As people age, hair loss becomes a bigger and bigger concern for both men and women. Hair grows essentially everywhere on the human skin with the exclusion of the palms of hands and the soles of feet. It’s made up of a protein called keratin. When follicles make new hair cells, old ones are push out of the skin at a typical rate of about six inches of hair per year. So in a sense, the hair we see on our heads is a string of dead keratin cells.
However, hair growth can slow down or stop altogether for a number of different reasons. For many, hair loss is a hereditary issue. There are 30 million American women who experience hereditary hair loss at some point in their life. Age also causes hair loss. As people get older, their hair growth slows, a trend that’s especially common amongst men. By age 50, a man has a 50% chance of experiencing losing his hair. Hormones, stress, illness, and environmental factors, such as cosmetic procedures and diet can also cause hair loss.
Luckily, there many ways to approach the treatment of hereditary and onset hair loss. The first and most important step is to find a dermatology practice that specializes in hair loss treatments.
When it comes to hair loss treatment, there are several approaches that both men and women can take.
- Topical treatments such as rogaine. These are applied directly to the scalp where hair growth it desired.
- Oral treatments such as propecia help treat male pattern baldness and hair loss.
- Hair replacement procedures are also popular and effective. One of these treatments typically involves hair transplantation methods and scalp reduction.
If you are experiencing hair loss, know that you are not alone. Finding the best dermatologist for hair loss is an important first step in finding the right kind of hair loss treatment that is right for you.
