THE NEW YORK TIMES STYLE MAGAZINE – Hair loss is frustratingly common, affecting more than 80 million people in the United States alone.
Multiple factors — including stress, genetics, diet and lifestyle — can disrupt your hair’s natural growth cycle and trigger inflammation and irritation, all of which can compromise the follicles’ integrity.
While certain types of hair loss (such as scarring alopecia) can be permanent, many are not. Here, a comprehensive guide to addressing breakage and thin ning, with advice from the experts.
Check in With Your Dermatologist
A doctor will help you narrow down which type of hair loss you’re dealing with.
“More than 50 percent of the time, we can nail the diagnosis based on the patient’s health history and examining the scalp and hair,” says Angela Lamb, a New York-based dermatologist.
From there, you can discuss whether medications make sense for you.
Minoxidil, a topical or oral treatment, is often the first line of defense for androgenetic alopecia hair loss (caused by aging, genetics and hormones), while telogen effluvium (brought on by stressors like sickness or a life change) are typically resolved by managing your triggers.
Get Your Scalp in Shape
For most types of hair loss and thinning, proper care starts at the scalp. These are some of the most effective professional and at-home treatments that can help with issues like inflammation or irritation:
Platelet-rich plasma therapy involves a medical professional injecting a concentrated version of your own blood into your scalp, to potentially stimulate dormant follicles.
PRP tends to be best for androgenetic alopecia, says Lamb, but can sometimes also speed up recovery from stress-related hair loss …
