It may be considered natural for men’s hair to thin over time, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with it. Today, there are many more ways to combat hair loss than ever before. I would encourage any man who notices an increase in hair loss to seek professional advice. As with any medical condition – diagnosis is the key; and although some loss over time is inevitable – starting treatment early can slow down and even reverse the visible signs of certain hair loss conditions.

While ageing naturally causes hair to thin, other lifestyle factors can also be an influence. Smoking is one such example, cigarettes can hinder the blood flow that maintains hair health. Likewise, not enough protein, omega 3, iron, vitamin C and other essential vitamins and minerals in your diet, as well as dramatic weight loss.

Alternatively, speak to your trichologist about taking supplements if you aren’t getting enough nutrients naturally.

Other factors that can contribute to hair loss include stress, some medications, medical conditions, changes in testosterone, lack of exercise and genetic inheritance.

Hair loss remedies prescribed by a G.P. or pharmacist are a ‘one type suits all’ – I prefer and use what is considered to be the most complete and advanced genetic test for hair loss, which analyses DNA and relevant patient characteristics to produce ‘personalised’ medication, designed specifically to work with your individual genetic functioning – resulting in improved hair regrowth and retention that is far superior to the generic ‘over the counter’ remedies.

3 things to do straight way

• Seek professional help – your trichologist can identify the cause of your hair loss.
• If advised, use ‘personalised’  topical treatments – based on DNA testing, to slow down and reverse the visible signs of hair loss – (it is possible to achieve dramatic results that many men are extremely happy with).
• Examine your lifestyle, diet, exercise regime, stress management, sleep patterns and overall health.

Cosmetic solutions

There are also a number of excellent ‘cosmetic’ enhancements – that will improve how your hair looks – and restore confidence; from changing your hairstyle, shampoo, conditioner and hair styling products to the use of fibres that adhere to your own hair to make each strand thicker and (in more pronounced cases) hairpieces that can be made to replicate natural hairlines and perfect colour blends.

The ultimate ‘cosmetic’ hair enhancement is now considered to be Scalp Micropigmentation – a procedure in which  pigments are applied to the scalp via specialist micro needles, replicating the appearance of hundreds or thousands of hair follicles, resulting in a gradual build up of hair density and a natural recreation of the hairline.

Hair transplants

The final word  however – must go to the option of hair transplants. All too often, trichologists are inundated with requests from men who are far too young, often showing very little if any signs of hair loss. It would be considered unethical by a surgeon of any professional standing to consider such a patient.

Responding to advertisements can be a lottery, you may or may not have success, but the results of an unsuccessful procedure will remain with you for a long time – and may be extremely costly to put right. Transplant surgery requires a great deal of care, attention to detail and expertise. A great deal of skill and experience is required to achieve a natural look that replicates the normal growth pattern. If this delicate procedure is not performed precisely, your hair will not grow correctly, if at all.

The èlan clinic offers a personalised hair transplant referral service; working closely with some of the countrys’ leading hair transplant surgeons, we are ideally qualified to select the best surgeon for your specific needs.

“It is important to accept – there often isn’t just one cause of hair loss – so a treatment plan often doesn’t just contain one solution”.

          Neil Harvey  MIT – consultant trichologist