Skin Issues

HAIR

Hair Loss

Everyone loses hair. It is normal to lose about 50-100 hairs every day. If you see bald patches or lots of thinning, you may be experiencing hair loss.

There are many causes of hair loss. Women may notice hair loss after giving birth. People under a lot of stress can see noticeable hair loss. Some diseases and medical treatments can cause hair loss.

The most common cause of hair loss is a medical condition called hereditary hair loss. About 80 million men and women in the United States have this type of hair loss. Other names for this type of hair loss are:

Male-pattern baldness.
Female-pattern baldness.
Androgenetic alopecia.

++ hair loss/baldness photos++

Just as there are many causes, there are many treatments for hair loss. Dermatologists recommend treating hair loss early. Early means before you lose a lot of hair. Hair loss is harder to treat when a person has a lot of hair loss.

Recommended treatment:

Oral / Topical medications prescribed by doctor

Laser devices: Brushes, combs, and other hand-held devices that emit laser light might stimulate hair growth. These devices might make hair look more youthful in some people. Because the FDA classifies these products as medical devices, the products do not undergo the rigorous testing that medicines undergo. The long-term effectiveness and safety for these devices are not known.

Hair mesotherapy: includes hair protein injection to stop hair loss and stimulate hair growth.
Platelet rich plasma (click link)
Hair tranplantation

Hirsutism

Hirsutism in women is the excess growth of dark and coarse hair over areas of the body where it ordinarily wouldn’t grow, such as the face and back. About one woman in 10 is affected.

Hirsutism is usually a symptom of an underlying problem rather than a medical condition in its own right. In most cases, the underlying problem is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is often associated with irregular menstrual cycles, acne, obesity, infertility and an increased risk of diabetes and osteoporosis. If you are concerned about the amount or distribution of body hair, see your doctor. A woman with more body hair than she would like should not assume she that has hirsutism. Genetics play an important role in hair colour, thickness and distribution. For example, dark body hair and facial hair is common in women from many areas of the world including the Mediterranean, Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Familial hirsutism (which means excess hair is inherited) is perfectly normal and is not associated with any underlying medical condition.

Recommended treatment for hirsutism:

Laser hair reduction/removal (click link)
anti-androgen medications to reduce your body’s ability to make androgens
medications to help block the manufacture of androgens in the ovaries, such as the oral contraceptive pill
surgical removal of an adrenal or ovarian tumour
for women who need contraception and help with menstrual cycle control, six month’s treatment with the oral contraceptive pill can significantly reduce excess hair growth.