With advances in technology, hair loss can be treated with completely non-surgical to new technology in hair transplants.
Many men and women across the country suffer from thinning hair, hair loss and pattern baldness but hair restoration options have never been better. From foods that you can eat to help with thinning hair to prescription medication and new hair transplant technology such as NeoGraft, it may just be possible to defy genetics and thwart hair loss.
Recently, comedian Jon Lovitz asked cast members of The Doctors what he could do about a condition he has been dealing with for a while: thinning hair. While the doctors confirmed genetics are largely responsible for hair loss and thinning, there are also many options available to postpone, treat and even replace lost hair.
- Diet and Exercise
While eating and exercising won’t directly stop hair loss, a good diet and regular exercise may promote hair health. Since hair is composed mainly of protein, a diet rich in high lean protein may boost hair strength. Iron and zinc are instrumental for hair follicles to regenerate hair so be sure to add plenty of red meat and green leafy vegetables to help with hair growth. Paired with regular exercise, which helps with circulation and blood flow, these diet changes may help postpone hair loss and promote the hair you have now. - Latisse/Bimatoprost
Physicians such as Boca Raton hair restoration provider Dr. Alan Bauman have been prescribing Latisse, the eyelash enhancer from Allergen, for hair loss. An off-label use of the product, the active ingredient in Latisse is bimatoprost and Dr. Bauman claims that the topical drug has worked on 70% of his patients, resulting in thicker and stronger hair where the bimatoprost is applied. - Prescription Medication
The first line of defense in the treatment of hair loss is typically prescription medications such as Propecia and topical treatments such as Minoxidil. The active ingredient in Propecia, finasteride, is most commonly used to treat male pattern baldness. Propecia works by preventing DHT (dihydrotestosterone) conversion, which cause follicular miniaturization, resulting in shorter and thinner hairs. Regular strength minoxidil can be found in topical solutions such as Rogaine but there are also stronger solutions available such as the “82M” Minoxidil, which is only available with a prescription. - Hair Transplants
Hair transplants have come a long way from just hair plugs – new techniques and technologies have resulted in more natural looking transplanted hair. Among the new technology is NeoGraft, which uses Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) to transplant small groupings of follicles. “The major advantage of any FUE procedure is the lack of a linear scar,” says Dr. Bauman, which erases the tell-tale line of demarcation that typical hair transplant patients may have. New procedures have also made hair transplants from body hair possible, which is ideal for men who are balding and do not have enough hair on the scalp to transplant.
As technology advances, hair restoration options will continue to evolve to successfully address hair loss. Your genetics may dictate balding but technology may now give you the power to change that.
