Treatment Methods for Male Hair Loss Based on the Cause

Provider: Imi-seok Thema Dermatology Clinic

For various reasons in each season, the skin and

scalp become sensitive, and hair loss can

suddenly occur.

According to data from the National Health

Insurance Service in October 2020, the number of

hair loss patients increased by more than 11%

over the past five years.

(The number of people who visited a hospital

for alopecia and received treatment was

1.09 million.) Beyond the increase in the total

number of patients, it accounted for 43.8% of the

entire 20s and 30s generation, and it has now

become a common condition that can affect

anyone, not just middle-aged or older people.

Male hair loss must be treated according to the cause.

Male hair loss occurs for various reasons, so you must

receive treatment appropriate to the cause, symptoms,

and rate of progression. Depending on how quickly the

hair loss is progressing, treatment options include

various methods such as surgical incision and hair

transplantation. Therefore, if you notice symptoms of

hair loss, it is best to visit a dermatology clinic or hair

loss center quickly for consultation and treatment.

Causes of male hair loss

Causes of male hair loss include genetic factors and the

effect of the male hormone androgen, as well as certain

a system-wide diseases that cause nutritional deficiencies,

fungal infections such as scalp ringworm, rapid weight

loss, physical stress, and hormonal disorders.

The main cause of hair loss is largely hereditary hair loss

due to innate genetics, with a high probability when both

father and mother are affected. In the case of people in

their 20s and 30s, hair loss can occur due to stress from

employment and work life.

Types of male hair loss

Androgenetic alopecia: Testosterone, one of the male

hormones and a genetic factor, is converted into

dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which promotes hair loss,

causing the follicles to shrink and the hair to become

thinner as hair loss progresses. Androgenetic alopecia,

which occurs when genetic hormones are altered, can

show symptoms ranging from a receding hairline that

creates an M-shaped forehead to hair loss starting from

the crown.

Alopecia areata: Alopecia areata has the highest incidence

among hair loss disorders. It can occur due to stress and

other factors, and is also called temporary hair loss or

crown hair loss, where hair in one area or multiple areas

of the scalp falls out all at once in a circular pattern.

Telogen effluvium: Hair has a certain growth cycle. The

growth cycle includes the anagen phase, in which hair is

thick and growing; the catagen phase, in which its shape

is maintained; the telogen phase, in which hair weakens

and falls out; and then the growth phase again. However,

telogen effluvium occurs when normal hair is abnormally

shed because it transitions into the telogen phase before

completing its scheduled growth period.

Telogen effluvium occurs due to acquired causes rather

than genetics, such as stress, incorrect dieting, drug

treatment, and thyroid abnormalities.

Seborrheic alopecia: Seborrheic alopecia is caused by

seborrheic dermatitis, which develops from excessive sebum

secretion, fungal infection, stress, and other causes. As

the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis worsen, the follicles

may be destroyed and lead to hair loss. In particular, if the

skin and scalp become dry, the symptoms worsen, so you

must manage them consistently.

Hair loss treatment methods

Hair loss treatment methods can generally be applied in

three ways.

They are selectively applied depending on the patient's

symptoms and condition: hair loss surgery, hair loss

procedures, and hair loss medication. We recommend

visiting a hair loss center or dermatology clinic for an

effective solution.

Hair loss surgery: Hair loss surgery generally refers to hair

transplantation, and the methods include incision and

non-incision techniques.

The incision method has the advantage that the back of the

head is not noticeable, but it requires a long recovery period

due to scars and pain. On the other hand, the non-incision

method individually extracts hair follicles one by one,

which has the advantages of fewer scars and relatively

faster recovery. Also, when the hair loss area is extensive

and a large amount of hair needs to be transplanted, the

incision method is effective. If the hair loss is still at an

early stage or the affected area is not large, the non-incision

method is effective. Since the two surgical methods have

different advantages and disadvantages, it is better to

receive treatment suited to your condition rather than

simply choosing one method as the best.

