Minoxidil was originally a hypertension prescription. Its ability as a hair loss treatment was discovered by accident when patients taking the drug experienced unintended hair growth.

Today, minoxidil is sold as a topical solution for men and women suffering from mild to moderate hair loss or alopecia.

How It Works

As of now, there is still no clear explanation as to how minoxidil really works to treat hair loss. However, experts suggest that as a vasodilator, minoxidil may widen the blood vessels, thereby improving the blood circulation to the scalp. This, in turn, aids in the transport of vitamins and minerals to nourish the hair follicles, thus promoting a healthy growth of hair.

How to Use

Minoxidil is commonly a topical solution applied directly to the thinning or balding portions of the scalp once in the morning and another at night. Only 2ml or less is advisable for a person to consume each day because excessive medication may cause negative effects.

Minoxidil is available in 5 and 2 percent strengths for men and women, respectively. Women are advised to take the lighter preparation since it may cause unwanted hair growth on the forehead.

When Results Show

New hair growth is likely to appear at least four months after the first use. During this time, the size of one’s hair follicles will still remain but the amount of strands will improve and grow fuller.

It is also recommended that the medication of minoxidil be maintained because the previous hair loss pattern may come back six to twelve months after discontinued use.

When Side Effects Appear

The reported side effects of this hair loss treatment include skin itching, irritation, burning, dryness, redness, and flaking. A patient must carefully put the product on the desired portion only where balding is experienced because improper application may lead to unwanted hair growth on various areas, like the face and forehead.

Also, side effects attributed to excessive application include fainting, dizziness, chest pains, lightheadedness, difficulty in breathing, and irregular or rapid heartbeat.

Minoxidil wouldn’t be an effective hair loss treatment to people who are suffering from severe alopecia. That is why it is advised that people should seek a specialist’s advice at the onset of the condition.

From spells and potions of long ago, hair loss treatments in the 21^st century have indeed taken giant leaps. There is no universal hair loss treatment that can cure all types of alopecia yet; however, there are various surgical and non-surgical treatments which hair loss sufferers can avail.

Here are several hair loss treatment options:

• Hair Transplant

This type of surgical treatment restores hair by taking portions of the scalp containing healthy hair follicles (donor site) then transplanting it to balding parts of the scalp (recipient site). Patients need to be assessed first to find out whether or not they qualify for this hair loss treatment.

The surgery can also be costly depending on the size of the balding areas. Those who want to undergo this type of treatment need a month or two to recover to avoid damages caused by scratching.

• Hair Replacement Systems

Hair replacements such as wigs and toupees have been used by the Egyptians and Greeks centuries ago. With the dawn of the 21^st century, hair replacements have developed greatly.

Gone are the days where people worry about their wigs flying off or looking fake because hair replacements are already made from human hair, which make them look and feel natural.

Hair replacements also need regular maintenance, but they are more convenient and less expensive compared to other treatments.

• Minoxidil

Minoxidil is the first FDA-approved topical hair loss treatment. It was originally manufactured as a hypertension medication but later effects showed that it was useful in stimulating hair regrowth.

Patients need to know that minoxidil must be applied regularly because discontinued use will cause the previous hair loss pattern to return.

• Finasteride

Another hair loss treatment used by most hair loss sufferers is finasteride. It is an oral medication proven to block the production of hormones responsible for hair loss. Finasteride is also prescribed as a treatment for men with benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Like minoxidil, the intake of finasteride must also be maintained because its effects in improving hair growth may wear off six months after stopping its use.

Perhaps it may take a while before researchers develop the best hair loss treatment for all types of alopecia. Nevertheless, there are still great options that people can try to help them save their locks.

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Hair breakage is a common indication of poor hair growth, which in turn is a forerunner of a hair loss condition.

One factor that can cause the hair to break easily is insufficient keratin in the hair structure.

Keratin is a tough fibrous protein that serves as a coating layer protecting the hair from external damages.

Without keratin, the hair will be exposed to environmental contaminants that can eventually make the hair fragile, susceptible to breakage, and prone to excessive hair fall.

Hair loss can be due to inadequate production of keratin, making the hair strands weak and brittle. Making sure that our body is fully capable of producing keratin can solve hair fall problems and serve as a hair loss remedy.

The human hair is made up of 88% keratin, composed primarily by a set of amino acids—the building blocks of protein. This set of amino acids is not completely produced within the human body.

Nine out of the twenty types of amino acids are supplemented by the food that we eat. In other words, almost half of the total amino acids that form keratin are derived from food consumption.

Because food plays an important role in the production of keratin, it is essential for us to eat the right kinds of food that will sustain the required amino acids.

