Male Hair Loss (Alopecia)

Male Alopecia

Hair loss is a normal biological process: Men usually lose around 100 hairs per day. Alopecia is diagnosed when the replacement hairs grow thinner and shorter than usual, as that is a symptom of the weakening of hair follicles (the cells that produce hair).

The most common type of male alopecia is Androgenic or Androgenetic Alopecia. It is an inherited condition and implies that the hair follicles’ extra sensitivity to the dihydrotestosterone hormone.

The mechanism is as follows: Testosterone converts to Dihidrotestosterone (DHT) through the action of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. The hair follicles react to the DHT’s presence with a reduction in size, until the scalp’s membranes rigidize, making blood circulation difficult. In such circumstances the hair follicles produce progressively shorter, weaker hairs. The process ends with the follicles atrophy, becoming incapable of producing any more hair.

Androgenic alopecia is a slow process that starts during adolescence and accelerates during youth. Ideally treatment would start at those ages. As its effects become visible with maturity, treatment usually starts when Alopecia is already at an advanced stage.

To fight Alopecia we have two strategies available: reduce testosterone conversion to DHT; and improve hair follicle health by stimulating their metabolism and improving blood circulation in the scalp.

Treatment

Clinica Dual’s anti-alopecia treatment is three-pronged:

• Finasteride:
  This is an orally used medication whose efficacy in combating androgenic alopecia has been scientifically proven. It couples with the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, keeping it from reacting with testosterone and thereby diminishing the production of DHT in the human body. The effects of finasteride usage become clearly visible half a year after starting the treatment.
  Finasteride is meant to be used indefinitely as its effects progressively disappear after the treatment stops. It is a prescription medication, so it must be purchased at a pharmacy by presenting the prescription written by the doctor in charge of the patient’s case.
• Hair Revitalization Mesotherapy:
  Mesotherapy’s goal is the improvement of the scalp and hair follicle health. To that effect cellular metabolism-enhancing vitamins, minerals, aminoacids and trace elements are injected in combination with tissue structure-reinforcing hyaluronic acid.
• Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP):
  PRP is a medical advancement in the field of tissue regeneration that has recently found novel applications in aesthetic medicine. It takes advantage of growth factors, repairing agents produced by the platelets in the bloodstream, concentrating and injecting them into the area subjected to the treatment. Those stimulate the metabolism of fibroblasts (cells that produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid which shape and support the skin’s tissues) regenerating the scalp’s skin.
  The effects of platelet-rich plasma are long-lasting, nicely complementing mesotherapy’s more immediate effects.

The administration of the treatment is as follows:

• Finasteride: A daily dose, maintaining the treatment on an indefinite basis.
• Platelet-Rich Plasma: It starts with 3 sessions, one per month (later performing 1 or 2 maintenance sessions per year is recommended).
• Mesotherapy: Given patient variability the doctor can recommend around 2 to 8 mesotherapy sessions. Those will begin on the fourth month of the treatment once all the PRP therapy sessions have been completed.
If you wish to receive more information about our male alopecia hair loss therapy at Clínica Dual in Valencia, please call or write to us and we will answer your questions with no obligations.