Are Men Giving Up On Hair Loss Treatments And Heading Straight For Transplants?
Are Men Giving Up On Hair Loss Treatments And Heading Straight For Transplants?
The Huffington Post UK
Men suffering from hair loss may be getting fed up with all the miracle pills and potions being touted on the internet.
According to an opinion poll of hair experts conducted by WhatClinic.com, there has been a 260% increase in men enquiring about hair transplants, and a staggering 180% increase in men actually travelling abroad for cheaper hair transplant procedures.
HuffPost UK LIfestyle spoke to Dr Maurice Collins, medical director of Hair Restoration Blackrock (HRBR), to find out why there is a surge of interest.
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He said: “Two factors, the technology of hair transplantation has improved dramatically over the last 10 years. A good hair transplant carried out by a trained team of technicians and a specialist hair transplant surgeon should not be noticeable, not even to ones barber.
"The old toilet brush style transplants of the 70s are definitely a thing of the past. Secondly, the likes of James Nesbitt and Wayne Rooney going public has helped remove the stigma of having a hair transplant. Men in their 40s, 50s and 60s are still unlikely to talk openly about their hair loss concerns, but men in their 20s and 30s are much more open.”
Follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is where a strip of the scalp, including the hair follicles, is removed and replanted at the front of the head. Follicular unit extraction (FUE), sometimes called FUE Harvesting, takes individual hair clusters (of between one and four hairs) and replants them one by one, which although more time-consuming, gives better results and less chance of scarring.
In a recent poll of cosmetic surgeons, 78% confirmed that interest from men in cosmetic surgery was definitely growing [1]. Of those asked, almost nine out of 10 (89%) said they believe men are now far more conscious of their appearance than ever before.
Story continues below the slideshow:
11 Ways To Prevent Hair Loss
(01 of12)
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(credit:Alamy)
HRT(02 of12)
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It is worth noting that HRT, which uses the same hormones, can have the same effect, but are only given to women who haven’t had a hysterectomy. This type of hair thinning can be partially reversed with the correct treatment, and taking the right type of contraceptive pill is very important to the prognosis. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Scalp Health(03 of12)
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Ensure that the scalp is healthy. Recent research indicates that dandruff or flaky scalps increases rate of hair shedding. To counteract an unhealthy scalp use a scalp mask such as Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask (£5.25 (30ml) philipkingsley.com) once a week. Also, use a shampoo for flaky/itchy scalps every day for a week to clear the scalp, then occasionally for adequate control. (credit:Philip Kingsley)
Stress(04 of12)
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Extreme stress can cause hair loss in the form of alopecia areata. It is important to identify what it is that is causing the stress, perhaps it is a difficult relationship, money worries, or a miserable job. Once the cause is identified, it makes it much easier to treat the stress, I also highly recommend yoga. It is brilliant for lowering stress levels. Any hobby that you find interesting or that takes your mind of things that make you stressed are beneficial, walking, reading, going to the cinema are all very good stress relievers. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Exercise(05 of12)
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Exercising regularly would tend to have a positive effect on hair: The fitter you are, the more hair should benefit. As far as sweating and more frequent shampooing is concerned, it is good, not bad, to shampoo hair frequently. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Iron Storage(06 of12)
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One of the most important factors in preventing hair loss is adequate iron storage, which is called Ferritin. This helps to maximise hair growth, low levels will cause hair shedding. It may also be necessary to buy a vitamin B12 supplement and/or iron, but iron should be taken only if necessary after a blood test. It is surprising how many young women have low iron levels. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Hair Styles(07 of12)
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Tight hair styles, ponytails, hard brushing, hair extensions can all lead to traction hair loss – that is hair loss due to constant pulling on the hair follicles. (credit:Philip Kingsley)
Dieting(08 of12)
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Excessive weight-loss can cause hair to thin. If a slim person loses 2 kg for example, they may find that their hair begins to thin. Your hair is not a vital tissue, like bone marrow, nor is it a vital organ, like your heart, liver or kidneys. What little nutrition you are getting through a restrictive diet will go to those parts of you first. Even though your hair is very important to you psychologically, your body is much more concerned with keeping its internal organs healthy. If your body is feeling deprived and hungry on a crash diet or restrictive diet, you can only imagine how your hair follicles are feeling! This starvation of the follicles causes your hair go into the telogen (resting/falling) phase prematurely, and many hairs at the same time. You can experience mass hair loss depending on how bad your diet was and for how long the diet went on for. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Contraceptive Pills(09 of12)
