Who has never panicked when seeing the number of hairs lost in the shower after shampooing? However, it is normal to lose hair, we lose on average fifty to a hundred per day, due to the natural life cycle of the latter. As long as new hair grows to replace the others, everything is fine. However, if you start losing more than a hundred hairs per day and these are not naturally replaced, it is a sign of “pathological” loss symptomatic of a problem… How can this be explained and how can it be remedied? At what point is a hair transplant possible? We asked Dr. Abdulaziz Balwi, hair surgeon and founder of Elithair, a hair transplant clinic in Turkey, about the subject.
“Hair loss is usually caused by an increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT), as this shortens the natural growth cycle, which in turn leads to premature hair loss and longer periods of no growth,” Dr. Balwi explains to us.
To identify pathological hair loss, there is a simple test. Put your hand in your hair and pull gently ten times. If less than five hairs come off, there is no reason to worry. If you pull out between five and ten, it is still okay. However, between twenty and forty hairs lost can indicate moderate loss. Between forty and sixty, it is rapid and from more than sixty hairs, very rapid. “In addition to this test, if you notice a significant amount of hair in the shower, on your pillow, or on the floor, or if you start to see thinning patches or areas where the scalp is visible, this could also indicate excessive hair loss,” explains Dr. Balwi. In which case, consult a dermatologist, hair specialist or endocrinologist as soon as possible.
What factors come into play?
There are different phenomena that can explain hair loss. It can be circular loss (alopecia areata) or androgenetic loss, which is, as its name suggests, hereditary. The latter is “the most common form of hair loss”says Dr. Balwi. But stress or illness can also cause significant hair loss. This is called telogen effluvium.. “Certain illnesses can cause more hair than usual to enter the resting phase and it will eventually fall out. Anemia, on the other hand, causes a « malnutrition » hair follicles and therefore hair loss.” lists Dr. Balwi.
Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism also tend to make hair dull and brittle. On the other hand, if your scalp is itchy and small and then larger bald patches form, it could be an autoimmune disease called alopecia areata. “Less commonly, autoimmune diseases such as alopecia universalis, alopecia areata totalis or alopecia totalis universalis cause total hair loss and/or hair loss. These diseases themselves cannot be cured. Recently, only a few treatments have been shown to have limited effectiveness in relieving these types of symptoms,” Dr. Balwi adds.
Lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis (a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown cause), or fungal infections of the scalp (tinea capitis) may also be involved. Certain hairstyles can also cause significant hair loss, as can drug treatments.
What support?
So, to know if your hair loss can be reversed, it is essential to know the cause. If you suffer from a nutritional deficiency and it has caused dull and brittle hair, you will simply need to modify your diet to provide your hair follicles with the vitamins, minerals and trace elements they need.
If chronic stress is the cause (stress causes hormonal changes), “Autogenous training and other methods to reduce stress help and allow hair to grow back,” explains Dr. Bawli.
If it is a loss due to medication, do not panic, “Once the drug leaves the body, hair usually grows back.”assures the expert. If you have undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy to treat cancer, it “once defeated and the treatment is complete, the hair can grow back.”
What about hair transplants?
If you suffer from alopecia, a hair transplant may be an option. This is a “a surgical procedure in which individual hair follicles are transplanted from an area of full hair growth (donor area) to an area of hair loss (recipient area). The hair follicles are usually taken from the back or sides of the head, as these areas tend to have a high density of hair. The transplanted hair then grows back and fills in the bald area,” explains Dr. Bawli. He also recommends systematically seeking the advice of a qualified doctor before taking the plunge “to make sure the operation is right for you.”
Car “Hair transplantation is not a treatment for hair loss but rather a solution for baldness. Therefore, people suffering from hair loss should first focus on slowing down or stopping the hair loss process through various treatments before considering a transplant. Hair transplants are more suitable for those who have reached advanced stages of hair loss or baldness, where treatments are no longer providing results.”explains Dr. Balwi.
To be eligible for a transplant, it is essential to have a healthy scalp. In addition, “A sufficient supply of healthy hair in the donor area is necessary, and the recipient area must be free of obstacles such as scars or skin problems that hinder hair growth.” Thorough scalp examinations should be carried out beforehand. “The Hamilton-Norwood scale, which categorizes stages of baldness from 1 to 7, can be used to determine whether an individual is suitable for hair transplantation.”
Because, as you will have understood, getting through the hair transplant stage is far from trivial. It is a procedure that, most often, can only be done once or twice in a lifetime. If it is done badly, the effects are irreversible, warns Dr. Balwi. However, there are rare cases“where people with strong donor areas” can receive three to four grafts.
What precautions should be taken?
“Hair transplantation is a delicate procedure that must be performed by professionals in a clinical setting”Balwi insists. Before choosing your clinic, there are several criteria to consider. Is the clinic located in a hospital? Are the doctors certified and qualified in hair transplants? Are the nurses properly trained and certified? Does the clinic have international certifications? Are the results and reviews shared authentic?
Finally, “The transplanted hairline should look natural and dense, and the whole process should produce a realistic and aesthetic result,” insists Dr. Balwi. And warns: “It is important for patients to understand that final results will take time to appear, and patience is essential throughout the healing process.”
Source: www.topsante.com
