If you notice your hair thinning, this might not be any immediate cause for alarm. There can be any number of reasons why this is happening. It is impossible to come up with a simple explanation for hair thinning because everyone has different medical conditions and different circumstances in their lives. The only way to determine the cause of the thinning is to visit your doctor. He/She will set up a series of tests to determine whether the reasons are genetic, dietary, the symptoms of a disease or medical treatments.

By far, the leading cause of hair thinning in both men and women is genetic. Scientists have determined that wearing a cap does not cause thinning hair and that many of the hair thinning products on the market, such as shampoos and solutions, do not work.

Hair thinning treatments prescribed by the doctor have varying results and are different for each patient. While some of these treatments do have success, as soon as you stop using them the hair starts thinning out again. You will never recover the full head of hair of your youth, but many hair thinning products can help you from becoming completely bald.

Surgical hair thinning treatments are successful, but costly. The surgeon removes a small patch of healthy hair and used this to create several hair grafts. With this treatment for hair thinning, he/she will place them over the thinning patches at angles so that when the hair starts to grow, no one will ever notice the difference. You may also have to use other hair thinning products prescribed by the doctor, such as a pill or a topical solution that you use twice a day on your scalp.

Women appear to be better candidates for this treatment because they usually don’t lose all their hair. These hair thinning treatments are also different for men and women because some of these products cause hair to grow on other parts of the body that might be unseemly for a female.

You also have to be careful about the hair thinning treatments, even if they are prescribed. Some of them have harmful side effects and some of them only promote hair growth on the top and the sides of the head and not for hair thinning on the back. You might want to have beautiful hair again, but not at the expense of your health.

Hair thinning treatments can vary widely, so consult your doctor first.

For a website totally devoted to hair loss and hair replacement visit Peter’s Website The Hair Replacement Guide, and find out about Hair Loss Treatments as well as Hair Restoration and more, including Male Hair Loss and Female Hair Loss

Hair loss treatments can be very expensive and although most people want to try to regain their full head of hair they cannot afford them. There are surgical measures for hair loss treatments that could cost as much as $9000 and this cost is not covered by any health insurance plan.

This is because the doctors that perform this treatment are classed as plastic surgeons and the procedures are not necessary for a healthy life. The important thing when considering any type of hairloss treatments is to visit your doctor to make sure that there is no underlying medical cause.

There are five main types of hair loss treatments. These include treatments for thinning hair as well as baldness treatments. You should carefully evaluate each one to determine the pros and cons of each and to see whether or not it suits your lifestyle and budget. These treatments are:

· DHT inhibitors
· Products that stimulate hair growth
· SOD – super oxide dismutase
· Anti-inflammatory medications
· Antiandrogens

Baldness treatments such as DHT inhibitors and other products used to help you regrow your hair are by prescription from the doctor only. However, you can save money when you purchase these hair loss treatments because they are available from online pharmacies.

This does not mean that because they are online they are readily available. You still need to send in a copy of the prescription that you can scan and send as an attachment. For security measures when you place an order online for any of these hair loss treatments, the pharmacy you choose will contact the doctor to verify the prescription. When that is done, the hairloss treatment will be shipped to your address. Although it may take a little longer than handing in the prescription at the local pharmacy, you will get the treatments you need cheaper. No matter what kind of treatment the doctor prescribes, you will be able to get what you need at an online pharmacy.

Just because you’re losing your hair and need hair loss treatments, doesn’t mean that you have to lose all your money in the process.

Hair loss treatments can be expensive, so shop wisely.

For a website totally devoted to hair loss and hair replacement visit Peter’s Website The Hair Replacement Guide, and find out about Hair Loss Treatments as well as Hair Restoration and more, including Male Hair Loss and Female Hair Loss

Losing hair is not only a cosmetic problem though it can’t be denied that it can bring down your self-confidence and self esteem to a worrying degree. Hair loss can be indicative of more serious problems as well. So, the sooner we do something about it the better it is.

Let’s begin by understanding what it is and how it is caused. Baldness or alopecia is a state of losing excessive hair. You must know that losing 50 to 100 hairs in a day is considered normal. It’s when you lose more than that you should sit up and take note of the problem. Baldness can be the result of heredity, certain medications or an underlying medical condition. Anyone— men, women and children — can experience hair loss. However, in most cases it is caused by today’s stressful lifestyle, long working hours, pollution, poor diet, combined with alcohol, drugs and smoking.

