Is Hair Loss Inevitable?

Why do you lose your hair?

This is 95% of genetic causes. Baldness skips a generation. To find out if you are going to lose your hair, scan the skull of your grandfathers. The men are baldens first at the forehead (the famous "gulfs"), then on the top of the skull. Speeds may vary, but both areas eventually join. Stress and pollution play a minor role.

It is then a question of slowing down the capillary cycles?

The cap of the thirties

A man who has not lost his hair at his thirtieth birthday will not have an important baldness. It may, however, be sparse.

There are 25 hair cycles in humans. During each of them, the hair grows, lives, then dies. They can last up to three years. It is an enzyme ("5 alpha reductase") that determines their length. It has long been discovered that certain synthetic molecules (finasterid and minoxidil) can influence this enzyme and regulate its activity. Only problem, alpha reductase also has a role in the libido: these molecules, present in high doses in some drugs, also reduce sexual desire ... Which, let's face it, is a major disadvantage

Should we favor natural food supplements?

Yes. They are a less effective alternative, but without side effects. These tablets are very rich in vitamin B (ex: pumpkin oil). They allow to lengthen the cycles and to "win" up to 20 years. The efficiency of these products is not always at the rendezvous, but 60 million consumers judge the Alpharegul brand results satisfactory. However nothing allows to push the hair at the moment.

How do transplants work?

Beard on his head?

The nape of the neck is not influenced by the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme. They do not fall. Some researchers even think that this "crown" is of the same family as the beard hair.

There are two types of transplants. The first, (Follicular Unit Transplantation) consists of taking a 1cm by 20cm band of scalp at the nape of the neck (where the hair never falls) and then cutting it into "follicular units", which each contain between 1 and 4 hair. These grafts are then replanted on the bare parts. For a session, we get about 2000 grafts, so more than 5000 more hair. The removed part is sewn up, leaving a scar at the end of the operation. One session costs between 3000 and 6000 euros, but enough for some men

The other type of transplant (Follicular Unit Extraction) is much more recent. We take the hair one by one with a mini knife, then replant. There is no scar. Only two surgeons practice this operation in France, less than a dozen in Europe. It's Haute Couture: the prices are extremely high. Florent Pagny has just offered one and does not hesitate to talk about it!

As for synthetic hair transplants, (attempted by Fabien Barthez many years ago) they were banned because they became infected systematically.

What about shampoos?

Most shampoos affect the hair bulb and the scalp, not the enzyme. They help cleanse the leather and reduce some side effects of the fall (scratches, greasy hair). They do not block this fall, but can stabilize or even slow down. Most have active ingredients that restore and nourish the bulb. At Petrol Hahn, it is recommended to use these products in cure, over a period of 2 months. The effectiveness of these shampoos sold in supermarkets and drugstore is however questioned. In the event of a significant fall, it is better to contact your doctor, who will direct you towards the adapted products.

And in the future?

Some specialists will be equipped in the very short term of exam tables called "hair analyzer". This instrument makes it possible to carry out a battery of 10 different tests around the length of the cycles, of the capillary cartography in order to carry out a treatment upstream.

An American research institute is also working on hair cloning. The researchers took hair from the neck and cultivated it in vitro. They multiplied these cells. They could then be regrown or crushed before being injected directly into the scalp. The first tests on humans are rather encouraging, we can consider access to the general public in 3 to 10 years.