How Thyroid Conditions Can Cause Hair Loss

  When patients visit Regeneris Medical, they can count on some of the finest hair restoration treatment in Virginia and the greater Boston area. Our team is pleased to offer surgical transplantation and non-surgical hair loss treatment, meeting the various needs of patients and addressing different kinds and causes of hair loss in the process.

One cause of hair loss to consider involves the thyroid gland and hormone imbalance issues. Let’s look at how thyroid problems can cause balding and hair thinning and what your best options are to address these matters.

What is the thyroid gland?

The thyroid gland is one of the key parts of the body responsible for the production of metabolism-regulating hormones. The thyroid itself is located in the frontal portion of a person’s neck. When a patient experiences a thyroid condition of some kind, this means that his or her hormone levels will be thrown off in some fashion, leading to a number of adverse responses by the body.

Thyroid conditions can be caused by a wide variety of matters, including diseases and systemic conditions (e.g., Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s disease), exposure to lithium, and exposure to iodine.

Why a Thyroid Problem Can Lead to Hair Loss

When your hormone levels are altered, it’s possible for these matters to result in changes to hair growth. Hair follicles have different phases, for instance, and hormone changes can cause the hair follicles to remain in a resting phase rather than a growth phase. This causes more pronounced hair loss and hair thinning to occur.

Other Symptoms Associated with Thyroid Problems

In addition to hair loss and hair thinning, other symptoms that are associated with thyroid problems include:

  • Changes in body weight
  • Frequent exhaustion or fatigue
  • Acute sensitivity to heat and cold
  • Insomnia and sleeping problems
  • Changes in menstrual cycle
  • Weak or sore muscles
  • Changes in mood
  • Anxiety and irritability
  • Issues with focus and concentration

Treatments for Thyroid Conditions

The ideal treatment option for a thyroid condition typically involves the use of various medications that assist in regulating and altering hormone levels in the body. These medications will address various imbalances, with positive effects showing up after a few weeks. The exact medications will be discussed during the consultation process with your general practitioner or endocrinologist.

Should I undergo hair restoration surgery for thyroid-related hair loss?

No.

Since the hair follicles are affected by hormonal changes, undergoing hair restoration surgery for a thyroid-related matter would be unnecessary and would lead to serious issues with regard to hair density and the appearance of the hairline.

Ideal Treatments for Thyroid-Related Hair Loss

Non-surgical options for thyroid-related hair loss tend to be most ideal, such as drugs like Rogaine and Propecia. These will improve the thickness of hair without surgery. Even then, these may not be necessary since the use of hormone medications will often result in improved hair growth after a little bit of time. This can be discussed with your hair restoration specialist or general practitioner in greater detail during your visit.

Learn More About Treating Hair Loss and Balding

To learn more about hair loss related to factors apart from pattern balding, it’s important that youcontact our hair restoration center today. The entire team at Regeneris Medical looks forward to discussing these matters with you in greater detail and helping you have a healthy and full head of hair.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): Effective Non-Surgical Hair Loss Treatment

Non-Surgical Hair Loss TreatmentThe team at Regeneris Medical proudly serves patients from Virgina through New England, offering the latest in hair restoration treatments. While hair transplantation surgery techniques have improved significantly over the years, there are many state-of-the-art non-surgical hair replacement therapies to consider. One of these is platelet rich plasma injections, or PRP treatment. Let’s look at this option for non-surgical hair restoration right now.

About Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment is a non-surgical hair restoration option that helps improve the thickness of a person’s hair following serious issues with hair thinning.

PRP itself refers to concentrated plasma from a person’s blood that contains three to five times more platelets than blood normally circulating in the patient’s system. The PRP is injected into areas of the scalp and rubbed into the scalp in order to promote healthier hair follicles and cause hair growth.

How effective is platelet rich plasma (PRP)?

Studies of PRP effectiveness have shown it can yield a notable increase in hair growth in patients. A study published in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery showed that PRP resulted in an increase of 22.09 follicular units per square centimeter after a few treatments.

Ideal Candidates for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

Good candidates for platelet rich plasma (PRP) are men and women who have experienced natural hair thinning or hair loss. They should be in good overall health and have realistic expectations about the nature of treatment and what can be achieved. It’s important that patients understand all of the risks and benefits associated with the procedure.

What to Expect During the Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Procedure

Blood is drawn from a patient and is then spun in a centrifuge, separating the plasma from the rest of the patient’s blood. Local anesthetic may be placed on the scalp to reduce pain and discomfort during treatment. The PRP is then injected into the treatment areas of a patient’s scalp. His or her hair is washed prior to returning home. The entire process takes about 80 minutes to perform.

What to Expect After Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Treatment

Recovery from platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment is generally simple. Soreness and swelling of the scalp may be pronounced for up to 6 hours after PRP treatment, though these symptoms generally resolve completely after 48 hours. Patients should refrain from vigorous physical activity until swelling has completely abated.

When can I expect results from platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment?

Results can vary from patient to patient, but improvements may be noticeable in as early as two months, though it may take around five months or more for results to become more pronounced.

