Do Treatments for Thinning Hair Work?


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Thinning hair and hair loss are significant concerns for many people, spanning men and women alike. Treating hair loss can be challenging for all manner of reasons, not least the fact that there are so many options available. Not only can the sheer breadth of choice leave people wondering where to start, but it begs the question of if these treatments work, why are there so many different options?

A key factor behind the sheer number of treatments for thinning hair is that recovery can often depend on the cause. Hair loss might be due to a medical condition or specific medication, genetic predisposition due to family history, other treatments, or even as possible side effects of other medications.

Combine this with the fact that it is generally accepted that there is no cure for baldness, leaving people wondering whether hair loss treatments work. Not only can the cause of hair loss influence whether hair growth is possible, but we must also consider that everybody is different. Furthermore, they will likely react differently to specific treatments.

Tackle Hair Loss with the Xanadu Med Spa Team

While we will explore the question of whether hair loss treatments work, it is worth mentioning at this point that nothing beats personalized advice. As noted, there are plenty of options out there to stimulate hair growth and potentially regrow hair. Still, people can react completely differently, and there is not necessarily one singular most effective treatment.

Whether you are worried that you might start losing hair, want to prevent further hair loss, or want to explore the available options for brand-new hair, the Xanadu Med Spa team can provide advice and a treatment plan that is every bit as unique as you are.

We can help you establish the reason for hair loss and provide tailored guidance on putting things right. We offer a range of treatments and supplements led by the Alma TED hair restoration treatment.

Initial consultations with our experts are free and completely without obligation, and we are every bit as invested in helping you look and feel great as you are. If you would like to find out more about how we might be able to help, call Xanadu Med Spa today at 970-591-7919.

Alma TED Hair Restoration at Xanadu Med Spa

One example of the latest technology in hair loss treatment is the Alma TED hair restoration treatment, designed and developed by the Alma Laser Company.

The treatment stimulates new hair growth by increasing blood flow in the scalp while directly injecting nutrients that have been specially formulated to encourage natural hair growth.

If the idea of injecting nutrients into the scalp brings to mind the idea of lots of tiny needles poking at your head, worry not. Alma TED is non-surgical, non-invasive, and completely needle free. Instead, it uses sound waves and air pressure to drive the formula into the skin while stimulating blood vessels in the area for increased activity.

It is quick, simple, and pain-free. More importantly, as our premier hair loss treatment at Xanadu Med Spa, we are confident that it answers the question, ‘do treatments for thinning hair work?’

If you would like to find out more about Alma TED, speak to a member of our expert team by calling 970-591-7919.

Finding the Cause of Hair Thinning and Hair Loss

As noted, one of the most significant factors behind determining whether treatments for thinning hair work is the underlying cause of hair loss. Over 80 percent of men and half of women will experience hair loss during their lives, and the thinning process typically begins long before middle age when many people expect it to start.

Hereditary Hair Loss

Androgenetic alopecia, incorporating female-pattern hair loss and male-pattern baldness, occurs due to genetics. It is fair to say that if older family members of the same gender have experienced some degree of hair loss, younger generations may do the same. Males can expect a receding hairline and bald spots, while women typically experience thinning hair around the crown.

Medical Conditions and Medication

Some medical conditions, such as alopecia areata, are closely associated with hair loss. Still, anything affecting the immune system can potentially lead to damaged hair follicles and, ultimately, hair loss. Indeed, while alopecia areata can claim hair shedding as the most commonly associated effect, it is a condition afflicting the immune system in its own right.

While hair may fall out due to long-term medical conditions, it is vital not to ignore short-term effects. Even something as simple as a temporary high fever can cause hair to thin or fall out, although the effects typically reverse once the person recovers.

Even if the condition itself does not correlate directly with hair loss, the treatment might. Drugs used for treating cancer, depression, arthritis, and even high blood pressure can cause someone to lose hair, and that hair will not necessarily grow back naturally once the drug is no longer required.

Stress and Styling

Stress is commonly associated with causing hair loss. Indeed, three common types of hair loss are considered as being directly linked to stress, including alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and trichotillomania.

Telogen effluvium sees stress causing hair follicles to enter into a resting phase, meaning that they no longer work on actively creating more hair. Not everyone experiences the condition overnight, and it may be many months before people notice their hair falling out while washing or brushing it. That’s because resting hair follicles will not actively expel hair, but they will not work to replace it.

Meanwhile, trichotillomania is the medical term for literally pulling your hair out, in this case, as a reaction to stress, boredom, or frustration.

The good news is that scientific studies suggest that hair loss caused by stress is only temporary. Once the stressful periods end, the hair follicles wake from their resting period and continue working as normal, even if it may take some time for them to get up and running again.

