Hair Loss Treatments: Clinics, Laser Therapies, and Products

It’s one of the top questions dermatologists get asked about: ‘What can be done for thinning hair?’ Now, a hair loss and hair restoration clinic promises new hair for almost all of its clients.

Barry Boudreaux, 45, of River Ridge began seeing male pattern thinning hair ten years ago in his mid-30s. It was a familiar genetic site.

‘When I was younger and I was growing up with my father and my uncles, I didn’t know grown men had hair’, said Boudreaux.

But now he’s turned to a newly opened clinic in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, for help.

‘Some people have said, “Have you changed your hair?” I haven’t grown any more hair but I think my hair and my scalp’s more stimulated. I don’t feel that I’m losing that much on my pillow’, Boudreaux explained.

Sarah Hopper of Metairie is only 23, but in the last few years noticed her hair was changing.

‘I’d take a shower and it was just like increasing—like when I’d wash my hair, how much hair would come out’, said Hopper.

She too turned to treatment at a hair loss clinic.

‘It definitely feels fuller, thicker. I’m much, much happier with it, feel more confident’, Hopper said.

Hair loss clinics have been around for quite some time, but not all clinics have the latest technological therapies to offer. There are more than 130 affiliated clinics in 29 countries. They focus on not one treatment, but a multi-therapeutic approach.

‘We’ve had 97 percent success in regrowing hair’, said Pete Zito, a certified hair loss consultant.

Clinics use prescription pills such as finasteride, and several strengths of topical medications such as Minoxidil, saying theirs is less irritating to the scalp. They say their conditioners, shampoos, supplements, and solutions cleanse and give nutrition to the scalp with DHT inhibitors, ingredients that block hormonal action that causes male and female pattern baldness called androgenetic alopecia. Also in their arsenal is a low level laser with multiple diodes. They say the technology is cleared as safe and effective to regrow hair.

‘We are in the process of doing a study right now ourselves, through our clients, and the preliminary numbers in that study are in the high 90 percent of people using the combination therapy of getting results’, explained William Blatter, president and CEO of a hair restoration clinic in Latham, New York.

Black Women at Risk of Baldness

UK-based hair, make-up and skincare consultant Eryca Freemantle told The Voice that she and her team have seen several cases where black women have damaged their hair.

“The main ones are where chemicals have been left on the hair for too long, wrong chemicals have been used, severe pulling of the hair when braiding, harsh gels used in the hair, pulling hair back too severely when wearing a ponytail, (and) adding glue and extension to weak parts of the head, that is, temple and hairline,” said Freemantle, who is an ambassador for the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology. The organisation works to improve standards and get beauty therapists qualified. She added, “We think it depends on where the customer goes to get her hair done, and the treatment given.”

Freemantle said while many hairdressers are doing fantastic jobs, “there are so many hairdressers that are under-qualified to do the job. We think the media and government are missing out on a massive educational concept that could help save the hair of many WOC [women of colour], through simple education and training.”

Freemantle continued, “Research tells us that there are still too many harsh chemicals available in products to the public. Our advice would be to seek the best hairdressers and stylists. After all, you are worth it.”

Hobbs, an expert in hair and scalp disorders, urged women to “make sure your hairdresser is properly qualified.” He added, “Although most types of traumatic hair loss are recoverable when caught in time, black skin can quickly scar, causing permanent hair loss. The advice I give to women with this problem, if their hair is thinning, is to see a qualified member of the Institute of Trichologists.”

Freemantle said the risks of hair damage are increasing with each generation of black women who get weaves or braids that are too tight, or a perm from an unqualified hairstylist.

Safe and Inexpensive Remedies for Hair Loss

Hair loss is quite a common aging signal among both men and women. Although hair loss issues seem to have been traditionally associated with men, women aren’t spared either. This is becoming increasingly evident with more and more women discovering their hair getting thinner and running to beauty clinics for a fix. Balding is obviously a major reason to worry about as it could wreak havoc on both your professional and personal life. But worrying over a receding hairline is only going to cause more stress which probably triggered it first of all. Instead, focus on how the problem can be managed and efficiently reversed.

With advanced technologies becoming progressively more available, it’s now possible to stop balding and boost healthy hair regrowth for everyone. Even critical instances of hair loss like permanent baldness can be taken care of with procedures like hair transplant technologies. But do you have to be going through the risks and high expenses needed for such surgical or probably dangerous treatments? The good answer is a straightforward NO. You will find less risky and more reliable alternatives to choose from such as herbal remedies. In fact, you can get natural and strong hair for little to no cost without risking the dangers of surgery.

The initial step in dealing with the hair loss problem is usually to evaluate its intensity, extent and possible causes. Hair loss can be induced by a number of causes and often they may seem totally unrelated. The key reasons for hair loss are tension and inappropriate hair products. Most of us face highly demanding situations in our everyday life whether it is at the workplace or home. A receding hairline further increases the stress levels, thereby aggravating the situation. Hence, you will need to cut down on stress and anxiety if you observe any indications of hair loss as that itself could be a symptom of a bigger stress-related disorder.

It’s also equally important to pick out your products with care. All types of shampoos, conditioners and serums are usually not suited to every hair type. So you must choose only those products that are compatible with your hair type. Also, exposing your hair to different compositions may lead to hair loss. Hence, avoid alternating between several products and try to adhere to one as much as you can.

If the hair loss situation is more adverse compared to what can be treated with regular hair care alone, you may want to go for a more special remedy such as homeopathic medication, a specialized hair lotion, or maybe visit a hair loss treatment clinic. But if you want to opt out of surgical or clinical techniques, there are more convenient techniques available. Common ones comprise wigs and hair extensions. Most of these hair loss treatment options and solutions are quite inexpensive and have no side effects.