Asian Hair Loss in Chicago, IL

WHAT IS ASIAN HAIR LOSS?

While many people know that men are more likely to experience hair loss than women, some may not know that one’s ethnicity can also play a crucial role in the quality and quantity of your hair as you age. Specialists tend to classify hair into three categories: African hair, Asian hair, and Caucasian hair. However, even among these distinctions, there are further differences in how people of similar ethnic backgrounds experience hair loss. For example, people of Indian heritage have been shown to experience hair thinning or balding more frequently than those descended from other Asian cultures.

At Aesthetic Scalp in Chicago, our board-certified doctors take a personalized approach to discover the underlying cause of your hair loss. We also take your ethnic background into consideration when crafting a unique treatment plan to help restore the fullness of your hair. If you’re of Asian descent and have noticed signs of hair loss, schedule a private consultation with Dr. Anil Shah or Dr. Sameea Chughtai at your earliest convenience.

Before and After

SIGNS OF ASIAN HAIR LOSS

Among the African, Asian, and Caucasian hair types, Asian hair is known to be the thickest and most resilient of the three. Still, this doesn’t mean that those of Asian heritage do not experience hair loss; in fact, Asian women are more likely to experience thinning of the hair than Caucasian women. There are many issues that can lead to thinning or bald patches, including androgenic alopecia (hereditary-pattern hair loss), traction alopecia, alopecia areata, certain medications, illness, dietary changes, hormonal imbalance, stress, and more. Depending on your gender and the cause of your hair loss, some signs you could notice include:

• Thinning near the hairline
• Balding at the crown, or the back of the head
• A receding hairline
• Patches of thinning hair throughout the scalp
• Individual bald patches
• Thinning near the temples

Recent studies have shown that smoking and tobacco use can also contribute to hair loss, especially among Asian men.

DIAGNOSIS OF ASIAN HAIR LOSS

Diagnosing hair loss in patients of Asian descent will require a private consultation with one of our doctors. At this appointment, we will evaluate your areas of concern and ask you questions about your lifestyle, medical history, and family histories. There are a number of underlying issues that could be causing your hair loss, such as hereditary factors, traction alopecia, illness, stress, diet, or certain medications. Once we have assessed the condition of your scalp, we’ll work to figure out what has lead to your hair loss and develop a personalized treatment plan.

METHODS FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Even though genetic hair loss affects a large portion of the population and can cause adults of a variety of ages to lose their confidence and feel frustrated, there are a number of treatment options available to improve your situation. Patients whose conditions are diagnosed early may receive preventive care in the form of oral or topical medication, such as minoxidil or finasteride. While finasteride is taken orally and is often exclusively for men, minoxidil is a topical solution that is applied to the scalp and can work for both women and men.

Patients whose conditions are too far progressed for preventive measures may instead benefit from a range of other treatments we offer, including:

• Surgical hair restoration, or FUE (follicular unit extraction)
• Forehead reduction
• PRP therapy
• Low-level light therapy
• Exosomes therapy

At our Chicago, IL office, we typically offer FUE alongside a regenerative treatment (such as PRP therapy) and use the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant system. To craft your personalized treatment plan, you will meet with one of our board-certified hair specialists who will assess the state of your scalp and your degree of hair loss. From there, we will go over all of your options with you in detail.

WHAT ARE MY TREATMENT OPTIONS?

There are a number of treatment options available to people of various ethnic backgrounds, ages, and genders. To best determine your ideal solution for hair loss, you’ll need to attend a consultation with one of our board-certified doctors. Highly trained hair specialists Drs. Anil Shah and Sameea Chughtai will assess the condition of your scalp and ask about your medical and family histories to better understand the potential reason for your hair loss.

Patients with mild hair thinning could benefit more from a nonsurgical, regenerative technique, such as PRP therapy, exosomes therapy, or low-level light therapy. However, those with more significant balding, such as missing patches or hairline recession, may be better candidates for a surgical hair restoration procedure with the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant system. At Aesthetic Scalp, our team performs follicular unit extraction (FUE) with a nonsurgical treatment (such as PRP therapy) to encourage the newly repositioned hairs to grow stronger and thrive in their new environment.

Surgical hair transplant for patients of Asian descent is often considered one of the hardest conditions for a hair specialist to treat because the unique characteristics of the Asian scalp (such as the dark hair color and straight follicle shape) make it difficult to successfully receive natural-looking results. To ensure that our patients receive their best outcomes, our doctors use the finest hairs from the hairline and proper angling approaches to restore fullness.

 ASIAN HAIR LOSS FAQ

Is it rare for Asians to go bald?

Androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness, is common in both Asian men and women, affecting as many as 73% of the adult population.

Does Asian hair fall out more than other types of hair?

Caucasian hair is three times more likely to experience hair loss than Asian hair. However, hair loss can be more noticeable in Asians because it is thicker and straighter. Because of recent dietary changes and the Western diet, more Asians are experiencing hair loss.

How common is hair loss in the Asian female population?

Although about a third of women of all races will experience some hair loss in their lifetime, thinning hair is very common for Asian women and found to be more common than Caucasians. Female patients often do best with a full metabolic workup to explore the causes of hair loss and can respond to a variety of surgical and nonsurgical methods to stop hair loss.

Do Asian patients have the same pattern of hair loss as non-Asians?

Asian men will usually experience a similar pattern of androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness. For Asian women, hair loss is caused by multiple factors with some genetic and dietary causes.

RESTORATIVE SOLUTIONS TO SUIT YOUR UNIQUE BACKGROUND

Just like a person’s gender plays a role in how they experience hair loss, their ethnic background can also be a contributing factor. While Asian women and men are thought to have the strongest hair type that is the most resistant to hair loss, balding and thinning can still occur for hereditary, environmental, or health reasons. If you’d like to learn more about the health of your scalp and discover your options to regain or maintain the look and thickness of your hair, contact a member of our team at Aesthetic Scalp in Chicago.