How Does Hair Restoration Work?

Do you have questions about preventing and reversing hair loss?

Hair loss can be discouraging, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. If you’re dealing with thinning hair, you’re probably wondering if there is any effective way to get your locks looking the way they used to look. At GroMD, we’re committed to helping you find science-backed methods of preventing hair loss and getting your hair’s natural growth cycle back on track. And that’s what today’s post is all about.

So, let’s take a deep dive into the science of hair loss – and some evidence-based methods for preventing it.

Hair Loss: The Most Common Causes

Several factors can cause hair loss, and some are more common than others. Below is a quick and simple list of a few of the most common causes of hair loss in adults.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) 

A male sex hormone, or androgen, DHT is the hormone primarily responsible for the development of androgenic alopecia, also known as pattern hair loss. This type of hair loss is extremely prevalent – it affects over half of men and a quarter of women past 50. 

• DHT-related hair loss can affect specific parts of your head, causing thinning in patterns – hence the name “pattern baldness.” This type of hair loss creates the instantly recognizable “balding” look that many middle-aged men have. In women, pattern hair loss often causes thinning between the two sections of the hair on the top of the head.

• DHT levels increase as you age. The increase in your body’s DHT production as you get older can have a shrinking effect on your hair follicles, shortening and thinning out hair growth.

• The further DHT-related hair loss progresses, the harder it is to reverse. This type of hair loss can be treated at any stage, preventing further thinning. However, hair loss that has already occurred can be difficult to reverse after a certain point. It’s best to start treating DHT-related hair loss as soon as you notice it.

How Androgenic Alopecia Is Treated: If you are dealing with DHT-related hair loss, several treatments can be highly effective for you.

• DHT-blocking hair products: Certain ingredients have a natural inhibiting effect on your body’s production of dihydrotestosterone. Using shampoo and conditioner containing DHT-blocking ingredients can help stop follicle shrinkage and get your hair back to its natural cycle of growth. 

• Minoxidil (Rogaine): This topical hair loss prevention treatment can be effective against androgenic alopecia. FDA-approved and well-backed by research, minoxidil can be used without a prescription in multiple forms at multiple levels of strength. You can pair minoxidil with DHT-blocking shampoo and conditioner to create a hard-hitting hair loss prevention regimen.

• Microneedling: This type of hair loss prevention treatment can be performed at home or administered by a skincare professional. Microneedling involves the use of a specialized tool with a rotating attachment that is covered in tiny needles. The needles create small cuts in the scalp, prompting your skin to start healing itself. This process can promote the production of the proteins that keep your hair and scalp healthy and strong. 

Stress 

Hormones may be the most common cause of hair loss in adults, but stress can play a crucial role, too. When you are stressed, your body responds in ways that can sabotage hair growth and even cause your hair to fall out. Below are a few of the ways that stress can contribute to hair loss.

• Stress may lead to the development of telogen effluvium. This form of hair loss occurs when certain factors trigger your hair follicles to stay in the resting stage of your hair’s growth cycle. This stage of growth is called the telogen, or rest, phase. Stress can lead to the development of telogen effluvium.

• Alopecia areata is another form of hair loss that can be caused or worsened by stress. This type of hair loss occurs when your immune system reacts to perceived threats, interfering with your hair’s natural growth cycle. Stress often appears to be an emotional experience. However, it’s physical, too – high-stress situations can impact your immune system and release hormones like cortisol, which can inhibit hair growth.

• In some extreme cases, high levels of chronic stress may lead to the development of a condition called trichotillomania. This condition causes its sufferers to have uncontrollable urges to pull out their hair. While trichotillomania is not a typical form of hair loss, it can significantly impact a person’s life and be difficult to handle.

How stress-related hair loss is treated: Some of the treatments used to treat DHT-related hair loss can also be effective against hair loss caused by stress. However, there are other situations where you may need to take a different approach to treat your stress-related hair loss. Below are a few of the most effective treatments for hair loss caused by stress.

• Lifestyle changes. As you can imagine, reducing your stress levels through cultivating healthy habits can have a significant positive effect on your hair. Stress-related hair loss is often reversible –– leading as stress-free of a life as you can prompt your hair to start growing normally again. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and practicing mindfulness or meditation can combat stress-related hair loss.

• Diagnosing and treating immune problems. If your immune system causes or worsens your hair loss, you may need to visit your doctor to make a game plan for treatment. Stress can negatively affect your immune system’s functioning, which can consequently lead to hair loss. Ideally, your doctor can diagnose problems with your immune system and start treating them. In that case, you may see improvements in alopecia areata, the type of hair loss caused by problems with the immune system.

• Therapy. If you are suffering from trichotillomania, traditional hair loss prevention methods may not be the right way to combat your hair loss. Instead, it may be wise to seek professional help from a therapist. High levels of stress and anxiety can cause trichotillomania, and it can often be treated by finding healthier ways to cope with these emotions.

Assembling Your Anti-Hair Loss Regimen 

Now that you know some of the primary causes of hair loss, it’s time to plan how to prevent and reverse thinning hair.

Using GroMD’s growth-boosting, DHT-blocking products, you can lay the foundation for a potent hair loss prevention regimen. Our shampoo, conditioner, and follicle activator spray are designed to help restore your hair to its natural cycle of growth. Through the use of science-backed ingredients with numerous benefits for your hair, our products can help treat multiple forms of hair loss.

To use GroMD products to combat hair loss, start by replacing your current hair care products with our shampoo and conditioner. Packed with soothing, hydrating, and growth-promoting ingredients, our shampoo and conditioner combo is made to stimulate hair growth, minimize dryness and irritation, and leave your hair looking and feeling fantastic. 

You can use our shampoo and conditioner the same way you would normally wash your hair. Get your hair wet, work the shampoo and conditioner combo into a rich lather, massage it into your hair, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rinse out, pat dry, and you’re good to go.

You can find all of our doctor-backed products, including our growth-promoting shampoo and conditioner, right here.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, accredited member of the IAHRS and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.

Sources:

Androgenetic alopecia (medlineplus.gov)

Treating female pattern hair loss - (health.harvard.edu) 

Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) - Symptoms and causes (mayoclinic.org)