The Aging of Hair Follicles

 

Did you know that your hair follicles can also age? And it is not related to androgenic alopecia. From the house of best hair transplant clinic in Kolkata there are few things about aging of hair follicles that you should know.

 

Like any other tissues in our body, our hair follicles also starts to thin after a certain age. This phenomena is called senescent alopecia. Androgenic alopecia start in between the age of 8 – 50. But hair thinning that starts after 60 with no prior signs of hair thinning has a likelihood of representing senescent alopecia. Though different types of hair loss occur after 60.

 

In the year 2013, a study was conducted which confirmed that androgenic alopecia and senescent alopecia are truly unique. The study compared 1200 genes in androgenic alopecia and 1360 in senescent alopecia and compared these to controls. Of these, 442 genes were unique to androgenic alopecia, 602 genes were unique to senescent alopecia and 758 genes were common to both androgenic alopecia and senescent alopecia. The genes that were unique to androgenic alopecia included those that contribute to hair follicle development, morphology and cycling.

 

Unlike androgenic alopecia, many of the genes expressed in senescent alopecia have a role in the development of skin, epidermal tissues, keratinocyte and cell cycle regulation.

 

Conclusion

Senescent alopecia is still a topic of debate amongst many experts. This study created a unique position for this two conditions. As one ages into the 70's, 80's and 90's - hair loss in the form of true senescent alopecia becomes more likely.

Is It Possible to Treat Androgenic Alopecia During Pregnancy?

Androgenic Alopecia is a form of Hair loss where the crown of the scalp gets affected the most leaving the sides and back as it is. Hair transplant in Kolkata is generally not recommended for women during pregnancy.

Apart from hair transplant, other treatments like Minoxidil, anti-androgens, supplements and topical agents, none is recommended during pregnancy.The cardinal rule of treating any conditions during pregnancy or using any treatment during pregnancy is simple: ask a physician.

 

Low Level laser Treatment (LLLT):

Low Level Laser Treatments (LLLT) are the only treatments that are safe and can be considered during pregnancy. This applies to most of the standard home devices. Any other kind of treatment should be stopped in advance at any cost. For some women stopping the treatment during pregnancy may not have a huge effect due to the surge of hormones in that phase, they can continue the treat after giving birth. Though some women may suffer from hair loss during pregnancy.

 

During breastfeeding are there any medication which is safe?

Since all medications are supposed to be stopped during pregnancy so frequently a question arises that whether it is safe or not to resume the medications after child birth. Now there is one thing that needs to be understood, while consuming a drug there is a possibility that the mother’s milk can get affected by it which ultimately gets into the child’s body. Since various drugs have various effects on body so it’s a Yes for some and No for some.

 

In 2001, the American Academy of Paediatrics published a helpful guide as to the safety of medications during breastfeeding. It's important to always check with your physician before starting any medication during breastfeeding. However, the following medications (used in hair loss) are felt to be safe for women who are breastfeeding.

 

Though it is normally recommended to resume any kind of medication at least one month after child birth. But studies say that Minoxidil doesn’t effect on the body or the child during breastfeeding.

 

Can You Use Minoxidil after 60?

 

 Minoxidil is a FDA approved drug used to treat hair follicles. Minoxidil increases the flow of blood vessels in the scalp which boosts the hair growth. But can Minoxidil be used by an individual over the age of 60? This can be tricky question which is answered by the best hair transplant clinic in Kolkata.

 

Minoxidil is definitely a very helpful medical product but Minoxidil is not for everyone. It is approved for men and women for age group 18-65 suffering from a type of hair loss called androgenic alopecia, where the crown gets affected leaving the back and sides of the scalp as it is. If an individual is suffering from androgenic alopecia or any other type of hair loss and he is over 60 then he should check up with his physician once before using Minoxidil.

 

Minoxidil is not for everyone hence not prescribed if:

·       the patient has heart problems, especially ischemic type heart disease or certain types of heart failure

·       the patient has heart rhythm issues (like atrial fibrillation)

·       the patient has certain internal conditions (like pheochromocytoma)

·       the individual has allergies to any of the components of Minoxidil, such as propylene glycol in Minoxidil solution or allergy to the Minoxidil itself

 

To sum up

Minoxidil is undoubtedly a very good medicine to treat hair loss but there certain limitations for some people who want opt for minoxidil treatment. An 82 year old patient with heart failure and two previous heart attacks is not a candidate for minoxidil.

