Hair Loss Types and Treatments

The first choice of treatment for hair loss, or alopecia, with good clinical evidence to support its use is the topical medication minoxidil, which is available as an over-the-counter medication.

Minoxidil is very well tolerated and side effects are rare. It comes in 2 and 5 per cent concentrations and, using a syringe dispenser, a millilitre of the solution is rubbed onto the affected area of the scalp in the morning and again at night.

It could take up to a year before results could be seen from using minoxidil and patients need to be willing to commit to long-term therapy. If treatment is stopped, its effects are quickly lost and hair loss would revert to what it would have been without treatment.

In general, one-third of women experienced a significant improvement in hair growth on minoxidil, one-third would have hair loss stabilised and one-third did not respond and continued to thin. Results for men were more optimistic with up to 85 per cent showing some benefit.

A second medication, finasteride, that comes in a tablet works by inhibiting an enzyme, 5-alpha reductase (type 2). Reducing the enzyme’s activity reduces the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in the scalp and bloodstream, which appears to inhibit the further shrinking of affected hair follicles. Studies had shown up to 9 out of 10 men on long-term, daily finasteride had improved or stabilised hair counts.

This medication is prescribed only for men. It is not licensed for use by women because it could have devastating effects on an unborn baby.

While finasteride is generally well tolerated in men, some changes in sexual function were reported by a few.

For women, anti-androgen therapy could be prescribed, namely cyproterone acetate and spironolactone. These compounds block androgen receptors and stimulate scalp hair regrowth in women.

Other medical conditions could cause hair loss and hence it is important to get a correct diagnosis before commencing any treatment.

A diagnosis requires taking a full medical history, clinical examination and tests such as a scalp biopsy. This could help determine if it is pattern hair loss or something else mimicking it.

One of the more common types of hair loss that may be caused by an underlying medical condition is known as telogen effluvium. Triggers for telogen effluvium include hormonal changes after pregnancy, or when coming off the pill, an iron deficiency, thyroid disease, zinc deficiency or major psychological and physical stress.

Stress-related hair loss could happen three to six months after a stressful event occurred.

By identifying and treating the underlying medical condition then, hair loss due to telogen effluvium would often be reversed.

Research and clinic trials are ongoing for new medications and topical solutions. Some studies are being conducted on finasteride as a gel and another medication known as flutamide had recently shown good research results although there were some concerns over toxicity.

Picking the Most Apt Hair Regrowth Product for You

You would not be able to choose the right hair growth products for your use without taking on a necessary amount of background research. While it may be more convenient for you to simply ascribe to the advice of professionals who have taken a look at your case, it will do you well to take matters into your hands and to do your own research.

After all, it is your hair, and you need to understand every single product that you are planning to use on it, to ensure that you know how to get healthy hair and that you would get the most favorable effects possible.

Before spending your money on anything, make sure that you at least try to learn how they have worked for others that have similar problems and hair type as yours. Look through reviews and testimonials as well and look for ways through which you can use these hair regrowth products to achieve their full potential.

No More Misspending Time with Low-Quality Hair Regrowth Products

In order to ensure that you would be able to pick out the thinning hair products that will work best for your needs, you need to ensure that you limit your choices among products that will have the right components that will allow you to achieve the effect that you are after. To be on the safe side, you have to ensure that you choose your hair regrowth products from reliable suppliers and manufacturers.

To effectively help you achieve the texture and the thickness that you are after, look for a bio-cleansing shampoo and thickening conditioner that is formulated with extracts of rosemary, fennel, mistletoe, and saw palmetto. The presence of these herbal or organic-based ingredients in a hair loss product indicates that the product is effective and safe to use.

Hair Loss in Women: Turning to Nature to Treat the Condition

When a woman starts to notice that her hair is thinning, she can opt for medicated treatments which can help women grow their hair back but some of these treatments have risky side effects. A natural female hair loss treatment can be just as effective and cost a lot less.

No cure exists for hair loss, and herbs certainly don’t hold the magic secret; however, herbs often work to treat the symptoms of some common diseases and disorders, so the same might be true for hair loss.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, herbs such as lavender, saw palmetto and thunder god vine can be used to treat hair loss. Before seeking herbal treatments, it is best to determine the underlying cause of your hair loss by consulting a doctor. If your hair loss problem is due to genetics, there may be little you can do to solve it; if it is hormonal, however, herbs that treat hormonal imbalances may be effective.

You can actually mix up your own home remedy for hair loss. In a bowl, combine 3 teaspoons of turmeric and 3 tablespoons of besan. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time until you have a thick paste.

To stop hair fall and stimulate hair growth, onions have been proven to be beneficial in this regard. Directly rub the onion on the areas of scalp that show bald patterns. A variation of this remedy involves application of onion juice two times in a day for a period of two months. This is one of the hair loss home remedies that improve hair loss problems like alopecia areata.

It also helps to drink spinach juice daily. Spinach juice has been used for many years to treat hair Loss. Spinach juice is believed to help improve hair growth and prevent further hair Loss.

When experiencing hair loss, you should stop smoking. Smoking causes constriction of the blood vessels which supply blood to the scalp. This is just one of many benefits you get from eliminating smoking.

Olive oil and castor oil are two natural oils that can be used to actually unclog your pores and rejuvenate follicles that appear to be in a dead state. Just take a teaspoonful of either castor oil or olive oil and massage them onto the scalp. Leave the oil on overnight so that it is allowed to sink in and then wash away the following morning using a mild shampoo.

Another essential oil that can address the problem of hair loss is mustard oil. Boil about one cup of mustard oil with 60 grams of henna leaves. Store it in a bottle and every night before going to bed (or as often as possible), apply this oil to your hair. You will see your hair fall reduce gradually.

Opting for Hair Transplantation

Once the decision to have a transplant is taken, it is important to find the surgeon. There are numerous examples of men who have had disastrous results. Chris, who was badly scarred by a botched hair transplant procedure, says, ‘My surgeon did not understand my hair type, which is very curly. I felt like part of a conveyor belt, just another patient. The result was also artificial and looked it. He did not treat me with sensitivity or compassion’. Nick, who recently underwent a transplant, says, ‘It definitely is a big step. And one has to have a surgeon who will give you back that confidence’.

FUE, or follicular unit extraction, is a hair transplant technique that is labour-intensive and can only be successfully administered by highly skilled hair transplant surgeons. It is performed under local anaesthesia; typically over two sessions, each taking several hours. Post-operative is very painful and then it gets very itchy. Recovery takes about 10 days though the pain usually subsides after 72 hours.

Consultations are detailed and design sessions are crucial as this is where the placement of every single hair is discussed and mapped. The aim is to highlight the features of the patient taking into account race, facial dimensions, etc. ‘After all’, says Nick, ‘you can’t just add hair anywhere’.

Results are gradual as it takes 12–18 months for the hair to grow and for the full results to become apparent. Psychologically it also gives men time to adjust to the new look. It is expensive but Nick says, ‘It is worth the money. Today I look younger, feel great; and my confidence, which waned, is back’.

For people who have been bothered by hair loss, the reversal of the process is like getting a new life. Clearly going bald is no small matter. And addressing it or living with it — either way — has far-reaching consequences. In a sense, it is how you want to live the rest of your life. In hiding, in the closet or with a full mane of hair and out in the open!