Hair loss

What is hair?

There are approximately 5 million hair follicles. 100.000-150.000 of these are on hairy skin area of the head. In a month, it normally grows 6-12 mm.

The thickness, color, density and character of hair change according to ethnicity, age, sex and geographic location. Blond people are the group that has the most hair follicles in the hairy skin. Brunettes and dark-skinned people follow them. Red-haired people are the group that has the least hair follicles.

Although hair is losing its significance for people as a protection, heat dissipation or camouflage tool, a healthy and normal hair appearance is still important at social and personal relationships.

Reasons of Hair Loss

While malnutrition, burns, trauma etc. can cause hair loss for men and women, the mostly seen reason is hormonal hair loss which is called androgenic. At this kind of loss, except hereditary liability, receiving androgenic hormones (manhood hormones) for a long time causes the same kind of hair loss.

Androgenic Hormones

Both men and women bodies have the manhood hormones. Some of these are testosterone, androstenedione and dehidroepi testosterone (DHT). These hormones are excreted from testicles and suprarenal glands in men and in women; they are excreted from ovaries and again, suprarenal glands but lesser amounts. As a result of receiving DHT for a long time, there happens some thinning and weakening in the hair first and then hair loss occurs.

How DHT affects on these follicles?

The hair follicles that have genetic predisposition are rich in 5 alpha reductase enzyme. This enzyme is responsible from the transformation of DHT from testosterone. DHT goes and binds its receptor and effects cell metabolism and causes ceasing of the natural cycle of the hair.

In the early phases of the hair loss, hair gets tiny (miniaturization) and loses its pigments so becomes lighter. The medicines that are recommended [Rogain (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride)] inhibit 5 alpha reductase enzyme so DHT do not increase in the hair roots.

Nape hairs and the hairs over the ears (donor areas) do not have 5 alpha reductase activity so they are not lost. In hair transplantation, the hairs that are taken from donor areas as they are insensitive to DHT, are not lost although there is testosterone.

The time of beginning or cessation of hair loss and the degree of the loss cannot be estimated. The most important thing here is the genetic predisposition. It is programmed in the embryonic life with the genes that we gain from our ancestors.

Age

There is no direct relation between age and hair loss. People that have genetic predisposition, which means there are people that have progressive hair loss in their family, can have hair loss at the age of 20. The most intensive age interval for hair loss is in between 25 and 35 years.

After the age of 45, it gets slower but we could see hair losses that start at the age of 40s and continue aswell.

>> Prices for hair transplantation

Men scale

Scale 1: No operation necessary.
Scale 2: No operation necessary, 500 to 800 grafts may be transplanted if symmetry is problematic.
Scale 2a: 500 to 800 grafts to restore the center or correct proportions.
Scale 3: 800 to 1,000 grafts for the front and temples.
Scale 3a: 1,300 to 1,600 grafts for the front.
Scale 4: 1,100 to 1,400 for the front and 800 to 1,100 for the crown. (1,900 to 2,500 grafts in total)
Scale 4a: 1,700 to 2,500+ for the front.
Scale 5: 1,500 to 1,700 for the front and 1,000 to 1,500 for the crown. (2,500 to 3,200 grafts in total.)
Scale 5a: 2500 to 3200+ grafts.
Scale 6: 1,700 to 2,500 for the front and 1,500 to 1,700 for the crown. (3200 to 4200+ grafts in total)
Scale 7: 2,500 to 3,000+ grafts to rebuild the front.

Women scale

I. 1,500+ grafts.
II. 3,000+ grafts
III. 4,000+ grafts.