Beauty Clinic: Help for hair loss
Q. I have been losing hair for three years and have some bald patches on my scalp. It has dented my self-esteem and I feel very anxious and insecure. Is there a support group please? And do you have any advice for supplements, and also where to get hair extensions or clip-ins?
A. This is such a distressing condition for the one in ten people who suffer at some point in their lives. One of the leading support groups is Alopecia UK (alopecia.org.uk), which is supported by the British Association of Dermatologists.
They tell me that the most lively interchange and support comes through their Facebook page, which you can access directly from the site. You could post on the Facebook page asking for recommendations for hair extensions, clip ins etc. Also, the website hairtrade.com offers a wide range.
Some supplements and/or topical treatments may help, according to pharmacist Shabir Daya. He says ‘a large percentage of hair loss is attributable to female hormonal imbalances. These imbalances lead to the dominance of the male hormone in the bloodstream. Since the body works within very finite levels of all hormones, it converts the male hormone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which causes inflammation of the follicles leading to disturbed signals of hair production.’
Shabir recommends taking Superior Hair, an oral supplement that works to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT and also helps to nourish the hair follicles and to condition hair, £26.50 for 90 capsules.
He also advises using Phylia de M Connect Spray, every night on either the affected area/s or the whole scalp; leave it on overnight. Connect is a rejuvenating topical spray, which helps nourish the scalp follicles, calms underlying inflammation and helps the health of existing hair, £47 for 120 ml.
Some other supplements, which you can find in stores nationwide, may help some people but the problem is that they are expensive and you need to take them for three to six months to see any improvement.
One of my young colleagues who has thin hair but no areas of actual baldness found that Nioxin (Nioxin.com) helped. She says, ‘after a consultation with Nioxin, I was prescribed a daily treatment of 3D Intensive Diaboost, which is a thickening treatment) and strengthening shampoo. After using these products in conjunction with each other for three weeks I went for a dermabrasion procedure at the Headmasters hair salon in Mayfair (as recommended by Nioxin). A dermabrasion is basically a scalp cleansing technique allowing the roots of your hair to be examined. It was discovered that I had new hair growth at the roots, something that I do attribute to Nioxin. I am still using the products!’
Photo by David Cohen on Unsplash
