Reclaiming Your Hair: The Comprehensive Guide to Hair Restoration

When you look in the mirror and run your fingers through your hair, what do you see? For many of us, hair is more than just a part of our appearance—it’s a reflection of our overall health and vitality. But what happens when your hair starts to thin, shed, or lose its luster?

Dr. Renee Young, the founder of Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness, understands the emotional and psychological toll that hair loss can have. She’s been helping people in Los Gatos, California, and beyond restore their hair for years with a holistic, medically advanced approach. Hair loss can feel like an unwelcome part of aging, but there’s good news: It doesn’t have to be permanent.

At Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness, we’re committed to helping you understand the factors that contribute to thinning hair and offering innovative solutions for hair restoration and long-term maintenance of your natural beauty.

Discover the root cause of your hair loss and explore holistic treatment options that work. Contact Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness today for a complimentary consultation.

Why Does Hair Loss Happen?

Hair loss isn’t just about vanity; it’s deeply connected to your overall health. Understanding the root causes of hair loss can help you take the first steps toward restoration. Dr. Young emphasizes that hair loss can be the result of three main factors: genetics, hormones, and autoimmune conditions.

Genetic and Hormonal Factors

Genetics often play a major role in hair loss. Dr. Young notes, “Some of us, it was already in the cards for you,” referring to how genetic factors influence hair loss over time.

Hair loss linked to hormonal imbalances or nutritional deficiencies, however, can often be addressed and even reversed. By restoring hormonal balance and addressing deficiencies, long-term solutions to hair loss are possible, often providing more lasting results than relying on cosmetic treatments like wigs or extensions.

For many men, hair loss follows a predictable pattern, often starting in their 20s or 30s, and is commonly known as male pattern baldness. This condition is usually genetic and influenced by DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a derivative of testosterone.

Women may also experience hair thinning, particularly during menopause, when estrogen levels decline and testosterone becomes more dominant. Dr. Young explains, “When estrogen declines and testosterone remains high, women can experience hair thinning similar to male pattern baldness.”

Here’s how hormonal shifts can impact hair health:

• Estrogen promotes hair growth: A drop in estrogen can reduce hair density and shine.
• Testosterone and DHT can cause hair thinning: When testosterone rises or DHT builds up, it can shrink hair follicles and slow growth.
• Hormone replacement therapy needs careful balance: High doses of testosterone can backfire, leading to acne, facial hair growth, and hair loss in women.

Dr. Young adds, “Sometimes I’ll see women that come in, and they’re just on these really high testosterone pellets, and by the way, I do love testosterone pellets when used appropriately. But they say, ‘I feel good, I’m strong, but now I’ve lost all the hair here, and I’ve got acne and a beard.’ That’s not what you want. We gotta fix this.”

By addressing these hormonal imbalances, Dr. Young helps her patients restore not only their hair but also their confidence.

Autoimmune Conditions and Hair Loss

For those with autoimmune conditions like lupus, alopecia areata, or PCOS, hair loss can be particularly distressing. The immune system attacks hair follicles, leading to patchy or significant thinning. According to Cedars Sinai, in women with PCOS, excess androgens produced by the ovaries and sometimes the adrenal glands can lead to symptoms like hair thinning by overstimulating hair follicles, triggering scalp hair loss, and increasing skin oil production that clogs pores. In such cases, Dr. Young focuses on both stimulating hair growth and addressing the underlying immune issues.

Dr. Young uses treatments like PRP and exosome therapy alongside immune-regulating therapies, including peptide therapy and low-dose naltrexone, to help restore hair. This holistic approach helps regulate the immune system and improve hair follicle function, leading to noticeable improvements for many patients.

“We might even put you on something like naltrexone or something to calm down the immune system,” Dr. Young explains. “Once we do that, we can help our patients who’ve suffered from autoimmune hair loss to restore their hair so they no longer have patches of hair loss or spottiness all over.”

For patients with PCOS, Dr. Young often works with them to regulate their hormones and promote hair regrowth. By balancing hormones, calming the immune system, and using advanced therapies, Dr. Young helps people with autoimmune conditions restore their hair and regain confidence in their appearance.

