Baldness: Taking It in Stride

By the time Bruce Willis and David Beckham started to crop their hair, shaven-headedness had gone Mainstream Hetero. The white-van man and metrosexual alike, the baldness sufferer and the style surfer, were all flocking to have their hair clipped to the minimum length. “Celebrities shaving their heads brought a different interpretation to baldness entirely,” says Healy. “From when Trevor Sorbie started to makeover men with cropped hair on daytime TV in the early 90s, the meaning changed.”

But what about those who are not convinced by Trevor Sorbie or Bruce Willis? Is there really hope for them, with the new research discoveries and fresh techniques for hair transplantation? Probably not, according to GP and medical journalist Dr James Le Fanu, author of The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine.

“You have to be incredibly skeptical about stem cells and anything where people say in five years’ time we’ll do such and such,” says Le Fanu. “Stem-cell technology appears to offer the moon. Regeneration and regenerative medicine is often presented as the answer to everything in the universe. But actually there’s nothing in the bank.”

Balding, Le Fanu points out, is deeply mysterious, even counter-intuitive. “Nobody knows why you get balder as you get older. It’s an anomaly. It doesn’t fit.” Because, Le Fanu explains, people with lower levels of testosterone (which usually comes with aging) should theoretically enjoy better hair growth. After all, castrati never lose their hair, because they don’t produce testosterone. “There is some link between hair loss and testosterone, but no one knows what it is.”

Le Fanu isn’t all negative. He claims that hair transplants are pretty good nowadays and recommends drugs such as minoxidil, which induces hair growth in 30–40 percent of people. He notes that “increasing circulation to the scalp also appears to promote hair growth. The Japanese have a special hairbrush which they use to massage the scalp 200 times a day to increase blood flow. This is said to improve hair growth.”

Laser to Lessen the Rate of Hair Loss

LASERS (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) have been used in the medical field for many years, and for many purposes.

Today, I will share with you the use of low level laser therapy (LLLT), or low intensity laser therapy (LILT), in some gadgets and instruments that are available in clinics and also for home/personal use.

Although the acronym for laser includes radiation, these lasers do not generate harmful high-frequency (short wave-length) ionizing radiation. Rather, safe frequencies within or near to the visible-light range (400–700 nm wavelength) of the electro-magnetic spectrum are used.

It was only in 1960 that the first functioning laser device was invented, although the theoretical concept for lasers was first proposed by Albert Einstein way back in 1917. Since then, there has been tremendous developments and innovations in the field, leading to lasers being used in so many fields, even in discos (e.g., laser light displays) and at home (e.g., in CD/DVD players). The laser light pointer used during slide presentations is perhaps the most obvious practical example of laser technology made simple.

Laser use in medicine and dentistry is extensive, from “bloodless” surgery to treatments for eye disease. Lately, there has been an explosion of laser use in the beauty/aesthetics/slimming industry.

Lasers are used for skin “resurfacing” and tightening for rejuvenation; acne treatment; scar treatment; tattoo, wart, mole and hair removal; and even fat-melting (with or without liposuction).

Laser for hair growth

While higher-powered lasers are used to remove unwanted hair on the other parts of the body, LLLT is used to stimulate hair growth. The use of LLLT for hair growth was in fact discovered during research on the effects of lasers on skin cancer. While applying lasers to the backs of shaven mice, it was noticed that the shaved hair grew back more quickly on the treated group than the untreated group.

Laser hair treatment uses a whole-head laser dome (much like the ones used to perm hair at the salons) for use at hair clinics, or as hand-held laser combs for personal use. The larger clinic version is of course more effective as it delivers a wider spread of the laser over the scalp. However, you need to visit the clinic regularly, and the cost is not cheap.

The hand-held comb device comes in several models of different sizes (with varying treatment-area size per pass). The effectiveness depends on how often you use the device. Since it is for personal use, you can use it as often as you like.

