Two-thirds of men have noticeable hair loss by age 35, and by age 50, nearly 85 percent have significant thinning. Yet, hair loss is not just a male disease – about 40 percent of people with this condition are women. Fortunately, hair loss is no longer treated as a stigma. It is discussed openly and addressed like any other medical issues. Silverado Medical & Aesthetic Clinic in Calgary, AB provides personalized treatment plans for hair loss including a natural therapy called PRP.

WHAT CAUSES HAIR LOSS?

You have probably heard of popular theories for hair loss – wearing hats, brushing too much or not enough, washing too often, overactive libido, and more. In truth, there are many valid medical triggers for hair loss, including:

  • Heredity – most hair loss is a trait encoded in DNA, much like eye color, from genes passed by both maternal and paternal sides of the family.Dietary deficiencies.
  • Rapid weight loss.
  • Extreme stress, physical or emotional.
  • Hormonal changes stemming from pregnancy or menopause.
  • Thyroid problems.
  • Anemia.
  • Immune system disorders.
  • Some medications and medical treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Male pattern baldness, clinically known as androgenic alopecia, is the most common type of hair loss. These individuals inherit a genetic sensitivity to DHT. Dihydrotestosterone is a male hormone, a by-product of testosterone. While women have dramatically lower levels of testosterone than men, they also produce DHT. In those with a sensitivity, DHT shrinks hair follicles, shortening their lifespans.

Without effective treatment, affected follicles no longer produce normal hair. Miniaturized follicles create sparsely populated, slender hair shafts that may grow only to “peach fuzz” length. In men, this usually presents as a receding hairline, thinning at the crown, or a horseshoe pattern of baldness. Women are prone to diffuse thinning, usually starting at the front third of the head.

Hair grows in a three-stage cycle. Anagen is the active growth phase, lasting up to eight years. About 90 percent of healthy hair is in this stage. During the catagen phase, lasting two to three weeks, hair follicles shrink, expelling the shafts. Telogen is a two to four-month rest period for the follicle, before the cycle repeats. A healthy head of hair loses 50 to 100 strands daily, possibly double that during a vigorous shampoo (but don’t worry – these are hairs that are ready to fall out anyway). Natural shedding generally occurs during brushing or washing, so if you see hair on your pillowcase in the morning, it is time to see a professional.

NATURAL TREATMENT FOR HAIR LOSS

Within the blood are solid components – white cells, red cells, and platelets. Platelets are small cells instrumental in clotting, but they also contain a wealth of growth factors – proteins essential to healing. Platelet-rich plasma or PRP is plasma with a high concentration (five to ten times normal levels) of platelets and thus, growth factors.

PRP has been used medically for some time, originally to speed healing of orthopedic injuries and surgeries, and more recently for plastic surgery healing, spinal regeneration, and many other areas. PRP also has some exciting aesthetic applications, including hair restoration.

Because PRP hair loss treatment is a natural solution, there is no risk of drug interaction or rejection. The concentration is made from a small sample of your own blood, processed to separate platelets. PRP is introduced into the scalp where hair thinning has occurred. Treatment accelerates tissue regeneration, prompting cell growth that stimulates inactive hair follicles to enter the anagen growth phase.

Our clinic uses the mesogun u225 for painless PRP therapy. This device employs pneumatic energy to produce eight to nine high frequency microinjections per second, with extreme accuracy in depth of penetration and amount of PRP delivered. This level of precision is especially important in the delicate scalp area.

OPTIONS FOR ALL HAIR LOSS PATIENTS

PRP is just one of the hair loss solutions available at Silverado Medical & Aesthetic Clinic. Be assured that the personalized attention you receive from Dr. Folake Pepple results in a customized treatment plan that may include one or a combination of:

  • In-office laser therapy.
  • Low-level laser therapy (also known as cold laser therapy) at-home treatment.
  • Oral prescriptions.
  • Topical medications.

Schedule a visit to Silverado Medical & Aesthetic Clinic in Calgary, AB to learn more about treatment for hair loss. The number is (844) 830-0048.