Non-Surgical Therapies for Hair Loss

Understanding Androgenetic Alopecia

The process of hair loss in cases of genetic hair loss whether for a man or woman is known in general as androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The process of AGA involves hairs gradually being converted from thick hairs known as terminal hairs into thinner hairs known as miniaturized hairs that become fully miniaturized known as vellus hairs that eventually go completely away and leave areas of baldness. As seen in the following diagram even in cases of total baldness, there is still a hair follicle under the skin surface but it is not visible and at this point will most likely not return despite medical therapy. The hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the main cause for ongoing genetic AGA hair loss, and medical therapy can be very effective in reversing these vellus hairs (at least partially if not significantly) back to terminal hairs and to slow down the process of hair loss from thick terminal hairs to thinner vellus hairs. But when full baldness is present, then surgery is the only real method of improving the situation.

Medical Treatments for Hair Loss

Illustrations from Dr. Lam’s new textbook: Lam SM, Hair Transplant 101. Quality Medical Publishing, St. Louis, MO, 2023There are many ways to treat hair loss medically. A cornerstone to Dr. Lam’s method of evaluation and precise dosing for a patient involves the Hair Genome Test, which allows Dr. Lam to determine the precise medical therapies and dosing, whether topical and/or oral routes of delivery, for your specific genetic profile. He uses this test mainly to determine the most accurate dosing for biochemical solutions like topical finasteride, oral finasteride, topical minoxidil, and oral minoxidil for you. If you do not want to take this easy test, then topical formulas like 82F or 82M or oral doses can be used to start for you until you decide to take the test. He gets very good results regrowing hair with these therapies.

If he determines that a natural, non-biochemical method is preferred for you, then his main therapy will usually typically be Hair Stem therapy that is a painless, all natural, plant-based therapy that has now replaced platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in his practice. He also uses Folliflo, a product he spent two years developing as a simple, effective solution, especially for acute or chronic hair shedding. He does not believe that exosomes are a reliable method to achieve results not to mention FDA-approval issues. He will use low level laser therapy and vitamin replacements like Nutrafol as needed based on his advice. These therapies are his second line of therapy in many cases. A personalized consultation will help you decide which method or methods he would use in your case.