The Spanish population is so clear that baldness is abnormal hair loss, that it is so widely accepted that the word is considered a synonym for baldness.
Its impact, both at the male and female level, depends on the type of alopecia, and in recent years the number of women in trichology consultations, which is the science of the scalp and hair, has increased. That is to say, the one that is in charge of the specialized study of the diseases, functions and anatomy of the hair.
And when we talk about hair loss, the first thing we should know is that there are more than 100 types of alopecia.
But among the most frequent are:
- Telogen effluvium: It is a problem that usually has a solution. It is an alteration of the hair growth cycle that triggers a sudden and diffuse hair loss, but it is reversible. It occurs when many hairs that are in the growth phase simultaneously go into the fall phase. And among its main causes stress usually appears
- Alopecia areata: It occurs in both sexes and at all ages, more frequently than is believed, and mainly affects children and young adults. It is easy to recognize because the hair is suddenly lost in rounded and irregular areas. And the most common cause is an autoimmune reaction in which the body’s defenses mistakenly attack the hair follicles. Can be treated with corticosteroids
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia: It is a hair loss that appears more in women, after or shortly before the menopause, and that is usually located in the area of the headband and in the hair of the eyebrows, although it can also affect the area of the neck and even of body hair. It is typical to associate it with the appearance of “pimples” on the face and with the veins on the forehead being marked. The causes are not known, although it is related to genetics and hormonal issues.
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The androgenic alopecia which, as we said at the beginning, is abnormal hair loss and can affect the scalp or other areas such as eyelashes, armpits, genital region and beard.
Androgenic alopecia affects men more
This last type of alopecia, androgenic, is the most common.
Affects up to 50% of men at age 50while in women this percentage is reduced to between 5 and 10%.
The factors responsible for this type of baldness are hereditary, but they also come from an androgenic action on the hair follicles.
The expert in trichology and member of the , the Dr. Sergio Vañó details that:
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“The cause of this type of alopecia being more common in men is produced by androgens, a type of male hormones that cause hair thinning.”
Treatments for androgenic alopecia
There are many men and also women for whom hair loss is a real problem.
For this reason, the search for solutions to increase the hair density It is one of the concerns of doctors specialized in dermatology.
And among the most used treatments, because they have shown good levels of efficacy, are:
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Antiandrogen drugs
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Minoxidil
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Hair grafts.
Antiandrogen drugs
These types of drugs affect the action of hormones in the follicular root, and the finasteride or dutasteride.
As Dr. Vañó explains:
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“The oral dutasteride we use it mainly in men as the most effective treatment and it can also be used at low doses as maintenance treatment.”
They are safe drugs, with few adverse effects, although their results are seen in the long term. And they are usually administered orally, although they are also infiltrating the scalp.
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This is the case of the dutasteride mesotherapya second-line treatment in the form of direct microinjections into the scalp and which, as this dermatologist affirms, is revolutionizing private practice.
For the treatment of this type of alopecia in women, the newest antiandrogens with good results are, as the coordinator of the Spanish Trichology Group of the AEDV also points out:
“The spironolactone and the bicalutamide oral. Both drugs improve not only capillary density, but also seborrhea, acne, hirsutism and other signs of hyperandrogenism.”
Minoxidil, the most used
Minoxidil it’s a topical product which, applied in liquid, spray or foam, “stimulates hair growth by thickening fine hair”.
Despite requiring daily use to achieve the desired effect, it is a very effective and safe treatment that is also indicated for both men and women.
As a novelty, the minoxidil is also administered orally, and as Vañó assures.
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“Oral minoxidil is a treatment that is being used more and more in both men and women, so that at low doses it is well tolerated and very effective”
other treatments
The aforementioned are not the only alternatives to try to stop hair loss.
There are another series of therapies to combat alopecia such as injections of platelet-rich plasma with growth factors.
Or the best known hair transplanta minimally invasive surgical technique that, although it does not stop hair loss, is capable of recovering capillary density, giving the patient a very natural appearance.