Meanwhile, an oft-overlooked cause of hair loss is simply a result of too much attention over time. There is enough evidence to suggest that hairstyles that pull at the hair, frequent hairstyling, and permanent coloring can all lead to hair falling out. If any of these factors lead to scalp scarring, the hair loss could be permanent.

Establishing a Cause

The reasons behind hair loss are not always clear. Naturally, someone undergoing chemotherapy for prostate cancer would understand the nature of and reasoning behind their hair loss, as would someone whose father started suffering from male pattern baldness in their early thirties.

Conversely, the reasons are not always clear, and it can be worth consulting a doctor or dermatologist about receding hairlines before seeking out treatments for thinning hair that are likely to work.

Common tests for the cause of hair thinning include:

  • A blood test to identify any medical issues that might be affecting hair density
  • A pull test, where a doctor will simply pull the hair to see how much leaves the scalp under pressure, often to assess the stage of hair loss
  • A scalp biopsy, where skin samples from the scalp and individual hairs are tested to determine whether an infection is the cause of scalp irritation and thinning hair
  • Light microscopy, which enables a doctor to examine hairs closely to see if there is any issue with the hair itself

Once the cause of hair loss has been established, the individual that is looking to treat baldness can take steps to find a treatment that is likely to work for them and ultimately reverse or at least stop hair loss.

Additional Treatments for Thinning Hair

As mentioned already, multiple options are available for anyone seeking treatments for hair loss, which is one of the reasons why finding something that will work for you can be so difficult. There are over-the-counter options that might achieve the results you desire, or your doctor might prescribe something stronger if they are confident that they have identified the cause and equally confident that their recommendations will successfully treat hair loss.

Medication

Medication is one of the reasons why people are so unsure about whether treatments for thinning hair work, but there are numerous tried and tested options that have stood the test of time.

Topical minoxidil is often an ideal place to start, as it is available over the counter. Males using minoxidil in one of its branded forms, such as Rogaine, would apply the product to the scalp twice a day, while females would apply the treatment only once.

One of the downsides of minoxidil is that it can be difficult to tell whether the treatment is working. It can take up to six months to see results, and there is always a chance of side effects, such as scalp irritation and unwanted hair growth.

The main alternative is finasteride, which is only available from a doctor by prescription and is taken orally. Again, it can take several months to see results from finasteride, and scientific studies suggest reduced effectiveness in men over 60.

Hair Transplant

While potentially oversimplifying the procedure, a hair transplant is designed to help those suffering from pattern baldness to make the most of the hair that remains. The nature of both male and female pattern hair loss means that it rarely affects the entire scalp, and a dermatologist can take hair from other areas of the head and place it where needed.

A hair transplant does work, as it boils down to removing hair from one area and surgically placing it elsewhere. However, it does not confer any immunity to the progression of hereditary hair loss over time.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections

Among the increasingly popular treatments for hair loss is PRP injections. It is a three-step process where the individual’s own blood is treated and then reinjected. This prompts new hair growth and is thought to maintain increased hair production, boosting the blood supply to hair follicles while working to make hair shafts thicker.

Low-Level Laser Therapy

Among the most significant developments in hair regrowth and hair loss treatment in recent years came when the FDA approved laser therapy at a low level. The idea is that the laser stimulates the hair follicles when light is absorbed at a certain level.

While the practice is considered safe, there is not yet conclusive proof of success rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Hair Grow Back After Thinning?

Hair can certainly grow back after thinning. Depending on the cause, it may do so naturally, such as following a short illness, or may require additional motivation from medication or additional procedures.

Crucially, anyone that has experienced thinning hair and wishes to prevent further hair loss should understand that they have options, and it is worth consulting an expert – like those that make up the team here at Xanadu Med Spa!

Can Thinning Hair Become Thick Again?

Again, hair can get thicker with the right treatment, but there are multiple factors influencing whether it happens naturally and how quickly it recovers. Hair loss is certainly never final, and some find success with nothing more than minoxidil or finasteride. Meanwhile, others may wish to consider a range of alternative hair loss treatments

Do Hair Treatments Actually Work?

Remember that there is no cure for baldness and no single product or technique that is guaranteed to prevent hair loss and thinning. However, with so many options out there, everyone stands a good chance of finding something that works in their specific case, no matter if their hair loss is a result of androgenetic alopecia, medication side effects, stress, or anything else.

Speak to a Specialist on Thinning Hair at Xanadu Med Spa Today

We are incredibly proud of the treatments for thinning hair available at Xanadu Med Spa, and we have the knowledge and experience to back them up. There can never be a complete guarantee that a certain approach will work – even a hair transplant is not infallible – but if you are concerned about hair loss and thinning, we would be delighted to help guide you toward a solution.

Initial consultations are free and without obligation.

Contact us whenever you’re ready to speak to an expert about the range of hair loss treatments we provide, led by the outstanding Alma TED system.

Call us at 970-591-7919.