When you say hair loss treatment, as you might guess, one cannot think of a single treatment method. Before any hair loss treatment, causes of hair loss, hair loss type, and hair structure are required to be examined. In this article, I will give you information about the treatment methods according to the types of hair loss and their effectiveness.
If you want to get a hair loss treatment, you should first know what causes your hair loss and learn about your hair loss type. Of course, the most guaranteed and correct way to do this is to go to a specialist and go through a hair analysis and examination, but in some cases, people can understand the causes of their own hair loss and can decide what the type of hair loss they have.
Currently, the two most common treatment methods for hair loss are PRP and Mesotherapy. Both methods have been shown to be effective as a result of scientific studies. However, the effectiveness of the methods may vary depending on the type of hair loss and other characteristics of the person.
Hair Loss Treatment Types
There are different types of hair loss treatments which are determined by the type of hair loss. Let’s take a look at these now.
Hair Care Cures and Products
It is especially useful for mild hair loss. By applying the right hair care, you can restore your hair to its old form, which is worn out due to environmental effects as well as external factors. Products developed in this sense aim to feed your hair externally. You can try to feed your hair follicles externally by using hair care creams and hair care serums, as well as products that only aim to smooth the hair superficially, such as hair care cures and hair care products.
In this sense, there are many different products. Your preference for natural products and reliable brands will help to reduce your mild hair loss, but we would like to remind you that regular care is very important in hair loss treatment and care with cosmetic products takes time.
Strengthening and Nourishing Medications
Hair loss treatment may not show its effects only with externally applied products. In order for hair follicles to be nourished and regained their old form, taking vitamins and some supportive substances externally will be ideal for strengthening your hair.
It will be more accurate to take the strengthening and nourishing medication under the supervision of your doctor because in this way you can directly affect the main substance that is missing in your system and therefore causes hair loss. Your doctor may recommend supplementary medicines that strengthen and feed your hair follicles internally by identifying the vitamins that are missing in your body and useful for your hair.
PRP
PRP, which is an effective method in treating hair loss problem in recent years, is an application made with the blood of the person containing thrombocytes. PRP, which triggers cell renewal, provides renewal of the hair follicles which are worn for various reasons. It can be used to strengthen the hair even for early period permanent sheddings. For male pattern hair loss, it can create an effect which slows down the hair loss for the problems which do not require a hair transplant.
PRP’s regular implementation and correct execution will ensure the best results. PRP application, which is very popular nowadays, can be implemented incompletely or inaccurately, and inactive products can be used for these treatments. If you are considering PRP treatment, it is important to choose a reliable institution approved by the Ministry of Health.
Mesotherapy
It is a method involving an injection of hair nourishing vitamin cures into hair follicles. The method used as a hair loss treatment supports the hair to be fed rapidly. Hair mesotherapy should be applied regularly as PRP. And, other hair loss treatment methods should be applied with hair mesotherapy. Hair mesotherapy strengthens hair falling due to malnutrition, stress, hormonal imbalance or external factors, but it is not very effective in advanced hair loss. Still, it can slow down the balding time in permanent male pattern hair losses if it is applied with other hair loss treatments in the early period.
Hair mesotherapy should be applied regularly and should be supported by sub-factors such as proper nutrition and avoiding bad habits. Before your hair loss treatment, your doctor should perform a hair analysis to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. Hair transplant should be considered as an alternative to the unsuccessful hair loss treatments.
Is Hair Mesotherapy Effective?
Does hair mesotherapy work? Anyone who considers taking mesotherapy is firstly looking for the answer to this question in order not to waste time and money. This practice, which we often hear in the esthetics field in recent years, can be overrated for commercial purposes. In order to understand the effectiveness of mesotherapy which actually has a very old history, let us first look at researches and surprising results about hair mesotherapy.
The use of mesotherapy, which is among the most known medical esthetics applications, is increasing day by day. The mesotherapy technique, which can be applied in a short time and easily, is used in areas such as antiaging applications, regional slimming and hair strengthening, and is increasingly demanded among patients. So, is mesotherapy really as effective as it is mentioned? Does hair mesotherapy work?
Mesotherapy is a method that is applied by injecting a large volume of small and sufficient active substances into the derm layer known as the middle layer of the skin with its most general definition. First applied in 1952, the method has become a formal branch of medicine in some countries and has been used in many areas today. Mesotherapy is used not only in the field of plastic surgery and esthetics (for example to treat hair loss) but also in the treatment of different diseases such as musculoskeletal diseases, skin diseases, and asthma.
Scientific Studies on Mesotherapy
Although there are scientific researches that indicate positive results on the effectiveness of mesotherapy especially for its applications on muscle-joint systems, there are fewer researches on the effectiveness of mesotherapy applications on esthetics and cosmetic fields such as antiaging, hair strengthening and alopecia, and it is known that some outcomes of those researches are positive where some of them are negative. (*Atabay K, Demir H, Özmen S, Yavuzer R, Mezoterapi – Alternatif Estetik Uygulamalar – Türk Plastik Rekonst Estetik Cerrahi Dergisi – 2005)
Studies on mesotherapy have shown that the effectiveness of mesotherapy application varies according to mesotherapy solutions and their formula. There is not enough research on the ingredients required for mesotherapy to be effective.
