hair loss treatments Archives - Miami Hair Institute

Articles Tagged with: hair loss treatments

February 3, 2020

Hair Loss Treatments: Do’s and Don’ts

They say that when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Unfortunately, many people who start to experience hair loss keep on digging and needlessly make matters worse for themselves. While many of the reasons behind hair thinning and baldness are out of our hands – genetics, primarily – plenty of styling, lifestyle, and diet choices can have a significant impact on the health, strength, and resilience of our hair. By doing the right things and not doing the wrong things, you can make great strides in slowing or preventing further hair loss.

If you notice more hair in your sink or shower and start seeing thinning areas on your scalp, keep these hair loss do’s and don’ts in mind:

Hair Loss Do’s

DO eat healthy. As with other aspects of health, the health of our hair relies on eating the right foods in the right amounts to ensure we get the nutrients we need. A diet that includes a healthy amount of protein from various sources can be key to growing and healthy hair. Few foods are as rich in protein as nuts and legumes. Nuts also contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Try to make nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews a regular part of your diet. Additionally, a lack of iron can contribute to hair loss. Iron-rich foods such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and other leafy greens can increase your iron intake and help feed your hair.
DO get enough sleep. Sufficient sleep is an indispensable part of overall health, as we expend tremendous amounts of energy every day and need the time to recharge so our bodies can function as they are supposed to. A lack of sleep keeps our bodies from repairing and regenerating hair follicles, causing hair to stop growing, weaken, and eventually fall out more than it otherwise would. Even hair that doesn’t fall out will suffer noticeably, losing shine and volume.
DO manage your stress. Overproduction of stress hormones contributes to adrenal fatigue, which happens when the body produces too much cortisol. In turn, this excessive production leads to a corresponding underproduction of hormones like aldosterone and androgens. Since these hormones are needed for healthy hair growth, an insufficient supply will cause thinning or balding hair. Find ways to alleviate day-to-day stress that work for you.
DO stay hydrated. Just as a plant won’t grow and will ultimately die without water, your hair needs to stay hydrated to stay healthy. Hair is one of the first parts of your body to show the effects of water, vitamin, and mineral deficiency. Make an effort to push fluids – at least 64 ounces of water per day.

Hair Loss Don’ts

DON’T wear destructive hairstyles. Some hair loss problems are caused by the way we treat and style our hair. Tight ponytails, pigtails, or braids can lead to a condition called traction alopecia. Constant and severe tension on hair follicles because of such hairstyles will damage and weaken those follicles and eventually kill them, causing them to fall out. Avoid these styling habits, and also avoid hairstyles that require hair to be tightly wound for a prolonged period or hairpieces and weaves that must be affixed or clipped to the hair.
DON’T smoke. Smoking limits the flow of blood in your body and reduces the amount of essential nutrients that make their way to your hair follicles. Without an adequate supply of those nutrients, your follicles will grow weak instead of just growing, and will ultimately fall out.
DON’T let styling products build up. Despite concern to the contrary, there is little evidence that everyday styling products like mousse, gels, or hairspray have any adverse effect on our follicles if used correctly. The key is ensuring that you wash your hair regularly to prevent such products from contributing to any long-term buildup of sebum-based plaque. When combined with pollutants, oils, and sweat, this buildup could lead to a condition called scalp folliculitis which can make it impossible for hair follicles to support a normal hair growth cycle.

Schedule Your Appointment for a Hair Loss Evaluation Today

At the Miami Hair & Skin Institute, our skilled physicians diagnose and treat hair loss cases that can’t be reversed at home or through changes in lifestyle or diet. Through advanced hair transplant techniques and alternative non-invasive treatments, we can help patients who are ready to take action and restore their hair and self-confidence.

To receive a personalized evaluation and treatment plan, contact us online or call or office directly at 305-925-0222.

May 15, 2017

3 Treatments to Boost Hair Transplant Results

hair tranplant results Hair transplant surgery is an effective hair restoration method that increases your confidence and sense of well-being. But, even successful hair restoration procedures can benefit from an extra push. To help each patient achieve optimal hair transplant results, we offer technologies and medications to reinforce and encourage hair growth long after you’ve left our offices.

Here are three treatments, all available at the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami, to consider alongside your hair transplant:

Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)

Low-level laser therapy, also called LLLT, has been widely adopted as a productive complement to hair restoration surgeries for improved hair transplant results. A non-invasive treatment involving the use of specialized combs and caps, LLLT nourishes hair follicles by sending pulses of energy into inactive follicles. These pulses “spark” the follicles back into a phase of regrowth by promoting proper circulation and cellular respiration.

After a hair transplant procedure, LLLT draws blood, oxygen, and nutrients to balding areas, promoting stronger effects. It is not uncommon for some hair follicles to be resistant to regrowth after an otherwise successful transplant. For these stubborn outliers, LLLT can provide the push follicles need to get with the hair growth program. Since hair loss is a progressive, long-term condition, undergoing long-term treatment after a hair restoration surgery can limit additional thinning as well.

