Permanent hair loss

Even though majority of causes of hair loss lead only to temporary hair loss there are also cases when people lose their hair for good. Temporary hair loss develops as a consequence of certain illnesses, hormonal changes, intake of certain medications and chemotherapy. The leading cause of permanent hair loss is androgenic alopecia.

What is Androgenic Alopecia?

This is the most frequent form of alopecia. Androgenic alopecia is a genetic condition and it affects approximately 1/3 of the population. This illness in majority of cases leads to male baldness. The condition typically features with hair loss that begins at the hairline and recedes backwards towards the scalp. In women the condition does not lead to hair loss. Still, the hair in women becomes thinner at the crown. Androgenic alopecia almost never leads to complete baldness in women.

Unfortunately, hair loss due to androgenic alopecia is permanent. This means that lost hair will never regrow. One way to treat such condition and restore lost hair is with hair transplants.

Medications for Permanent Hair Loss

In case of severe injury to the scalp hair loss cannot be treated with drugs. Topical medications are only effective in case of androgenic alopecia. One of the most effective medications against androgenic alopecia is minoxidil. This drug can effectively halt hair loss and is also efficient in re-growth of the hair. Better results are achieved in mild cases of hair loss. The only problem connected with minoxidil is that the new hair growth will stop once the treatment is discontinued.

There are several more drugs prescribed for permanent hair loss. They include finasteride, corticosteroids and anthralin. Finatseride is usually prescribed to people suffering from male pattern baldness and corticosteroids are administered in case of severe hair loss. Once injected in the skin of the scalp corticosteroids reduce further hair loss. And finally, even though anthralin is effective in case of temporary hair loss it may also be helpful in case of permanent hair loss.

Permanent Hair Loss - Surgical Treatment

In case the re-growth of the hair simply is not possible with any medication the person is left with only one option- surgery. There are three types of surgery performed in people suffering from permanent hair loss. They include hair transplants, scalp reduction (also known as stretching surgery) and flap surgery. The goal of the surgery for permanent hair loss is to reduce the area of hair loss. The person who have chosen an operation for permanent hair loss is due to consult a well experienced doctor and see what surgery suits him/ her most.