[Column by Director Yoo Hwa-jung] As we age, various changes naturally occur in the body. Thinning hair, a common concern among middle-aged and older adults, is one of them.
However, if your hair is falling out noticeably, if a lot of hair on the crown falls out when you wash your hair or wake up, or if your hair is becoming thinner, you should suspect hair loss. The problem is that many people regard this decrease in hair volume as something that simply comes with age and leave it untreated. Caution is needed, as missing the right time for treatment may allow hair loss symptoms to worsen.
Hair loss refers to a condition in which hair is absent from areas where it should normally be present. There are various causes of hair loss; genetic factors, environmental factors, and poor lifestyle habits are generally cited as the main causes. Recently, due to these various environmental factors, the number of hair loss patients is also increasing among younger people.
As the population experiencing hair loss grows, interest in ways to increase hair volume is also rising. Overall health management is important, including keeping the scalp clean, getting sufficient sleep, reducing stress through rest and moderate exercise, quitting smoking, and consuming nutrients that are good for the hair.
In addition, if you notice changes in your hair volume or thickness, it is advisable to seek an early diagnosis as soon as possible to prevent hair loss from worsening. In the early stages, the condition can be sufficiently improved with non-surgical treatments such as medication or scalp care programs.
The problem is that early hair loss begins with the thinning of hair strands, so it may go unnoticed. In fact, many hair loss patients find it difficult to detect early and leave it untreated for a long time, often visiting a clinic only after their hair volume has noticeably decreased.
If symptoms have become this severe, it may be worth considering a hair transplant. A hair transplant is a method in which hair is harvested from the back of the head and transplanted to the area of hair loss. It can be customized according to the type, such as M-shaped hair loss or crown hair loss, and has the advantage of achieving more natural-looking results.
However, a surgery can be considered successful only when the graft survival rate is high. Since it takes time for hair follicles to fully take root, it is advisable to undergo the procedure at a clinic with a systematic aftercare system, and care for the hair that was not transplanted is also important.
Above all, hair transplants, once regarded as the domain of middle-aged and older men, are now in increasing demand regardless of age or gender due to the recent rise in hair loss patients. Before proceeding with a hair transplant, it is necessary to accurately identify the cause and condition of the hair loss, and it is important to establish an appropriate plan accordingly.
Source: Health In News │ Published 2021.07.14