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The Inѕ аnd Outs of Hаіr Trаnѕрlаntаtіоn
Losing your hair is something which affects around half of all men, and can result in a lot of distress and worry. Many people who are suffering from baldness are constantly looking for different ways to resolve the problem so that they can once again enjoy having a full head of hair, and the confidence that goes with it. If you suffer from thinning hair and baldness, you may possibly have considered hair transplantation surgery, however this is a treatment that can prove to be extremely expensive as well as invasive. Here, we look at what exactly is involved in having a hair transplant.
What Exactly Is Hair Transplantation Surgery?
This kind of surgery involves taking hair from one area of the body and moving it to the head to cover bald patches. Although the first hair transplants were carried out as long ago as the 1950s, modern techniques have undergone a number of changes and there are now two methods which can be used. The first is a FUSS procedure (short for Follicular Unit Strip Surgery) and the second is called FUE (or Follicular Unit Extraction Surgery). The FUSS treatment involves having a strip of skin measuring between 6 and 10 inches removed from the head and then the scalp being sewed closed. The removed scalp is then split up into small grafts that have individual hairs on them. During the FUE method, the back of the scalp is shaved, the follicles removed, and grafts are prepared. For both methods, the next step is to have the grafts placed on the parts of the head where more hair is required. The entire procedure can take as long as 8 hours or as few as 4 depending on the site of the transplant.
How Well Will I Recover?
Hair transplantation is a form of surgery, so patients should expect their scalp to be painful for a few days following the procedure and may need to take strong painkillers. Bandages need to be worn for a few days and antibiotics may also need to be taken to prevent possible infections. Patients will also need to stay away from work for around 5 days. After a couple of weeks, patients will notice that the transplanted area of hair will fall out, and while this may be alarming, new growth will appear to cover that area within a couple of months, with most patients seeing brand new hair growth within 9 months of the treatment.
What Are The Downsides Of Hair Transplantation?
Hair transplant surgery is very expensive, and it also comes with several risks. Some patients experience infections or excessive bleeding, while others have scarring or unusual hair growth patterns. Some patients also find that their new hair follicles develop infections which need to be treated with antibiotics, and others find that they lose even more of their original hair at the site of implantation.
Should I Have A Hair Transplant?
Not everyone is a good candidate to have hair transplantation surgery. The candidates who are most likely to be successful are men who have had a steady pattern of hair loss over many years, but whose balding appears to have stabilized. They should also be in good health and be non-smokers in order for the procedure to be most effective.
If you decide that surgery is not the right option for you, there are other ways to disguise the problem of thinning hair that are much more cost-effective and considerably less invasive. A hair loss spray for men can coat the individual strands of hair to cover bald patches and to make the existing hair appear fuller, helping to restore the attractive appearance of your hair while boosting your self-confidence.
What are the main causes of hair loss?
Although around 50% of men suffer from some type of hair loss, the causes may vary considerably from person to person. While some people are naturally predisposed to baldness due to their family genetics, there are a number of other medical or physical causes which can result in the loss of hair. Here, you will find some of the most common causes of hair loss:
- Dihydrotestosterone
Hаіr loss асtuаllу happens duе to a male hormone саllеd Androgen. It thеn undеrgоеѕ a rеасtіоn wіth аn еnzуmе and is соnvеrtеd іntо a hаrmful ѕubѕtаnсе knоwn as Dіhуdrоtеѕtоѕtеrоnе (DHT).
DHT bіndѕ tо thе hair follicles, ѕԛuееzing them tо such аn extent thаt their blood ѕuррlу іѕ cut off. Wіthоut blооd, thе follicles bеgіn tо ѕhrіnk and the hаіr ѕtаrts to bесоme thіn аnd wеаk.
Thе thіn hаіr eventually falls out and the follicles wither away, rendering them incapable of growing any new hair and resulting in permanent baldness.
- Heredity
Heredity is one of the major factors in hair loss. In fact around 80% of men who live to the age of 80 will suffer from male pattern baldness and the genes can come from either the father or mother’s side of the family.
- Infесtіоnѕ аnd medical trеаtmеntѕ.
Hіgh tеmреrаturеѕ caused by flu or an infection can result in hair lоѕѕ, аs can mеdісаl trеаtmеnts lіkе rаdіоthеrару, сhеmоthеrару and thе uѕе оf steroids.
