Coping with hair loss

I have been losing a lot of hair recently and my hairline is receding at an alarming rate. I am a 35-year-old man, and now I am starting to feel insecure, as my father is also bald. What is your advice?

You are not alone. Statistics show that about 50 per cent of men begin to bald by the time they are 30 and most are either bald or have a balding pattern by age 60.We actually lose an average of 100 hairs daily. At a younger age, our hair grows back replacing the loss. However, as we age, both men and women tend to lose thickness and amount of hair.
Hair loss, which tends to be hereditary, is caused by many factors including ageing, stress and changes in the hormones. External factors such as chemicals in hair dye also play a role. Medication alone might not yield satisfactory results, though thanks to modern technology, baldness can now be prevented when the problem is still mild.
Hair transplants are the most common solution to baldness and in the past such transplants have not only looked less than natural but also left some scarring. Today, however, a newer and surer method has been developed.
Follicular unit extraction or “FUE” is a less invasive option compared to traditional hair transplant, which removes strips of the scalp. This technique uses no scalpel, no stitches, and no staples, which means it heals faster and the level of discomfort is significantly lower.
Simply put, the follicles from the thicker area (donor area) will be placed on the thinner area (recipient area), where they will grow into healthy hair-producing follicles. Using a tiny tool, the hair at the donor site is extracted graft by graft as gently as possible to reduce the damage done to the follicles. The process usually takes around 4-6 hours, and requires great skill on behalf of the doctor to make it look natural.
One of the benefits of FUE is that the transplanted hairs are usually immune to the effects of the hormone that causes male pattern baldness, as the hormone, which is called DHT, usually affects only some areas of the scalp. Since the hairs were picked from the unaffected zone of the scalp, regardless of their new location, the hormone is not likely to harm them again.
This method requires that the person still have thick enough hair in some areas of the head in order to make the “relocation” possible. Therefore, if you notice that your hair is thinning at an alarming rate, you should consult a hair specialist as soon as possible. As long as the problem is still not severe, there are many options available from vitamins to topical medication and hair treatment to slow hair loss problem.
Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of different choices when deciding which procedure is best for you.

Thanisorn Thamlikitkul MD is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and certified in dermatological laser surgery. Send your questions for her to |[email protected]