Alopecia Areata, also referred to as ‘localized alopecia’ is one kind of hair loss which is untraceable. Weirdly enough, recent research has indicated that Alopecia Areata is closely linked to tooth infections. This kind of baldness begins with bald patches and even sometimes on other parts of the body. This hair loss issue could occur in males and even females of various ages. According to experts, one out of every thousand people is affected by it.Recent research carried out by Antonia Cutando Soriano and José Antonio Gil Montoya, both hailing from the University of Granada’s Department of Stomatology states that if you observe hair loss of this nature, a dentist’s expert opinion is absolutely necessary. Ensure that the dentist examines your oral condition thoroughly before coming to a conclusion.Typical signs for Alopecia Areata are circular shaped bald patches on the scalp and even on your beard and eyebrows. This kind of hair loss could even mean losing your eyelashes.This particular hair loss does not completely damage the hair follicles, and you will notice the re-growth of hair in a few months. However, according to researchers, around 25 % of patients will notice a recurrence of hair loss.If you suffer from Alopecia Areata, then your hair is shaped almost like an exclamation mark, especially the hair surrounding the edges of the bald patch. The hair loss disease tends to weaken the hairs and thus they fall out rather easily. Other studies carried out on the impact of Alopecia Areata indicate that the development of the disease is quite unpredictable – with hair growing back in a matter of weeks in some cases, and others reporting further loss of hair on the body as well as the scalp.
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‘Follicular Unit Extraction’ might not be the most common of terms, but it has proven to be a life saver to men suffering from hair loss issues. The term, which is really a more technical way of referring to a hair transplant, has fast become one of the most sought after cosmetic treatments with regards to hair loss.
Carrying out a hair transplant involves pulling out hair roots from the back area of the head, where hair growth is better, and transplanting it in front, where it is needed. The results are great, with most showing a full head of hair. The cost varies between how thick you want your new hair and the level of baldness you suffer from. In India, the cost of a hair transplant is anything between INR 50,000 to 150,000.
In Asian regions, especially in India, hair transplants are very popular. The demand is so much that one doctor who initially specialized in plastic surgery, went onto learn hair transplant procedures, and now has a very lucrative practice. With each procedure taking around 6-8 hours to complete, he takes on around 25 cases per month. He is so popular, that he has a waiting list of around three months. A majority of his clients are foreigners, he says.
Another Indian plastic surgeon commenting on the popularity of hair transplant procedures confirmed that most customers were either below the age of 35 or celebrities. He attributed this to the fact that older Asian men were comfortable with being bald and did not see it particularly necessary to reverse it in a bid to look younger.
Lots of sportsmen seem to have a thing towards hair re-growth treatments. Ryan Giggs is one such sportsmen recently photographed walking out of a hair clinic, clutching on to a report.
Other sportsmen to get hair replacement treatments include cricketers such as Shane Warne, Michael Vaughan and Graham Gooch, while rugby players Wayne Rooney and Austin Healey have also resorted to similar treatments, all costing around £6,000-£10,000 each.
Giggs’ treatment involves a laser therapy session lasting 40 minutes which will encourage the re-growth of hair follicles, while a special re-growth formula and shampoo is rubbed into his scalp at least twice per day.
Vaughan’s hair re-growth option is far more expensive than Giggs’ and costs around £10,000 for a remedying thinning hair. Vaughan’s thinning scalp is woven in with Russian hair which is carried out over a number of treatments.
These hair loss treatments might sound fancy, but they all do not provide the expected results. One such salon was censured twice last year for misleading advertisements which featured Gooch and Warne implying that this salon was able to curb hair loss and re-grow lost hair.
A consultant dermatologist, Dr. Andrew Messenger from the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield said he advised those suffering from baldness to think twice before resorting to a private clinic that made claims that sounded too extravagant to be true. According to him, there is nothing that exists that could possibly grow hair back on bald spots. The only two medicines - Minoxidil and Finasteride used to treat baldness are only capable of increasing hair density by 5-15%.
Apparently light can grow hair, or as is suggested by the latest hair loss treatment using laser light. The new treatment for hair loss problems experienced in both men and women apparently aids the growth of new hair, combats thinning hair and even scalp problems. The laser is made based on a very basic theory which is that light stimulates the function of cells. Therefore, with the use of the laser, cells will begin to function healthily and this in turn will stimulate the growth of new and healthy hair.
The laser hair loss treatment is fairly energy efficient, requiring very low power. The equipment is fairly easy to use and is quite simple. All you need to do is place the hood over a patient’s head and then press the ’start’ button and that is it.
The laser therapy consists of various doses of light in order to produce the hair growth needed, be it thinning hair, bald patches, etc. The treatment needs to be continued for around nine to ten weeks, with each session lasting only thirty minutes. It is important that you ensure that the person meting out the treatment uses the right amount of light on your problem areas - otherwise, the treatment will not work for you.
Problem areas on your scalp should show some kind of improvement following your laser treatment during week five or six. If you are suffering from extreme hair loss, then week six and nine should show results. Once hair re-growth has been achieved, you will need to go in for routine follow-ups and maintenance sessions. Monthly ‘booster’ treatments are also recommended.
Hair transplants for women are quite possible, but it does have its limits. Hair transplants are popularly advertised for men, as men are the gender most affected by hair loss.
For a woman to be able to have hair transplants, the hair loss needs to be androgenetic alopecia, scarring alopecia, traction alopecia, alopecia due to cosmetic surgery faults, accident trauma caused alopecia or cosmetic correction needs such as deficient eyebrow hair growth. These types of hair loss are permanent and thus qualify for hair transplant procedures.
Doctors will first remove and/or transplant all the affected sections. The only issue with women being treated with hair transplantation is the availability of a good donor area from which healthy hair follicles can be taken. Another issue is that women expect to regain a full head of hair following a hair transplant procedure however, this is impossible to achieve. With hair transplantation, hair follicles are merely redistributed and this does not mean that new hair follicles will grow. The procedure will of course improve the density of hair, but achieving the original density will depend on the level of alopecia and the available donor hair area on the scalp. This means that the larger the affected scalp area, the more limited will be the donor area - making the task that much harder and in regaining the original density of hair impossible.
Therefore, it is important that you take the careful advice of your surgeon before you decide on opting for a hair transplant, as you will need to assess the success rate and understand fully the limitations of such a procedure.