Note that those with balding (hair loss) and thinning hair problems need also to look into the other reasons for hair loss. If it is hormone-linked (e.g., male-pattern baldness), then a hormonal assessment and intervention may be possible. If it is stress-related, then it will recur if the stress is not removed or managed. If it is due to poor hygiene, then even the laser will work slowly.

Infection, especially by fungus and yeast (e.g., dandruff), is a common cause of unhealthy scalp and poor hair growth.

Finally, the scalp needs plenty of nutrients, including minerals, for healthy hair growth. All these have to be taken into account for best results.

If you want better hair growth, it is necessary to wash the hair regularly with a good shampoo, apply scalp/hair tonic (for even better results, use hair growth factors), eat nutritious foods, and take nutritional supplements for the hair.

If all these don’t work, then you may consider using laser hair treatment or a personal laser comb.

Hair Regrowth the Natural Way

Alopecia or baldness affects millions of men and women all over the world and most of them are struggling to find the right therapy, device, product, or medicine to get rid of the embarrassing situation of their body. Hair is considered as an essential part of one’s outer appearance and hardly any man or woman wants to lose their precious hair from the head. Hair loss is one of the most common health issues which is triggered by plenty of reasons from both natural and environmental aspects.

Although most of the time hair loss stems from some internal issues of the body and it is generally associated with poor lifestyle and vitamin deficiency which further lead to several other health issues as well. There are various causes given by the patient, doctors and the experts. Causes of hair loss are myriad but it is nutrient deficiency that is a major cause and can be easily addressed.

Our stomach stores food which gives us nutrition and energy to stay active and healthy. Food is the only one permanent supplement for our body which supplies nutrition to each and every part of our body, even the hairs and the nails. Nutrition can be obtained through many forms, the foremost means of which is through vitamins.

Vitamins A, B, C, and D have their own way to fulfill the requirement of the body and specialize to give strength to the other body parts. And if we are not having quality foods, then it will affect our stomach first then the other parts of body, and hair is one of the weak parts of the human body through which the effects of nutrient deficiency can be made easily visible. Lacking vitamin intake is considered to be a major cause of hair loss because it makes the hair roots weak and fragile.

How to Deal with Androgenic Alopecia in Women

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is a type of hair loss commonly experienced by men and women. This type of alopecia is a problematic condition known to be inherited from either parent. The onset of AGA is due to the high presence of hair follicles that are susceptible to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), an androgen that causes damage to the hair follicles in the scalp.

With regards to AGA treatment, you’ll find two primary approaches, namely systemic and topical. A systemic treatment typically entails taking a pill that affects the whole body system. Topical approaches involve directly applying a medication onto the scalp. Given that systemic remedies have an effect on the whole body, they typically call for a doctor’s prescription and supervision. Regardless of your personal preferences, it’s most beneficial to go to a doctor for a proper diagnosis and recommendation.

Here are some of the top alopecia treatment plans for ladies:

Minoxidil or Rogaine for women is one of the most well-regarded hair loss medication accessible these days. It has been applied with success by both men and women. The version for women is less intense than for men.

Orally-administered medication. Finasteride or Propecia is a drug that slows down the presence of dihydrotestosterone, a derivative male hormone that is inducing AGA. However, this is usually prescribed for men rather than women. It is not safe for women who are pregnant or who intend to become pregnant. Alternatives include Aldactone or Cimetidine and they do not have the same risks. The choice of oral medication should be discussed with the doctor.

Transplant hair surgery is one more strategy to treating the situation. This entails micro-grafting hair follicles from other regions of the scalp into the affected areas. This is a delicate procedure carried out in tiny plugs or on a micro–hair follicle basis.

To sum things up, Androgenic Alopecia or AGA is the most frequent type of female hair loss. The situation is caused by hormonal imbalances which might be inherited. Women approaching menopause or right after menopause could also be far more at risk because of modifications in their hormonal levels. There are a number of techniques to treat this, such as pills or hair surgery. Should you be currently experiencing symptoms of the condition, you may want to investigate and get a good comprehension of the condition; and in addition, look for an appropriate doctor or hair loss center for a professional examination.