Available for Hair Loss Restoration?

Currently, there are few available treatment options for hair loss restoration. However, most hair loss treatment in Singapore that aim at hair loss restoration only manages hair loss, rather than being a permanent solution!

• Minoxidil  

Minoxidil lotion is applied to the scalp and may work by increasing blood flow, and therefore nourishment, to the hair follicles. The treatment has zero effect on the hormonal process of hair loss, and its benefits are temporary. Hair loss continues if usage is discontinued.

• Finasteride  

Finasteride inhibits type II 5-alpha-reductase, which is the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone into the more potent androgen DHT. DHT levels are reported to be reduced by 60 percent when the drug is taken, which prevents the susceptible follicles from being affected by the hormone and returning their normal size!

• Hair transplantation  

Hair transplantation involves harvesting follicles from the back of the head and transplanting them to bald areas. A surgeon will remove minuscule plugs of skin that contain a few hairs and implant the plugs where the follicles are inactive. Around 15 percent of hairs emerge from the follicle as a single hair, and 15 percent grow in groups of four or five hairs.

At the end of the procedure, the person will still have the same amount of hair – it will just be distributed more evenly around the scalp. Treating hair loss through surgical procedures can be painful and expensive. There is also a risk of scarring and infection!

• Low-level laser therapy  

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a form of light and heat treatment. LLLT has been shown to stimulate hair growth in both men and women. The main mechanism involved in the process is the stimulation of epidermal stem cells in the follicle and shifting the follicle back into the growth phase of the cycle.

What Can Hair Restoration Specialists Do for You?

When it comes to hair restoration specialists, you’ll often hear the terms trichologists and dermatologists. What’s the difference, you ask?

A trichologist is a hair expert who can give patients topical treatment for hair loss. Trichologists are often the go-to person for topical treatments regarding hair loss, such as knowing how to assess a person’s hair loss stage and condition to prescribe dosages of minoxidil of various strengths.

On the other hand, a dermatologist can perform more invasive hair loss restoration techniques that are meant to accurately observe the skin’s surface, evaluate the thickness of hair, regrowing hair and reduce scalp inflammation.

Dermatologists can also carry out a scalp biopsy, where a sample from the scalp is taken under local anaesthetic and tested under the microscope by a histopathologist. These tests are often necessary to evaluate severe cases of hair loss.

In other words, a dermatologist has a far greater range and depth of diagnostic tools and techniques to help them evaluate your hair loss and its causes, while a trichologist can effectively recommend the best course of action in terms of topical treatment for your hair loss!

Restore Your Confidence with a Head Full of Healthy Hair Via Hair Spec Clinic

If you’re experiencing a loss of confidence from hair thinning or losing your hair, it’s time to gain it back!

Hair Spec’s modern hair loss treatments and hair replacement systems are permanent, safe, and natural-looking. Regardless of your gender, age, and extent of hair loss, consult us today for your hair replacement options!

As Singapore’s hair loss specialist, our high success rates ensure that your self-confidence is never at risk anymore. You can be assured that we are one of the best hair transplant surgery clinics in Singapore! Book a consultation today!