Non-Surgical Alternatives to Hair Transplant

Since its advent in the mid-1900s, hair transplant has undergone several improvements and is currently considered by many to be the most effective and efficient treatment for permanent hair loss conditions. This is true. However, not everyone is willing to undergo the stress and pain of the procedure. Also, there is a problem with cost. Hair transplants can be expensive and should be considered a last resort when all other options have failed.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the most effective options available to you to treat your hair loss condition.

Start By Identifying the Cause of Your Hair Loss

Identifying the cause of hair loss will be instrumental in helping you understand the nature and appropriate treatment options for you.

Many factors can be attributed as the root causes of hair loss. However, permanent hair loss or androgenic alopecia is primarily caused by the action of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) on the scalp. DHT is a hormone released due to the activity of a named enzyme on testosterone.

Hair follicles that are genetically susceptible to hair loss can be reduced in size by DHT over time, preventing the growth of new hairs. It is common for this process to begin at the hairline and vertex scalp or the crown of the head.

A hair transplant is often an effective option because certain body parts contain DHT-resistant hairs. It is from these parts that the hair for the transplants is harvested. You wouldn’t have to be scared of any DHT anymore.

However, other hair loss treatments may likewise effectively combat DHT in our bodies.

Drugs

Numerous OTC drugs claim to reverse permanent hair loss. But many of such drugs have not been certified, and their side effects can be immense. However, there are currently only two FDA-certified drugs for hair restoration, and we recommend you only stick to them. Let’s quickly go over what they are and how they work.

Finasteride

Finasteride is a prescription-only drug. To counter hair loss, it interferes with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) production. That is, preventing the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. As an antiandrogenic, it simply targets and inhibits the activities of the II 5-alpha-reductase, which is one of two enzyme types responsible for DHT production. This action thereby reduces the amount of DHT in the body, the scalp in this case.

Put another way, the negative impact of DHT on the health and vitality of each person’s hair follicle and strand is put on hold.

Furthermore, a study that included 3177 Japanese males and gave them Finasteride 1 mg/day from January 2006 to June 2009 found that 2230 of the 2561 men who participated in the efficacy trial saw an overall effect on hair growth (87.1 percent). Moreover, the study also found that long-term usage of the drug did not pose any health risks. This, therefore, goes without saying that Finasteride is deemed safe.

The best candidates for this procedure are young males who want to keep their hair and are ready to make a long-term commitment. Also, this drug is most effective at an early stage of hair loss. However, it should be noted that Finasteride will require long-term use for a sustainable result to be seen.

Minoxidil

Sold under the brand name Rogaine, Minoxidil is a topical solution that can be gotten over-the-counter, unlike Finasteride.

Minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to your hair follicles by enlarging the blood capillaries in your scalp. The anagen, or growth, phase of the hair development cycle is also hence lengthened by this action.

However, research shows that minoxidil does little to slow down or halt hair thinning. Instead, it stimulates the production of new, healthy hair by causing the telogen phase (the resting stage of hair growth) to be replaced by anagen (the growth stage).

Because it disrupts your hair development cycle, the first few months of using minoxidil may see an increase in hair loss. When this happens, it’s nothing to worry about. Your hair may begin to appear thicker and denser when new anagen hairs replace the telogen hairs.

You must also be aware that minoxidil has no effect on DHT levels, and as a result, will not protect your hair from the effects of DHT. But for many men, it can stimulate hair growth and improve the appearance of thinning hair on the scalp.

Using Low-level Light Therapy (LLLT)

Low-level light therapy (LLLT) goes by various names, including soft-laser biostimulation, Low-Power Laser Therapy, and Photo-biomodulation. Lights in the red and infrared range have the potential to stimulate cell regeneration in injured tissue.

Instead of high-intensity lasers or laser emitting diodes, LLLT uses a low-intensity one (LEDs). Lights of varying wavelengths and outputs are directed at a specific body location; the scalp. The light is absorbed by body tissues, causing a physiological reaction.

LLLT is being used by medical practitioners across a wide range of specialties, with most use in wound healing and general tissue restoration.

The LLLT device uses lasers to stimulate hair growth in men and women to combat hair loss. The lasers in LLLT are assumed to function by stimulating increased cell activity, which is thought to encourage hair development in persons with androgenetic alopecia.

While there is no guarantee that it will work for everyone, several experts have proposed LLLT as a treatment for hair loss. In a randomized, double-blind study, 110 men with androgenic alopecia were randomly assigned to receive a Sham device or the HairMax LaserComb. Unlike the LaserComb, the sham gadget used a non-active incandescent light instead of a laser light.

After the 26-week experiment, those who had used the HairMax LaserComb were found to have had an increased average terminal hair density than those who had used a Sham device. The HairMax LaserComb was also found to have a considerable impact on overall hair growth, with no severe side effects.

Takeaway

There are numerous non-surgical solutions for those who aren’t convinced to undergo a permanent procedure like surgical hair transplantation. So far, non-surgical options for restoring full hair are considered effective and more time-efficient. Prospective patients can also consider non-surgical solutions if they lack sufficient natural healthy hair follicles for a planned hair transplant.