Independent dermatologists who specialize in treating hair loss believe patients should first get a medical diagnosis to make sure it’s genetic pattern thinning and not temporary shedding from having surgery, a baby, or extreme stress, or that it’s not a gland, hormonal, or immune problem, or even cancer.
‘The other thing we see is infections in the scalp from hair techniques, from weaves, from perms that are done irregularly. I have a number of patients that I’ve seen that have burned their scalp and that has led to hair loss’, explained New Orleans dermatologist Dr. Mary Lupo.
Chemical burns from salon relaxers need prompt treatment by a doctor with injections or the scalp will permanently scar, blocking hair growth. The only cure is hair transplant surgery. The doctors also use a drug called spironolactone for women with pattern thinning.
And they say the prescription medicines a hair loss clinic uses do work. And while they say the laser shows some promise, the hype may be ahead of the science.
‘We really only have two publications so far investigating its use specifically for hair. One of them I published in my fellowship. It was a small study. We had seven patients and we did find that there was some improvement but the results were not necessarily statistically significant. And it wasn’t for all patients. It was just a little bit of an average in the increase in the thicker hairs’, said Dr. Nicole Rogers, a Metairie dermatologist and hair surgeon.
‘I’m cautiously optimistic that with early hair loss of a purely genetic androgenetic alopecia mechanism, that we might see some improvement with this. I do not think it would do anyone any harm’, said Dr. Lupo.
And the doctors say the science is very weak that saw palmetto or any ingredients in shampoos increasing hair growth.
Still a hair loss clinic usually says its products help the laser penetrate better and stands by its results of using several treatments at once.
‘Excellent results. We have “before and after” comparisons. Our nurse takes pictures though a special camera on a microscope and you can see definitely, quite an improvement. Our clients are very happy’, said Dr. Michael Fuhrman of Delmar, New York. His specialty is in family practice and urgent care. He is a hair loss clinic medical director.
In hair loss clinics, the staff has access to doctors and nurses to answer questions. And if pattern baldness is not obvious, they will not make a medical diagnosis.
When asked if he ever recognized a medical condition and sent a client to a doctor, Zito responded, ‘We have. We have before’.
‘It’s for me and it’s, you know, at the end of the day, I’m the one looking in the mirror at myself. My wife does a good job of taking care of herself so the least I can do is give a little bit back to her’, says Brad Boudreaux, a satisfied client of hair loss clinic services.
Finasteride is prescription pills only for men to regrow hair. But Dr. Lupo says there is also one now for women called spironolactone.
Also a hair loss clinic usually has a laser comb that can be used at home.
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