What is Hair Miniaturization?
Hair loss most commonly starts with the hair shafts themselves becoming thin. This process of thinning hair shafts is called miniaturization.
Miniaturization occurs with both male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness. It is not immediately noticeable for most people until almost 50% of the hair has become thin. The loss of hair becomes noticeable once the hairs have become so thin that areas of balding are visible.
During your consultation, it is important to consider the level of miniaturization throughout the scalp and to be sure to include a treatment plan to stop and reverse this process. Patients who are currently in the active stage of losing hair will have tell-tale signs of miniaturization in the affected areas.
Patients who show a high level of miniaturization are more likely to experience some level of “shock loss” after a hair transplant surgery. This is not as commonly seen in patients who do not have as much miniaturization or who are nearing the final stages of advanced hair loss. Shock loss is most times only a temporary hair loss. The hairs that fall out because of this type of hair loss will grow back within a few months.
If you are experiencing hair loss at any level and are considering a hair transplant, it is also just as important to take into consideration the level of miniaturization that you are experiencing and to include a treatment plan to help slow down, stop, and reverse the miniaturization. The most important things to determine during your consultation are the cause of your hair loss, your family history of hair loss, how advanced your hair loss is (the stage of your hair loss), your age, and the level of miniaturization that is currently taking place. Once all of these details have been confirmed, Dr. Torgerson will make recommendations on how to properly treat your specific hair loss.
Hair restoration plans will almost always include the following treatments to help restore the hair affected by miniaturization:
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) Treatments
This treatment uses your own blood and has been showing some great evidence and results for enhancing all 4 stages of hair growth. A vial of a patient’s blood is drawn and then spun in a centrifuge to isolate the red and white blood cells and leave just the platelet-enhanced blood behind. Platelets are the part of the blood responsible for wound healing and cell regeneration, and they are loaded with growth factors. Once this PRP is injected back into the scalp, it stimulates the follicles and enhances the hair growth. This has been shown to reverse the effects of miniaturization, among other things.
