Infusion therapy, also known as IV therapy is a term associated with illness and hospital-based treatment. However, it can also be used to provide natural medicine to improve overall health and boost nutrient supply in healthy people.
It simply refers to a method of administering medication where a needle is inserted directly into a patient’s arm or hand and medication channeled through an intravenous line.
It is considered more efficient than oral administration because it delivers medicine directly into the bloodstream which assures a higher absorption rate and faster effects.
IV infusion therapy for hair regrowth
The two most common medications used to treat hair loss are Minoxidil and Finasteride. The former comes in the form of liquid foam or shampoo while the latter is available in oral pills taken daily.
These medications have been used for years but now experts are also using IV therapy to treat hair loss and it seems to be working well.
Although the IV method is used to achieve the common goal of hair regrowth, it has also proved effective in preventing hair loss caused by different health challenges.
Here is a look at how it works in varying hair loss circumstances.
Causes of Hair Loss
Hair loss in men is most often caused by one of three reasons: hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiency, and disease.
Genetics and hormonal imbalance: These are behind the most common type of hair loss in men which is androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness. In this case, DHT, a male sex hormone made from testosterone causes the gradual shrinking of hair follicles which then causes thinning and eventually baldness.
Nutrition: This form of hair loss happens due to a lack of vitamin B7, also known as Biotin. Aside from malnutrition, vitamin B7 deficiency can be brought about by excessive alcohol consumption and certain medications.
Disease: Alopecia areata is perhaps the most common disease which causes hair loss. It is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks some hair follicles. As a result, hair falls off leaving small round patches about the size of a quarter.
How IV Therapy is used for Hair Regrowth
With these three causes of hair loss in mind, let’s take a look at how IV therapy is used to stimulate hair regrowth in each of these situations.
Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) for Hormone-related Hair Loss
The use of PRP injections involves drawing an amount of an individual’s blood and putting it through a specialized machine that separates it into two parts, that is plasma and platelets. Platelets are then injected into the man’s scalp at the specific areas of hair loss. The concentration of regenerative platelets speeds up the regrowth of hair.
This method is often used to treat male pattern baldness though dermatologists are exploring possibilities of its use to treat other conditions like alopecia areata.
Treatment requires repeat injections once a month for the first three months and then once every three months.
Vitamin Boost for Nutrition-related Hair Loss
Experts are now using IV therapy to boost the body’s vitamin supply with a specific focus on B complex vitamins.
According to L.A-based IV Vitamin Therapy, biotin, a naturally occurring B vitamin improves keratin in hair which is responsible for strong, thick dense hair. Other B vitamins such as B1, B2, and B6 contribute to the creation of red blood cells which transport oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles. These processes are essential for hair growth.
In this infusion therapy, the healthcare professional mixes the solution as per the doctor’s prescription. After that, an IV line is inserted into a vein in your arm to deliver a high concentration of liquid vitamins directly into your bloodstream.
How long does vitamin IV therapy take
Different individuals require varying durations for vitamin IV therapy to take effect. It could be as little as two weeks or as long as three months. Healthcare professionals recommend a dosage of between 2000 and 5000 mcg per day. Each session takes between 20 minutes and an hour.
Injection of Corticosteroids for Hair Loss Disease
Corticosteroids are man-made drugs that closely resemble cortisol, a hormone naturally produced by the adrenal glands.
They can be prescribed to treat a wide range of conditions. For hair regrowth, they serve to reduce the activity of the immune system which deals with the effects of hair loss caused by alopecia areata.
By reducing immune system activity, attacks on hair follicles are reduced, giving way to a resumption of normal hair growth.
IV therapy can be used to help hair regrowth. In fact, it often works better than oral medication which has traditionally been used to stimulate hair growth. Better results can be attributed to higher absorption rates because medications and nutrients are deposited directly into the bloodstream. This also means that men who opt for intravenous therapy for hair loss are likely to see results sooner than those solely reliant on oral interventions.