Speak with the Team at the New England Center for Hair Restoration

For more information about platelet rich plasma (PRP) and how it can help you achieve a fuller and healthier head of hair, be sure to contact our hair transplant and restoration experts today. The team here at Regeneris Medical will work with you to ensure that you get the hair loss treatment that is most ideal for you.

The Growing Trend of Beard Transplants (And where you can get them in VA and MA)

  When they first hit the scene, beard transplants were seen as very niche procedures. Many thought that men obsessed with fitting new fashion trends would be the only recipients of the new type of surgery. However, in 2015, beard transplants are becoming more commonplace, with men of all walks of life undergoing the procedure.

According to a recent Allure blog, men from all over Europe have been traveling to Turkey to undergo beard and hair restoration procedures. This trend comes on the heels of Brooklyn residents making waves for undergoing beard transplants in 2014.

So why are so many men undergoing beard transplants? There are several reasons. First and foremost, many men simply cannot grow beards at all, due to genetics or other medical factors. For these men, getting beard transplants is a safe, natural option that allows them to sport beards and mustaches. And perhaps more interestingly, beards have recently regained popularity amongst a slew of communities. Many men in their 20s and 30s in the United States grow long, full beards as symbols of masculinity. There are even beard clubs and blogs, which serve as gateways for bearded men to connect with each other.

So where can you get a beard transplant? If you live in Virginia or the Boston and Providence areas, Regeneris Medical offers the most advanced beard and mustache transplant methods available. Located in both Fredericksburg, Virginia and North Attleboro, Massachusetts, Regeneris is a reputable and trusted center known for our doctors’ artistry and attention to detail.

Call us at 1-855-REGEN-R-8 to schedule a no-obligation consultation. We will go over with you the ins and outs of beard transplantation and answer any questions you may have. And if you are interested in potentially receiving a beard transplant, we will map out a plan to have your facial hair looking the way you’ve always wanted.

Hair Transplant vs. Hats – The Pros and Cons

Although balding is an inevitable part of many men’s lives, there are some men who simply don’t like their appearance without a full head of hair. For the men who can’t embrace baldness, many wonder if hats or hair transplants are a more effective means of improving their appearance.

Ultimately, there are pros and cons to both hats and hair transplants. Let’s take a look at the reasons men opt for each choice.

Pros of Wearing Hats

-Hats can be an important part of many men’s style. From baseball hats to scally caps, many men enjoy picking out hats to go with the rest of their clothing.

-Hats can protect against the sun’s rays, lowering the risk of men developing skin cancer in the bald regions of their head.

Cons of Wearing Hats

-Constantly wearing hats can be a hassle. A lifetime of always having to remember your hat when heading out the door is a difficult price to pay for baldness.

-Hats can still show that a man is bald, despite his attempts to cover his head completely. Fedoras, for example, can still show male pattern baldness at the front of the scalp.

-Hats cannot be worn everywhere. Wearing hats at restaurants, offices, and churches, for example, is a social faux paz.

Pros of Hair Transplants

-Hair transplants are a safe, effective way to regain your hair, rather than having to hide it.

-Hair transplants use your own, natural hair to grow follicles in balding areas. So your new appearance will look and feel natural.

-Hair transplants last a lifetime. After getting a proper hair transplant procedure, your hair will grow naturally as it did before your balding.

-Hair transplants can also protect your scalp from the sun’s rays.

Cons of Hair Transplants

-Some hair restoration centers operate more like a factory than a medical practice, simply trying to perform as many procedures as possible, and they do not use precise, artistic detail to meet their patients’ hair restoration goals.

At New England Center for Hair Restoration, we believe patients have a right to their own, natural hair. We meticulously perform our procedures to ensure our clients have the head of the hair they desire.

If you are tired of constantly having to cover the bald parts of your head, call us at 855-REGEN-R-8 to schedule a free consultation.

Crossfit Injuries, PRP, and Resuming Training After Injuries

  Crossfit is an intense, challenging, and perhaps most of all, rewarding exercise culture. But training hard can come with a price. Sometimes Crossfit athletes push their bodies too far, resulting in devastating injuries.

As an athlete, nothing is worse than working hard to make progress, only to see that progress get derailed through an injury. And often times, athletes’ injuries become chronic, putting them in a perpetual one-step-forward, two-steps-back cycle.

Fortunately, there are a variety of treatment options for Crossfit athletes struggling with new and chronic injuries. One of those options is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), a new procedure that uses the healing factors within an athlete’s own blood to expedite healing at the site of injury.

So how does PRP work? The process itself is complex, but the mechanism of healing is not. Doctors take blood from an athlete, then isolate the plasma within that blood. The plasma, which contains platelets, is then mixed with exogenous growth factors to compliment the natural growth factors found within the platelets. Together, the athlete’s growth factors and the exogenous growth factors act on a cellular level to fight the damage of an injury. Athletes, both professional and recreational, have seen incredible results from the procedure.

PRP is currently being performed at Regeneris Medical in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and Fredericksburg, VA for injured Crossfit athletes. Call 855-REGEN-R-8 to learn more about PRP. Our No-obligation consultations are always free.