Michel Pistor, the French doctor which is known as the father of mesotherapy, has gathered the essential principles of effective mesotherapy in a book. In this book, important information about the principles of an effective mesotherapy is included, although no complete information on the ideal content which is required for the solution is given.
Application Principles of Mesotherapy
According to Pistor’s ideal definition of mesotherapy, the application of mesotherapy should be done with a small amount of injection. In mesotherapy with multiple strokes, the effect of mesotherapy increases as the number of stimulation of dermal responder increases. For effective mesotherapy, small amounts of small volume solutions should be applied to the right place with small and frequent needle strokes. In the original description of the Pistor, it is stated that the solution should be given by serial injections in such a way that it does not exceed 4mm depth towards the middle layer of the skin.
According to Pistor, mesotherapy has two different effects as long distance and short distance. The first one is the cell renewal resulting from the stimulation of the receptors present in the skin, the second effect is the long-term effect of the solution by joining the general circulation. In order for these two effects to work in a balanced manner, it was considered appropriate to deliver the solution to be given under the skin in such small amounts and at each point of the middle layer of the skin. (* Pistor M. What is mesotherapy? Fr.-1976)
Efficacy of Hair Mesotherapy
The use of mesotherapy on the scalp has increased considerably over the last 10-15 years. Hair mesotherapy is also known as “mesoplasty” or “mesohair”. There are some scientific studies on the use of mesotherapy on the scalp. Researches on alopecia and some other types of hair loss, which are known as ringworm among the public and cause regional dense hair loss, support the reliability and efficacy of hair mesotherapy.
For the most accurate answer to the question of whether or not hair mesotherapy is effective, it is necessary to take a look at the results of the researches made on this topic.
- Research 1:
Results of the research conducted by Moftah N. on 126 patients with female pattern hair loss shows that the patients taking dutasteride containing mesotherapy had a decrease in their hair loss and their hair strands thickened. (Mysore V. – Mesotherapy in Management of Hairloss Is it of Any use. International Journal Of Trichology – 2010)
In researches about hair mesotherapy, it was realized that the types and formulas of vitamins and drugs to be injected under the skin play an important role in the effectiveness of mesotherapy.
- Research 2:
In a study conducted on 15 male and 5 female patients who had androgenetic hair loss which is about the efficacy of mesotherapy on the scalp, a 10-session mesotherapy with a specially formulated solution was applied. Minoxidil, biotin, dexpanthenol, herbal complex and procaine were not found to be as effective as expected (Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology 2013 – Moftah N, Hamed Y, Elaziz G et al. Mesotherapy using dutasteride).
However, in another study, different active ingredients were used in a different ratio by using a different formula. In this study conducted by Dr. Abdallah et al., 26 patients who had male pattern baldness are subjected to a mesotherapy application formulated with active ingredients such as dutasteride, biotin, pyridoxine, and panthenol in 11 different sessions, and deceleration in hair loss of patients with androgenetic baldness as well as thickening and strengthening of hair fibers were observed.
As it is understood in these researches, people who want to stop hair loss and strengthen their hair with hair mesotherapy should have a reliable environment as well as consulting a specialist to use the correctly formulated solutions. The effectiveness of hair mesotherapy varies according to the active substance added to its content. Regular practice is also very important. If you do not expect a single dose of vitamin c to cure your disease immediately, it is important to remember that regular application of hair mesotherapy is also necessary.
Does Hair Mesotherapy Help to Grow Hair?
One of the most frequently asked questions by people who have hair loss is whether hair mesotherapy will help to grow hair. The important thing here is the type of hair loss, as mentioned earlier, the hair loss is divided into different types, including permanent and temporary hair losses.
In permanent hair loss types (Female or male pattern), it is not expected that mesotherapy to help grow hair. However, it helps strengthening the existing hair follicles, thickening of the hair follicles, and slowing the hair loss by feeding the follicles better.
In the case of temporary hair loss caused by stress, feeding problems or various diseases, it is aimed to stimulate the hair follicles, to slow down hair loss until the causes of hair loss are eliminated, and to accelerate the healing process of the hair that has lost its health by enabling it to become stronger after the treatment.
As a result, people who face hair loss problems can get support from hair mesotherapy in a hospital environment, by consulting a doctor, and with the correctly formulated solutions. Mesotherapy is able to strengthen the hair follicles, thicken the hair strands, and support the slowing of hair loss.
Is PRP Treatment Effective?
In recent years, PRP has been widely used in both medicine and medical esthetics, particularly in the areas of hair strengthening and skin care. So, what is the PRP, which is the subject of preference in hair loss treatment, hair care, hair growth, and hair strengthening? And does PRP hair treatment work? What are the factors that make PRP treatment work?
Yes, PRP hair treatment works, but a number of conditions must be fulfilled correctly. PRP is a method of cell renewal by injecting the platelet-enriched blood plasma to the base of the hair. PRP, which means Platelet Rich Plasma is an application made by using the person’s own blood. As with any application, PRP should be applied in the most correct way for the treatment to work.
