Hair Loss Treatment: Help or Hype?
No one likes to deal with hair loss, whether you are a young woman, a middle-aged man or even a child. Thinning hair can affect your appearance, and as a result, your self confidence. In addition, hair loss can be a sign of an underlying medical problem, which means you should see your doctor if you notice that your hair is coming out in larger quantities than normal or you see thinning spots on your scalp. But what can be done about thinning hair? While there is no cure, there are hair loss treatments that can slow the thinning process and even encourage new growth to take place.
Medication
Depending on why the hair is thinning and how much loss has already taken place, your doctor may be able to prescribe medication as a hair loss treatment. One oral medication that has shown some positive results in male-pattern baldness is Finasteride, known by the commercial name of Propecia. Finasteride works by altering the hormone levels that have been found to contribute to hair loss in men. This hair loss treatment has been shown to slow down the hair loss process, and some men who use it have also experienced some new hair growth while they were taking the Finasteride. This medication has not been approved for use in women, and may even be dangerous for women of childbearing age since the medicine may contribute to serious birth defects.
Topical Remedies
Another popular form of hair loss treatment can be purchased over the counter, and is applied to scalp topically twice a day to help prevent further loss from occurring. This hair loss treatment is Minoxidil, which is more commonly known as Rogaine. Minoxidil can slow the process of hair loss in many people, and can even result in some new hair growth after it has been used faithfully for twelve weeks or more. This new hair may be thinner than your current tresses, but by blending with current hair, you can greatly diminish the appearance of your thinning scalp. Some people will not be able to use Minoxidil, because it can result in irritation to the scalp.
Corticosteroids
Another effective hair loss treatment is monthly corticosteroid injections to the scalp, or an oral dose of the same medication for some. This is a common hair loss treatment for those dealing with alopecia areata, which is a type of thinning that is thought to be caused by an autoimmune system. Another popular treatment option for this type of thinning is Anthralin; a tarry substance that is also used to treat psoriasis of the scalp for some patients. This hair loss treatment may take up to twelve weeks before you can see positive results.
Thinning hair can be an embarrassing problem for many, but the good news is that there are many effective hair loss treatment options available. Talk to your doctor today to find out which treatment is right for you.
