Regrowing your hair after hair loss can be challenging. Regardless of what caused your hair to fall out, you’re not going to see results overnight. But that doesn’t mean you’ll never see them.
The trick to hair regrowth is finding the right techniques. Whether that’s taking medication or turning to cosmetic procedures, you need to find what works for you. That’s where this article can help. Here we outline several hair-regrowth tactics that are worth checking out.
1. Consider Follicular Unit Extraction
When it comes to hair restoration, follicular unit extraction represents the cutting edge of treatment. Done completely by hand, FUE involves taking individual hair follicles from your skin and moving them to where your hair is thinning/absent. An outpatient, minimally invasive transplant procedure, FUE will typically take six to eight hours. If you need to cover a larger area, you may require more than one session. Following the procedure, you can expect it to take three to four months for the hair to grow back.
Compared to its predecessor, follicular unit transplantation, which involves removing a strip of the scalp, FUE is far less invasive. You may notice tiny white scars where the follicles were extracted. Some swelling, bruising, and sensitivity are also common side effects. On the whole, though, most patients find the procedure tolerable and well worth the renewed confidence it brings.
2. Take Medication
If surgery — even the less involved kind — isn’t your bag, you can try medication instead. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two medications, minoxidil and finasteride, as treatments for male pattern baldness. Both have been clinically proven to halt or slow hair loss and stimulate hair regrowth.
Minoxidil is applied topically to the scalp, twice daily, in the form of either a foam or a liquid solution. Used consistently, the medication has been found to boost hair regrowth by as much as 35%. As a vasodilator, minoxidil increases the flow of blood to the scalp, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles. Scientists believe this is one reason the drug is 90% effective in reducing hair loss.
Taken orally, finasteride can slow the receding of hairlines while likewise prompting hair regrowth. The medication inhibits the hormone that’s thought to cause male pattern baldness, thus enabling hair production to resume as normal. Boasting an effectiveness rate similar to that of minoxidil, the drug yields improved hairlines and thicker hair for those who take it regularly.
3. Give Yourself a Massage
When you think of techniques for regrowing your hair, massage probably doesn’t immediately spring to mind. And while it may sound silly, massaging your scalp actually has benefits. Research has found that scalp massage causes the cells of the hair follicles to stretch. This spurs the growth of thicker hair, which is less prone to breakage and loss. In addition, scalp massage dilates the blood vessels underneath the skin, further encouraging hair growth.
What’s more, scalp massages are also cost-effective since you can do them yourself. Simply use your fingertips and gently rub your scalp in a circular motion. Some people incorporate essential oils into their scalp massage for added benefit. Not only do these oils smell great, animal studies suggest they may encourage hair growth.
4. Try Low-Level Laser Therapy
Hair loss is common, which is why there are so many treatment options. And a well-known treatment is low-level laser therapy, which stimulates hair follicles, causing hair to grow.
The laser light used in LLLT emits a specific wavelength that can be absorbed by the hair follicles. When this happens, the hair follicles are shifted into what’s known as the “growth stage.” In the growth stage, hair follicles push out hair that will continue to grow until it is cut.
LLLT has grown in popularity recently, partly due to its noninvasive nature. This painless procedure doesn’t require any downtime, and you can return to your usual routine after the procedure is over. And there’s one further advantage to this treatment method. While LLLT can be performed by a healthcare professional, you can also do it at home with your own device.
5. Consider Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections
Have you heard of PRP? It stands for platelet-rich plasma, and it’s a popular hair loss therapy. To understand PRP, you first need to understand what platelets are. Put simply, platelets are a blood component that forms clots and helps stop bleeding. When you’re injured, it’s your platelets that heal the body.
With PRP, a healthcare professional draws some blood and extracts the non-platelet components of the sample. The resulting platelet-rich blood plasma is then injected into your scalp. PRP contains hormones that can stimulate cell reproduction and encourage hair growth. It can also prevent further hair loss.
PRP therapy is a three-step process, and maintenance treatments are typically needed. As you can probably guess, PRP therapy can be expensive. Prices will vary depending on your location and whether you receive additional nutritive compounds. If you decide to give PRP therapy a try, make sure you’re working with an experienced professional who has the reviews to back it up.
Hair regrowth takes time, patience, and the right approaches. Thankfully, the tips above are a great place to start. Consider adopting one or more of these techniques to help you regrow the hair you lost.