There’s not much you can do about factors like heredity, but you can correct the other factors and improve the quality of your hair. Remember, hair loss is not an irreversible process. Hair is a bi-product of blood. Therefore to treat the hair and scalp, you cannot obtain a good result by using topical lotions alone. You cannot feed the hair externally. If you could, the shampoo or conditioner would do wonders. It is logical therefore to take care of your scalp and the composition of your blood. The composition of your blood and state of your scalp determine the quality and growth of your hair.

Your overall diet affects your blood. You must supplement your diet with live enzymes to help absorb vitamins in the body. They are normally only found in raw fruit and vegetables and uncooked food. You should drink lots of water also. Never comb your wet hair and never use a thin comb. Also avoid hot air dryers; let the hair dry naturally.

Stimulating the scalp is another way to tackle the problem of hair loss. You should massage your scalp with a tangy lotion to increase the blood flow around the hair follicles. Nourishments reaching the hair follicles will stimulate the hair to grow much fuller, shinier and healthier.

If you are losing large amounts of hair, see a physician. Hair loss may be caused by some health conditions such as high cholesterol levels. Often the hair grows back when the cause is corrected

If hair loss occurs at an age when you can afford to let it be, you should let your hair loss run its course untreated and unhidden. However, if it happens when you’re still too young to go around with a baldhead you may either cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves or choose one of the medications and surgical procedures that are available to treat hair loss. But, before pursuing any of these treatment options, talk to your doctor about the cause and best possible treatment for your hair loss.

Joseph Then operates a Health Portal and covers a range of health issues like obesity, dieting, hair loss and more. You can visit him at http://www.thehealthyportal.com

Hair Loss is an issue troubling many males and females regardless of age. Hair transplants is one method for dealing with hair loss.

In this article, I discuss:

1. What is a hair transplant?

2. Why choose a hair transplant?

3. What are the downsides?

4. How much will a hair transplant cost me?

What is a hair transplant?

Hair transplants are a form a surgical hair restoration, one of the most popular ones since it is less radical and than other surgical ways to restore hair. Hair transplants have been done by doctors for a long time, and the techniques have had many years to develop into more and more sophisticated procedures. The basic idea behind a hair transplant is that hair is removed from the back and sides of your scalp and implanted on the area of the head were the hair loss is most severe, which is usually on the top of the head or at a declining hair line. Hair on the back of the head is usually not affected by male pattern baldness, and can therefore be used to restore other areas.

Why choose a hair transplant?

One of the biggest advantages with a hair transplantation is that is permanent. Contrary to other popular hair restoration techniques, you don’t have to stay on prescription drugs for the rest of your life or cover your scalp in ointment twice a day. The hair used in a hair transplant is from your own body. Once the hair transplants are finished, no follow up procedures or continued treatments are required.

What are the downsides?

As with all surgical procedures there is always risks and pain involved. The removal and implantation of hair is painless, since you will have received a series of anaesthetic injections into the scalp area. Receiving these injections can however be the source of a considerable amount of pain and discomfort, especially since many of us instinctively dislike having needles inserted to our head. If you will experience a lot of pain or not is very individual, some people claim that it hurt really bad and wished that their doctor had warned them more in advance, while others just experienced a series of mild stings. It is just like taking a blood sample or going to the dentist, in the sense that some people are very sensitive to pain and needles while others hardly feel it at all.

The hair transplant is permanent, and no follow up procedures or continued treatment is required, but keep in mind that you might have to go through several procedures to get your desired amount of hair. If there is a very limited amount of movable hair on the back and sides of your head, this can also be a reason to avoid a hair transplant.

There is always the risk of visible scars on the scalp after a hair transplant. Small scars are always formed where your hair has been removed, but this is covered up by the hair around it and is usually no problem. If you keep on loosing hair after the transplantation, or choose a very short hair cut, the scars can however become visible. It is important to find a doctor who is not only able to make a hair transplant that looks good today, but one that will continue to look good and natural in the future as well. You might want to combine the surgery with some other treatment, like pills or ointment, to prevent further hair loss.

How much will a hair transplant cost me?

