Going bald? When does a hair transplant makes sense?

People experiencing hair loss can feel less confident and unhappy with their appearance. Hair often plays a big part in a person’s identity and when this starts to change, thin out or fall out it, can have a big impact. There are many reasons for losing hair, but luckily there are things that can be done to fix it. Here is a look at the different types of alopecia and causes for hair loss, and what can be done about it, including a hair transplant, which might make sense. 

What is hair loss?

We all lose hair every day, though it doesn’t tend to be enough to make a noticeable difference. We shed around 50 to 100 hairs daily, but they are replaced by other hair that is growing simultaneously. Hair loss is when the hair that falls out isn’t replaced with new hair. As such it’s possible to find symptoms such as a receding hair or bald patches.

There are many causes of hair loss, including genetics, certain drugs and medical treatments such as chemotherapy and also hormonal changes or certain hairstyles. Some can be treated with things such as hair transplants, while for others this might not work. Below is a look at when a hair transplant makes sense and what types of alopecia are curable with a hair transplant.

What are some of the main alopecia types that are curable with a hair transplant?

Androgenetic alopecia

Androgenetic alopecia is one of the most common types of hair loss and affects both men and women. Some will have heard it by its other term, “male-pattern baldness”. This type of hair loss is often caused by hormones called androgens that are important for aspects such as regulating hair growth and ensuring there are new hairs to replace those that fall out daily. Typical signs of androgenetic alopecia in men tends to be a receding hairline and hair that thins to the crown, progressing over time to complete baldness. In women this doesn’t happen as drastically, however, the hair becomes thin and wiry. For anyone suffering from this type of hair loss, they can have a hair transplant to help. Eve nfor those suffering from advanced androgenetic alopecia, a hair transplant can drastically help.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is a hair loss condition that tends to occur in previously healthy people and can be unpredictable. This is essentially a disease that develops when the body attacks its own hair follicles, causing hair to fall out. While this can occur at any time in a person’s life, it tends to be more prevalent in those whose parents had it – though this isn’t always the case. It has also been found that hair may regrow over time without any treatment, but sometimes a hair transplant is needed. Luckily, it is perfectly safe to have a hair transplant with alopecia areata and it can be an effective way to restore a full head of hair.

Alopecia barbae

Alopecia barbae is an autoimmune disease and is a more specific form of alopecia areata. Instead of impacting the hair on the head it attacks facial hair and causes the body to attack hair follicles, making hair fall out. While it is most commonly attributed to the beard, some people find that the hair loss begins here before travelling to the scalp or other areas of the body, leaving patchy bald spots. An exact cause for contracting this is unknown, however it has been found that those who are stressed or have someone in their family who suffers from it, they might do as well. 

What is a hair transplant?

Hair transplants are a well practised surgery that involves moving hair follicles from one part of the patient’s body and re-implanting them somewhere else. It is a type of cosmetic surgery and, as such, isn’t available on the NHS, but they are a long term solution and for many can transform life and mental wellbeing. Hair transplants are designed to be a permanent solution and, thanks to anaesthetics and painkillers following the procedure, they don’t hurt to have done. There might be a slight level of discomfort while it happens, but this isn’t always the case and people find that this far outweighs the negative impact that baldness has on their lives.

For anyone suffering from hair loss and wanting to get it sorted sooner rather than later, there really is no time like the present. Expert practitioners such as Elithair we are on hand to answer any questions and show patients how they can transform their appearance with a hair transplant. Elithair’s free hair analysis is worth a look as a first step.

The editorial unit