Loss of hair is normal but it can be stressful when the hair is falling excessively and continuously into a large clump. In fact, experiencing severe loss of hair can be a sign or lead to something serious. Androgenic Alopecia (pattern hair loss), for example.
What’s Alopecia Androgenic?
Pattern baldness or alopecia androgenic is a genetic condition caused by hormone change levels, specifically androgens and cortisol. In a normal way, the shedding hair will regrow eventually. However, the hair follicles in alopecia androgenic conditions will shrink or become miniaturized. Thus, the follicles become smaller (leading to shorter, finer hair) and are replaced by vellus hairs (baby hair). In that circumstance, baldness could appear.
Why and How Pattern Baldness Happens?
Based on studies, the normal hair growth cycle consists of four phases: anagen (growth), catagen (involution), telogen (resting), and exogen (shedding of hair).
Further, the disorder of alopecia is distinguished into :
1. People with the normal hair follicle but the cycling of hair growth is abnormal
2. People with damaged hair follicles
The base diagnosis could be the history of gradual onset, occurring after puberty, and family history of baldness. However, since the hormone plays along in causing this condition, in women, pregnancy, taking oral contraceptives, polycystic ovary syndrome (POCS) characterized as a hormonal imbalance, and menopause could contribute. Meanwhile, the factor could be obesity, advancing age, high blood pressure, and enlarged prostate in men.
Who is Affected by This Condition?
Both men and women can experience androgenic alopecia. In fact, alopecia can start in teens, and the risk increases with age.
Men
In men, hair is lost in a well-defined pattern, starting above both temples and leading to the hairline recedes to form a characteristic "M" shape. Studies stated that men experience about 60% of the cases after 50; more than half of all men have androgenic alopecia to some degree.
Women
In women, the hair becomes thinner all over the head, but the hairline does not recede. Further, androgenic alopecia commonly occurs after menopause. This condition affects up to 40% of post-menopausal women by some estimates.
Overall, androgenic alopecia impacts self-image and is a significant cause of anxiety and depression in both women and men.
Can Androgenic Alopecia Cure?
This condition is permanent and cannot be cured completely. Nevertheless, proper treatments and medications will help and prevent further hair loss. Moreover, to know the appropriate treatments and therapies, diagnosis based on history and physical examination from the doctor are warranted to get proper solution.
Androgenic Alopecia Treatment
Even though this condition has no cure, but the exact treatment and therapy will be helpful. The doctor may suggest topical, oral, and interventional in solving your unique needs.
Topical: Cosmeceutical
If your case is not severe enough, using hair care products such as hair tonic/hair growth serum that are available and recommended by the doctor could help an early hair loss.
Oral
If topical treatment is not enough, it's necessary to up the level by taking oral medicine; tell the doctor about your concern and ask what is the best medicine for you
Procedure
Some patients may already have baldness and desire to prevent or recover it immediately. Thus, advanced treatment with sophisticated technologies may be suitable to solve your concern.
PRF (Platelet Rich Fibrin) for hair loss therapy offers a non-surgical way to reduce and reverse hair shedding. PRF involves taking a small amount of your own blood, placing the blood into a special machine that separates the into parts, and then injecting 'your' ingredient into the hair loss area. This therapy aims to stimulate the scalp in promoting hair growth.
Hair Growth Vitamin Injection helps the hair regrow by utilizing special vitamin that is best for hair growth. This treatment is considered the most effective way to treat baldness.
After all, evaluation and supervision from the expert are essential to maximizing the result. Besides, interventional therapy depends on what the doctor recommends based on your condition. At IOARA Clinic, advanced treatments are available as the answer to your concern. Visit and consult with our doctors to feel self-satisfaction.