It is hard to estimate the cost of your hair transplant, since the price varies enormously depending on which hair transplant clinic you choose. The cost has also decreased considerably during the last few years at some clinics due to competition. Keep in mind that the cost is only one factor to take in to account when choosing a clinic and the cheapest ones might not always be the best. On the other hand, there is absolutely no guarantee that a celebrated, overpriced clinic will do a better job than a more reasonably charging one. Generally speaking, $ 2,500 -10,000 per session is considered standard and you will usually need at least four sessions. Before you make any decisions, remember to make an estimation of how much keeping your hair will cost you in the long run if you chose some other method, e.g. prescription drugs, wigs or ointments.

Kevin Allman runs a Male Hair Loss Resource Center HERE. At his website, you can find audio clips and articles about dealing with Hair Loss. You can also ask any questions in the forum and he’ll reply as soon as possible!

Male Pattern Baldness

On average, there are 90,000 to 150,000 hairs on the scalp. The hairs grow from roots called follicles. Blood vessels at the base of each follicle provide nourishment vital for hair and hair growth. Hair growth in each root occurs in a cycle independent of each other. At any time about 90 percent of the hairs on the scalp are in the growth phase, while the other 10 percent are in the resting phase. The growth phase can last an average of up to five years, after which the follicle goes into a resting phase, which can last upto four months. At the end of this phase, the hair falls out and is replaced by a new hair. This is all a perfectly normal part of the growth cycle. In fact, on a typical day, up to 150 hairs can be lost. Baldness occurs when hair is lost at an unusually high rate and hair replacement occurs at an unusually slow rate and/or when normal hairs are replaced by weaker, smaller ones.

What is Male Pattern Baldness?

Almost all cases of hair loss is the result of Male pattern baldness (or androgenetic alopecia).Male pattern baldness occurs much more frequently in men than in women.Even in mild cases It affects roughly 50 million men in the United States. Balding may begin at any age after puberty. While some types of hair loss is reversible, male pattern baldness tends to be permanent. It occurs in a very typical pattern on the scalp.Hair loss usually begins at the temples and at the top of the head toward the back, causing a receding hairline and a bald spot.Sometimes progressing further until the two sections become joined,leaving a horseshoe pattern on the sides and back of the head.Male pattern baldness progresses slowly and is not associated with any physical discomfort.

What causes male pattern baldness?

Male pattern baldness is thought to be a combination of hormonal and genetic factors.Testosterone and its more potent derivative dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are the contributimg factors of the degree of balddness. Whatever the exact causes of male pattern baldness may be, it is hereditary. A tendency toward baldness on either side of a man’s family(mother or father) indicates The speed, pattern,and degree of the balding. Usually, the earlier it begins, the more severe the hair loss will be. Balding is not caused by wearing a hat,you cant regrow hair by Massaging or brushing,or excessive shampooing stimulate hair growth.These are thought to be false.Stress may contribute to a form of hair loss,but normal everyday stress does not contribute to balding

What are the treatment options for male pattern baldness?

-Herbal Shamppos

-Herbal Remedies

-Specialty Shampoos(for example Helsinki Formula)

-Wigs

-Transplants

-Medication(Propecia,Minoxidil etc)

-Home Remedies

-Others

Hair transplantation

In hair transplants,healthy live follicles are removed from a donor site on the scalp and transplanted to the balding area. The follicles are commonly taken in "plugs" of one hair to two hairs (micrografts) from the sides or back of the head and moved to the balding area, with the hairline being slowly reconstructed. Larger plugs may be used. Donor sites with full hair make transplants more successful.Some scarring may occur. Transplanted follicles are usually permanent. Synthetic hair has also been used for transplants but has been known for to have a high rate of infection and has been been banned.As with any surgical procedure, hair transplantation present certain risks.If you are considering a transplant, consult your doctor.

Wigs

A hairpiece can be custom made to cover a balding area. Hairpieces may fade and over time. It is important to clean the scalp under the hairpiece regularly.Another option is a weave, in which fake(synthetic) hair is sewn into existing hair.

This just a quick run down of what happens when most men reach a certain age. Here are a couple of sites that we have found that will educate and inform and give you everything you want to know about Male Pattern Baldness. The reviews are very positive and even might give you possible solutions to this problem that has afflicted almost every man for generations.

