[Column by Director Yoo Hwa-jung] As we age, various changes inevitably appear in the body. One of them is the thinning of hair, a common concern among middle-aged and older adults.
However, if you notice a markedly large amount of hair falling out, a lot of hair shedding at the crown when washing your hair or after waking up, or your hair becoming thinner, you should suspect hair loss. The problem is that many people regard such thinning of hair as something that simply comes with age and leave it unattended; if the timing for treatment is missed, hair loss symptoms may worsen, so caution is needed.
Hair loss refers to a condition in which hair is absent from an area where hair should normally be present. The causes of hair loss are varied; genetic factors, environmental factors, and improper lifestyle habits are generally cited as the main causes, and recently, due to these various environmental factors, the number of hair loss patients among younger people has also been increasing.
Along with the growing hair loss population, interest in ways to have more hair is rising. Overall health management is important — maintaining a clean scalp condition, getting sufficient deep sleep, reducing stress through rest and moderate exercise, quitting smoking, and taking in nutrients that are good for the hair.
Also, if you feel a change in the amount and thickness of your hair, it is advisable to prevent hair loss from worsening through early diagnosis as soon as possible. In the early stages, it can be sufficiently improved with non-surgical treatments such as medication or scalp care programs.
The problem is that early-stage hair loss begins with the hair becoming thinner, so it may go unnoticed. In fact, many hair loss patients find it difficult to detect it early and leave it unattended for a long time, often visiting a clinic only when their hair has visibly thinned.
If the symptoms are severe in this way, it is also worth considering a hair transplant. A hair transplant is a method of harvesting hair from the occipital area and transplanting it into the area of hair loss; it can be carried out in a customized manner according to the type, such as M-shaped hair loss or crown hair loss, and has the advantage of allowing more natural results.
However, a surgery can be called successful only when the graft survival rate is increased. Since it takes time for the hair follicles to fully take, it is advisable to have the procedure at a clinic equipped with a systematic aftercare system, and management of the hair that has not been transplanted is also important.
Above all, hair transplantation, which used to be regarded as the preserve of middle-aged men, is seeing increasing demand among people of all ages and genders 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