Finding the Right Hair Loss Treatment for Your Needs

 

Waking up to find ever more strands of hair on your pillow isn’t fun. A thinning crown, a rising hairline… these are problems that affect many Singaporeans, especially men.

Global health data indicates that male pattern baldness in particular affects around 50% of men by age 50. Fortunately, there are also more options for hair loss treatment in Singapore than ever before. 

In this guide, we break down the most popular treatments currently available in the country. This should help you find the one that suits your needs best.

Understanding the Root Cause of Hair Loss

Before choosing a treatment, you should understand the cause of your hair loss. For both men and women, the most common cause of it is “androgenetic alopecia” or hereditary hair loss.

In this condition, the hair follicles shrink over time, often due to hormonal changes. The shrinkage of the follicles leads to shorter and finer hair that can break more easily.

Topical Hair Loss Treatments

The first line of defence for hair loss is usually a topical treatment. Perhaps the most commonly used ones in the country today are vasodilators, often accessible at local pharmacies like Guardian or Watsons.

Vasodilators act by widening the blood vessels in the scalp. This allows more blood and therefore more nutrients to be delivered to the hair follicles, promoting their health and hair growth.

This option is most appealing for those in the early stages of thinning who want a non-prescription start. Topical solutions like these are usually applied twice a day and consistently, as stopping their application often leads to a quick loss of any “new” hair.

Oral Medications for the Hormones

For men, some prescription medications address the internal cause of hair loss by blocking the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone or DHT. DHT is the hormone responsible for shrinking follicles.

This treatment is widely considered effective when the goal is to regrow hair on the crown and mid-scalp areas. However, the fact that it alters hormones means that you need to consult a GP to discuss potential side effects before you start on it.

Platelet-Rich Plasma or PRP

PRP has been gaining attention in Singapore aesthetic clinics of late as a “natural” booster for the follicles. It involves a doctor drawing a small amount of your own blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets.

These concentrated growth factors are then injected into your scalp. The idea is to “activate” dormant follicles and thicken existing hair. This is often considered an option for those who want more than what topical creams can provide but do not want surgery.

Laser or Light Therapy 

Low-level laser therapy or LLLT uses “cold” lasers or light-emitting diodes to stimulate the scalp. This is a painless procedure and can even be done at home using specialised laser caps.

It is less intensive than injections and may be used as a supplementary treatment to support follicle health. Many of the people considering it do so because they have sensitive skin and react poorly to liquid-chemical alternatives.

Hair Transplants

For those with significant balding and already-dead follicles, hair transplants are often the permanent solution of choice. A hair transplant typically involves the extraction of follicular units (follicles with individual hairs) from the back of the head to the thinning areas.

Depending on the execution of the procedure, this may lead to very natural-looking results. It does involve higher upfront costs, but given that it often results in permanent and clear improvements, many people find the cost tolerable.