The world of hair restoration has grown to be vast and full of options, from everyday products to a variety of treatments, medications, and surgical procedures. If you are someone dealing with hair loss and considering restorative options, you might be questioning where to begin. At Utah Facial Plastics and UFP Hair Restoration we offer the most cutting-edge options available as well as the professional advice you need to get started on your journey.
Getting Started with Hair Restoration
While surgical options (hair transplants) may stand out among the most effective options in achieving a fuller head of hair, not everyone is necessarily a candidate or personally ready for a transplant. Commonly, the first steps in hair restoration may be the use of supplements like Nutrafol or shampoos like Formula 82S by Hair Science, both of which are products designed to promote hair growth and prevent additional hair loss. We asked Dr. James Manning, UFP Hair Restoration specialist what his thoughts are on Nutrafol and what makes it unique.
“Nutrafol is a combination of nutraceutical ingredients that not only support hair health, but overall body health correlated to hair thinning and loss. It gets to root causes versus treating as a band aid solution. It is a great option for those in early stages and should be used to maintain.”
Formula 82S works as an everyday 3-in-1 (shampoo + conditioner + anti-hair loss) product, designed to strengthen hair fibers, restore texture and aid in the prevention of hair loss. It contains the active ingredient Saw Palmetto, a naturally derived plant extract that is shown in studies to reduce DHT production (the leading cause of hair loss). Formula 82S is effective in strengthening existing hair while promoting new hair growth as a result of its powerful blend of vitamins, amino acids and natural extracts.
Nutrafol supplements are quickly becoming known as an effective option among men and women struggling with hair loss. These products are dermatologist-recommended and clinically proven to support hair growth by targeting 6 root causes of hair loss including hormones, stress, lifestyle, metabolism, nutrition, and aging. Nutrafol offers a variety of products from daily oral supplements to topical serums and boosters, all designed to support hair and scalp health.
Medications & Treatments for Hair Thinning
While some patients may be happy with the benefits of formulated shampoos or supplements, others may be curious and need a little more with the use of prescription medications, or treatments performed by licensed professionals. There are several medications that may be prescribed by doctors to treat hair loss such as Finasteride, Minoxidil, or a topical combination of both called 82F (though Minoxidil is typically the only medication prescribed to women, in compliance with FDA guidelines). Though these medications work slightly differently, they are all effective in stimulating new hair growth and preventing hair loss.
As for aesthetic treatments, Keravive by Hydrafacial is relatively new to the market and is essentially a HydraFacial treatment designed for the scalp. Keravive scalp treatment is performed by UFP Aesthetics estheticians and treats poor scalp health that can lead directly to thinning hair. This hydrating scalp treatment nourishes hair follicles, addresses dryness, clogged follicles, and lack of circulation resulting in healthier and fuller-looking hair.
Other treatments for hair loss include injection hair therapy with ACell, which is performed by certified Nurses at Utah Facial Plastics. In terms of injection hair therapy for hair loss, patients have their blood drawn which is then processed into platelet-rich plasma before being injected into areas of the scalp where hair is thinning. ACell on the other hand is a stem cell therapy that activates stem cells within hair follicles. Both treatments are commonly used in combination with Microneedling in order to stimulate new hair growth and ACell is considered the more advanced option where less treatments are needed to achieve maximum results.
When It’s Time for Hair Transplant Surgery
When hair loss has reached permanent loss and supplements or non-surgical treatments are not effective, hair transplant surgery is going to be the best solution to restore hair. The first step would be to schedule a consultation with one of our three hair restoration and facial plastic surgeons. During the initial consultation, goals and concerns are discussed and a plan is mapped out for patients who are deemed candidates for a hair transplant. There are two primary methods used when speaking about hair transplant surgery: FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) or FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation). While both techniques are designed to surgically relocate existing hair follicles to achieve a fuller looking head of hair, there are key differences between the methods.
With FUE hair transplants, a medical device is used to precisely extract hair follicles from an area of the scalp where there is adequate hair growth (usually the back or side portion of the scalp) before they are relocated to areas of the scalp where thinning is present. With FUT hair transplants or the “Strip Method”, an incision is made along the backside of the scalp and a portion of tissue is surgically removed, which hair follicles are then harvested from. Like the alternative method, those follicles are then relocated to areas where the patients are experiencing hair loss.
Both FUE and FUT are done under local anesthetic and have light social downtime of usually around two weeks before patients can fully resume regular activities. That being said, it can take up to a year to see the full results of a hair transplant and there is usually a period of time after the procedure where hair follicles remain dormant before starting a new phase of growth. Patients usually begin to see results at 3 months post-procedure which then continue to improve for up to a year or more. These results are permanent, and the newly transplanted hair is no longer affected by hair loss!
Trust UFP Hair Restoration
Whether you are brand new to the world of hair restoration or considering taking the next steps in your journey, know that there are many options to be discussed by providers you can trust. Hair restoration is a subject that remains on the rise and widely sought out among men, women, celebrities, and everyday people. When considering hair restoration in any form, the most beneficial thing you can do is seek out a quality provider and when you start noticing these concerns. At Utah Facial Plastics and UFP Hair Restoration, our team of certified medical professionals can be trusted to guide the way along your journey. To learn more about what hair restoration can do for you, visit our website at www.utahhairmd.com or call 801-776-2220.
Related Resources
- The Cost of Hair Transplant Surgery at Utah Facial Plastics
- Can You Wear a Hat After a Hair Transplant?
- How Common is Hair Transplant Surgery Becoming?
- Non-Surgical Hair Restoration for Women
- What Are the Early Signs of Alopecia?
- I’m A Female And I’m Losing My Hair
- Hair Transplants for African American Women
- How to Hide Thinning Hair in the Front as a Woman