Hair plays an important role in boosting confidence and can even be a part of a person’s identity. With a good head of hair, a person can look healthier and younger.
Previously, I shared the telltale medical signs of hair loss –including the differences between male pattern hair loss and female pattern hair loss– and treatment options you can look into, such as:
While the above options can help with arresting hair fall, the significance of their efficacy will hinge on a few factors:
Identifying your goals will help you save a lot of time and money, and potentially save you from falling into marketing traps.
In this article, allow me to share how the various hair loss treatments in Singapore work, which work best for hair regrowth, and if there’s a permanent fix to hair loss.
The typical route for someone seeking resolve for their hair loss usually looks like this:
If you’re serious about stopping hair loss and/or seeking hair regrowth, don’t waste your time with Options 1 and 2.
Remember: Hair loss is a medical condition that requires proper diagnosis and clinically backed solutions by a doctor.
A doctor will be able to check the root cause of your hair loss and difficulty in hair regrowth. You might also be asked about your diet, hair care routine and medical or family history.
Besides asking about your diet, lifestyle and medical/family history, your doctor may conduct some tests.
Hair grows at an average rate[2] of 0.5 to 1.7cm (0.2 to 0.7 inches) per month. This can be influenced by genetics, age, general health, or pregnancy. Men will notice that their hair grows faster than females.
For temporary, non-medical cases of hair loss, preventing further hair loss may be possible through:
With these methods, you may see a decrease in hair loss but hair regrowth is not guaranteed. For hair regrowth to happen, there must be a stimulus to increase blood flow to hair follicles.
Below are some popular hair loss treatment methods and their hair regrowth efficacies:
Method | How it works | Is hair regrowth possible? |
Medication (Minoxidil, Finasteride, others) | Prevents testosterone from turning into DHT (finasteride) and increases blood flow around hair follicles (minoxidil). Both can be taken orally or applied on the scalp. | While both arrest the progression of hair loss, they allow only partial regrowth at best, and only at early intervention[3]. In FPHL particularly, Minoxidil fails to achieve hair regrowth in some patients[4]. |
Hair transplant surgery | A patch of hair is removed from a different part of the head where there is no hair loss and transplanted onto the affected area. Simply put, think of this process as planting ‘seeds’ at areas with hair loss for new hair to grow. For this reason, it’s better not to wait till hair loss advances till almost the whole scalp is affected so we have more healthy hair follicles to work with. | Hair transplanting is currently the only proven method to permanently treat hair loss with a 90% success rate for both men and women. |
Low level laser therapy | A low-level laser device is used on the affected area to promote tissue repair and rejuvenation. | Studies[5] show that LLLT achieves significant hair regrowth in men and women, and results are enhanced when treatment is done in combination with minoxidil/finasteride. |
In Singapore, the only permanent form of hair regrowth is a hair transplant – by permanent meaning you don’t wish to seek treatment for life.
Once stopped, the effects of oral medication and laser therapies will wean. Like all aesthetic procedures, they require maintenance treatments too.
As far as covering bald spots and long term assurance, a hair transplant is the most effective method.
Note: That’s not to say you MUST undergo a hair transplant if you are experiencing hair loss. If in the early stages, your doctor might recommend something less invasive depending on your goals.
Regardless, if a fuller head of hair is what you’re looking for, then your treatment plan should include protocols that a) stop hair loss and b) stimulate hair regrowth. A combination treatment is necessary.
We have all been concerned about excessive amounts of hair loss at some point in life and it can hinder one’s self-confidence. Thankfully, there are still ways to manage or fix this. If you have any questions, you’re always welcome to drop me a message and discuss your concerns.