Hair Restoration & Hair Loss Treatment

Types of Hair Loss We Treat

Hair loss — medically called alopecia — has many different causes. The right treatment depends entirely on getting the diagnosis right. Our dermatologists are trained to identify which type you have and build a plan around it.

Androgenetic Alopecia (Pattern Hair Loss)

This is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women. It's driven by a genetic sensitivity to a hormone called DHT. In men, it typically causes a receding hairline and crown thinning. In women, it usually appears as diffuse thinning along the top of the scalp, with the frontal hairline staying intact. Multiple effective treatments are available, and starting early gets the best results.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition. The immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing patchy or sudden hair loss. It can affect the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair. Severity varies — from a single small patch to complete loss of all scalp and body hair. Newer FDA-approved medications called JAK inhibitors have transformed outcomes for moderate-to-severe cases.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is a temporary form of diffuse shedding. It's often triggered by stress, illness, surgery, childbirth, crash dieting, or nutritional deficiencies. Hair typically sheds 2–4 months after the trigger. In most cases, shedding stops once the underlying cause is addressed. Full recovery can take 6–12 months.

Scarring Alopecias

Scarring alopecias are a group of less common conditions. They include lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosing alopecia, discoid lupus, and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. In each, inflammation destroys hair follicles and replaces them with scar tissue. That damage is permanent — which is why early diagnosis and prompt treatment to stop progression are so important.

Traction Alopecia

Traction alopecia is caused by chronic tension on follicles from tight hairstyles — braids, weaves, ponytails, or extensions. Caught early, it's reversible with style changes. Long-standing traction can cause permanent damage. Our providers offer guidance on protective styling alongside any medical treatment needed.

Diagnostic Approach

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective hair loss treatment. During your evaluation, our providers will:

• Take a thorough history including onset, pattern, family history, medications, diet, hormonal changes, and recent stressors
• Perform a detailed scalp and hair shaft examination
• Use dermoscopy — a handheld magnification tool — to assess follicle health, miniaturization, and scalp inflammation at high resolution
• Order targeted blood work as appropriate: thyroid function (TSH, T4), ferritin (iron stores), complete blood count, hormones (DHEA-S, testosterone, prolactin), vitamin D, and zinc
• Perform a scalp biopsy when the diagnosis is unclear or a scarring alopecia is suspected

Treatment Options

Androgenetic Alopecia

• Topical minoxidil (2% or 5%) — applied to the scalp daily to stimulate follicles and extend the growth phase
• Oral low-dose minoxidil — increasingly used for broader coverage or when topical application is impractical
• Finasteride (for men) — an oral DHT-blocking medication that slows loss and stimulates regrowth in many patients
• Spironolactone (for women) — an anti-androgen medication that reduces the hormonal driver of female pattern hair loss
• PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy — injections of concentrated growth factors to stimulate follicular activity
• Hair transplant referral — for patients who are appropriate surgical candidates seeking permanent restoration

Alopecia Areata

• Intralesional corticosteroid injections — the most common first-line treatment for patchy alopecia areata, injected directly into bald patches to suppress local inflammation
• Topical corticosteroids and immunosuppressants (tacrolimus, anthralin) for mild or pediatric cases
• Oral corticosteroids — short courses for rapidly progressing disease
• Baricitinib (Olumiant) — FDA-approved JAK1/2 inhibitor for adults with severe alopecia areata
• Ritlecitinib (Litfulo) — FDA-approved JAK3/TEC inhibitor for patients 12 and older with severe alopecia areata
• Minoxidil as adjunctive therapy to promote regrowth in recovering areas

Telogen Effluvium

• Identify and treat the underlying trigger: correct nutritional deficiencies (iron, vitamin D, zinc, protein), optimize thyroid function, address postpartum or stress-related causes
• Minoxidil to support faster regrowth during the recovery phase
• Patient education on realistic timelines and reassurance — most cases resolve within 6-12 months

PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) Therapy

PRP is an in-office treatment that uses your body's own growth factors to stimulate hair follicle activity. Here's how it works:

• A small blood sample is drawn from your arm — similar to a routine lab draw
• The blood is placed in a centrifuge, which spins at high speed to separate and concentrate the platelet-rich plasma
• The concentrated PRP — rich in growth factors like PDGF, VEGF, and IGF-1 — is injected across the treatment area of the scalp
• Multiple sessions (typically 3 initial treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart) are recommended, followed by maintenance injections every 4-6 months
• Most patients tolerate the procedure well; a topical numbing cream can be applied beforehand for comfort

Why Early Treatment Matters

Hair follicles are living structures. Over time, inflammation, DHT, or chronic tension can damage them permanently. In scarring alopecias, scar tissue replaces healthy follicles — that loss is irreversible. In androgenetic alopecia, follicles gradually shrink until they can no longer grow a visible hair.

Starting treatment early — while follicles are still active — consistently produces better outcomes. Even if you're thinning but haven't lost everything, acting now can preserve more. If you've noticed changes in density, texture, or shedding, don't wait. The sooner you're evaluated, the better your chances of keeping what you have.