Tips For Hair Loss Prevention And Treatment

In some cases, hair loss is a hereditary condition that can’t be avoided. However, there are certain steps we can take to help prevent hair loss, as well as ways we can treat it, and even solutions to reverse it.

In this article, we are going to look at the causes and characteristics of hair loss, before exploring some hair loss treatment and prevention tips.

What causes hair loss?

Hair loss can be caused by factors including: 

• Genetics: such as male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) – the most common type of hair loss
• Medical conditions: such as autoimmune disorders, hair pulling disorders (trichotillomania) and sexually transmitted infections
• Hormonal changes: with triggers such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and thyroid issues
• Medications: including drugs for heart problems, high blood pressure and cancer

There are other potential causes of hair loss such as:

• Shock: with temporary thinning of the hair being caused by emotional or physical shock
• Hairstyles: including braids, ponytails, buns and other styles that pull back your hair tightly causing a condition called traction alopecia
• Hair treatments: like hot styling tools and chemical texturisers

How much hair loss is normal? 

If you notice that you are frequently shedding hair when you wash or brush it, you may be asking yourself the question “how much hair loss is normal?” 

It is important to remember that hair shedding is entirely normal. We typically shed from 50 to 100 hairs per day. When the shedded hair is not replaced by new hair, this is a sign of hair loss.

Tips to prevent hair loss

Luckily, there are many ways to help prevent hair loss. Measures that you can take include:

• Avoiding hairstyles that may cause traction alopecia
• Treating medical conditions that are causing hair loss
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Taking hair growth supplements

In the sections below, we’ll explain these tips in more detail. 

Diet and hair loss

You might not think there is a natural connection between diet and hair loss, but what you eat is linked to the hair on your head. A lack of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, iron and zinc can cause hair loss. It’s important to eat a balanced diet that incorporates all of your required vitamins. People who are on specific kinds of diets may need to take certain supplements to help them receive the vitamins they require. For example, somebody on a vegan diet may wish to take vitamin B-12 supplements, which is usually found in meat and dairy products.

Research into diet and hair loss concluded that several nutrient deficiencies may lead to hair loss, but as some of these deficiencies may be caused by underlying medical conditions and disorders, proper screening and diagnosis is important. 

Hair care

How you look after your hair can impact its health. To help prevent hair loss, avoid hairstyles that could potentially damage your hair. Steer clear of tightly-pulled braids, ponytails and buns that could cause traction alopecia and lead to excessive hair shedding. 

Be gentle with your hair when you are styling. To help prevent damaging or breaking hair shafts, you may want to avoid using heat styling devices such as straighteners and curling irons regularly.  Hair processing should also be a consideration, as chemical treatments such as hair dye can damage the hair and contribute to hair loss. 

Wash your hair regularly to keep your scalp clean and healthy, and try to use mild shampoos that are less likely to break your hair and cause hair loss. If you are looking for hair treatments that help to prevent hair loss, think about coconut oil (which may help prevent damage from UV light and grooming) and olive oil (which possesses many bioactive compounds that are beneficial to hair growth). 

Medication for hair loss 

There are several medications available that can slow down your rate of hair loss, these include:

• Minoxidil: which typically comes in a topical solution, and expands the blood vessels to increase oxygen and nutrient supply to your hair follicles
• Finasteride: which comes in tablet form and blocks the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme that produces dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that causes male hair loss

Hair loss treatments

You could also try other non-surgical treatments for hair loss, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, which we offer at The Treatment Rooms London. This treatment involves administering a patient’s own plasma to specific areas of the head that is suffering hair loss. This treatment encourages the growth of hair in areas that are thinning and also helps to promote the growth of newly transplanted hair follicles.

Hair transplant

If you have hair loss and want to fully restore your hair, hair transplants can be the most effective option if the non-surgical treatments haven’t worked satisfactorily. They are a permanent hair loss solution that can offer you a more youthful appearance. 

The two main types of hair transplant are the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique and the follicular unit transplant (FUT) technique. An FUE hair transplant takes grafts as individual hair follicles from the back of the scalp with hundreds of tiny punches. These hair follicles are then placed gently in the small holes prepared at the recipient site, and the scalp is bandaged for a few days. 

An FUT hair transplant takes a graft as a strip from the back of the scalp. After the donor area has been stitched up, a surgical tool is used to divide the strip into smaller sections that are then implanted at the recipient site and the scalp is bandaged. 

To find out more about the hair transplant experience at The Treatment Rooms London, we recommend visiting the patient journey page.

How we can help your hair loss

At The Treatment Rooms London, we pride ourselves on providing a range of surgical and non-surgical hair loss treatments that will effectively restore your hair, giving you a more confident, youthful look. Our qualified surgeons are experienced in performing both the FUE and FUT hair transplants, as well as providing non-surgical treatments. Book a consultation today to speak with one of our experienced surgeons to explore your options.