Alopecia, the trichological term for hair loss is extremely common in both men and women. As many causes as there are for alopecia, there are also several treatments that offer a solution to the issue, with the most popular one being hair transplant. This blog will discuss how a hair transplant treatment works for alopecia. Read on!
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According to Dr. Wise, forty percent of women will have female pattern hair loss by the time they reach menopause. |
Alopecia is an overall umbrella term used to describe hair loss. It is also the clinical name for the same. Alopecia is a condition in which you lose hair at more than a normal rate. This type of hair loss results in balding in both men and women. Alopecia can affect anyone, irrespective of race, gender, age, and other ethnic factors. However, most people are affected by the condition by the time they are 30. In most cases, alopecia is not ‘naturally’ reversible. However, there are several surgical and non-surgical treatments for alopecia that help you gain your hair back, the most popular being the hair transplant.
This blog will further discuss the different types of alopecia, its causes, and how hair transplant works for the condition. This blog will also take you through the hair transplant process at RichFeel, India’s first and largest chain of trichology centres. Read on!
What Are The Causes Of Alopecia?
Alopecia, as discussed in the previous section, is the scientific umbrella term given for hair loss that leads to balding. A lot of factors can cause Alopecia, alias hair fall, leading to bald patches on your head. This section of the article will discuss the most common factors that lead to hair loss and balding.
- Genetic: Hair loss and balding can be genetic. If you come from a family of people who are bald, it is more likely that your condition is hereditary. Also called androgenic alopecia, hair loss that occurs due to family history is also called male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness.
- Medical conditions: This is another common cause of alopecia or hair loss. You can experience thinning of hair or even balding due to medical conditions and medications. The best example here is cancer patients losing hair due to chemo drugs. In addition to medications, medical conditions like alopecia areata, an auto-immune disorder, ringworm infections, and more can lead to hair loss and, subsequently, balding.
- Stress: This is a psychological factor associated with hair loss and balding. Stress-induced hair fall is extremely common amongst individuals. However, hair fall related to stress is naturally reversible. You will gain all your hair back once you are out of the stressful situation that caused it in the first place. Stress usually puts hair follicles in a ‘resting phase’ in which they don’t produce new strands of hair.
- Hormonal changes: This is most common in women, especially those who have conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Disorder and Syndrome (PCOD/PCOS), hormone imbalances, thyroid conditions, and more. In many cases, pregnant women also tend to lose hair as their body goes through major hormonal changes. Menopause can also be a cause of hair loss or alopecia in women.
- Lack of proper nutrition: This is another major contributor to hair loss. A sedentary lifestyle has become extremely prevalent, especially amongst youngsters and middle-aged individuals. This has resulted in a lack of proper nutrition and a balanced diet. This can also be a root cause of hair loss and balding.
These are some of the most common causes of hair loss in individuals. As mentioned earlier, hair loss is always treatable. If you are looking for the most effective and lasting treatment for hair loss, then you should go for a hair transplant. The next section will discuss how hair transplant works for alopecia in detail.
Hair Transplant for Alopecia – How Does It Work?
Hair transplantation is (in most cases) a permanent solution for hair loss or alopecia of all kinds. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a trichologist takes healthy hair follicles from one body part and grafts the same in the bald part. The site from which healthy hair follicles are extracted is called the donor site. Whereas the site into which hair is transplanted is called the acceptor or recipient site.
Hair transplant is carried out in two ways:
- Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS)
- Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
1. Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS):
The trichologist or the surgeon performing this procedure takes a strip of skin from the donor site and stitches up the incision. Using a microscope, they will separate the donor skin into tiny follicular units that contain one or more hair follicles. These are then inserted into the acceptor site or recipient site. In this method, hair follicles are extracted from the back of your head, where you have healthy hair follicles.
The FUSS method’s advantages include:
- This is a cheaper surgery
- Works best when you need to graft a large number of hair follicles
- The procedure is shorter and quicker compared to the FUE method and more.
2. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE):
The trichologist or the surgeon will remove follicles from the donor site using a punch tool. The patient will not require stitches, even though this procedure will result in some scarring of the skin, especially the donor site.
A few benefits of the FUE method include:
- The surgery is less painful
- The procedure does not necessarily leave a scar behind
- Hair follicles can be extracted and used from any part of the body
- Quicker healing time, and more.
Grafting is the process of placing or, rather, planting the removed hair follicles into the recipient site. This is the most common method used in hair transplantation. And this is common in both the FUSS and FUE methods of transplantation. If you have been experiencing hair fall and balding for over 5 years, you can consult your trichologist and go for a hair transplant.
This is how hair transplantation works in most cases. However, there are hair transplant techniques built exclusively by trichology centres like RichFeel. RichFeel is India’s first and largest chain of trichology centres. They pioneered hair science technology in the country. We will discuss about hair transplantation at RichFeel in the coming sections. But before we do that, let’s quickly take a look at the different types of alopecia. Stay with us!
Types of Alopecia
There are different types of alopecia, and if you are experiencing balding, you need to consult a certified trichologist or a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis. The following are the most common types of alopecia:
1. Alopecia Areata
Alopecia Areata is the most common type of alopecia. It is an auto-immune disease that causes hair loss. Also called spot baldness, it is a skin condition causing hair loss that sometimes reverses on its own. When it does not get reversed on its own, it can lead to permanent hair loss.
2. Androgenetic Alopecia
This is nothing but hair loss that occurs due to hereditary conditions. This kind of alopecia is also called male pattern baldness in males and female pattern baldness in females.
3. Alopecia Universalis
This is a type of alopecia in which there is a complete loss of hair, not just on your scalp but all over your body. It’s considered an auto-immune disease that is a more severe form of Alopecia Areata.
4. Alopecia Totalis
Alopecia Totalis is a condition in which there is the complete loss of hair on your scalp. When you have alopecia totalis, you are completely bald on your head. This type of alopecia is also considered an advanced form of alopecia areata, but however, it remains an uncommon type of alopecia, affecting only 1 in 2,000 people.
These are 4 of the most popular types of alopecia. In addition to these, there are more types, including scarring alopecia, traction alopecia, and more. Alopecia is treatable in most cases and is therefore not something to worry over.
In the next section of the article, we will talk about RichFeel’s hair transplant treatment.
About RichFeel’s Hair Transplant Treatment
RichFeel is India’s first and largest chain of trichology centres. Founded by the country’s first certified trichologist Dr Apporva Shah, each of the 88 centres across the country employs a certified trichologist that offers the best-in-class diagnosis and treatment. They are a pioneer in Trichology and offer a wide range of surgical and non-surgical solutions to an array of hair and scalp related issues. The clinic chain also offers a permanent hair restoration treatment, which is a type of hair transplantation.
RichFeel’s hair transplantation | A permanent solution for Alopecia
RichFeel brings to you the Aesthetic Hair Implants (AHI) treatment, a hair transplant procedure formulated exclusively for you, in partnership with Ailesbury Hair Clinic, London. This unique, tested-to-be-successful procedure involves highly advanced hair follicles extraction and implanting techniques that give you the results your desire. The AHI technique is certified as the world’s most innovative technique. Here are a few highlights of the AHI hair transplant treatment at RichFeel:
- Minimal scarring
- Natural-looking hairline, thanks to the specially patented Foli Pen from AHI-London.
- Quick healing of donor area
- 3,000 to 5,000 strands of hair placed in one single sitting
- After 3 months of transplantation, the planted hair strands grow 1/2 an inch every month.
These are some of the benefits of taking up the Aesthetic Hair Implants – AHI – treatment, a permanent hair restoration treatment from the house of RichFeel.
Conclusion
The AHI treatment at RichFeel is one of the most effective and long-lasting solutions for alopecia. RichFeel has a reputation for innovating some of the best solutions for hair loss and scalp related issues in the country. Contact RichFeel to learn more about their permanent hair restoration treatment.