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The causes of hair loss are plenty including diseases, nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances, and even stress. But, one of the most common ones is adrogenetic alopecia.

Alopecia, is in fact, the term for hair loss. Androgenetic is a reference to the fact that factors such as a genetic predisposition to balding and the influence of male hormones-androgens-play a part. There is also a third aspect-aging.

Let’s look at these in brief:

Genetics

Genetics is a complicated thing and not easy to understand or predict the behavior of. The case with balding is also the same. Simply the presence (or absence) of balding in one’s parents, on either, the mother’s or father’s side, is not necessarily predictive of one’s likelihood of balding. It’s very hard to accurately predict who will go bald and how rapidly.

Androgenic Hormones

All normal men and women produce "male" hormones. The most common of these are testosterone, androsteinedione, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). These hormones are quite important in both sexes, but occur in different concentrations, being much more predominant in males than in females.

This, in part, is responsible for the typical differences between the genders. It is the exposure of the hair follicles to DHT, in a genetically susceptible person, over a period of time, which leads to androgenetic alopecia, or male and female pattern baldness.

Aging

Age and balding are not proportional in any manner imaginable. It is a process and this fact should not be ignored. Like any process, it can be rapid or slow, it can begin toward the end of life or in the late teens, and it can progress in a predictably inexorable fashion, or it can stop and start, seemingly stabilize, and then begin again. But what exactly does happen? Assuming we have a genetically predisposed person, then as the follicles are continuously exposed to DHT, an interesting phenomenon occurs. The anagen phase, or active growth phase of the hair becomes gradually briefer and briefer, and eventually the hair becomes finer and shorter, and less deeply colored.

This is called "miniaturization" of hairs. This is also the point at which hair loss tends to be noticed first. It’s not that there are fewer hairs on the head, but that their caliber (cross-sectional area), color and length are so diminished that they no longer provide "coverage" for the scalp beneath.

Discover all you ever wanted to know about hair. Latest hair styles, new hair loss treatments, best methods of hair removal. Click for daily updated blog of hair news and articles. http://www.hair-unexpurgated.com/

Coloring your hair is perhaps the quickest and most dramatic way to change your look.

There are two types of hair dyes: permanent and semi- permanent, with variations of each.

A) Permanent Tints:
Must be mixed with hydrogen peroxide to lift hair color. The peroxide opens the hair cuticle so that the tint can penetrate the cortex and form the color. The higher the level of peroxide, the quicker and lighter the result.

B) Semi-Permanent Colors:
They don’t actually lift the color-you can either vary the tone within your natural highlights or go darker. The color can last up to 20 washes and will softly fade as you shampoo, causing no re-growth problem.

C) Semi-Permanent Vegetable Colors:
Contain only vegetable extracts and natural ingredients, so no color is stripped from your hair. It is similar to henna but it doesn’t coat the hair (adds shine though). This color sits on the hair’s surface and will wash out after about 8 shampoos.

Different coloring methods suit different hairstyles, so get some expert advice when deciding which one to go for… Skin Tone: Your new hair color should complement your skin tone. Light-skinned people don’t look good with very dark hair because it draws color out of their skin.

Blonde:
If you would love to be blonde, talk the process through with your colorist (or stylist) before you go for it. It should be relatively painless on virgin dark brown hair, but if your hair has been permanently tinted then the process will become a long saga.

Never attempt this kind of dye job on your own for the first time.

Red:
Red is the sexy shade, for color that cries out for attention. Hair holds on to red-toned pigments well, so going copper-top can be easy for most people. But be warned-if you are blonde you will usually have to go two or three shades darker than your natural color to achieve a rich red (brunette), and it’s not easy to reverse it.

Brown:
Brunette is always a safe choice as it suits nearly everyone. Varying the shade with highlights can achieve a huge range of looks. From chocolate brown and bronze shades to honey or dark blonde, combinations of natural tones gives incredible shine as darker-pigmented tints add condition to your hair.

Black:
This is by far the easiest color to accomplish because the molecules in black tints are larger and will cover all hair types very effectively. Caution is needed when using black, as it only tends to look good on people with darker and olive skin tones.

