The medical name for hair loss is alopecia, and though many people think it’s mostly a problem that men have, anyone can lose their hair. Alopecia can be temporary, or it can be permanent. One of the earliest signs most people notice is that their hair is thinning.
A key to overall good health is feeling confident. When you’re comfortable with how you look, you’re more willing to be active and social.
Neil Spiegel, DO, and Jennifer Gularsaon, PA, at Osteopathic Center for Healing understand that hair loss can affect your life, so we offer effective treatments.
Before offering treatment for thinning hair, we work to understand the underlying cause of your problem. By identifying the cause of your thinning hair, we can direct you to the most effective treatments. Here are three broad categories of issues that often lead to hair loss.
When people talk about male pattern baldness, they are describing a type of genetic hair loss. Your DNA dictates that your hair will thin. It happens to women, too, though the pattern of loss is usually different.
The medical name for genetic hair loss is androgenic alopecia. Some people with this condition begin to lose their hair in their teens or early 20s.
Some people begin to see their hair thin due to their habits. For example, if you regularly use chemical treatments, such as perms, relaxers, or dyes, it can lead to thinning hair.
Tight hairstyles, poor nutrition, and chronic stress are other lifestyle factors that can lead to thinning hair. We always talk to you about your lifestyle when you come in for a consultation so we can help you identify any habits that you may be able to adjust.
Some women have thinning hair following pregnancy or if they stop taking birth control pills. Certain autoimmune diseases can cause thinning hair, and skin disorders may lead to hair loss. An eating disorder or a vitamin D deficiency may cause your hair to thin, too.
All of these conditions and many others are associated with thinning hair. That’s why it’s important to discuss your hair loss with a qualified medical professional.
As you might imagine, using a product or medication designed to treat genetic hair loss probably won’t be especially helpful if your hair is thinning because you have an autoimmune disorder.
The best combination of treatments for you could be a change in your habits, taking supplements, and microneedling. Or you may benefit from an entirely different approach.
Some of the common approaches we use include topical treatments, oral medications, and injection therapies to stimulate hair growth.
If you’d like to learn why your hair is thinning and find the most appropriate treatment, schedule an appointment today at Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland.