Understanding the Treatments: PRP, Exosomes, and More

At Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness, a personalized treatment plan is created for each patient. One of the most popular treatments is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), which uses growth factors from your own blood to stimulate hair follicles.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common treatment options offered:

• Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): Uses your body’s own healing properties to stimulate hair growth and improve hair thickness. Highly effective with consistent sessions.
• Exosome Therapy: A cutting-edge treatment using stem cell-derived particles that promote faster cellular regeneration and hair growth.
• Peptide Therapy: Supports hormonal balance and immune regulation, often used in cases involving autoimmune-related hair loss.
• Low-Dose Naltrexone: Helps calm an overactive immune system to prevent further follicle damage in autoimmune-related cases.

Dr. Young notes, “PRP has been a staple in our clinic for years and is highly effective when done consistently,” but she also recognizes that exosome therapy is gaining popularity. “I believe exosome therapy is starting to replace PRP. They’re both really great but of course, just like flavors of ice cream, some people like one better than the other.”

Both PRP and exosome therapy require multiple sessions to see significant results. Dr. Young advises patients to commit to monthly treatments for three to six months to achieve optimal results. She explains, “The life cycle of your hair follicle is about three months long, which means you don’t see results for three months. If you’ve gone somewhere and you’ve gotten one treatment, that’s like me saying, ‘I got one massage and my back still hurts.’ One thing isn’t going to correct everything.”

Why Not Just Get a Hair Transplant?

Some patients consider hair transplant surgery or hair replacement surgery as a solution. While these procedures, like follicular unit transplantation (FUT) or follicular unit extraction (FUE), can be effective, they may not be right for everyone.

A hair transplant procedure involves harvesting individual follicular unit grafts from a donor site—usually the back of the scalp—and transplanting them into thinning or bald areas. The surgeon removes a strip of skin or uses the fue procedure to extract grafts, then moves hair to the recipient site. These transplanted hair grafts rely on their original blood supply to survive and grow.

A Holistic Approach: Balancing Hormones and Nutrition

At Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness, Dr. Young takes a comprehensive, whole-person approach to treating hair loss—going beyond surface-level solutions to truly address what’s going on beneath the scalp.

“We’re healthcare strategists, not just a quick-fix clinic,” Dr. Young says. “We help you understand what the true problem is with your hair, and then we resolve it. We want you to feel amazing about yourself again.”

Her personalized treatment plans blend advanced therapies like PRP and exosomes with functional medicine to uncover and treat the root causes of hair thinning. That means:

• Addressing Hormonal Imbalances
  Estrogen, testosterone, and DHT all influence hair growth and loss. If these are out of balance, your hair follicles can weaken and shut down.
• Supporting Nutritional Health
  Deficiencies in key vitamins and minerals like iron, biotin, and zinc can disrupt hair growth. Nutrient therapy ensures your body has what it needs to grow strong, healthy strands from the inside out.
• Targeting Specific Conditions
  Hormonal conditions like menopause or PCOS often trigger or worsen hair loss. Dr. Young helps patients regulate their hormone levels naturally and effectively.
• Combining Treatments for Long-Term Results
  Whether you’re dealing with shock loss, thinning, or stalled regrowth, Dr. Young’s integrative approach is designed to create lasting change, not just a temporary boost.

By restoring internal balance and focusing on long-term wellness, patients don’t just regrow hair—they regain confidence, energy, and a sense of control over their health.

Maintaining Healthy Hair Long-Term

Hair restoration is not a one-time fix; it’s an ongoing process. Dr. Young emphasizes the importance of maintenance in keeping your hair thick, healthy, and youthful. “To restore and maintain your hair, you’ll need to continue to monitor your hormones, nutrient levels, and hair growth treatments over time,” she advises.

She also notes that lifestyle factors, such as diet and stress levels, can play a significant role in the health of your hair. A well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, will help support the body’s ability to produce strong, healthy hair.

Dr. Young adds, “I make sure that I bypass my gut and get nutrients regularly. I especially make sure to get my B vitamins to help amplify my hair.”

Regular maintenance treatments, such as quarterly PRP or exosome injections, can help sustain the effects of the initial restoration process. By staying on top of your hair health, you can keep your hair looking youthful for years to come.

The Path to Restoring Your Hair and Confidence

Hair restoration isn’t just about looking good; it’s about feeling good, too. When you understand the science behind hair loss and take a comprehensive, holistic approach to restoration, you can achieve the healthy, vibrant hair you’ve always wanted.

As Dr. Young so wisely puts it, “Hair is an expression of who you are. Let’s work together to help you feel confident in your own skin, with the hair you’ve always dreamed of.”

Ready to take the next step toward restoring your hair and your confidence? Schedule a consultation today with Dr. Young and the team at Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness.