Spring is blooming all around us with trees budding and flowers growing and all is fresh and new. Do you wish your hair was growing and healthy and fresh? Hair loss and hair thinning is a common concern for both men and women. Over the years of taking care of patients’ cosmetic concerns and helping my patients age gracefully and naturally, I came to realize that there was one major cosmetic issue often ignored and over looked–thinning hair. I no longer over look this issue. That is why I have started a program focusing on addressing hair thinning and loss at Charlotte Skin & Laser

Hair plays an essential part of self-esteem, gender identity and age definition. Hair frames our faces and is a sign of youth, vitality and health. Thinning hair and hair loss conditions can adversely affect mood and self-esteem. Hair loss from medical conditions, medical treatments, aging and genetics is more than just a cosmetic concern and deserves attention to determine the cause and out line a path to thicker, healthier, more robust hair. A good hair day is truly awesome and so it has be come a goal of the hair loss team at Charlotte Skin & Laser.

Treating hair thinning and hair loss begins with a thorough history and evaluation. Hair loss and thinning-or alopecia-can come from conditions that affect the skin and hair follicle it self, can occur secondary to medications or medical treatment or during recovery from an illness or injury, and can be related to aging and familial traits.

We will first ask many questions to understand a patient’s hair loss and then do a detailed exam of the hair and scalp.

The most common types of hair thinning are age and hormone related and shedding induced by another condition. For these types of hair thinning there are many effective treatments. Our team at Charlotte Skin & Laser focuses on putting together the most effective treatment plan tailored to each individual and involving the following categories:

• Nutrition
• Supplements
• Medical treatments
• Home treatments
• In-office, non-surgical treatments
• Hair transplantation when appropriate

Nutrition can be simply addressed by focusing on daily intake of vitamins essential for hair growth and appropriate protein intake. Supplements recommended include Nutrofol and Viviscal Pro. Medical treatments are prescribed to prevent ongoing genetic hair loss and to help hair recover from shedding. Home treatments include light or LED treatments and topical treatments as well as shampoos to strengthen hair.

In office treatments are non-surgical means to stimulate increase in hair density, hair thickness and hair growth. Platelet rich plasma or PRP injections utilize the growth and healing capabilities of platelets to stimulate and support hair growth and recovery. Blood is drawn and spun to separate the platelet rich component. This platelet rich component is then injected into the areas of hair loss. A series of 3-4 treatments monthly is done followed by one maintenance injection session every 6-9 months.

Laser treatments have been demonstrated to be helpful to stimulate hair growth. KeraLase is a treatment protocol that combines a laser treatment to the scalp with a powerful growth factor and peptide serum application in a treatment session, as well as a hair growth serum for home use. The laser itself stimulates hair growth but also increases skin absorption by a factor of 5 so that the serum is more readily absorbed into the skin and down to the hair bulb from which hair grows.

All of these interventions work best with early hair loss. There is help for thinning hair and you can achieve thicker, lusher, healthier hair with safe, effective non-surgical interventions. Don’t wait to achieve your best hair ever!