Hair Loss

Common causes of hair loss

• Androgenetic alopecia or male pattern balding
  This is one of the most common causes of hair loss and thinning in males. Hormonal factors and genetic predisposition play a major role in this kind of hair loss. It can begin to manifest as early as 20’s and progress with age. It usually begins as recession of the hair line and progresses over time to involve most of the scalp barring the occipital area.

• Female pattern hair loss
  This is the female version of androgenetic alopecia and usually runs in the family. It is usually seen as widening of the parting. It is known to progress gradually with age. This kind of hair loss can have devastating effects on the self esteem of a woman. However, it is highly unlikely for a woman to go bald

• Physical stress
  Severe physical stress like an accident, surgery, a major medical illness, etc. can shift hair follicles from growth phase into shedding phase. Hair loss is usually seen 3-6 months after the stressful phase.
• Pregnancy
  Pregnancy works like a physical stress on the body. This, along with the hormonal changes, can lead to a lot of hairfall. This hairloss is usually seen 3-6 months after delivery and not during pregnancy. It is usually a self-limiting condition and hair regrows in a month or two provided nutrition is maintained.
• Nutritional Deficiencies
  Deficiency of essential nutrients like Iron, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 can lead to considerable hair loss.

• Female hormones
  Hormonal changes like pregnancy, menopause, going off contraceptive pills or conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome can lead to hair loss and thinning very similar to female pattern hair loss. Identifying and treating the cause is very important.

• Emotional stress
  Severe emotional stress is less likely to lead to hair loss when compared to physical stress. However, it can worsen an existing hair fall.

• Hypothyroidism and other chronic medical illnesses
  Thyroid hormone regulates most metabolic processes in the body. Deficiency of thyroid hormone or hypothyroidism can slow down these processes including the growth of hair follicles leading to hair loss. Other chronic systemic medical illness like lupus, etc. can also lead to severe hair fall.

• Dramatic weight loss
  Crash diet with sudden weight loss can cause nutritional deficiencies leading to hair loss. This can be more profound if protein intake is compromised.

• Drugs
  Chemotherapeutic agents and other drugs like blood thinners, beta blockers, NSAIDs, etc can cause hair loss.

• Overstyling or Chemical treatments
  Excessive treatments with chemicals that affect the bonds of the hair shaft like rebonding, keratin and cysteine can lead to hair loss. The hair loss is usually due to breakage of the weakened hair shaft, rather than hair falling from the roots.

Treatment of hair loss begins with an in-depth consultation to understand various aspects of your hair loss.

At Klarity, our doctor may also advise relevant investigations, if required, after a detailed consultation. Topical and oral medication, nutritional supplements and lifestyle management are an integral part of any hair loss treatment.

Treatments available

• Bio – Stimulation or low level laser therapy
  The low level laser light has a unique ability to be absorbed by the molecules of the hair follicles and stimulate them. This stimulation helps to shift hair follicles into growth phase.

• Mesotherapy
  A cocktail rich in amino acids, biotin, vitamins and minerals essential for hair growth are deposited in the middle layer or mesoderm of the skin. These promote hair growth.

• Microneedling
  It works by tiny needles rolling over the scalp to create micro-injuries. The skin healing mechanisms respond to these micro-injuries, which lead to a rise in important growth factors in the scalp to create an increase in hair production.

• PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)
  This is a hair restoration treatment with brilliant results. A small sample of your blood is drawn and centrifuged to obtain plasma that is rich in platelet derived growth factors. This plasma is then injected into the scalp through micro-injections. The growth factors stimulate growth of the hair follicles, thereby increasing the thickness and density of the hair in the scalp.

• Scalp micropigmentation (SMP)
  SMP is a highly advanced method of cosmetic pigmentation. It is not a treatment for regrowth of hair. SMP involves the use of highly specialized equipment and techniques to inject pigment into the scalp. It is the solution of choice to fill-in or cover thinning hair.

• Regenera Activa
  This is one of the latest USFDA approved revolutionary treatments for obtaining, processing and administering micro-grafts to stimulate hair growth. The procedure involves obtaining tiny skin biopsies from the back of the scalp. These are then processed in a special rotor to form micrografts and this solution is then injected into the scalp using microinjections. Results can be seen as early as 2-3 months. Only 1 session is usually required. Repeat procedure may be needed after a year in some.