3 Things to Try If You’re Losing Your Hair and Want Solutions
Did you once have a full head of hair but now notice your mane has waned? You’re not alone.
According to one source, around 80 million Americans have androgenetic alopecia. Known as the most common reason for hair loss, androgenetic alopecia is the medical term for hereditary thinning or baldness. And it’s not just men who get it since 30 million of the 80 million people estimated to have it are women. It’s not the only reason for hair loss — but it’s a major one.
If you want a hair loss solution that goes above and beyond simply slapping on a wig or a toupee, the good news is that there are several options you can find in and around North Carolina.
Keep reading to see three options to help you turn back the clock and enjoy a full head of hair.
1. Put a Cap on It
One option is to use an innovative cap system. No, that doesn’t mean, simply putting on a baseball cap to cover up hair loss. A revolutionary system uses a laser cap to achieve results. It incorporates a device resembling a cap to administer low-level laser light therapy.
The technology was discovered in the 1960s when Hungarian physician Endre Mester conducted experiments on mice. The mice were shaved ahead of experiments to see if the lasers caused cancer in mice. While learning that laser therapy didn’t cause cancer, Mester discovered that it did facilitate hair growth in the shaved mice.
Devices utilizing low-level laser therapy technology are called laser caps, and some people who’ve used them have reported positive results.
Do some research and decide if it’s the right option to deal with your hair loss situation.
2. Hair Replacement Surgery
Hair replacement surgery, or hair transplantation, is a surgical process where hair follicles are extracted from one part of the body and relocated to the bald spots. Most hair transplant procedures involve the grafting method. Grafting will work best if you have some thick patches of hair on your head because the service provider will cut small portions of the scalp containing hair and insert these pieces of the scalp into bald portions of your head. The service provider will apply a numbing agent before starting the grafting process.
Depending on the extent of your baldness, you may require multiple treatments with several months between treatments to allow for adequate healing. After the transplanted skin heals, you should experience ongoing hair growth.
If the service provider finds that grafting isn’t the best method for you, no need to worry. Other methods of hair transplantation might be more suitable.
3. Medication
If a disease is the cause of your hair loss issues, medication might help. One over-the-counter medication is minoxidil (rogaine) which you can get as shampoo, liquid, and foam. It’s typically applied to the scalp daily or twice daily, based on the instructions included with the medication. While minoxidil might not cause your hair to grow back, it can help to slow down the rate of hair loss. You might have to use it for about half a year before seeing any noticeable improvements.
While several other medications can be used for hair loss problems, one of the more popular ones is finasteride (propecia). It’s a prescription medication for men that comes in pill form. It’s used to reduce the rate of hair loss, but it may also lead to hair regrowth. As is the case with minoxidil, you’ll have to continue taking finasteride to continue getting the benefits.
Whether your hair loss is hereditary, due to a medical condition, or caused by something else, you may want options to get more hair on your head that go beyond wearing a hairpiece.
These three options might help you get a fuller head of hair and a new lease on life in North Carolina.