The most common cause of hair loss in men is male pattern hair loss, in other words androgenetic alopecia. Androgenic alopecia; It is a disease that occurs with the effect of hormones in individuals with genetic predisposition, can be seen in both sexes and progresses with hair loss. In genetic predisposition; The distribution of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme in the scalp is a valuable determinant. Hair loss occurs due to hormones activated by this enzyme. Thick, black hairs are replaced by light-colored and fine-type hairs. Its incidence increases with advancing age, but the age of onset and rate of progression are variable. 80% of Caucasian men have hair loss by the age of 70. Although this situation is perceived as a physiological event that is very common with age, it affects the quality of life negatively and pushes people to seek a medical cure. Today, there is a search for different methods for hair loss and its treatment.
In the treatment of androgenic hair loss, the goal is to stop the miniaturization of the hair follicle and to increase the regrowth of the hair and the thickness of the hair shaft. Current treatments stop the progression of the disease and provide a small amount of new hair growth. With the increase in the level of information about hair loss, the chances of early diagnosis and treatment increase, and the psychosocial effects of the disease are reduced. Although this condition of individuals with hair loss is perceived as a benign condition and does not require treatment, it is a cause of mental tension that obviously leads to deterioration in the quality of life in some patients. When deciding on treatment, the person should first be informed about the natural progression of the condition.
MEDICAL TREATMENTS; There are 2 spies approved by the FDA for the treatment of hair loss in men; Topical minoxidil and oral finasteride treatments. Both treatments have a stimulating effect on hair growth and prevent hair loss. The hair loss-stopping effect of medical treatments occurs 3-6 months after the start of the treatment, and the visible new hair growth effect occurs 6-12 months later. Continuous treatment is required to ensure maximum activity. Individuals should be informed that the hair density before hair loss can never be reached with treatment and that the main purpose of the treatment is to prevent the progression of hair loss.
SURGICAL TREATMENTS; Hair Transplantation is the transplantation of hair from the occipital (neck) region to the balding vertex (hill) or frontal (front) area. With modern techniques, graft survival rates exceeding 90% are provided. Contemporary hair transplantation started in Japan in the 1930s, and grafts taken in the form of punch were used in eyebrow and eyelash shedding. It was realized over time that the androgen-resistant occipital area was a more suitable donor. In 1995, Bernstein and Rassman discovered follicular unit transplantation and hair follicles began to be transplanted as units containing 1-4 hairs. In follicular unit transplantation, donor hairs can be removed in 2 ways;
1) Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) Hair follicles taken in the form of strips under local anesthesia from the nape area, where there are genetically resistant hair follicles, are divided into clusters of 1-4 in a form to accommodate hair and hair follicles, using appropriate techniques, without disturbing their natural structure, under microscopic instruments. or it is planted in the area that has been completely spilled. The area where the hair is taken from the nape is stitched in accordance with aesthetic surgery techniques. The disadvantage of this method is the scar in the form of a line in the nape area.
2) Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Follicular unit extraction formula is the hair follicles are taken one by one in the form of a 1 mm punch from the nape area with special fine-tipped needles and transferred to the area that has been diluted or completely spilled. Since there is no suture, scar formation is also not the subject of words. It provides beautification in a shorter time than the FUT way.
PRP; Platelet Rich Plasma Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) contains over 20 growth factors. PRP has been used for a long time in bone grafts, dental implants and wound healing. Studies have shown that implanting hair follicles with PRP during hair transplantation increases the success rate of hair transplantation. In a scientific study, 13 of 26 patients with fine hair were injected with PRP 5 times at 2-3 week intervals, and saline injection was applied to 13 patients. At the end of the treatment, there was a clear thickness observed in the patients who underwent PRP on the hair sections, but there was no difference in the number of hairs. This study suggests that PRP can be used to improve hair quality.