The most important thing before looking into a cure is to find out the causes and stages of your hair thinning.

Each client is given a consultation at our Harley Street clinic, during which we will analyse the cause of your hair loss and advise as to the treatment options available for you.

Hair Loss in Men

About 25 per cent of men begin losing hair before they reach 30 and two thirds before the age of 60.

The most common cause of hair loss in men is genetic:

(1) Androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness) has a characteristic pattern; it begins with a slight recession at the front hairline and is followed by thinning on the crown of the head. The hair above the ears and at the nape of the neck is unaffected. Hair loss is related to three independent factors:

• Genes: Baldness genes can be passed on by either parent. However having the gene does not necessarily mean you will go bald. For example, a man whose father is severely bald may only have minimal hair loss himself.
• Hormones: The hormone directly involved in Alopecia is Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT decreases the length of the growing cycle so that with each new cycle the hair shaft becomes progressively smaller.
• Age: Genes and hormones are not enough by themselves to cause baldness. Hair loss occurs when the susceptible follicles are exposed to DHT over a period of time. However the age at which this process starts differs from person to person.

(2) Alopecia Areata will affect 1% to 2% of the population at some point in their lives. Most sufferers are children and young adults (below 40 years of age) though it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridged or brittle appearance. The exact cause is still unknown although current theories include an auto-immune disease, stress or suggest a genetic basis. If the hair loss progresses until all the scalp hair is lost this is known as Alopecia Totalis or Alopecia Universalis if all the body hair is lost as well.

(3) Hair loss can also result from a scalp problem. Inflammation of the scalp leads to production of superoxide which causes hair shedding and will lead to diffuse hair loss.

These are just a few of the reasons for hair loss. It order to treat hair loss effectively we would recommend that you have a diagnosis made as soon as possible by one of our experienced Trichologist.

Hair Loss in Women

Female hair loss can be particularly traumatic and it is generally even harder for a woman to accept than it is for man. If the hair begins to fall out it can be more than just upsetting, it can be devastating, leading to a total loss of confidence and even depression. It’s no wonder that a high percentage of female hair loss sufferers have reported depression, breakdown of both relationships and careers due to the psychological distress caused by their condition.

Sadly, hair loss in women is on the increase. During the past fifteen years trichologists have reported a large rise in the number of female cases especially those between the ages of 25 to 40.

A large percentage of female hair loss is caused by inherited genetic influence and an over production of the male hormone testosterone. Hormonal changes occur during and following childbirth, through use of the contraceptive pill, anaemia and the menopause. These are the most common causes of hair loss in woman:

• Stress-related
• Genetic hair loss
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Adrenal Tumour
• Hair loss following pregnancy, miscarriage or abortion
• The contraceptive pill
• Anaemia
• The Menopause

Early diagnosis with an experienced Trichologist will give you the best possible opportunity for us to help you.

Call 0800 5999911 to book your consultation today.

Hair Loss in Men

The good news is that most men who use prescription courses will experience hair loss stabilisation and varying degrees of hair re-growth in a reasonably short period of time.

Prescribed medications for male hair loss have two main purposes: a) to block the DHT hormone (the cause of male hair loss) from reaching and destroying vulnerable hair follicles, b) to stimulate and increase the blood circulation that is crucially needed to feed and nurture the existing hair follicles that are prone to the effects of male hair loss. Without good blood circulation the hair follicles will gradually shrink and die.

Two medications – Minoxidil and Propecia – have been FDA approved for the management and prevention of baldness.

The first objective to prevent further hair loss is to block DHT from reaching the hair follicles. Propecia or Finasteride is a medication which blocks the conversion of testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – the hormone that causes male pattern baldness.

In January 1998 the FDA approved 1mg of Finasteride (Propecia) per day for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Finasteride seems to be effective on areas of the scalp that are thinning but where there is still some hair present. The results are usually strongest in the first year then they either remain stable or decrease very slightly in the second year.

Minoxidil was the first hair loss treatment proven to reverse genetic male hair loss and to be licensed by the MHRA and approved by the FDA.

Minoxidil increases the blood supply to the areas that it is applied, which increases the nutrients delivered to the hair follicles and prevents shrinkage of the follicles, resulting in prevention of hair loss and re-growth of the hair in some cases.

Minoxidil can be purchased in concentrations of either 2% or 5%.  The medication appears to have the most benefit from 5 months to 2 years, at which point it gradually decreases in effectiveness. Men using it continue to bald over time – although at a slower rate.

Specialists have found through experience that Minoxidil and Propecia complement each other and used together are the most effective hair loss products to combat male hair loss.

Things to bear in mind if you are thinking about taking Minoxidi or Propecia is that when you stop taking the drug you will lose the hair that was gained or preserved by the medication – you will then return to the stage of baldness you would have been at if you had never taken the drugs in the first place.

Call 0800 5999911 to book your consultation today.

Hair Loss in Women

Women genetically predisposed to hair loss have enzymes that turn the hormone ‘testosterone’ into another hormone derivative, ‘dihydrotestosterone’ (DHT). When DHT is formed, it attaches itself to the hair follicles on the top of the head, causing them to continually shrink with every growth cycle. This causes the hair to gradually become thinner until the follicles finally become dysfunctional and the hair no longer grows.

The first objective to prevent further hair loss is to block DHT from reaching the hair follicles

Propecia is one of only two medically proven products, licensed by the UK medical regulatory body the MHRA, and approved by its US counterpart the FDA.

The second objective is to ensure the hair follicles are receiving as much ‘hair-friendly’ blood as possible. Minoxidil is the only product that is medically and scientifically proven to stabilise female genetic hair loss and stimulate renewed hair growth and is also highly successful in treating other forms of women’s hair loss.

Minoxidil is the only treatment for female hair loss that has been licensed by the MHRA (UK) and approved by the FDA (US) and has had extensive, recognised clinical trials carried out.

Call 0800 5999911 to book your consultation today.

Until recently, hair transplant procedures have been difficult to carry out and have not always been successful. Older techniques have caused scarring and may not produce the natural results that either patient or surgeon would hope for. Dr Raghu Reddy has developed the Third Generation FUE, which is the most advanced minimally invasive method of hair restoration available today.

3G FUE Hair Transpalnt procedures involve removing healthy hair follicles directly from the scalp and grafting them onto the bald areas of the head. The principle of the treatment does not differ from older procedures however the technique involved is very different and can achieve better, more natural looking results. Some of the benefits of 3G FUE over traditional hair transplants include:

• More natural looking results with denser packing
• A simpler, less painful and minimally invasive procedure
• No scalpels, stitches or linear scarring – important if you want to wear your hair short
• Implantation of  hair in a particular direction which can’t be achieved with other techniques such as the Strip technique
• Transplantation of  only strong, healthy follicles
• Our evidenced based master plan with which we can work to prevent future loss of hair
• Previous scars can be corrected
• We are one of the few clinics able to treat Afro Caribbean hair

Dr Reddy has spent years perfecting an advanced method of FUE, the 3G FUE, to ensure better results and minimal downtime. He is the leading authority on this type of treatment in the UK and has successfully helped many men get the results they hoped for. He can also correct the problems caused by previous treatments carried out by less experienced doctors. Dr Reddy’s meticulous attention to detail comes from his personal experience in dealing with hair loss and his desire to achieve the best possible results for each and every patient. Click here for more information on 3G FUE.