Thinning hair and patterned baldness is common in both men and women. Hereditary factors contribute, and so does stress, the taking of certain medications, and disease. Your hair cannot grow if the follicle that produces the strand is damaged or otherwise in a permanent resting phase. Various treatments for thinning hair are available. These hair regrowth treatments vary in their effectiveness from one individual to another.
If you’ve already talked to our doctor about thinning hair, and if the diagnosis rules out disease or a severe skin condition, consider regrowth formulas, oral medication, or laser therapy. You can indeed regrow scalp hair to some degree, but it’s important to have realistic outcome expectations because not all treatments are equally effective.
Symptoms of Hair Loss
Gradual thinning on the top of the head is the most common form of hair loss in mature adults. Hair may begin to recede from the forehead, and women will experience a retained hairline but a widening of the natural part on top of their head.
Patchy or circular bald spots as large as a quarter usually occur on the top of the head and near the rear swirl, but they can also become noticeable on the facial hair of men. This type of hair loss is often preceded by itchiness and rash development on the skin.
Sudden loosening of a region of hair is often caused by stress or a severe physiological and psychological shock. This generally results in regional thinning rather than patchy hair loss. Total hair loss is usually triggered by a chemical reaction. Medications and chemotherapy can cause total loss of scalp hair as well as hair on other parts of the body.
Treatment Medications
Medications are widely prescribed by specialists who diagnose patterned baldness or regional thinning of the hair. Hair regrowth treatments using minoxidil or a similar formula are designed to stimulate the growth of hair cells within the follicles. These medicines are easy to apply, and after an initial shedding of additional hair strands, the follicles soon begin to produce new strands of hair cells. Finasteride is a special formula for use by men who are experiencing hereditary patterned baldness. It’s taken as a pill for a prescribed period of time.
Laser treatment is another option. Carefully controlled heat absorption has been shown to increase the amount of healthy, active follicles in areas where patterned baldness is occurring.
Do You Need More Information?
We would like to talk with you and examine your scalp or other areas where thinning hair or patterned baldness is occurring. At ProMD Health, we offer the most successful hair regrowth treatments available. We are conveniently located in Baltimore, Arlington, and Annapolis. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!