- Strеѕѕ on thе bоdу
Onе оf thе bіg рrоblеmѕ in tоdау’ѕ ѕосіеtу іѕ stress аnd this may have аn еffесt on hair lоѕѕ. Ongoing stress mау dерlеtе the lеvеlѕ оf vitamins аnd mіnеrаlѕ in the body that are еѕѕеntіаl fоr gооd health and which are key to healthy hair.
- Chеmісаlѕ
Exposure tо сеrtаіn dаngеrоuѕ сhеmісаlѕ mау саuѕе bаldnеѕѕ duе tо thе rеасtіоn thе bоdу hаѕ with thе tоxіn.
- Psychological problems, Trісhоtіllоmаnіа
Thіѕ соndіtіоn оссurѕ іn a ѕmаll numbеr of individuals of both gеndеrѕ as well as children. It nоt оnlу involves thе hаіr оn thе head but mау аlѕо іnvоlvе оthеr hair оn thе bоdу and is саuѕеd whеn thе hаіr іѕ physically рullеd out bу thе sufferer.
- Scalp infections
Rіngwоrm іѕ one type of scalp infection whісh can cause hаіr lоѕѕ іf lеft untrеаtеd. A fungus which ѕрrеаdѕ іn the shape of a ring, ringworm mау bе itchy, rеd and leave bаld раtсhеѕ аѕ it ѕрrеаdѕ.
If you are suffering from hair loss for any of the above reasons, you may lack confidence and be searching for ways to disguise the problem. A hair thickening spray is one excellent solution. As it coats the hair, matching it perfectly, it covers any bald spots to make the hair appear fuller, thicker and more attractive. It can also restore your self-esteem by improving the texture of your hair to ensure that you both look and feel younger.
3D Hair Printing to Cure Baldness?
There is exciting news on the horizon for anyone who is suffering from baldness – 3D printing technology could finally be a new cure for hair loss. Although hair transplants have been around for a while, they are very expensive and time consuming, however this brand-new technology which is under development by L’Oreal has the potential to allow new hair follicles to be 3D printed and which can sprout new hair.
Although some bald people are unembarrassed about their hair loss, many others are upset about the problem and are constantly looking for ways to resolve the issue. In a co-operative effort with Poietis, a French bioprinting company, the cosmetics firm is working on this ground-breaking technology.
At the present, the techniques for tissue engineering have limits when it comes to cell patterns. Now, with the two companies working in conjunction, it is hoped that the process of bioprinting hair follicles can be cracked. The technique, which has been devised by Poietis, adopts a laser-assisted bioprinting technology in order to create biological tissue.
How Does 3D Hair Printing Work?
The 3D printing technology works by the printing firing a laser at an ink-containing cartridge. However, in the case of hair printing, the substance used is not ink, but is a suspension of cells which are taken from patients with alopecia once they have had hair surgery. A stream of cells are sent by the laser in a stream onto a nutrient covered substrate which helps the cells to grow. If scientists do this in several layers, they are hopeful that they will be able to grow a hair follicle. This biological living tissue which has been created will be left to mature for about 3 weeks before being used.
Thanks to the expertise that the cosmetics firm have in the field of hair biology, it is hoped that the previously impossible will become possible, helping those who suffer from baldness and the associated depression and anxiety which often follows to restore their confidence and to look and feel great.
Latest Research
While it sounds unlikely, earlier this year researchers reported that they had discovered how to grow skin cells, complete with hair, and then to implant them onto the skin successfully. In the past, experiments to attempt to grow skin cells in laboratories had failed to create skin which had sweat and oil glands meaning that it would not be able to function in the same way as normal skin, so this latest success is a huge step forward in medical science. It is surely only a short step from here to 3D hair printing that will bring relief to countless people suffering from hair loss.
For those who are looking for a solution in the short term until this 3D hair printing technology is fully developed could consider using a hair loss concealer spray. A convenient and quick way to disguise bald patches and to restore the appearance of a full and thick head of hair, hair thickening sprays will help you to look and feel great and to be more confident about your appearance.
Dutasteride: The Truth and the Fiction
Although a prostate treatment may sound like a strange choice for treating hair loss, in fact Dutasteride is one of the top choices of medication for those who are losing their hair. Although this drug has not yet been approved as a hair loss treatment in Europe or the United States, it has already been given approval in South Korea and Japan. While it has been shown to be effective, there are some downsides to its use that may put some people off using it.
How Does Dutasteride Work?
