Hair loss prevention methods
There are numerous reasons why people experience hair loss. Ninety-five percent of hair loss cases are directly related to your genetics. Hair loss is inherited through generations and there really isn't too much you can do to stop it from happening. The hair loss industry is a 2 billion dollar industry. People are trying to do anything and everything they can to prevent baldness from occurring. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to prevent it, baldness will happen. Hair loss treatments are only able to prevent future hair loss from occurring; they cannot revive the hair that has already fallen out. The only way to grow hair that has already fallen out is to have hair transplant surgery.
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Common Hair Loss Prevention Methods
Rogaine, Revivogen, Propecia, and Provillus are used to stimulate hair growth and help you keep your existing hair. They all contain either Minoxidil or Finasteride, two drugs that are able to stimulate hair growth. These products not only help stimulate the living hair follicles, but they help to strengthen the hair you are growing. Other common hair loss prevention methods include vibrating hair brushes, scalp massages, and laser hair therapy.
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How does hair transplant surgery work?
Hair transplant surgery has come a long way from the "plugs" look it used to have in the past. Hair transplant surgery involves moving some of your healthy hair to areas on the scalp that has lost hair. The most common area for hair transplant surgery is the hairline. Most men start to lose hair at the hairline first and Rogaine and other hair loss treatments do not help hair to grow back there. Hair transplant surgery can take 8-14 hours. The doctor will cut out a strip of your scalp, normally from the back of your head. This is the one area on the head where hair loss will not occur. The individual hairs are then pulled out of the scalp and placed into new holes on your head. Small holes will be made in your scalp and about 3-5 hairs will be placed in each hole. During the surgery, the patient will be kept awake and they will be under local anesthesia. The donor area on the back of your head will be stapled back together and the staples need to be removed in about a week. You cannot touch the transplanted hair as it can take a few days to "take" to your head. Normally the new hair will fall out within a few weeks and new hair will start to grow within a few months. The procedure is painful when the anesthesia wears off and the healing process can take a couple weeks. Most patients experience itching on the scalp while the donor area is healing and the transplanted hair is growing. Pain relievers will be needed for a few days while the hair is trying to heal. Depending upon the physician you use, hair transplant surgery can cost upwards of $14,000. Since this is a big investment, you need to make sure you select a good surgeon. Hair transplant surgery isn't for everyone and sometimes the transplants don't take. A good surgeon will show you an outline of how long it will take for hair to grow and how well your scalp will respond to the transplants. |
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
Minoxidil was first introduced as the "miracle drug" to treat hair loss. Several people jumped onboard the Rogaine bandwagon because it helped them grow "new" hair to cover in their bald spots. The truth about Rogaine is that it does work; it just doesn't work for everyone. Some people can use it and see results within a month or two, others will use it for a year and they won't see any results at all. If Minoxidil doesn't work, you need to try a product that contains Finasteride. Finasteride is only sold through a prescription by your doctor.
Minoxidil works because it targets DHT (dihydrotestosterone), the hormone responsible for hair loss. DHT actually attacks the hair follicles and causes them to shrink. As the hair follicle begins shrinking, it is cut off from its nutrients and the hair starts to become thinner and weaker, over time, the hair follicle will shrivel up and die. If a hair follicle has died, you cannot revive it and grow hair from it again. Minoxidil will target the hair follicle before it is completely lost. It blocks DHT from completely closing off the hair follicle and it helps to keep it open so the proper nutrients can get into it. This will cause the hair follicle to produce more hair and over time this hair will get stronger.
Most people do see results when they use Minoxidil. There are a few side effects to Minoxidil like redness, itching, burning, and dryness of the scalp. The side effects will pass once your scalp gets used to Minoxidil. If the side effects worsen, you may need to stop using it and try another hair loss treatment method. Another bad side effect to Minoxidil is that it can cause unwanted hair growth in other areas on your body, like your forehead and upper lip. If the ointment drops onto your skin on your arms or other parts of your body, those hair follicles will start producing more hair. This could be a big problem for women that do not want hair in other areas besides their head.