Some popular coloring questions:

* Will coloring my hair damage it?
Only if the wrong level of peroxide is used or you are over-processing (too many permanent colors are applied) your hair. If you constantly change your hair color, especially if you go from blonde to brown and back to blonde, you must regularly use deep conditioning treatments.

* What’s better for my hair, semi-permanent or permanent color?
Semi-permanent color gives your hair a higher shine and enhances condition, but they won’t lift natural hair color. Also, a semi-permanent tint will not cover large amount of gray hair (more than 50 percent).

Discover all you ever wanted to know about hair. Latest hair styles, new hair loss treatments, best methods of hair removal. Click for daily updated blog of hair news and articles. http://www.hair-unexpurgated.com/

There is such excitement in this cutting edge technology for laser hair removal. In order to decide if you want to use laser hair removal, you can check online for research and then you would need a doctor consultation.

Why should you use a laser to remove hair?

Lasers can target pigmented hair while leaving the skin around the laser treatment unaffected. With each pulse of the laser, you can treat many hairs. Each pulse only takes a fraction of a second. Compare this with electrolysis and you will see that laser hair removal is much more precise and faster.

Does laser hair removal really work?

The results are quite predictable. 90% of patients usually have permanent hair loss. 10% percent of patients, no matter what you do, hair loss just does not happen. Usually after each session, most of the treated hairs by the laser fallout. After about six weeks the hair follicles that have survived gradually start growing back. But on the average with each session, approximately one third of the hairs’ treated never return back and, therefore, are permanently removed.

The remaining hairs tend to be lighter in color and also smaller in size. Patients typically, on the average, are satisfied with three to five treatments separated by two months apart. Patients that have darker colored skin may need more sessions as their skin may require lower energy levels in order to be a safe treatment.

Will it work for me individually?

A consultation is required to determine if you really are a suitable candidate for a laser hair removal procedure. Dark, coarse hairs on any part of the body usually respond well. As a rule, very fine or very lightly colored hair whether it’s white, gray, or red, do not respond well to treatment.

Patients with dark complexions really need to be treated cautiously because the dark skin interferes with the laser light even before reaching the hair. With the latest technology available, there is some flexibility to treat a wide variety of patients effectively and safely.

What should I do before treatments?

Prior to treatments some protection from the sun is recommended. Usually for at least a month in advance. Tan skin increase the pigmentation and this can compete with the laser light. This can result in less effective sessions with a higher chance of side effects. The hairs in the areas that you want treated must be short but visible. It is very important not to pluck or wax the hair for a month prior to the treatments.

How long does each session usually last?

The treatment is relatively quick but also depends on the amount of hair to be treated. The laser can treat the hairs about the size of a quarter every second. A small area like the upper lip can be treated in less than a minutes, while large areas like the back or the legs may need up to an hour.

Will it hurt?

An anesthetic cream is usually recommended to numb the skin before treatments. This you will need to speak with the doctor and he can discuss with you which cream would be effective. The procedure is usually tolerated well with a mild sensation of heat tingling or stinging.

What should I expect after the Treatment?

The laser hair treatment area looks and feels much like a sunburn that usually last one to two days. You can use a cool compress and moisturizers. The area treated pretty much is usually pain-free the day after. Makeup can usually be used after the treatment unless there are blisters. Blisters, though not common, are more likely to happen in patients with darker skin. The lasered hair falls out over a month period and should not frighten you. Also, you should use sun protection for a month afterwards so it won’t change the pigment in your skin. Changes that sometimes may occur, which are permanent undesirable side effects, are scarring or skin color changes, though rare.

Again you really need to speak with a doctor before you even consider having laser hair removal. This is only general information and not to be taken as the only answers to these questions.

Copyright 2005 Fern Kuhn, RN
Specializing in Diabetes

http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com
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You may reprint this article as long as you keep the links active

Doctors distinguish between different types of hair loss. The male pattern hair loss is totally different from Alopecia Areata.

Male pattern hair loss (also known as common baldness, male pattern baldness or permanent pattern baldness) is the most common one for males. In fact, It is inherited. It usually involves baldness on the top of the head and a receding hair line.

On the other hand, Alopecia Areata involves patchy hair loss over the body and the head. It can involve one or more patches and even full body baldness in rare cases. Its causes are still unknown and in most cases hair regrows within first 5 years after the first patch appeared.