 

A patient with hair loss due to dissecting cellulitis of the scalp (a different condition than genetic hair loss), will likely find little to no use from minoxidil application. Minoxidil is not for everyone. Whenever a doctor recommends this medicine, he does it after considering the very possible risk that the person can have and knowing his medical history.

So it’s always recommended not self-medicate yourself and go for an expert physician and take his advice. They have the expertise for a reason.

Is Tellogen Effluvium Reversible?

 

Tellogen Effluvium is a form of temporary hair loss which happened due to stress, shock or a trauma. It generally occurs on the top of the scalp. This form of hair loss is different from androgenic alopecia though the hair loss happens in the same region. In this article you will get a detailed idea about telogen effluvium from the best hair transplant clinic in Kolkata.

 

How is Telogen Effluvium defined?

If an individual experiences period of hair shedding for 6 months or more it might be the case of chronic telogen effluvium. In this condition the person lose their but it is reversible. Also their hair starts to become noticeably thin. It happens more in women which get triggered by the disturbance in hair cycle.

 

The hair cycle has three phases:

Anagen Phase

Catagen Phase

Telogen Phase

Telogen effluvium is associated with the telogen phase. Normally, 5-10% of a person’s hair is in the telogen phase at any one time.

With telogen effluvium, the anagen phase slows down, meaning that fewer hairs enter the next two stages. With this condition, around 30% of hair follicles move into the telogen phase, which means that hair shedding occurs.

 

SYMPTOMS & CAUSE:

The biggest symptom of telogen effluvium is shedding of hair suddenly. You may notice that there are more than usual hair strands in the pillow or drain.

Now disturbance in hair cycle can be caused by a various factors:

Severe stress. Prolonged periods of stress can result in telogen effluvium. Hair loss typically occurs about 3months after the stressful event.

Poor diet. Hair requires key nutrients including protein, iron, B-vitamins, and zinc to grow. A shortage of these nutrients may affect the quality and quantity of a person’s hair.

Sudden weight loss. Weight loss or chronic calorie restriction, such as in anorexia nervosa, can cause the hair to shed.

Pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, more hair is in the growth phase for longer. Hormonal changes that occur 3 to 6 months after birth can cause hair to shed. This is called post-partum telogen effluvium.

Menopause. Hormonal changes that occur during the menopause may also cause telogen effluvium.

Certain drugs. Certain medications and recreational drugs can cause hair loss.

Underlying health conditions. These can include autoimmune disease, conditions that affect the thyroid gland, and alopecia areata.

Surgery. Depending on the type of procedure, length of stay in hospital, medications, and overall nutritional status.

Metal toxicity. Contact with toxic chemicals in metal can lead to hair loss.

 

Treatment:

Since hair loss due to telogen effluvium is temporary, as soon as the treatment for the cause of hair loss gets started (be it stress or trauma) the hair loss eventually stops and the hair cycle comes to its normal phase and hair regrowth starts.

Treatment options include:

addressing nutritional deficiencies through diet

non-surgical hair replacement

hormone replacement therapy for people experiencing menopause

counselling support to manage stress or anxiety

An individual suffering from hair loss should try to avoid all sorts of chemical and heat treatment like the usage of blow dryer, straightener, curler or any form of hair styling products.

Dietary consideration includes:

Protein based food as the hair components are mainly made up of protein. Hence in-taking protein in the diet will help in regrowth of hair

Iron deficiency may lead to telogen effluvium. Iron-rich food will help the hair to grow faster.

Supplementation can be considered for a temporary period of time.

 

Conclusion:

From the above it is quite evident that telogen effluvium is a temporary form of hair loss and nothing like androgenic alopecia. Getting diagnosed with a temporary form of hair loss is much better than its permanent counter parts. If you notice the symptoms of this form hair loss visit a physician as soon as possible.

 

How to Do Painless Hair Transplant?

People considering for hair transplantation surgery has gone several times for hair transplantation videos in the internet. Though it helps to visualize and set up your mind but experiencing the surgery in reality is a completely different experience.

 

And every individual planning to undergo hair transplant surgery must have at least wondered once the question “Is the surgery painful?” To get a clear understanding of hair transplant in Kolkata and the doubt that comes to the mind of every individual, stay till the end of the blog.

 

FUE technique: The most comfortable hair transplant method.

FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)technique involves extraction of the individual hair follicles from the donor area using a punch of 0.8mm to 1mm diameter. The follicles are then inserted to the affected area. This method of hair transplant is generally opted for the patients requiring lesser number of grafts. This method doesn’t leave any linear scar but tiny dots in the scalp from where the donor grafts are extracted.

As FUE consists of least involvement of surgical incision it is considered to be the process causing the least discomfort to the patient. The only procedure that can be compared to FUE is the FUT method of transplant which involves extracting a strip from the back of the scalp (the donor area) and then dissecting it into individual grafts which are then inserted into the affected area.

The major objective of this advancement is to perform the surgery in a much precise manner and the patient should feel the least pain and discomfort while going through it. In a FUE procedure there are two fundamental area where minor surgical activity is needed.

The process of harvesting individual follicular grafts from the donor area with the aid of micro motors.

Creation of recipient sites for graft placement.

Both of the processes need the administration of anaesthesia.

 

Harvesting Grafts

This process involves extraction of hair follicles using micro motor and micro punch tips. The separation of hair grafts from the surrounding tissues is generally carried out by sharp punch.  In the process local anaesthesia is used for the comfort of the patient. Also the rotational speed of the punch is minimized and the surgical grade steel are used for the punches to ensure least discomfort of the patient. An indicator of a quality hair transplant clinic, is the quality contained within the equipment that is used. Unfortunately, it may not be that easy to understand this during the operation. You will, however, be able to evaluate the quality of the clinic during the postoperative phase.

 

Transplantation

Before placing the grafts two important things need to be done. First is to make the recipient area ready for the implant. Second is to load the grafts in the front part of the choi needle that is used to implant the follicles in the area. The creation of the recipient site and implantation of the grafts need to happen simultaneously.

 

The need for anaesthesia in hair transplantation

The usage of anaesthetic agent prior to the two processes in mandatory. The active ingredient in the anaesthetic agent makes the area numb and the patient doesn’t get to feel the discomfort or pain while the incisions are made.

To carry out the process local anaesthesia is used which is administered by needle-free jet injection or the traditional injection technique, which makes the particular portion numb where surgery is to be performed. General anaesthesia or regional anaesthesia is never used in this process. While injecting the anaesthesia a slight pain is felt by the patient similar to an ant-sting.

 

Other Factors That Make a Hair Transplant Procedure Pain-Free

Using a micromotor that rotates at a low speed during the extraction process.

Using a micro motor featuring small cylindrical needles (punches) that are made of high-quality surgical steel grade.

Renewal of the cylindrical needles that are used during the extraction process before the punch becomes blunt due to excessive usage.

Utilization of special sapphire blades instead of steel blades during the process of creating incisions within the recipient site.

Having the wound-dressings, which will be done shortly after the operation as well as the following day, carried out by health-care professionals,are other factors that can affect the overall comfort of the operation.

Hair Shedding, Hair Loss and Baldness – Are They Inter-Related?

 

Getting bald is probably the last thing that any man would want in their young age. But in this twenty first century having serious hair issues has become very common especially with the youngsters. But hair fall doesn’t always mean you will end up being bald. In case you are suffering through severe hair loss problems you can always contact the best hair transplant clinic in Kolkata. But this interrelation between hair fall, hair loss and baldness is quite tricky.

 

Hair shedding is something that happens to each and every person in the planet because it is very normal. According to studies every human sheds around 50-100 hair strands every day. Since there are around 100,000 hair follicles in the scalp, shedding of 50-100 strands don’t make much difference.

 

Now if you start to notice excessive hair strands on your comb or your clogged drain and your hair has become thinner and quite noticeable then maybe something is not right in your body. Hair loss can happen due to many reasons. It can be genetic, hormonal, diet, environment, stress and a lot of things. If you have start experiencing hair loss you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. There are treatments like Minoxidil, Finasteride and PRP which are very effective when used before you have lost a huge amount of hair.

 

Minoxidil comes in a form of topical solution, increases the blood flow in the scalp to boost the hair growth. On the other hand Finasteride is a DHT blocker, the androgen which makes the hair thin and discoloured and damaged. Finasteride stops the conversion of testosterone to DHT by blocking the action of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase which does the conversion.

 

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatment is a kind of treatment where plasmas are extracted from the blood which are rich in platelet and then injected in the scalp. The blood is taken out and put in a centrifuge machine where the platelet rich plasma is extracted and then is injected in the scalp. It takes quite a number of sitting to complete the whole treatment.

