Hair Loss Treatments

Hair Loss Treatments

Are you bothered by hair loss? Is your hair thinning? Part widening? Less fullness or body in the hair because it is thinner or because there is less of it? There is a good possibility that your hair loss is related to androgenic alopecia. This is a genetic cause of hair loss and the most common type of hair loss we see.

How we approach hair loss:

We will see you in consultation. During that appointment, we will review your medical history, your hair loss history, treatments tried, and examine your scalp. We will determine if further testing or assessment is required to determine the type of alopecia (hair loss) or if you are experiencing classic androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss). We will review your options at our visit.

Treatments for hair loss:

Treatments available for hair loss fall into 4 categories: topical treatments, pills or medications, laser treatments, and hair transplants. In addition to treatments for hair loss, there are also remedies available such as wigs, toupees, or scalp sprays that mask the hair loss.

Hair loss is a major business. There are thousands of proposed treatments for hair loss. Some of them proven but most are sold based on hearsay and testimonials. Few have been well studied. At Laser Away, we are interested in offering proven medical treatments to our patients and so only those proven therapies are outlined below.

Topical treatments for hair loss:

Shampoos, conditioners, and hair strengthening solutions play a part in your overall hair and scalp care. It is important to use less harsh shampoos and ensure the scalp is healthy. Some shampoos or treatments can irritate or dry out the scalp and this should be avoided.

Most topical over-the-counter hair solutions will contain ingredients that have shown to have some hair strengthening or scalp health effects. SEE LIST OF COMMON INGREDIENTS IN HAIR SOLUTIONS

Minoxidil (trade name Rogaine) is a topical treatment that comes as a solution (2% or 5%) or foam (5%). When applied to the scalp on a daily basis, minoxidil can increase hair growth, hair density, and hair thickness. It can take several months to see the benefits. Beware that you may have an increased period of shedding during the first 4-6 weeks of treatment which may seem like an increase in hair loss. If minoxidil works, it needs to be continued daily forever.

Bimatoprost (trade name Latisse) is another medication applied topically that can increase hair growth. In this case, bimatoprost is applied to the eyelashes daily and results in significant eyelash growth.

Medications for hair loss:

Currently only one treatment is approved for scalp hair loss in men. Finasteride (trade name Propecia) is a medication that prevents the conversion of testosterone to DHT (a breakdown product). Increased levels of DHT is a main culprit behind the cause of androgenic alopecia. Taking a daily pill of finasteride 1mg has shown to decrease hair loss, promote hair regrowth, and stronger, thicker hairs.

Lasers for hair loss:

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is also known as red-light therapy, cold laser, and photobiomodulation. LLLT has shown to improve the microcirculation of the scalp, reduce inflammation, improve healing, provide hair stabilization, and promote hair regrowth on the scalp.

The main LLLT sources are hand-held lasers (e.g., LaserBrush or LaserComb), headwear lasers (e.g., LaserCap, iGrow) or office based clinic lasers (e.g., Illumiwave, Sunetics). Low-level laser therapy has to be applied regularly over a period of 3-6 months (2-3 times per week depending on the laser device used) to see the results. Eventually, the LLLT treatments can be used less frequently to maintain results. SEE LASERCAP. SEE ILLUMIWAVE LLLT.

At Laser Away, we offer LaserCapLC™ and the Illumiwave LLLT Treatments for hair loss treatment. Consults are free and we will review your options and pricing with you at your visit.

Available Treatments

Click the links below for more details about the available treatments.