Hairloss Treatments Reviewed - 3 Different Categories Of Treatment
There are many products available to help with the problem of thinning hair, and this can be confusing.
If you are trying to decide what product/s to use, this article may help.
Here, I place the different treatments into 3 categories, according to how they work.
1.
Improving the condition of your scalp and hair follicles * Minoxidil is the generic name of a drug that stimulates blood circulation.
It's available in the form of solutions and foams and is applied directly to the scalp in the thinning areas.
The FDA have approved the 2% strength for women and the 5% for men.
* Scalp massage will improve blood flow and should be done gently while shampooing or conditioning.
* Shampoos, conditioners and lotions that contain stimulating herbs like Rosemary, Capsicum and Stinging Nettle or soothing and healing herbs like Lavender, Aloe and Burdock will improve and stimulate the scalp.
* Nutrition plays a part too.
There are supplements you can take that improve circulation, including to your scalp.
These can be bought as general supplements, or as combinations specifically for treating thinning hair.
2.
Blocking production of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) * DHT is the male hormone which is responsible for the gradual shrinking of hair follicles in Male and Female Pattern Baldness * Finasteride blocks DHT production, and is an FDA approved, prescription-only drug, available as a tablet called Propecia.
Finasteride was originally available only as a treatment for benign swelling of the prostate- until improvement in hair growth was noticed as a side effect * This is very important to note: DHT is part of the male hormone system which regulates libido, sexual function, fertility and mood.
Some men experience serious side effects from finasteride, like depression, sleep disturbance, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction.
If you are considering taking finasteride I advise you to educate yourself about these side effects before you take any.
Finasteride is not recommended for women as it can cause birth defects in a male fetus.
* Some natural plant extracts have been known and used for a long time to treat both thinning hair (and prostate problems).
They include Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle, He Shou Wou, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Sitosterols and Beta Sitosterols.
It's assumed they work by reducing DHT levels, and, while this is undoubtably part of their action, it seems there are other aspects to how they work.
Interestingly, the side effects of these plant extracts are far fewer and milder than from finasteride 3.
Improving Your Nutrition Consider the nutrients that are most closely involved with hair growth- zinc, iron, biotin, Vitamins B6, A and C and high quality proteins.
This adds up to a healthy balanced diet that includes eggs, fish, dairy, nuts, grains, beans and other legumes and green leafy veg.
Food supplements have helped many people with thinning hair, but I don't mean multi vitamin and mineral tablets produced in a chemical factory.
The best food supplements come in the form of natural plant extracts which contain a wide range of plant substances, handled and formulated in a way that alters them as little as possible.
A good food supplement is not intended to replace nutrients from food, but to provide your body with unusual plant nutrients not normally in your diet.
Aloe, stinging nettle, saw palmetto, gingko biloba are all good examples of food supplements that will improve your health and also have a beneficial effect on hair growth.
Combining the 3 different approaches The 3 different types of treatment are often combined for optimum results.
For instance, you can use a special hairloss shampoo which is used to prepare the scalp to absorb minoxidil from a solution or foam.
Or you could add a food supplement known to encourage hair regrowth as well.
Devise your own combination or consider one of the 2- or 3-tier products on the market today, whose ingredients have already been optimised for healthy hair growth.
If you are trying to decide what product/s to use, this article may help.
Here, I place the different treatments into 3 categories, according to how they work.
1.
Improving the condition of your scalp and hair follicles * Minoxidil is the generic name of a drug that stimulates blood circulation.
It's available in the form of solutions and foams and is applied directly to the scalp in the thinning areas.
The FDA have approved the 2% strength for women and the 5% for men.
* Scalp massage will improve blood flow and should be done gently while shampooing or conditioning.
* Shampoos, conditioners and lotions that contain stimulating herbs like Rosemary, Capsicum and Stinging Nettle or soothing and healing herbs like Lavender, Aloe and Burdock will improve and stimulate the scalp.
* Nutrition plays a part too.
There are supplements you can take that improve circulation, including to your scalp.
These can be bought as general supplements, or as combinations specifically for treating thinning hair.
2.
Blocking production of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) * DHT is the male hormone which is responsible for the gradual shrinking of hair follicles in Male and Female Pattern Baldness * Finasteride blocks DHT production, and is an FDA approved, prescription-only drug, available as a tablet called Propecia.
Finasteride was originally available only as a treatment for benign swelling of the prostate- until improvement in hair growth was noticed as a side effect * This is very important to note: DHT is part of the male hormone system which regulates libido, sexual function, fertility and mood.
Some men experience serious side effects from finasteride, like depression, sleep disturbance, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction.
If you are considering taking finasteride I advise you to educate yourself about these side effects before you take any.
Finasteride is not recommended for women as it can cause birth defects in a male fetus.
* Some natural plant extracts have been known and used for a long time to treat both thinning hair (and prostate problems).
They include Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle, He Shou Wou, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Sitosterols and Beta Sitosterols.
It's assumed they work by reducing DHT levels, and, while this is undoubtably part of their action, it seems there are other aspects to how they work.
Interestingly, the side effects of these plant extracts are far fewer and milder than from finasteride 3.
Improving Your Nutrition Consider the nutrients that are most closely involved with hair growth- zinc, iron, biotin, Vitamins B6, A and C and high quality proteins.
This adds up to a healthy balanced diet that includes eggs, fish, dairy, nuts, grains, beans and other legumes and green leafy veg.
Food supplements have helped many people with thinning hair, but I don't mean multi vitamin and mineral tablets produced in a chemical factory.
The best food supplements come in the form of natural plant extracts which contain a wide range of plant substances, handled and formulated in a way that alters them as little as possible.
A good food supplement is not intended to replace nutrients from food, but to provide your body with unusual plant nutrients not normally in your diet.
Aloe, stinging nettle, saw palmetto, gingko biloba are all good examples of food supplements that will improve your health and also have a beneficial effect on hair growth.
Combining the 3 different approaches The 3 different types of treatment are often combined for optimum results.
For instance, you can use a special hairloss shampoo which is used to prepare the scalp to absorb minoxidil from a solution or foam.
Or you could add a food supplement known to encourage hair regrowth as well.
Devise your own combination or consider one of the 2- or 3-tier products on the market today, whose ingredients have already been optimised for healthy hair growth.