There are some treatments for Alopecia Areata but the proper treatment could be decided only after visiting the doctor and undergoing some blood tests.

Some of the treatments used to cure Alopecia Areata are Rogaine (minoxidil), Aloe vera gel, some herb and other natural treatments.

The treatments for male pattern hair loss are much more reliable. There is a variety of natural treatments and chemical treatments which suppose to treat hair loss.

The most recommended treatments are Propecia and Revivogen.

Propecia works on the main cause of hair loss by significantly reducing the amount of DHT. DHT is a a chemical that shrinks the hair follicle until no hair grows. Propecia actually inhibits the formation of DHT in your scalp. Lowering DHT inhibits the further shrinking of affected hair follicles.

Propecia re grows visible hair and reduces further hair loss. In the longest hair loss clinical study where the results were measured by actual hair counts, in average more than 2 out of 3 men on Propecia re grew hair. whereas all man in the study who talk other pills lost hair.

Revivogen Scalp Therapy works by decreasing the levels of DHT in the scalp. This allows the hair follicles to rejuvenate and produce thicker and stronger hair, creating a fuller and healthier head of hair.

The combination of both remedies is the most recommended way of treating hair loss.

911 Corp. executed an independent research to find the best hair loss treatments. The results were clear. All about the results and hair loss information on stop hair loss treatments.

Medical hair restoration in the literal sense includes the hair loss treatment which depends upon the use of medicines.

Unusual hair loss both in men and women is caused by the alterations in the androgen metabolism. Androgen is a male hormone which has a major role to play in regulation of hair growth or hair loss. The dermal papilla is the most important structure in a hair follicle which is responsible for hair-growth. It is the dermal papilla, the cell of which divides and differentiates to give rise to a new hair follicle. The dermal papilla is in direct contact with blood capillaries in the skin to derive the nutrients for the growing hair follicle. Research has shown that dermal papilla got many receptors for androgens and there are studies which have confirmed that males have more androgenic receptors in dermal papilla of their follicles as compared to females.

The metabolism of androgen involves an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase which combines with the hormone androgen(testosterone) to form the DHT (Dihydro-testosterone). DHT is a natural metabolite of our body which is the root cause of hair loss.

Proper nutrition is critical for the maintenance of the hair. When DHT gets into the hair follicles and roots (dermal papilla), it prevents necessary proteins, vitamins and minerals from providing nourishment needed to sustain life in the hairs of those follicles. Consequently, hair follicles are reproduced at a much slower rate. This shortens their growing stage (anagen phase) and or lengthens their resting stage (telogen phase) of the follicle. DHT also causes hair follicle to shrink and get progressively smaller and finer. This process is known as miniaturization and causes the hair to ultimately fall. DHT is responsible for 95% of hair loss. Some individuals both men and women are genetically pre-disposed to produce more DHT than the normal individuals. DHT also creates a wax-like substance around the hair roots. It is this accumulation of DHT inside the hair follicles and roots which is one of the primary causes of male and female pattern hair loss.

Blocking the synthesis of DHT at molecular level forms the basis for the treatment of MPHL ( male pattern hair loss) and FPHL female pattern hair loss). There are many natural DHT blockers and a number of drugs which are used for medical hair restoration.

Let us see the main drugs which are available for medical hair restoration in men and women.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil has the distinction of the first drug being used for promoting the hair restoration. This medical hair restoration treatment drug was used earlier as an oral antihypertensive drug, but after its hypertrichosis (excessive body hair) effects were noticed, a topical solution of the drug was tested for its hair growing potential. Minoxidil was then approved as medical hair restoration treatment drug for men by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1988 as a 2% solution, followed by 5% solution in 1997. For women, the 2% solution was approved in 1991. Though 5% solution is not approved for women, it is used as a medical hair restoration treatment by many dermatologists worldwide. Both solutions are available without a prescription in the US.

Mechanism of action

Minoxidil is thought to have a direct mitogenic effect on epidermal cells, as has been observed both in vitro in vivo. Though the mechanism of its action for causing cell proliferation is not very clear, minoxidil is thought to prevent intracellular calcium entry. Calcium normally enhances epidermal growth factors to inhibit hair growth, and Minoxidil by getting converted to minoxidil sulfate acts as a potassium channel agonist and enhances potassium ion permeability to prevent calcium ions from entering into cells.

