Does your hair loss make you feel self-conscious about your appearance? Treatments offered by your dermatologist in Toms River, NJ, Dr. Robert Lee, may help slow hair loss and improve hair growth.
Determining the cause of your hair loss is the first step
Before your dermatologist can treat your hair loss, he must find out why it's happening. Hair loss can occur for many reasons. Male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness, common causes of hair loss, are inherited. Hair loss or thinning hair can also occur due to hormonal changes during menopause or after childbirth.
Stress, major illnesses, cancer treatment, nutritional deficiencies, medication side effects, or diseases, like lupus, diabetes, thyroid disorders or alopecia areata, can cause changes to your hair. Hair loss could also be triggered by dying your hair or wearing it in a tight ponytail every day.
During your visit to the Tom's River dermatology office, your doctor will ask your some questions about your hair loss symptoms, review your medical history, and perform an examination. He may also take hair or scalp samples or order a blood test to help him figure out why you're losing hair.
Treating hair loss
Finding a solution to your problem depends on the cause. If hair loss is due to stress or illness, normal hair growth will probably resume in a few months. Improving management of diabetes and other chronic diseases may improve your hair line and prevent further hair loss.
Your dermatologist can also recommend or prescribe treatments aimed at increasing hair growth such as:
- Minoxidil: Minoxidil improves hair growth on the top of your head and is applied directly to your scalp.
- Finasteride: This prescription oral medication can trigger hair growth in men.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Therapy: PRP therapy uses platelets from your own blood to lengthen the growing cycle of your hair. PRP is injected into your scalp.
- Microneedling: Your dermatologist rolls a device that contains hundreds of tiny needles over your scalp to stimulate hair growth. Microneedling can be used in conjunction with other treatments, such as PRP therapy.
- Other Options: Nutritional supplements, laser devices, steroid injections, hair transplants or scalp reduction surgery can also help you cope with hair loss.
Are you struggling with hair loss? Call your Toms River, NJ, dermatologist, Dr. Lee, at (732) 934-4141 to schedule an appointment.