Foods that can help facilitate keratin production include the following:

• animal proteins such as eggs and milk
• vegetables like lettuce, carrots, cabbages, onions, radishes, and cucumbers
• fruits such as melons, oranges, apples, pineapples, papayas, and grapes

Basically, amino acids can be obtained from everyday foods. It is important to maintain a protein-rich diet on a daily basis to obtain an adequate supply of the required amino acids for keratin formation.

Eating protein-rich foods is one way of increasing the hair’s tensile strength from within, repairing the hair from other forms of damage, and incorporating a hair loss remedy into your daily diet. Plus, it benefits not only the scalp and hair but the rest of the body as well.

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There are various types of hair loss, and treatment options for the condition are also widely available for the many people experiencing hair loss or becoming bald.

In men, the most common type of hair loss is male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia. This is commonly experienced by males with ages ranging from twenty to forty. It is estimated that 2 our of 5 males in their mid-20s suffer from male pattern baldness, but is often unaware of the problem until hair loss has reached an advanced stage. Thus, it is important to understand hair loss and the treatment most appropriate for it in order to prevent the condition from becoming irreversible.

Causes

Male pattern baldness is a genetic predisposition caused by the increased sensitivity of the hair follicles to the androgen dihydrotestosterone.

Each strand of hair sits on a tiny cavity in the skin called a follicle. This follicle is susceptible to a by-product of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that causes hair follicles to shed the normal hair and produce thinner, shorter, and colorless hair. The affected follicle will eventually stop growing new hair. However, the follicle remains alive, which implies that there is still a possibility to regrow new hair.

Symptoms

As the term suggests, male pattern baldness follows a typical sequence or pattern. The most obvious indication of male baldness begins with the appearance of a balding patch that starts at the hairline. The hairline gradually recedes backward and forms an “M” shape. Eventually, the hair becomes thinner and shorter creating a U-shaped pattern of hair around the sides of the head, leaving a bald area around the crown.

Treatment

The issue of hair loss and choosing its treatment is not a big deal if you are comfortable with your appearance. Baldness due to genetic predisposition is an inevitable biological process that can be dealt with acceptance.

But for men who decide to get their hair back, here are some of the treatments arranged according to their safety level:

• Hair loss products containing all-natural substances such as coconut oil, rosemary extracts, aloe vera oil, and saw palmetto extracts. These organic materials are known to inhibit DHT production in the safest way.

• Laser treatment involving low level laser therapy (LLLT). This hair loss therapy works under the scientific principle of photobiostimulation—the natural process by which light energy is converted into cellular energy.

• Hair transplant surgery. A medical procedure that entails the removal of tiny plugs of hair from areas where the hair is continuing to grow and placing them in areas that are balding.

• Medications such as minoxidil and finasteride.

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People lose their hair through so many factors or causes. This is why various treatments for hair loss surface nowadays. Below are some of the common treatments for certain types of hair loss:

Laser Therapy

More and more hair loss sufferers are now going for laser hair regrowth therapy.  Medical experts around the world have been using laser therapy to treat several medical conditions such as mild to moderate cases of androgenetic alopecia.

In treating hair loss, low level laser is used. Low-level laser is a soft power laser which has been proven to have so many therapeutic effects on the living cells through photobiostimulation, the natural process where light energy is converted into chemical energy that is used to increase cellular productivity. By improving the blood circulation, laser therapy reverses the progress of hair loss.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is one of the common treatments for hair loss, or more exactly, alopecia areata, which is believed to be triggered by an abnormality in the immune system. Immunotherapy is a topical treatment using diphencyprone (DPCP) solution. Some patients who used immunotherapy reported hair regrowth within 12 weeks. It is applied on the scalp twice a week. Stronger concentration of DPCP however can increase the risk of developing dermatitis. Other possible side-effects include rash and vitiligo.

Hair Surgery

There is only one instant solution to hair loss and that is a surgical method. There are many surgical treatments for hair loss such as micrografts, scalp reduction, and flaps. High-quality surgeries can produce a natural-looking and life-long result while the opposite goes with poorly performed surgeries. Although hair surgeries give immediate results, they also entail the risk of infection, compromised blood supply, decreased scalp laxity, and accelerated hair loss.

Hair Replacement Systems

Hair systems such as wigs and toupees are usually made of a plastic mesh or coarse clothing material. By using a double-sided tape or glue, hair systems are attached to the scalp. The problem about hair systems is pretty obvious. They are merely temporary cover-ups for bald parts of the scalp – and not a treatment or a solution whatsoever. Lastly, it can even accelerate hair loss.

Hair Loss Drugs

Minoxidil and Finasteride are the only FDA-approved over-the-counter treatments for hair loss. Minoxidil is a topical solution which must be applied on the scalp twice a day. It is a vasodilator that enlarges the blood vessels to improve blood circulation in the scalp. Finasteride, on the other hand, is a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blocker. DHT formation causes hair loss. Minoxidil and Finasteride both have several known negative side-effects.

