If you’re experiencing male or female pattern baldness, aka androgenetic alopecia, you may be curious about your options. You’re probably wondering if there’s a way you can slow or stop the progression of your hair loss. Fortunately, a range of innovative hair restoration options have sprung up in recent years. With the right treatment, you may be able to keep your hair—or even see new growth. Read on to learn more about all the different ways to keep your hair looking its best.
1. Online Hair Restoration Plans
Effective hair-loss medications like topical minoxidil and oral finasteride aren’t exactly cutting-edge in and of themselves. These treatments have been on the market for decades, and their proven results have stood the test of time. Natural products, with ingredients to make hair look thicker and healthier, have been around even longer.
The difference is, you no longer have to schedule doctor’s visits or pay hefty pharmacy prices. You don’t have to research specialists, wait forever for an appointment, or waste money on ineffective natural remedies. Most importantly, the whole world doesn’t have to see you standing at the counter with medication in hand.
Getting your hair loss treatment online grants you more privacy. You can schedule a consultation from the comfort of your home. Then, you can get affordable prescription and OTC hair restoration products delivered directly to your door. You can even get them on a subscription plan, saving you money and time and keeping your treatments on schedule.
2. PRP
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma, a type of injection you can get to help stop hair loss and encourage regrowth. Since blood platelets can promote cell growth and restoration, the idea is to stimulate growth from deep inside hair follicles. PRP microneedling are also used, with mixed results, to relieve pain and improve functioning in conditions like arthritis and tendinitis.
The process of separating out platelet-rich plasma from the rest of the blood has been around since roughly the 1970s. Since then, it has gained popularity with professional athletes because it may reduce recovery time after an injury. But it’s only in the last couple of decades that PRP has gained interest as a hair loss solution.
During PRP treatments, a clinician draws a small amount of blood, usually an ounce or less, from the patient’s arm. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge, which separates it into platelet-rich plasma, platelet-poor plasma, and red blood cells. The platelet-rich plasma is then injected directly into the scalp, in areas where hair growth is desired.
A PRP session only takes about 15 minutes, but you usually have to get four sessions during your first six months of treatment. After that, you’ll need another session every six months in order for PRP to keep working. PRP might also be more effective in conjunction with other treatments like minoxidil and finasteride.
3. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)
Low-level laser therapy, also known as low-level light therapy, is a treatment that uses light to stimulate cells and tissues. It was approved by the FDA in 2007 as a hair loss treatment for patients with male and female pattern baldness.
LLLT may prompt hair follicles to transition from the resting (telogen) to growth (anagen) phase of the hair growth cycle. It may also work by stimulating cells to repair and regenerate themselves. LLLT can be performed by a clinician or done at home using devices like the HairMax Laser Comb.
LLLT has shown successful results in a handful of research studies. But it doesn’t have the same degree of scientific backing as other treatments like minoxidil and finasteride.
It’s considered painless and has few or no side effects. That said, you shouldn’t use it if you’re on any kind of photosensitizing medication (ie. medication that makes you more sensitive to light.)
LLLT is a teensy bit time consuming — you have to remember to do it for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a week. It also takes several months to start working, and if you start missing treatments, you’ll stop seeing results.
LLLT is also generally considered to be less effective than other hair loss treatments. And it can be expensive, depending what device you use.
4. Follicular Unit Extraction
Follicular unit extraction is the latest and most innovative type of hair restoration surgery. During a FUE transplant, a clinician removes individual hair follicles (donor hairs) from the scalp and reinserts them in areas of hair loss.
Unlike older hair transplant methods, FUE does not leave a linear scar. It’s also a safe, outpatient procedure that can have you back in the office as soon as the next day.
Done by hand, FUE is already an innovative procedure with very high success rates. But for even more precision, some practices choose to use robotic surgical methods.
ARTAS and Neograft are two types of robots that are used to perform hair transplants. Some hair transplant robots still require extreme dexterity on the part of the surgeon, while others do not.
Robotic transplants can increase the risk of damage to neighboring grafts during the extraction and insertion procedures. But they are incredibly successful at extracting hair follicles without damaging them. Robotic transplants are also typically quicker than manual transplants and generally cause little to no pain.
Robotic hair transplants are still a young technology, so there’s room for plenty more innovation. Some robots, for example, rely on visual characteristics of the hair to identify follicles on the scalp.
This means that they might not work in patients with light-colored or curly hair. They also can’t typically extract donor hair from the beard or body.
Changing the Scalp — err, Face — of Hair Restoration
Hair restoration has come light years from the days of suction caps and tacky, visible hair plugs. With rapid advancements in medicine, robotics, and other technologies, even more possibilities could be on the way.
If you’re losing hair now, don’t fret though — current treatments are already quite effective. From advanced medications to top-of-the-line surgery, you don’t need to wait to start holding onto your hair.
Also read: Can Men Prevent and Treat Hair Loss with Plants and Natural Extracts?