LLLT treatments are delivered through specialized domes, combs, or caps. Laser domes are professional pieces of equipment that require a visit to the doctor to receive treatment. Laser combs have limitations since treatment is performed primarily at-home and the application is cumbersome. Laser caps, on the other hand, are portable, hands-free, and effective.

The Hair Transplant Institute of Miami offers the Capillus272 laser cap, a device cleared by the FDA for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Capillus272 caps have 272 professional-strength lasers to make it the most powerful at-home device for thinning hair.

Rogaine® (Minoxidil)

While most often used as a stand-alone treatment for hair loss, Rogaine® (Minoxidil) can also be constructive in driving optimal hair transplant results. Minoxidil is effective at stopping or slowing down hair loss and can lead to the growth of new hair in some patients. Post-transplant, Rogaine can strengthen and help you retain follicles which were not transplanted and may accelerate the growth of transplanted hair. Some patients may start using Rogaine a week or two after their surgery and continue to do so for five to seven months to boost hair growth. You should consult with your physician before using Rogaine, which is now available over-the-counter.

Stem Cells

Hair follicles are constantly regenerating, largely because of stem cells. But stem cells shrink, deteriorate, and stop renewing as we get older, leading to hair loss. Research has shown that re-introducing a patient’s own stem cells to their hair follicles creates a nourishing environment to foster regrowth and minimize hair loss.

The minimally invasive stem cell procedure has shown its ability to encourage successful hair transplant results. Performed at our state-of-the-art facility, the procedure involves a mild oral sedative and local anesthesia, making the process quick with little if any discomfort. Using a liposuction tool, we derive fat cells from the belly, flanks or love handles and extract the stem cells that will later foster hair growth. We then inject this concentrated stem cell sample onto the scalp.

If you are considering your options for addressing hair loss, or are looking for ways to promote and maintain a healthy, vibrant head of hair after undergoing a hair transplant procedure, we welcome the opportunity to assist you. Schedule an appointment with the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami today by calling 305.925.0222.

May 8, 2017

How Does Men and Women’s Hair Loss Differ?

women's hair loss For decades, stand-up comedians have made jokes about the differences between men and women. While losing hair is no laughing matter, and men and women’s hair loss share commonalities, there are a few important distinctions between the causes, manifestations, and treatment depending on sex.

Causes

We’ll start with what men and women’s hair loss has in common. The reasons behind pattern baldness in both sexes largely come down to something we all share: genetics. Over 95 percent of hair loss cases in men and women are caused by androgenetic alopecia, a hereditary hair loss condition that affects over 3 million Americans annually.

As the name implies, androgenic alopecia involves hormones called androgens. These hormones, which include testosterone, play an important part in male sexual development. They also play a central role in hair growth for both sexes. Testosterone produces a by-product known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Men and women who suffer from pattern baldness have a genetic sensitivity to DHT that results in shrinking hair follicles, which ultimately stop producing viable hair to replace the hair that we all lose on a regular basis.

Additional factors distinct to women can also lead to hair loss, such as hormonal and other changes caused by menopause.

Manifestations

Androgenetic alopecia may share a common origin in men and women, but the distinct ways in which androgenetic alopecia typically manifests itself – and how that impacts when hair loss is first noticed – is perhaps the biggest difference between the sexes when it comes to hair loss.

Men are more likely to notice and experience pattern baldness earlier than women. A quarter of American men see symptoms of male pattern baldness before the age of 21, approximately 66 percent of men experience some degree of loss by the age of 35, and 85 percent of men see significant thinning related to androgenetic alopecia by age 50. Most women, however, do not notice any signs of thinning or balding hair until the age of 50 or 60, long after the condition has already begun.

This gap between when men and women typically notice they have a problem with hair loss is due to the different ways men and women typically lose hair as a result of androgenetic alopecia. In men, androgenetic alopecia follows a relatively predictable and familiar pattern that starts with shedding in the frontal hairline. This leads to more pronounced hair loss across the top of the head, and finally toward the crown. Since this hair loss in men occurs in distinct areas of the scalp, it is relatively easy to see it happening while it is happening

In women, however, androgenetic alopecia progresses differently. Instead of losing hair in isolated areas, women’s hair loss tends to occur throughout the scalp, resulting in thinning hair that can be more difficult to detect than a receding hairline or bald spot on the top of the head. Fortunately. there are warning signs of hair loss in women that facilitate faster action. Early detection is critical, as all medical therapies are most effective if initiated in the earlier stages of hair loss.

Treatment

A wide range of treatments can be used to address both men and women’s hair loss. The nature and degree of hair loss in the individual patient help determine the most effective treatment. At the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami, we have developed a comprehensive, holistic approach to evaluating and treating patients with hair loss, and leverage the very latest scientific advancements at our state-of-the art facility.

For men and women alike, the first step towards addressing hair loss is arranging for an evaluation as soon as possible. Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment provide the best chance of restoring your hair — and regaining your confidence. Let us help you reclaim a healthy, vibrant, and full head of hair. Schedule an appointment with the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami today by calling 305.925.0222. We look forward to assisting you.