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Hair loss may not be like cancer or like other serious medical conditions but the damage it does to a person is massive. Every strand of hair a person loses comes with it a chunk of his ego. Lifeless and thinning hair causes an ugly, older, and weak image.

Both men and women experience hair loss and treatment is possible. Around the world, approximately 2 out of 5 men will start losing their hair at age 25 while 1 out of 5 women will experience hair thinning at age 35.

There are many causes to hair loss such as thyroid dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, stress, diet, immune system disorder, etc. The direct and common cause of hair loss in men and women, however, is an androgen derivative called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

The most common cause of hair loss tends to run in the family. This type of hair loss is called androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or pattern baldness. DHT accelerates AGA which is basically a permanent condition. DHT prevents the hair follicles from receiving adequate nutrients for hair regrowth. DHT hastens hair loss and treatment includes laser therapy.

Male Hair Loss

Men may experience hair loss at a young age and the probability increases as they age. The Norwood scale categorizes 7 stages of pattern hair loss in men. In the first stage, there are no visible signs yet. They only begin to come out in the second stage wherein the frontal hairline recedes. Finer and thinner hairs start replacing thicker and stronger hairs in the third stage. Frontotemporal and vertex recession becomes more dramatic in the fourth and the fifth stages. The bridge that separates the front and vertex widens. In the last stage, the hair completely recedes near the occiput.

Female Hair Loss

Women also experience hair loss with a case called female pattern baldness. Hair loss in women is spread throughout the scalp. The Ludwig scale categorizes it into 3 stages. In the first stage of pattern baldness, the hair starts thinning in the vertex which becomes more pronounced in the second stage. In the last stage, the scalp becomes more visible because of severe hair thinning.

Laser Therapy Treatment

Several products for hair loss claim they treat hair loss effectively. But most of them don’t erase the fact that they are risky and selective. Both men and women are susceptible to pattern hair loss and treatment involves laser therapy.

Laser therapy is it when it comes to a safe and effective treatment for hair loss. Laser therapy is a type of phototherapy wherein a light is applied to work on the cells, thereby stimulating hair regrowth.  Laser therapy is a non-drug, non-invasive, and non-surgical treatment for hair loss. More importantly, it does not have any side-effects.

There is an effective and safe hair treatment for hair loss which can be done in the comforts of the home – the laser combs.

A laser comb is a personal handheld device that uses a certain type of phototherapy to treat hair thinning and/or mild cases of hair loss. Designed as a personal device, a laser comb is very easy to use and portable.

Laser therapy accelerates hair regrowth with the use of an artificial light source, specifically low level laser or light emitting diodes.

Light therapy has been so many things before it became a hair treatment for hair loss. The types of light used in light therapy is said to have several therapeutic effects on the living cells, hence the acclaim. It is a very popular therapeutic alternative in the cosmetic (e.g., skin care) and medical (e.g., chronic pain relief, tissue repair, and treating addiction) industries. In the hair-related industry, it has been used to treat mild to moderate cases of hair loss. Hair clinics and salons have been using this therapy for their clients for the same purpose.

Photobiostimulation is a natural process which laser combs stimulate on a cellular level. Through photobiostimulation, light energy becomes chemical energy which is used to improve cellular productivity. When the hair cells get excited, they accelerate better blood circulation and especially reverse hair loss.

Most laser combs only use low level lasers while others use it together with light emitting diodes (e.g., Leimo Personal Hair Laser) for optimum results. Light-emitting diodes particularly improve the blood circulation in the scalp while low-level laser stimulates the hair follicles to manufacture new hair.

Unlike other conventional treatments such as Minoxidil and Finasteride, laser combs are safe for both men and women. They involve no medication, surgeries, or any negative side-effects.

Compared to office-based laser therapy, laser combs are cheaper albeit similarly effective. In fact, there are no comparisons at all. Laser combs are bought at a one-time expense while laser clinics may charge up to $5,000 for a 6- to 12-month session.

Laser combs are a safe and effective hair treatment for hair loss. It is the only alternative treatment for both men and women with mild to moderate cases of pattern hair loss.

How It Works

Laser therapy for hair loss uses a soft type of light which, if emitted on the scalp, works on the miniaturized hair follicles. It stimulates the blood cells in the scalp to carry more nutrients to the hair follicles. Reenergized hair follicles will be able to reproduce hair that was lost.

The type of light involved in this therapy has no thermal component to damage tissues within the surface.

Conducting Therapy

Laser hair regrowth therapy can be either professionally or personally administered. There are various hair clinics and salons that offer laser therapy using laser headpieces. There are also handheld devices which can be used at home – laser combs. Laser combs are portable and very easy to use.

