What Are the Side Effects of Hair Loss Treatments?

The first thing many of us will do when experienced with hair loss, be it severe or mild, is to immediately Google for hair loss remedies to salvage the situation. We will find search terms like “hair loss treatment singapore,” “scalp treatment singapore,” or “hair loss singapore.”

But are hair loss treatments advertised and listed on the Internet safe? In this article, we explore the side effects, defined by us as unwanted adverse reactions to either the substances used in the process or to the mode of treatment itself, of several popular hair loss treatments. This is to arm you with sufficient knowledge and clarity before you embark on any of these hair loss remedies.

 

Types of hair loss treatments and possible side effects:

 

1. Oral Medication

Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine or Theroxidil, is a well-known over-the-counter medication that has been proven to treat hair loss for both men and women. However, it only works with certain hair loss conditions and only if you keep up with the application.

Side effects:

• You might start losing hair again if you stop using it and they may fall out faster than before.
• Allergic scalp reactions such as redness, itching, dryness, and flaking
• Hypertrichosis — excessive hair growth in the wrong places, such as the cheeks or forehead.

For all types of oral medication, it is always advisable to speak to a doctor or a dermatologist to check for possible allergic reactions before ingesting.

 

2. Scalp Injections

Scalp treatments such as Corticosteroid Injections and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy are also used to treat hair loss. Both involve injecting corticosteroids and plasma respectively into the scalp to stimulate hair growth. As this is an invasive treatment, we highly encourage you to go to a credible and certified aesthetic doctor should you be considering it.

Side effects:

• Skin atrophy
• Thinning of the scalp skin
• Infection
• Injury to blood vessels / nerves (for PRP therapy)
• Scar tissue or calcification at injection points

 

3. Microneedling

This is a slightly different scalp treatment from scalp injections. Microneedling uses micro needles to deliver active ingredients directly to the dermis so that the scalp is better able to absorb the nutrients. This can help the hair to strengthen and grow in density, therefore reversing the effects of hair loss.

Side effects:

• Redness
• Slight swelling
• Minimal scarring

 

4. Laser and Light Therapy

Laser/ light therapy is a non-invasive hair loss treatment that uses LED energy to stimulate hair growth, encourage oxygen intake by the scalp and leverage on the body’s natural healing abilities. They can also make existing hair thicker. Other names for this hair loss treatment in Singapore include red light therapy, cold laser, photobiomodulation, biostimulation, and low-level laser therapy.

Side effects:

• Redness
• Itching around the scalp

 

How can PHS HAIRSCIENCE help you?

At PHS HAIRSCIENCE, our signature hair loss treatment, the Miracle Stem Cell Solution, is backed by science and developed with Korean trichologists to combat hair loss and greying at the cellular level. The side effects from this treatment are minimal because of its non-invasive nature and it has been proven to be effective for hair loss in Singapore.

However, before you start on any hair loss or scalp treatments, our first recommendation is to always get a correct diagnosis of your hair loss condition because not all hairs are created equal. For example, the hair texture of a Singaporean is different from that of a Caucasian so treatments for hair loss in Singapore can differ as well.

So, come in for a free consultation and speak with our scalp experts to get an accurate picture of your hair loss condition and find out more about our non-invasive treatments, such as the Miracle Stem Cell Solution, that are targeted to treat your specific hair loss condition.

Book an appointment with us here.