THE BELGRAVIA CENTRE HAIR LOSS BLOG

Name: Andrea 

Question: I have been diagnosed with acute Telogen Effluvium about three years ago now. My hair is now very thin to say the least and still falling out. I think I know why my hair fell out in the first place but cannot understand why it is still falling out. Also, my head is always extremely itchy - I don’t get a flaky scalp or anything just really itchy head. When it is at its worst it tends to make my hairloss worst and I’m starting to think this may be causing the hair loss. I use Nizoral shampoo all the time but this makes no difference. Is there anything you could give me which will make my hair grow?

Answer: There could be a number of reasons for your continued hair loss - the cause of the Telogen Effluvium could be on-going or alternatively the temporary Telogen Effluvium condition that you experienced 3 years ago could have triggered genetic (Female Pattern) hair loss.  The treatment course that we would most likely prescribe would consist primarily of Minoxidil + MPG (ensuring you were suitable for the medication) - this is the medication most likely to stabilise your hair loss and regrow hair.  Obviously you would first need to either carry out a consultation at the centre or complete an on-line diagnostic form from which we could diagnose your condition and recommend a suitable course of treatment.

Question: I am currently on a Navy Vessel where the water is treated with bromine. I am losing more hair than is normal for me each day and my scalp is itchy. Is there something I can do to stop this abnormal hair loss? I have to endure this ship water for another month.

Answer: It’s most likely the hair loss is due to another condition (probably Male Pattern Hair Loss).  The only thing I would suggest is beginning a treatment course because this is the only thing that will stop your hair loss.  Obviously this is difficult if you are currently at no address but I don’t think any significant or noticeable hair loss will be experienced in the next month.  When you get time please complete an on-line diagnostic form (see last post for more information on the diagnostic form) or alternatively give the centre a call on 020 7730 6666 or click on the ‘contact Belgravia’ link in order to arrange a free consultation for when you get back. DIAGNOSTIC FORM … CONTACT BELGRAVIA

Name: Maria Vale

Question: Hi I’m 42 female and have been experiencing hair loss after I wash my hair, I only wash it once a week, it does not seem patchy, but quite a great deal is coming out. I’m really worried about this obviously. My Hair is quite fine and it’s frizzy so I use the Straighteners only once a Week when I go out. I know this can cause hair damage but I’ve used them for Years and obviously lost a little bit but not to this extent!! Are there any branches of your clinic in the North-West, I live in Liverpool, Please Help.

Answer: There are a number of possible reasons for your hair loss but you would need a diagnosis before we could recommend any treatments.  For anyone who is unable to visit the London centre, you can visit Belgravia’s website and complete an on-line diagnostic form.  This form will be submitted instantly to the centre and passed on to a trichologist who will diagnose your condition and recommend a suitable course of treatment that can be sent to your home in a plain package.  You will receive a telephone call from a Belgravia treatment advisor who will discuss your treatment options with you. ON-LINE DIAGNOSTIC FORM

Question: Hi, i am a 24 year old female and have recently been diagnosed with Endometriosis. The consultant has put me on a 6 months injection to put my body in a state of temporary menopause.

I have experienced thinning of my hair for 3 years now & wondered if this was caused by the Endometriosis? Furthermore it appears that my hair is thinning more since starting this treatment & I am now thinking of coming off the injections.

Can you tell me if there is a link between Endo & hair loss & what if anything can be done to restore or retain my hair, as it was quite thick & is now very thin?

Answer: Endometriosis is linked to hair loss not just because of the hormone fluctuations that it causes but also because of the stress caused by the physical pain brought on by the condition.

Treatment for the condition can also have an impact on your hair as temporary menopause causes an imbalance in your hormones that can affect hair growth. There is also a chance the condition or the treatment could be triggering an underlying genetic hair loss condition (Female Pattern Hair Loss), but this is just a possibility.

Minoxidil + MPG should help to stabilise the hair loss and encourage regrowth alongside the treatment for the Endometriosis. The treatment will help to prevent further hair loss and promote hair regrowth.

Name: Kathy Stewart 

Question: I have suffered Female Pattern Hair Loss since my early twenties. My daughter is 12 and I am concerned that she has inherited the same condition. At what age can she start taking Minoxidil? Also, is female pattern triggered by periods starting or at a later stage?

Answer: There is a chance that your daughter could inherit Female Pattern Hair Loss but it is not definite.  Minoxidil should only be used if there are signs of the condition arising, not as a preventative measure.  It is most likely your daughter would notice increased amounts of hair falling out before any visual thinning is noticeable - this is when she should begin to take Minoxidil.

As long as a young adult is fully sexually developed we can prescribe Minoxidil - usually over the age of 16.  Their suitability will be determined during the consultation.  It is not possible to determine at what exact time a female will begin to lose her hair if she is genetically predisposed to Female Pattern Hair Loss - it will be at some point after the period begins but it could be any time between her mid teens to her 40’s or even later.

Name: Raza

Question: Can I get my hair back with the Laser Comb?

