4 Common Misconceptions About Hair Loss
When it comes to the topic of hair loss, many men and women find themselves at a loss about how to separate fact from fiction. With hair loss being such a prevalent but misunderstood issue, the myths surrounding it can be confusing and frustrating to those attempting to find effective and safe solutions to their thinning hair.
At Arocha Hair Restoration and Transplant Center, Dr. Arocha and our team are committed to helping you fight hair loss using the best tools available. If you have ever felt at a loss trying to understand the truth about what really causes hair loss and what you can do it stop it, our team is here to help. Here are four common misconceptions about hair loss, debunked.
1. Only Men Can Lose Their Hair
Unfortunately, hair loss does not play favorites. Both men and women can suffer from age-related hair loss, making it a universal affliction. According to the American Hair Loss Association, women make up an estimated 40 percent of hair loss victims. Women tend to suffer from more diffuse hair loss spread throughout the scalp, however, meaning it may not be quite as noticeable as balding is for men, hence the myth.Age-related balding is commonly referred to as male or female pattern baldness, which stems from a type of hair loss called androgenetic alopecia. Androgenetic alopecia is one of the many types of alopecia, although it is by far the most common. If you are beginning to experience any degree of hair loss as you age, then chances are you are suffering from androgenetic alopecia. Everyone experiences age-related hair loss to a different degree, and you may have plenty of effective treatment options at your disposal if you act quickly. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Arocha at the onset of any hair loss to ensure you maximize your results and enjoy a future full of youthful, thick hair.
2. You Can Go Completely Bald from Hair Loss
Men’s hair loss progresses according to predictable patterns that are categorized using a tool called the Norwood Scale. Typically, baldness begins with a receding hairline and thinning hair on the top of the scalp. The hairline may continue to recede until it joins the growing bald spot, creating near or total baldness on the top and front of the head. For a yet-to-be-understood reason, the hair located on the back and sides of the head is more resistant to the effects of male pattern baldness. Most men maintain a fair portion of hair in those areas, although many choose to simply shave their heads completely upon reaching more advanced stages of hair loss.For women, hair loss can occur throughout the scalp, making it more difficult to detect. Some women may experience a widening part down the middle of their scalp that can rarely progress to complete baldness on the top of the head, as seen in many men. Both men and women will seldom go completely bald, however. Some rare types of alopecia can cause complete baldness, but those types of hair loss are unrelated to male and female pattern baldness.
For men and women who have a sufficient amount of hair in donor sites (typically the back and sides of the head), hair transplants can be a useful and effective tool to restore a thick head of hair using natural means. Since hair loss only rarely causes complete baldness, many patients make great candidates for hair transplantation surgery if they are proactive in their treatment and plan accordingly. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Arocha to learn if you are a good candidate for hair transplants.
3. Hair Transplants Look Unnatural
Many people associate hair transplants with unnatural results that can be even more embarrassing than going bald. Old and outdated procedures would transplant large clusters of hair at a time, resulting in circular grafts that were immediately recognizable. These older types of transplants, commonly referred to as hair plugs, have created a bad reputation for modern hair transplants, which could not be any more different.Modern hair transplantation surgery has advanced far beyond the limited capabilities of hair plugs, providing seamless results with no obvious signs of the procedure. The two main forms of the procedure, follicular unit excision (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT), use hair taken from healthy areas of the scalp to rebuild and reshape hairlines naturally.
At Arocha Hair Restoration and Transplant Center, we offer both FUE and FUT to our patients interested in long-lasting and transformative results. During both procedures, Dr. Arocha will remove healthy follicular units and transplant them one-by-one, ensuring your new hair grows to mimic existing hair in the surrounding area. Once your new hair grows in, you can wash, brush and style it just like normal. Dr. Arocha can explain the differences between the two procedures and determine if you are a good candidate for hair transplants during an in-person consultation.
4. Hair Loss Can Be Cured by Taking Vitamins
Special vitamins and supplements that claim to “cure” hair loss are not only deceptive, but they can also be harmful. While it is true that a severe vitamin deficiency can result in hair loss, the vast majority of people suffer from hair loss due to their genetics and the aging process. Our hair requires a constant source of nutrients through our diet to continue growing. However, the claim that hair loss sufferers need only take a pill to solve their woes is completely false. If these magic supplements truly worked, then baldness would no longer be an issue.In order to ensure that your body has a sufficient source of nutrients required to grow thick and healthy hair, simply make sure that you eat a well-rounded and healthy diet. So long as your daily diet consists of staples such as protein, fruits and vegetables, you will likely not need to worry about any sort of vitamin deficiency impacting the growth of your hair. If you would like to be 100 percent positive that you are meeting your daily vitamin requirements, take a normal adult multivitamin to ensure you receive the proper nutrition that your diet may be lacking. Just be careful—studies have shown that over-supplementation of certain vitamins can actually backfire and make hair loss worse.
If you are interested in topical and oral hair loss products that really work, Dr. Arocha can discuss incorporating Rogaine and Propecia into your hair care routine. Both Rogaine and Propecia are FDA-approved and have been shown to slow down the progression of hair loss in clinical trials. Unfortunately, neither product can regrow hair. However, they are an essential part of modern hair restoration and can help you maintain the hair that you still have.