Office-based therapy involves several visits. With home therapy, a daily session should only take 10 minutes at least. Laser therapy can be performed in conjunction with other hair loss treatments.

The Toll

Office-based sessions however can be very expensive. Hair clinics can charge up to $5, 000 for a 6- to 12-month course of therapy. Home-based sessions, on the other hand, are less costly. Laser combs can be used every day at a one-time expense.

What to Expect

As stated earlier, laser hair regrowth therapy is a temporary solution for mild to moderate cases of Androgenetic Alopecia (like most hair loss treatments). With religious use, it can slow down the progress of hair loss in as early as 12 weeks.

It reverses the progress of hair loss and restores hair but once the therapy stops, the effects will wear down.

Safe for Everyone

Some conventional treatments for hair loss are selective – but not laser therapy. Laser therapy for hair loss is safe for men, women (including pregnant and lactating women), and even children.

It is a non-chemical, non-invasive treatment for hair loss and has no reported negative side-effects.

It is recommended that before undergoing laser hair regrowth therapy, the patient should consult a physician to understand his/her condition better. There are several causes of hair loss and only result in either a temporary or permanent problem.

Treatments for pattern baldness vary. Some of these treatments are growth stimulators such as phototherapy.

What Is Phototherapy?

Phototherapy is a centuries-old therapeutic concept. But little is known about its wonders as a hair treatment for hair loss. This is because only a few completely understand the concepts of photobiology.

Phototherapy is the application of light from any source (be it natural or artificial) to serve a therapeutic purpose. The specific light sources commonly used in treating hair loss are low level laser and light emitting diodes.

Low Level Laser

Low level laser is a coherent light which yields several benefits t0 the living cells. LLL causes photo-biostimulation, a natural process comparable to photosynthesis. During photo-biostimulation, light energy becomes cellular energy. With increased cellular energy, the cell becomes more productive.

Low level laser therapy does not put anyone at any significant risk. It has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be a safe and effective hair treatment for hair loss for both men and women.

Light Emitting Diodes

Aside from helping improve the blood circulation in the scalp, LED is a growth stimulator. A light-emitting diode is a low-power infrared light source that works deep into the hair follicles to stimulate hair regrowth.

How Is Phototherapy Conducted?

There are no stern rules in administering phototherapy. Although the factors that need consideration are the phototherapy units, types of wavelength, or the amount of exposed skin. But the convenience matters more all the same than the effectiveness.

A patient must commit himself/herself to phototherapy because androgenetic alopecia is a chronic problem. Balding tends to resume if such therapy stops.

Is Phototherapy Safe?

In the scheme of things, phototherapy is safe. While it may not be effective for severe cases of androgenetic alopecia, it is very safe to the general public (yes, even to children, pregnant and/or nursing women). More so, it has no reported side-effects.

Phototherapy is not a mere alternative hair treatment for hair loss, it especially does marvels imperceptible to the naked eye.

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With no cure on sight for hair loss, conventional treatments are available to relieve you of the symptoms and even restore your hair. If however, these alternatives, say, topical and prescription drugs don’t do any good at all, then you can take the natural approach. There are various natural home remedies for hair loss you can go for. Find out which is the one for you.

Aromatherapy

When the cause of hair loss is NOT stress, medications, or therapies, then your condition is only temporary. Aromatherapy is a treatment for hairloss specifically for androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. Aromatherapy is the application of the appropriate oil essences on the agonized area in the scalp. Usually, these oils are extracted from olive, coconut, and castor.

Ayurvedic Therapy

Ayurvedic treatment is another systematic therapy which looks at the constitutional makeup of a person before prescribing the right herbal mix. In ayurveda, hair loss is believed to be caused by too much stress, emotional trauma, excessive distress, sudden blood loss, or excessive sexual activity. Some of the herbs used in ayurvedic therapy are Bhringraj and Brahmi, Gotu Kola, Ashwagandha and Amla.

Phototherapy

Phototherapy is usually office-administered. But because they are costly, you may never have heard of them. There is an innovative take-home device, however, that uses phototherapy all the same – laser combs. Laser comb therapy is another do-it-yourself treatment for hairloss that leads to the restoration of your hair when used as directed. Usually, it is used alongside a daily hygienic regimen shampoo and conditioner application to see optimum results. Phototherapy is only recommended for mild cases of androgenetic alopecia.

Reflexology

Reflexology is the application of pressure on specific areas (e.g., ears, feet, and hands) of the body which affect the other parts, organs, or systems of the body. Reflexology is not only known to improve blood circulation, relieve stress, or maintain homeostasis in the body, it is a treatment for hairloss as well because it restores the equilibrium in the body. So, one of the results of reflexology should be hair regrowth in the most natural way.

Now that you have a little know-how about some of the systematic treatments there are, you should first know the cause of your hair loss. The best way to understand that is to consult a physician.