Answer: The LaserComb is not a guaranteed solution for hair loss.  Clinical trials show that it is successful in stabilising hair loss and regrowing hair for a high percentage of people experiencing genetic hair loss but this depends on the amount of hair that has been lost and as the individual case - some people can have visually thinning hair and respond with dense thickening and some people’s hair will stabilise.  If you are bald or have very thin hair it is unlikely that your hair will be returned to full thickness.  We recommend a combination of Propecia (men only) and Minoxidil + MPG or Azelaic Acid for best results.

The Laser Comb is usually recommended as a booster to these treatments and is currently being offered free with most of Belgravia’s hair loss treatment courses.  The combination of these three treatments as part of a treatment course will ensure the highest chances of hair regrowth.

Take a look at our photo-scans for an idea of the kind of results people see from Belgravia’s treatment courses - BELGRAVIA PHOTO SCANS.

Name: Steve Earl 

Question: While still a teenager i was prescribed the drug Roaccutane for an Acne problem and was at the time aware of noticeable hairloss. i have since been informed that this is a common and occasionally on-going side effect of the drug.

I was curious if you had ever treated anyone who was experiencing this side effect from this drug and how you treated it, and secondly, if during your screening process you are able to determine accurately the extent of hairloss in any given patient i.e. the difference between a naturally high hair line and an actively receding hairline, as i have never monitored my hairloss but am increasingly aware of it. Many thanks for your time and advice.

Answer: I have met a number of people who have reported hair loss due to Roaccutane.  However, as soon as you stop taking the medication and it leaves your system the hair loss should stop.  If you are still experiencing hair loss it is most likely for genetic reasons (Male Pattern Hair Loss) which is a very common hair loss condition amongst males.

We will be able to assess whether your hair line has receded upon examination. We can then recommend a course of treatment that will help to stabilise the hair loss and could thicken up your hair.

Book at free consultation

Question: I am a 48 year old female and have experienced hair thinning over the last 3 months. I have recently been diagnosed with severe iron deficiency for which I am now on medication. My GP says it will take 4-6 months for this medication to work and after that my hair should stop thinning, but I am unclear as to whether I can expect it to grow back to how it was before or whether it will prevent it thinning any more. Do I need to do anything in the meantime to encourage growth?

Answer: It is definitely possible that the hair loss will stop once your iron deficiency has cleared up.  We usually recommend Minoxidil + MPG for women with this problem, to ensure the hair loss is prevented in the mean-time and restored to it’s maximum potential when the medical problem is cleared up.

More information - MINOXIDIL + MPG

Name: Andrew Age: 39

Question: I am using a combination of Minoxidil 5% for the top of my head area, and Minoxidil 12.5% + AA from Belgravia for the temple areas and side parting areas of my head. Also just started using the Laser Comb Premium (3×15mins p/w), as well as taking Propecia daily.

The hair I have is fairly grey and I have just been on holiday and I dyed my hair a mid brown colour which I quite liked and it also seemed to give thickness and fullness to my hair.

I would like to continue to dye my hair for the time being but:
a. What are the implications of this with the amount of treatments I am taking?
b. Will dying my hair damage it?
c. How does dying your hair affect the follicle area?
d. Will dying my hair prevent the hair treatment working properly?
e. If it is ok to continue dying my hair, is there a particular hair dye product i should be using?

Answer: Dying your hair is ok whilst using treatment.  Although hair dye is not particularly good for the quality of the hair (can dry it out), it will not increase your hair loss (unless we are referring to excessive hair dying which can cause breakage).  I’m sure that dying your hair will not cause any problems.

Name: Gareth Robinson
Age: 19
Gender: Male

Question: I have been experiencing thinning hair since I was 16 and have noticed a slight bald patch on the back of my head. I use thickening shampoo which seems to be helping and I comb my hair a certain way to hide the bald patch, however some of it is still visible. My Father and Grandfather are both bald and told me they started having noticeable baldness by the age of 22 and had completely lost their hair by the age of 30. So it is more than likely I have inherited the same genes as my father.

My questions are could the medication Propecia and the solution Minoxidil, which your clinic has in a high dosage of 12.5%, be used as a preventative measure so I never have to experience any hair loss. If you passed me in the street you would never think I was bald, however, if you see me 3 years from now you would think differently. Could treatment be started sooner rather than later is what i am trying to get at?

Also could you recommend any better thickening shampoos and conditioners? I heard about Toppik and Couvre hair loss products and would like your professional opinion on them and whether they are worth purchasing.

Any help or advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Hi Gareth.  I am in a very similar situation to you (yet slightly older).  My Grandfather (on my Mum’s side) was completely bald by his late 20’s.  I myself started losing my hair at the age of about 21 - I’d notice it coming out when I put wax in my hair in the morning, and I’d see my hair all over the floor of the shower.  Although I could see my hair coming out, my hair thinning wasn’t really visible at the time.  I began to use treatment and since then I have had no further thinning - I am now almost 25.

We always advise that the earlier treatment for hair loss is started the better as it is almost certain that hair loss will be stabilised or at least slowed down and although regrowth is likely, the amount of regrowth is different for each person and if the hair is visually thin, restoring hair to full thickness is unlikely but does happen in some cases.

With regard to thickening shampoos and conditioners, Toppik and Couvre are appropriate but you must realise that these are cosmetic products, not active treatments, meaning they can cosmetically improve the appearance of the hair temporarily but will not prevent the hair from thinning.