A growing number of teenagers are interested in surgical hair restoration, and it’s easy to see why. The procedure is relatively painless, produces results that look almost entirely natural, and has begun to experience positive PR from athletes and celebrities on social media. On the downside, however, hair transplants can be very expensive. Moreover, getting a hair transplant during your teenage years can make it more difficult to receive a second or third procedure to mask the signs of hair loss later in life. This article weighs the pros and cons of choosing to have a hair transplant to reverse the signs of hair loss during teenage years. Teens are invited to use this article to learn more about today’s leading hair loss treatment options, including hair transplants, hair loss medications, and new low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

In general, teenagers are not good candidates for hair transplant procedures.To understand why, it’s helpful to know how surgeons determine who makes a good candidate for hair transplant surgery. Typically, they look at 3 important factors:

1. Diagnosis. Is the cause of the hair loss known?
2. Progression. Is it obvious how the hair loss will progress?
3. Long-term outlook. Will the patient need follow-up procedures?

Diagnosis can be tricky, because teenage years are marked by aggressive shifts in important sex hormones, like estrogen and testosterone. Medications can play a role in hair loss as well, making it even more difficult to identify the root cause of the problem. Most challenging, however, is understanding how a teen’s hair loss will progress. Uncertainty in this area makes it very difficult for even world-class surgeons to perform a hair transplant that will look natural through adulthood.

Find a Transplant Surgeon.If you are a teenager and would like to speak with a licensed medical professional about hair transplant options, visit the Capillus physicians network to find a local physician who specializes in surgical hair restoration.

Fortunately, hair restoration specialists offer (and prescribe) many options to reverse the signs of thinning, shedding, and balding. Most popular are minoxidil, finasteride, and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for hair.

Minoxidil is a hair loss medication that is most commonly known by the brand name Rogaine^®. This simple, topical solution has been shown to slow (and sometimes stop) hair loss in approximately 80% of patients who use it. Minoxidil takes about 8 weeks of applying foam to the scalp twice daily before results become noticeable.

Finasteride is a prescription hair loss medication that most people know as Propecia^®. This medication has been shown to stop existing hair from falling out, however it does not necessarily regrow lost hair. Unlike Rogaine^®, this medication is just for men. Women who suffer with thinning, excessive shedding, or balding must choose another treatment option, like Rogaine^® or low-level laser therapy.

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a new hair loss treatment option that is ideal for sufferers of androgenetic alopecia (hair loss attributed to genetic cause). LLLT products harness the power of safe, medical-grade laser technology to nourish hair follicles via phototherapy. Over 53 studies have linked the use of LLLT with increased terminal hair growth in adults since cold laser technology was first used by medical practices in the early 1960s. So, how does laser technology like the CapillusPro™ (formerly the Capillus272 Pro) help reverse the signs of hair loss? To learn more, visit this article on reversing hair loss with cold laser technology.

Although the above treatments are cleared for adult use; the common language in the clearance documents is “by prescription.”So – consult your hair restoration professional for diagnosis and advice. With new guidances by the FDA allowing extrapolation of adult use data to pediatric (<18 years) application, your doctor can best advise you as to your available options. Teenage years are for new friends and boundless adventures—not for battling hair loss. Take control today by contacting Capillus^® at 1-888-272-9599, or visit the following page to take a complimentary hair loss evaluation online.