Androgenetic Alopecia, also known as male pattern hair loss, is the most common form of hair loss accounting for 95% of hair loss in men. Female pattern hair loss is the preferred term for Androgenetic Alopecia in females, and affects as many as 12% of females aged from 20 to 29 years, and over 50% for women over the age of 80.

As the name suggests, Androgenetic Alopecia involves the action of androgens (male sex hormones), specifically the hormone DHT. Individuals with pattern hair loss have an increased sensitivity to DHT. DHT binds onto susceptible hair follicles, causing them to shrink. Over time this impacts the hair growth cycle where hair starts to thin, shorten and eventually stop growing.

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It is normal to shed between 50 to 100 hairs per day. This is because of the hair’s growth cycle, which consists of 3 phases: anagen, catagen and telogen. The anagen phase is the growth phase of the hair in which the hair is actively growing. This phase usually lasts 2 to 7 years, and normally 85-90% of scalp hairs are in this phase at any given time. The catagen phase is known as the transition phase in which hair shaft production is completed. The telogen phase, otherwise known as the rest phase, is the last phase of the growth cycle. In this phase, a club hair is fully formed resulting in a hard, white and dry material at the root and the hair is eventually shed from the scalp.

Those with Androgenetic Alopecia, hair shedding is in excess of 100 hairs per day, as follicular miniaturisation causes the hair’s growth cycle to become progressively shorter. This results in significantly less hairs in the anagen phase at any given time, which is why hair shedding is more frequent in those with Androgenetic Alopecia.

There are a few clinically-proven solutions that can halt further hair thinning and even some regrowth. There is no “one size fits all” for the average individual, as some treatments may work better for some, and other treatments better for others. With our program, we find that it is best to approach the problem from several angles to achieve the best and fastest results. On the other hand, some individuals may not be suitable for certain treatments, and therefore we are also able to tailor our hair loss treatment to suit any individual needs.

From experience, our clients with Androgenetic Alopecia achieve visible results usually within the first 3-4 months. The process of follicular miniaturisation occurs over the course of many years, thus rejuvenation of the follicles is not a quick process. Furthermore, existing catagen and telogen hairs (hair in the rest phase) will need to shed first before new healthier anagen hairs (hair in growth phase) grow.

How quickly you attain results will depend on a few factors such as age, severity, genetic predisposition to hair loss, treatment dosage, scalp condition and other external factors. Generally, the earlier treatment is begun, the faster and more effective the results are*. New hair growth is seen in almost all cases of pattern hair loss, but the extent of satisfaction will also depend on the individual. There are some individuals who respond well – and then there are those who don’t respond as well and may need additional treatment. We recommend that you come in for a consultation at one of our clinics to assess your scalp and hair condition, and discuss your chances of hair regrowth.

For other forms of non-scarring alopecia, the results may vary depending on the circumstance and how soon the causative factor is dealt with. However, hair regrowth will not occur in places where there are no viable follicles, i.e. in people with forms of scarring alopecia (e.g. burns to the scalp, surgical scars).

As male/female pattern hair loss is a genetic condition, you will need to maintain the program for as long as you want to grow and maintain your hair. Unfortunately once treatment is stopped, the hairs you would have grown back plus the ones that you would have lost normally with the passage of time will gradually fall off, as they were genetically programmed to be lost.

In many cases, clients are satisfied with the amount of hair regrowth and will just wish to maintain their newly grown hairs. There are also those whose priorities change later in life and will not be able to stay on the full program. For these reasons, we can design custom maintenance programs specially tailored to the individual.

For non-genetic causes of hair loss, normal hair growth will usually resume once the causative factor is dealt with.