Men who have pattern baldness have high dihydrotestosterone levels – a hormone which is made by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase from the body’s natural testosterone. Dutasteride works by stopping the 5-alpha reductase enzyme and blocking the dihydrotestosterone from forming. This helps to prevent the hair loss that is associated with high levels of the hormone. It increases the amount of hairs in the scalp, thus filling in any thin areas. While Dutasteride will have different results for each person, usually its users will never re-grow all of the hair that they lost.
How Well Does It Work?
Recent studies have shown that Dutasteride can be more effective when it comes to hair regrowth than other oral medications. Patients who take the 0.5 mg pill have reported fuller and thicker hair, however other users have reported some worrying side effects. Still others found that the pills had no effect at all, with no extra hair growth experienced.
Side effects are quite common with this type of treatment since the inhibition of 5-alpha reductase does not only reduce the hormone levels in the scalp, in also reduces its levels elsewhere in the body too. Dutasteride is a strong medication and can therefore reduce dihydrotestosterone by as much as 95%, and this explains why, although some of the side effects were quite minor, there were some other more serious effects including:
- Reduced libido
- Impotence
- Irregular ejaculation
- Reduced sperm count
- Low testosterone levels
- Increased risk of prostate cancer
Dutasteride Mesotherapy Treatment Benefits
One potential alternative to oral Dutasteride is a mesotherapy scalp injection treatment which injects the Dutasteride directly into the affected area. One of the advantages of this treatment appears to be that the hormone levels are limited solely to the scalp without any side effects being experienced, and initial findings appear to be quite positive as to the efficacy of the results.
While some men who are extremely distressed by their hair loss may be happy to risk the potential side effects of taking Dutasteride in an attempt to slow down or halt the problem, many others would rather try a less risky treatment. An instant hair thickener is one possible alternative with no unwanted side effects which can restore the effect of a thicker and fuller head of hair. Quick and easy to apply, it is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to help boost confidence and improve appearance.
The Link Between Diabetes and Hair Loss
Although losing your hair is often seen as just a sign of ageing, it can also be linked to health problems such as diabetes. Almost a quarter of all cases of diabetes are undiagnosed, and therefore people who are experiencing hair loss may either be suffering from this underlying medical condition, or from insulin resistance or pre-diabetes, both of which are precursors to Type II Diabetes.
Why Does Diabetes Cause Hair Loss?
Research has shown that not only can diabetes slow down the growth rate of the hair, but it can also result in excessive hair shedding. There are several reasons why diabetes results in hair shedding including:
- Hormonal imbalances – fluctuating levels can negatively affect the hair follicles’ regeneration process
- Poor blood circulation – if blood cannot effectively reach the scalp, it may fail to receive the essential nutrients to keep it healthy resulting in hair loss
- Impaired immune system – as high levels of blood sugar can affect the immune system, sufferers may be more likely to catch infections and then struggle to fight them. Infections may disrupt the cycle of hair growth and result in thinning
- Physical stress
- Emotional stress
- Medications – some types of drugs can result in hair loss
- Thyroid disease – many diabetes sufferers have thyroid disease too which can cause hair loss
- Weight loss – when patients are diagnosed as having diabetes, a healthy diet together with more exercise will be recommended by the doctor. This may be result in weight loss which can then sometimes prompt hair loss.
What Action to Take
Should diabetes be the sole cause of hair loss, it may just be a temporary issue. Once you begin treatment, your hormones will begin to function properly once more and the cycle of hair growth will return back to normal, albeit potentially with a slower growth rate.
However, if you are still concerned or are looking for a way to address the problem in the meantime, there are several steps you should take.
- Discuss the problem with your doctor as they will be able to determine the cause and tell you whether it is solely because of diabetes or whether there are other factors at play.
- Reduce stress in your life as much as possible.
- Eat a healthy diet and include foods which are known to boost hair growth.
- Talk to your doctor about the medication you are taking if you are concerned that the hair loss could be a side effect. You may be able to change your drugs or take a different dose.
- Ask your doctor whether you should take a biotin supplement as those who suffer from diabetes often have a low level of biotin.
- Exercise more as this will lower levels of blood sugar and improve oxygen delivery to the cells and the hair follicles themselves to prompt hair growth.
- If you are experiencing severe hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a pharmaceutical treatment.
- Use a hair loss concealer spray which will disguise your hair loss and give your hair a fuller and thicker appearance.
If you are experiencing hair loss and have not yet been diagnosed with diabetes, you should visit your GP for testing. The more quickly you are diagnosed and treated the healthier you will be and the faster your hair loss will be rectified.
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