The diagnosis and early treatment of alopecia manages to stabilise hair loss in nine out of ten cases

Both male and female androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss and occurs as a result of the influence of androgens on the hair follicles that makes the hair progressively thinner, until it reaches such a degree of miniaturization that it becomes like body hair.

As Dr. José María Ricart, head of the Dermatology Service and the Capillary Medicine Unit of Quirónsalud Valencia Hospital warns, "an initial symptom of alopecia is that the patient notes that the hair is thinner and lighter followed by its loss of volume and capillary density, this affects 50% of women and 65% of men over 50". "

Genetic inheritance lies behind this loss of hair, but life habits are also essential. "There are life forms that allow the genes to be or not to be expressed in all their fullness. It is clearly demonstrated that if I do not smoke, I do not drink, I take care of my diet and I am not subjected to stress, I will have more hair", clarifies Dr. Ricart.

For a correct diagnosis of alopecia, experts in trichology recommend undergoing a TrichoScan, technology that calculates hair’s thickness and density, which is vital for early diagnosis and monitoring the treatment of patients with alopecia.

It is also necessary in some cases to perform hormonal ana- lytical studies to diagnose and correct alterations of the sex hormones that are the cause of androgenetic alopecia in the case of female alopecia. "Nine out of ten patients who diagnose their alopecia early and receive treatment," warns the specialist, "manage to stabilise the problem within ten years thanks to mesotherapy with vitamin cocktails and drugs, as well as platelet therapy (injecting the patient’s own plasma into the scalp), until the hair thickens. "

Advances in hair transplantation and the importance of follow-up

The mechanised manual transplant technique consists of extracting grafts from the donor area one by one, after shaving, leaving a small wound that does not require suturing and that heals spontaneously without leaving a scar. After the extraction of the follicles, we proceed to implant them in the required area, following the design previously agreed upon with the patient. Advanced specialists in this technique offer a variant called Non Shaven FUE, in which the extraction of follicular units is done without shaving the donor area.

"This method has helped to eliminate social fear, since many patients feel more comfortable knowing that nobody is going to realise that they have gone through a hair transplant," explains Dr. Ricart.

After the intervention, the dermatologist recommends a medical follow-up of the patient of at least 12 months to ensure that the patient's progress is absolutely satisfactory. "Although the intervention is not risky, it can have complications if it is not done correctly. "It can infect the donor area, with a necrosis of the skin that can leave scars. And let's not forget that if the necessary hygienic measures are not taken, there may be a risk of contagion of hepatitis or HIV due to contamination", says Dr. Ricart.