Hair loss
Half of the people face hair loss or, in medical terms, Alopecia at some point in their lives. The problem of hair loss, which occurs at a younger age in men, can progress more rapidly in women and can bring along psychosocial problems. If the problem of hair loss is investigated correctly and the causes are determined, its treatment becomes easier. In this direction, genetic structure, drugs used, diseases, nutritional characteristics, hair care habits, hormonal balance and stress should be evaluated. Examination and examination of the hair and scalp, microscopic examination of the hair, general blood analyzes to review the general condition of the patient, and sometimes biopsies taken from the scalp bring us closer to the correct diagnosis.
How does the life cycle of the hair take place?
When we are born, there are approximately 5 million hair follicles in our entire body and 100,000 hair follicles on our scalp, which is gradually decreasing. Each hair follicle has a life cycle. Accordingly, each hair follicle operates non-stop for 3-5 years during the active growth period called Anagen. A few days after the end of the growth period, the hair follicles enter the Catagen period, known as the transition period. After that, the resting or Telogen phase, which can last for 3-8 months, begins. 80-90% of hair follicles are in Anagen period and 10-15% are in telogen period. After the telogen period, the hair falls out and a new growth period begins.
How about normal hair loss? How to distinguish it from excessive hair loss?
Normally, 50-150 resting hairs per day in an adult are shed due to combing, washing or pulling. These shedding can last up to 2 months and recur cyclically 3 times a year. If the hair loss period exceeds 2 months, it is a sign of a problematic process and requires some investigations. If excessive hair loss and visible thinning of the hair occur, there is an abnormal situation.
What are the main causes of hair loss?
Telogen hair loss (Telogen effluvium):
With the increase in the resting hair ratio, daily hair loss can reach 150-400 with simple traumatic effects in daily life such as pulling, washing and combing. Those who are disturbed by this situation complain of more hair loss than they are used to after taking a bath. The most common causes of Telogen hair loss, which can last for 6-8 months, are infections, childbirth, febrile diseases, surgical interventions, thyroid diseases, stress, protein and calorie-poor diet, seasonal changes, iron , zinc, biotin deficiency and drug use.
Androgenic hair loss:
This type of hair loss caused by male hormones can be seen in both men and women. The scalp line on the forehead recedes and thinning occurs in the hair. In male pattern hair loss, which manifests itself mostly over the age of 30, there is hypersensitivity to hormones and genetic predisposition. Examination and hormone analyzes of these patients should be done meticulously.
Alopecia areata (hair breaker):
coin-sized or larger round patch-style hair-free areas occur on the scalp. Although the factors causing this type of hair loss, which can be seen at any age, are not known, in many patients, the hair grows spontaneously later. Alopecia areata can sometimes be accompanied by other immunological diseases such as Vitiligo, thyroid diseases and diabetes.
Other causes of hair loss include fungal diseases, syphilis, radiation treatments, scalp eczema, tight hair tying, postpartum hair loss, seasonal hair loss, psychiatric personality disorder called trichotillomania and some diseases.
Treatment options:
The treatment of telogen effluvium is to reveal the cause and to take the necessary precautions. Since it is a rotational table, good results are usually obtained with an educational explanation about the problem and patient patience. To treat the problem of hair loss, there are some methods applied to the scalp, as well as drugs, lotions and shampoos containing anti-androgens, Biotin, iron, zinc and Minoxidil:
Hair Mesotherapy;
Mesotherapy, which has been used for a long time in the treatment of hair loss, is technically the application of circulatory regulator, anti-androgenic drugs and certain vitamins under the skin as a mixture. Hair mesotherapy is the method used in many hair diseases such as androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata and telogen effluvium. In this application, vitamins, antiandrogenic drugs and circulation-regulating cocktails that nourish the hair follicle are injected into the scalp using very thin and short needle tips. The pain felt is very low in parallel with the size of the needles.
PRP treatment;
In the application, 10 ml of blood is taken from the person, centrifugation is performed and 0.5 ml of serum containing platelets or platelets is obtained. This serum is injected superficially into the scalp. Growth factors secreted from platelets, which play a key role in the coagulation process, initiate stem cell migration to this region. PRP application is repeated 2-4 times, once a month. Then it is enough to repeat it once a year. In this way, you get rid of the high bills you pay for cosmetic products for hair loss and you get a much more effective result than the products used superficially.
