Hair Loss, Thinning and Alopecia /
Unwanted Hair, PCOS and Ingrowing Hairs
What is it?
Hair loss, thinning, baldness or alopecia is basically loss of hair from the scalp or body. Men and women can suffer from a small affected area, up to the entire body. Some people lose hair in a circular patchy pattern on the scalp or in facial hair, which can be accompanied by itching or pain. Hair loss can appear gradually, usually starting with gradual thinning on the top of the head, or begin suddenly in one or more areas. On average people shed 50-100 hairs per day. We don’t usually notice this as our new hairs grow through at the same time. Hair loss occurs when new hair doesn’t replace the hair that has fallen out.
Both men and women are troubled by hair in unwanted places. Cultural norms in many countries dictate that excessive or visible hair on certain areas of the body is problematic. Hair can also cause long-term issues such as ingrowing hairs, folliculitis, a chronic rash or acne exacerbated by shaving. Hair growth for some people, for example facial hair for women, can cause extreme anxiety and impact self-confidence. Unwanted hair can also be an issue for people changing their gender identity.
What causes it?
Alopecia can be the result of hormones, genetics (hereditary hair loss is the most common type), medication, poor nutrition, significant weight loss or a medical condition that can cause temporary or permanent hair loss. A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen; you may shed handfuls of hair on washing or brushing your hair. This type of hair loss usually causes general thinning and is often temporary. Other causes of temporary hair loss can affect the entire body, such as chemotherapy, but the hair usually grows back. Individuals with eczema or psoriasis can also suffer with patches of hair loss on their scalp or face. It is thought that extreme hairstyles which pull your hair tight can also be a cause of hair loss.
Individuals with androgenetic alopecia (age-related hair loss) often experience a shorter anagen (hair growing) phase, and a longer interval between shedding of the old hairs and a new hair starting to grow. This can be exacerbated by ‘follicular miniaturazation’, which is a process where the follicle itself shrinks and produces a shorter, thinner hair shaft.
Hair growth for most people is a fact of life. Hair grows in cycles, the rate of which varies between individuals and between areas of the body. Humans have in the region of 5 million hair follicles – and not all in areas we want them! Women who suffer from polycystic ovaries (PCOS) or other hormonal imbalances can suffer with excessive facial hair growth, and others can suffer for no apparent reason at all.
What are the treatment options?
Some people are happy to let nature take its course and accept their hair loss over time. However, there are treatments available to slow the process or, in some cases, reverse it. Some general advice would be to ensure you have a healthy balanced diet, avoid smoking and tight hair styles or harsh treatments, such as hair straighteners. Medication can help some certain types of hair loss, such as Minoxidil. This can help some, but not all individuals with new growth. However, the new hairs are likely to be fine and not seen for at least 2 months. If it works for you, it will likely be a long term treatment to maintain the results. Other medicated options include iron supplements if you are deficient or anti-androgens, such as spironolactone. These can produce side effects and expert advice should be sought. This may be particularly relevant to women with PCOS as they tend to make excess androgens (such as testosterone and other ‘male’ hormones), which can accelerate hair loss in women.
Hair transplant is a treatment carried out by a specialist doctor and involves removing a narrow strip of scalp from the back of the head, dividing into hundreds of tiny grafts, and planted in small slits in the scalp.
At Roseneath Skin Clinic we are pleased to offer Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) hair restoration treatment in Guernsey. This treatment utilizes your body’s own healing abilities to stimulate hair follicle recovery. PRP, or stem cell therapy, is being used more and more in recent years in a variety of medical settings, including anti-ageing, hair re-growth, and in other fields such as treating arthritis and joint problems, and is recognised as an exciting, innovative treatment option. The natural growth factors in your blood are harvested and reintroduced into the hair follicle; nourishing existing follicles and stimulating hair growth to help give you fuller thicker hair.
Roseneath are pleased to stock topical shampoos, lotions and derma-roller vials from PharmaHermetic. The amino acids and peptides in these products are based on natural ingredients that inhibit Telomerase and block DHT (which shrinks hair follicles) to prevent hair loss and strengthen the hair.
To treat unwanted hair there are always the standard treatments, such as shaving, depilatory creams, waxing and plucking. However, if you want long-term relief, Laser Hair Removal in Guernsey can be a fantastic solution. Light emitted by the device is absorbed by melanin within the hair, damaging the hair follicle to stop it from growing back.
Because our hair grows in cycles a course of treatments will always be necessary, but results can often be seen after just a few treatments. Most men and women are suitable for treatment for hair on the face or body; although white / grey hair has no melanin, so will not respond to laser treatment.
