Suffering from hair loss? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Hair loss affects 50% of men by their 50s, some as early as their 20s. Chana Chemist in Southall offers private prescription service for hair loss treatment. You can get in touch on 0208 571 2399 to discuss your options. The Pharmacy offers Finasteride or Propecia as prescription-only treatments to prevent and, in some cases, reverse hair loss.
Hair loss Blog Post
In this blog post, we look at the causes of hair loss, symptoms and hair loss treatments.
Hair Loss Causes
Video by Hair Club
Hair loss affects three in every ten men aged between 30 and 40, at least five in every ten men over 50, and seven in every ten men over 60. There are different types of hair loss, but the most common ones are male pattern baldness and balding. Roughly 10 million men in the United Kingdom live with male pattern hair loss.
Male pattern hair loss is normally genetic. This genetic condition appears in men who are hypersensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a hormone found close to the scalp.
Their hair follicles shrink and stop producing hair. Whilst it is not currently possible to reverse a man’s genetic hypersensitivity to DHT, Propecia blocks the production of the enzyme that makes testosterone into DHT. This, in turn, reduces the level of DHT in the body and hence, hair growth becomes normal.
Other types of hair loss may be temporary. They can be caused by:
- an illness
- hair loss from stress
- hair loss from alopecia
- hair loss from chemo
- weight loss
- iron deficiency
See a GP if:
- you have sudden hair loss
- you develop bald patches
- you're losing hair in clumps
- your head also itches and burns
- you're worried about your hair loss
Hair loss symptoms
Signs and symptoms of hair loss may include:
- Gradual thinning on top of head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting both men and women as they age. ...
- Circular or patchy bald spots. ...
- Sudden loosening of hair. ...
- Full-body hair loss. ...
- Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp.
You can read further about hair loss symptoms on mayoclinic.org website link
Hair loss Treatment
There are a number of treatment options available
Hair loss tablets
The most well known treatment for male pattern baldness in the UK is Propecia (finasteride). Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. It lowers the hormone levels in the scalp which brings about a shorter hair growth phase. This treatment is only available in one strength of 1mg. You can get this treatment in Southall and Ealing through Chana Chemist's private prescription service.
Minoxidil (Regaine)
Another well established treatment option is minoxidil (Regaine). It is a pharmacy only (P) drug used in both male and females. The response to Regaine is hard to predict as results vary between individuals. It is available in multiple forms and strengths. Again you can get this from Chana Chemist's private prescription service.
Other hair loss treatments
Steroid injection:
Injections given into bald patches
Hair transplant
hair cells are moved to thinning patches
Light treatment
shining ultraviolet light on bald patches
Steroid creams
cream applied to bald patches
Immunotherapy
chemical applied to bald patches
For more information, please look at NHS website link.
If hair loss is caused by an underlying condition such as a nutritional imbalance or stress, it may resolve once you get treated for the underlying condition.