When you start using Minoxidil, you will experience some hair loss in the beginning. This is completely normal because your body is shedding the older hair to make room for the newer, stronger hair. After a week or two, you will start to see new hair growth. Depending upon your hair growth, you could see hair growth that looks like "peach fuzz" for a few weeks while the hair gets longer. Some people only experience the budding hairs for a few days and then the hair gets longer.
Once you start using Minoxidil, you will need to use it for the rest of your life. If you stop using Minoxidil, your "new" hair will fall out within 6 months and you will go back to losing hair again. Since Minoxidil is a hair loss prevention method, you need to use it exactly as directed. Do not overdose by doing treatments 3-5 times a day, only do it as the package states.
You must be patient when using Minoxidil because it can take 3-4 months before you start to notice any hair growth. Whenever you try a hair loss prevention method, you need to give it at least a year to see if you have any results. Take pictures each month to compare your progress.
Finasteride (Propecia)
Another hair loss prevention method is called Finasteride. It is commonly known as the prescription drug, Propecia. Finasteride was originally used to treat enlarged prostate glands. Scientists quickly found that Finasteride actually promoted hair growth in males. Females should not use Finasteride, especially if they are pregnant. Propecia has been shown to cause problems to male fetuses if the product is used during pregnancy.
Finasteride works by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme is known for converting testosterone into DHT. As you already know, DHT causes hair loss. Finasteride lowers the level of DHT in the body, allowing the hair follicles to receive proper nutrients to grow hair. In essence, it reverses the hair loss cycle. If you have lost too much hair, such as hair on your hairline, Finasteride may not be able to help you. Finasteride like Minoxidil is used simply to help you keep the hair you already have. They cannot help you grow back the hair that is already gone and the hair follicle that has already died.
In order for Finasteride to work properly, you need to take the pill at the same time each day. Propecia is given in 1mg doses. There are some generic brands of Propecia on the market and you may need to cut up the pills on your own to obtain proper dosage. You can take the pill with or without food, but doctors do recommend that you take the pill with at least a full glass of water. Finasteride will be absorbed through the bloodstream and it will specifically target DHT. Most patients do not see unwanted hair growth in other regions of the body and they will start to see hair growth on the crown of the head (top and back of the head) within about 6 months.
Like Minoxidil, Finasteride is a lifetime commitment. Once you start taking the pill, you cannot stop or else you will lose all the hair you have already grown. Finasteride can be used in conjunction with Minoxidil to produce greater results. Both drugs work excellent for people that have bald spots or thinning hair on the top of their head. If you lose hair on your hairline and start getting widow's peaks, both drugs will not be able to help you. The only option you have at this point is to have expensive hair transplant surgery done.
Other Hair Loss Prevention Methods
So if Rogaine and Propecia don't seem like the route you want to try, you may want to look into some alternative treatments. For about $15 you can purchase a stimulating hair brush. This hair brush will gently massage your scalp as you brush your hair. The theory behind a stimulating hair brush is that it will cause the blood to flow to the scalp and the hair follicle will receive nourishment and start growing hair again. Many people also claim that the hair brushes improve their hair by making it stronger and longer.
Scalp massages are popular ideas for hair loss prevention. Many people feel like a scalp massage stimulates blood flow to the scalp and hair growth is able to grow faster. Scalp massages may help you keep your existing hair and it is a great way to reduce some of the stress you are carrying around.
Another treatment method is laser hair therapy. Laser hair therapy can cost around $1000 per session and you may need multiple sessions to cure your hair loss. Laser hair therapy works by transmitting energy through your scalp. This energy will be converted to cellular energy and red blood cells will start stimulating the hair follicles again. The hair follicles will receive proper nourishment and they will be able to produce more hair at a faster pace. The hair that is grown will also be stronger and longer than the hair you were previous growing.
Other people prefer to stick with the all-natural methods of stopping hair loss. These methods tend to include lots of vitamins that nourish the scalp. Eating a balanced diet will help your hair loss and getting lots of Vitamin A, D, and E can help to produce stronger, healthier hair. Using a few drops of almond oil or sesame oil will nourish your scalp. Some people use these oils when they are massaging their scalp. You can also try onion, garlic, or ginger juice to stimulate hair growth. If you use the juice and oils, be sure to give them plenty of time to soak into the scalp.
