In 2014, the haircare industry was thrust into the spotlight when a 75-year-old woman who went for a $50 promotional treatment was pressured into depositing $4,000 on a nearly $16,000 hair package.
The year prior, 25% of complaints received by the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (Asas) were against beauty ads, many of which marketed miraculous hair loss treatments. Unfortunately, almost a decade later, there remain endless tales of consumers who’ve been tricked into spending thousands on ineffective and scientifically baseless treatments.
If the hair loss establishment you’re considering offers celebrity-endorsed treatments that are not backed by science, chances are, the treatment you’re forking out hard-earned cash for will do nothing to treat the root of your hair loss problems.
There are a myriad of factors[1] that could lead to hair loss. These varying factors will determine whether one’s hair:
Inherited genes cause hair follicles to shrink. Eventually, hair stops growing.
It can begin as early as teenagehood, but usually starts later in life.
Worldwide, hair loss is mostly caused by hormones and genetics - Androgenetic alopecia affects up to 80% of males by the age of 80[2].
Female pattern hair loss is mostly a progressive, chronic, and androgen-dependent condition.
In women: Overall thinning or a widening parting.
In men: A receding hairline or bald spot at the top of the head.
Alopecia areata develops when the body’s immune system starts attacking hair follicles, causing hair loss.
You can lose hair anywhere on your body, including your scalp, inside your nose, your eyebrows, and in your ears.
Radiation treatment to the head or neck causes hair loss.
You might lose all or most of their hair within a few weeks after starting chemotherapy.
Hair loss that occurs after giving birth, recovering from an illness, having an operation, and other stressful events such as divorce or the death of a loved one.
You may notice a lot more fallen hairs on your floor, pillows, and brushes.
Most women regain their normal hair growth by their child’s first birthday. If your hair does not regain its normal fullness after one year, you may want to seek professional help.
Colouring, perming, or straightening treatments could damage your hair and lead to hair loss.
Permanent bald spots.
If you often wear your hair tightly pulled back, it can eventually lead to permanent hair loss.
Bald patches on the scalp and hairline.
Conditions such as PCOS can lead to hair loss. Stopping birth control might also cause hair loss due to temporary hormonal imbalance.
Women who develop a hormonal imbalance may experience thinning hair or hair loss on the scalp.
A scalp infection can result in scaly and/or inflamed areas on your scalp.
You may notice tiny black dots on your scalp. There are stubs of hair. Others might develop bald spots.
Many people who have plaque psoriasis can develop psoriasis on their scalp that leads to hair loss.
Reddened skin is covered with flakes and silvery scales, and can be itchy or sore. Patches may extend beyond the hairline or even appear on other parts of the body.
Some people pull on their hair to relieve stress, often subconsciously.
Destroyed hair follicles, bald patches.
Inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once hair follicles are destroyed, hair will not grow[3].
Destroyed hair follicles, hair loss.
Syphilis and other STIs can cause patchy hair loss if left untreated.
Patchy hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, and other parts of the body.
Severe and/or chronic thyroid[4] issues can cause hair loss involving the whole scalp.
Hair coming out in clumps, thinning hair.
People can develop hair loss where their clothing, footwear, or accessories frequently rub against their skin.
Bald or thinning patches where hair is often rubbed against.
People who have too little biotin, iron, protein, or zinc in their bodies may experience notable hair loss.This can happen in bulimic and anorexic patients.
Hair thinning and hair loss.
It is important to remember that the key to effective treatment lies in a timely and accurate diagnosis. The best time to seek treatment for hair loss is if you notice early signs of female pattern hair loss or male pattern baldness.
Female pattern hair loss almost always starts as a widening parting that eventually becomes a circle. Male pattern baldness, on the other hand, is classified by the Norwood-Hamilton scale, and often presents in an M shape; affected hairlines will eventually reveal an unsavoury U-shaped baldness.
As bountiful scalp hair is often tied to humanity’s notions of youth and virility, hair loss and greying can often become a source of emotional distress in both the young and old. If you find yourself struggling with the early stages of hair loss, it is best to get the help of a professional sooner rather than later, as early treatment is often paramount for success.
Medical treatments like finasteride and minoxidil are effective in arresting the progression of hair loss, but only allow partial regrowth of hair at best. Early FUE hair transplants accompanied by hair injections achieve more optimal outcomes.
Females require more comprehensive analysis that includes blood tests and medical checkups, as there is often an underlying condition.
While many women using oral antiandrogens and topical minoxidil will regrow some hair, early diagnosis and treatment are preferable when it comes to arresting progression and stimulating regrowth.
Apart from a hair transplant, Artisan’s Hair Regrowth Treatment is an in-clinic injection treatment done onto the hair and scalp. It utilises an advanced machine called the La Raccine Automated Dermal Hydrator in order to inject serum into the scalp that stimulates hair growth and reduces damage caused by hair loss.
The formula for this hair loss serum was designed by Dr. Isaac Wong, and was specifically created to stimulate hair follicles and encourage hair growth whilst being gentle on the scalp. This serum also contains potent anti-inflammatory and growth factors.
Lastly, low level laser therapy, which stimulates hair follicles and induces thicker and fuller hair growth and is sometimes referred to as “cold therapy”, is a non-invasive treatment mode that does not require any scalpels or burning, unlike other lasers.
If a patient takes medications and does treatment regularly, they should see significant improvement in a matter of months.
In fact, patients should see a minimum of 70% hair regrowth in 3 to 6 months – that’s how confident we are. Our treatments work.
In summary, here are a few key factors you should look for when choosing a suitable hair loss treatment:
Flashy advertisements by beauty salons might be alluring. But the treatments they offer will merely soothe and nourish your scalp. Also, always ask for before and after photos for proof.
It is extremely important to get bloodwork done to make sure you do not have underlying conditions.
This is why at ArtiScience Hair Centre, our first protocol is to do bloodwork.
If a patient is found to have any underlying conditions, our team of doctors will prescribe medication and tailor a unique hair loss treatment plan for their specific circumstances.
We also advise our patients to undergo a hair transplant in the early stages of hair loss. It is crucial to do this early, as we need healthy hair grafts for hair transplants to work. However, if our patients have budget constraints or prefer something less invasive, we also offer alternate, scientifically proven treatments.
The main tell of successful hair loss treatment is when a patient who has been dropping 100 hairs per day notices dropping around 30 hairs daily; this number goes down gradually with regular treatment.
By the first month, there should be significantly less hair dropping, and by the third month, patients should be seeing new growth of baby hairs.
By six to nine months, a patient should have obvious, visible results.
Any questions? Contact us and our friendly team will get back to you!
Understanding our human hair anatomy allows us to achieve a higher success rate in reversing hair loss condition.
Cells in the root of your hair rapidly divide for new hair to form. Hair grows about half an inch a month. This phase lasts an average of 3-5 years.
Active hair growth ceases, and individual hairs separate from the hair follicle. This phase lasts for about 10 days.
Hair strands remain in their follicles for about 3 months before falling off to make way for new hair follicles. After which, losing about 50-100 strands of hair per day is normal. Hair loss may occur when this growth cycle is disrupted. If your hair is not growing as long or fast as it used to be, you may be experiencing a disruption in your hair growth cycle for various reasons. Speak to us for a solution.
