Hair Loss

Hair shedding is a part of everyday life and is totally normal. On average, we all lose around 80 strands a day, but if you’re losing significantly more than that, says Professor Caitriona Ryan, or you notice they aren’t growing back, that is the time to take action.

"Most men, by the time they are 50, will have experienced some form of male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia – hair loss that primarily affects the top and front of the scalp." She says. “I think there’s this idea that men are not so bothered about their hair compared to women, but that’s just not true. It’s a significant issue for men and can be very distressing.

“It’s really important that you tackle hair loss quickly. A lot of the time, men panic and sit it out but if we get in early enough while the hair follicle is still intact, then yes, it is possible to regrow the hair – or to improve the health of the existing thinner hairs.”

As a first port of call, Professor Ryan suggests Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, which can be bought over the counter in pharmacies. It works on the scalp to reactivate shrunken hair follicles and is “very effective if your hair follicles are still active”.

Another possible option is the drug Finasteride, commonly branded as Propecia, a prescription tablet taken once a day. It stops the body from converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). “A third of patients maintain the hair that they have on this drug, but being proactive is key,” Ryan stresses.

'We've also seen great success with Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy (PRP) for hair restoration. Cellenis® PRP therapy accelerates the growth of the hair follicles by stimulating the stem cells and other cells in the micro environment of the hair follicle to increase the production of collagen, nutrients, and antioxidants, and by promoting vascularization to increase blood supply, leading to denser and stronger hair.

PRP is also commonly used in hair transplant treatments to promote and encourage tissue repair. The treatment helps to preserve, accelerate and enhance the hair follicles pre-and post-transplant and to produce more robust hair growth."