Treatment options for Lichen Planopilaris
Unlike other forms of hair loss, balding is permanent for those who suffer from LPP. However, if you are able to detect the condition early on before you experience severe hair loss, you can start treatment to prevent further hair loss.
Unfortunately, LPP is not a condition that will go away on its own. Fortunately, there are some treatments that you can try, including anti-inflammatory medication as well as topical, oral, and surgical treatments.
Anti-inflammatory medication
One of the main treatments that you get prescribed is some sort of anti-inflammatory medication like topical corticosteroids, oral corticosteroids, corticosteroid injections, and anti-malarial medication like hydroxychloroquine or retinoids.
Topical treatments
A popular treatment that is well-tolerated by both men and women who experience hair loss is Minoxidil. This product comes in both a topical and oral treatment, usually under the brand names Rogaine or Regaine.
For this topical treatment, you will be advised to apply it to areas where you’re experiencing hair loss twice a day every day. This treatment will not prevent hair loss overnight, but after a few months of consistent usage, the results of this treatment are very positive.
Minoxidil works by encouraging hair follicles to enter the anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle. Because this treatment does take a few months to show any results, it’s especially important for patients with LPP to start treatment as early as possible.
Oral treatments for Lichen Planopilaris
Finasteride and Dutasteride are two hair loss treatments that you’ve probably heard of if you’ve already done some research into treatments.
Although these two treatments show very promising results, they are unlikely to work on patients suffering from LPP.
Both of these oral treatments work by blocking DHT, a hormone that is a common cause of male pattern baldness. However, DHT is not the case of LPP which can prevent these treatments from having any form of positive effect.
Surgical options for Lichen Planopilaris
If you have already lost all the hair on your head as a result of LPP, it is probably too late for any of the above treatments to work – they may show positive results on some patients, but not those who have permanent hair loss from LPP.
Surgical options, like hair transplantation, are a good option for those who want to have a full head of hair again. When the process is carried out by a professional practitioner, like our team at Wimpole Clinic, you will be able to enjoy a natural result that will look like your hair miraculously grew back.
At Wimpole Clinic, we offer two popular forms of hair transplants; FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) transplants and FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation). The two treatments are quite different so we would recommend doing your research before taking the plunge.
If you’d like to find out more about the process of getting a hair transplant, you can schedule a free consultation with one of our experts. They’ll be able to talk you through the entire process and make sure you achieve the luscious locks you’ve always wanted.