People who do not benefit from PRP practice may think that PRP hair treatment is not working. However, PRP treatment works properly if some of the conditions are correctly applied. There are a number of conditions for this treatment to work.
The first requirement which is necessary for the PRP treatment to affect the patient positively is to perform the necessary tests after having a doctor (a dermatologist, a plastic surgeon or a physician interested in medical aesthetics) examination, to be treated accordingly if there are any excess or deficiency of essential substances, and to be supported with the PRP along with all these procedures.
Moreover, PRP should be done in hospitals which are approved by the Ministry of Health. It should be performed by a doctor and prepared with a high-quality and approved PRP kit. It also should be applied at the right time and regularly.
Factors Determining the Efficacy of PRP Treatment
Authority of the Ministry of Health
The PRP is a medical practice, so the hospital should be authorized by the Ministry of Health to perform a PRP treatment. Please don’t hesitate to ask when you can’t see this document which has to be hung on a wall where you can easily see.
You can go to clinics, polyclinics, medical centers, and hospitals to get a PRP treatment.
Consulting a Doctor
PRP application is a healthcare application that should be applied by medical esthetics doctors, plastic surgery specialists, and dermatologists. First of all, the examination and the necessary tests should be performed in order to find the problems causing hair loss.
If the person has conditions such as thyroid dysfunction, iron deficiency, and biotin deficiency, they should be treated and the PRP program should be planned together with the treatment. It should not be surprising to say that a person with one of the above-mentioned disorders cannot benefit from the PRP. Make sure that the person who will perform the PRP is a doctor and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine.
PRP Kits
Tubes (PRP kits) used for this application which are frequently applied in different medical centers around the world and which enable the activation of blood platelets are not standard. Various brands have different quality ranges of PRP tubes. The quality of the PRP kits seriously affects the efficacy of the application.
One of the points to be considered before a PRP treatment is the approvals and documents that PRP kits have. Do not be fooled by the appearance of the kits. Check the approvals and documents issued by the Ministry of Health on the internet. It is obvious that PRP applications where the blood is taken into empty laboratory tubes and separated from the plasma by centrifugation will not work.
Timing
People may prefer PRP treatment due to certain reasons such as hair loss problems, hair thickening and tightening operations or hair growth after hair transplantation. The timing of the PRP application is very important because it should not coincide with other applications.
Your doctor will give you the correct timing as a result of your hair analysis and examination and the tests performed. Don’t forget, PRP is not a standalone treatment, but an auxiliary supportive application.
Continuity
Please note that PRP is not a one-time application. In order for the PRP to function properly, it may be necessary to be performed on some intervals according to your treatment type.
It is important that the PRP is administered on a regular basis at the times that your doctor told you. It is very difficult to get a visible result from the PRP application that is performed only once.
What Is Necessary for an Effective PRP Treatment
For PRP administration, 1 tube of blood taken from the patient is centrifuged 1 or 2 times according to the characteristics of the kit with special PRP kits. The platelet-enriched plasma thus obtained is injected into the hair follicles by an injection needle. Implementation of the PRP procedure is a short-term procedure and the patient can then return to his/her daily life.
Although the PRP is being prepared by the person’s own blood, the tubes used during the application are specially prepared to enable the platelets to become active. These tubes are the basic condition of a good PRP.
In order for PRP to work, these kits need to be high quality and accurate. To understand this, you can check the barcode number in the PRP Kits box and the approvals received from the Ministry of Health on the internet.
Usage of under the counter products is widespread because they are cheap. However, it is the most important problem that the PRP application does not work and that you should risk your health with these products.
Extra: Are Ayurveda Methods Effective to Treat Hair Loss Problems?
There are two types of alopecia known as Khalita in Ayurveda. Alopecia areata is known as Indraulupta in ancient texts. When the body’s immune system inadvertently attacks the hair follicles, hairs fall out. The second case is androgenetic alopecia. This is also called male pattern hair loss. Ayurveda offers a variety of treatments to combat all types of hair loss.
According to Ayurveda, hair consists of keratin. Keratin is a product of bone tissue. To treat hair loss, it can be targeted to strengthen bones. Such drugs can be taken orally. In addition, some enamas may help with hair loss problems. The imbalance of Pitta doshas is the main reason for baldness and other scalp problems. Even constipation and poor bowel movement affect the health of the hair. Mild natural laxatives may be useful in this case.
In the Shirobhayanga method, a daily massage is applied to the scalp for 10-15 minutes and then rinsed with water. Mechanical movement stimulates the blood circulation and awakens the sebaceous glands. You can massage with coconut or almond oil or any oil containing vitamin E before bedtime. This procedure is called Sirolepa. This significantly slows hair loss. Vitamin E strengthens the weak hair and exfoliates the nourishing skin.
Washing the hair with lemon leaves also gives good results. Ayurveda-based serums penetrate deeply and strengthen hair follicles. Aloe vera is also an ideal ingredient in the treatment of hair loss because it improves the scalp and cleans the pores. If hair is rinsed with apple cider and sage, they stimulate hair growth. Tea made from radix althaeae is effective in the treatment of baldness. Licorice is also a good option.
