by Stephen Luther, M.D.
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![Hair Loss: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment](https://mysymbios.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hair-Loss-Causes-Prevention-and-Treatment.jpg)
Regain Your Crown
The connection between our outward physical appearance and inward emotional and mental state is remarkable. Like a crown atop our heads, a good hair day prompts us to hold our heads slightly higher and elevates our self-esteem. Yet, that majestic feeling gradually declines with each piece of hair lost, often brushing away our youthful appearance and confidence.
Nearly 80 million Americans are concerned about hair loss, which can begin as early as one’s thirties. Hair loss prevention is critical, and it starts with examining hair growth with a fine-toothed comb. Rather than let your social interactions thin out with your hair, read more to understand the root causes of hair loss, and learn how to regain your crown with Symbios Medical Spa’s innovative, non-surgical hair regeneration treatments.
Understanding Hair Growth
Human hair follicles operate independently on a mosaic cycle (meaning hair growth and loss are not synchronized like in most mammals). In three to seven years, this fascinating cycle will completely replace every hair on your head. The following three phases make up our hair cycle.
- Anagen Phase (Growth): New hair originates from cells in the lower dermis (skin). It reconstitutes a hair follicle and grows alongside an old piece of hair. The new hair advances to the mid-dermis, and the old hair will shed. Up to three compound hair follicles can share the same orifice through human skin. A piece of hair remains in this phase for two to eight years, including about 85% of the hair on your head.
- Catagen Phase (Transitional): When hair growth stops, the transition begins to shed the old hair and replace it with a new piece of hair. During this two-week phase, the old hair’s root moves upward and transforms into a bulb shape surrounded by a sac of partially keratinized cells, ready for growth.
- Telogen Phase (Resting):In the telogen phase, old hair rests as it awaits its replacement. As the new hair cells grow and advance, the follicle is home to new and old hair. After two to three months, the old hair will shed. About 75 to 100 hairs are lost daily, with approximately 10 to 15% of hairs in the telogen phase.
Causes of Hair Loss
Nearly everyone will experience temporary or permanent hair loss that may lead to balding and ineffective follicle regeneration. The following conditions may contribute to hair loss.
Telogen Effluvium
Temporary hair loss can be caused by disease, pregnancy, or psychological factors such as stress. In the telogen phase, hairs transform prematurely and are shed; this may be caused by high levels of cortisol released as a coping mechanism or a side effect.
Insufficient Nutrition
A protein, vitamin D, or zinc deficiency can significantly impact keratin and follicle regeneration. Without adequate nourishment, hair growth can slow or stop. In some cases, a low-fat diet prevents the fat-soluble vitamins from adequately absorbing and can lead to a deficiency.
Androgenic Alopecia (AGA)
This common type of progressive hair loss, also known as male and female pattern baldness, stems from multiple hereditary and genetic dispositions. Based on a broad age spectrum, up to 80% of males and 50% of females may experience AGA-related hair loss. AGA also leads to finer, more brittle hair from unstable levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a byproduct of testosterone that can over or under-stimulate hair follicles.
Preventing Hair Loss and Hair Restoration
Maintaining good mental and physical health with proper nutrition, rest, and exercise will increase our scalp vitality, but some causes of hair loss are beyond our control. The hair cycle demonstrates a powerful connection between prevention and restoration because healthy scalps maintain most of their hair in the anagen (growth) phase. At Symbios Medical Spa, we offer hair restoration options that penetrate the dermis and offer combinations of treatments that promote cell growth and nourish existing hair, including those listed below.
TED (TransEpidermal Delivery)
TED (TransEpidermal Delivery) is an innovative and tremendously successful hair restoration treatment. Its noninvasive and painless approach delivers low-frequency electrical currents, sound waves, and air pressure through an ultrasound-based system combined with a topical hair growth solution.
TED increases blood flow and oxygenation to the scalp, stimulating hair follicles, and creating channels for the advanced hair growth formula to penetrate the dermis.
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)
Injecting or microneedling PRP (platelet-rich plasma) into the scalp is an exceptionally beneficial regenerative treatment that delivers a high concentration of platelets to rejuvenate hair follicles.
Because PRP is autologous, meaning it uses your blood, it is safe and minimally invasive. Our blood delivers hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein), stem cell-rich platelets, cytokines (peptides and proteins that stimulate growth factors), and many other nutrients. The procedure begins by collecting a small blood sample and then centrifuging it twice to separate red and white blood cells, plasma, and platelets. A local numbing anesthetic is applied, and the rich concentration is injected into the scalp to combat androgenic alopecia and other causes of hair loss.
ACSs (Adipose-Derived Stem Cells)
Our fat is rich in ACS (adipose-derived stem cells) and MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), which have extraordinary regenerative qualities. Because of this, autologous fat transfer is an incredibly effective solution for hair regeneration. The procedure extracts unwanted fat using liposuction or from a minimally invasive collection of fat like a blood draw. The state-of-the-art technology at Symbios can harvest the fat, purify it, and harness its powerful regenerative potential by inserting it into the scalp via injection or microneedling. The MSCs, naturally found in hair follicles, combined with the ACS, secrete growth factors and cytokines, resulting in hair growth beyond comparison.
Rebuilding Confidence Together
Your medical history, hair concerns, preferred number of treatments, and potential causes of hair loss will be carefully considered and discussed during your consultation with Dr. Stephen Luther and the team of experts at Symbios Medical Spa. With our numerous options available, it’s never too early or too late to start. Together, we can devise and implement the ideal treatments to help you regain your hair and your confidence.