Thought the exact action of minoxidil preventing the formation of DHT has not been shown but the drug has been shown to have a stabilizing effect on the hair loss. The result of the drug takes about few months time to be evident since it is the time which is necessary for restoring the normal growth cycle of hair fibers.

Use of Minoxidil has approved by FDA for men (Norwood II-V) and women (Ludwig I-II ) older than 18 years. It is used as a medical hair restoration treatment either for frontal or vertex scalp thinning. It brings about an increase in density which is mostly caused by conversion of miniaturized hairs into terminal hairs rather than a stimulated de novo re-growth. The hair loss becomes stabilized after continued use of drug, which takes about a year’s time for the medical hair restoration treatment to show its complete results.

Hair loss restoration treatment with 0.05% betamethasone dipropionate and 5% topical minoxidil are found to be superior to minoxidil alone. Topical minoxidil is very well tolerated and adverse effects are mainly dermatologic. The most frequent adverse effect is an irritant contact dermatitis.

Though minnoxidil does not have any effect on blood pressure, it should be used with caution in patient with cardiovascular diseases. It is also contraindicated in pregnant and nursing mothers.

Finasteride

The drug finasteride was earlier used as treatment for prostate enlargement, under the medical name Proscar. But in 1998, it was approved by FDA for the Medical hair loss restoration in MPHL.

Mechanism of Action

Medical hair restoration treatments with Finasteride depends upon its specific action as an inhibitor of type II 5α-reductase, the intracellular enzyme that converts male hormone androgen into DHT (Dihydro Testosterone). Its action results in significant decrease in serum and tissue DHT levels in even in concentration as low as 0.2mg. Finnasteride is able to stabilize hair loss in 80% of patient with Vertex hair loss and in 70% of patients with frontal hair loss. Most of these patients are able to grow more hair or retain the ones they have. The peculiar thing about Propecia is that its effect is more pronounced in crown area than in the front. The hair that grow after the medical hair restoration treatments are better in texture and are thicker, more like the terminal hair.

The best thing about medical hair restoration treatment with the finnasteride is that it is well tolerated and has minimal side effects. Sexual dysfunction (decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, and decreased semen volume) are observed in about 3.8% of cases. But these side-effects subside within few months of Medical hair restoration treatments or disappear within a week’s time as soon as the treatment is stopped.

It generally requires about 6 to 12 months for the m edical hair restoration treatment to be apparent but the side effects appear earlier. So even after the medicine is stopped, there is no possibility of loosing the hair that has been gained, but the side effects are sure to disappear. Many hair restoration surgeons find Propecia (finasteride) to act as an excellent adjunct to the surgical hair restoration. There are several benefits of this kind of combination therapy. As the Medical hair restoration with Propecia brings about a hair re-growth in the crown area, it has a complementary action; it allows the surgeon to have more donor hair to be available for frontal hair transplant and design the hairline at his own will. Since finasteride has no effect in the frontal area of the scalp, it does not have any interference with the surgical hair restoration.

Combination Therapy

There are reports which say that use of finasteride and topical minoxidil combination therapy as a Medical hair restoration treatment is of more advantage in cases of mild to moderate MPHL. Further studies are in progress. Many hair restoration doctors have already started the use of combination therapy in order to obtain better hair growth.

Anti Androgen Therapy

For women with hyperandrogonism( with increased levels of androgen) who do not respond well to minoxidil, antiandrogen therapy is another option of Medical hair restoration. In UK the most commonly used anti-androgen for women is CPA (cyproterone acetate), which is used in combination with ethinyl-estradiol.

However, in United States, where CPA is not available, the aldosterone antagonist spironolactone is the alternative choice of hair restoration doctors.

Flutamide

Medical hair restoration with flutamide has shown improvement as hair loss restoration treatment in women with hirsutism. For hyperandrogenic premenopausal women, flutamide is a better medical hair restoration agent than both the CPA or finestride.

Hair loss restoration management is a structured process which depends upon many factors along with the medical hair restoration. For more details on the topic you can refer to section medical hair restoration or article on male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss at our site hairtransplantadvice.com.

The author is a hair restoration surgeon and runs a renowned hair restoration clinic