Hair Restoration Using Hair Loss Medication – Is it Possible?
Hair loss medication has developed significantly as modern science has progressed – but can it really lead to actual hair restoration? The short answer to that question is a qualified “yes”. In very specific circumstances you can find a regrowth of hair in patients who have been advised to use a medication to halt their hair loss. More commonly, though, actual regrowth or restoration of hair only occurs with surgery. Medication stops the hair loss from proceeding – and, as noted, in a few cases seems to reverse the condition.
So how does hair loss medication work? Quite simply actually. Most medication is based on a recognition that man common instances of baldness are caused by an imbalance of hormones in the scalp – specifically DHT, a male antigen that derives from testosterone but is present in the scalps of both men and women.
Simply put – an over production of DHT leads to the hair follicles refusing to regrow after they have finished their normal life cycle. The medication suppresses the production of DHT and the hair life cycle resumes. In some of these cases, hair restoration is also seen. Most often the medication prevents the baldness from going any further – because the antigen DHT suppresses hair growth in over produced quantities, but doesn’t necessary cause hair regrowth when those quantities are removed.
Where a full regrowth or regeneration is required, hair loss medication is not necessarily the answer. There are modern surgical techniques that have shown incredible success rates, both in terms of achieving a natural looking hair growth and in recovery time and severity.
Follicular Unit Extraction also referred to as FUE or hair transplanting, is a skilled surgical method that involves transferring individual hair follicles to a baldness site. This kind of hair restoration takes some time to complete, as the hairs are implanted one at a time – but it has an excellent overall success rate and patients report that their post operative recovery is much more pleasant than the recovery from old style skin and hair grafting.
Hair loss medication is extremely effective in specified cases, and is always an alternative to surgery where the patient does not wish to undergo the treatment. In every case, patients are advised to consult with a reputable hair loss consultant, who will be able to recommend the most fruitful course of action – be that hair loss medication or some other form of hair restoration.
Again in all cases, patients are reminded that there are many different factors that can affect hair growth, hair regeneration and baldness instances. Some don’t need treating at all – another reason why patients are recommended to seek expert advice before determining a course of treatment.