Hair loss is NOT just for old people: Balding due to 'sensitivity of hair follicles'

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There are many myths surrounding hair loss and Dr Mark Tam has separated fact from fiction

But expert advice is hard to come by and there are many myths circulating as facts that only serve to confuse the issue.

Award-winning hair transplant doctor Dr Mark Tam, from leading London clinic The Cadogan Clinic has cast his eye over popularly held beliefs regarding hair loss to offer guidance on what to believe and what most definitely to ignore.

Discussing the fact that many believe baldness only happens as we age, Dr Tam said: "This seems to be a very common myth.

"Hair loss can affect younger individuals as well as adults.

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"Recently I am actually seeing an influx of younger patients who are aware of hair loss and want to act quickly to prevent it.

"We also occasionally get visits from parents who bring their sons in to explore hair transplants and discuss their hairline design."

Of course, many don't want to start thinking about expensive hair transplants too soon as they worry that these will need updating over time.

This is not necessarily correct, as Dr Tam explained: "Once the transplanted hair starts to grow, the hair will stay and depending on the size of the area there is a chance you might not need another procedure soon.

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Many people are concerned with hair loss but leave it too late to find a solution

"If however you have more than one area of hair loss you might need to repeat the transplant.

"It's important to remember your donor area has a limited amount of hair so you can't keep on transplanting as the area will start looking a bit thin."

Many bald men console themselves with the thought that they might have lost their hair, but at least this proves that they are extra virile.

Sadly, this is not the case, as Dr Tam revealed: "Hair loss is actually caused by a greater sensitivity of hair follicles in some parts of the scalp to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), rather than increased levels of testosterone."

And despite what many believe, it is not just men who are concerned with hair loss, as women suffer too.

Discussing this common misconception, Dr Tam said: "Going bald is often referred to as 'man's' problem, however women also suffer from significant thinning throughout their lifetime.

"Different factors affect both sexes and both often require different treatments.

"With male pattern hair loss for example, there is usually sufficient hair in the back or side of the scalp to allow us to do a hair transplant procedure.

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Many will be relieved to hear wearing a hat does not cause hair loss

"For female pattern hair loss this is not often the case, as female pattern hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors and most of the time, a hair transplant may not be the first solution in treating a female pattern hair loss."

If you don't want to start with hair transplants, what else is there that is as effective?

Dr Tam recommends trying approved medications, and said: "These medications are tried and tested to slow down the process and address further hair loss."

However, he warned that this does not always work for everyone: "In specific cases there might not be a lot of regrowth.

"Most people take a few years before meeting with a specialist and actually prefer to try the medication first.

"They watch their hairline receding back and try various medications, shampoos, lasers and lotions. However, once they notice these don't bring back the receding temples and hairline, they come in for treatment advice."

Many people are put off hair transplants by the thought of the pain, but Dr Tam had this reassurance: "A typical hair transplant procedure involves harvesting the hair from the donor area (most commonly back and sides) and transplanting to the hairline or the temples.

"Firstly, we anaesthetise the area with local anaesthetic injections and once the area is anaesthetised, we start the painless transplant process.

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Very curly hair isn't easily treated with hair transplants but some curly hair can be helped

"At the beginning the patient is facing down whilst we harvest hair follicles from the back.

"We then move on to work on the area in need, first anaesthetise and then make incisions to prepare for the hair follicles to be placed.

"The skin might look a bit red and swollen immediately after the procedure however it's only temporary."

Revealing how FUE (follicular unit extraction) works, Dr Tam said: "During a typical procedure I transplant 1,500 grafts which can contain on approximately 3,000 hairs.

"Personally with FUE I prefer not to exceed a certain number, as this may decrease the donor density to a visible level.

"FUE is generally suitable for smaller treatment areas, for example if you suffer from advanced hair loss and require a significant amount of hair, then you should consider FUT strip procedure, which can yield a larger amount of graft.

"FUE hair transplant can cause small scaring however we always make sure to hide it- so it's not visible even with short hair.Those with curly hair have often thought that transplants are impossible for them.

Again, this is not always true, as Dr Tam explained: "Generally speaking the FUE technique is slightly more suited to straight hair, as the hair follicles are straight within the scalp.

"It is however possible to treat mildly curly hair.

"Treating very curly hair can be challenging using FUE."

For those worried about everyday things that we do that can lead to hair loss, Dr Tam has some heartening advice.

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Shampoo will not lead to hair loss as many seem to believe

Firstly, shampooing won't cause baldness, as Dr Tam revealed: "Shampoo doesn't affect hair loss - this could be a case of a bad diet or stress- which again wouldn't affect male-pattern baldness, but can cause temporary shut-down of hair production.

"On average we normally lose about 100 hairs a day but these normally grow back."

Some people worry about their fashion choices and blame their hat for hair loss.

But again, this fear is unfounded, and Dr Tam said: "This question occasionally crops up during patient visits and is also a common myth.

"Hair follicles get oxygen from the blood stream rather from the air so it's not possible for hair to fall our due to the fact we wear a hat.

"It is however true that certain hair styles that put too much tension on the hair can cause hair loss- this includes plats etc."

Finally, sun worshippers can breath a sigh of relief, as according do Dr Tam: "Sun doesn't affect hair loss- even though it can occasionally affect our hair colour.

"Hair-colouring treatments on the other hand can increase hair loss due to the chemical substances they contain."

Dr Tam shares his advice as it is revealed that your gym routine can accelerate hair loss.

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Source: Hair loss is NOT just for old people: Balding due to 'sensitivity of hair follicles'