 

But if your hair loss has become severe and you’re diagnosed with Androgenic Alopecia also known as Male Pattern Baldness and that too in a severe stage, then you have to opt for hair transplantation surgery. Androgenic alopecia is a kind of baldness where the major hair loss occurs at the crown of the head and the hair on the back and the sides of the scalp remain unaffected. The hair follicles are extracted from the back and sides of the scalp where the hair is undamaged and then implanted in the affected area.

There are two basic techniques used in hair transplant surgery, FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction). In FUT technique, a strip of skin is extracted from the back of the scalp, where the strip is then dissected into individual grafts and then the individual grafts are implanted into the affected area. In FUE (Follicular Extraction Unit) technique, the hair grafts are extracted from the back and side of the scalp using a punch and the grafts are then inserted into the bald spots.

Bottom line:

General hair shedding doesn’t mean hair loss. Hair loss can occur due to various other complications in the body. Hair fall in not the indication of hair lossor baldness but also there is a possibility of baldness if you are suffering from hair loss. Since it’s very clear from the above that hair shdding , hair loss and baldness has a complicated relationship so it’s always recommended to consult a doctor if you see unnatural hair fall or hair condition.

 

7 Myths that Hover around Hair Transplant

Hair transplantation surgery is one of the most common and life changing cosmetic surgery. People suffering from hair loss especially androgenic alopecia go for this surgery. Also cost of hair transplant in Kolkata has become quite affordable. But there goes a lot of rumours about this cosmetic surgery.

 

1. Transplanted hair last forever

This is a common myth that the transplanted hair on the area of balding lasts forever. No it’s not completely true. Good news is most of your hair stays but not all. As time passes your hair will start to thin. Now there are a quite number of reasons why it happens. For some it may happen that the donor area is not completely resistant to balding or the back of the scalp (donorarea) is prone to thinning. But considering a huge number of case the conclusion comes most have the men will have almost all the transplanted hair but for some a proportion of transplanted hair may disappear.

 

2. A single session of hair transplant will be all.

A person suffering from androgenic alopecia after getting hair transplant may think that it will last forever. But no, androgenic alopecia may slow down for a period of time but never stops. The existing hair in a region will thin over time. So to maintain the post-surgery look of early 30’s at the age of 60, you might need another session.

 

3. Hair transplant surgery has a 100% success rate.

The success rate of hair transplantation surgery with the right surgeon and team is always high and this is the reason why it is so popular. But sometimes (rarely of course) it happens that the patient who has undergone transplantation may not get the result that they hoped for. Now this may happen due to different reason. It may be due to post-operation care was below par or the skill of the surgeon and his team wasn’t good enough.

 

4. Hair transplant surgery is a one day event

The hair transplant surgery is a one day event. Technically it is true. But when it comes to recovery period that is what the most important.

Generally a person undergone surgery by FUT method takes longer time to recover than a person went through FUE technique. The medical time period to recover for a patient undergoing FUE is about 2-3 days, but the psychological recovery may not be the same. A person who had to shave his head for the surgery may take up months to regain their confidence level and going back to normal life. This psychological recovery varies from person to person.

 

5. Hair transplant is always the solution for hair loss

No. not everyone can go through hair transplantation surgery. The patient might be too young or they may have such medical condition that doesn’t allow the surgery or may be the hair loss is so severe that that there is no possibility of performing hair transplant surgery.

 

6. There are no complications in a hair transplant surgery.

It is true that hair transplants are safe but that doesn’t mean there is zero possibility of complications. Redness, swelling and post-operative crusting are common. Generally FUT takes a longer time to heal than FUE. But there are complications that happen rarely like long lasting nerve pain and persistent scalp redness. Unless a physician is constantly monitoring the whole procedure the patient can even fall sick. Many people call it a simple procedure nut at the end of the day it is a surgery and every surgery has some kind of complications.

 

7. You will have the look of your youth again.

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure which involved moving anywhere from 10 to 10,000 hairs into an area of balding. If an area of hair loss is small, it may be possible to build some very nice density in the area – but the density is generally less than it once was. For example, in a patient who is very bald, a density of 35-40 follicular units per square centimetre will typically be created.  

This area likely had a density of 90 or more follicular units per square centimetre at one time years earlier. Therefore, it is generally the norm for a hair transplant to create results that are less dense than the original density. A skilled surgeon can often help make 35-40 follicular units look like the original density. However, photos and videos of patients with amazingly thick and dense hair following their procedure may not always be accurate.