Come summers and most of us have one common thing to worry about- Hair Loss. Well, it is not just summer if we have to be honest, come any change of season and we are concerned about our hair fall.
Hair loss or fall is such a perennial problem that it has resulted in a lot of people opting for hair growth or hair regrowth procedures over time. (The facts sound astounding but hair growth treatments have seen an increase of over 45% in the past 4 years).
The result- Multiple salons and clinics offering a plethora of hair loss/fall treatments to choose from. In such a case what should one do? How should one know which is the best option/treatment for them ?
Well, worry not because this blog talks about the 5 Best Treatments (not necessarily in the sequence of their effectiveness) one can opt for depending upon their hair loss/fall/growth requirement.
Medications
To begin with, we will talk about oral medications involving either of Minoxidil (Rogaine) or Finasteride(Propecia). These are over the counter medications approved and effective for both men and women. Application is easier and a dedicated treatment for about six months is the least that is required.
No side effects have been reported for these, however in many cases these external applications do not suffice and hence one has to go for dedicated hair loss treatments. Also, Finasteride when used in silos is not known to work for men above the age of 45.
Low Level Laser Therapy
This is more of a hair growth rejuvenation method. The process involves the usage of directed laser beams to stimulate the dormant or damaged hair follicles in order to rejuvenate them enough so as to help with hair growth.
Low energy photons (laser beams) are applied to the scalp which result in increased production of the red blood cells. An increased RBC production results in increased nutrient flow to the hair follicles thus helping with faster and increased hair growth.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy
Commonly known as PRP, this therapy involves usage of plasma factors derived from the own blood stream to stimulate hair growth. Considering that this hair loss procedure involves the usage of factors from the own blood stream, the resistance to these factors is the least as the internal systems recognize them as own. This is the reason why PRP is known to give some of the best results amongst all the known hair growth solutions
About 5-6 sessions of PRP spread over a period of 6-10 months can yield satisfactory results for the person undergoing this hair loss treatment. PRP is also used in conjunction with hair transplant to help the patients get more sustainable and effective results.
Growth Factor Therapy
Similar to Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP therapy, this process involves injection of the plant derived growth factors to the scalp. These additional nutrients help in rejuvenating the hair follicles thus helping with hair growth.
This procedure is most effective for people who have experienced hair fall within a period of the past five years and do not have prominent bald patches. Slighter hair loss patches can however, be treated using Growth factor therapy.
Hair Transplant
Hair Transplant is the solution for those who have had severe hair loss for over 5 years and have prominent bald patches. Hair Transplant is usually the last resort for people who have either been very careless and have ignored their hair loss over time or have tried hair growth treatments and nothing worked for them.
The results are seen almost 100% of the times and no major side effects have been reported as such. However, we would want to mention that after the hair transplant is done, there is a sudden hair loss after a few weeks. This however, is a part of the process and hence one need not worry.
It is, in the case of Hair Transplant, however of critical importance that one sticks to the treatment plan as suggested by the doctor to get the best results.
A lot of DIY treatments are also available but as we have always maintained, home care works best in more of a supportive treatment role because these DIY therapies are usually applied on the surface of the area to be treated and they do not treat the underlying cause .