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It is not just stress that can have a detrimental effect on our hair, we now know The Pill can thin hair too. Several widely prescribed contraceptive pills, for example Logynon, Microgynon, Ovranette and Loestrin, all contain the highest levels of two particular male hormone derivatives, or progestins, that are linked with hair thinning – caused by the hair follicles getting smaller (and each hair growing thinner) rather than hair actually falling out. This thinning only affects women sensitive to hormonal change, but that accounts for 40% of women. The Pill is made up of both female and male hormones, ‘but look out for those containing levonorgestel and norethisterone, the two male hormone progestins that are the main culprits, they’re the most prescribed, though that’s more down to ignorance on the GP’s part. If you feel that your hair is thinning, your GP should be happy to change your prescription; ask for a Pill that has a low or no ‘androgenic’ action, like drospirenone found in Yasmin, norgestimate found in Cilest and desogestral found in Marvelon. Dianette, which works as an oral contraceptive, contains cyproterone acetate, and this can be helpful in treating thinning hair, along with acne and facial hair growth. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Supplements(10 of12)
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Supplements can help, too. Try PK4Hair, a protein supplement and also a multi vitamin and mineral supplement. (credit:Philip Kingsley)
Snacking(11 of12)
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It is important not to leave it too long between meals. By eating every 3-4 hours can help prevent hair loss. The energy to form hair cells diminishes four hours after eating a meal, so snacking between meals will help boost energy levels. The best energy boosting snacks are complex carbohydrates such as fruit. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Protein(12 of12)
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Hair is made of 85% protein and is the second most prolific growing cell in the body; therefore, its demand for energy is high. It is important to eat proteins for hair strength as part of a moderately balanced diet. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
The bottom line, says Dr Collins, is that there is no cure for hair loss. "The drugs that are currently available (Minoxidil and Finasteride) can arrest hair loss for a limited number of years but do not reverse hair loss. Hair transplantation takes existing hair from the back of the head and plants it on top and at the front. It restores a hair line and fills in the gaps, but it is not a cure. It is likely that if a cure is found it will come from stem cell research. ”
As for men travelling overseas for the procedure, Turkey has proven to be the destination of choice for UK men, aided by the considerably lower starting costs of £1,619, and affordable flights. India boasts the most competitive average prices starting at just £789, however it may well be the cost of flights that has deterred patients.
So are transplants the only option if you're worried about your hair? No, says Dr Collins.
“Only one in four men who visit HRBR proceed to have a transplant. For those who choose not to have a transplant, the first option is to accept your hair loss and shave your head. Many men are not too worried about their hair loss and look great with a shaved head – think Andre Agassi or Bruce Willis. Others are not suitable candidates. For example they may not have enough donor hair for transplantation. The donor hair comes from the back of the head, which is immune to hair loss. Budget and age are also factors.
"Many men benefit greatly from taking Minoxidil and Finasteride. The synergistic effect of taking both drugs can arrest hair loss and strengthen the existing hairs for a number of years, which has the effect of more hair, as if the patient has new hair. Young men will often opt for this option for a number of years before considering a hair transplant. Lastly, a patient may not be suitable if their hair loss pattern is not yet established, meaning it would be too soon for a transplant. Men in their mid-thirties and older, where their hair loss pattern is established are more suitable than those in their 20s.”
For men who are considering transplants however, Dr Collins advises doing your research.
"Shop around, compare a few clinics," he says. "Don’t got for the cheapest. You get what you pay for. Look for a clinic that is run by trained surgeons. Look for experience and qualifications. The industry is currently unregulated, meaning anyone can set up a clinic, a GP, a nurse, a salesman. Make sure your consultation is with the surgeon who will carry out your transplant, not a salesperson. If the consultation is free then it’s a sales pitch not a consultation. Look for patient testimonials on the clinic website.”