Hair loss procedures: Simply put, hair loss procedures are

similar to scalp care for hair loss. This method removes

harmful substances accumulated on the scalp and, when

nutrients are applied or injected, the keratinocytes in the

scalp become healthier, which ultimately strengthens the

hair roots and helps prevent and treat hair loss. Treatment

methods include hematopoietic stem cell therapy,

mesotherapy, Hair Cell, meso hair loss treatment, and

perifollicular injections, and they are selectively carried out

according to the patient's condition and symptoms. In the

case of procedures, internationally certified treatments are

applied so that patients can receive safe and healthy care.

Hair loss medication: There are various treatment drugs

with different ingredients available on the market. The most

famous oral medication for hair loss treatment is Propecia,

which contains finasteride, and there are many generic

drugs available. There are also minoxidil and alfatradiol,

which are not hormonal drugs but ingredients that affect

hair.

Also, taking too much can have the opposite effect, and the

medication must be taken according to the patient's

condition to be effective. If medication and procedures are

combined based on an accurate diagnosis by a specialist,

good treatment outcomes can be expected.

Hair loss procedure programs

Hematopoietic stem cell therapy: This involves concentrating

cells collected from the patient's own blood and injecting

them into the hair loss area. Hematopoietic stem cell therapy

refers to plasma containing a high concentration of platelets

and is also called PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma).

When stem cells are injected into the scalp, various growth

factors are secreted, attracting stem cells, collagen

components are synthesized, the hair roots are strengthened,

and hair regeneration is promoted.

Hair Cell: This method stimulates the hair follicles through

low-frequency magnetic fields, promoting calcium influx

related to the hair follicle sheath and dermal papilla cells,

thereby increasing the division of follicular cells. Using the

Heircell S2 device for about 12 minutes a week helps prevent

ongoing hair loss and improves hair thinning, an early sign

of hair loss.

Meso hair loss treatment: Mesotherapy is an injection therapy

that mixes proven medications, minerals, vitamins, and

other ingredients and injects them into the middle layer of

the skin. Since the drugs act directly on the hair follicles, it

can maximize effectiveness with minimal pain and minimize

the systemic side effects of the medication.

Perifollicular injection: This is a procedure in which platelet-

rich plasma containing growth factors that improve hair

loss or the scalp is centrifuged from the patient's own blood,

collected, and administered together with stem cells to the

area of concern for hair loss. It stimulates the hair follicles

and surrounding tissues, allowing healthy and strong hair to

grow.

Reactiva: This is a non-surgical method that uses a small

punch to collect hair roots and follicles from the back of the

head, grind them with a special grinder to extract stem cells,

and inject them into the area of concern for hair loss. Even

one treatment can make the hair look fuller.

Scalp micropigmentation: It fills thinning areas caused by

hair loss with dots, lines, and shading to create a natural

expression of depth and a denser-looking scalp, helping you

gain confidence.

Precautions before and after hair loss procedures

1. For 2 to 3 days after the procedure, you should sleep in

an upright position.

2. For about 2 weeks after the procedure, avoid bathhouses,

saunas, and half-body baths, and refrain from smoking and

drinking alcohol.

3. Swelling may occur after the procedure, but it will go away

within a few days.

4. Stimulating actions such as scalp massage should be

avoided.

5. It is best to get enough rest for collagen regeneration.

Male hair loss occurs for various reasons, so you must

receive treatment appropriate to the cause, symptoms, and

rate of progression. Depending on how quickly the hair loss

is progressing, you can receive treatment through various

methods such as hair transplantation, Hair Cell, and

regenerative laser treatment.

Even when patients with severe hair loss visit our clinic, we

do not immediately proceed with hair transplantation. This

is because maintaining a healthy scalp is necessary to

ensure a high graft survival rate and prevent recurrence,

even if hair transplantation is performed. In addition,

hair loss may improve through scalp recovery.

Imi-seok Thema Dermatology Clinic has been providing

premium beauty care for a long time through systematic

skin problem management and treatment, and based on our

extensive clinical experience, we propose customized

treatment for patients. We are also continuously adding or

replacing premium laser equipment to minimize side effects

and improve effectiveness.

If you have any further questions about our treatment

methods or alopecia, please feel free to contact us at any

time. Imi-seok Thema Dermatology Clinic will always be

with our patients.