Hundreds of hair loss solutions litter the Internet, late night television and the shelves of health food stores. If you are just starting to experience hair thinning or are considering a product for treatment of male pattern baldness, you might be confused on where to start and what to purchase. Thankfully, the best and most effective hair products for baldness are also the most tested, most popular and also backed by scientific research.
It is important to consult with your doctor about the cause of your hair loss before attempting to treat it.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil, formerly patented as "Rogaine," is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved topical solution that is among the best hair products for baldness. Minoxidil is available over the counter and is applied one or two times a day.
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery cites a year-long study funded by Pfizer Group that confirms the effectiveness of 5 percent minoxidil in treating male pattern baldness. Every three months, over the course of a year, hair counts were taken of hairs lost during washing. At the beginning of the study, men averaged 69.7 hairs lost while washing. After a year, the average had fallen to 33.8 hairs lost. This is evidence of 5 percent minoxidil being effective for hair loss prevention. In the study, minoxidil also stimulated hair growth. Dermatologists found in 62 percent of the patients treated with minoxidil that hair loss areas became visibly smaller. Results of the study were reported at a 2004 meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Propecia
Propecia, like minoxidil, is FDA-approved and among the best products for baldness. Propecia is the patented name for 1 mg of finasteride. It is for men and sold by prescription only as a small brown tablet to be taken daily.
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery details a five-year study led by Dr. Keith Kaufman in accordance with Merck. At the end of the first year, men taking Propecia had an average of 126 more hairs than men who did not. Researchers reported that the annual differential in hair counts continued to grow. By the fifth year, the net difference in hair counts was 277 hairs in favor of the men taking Propecia. Perhaps most significant, 65 percent of men who used Propecia either maintained or improved their hair count while all of the men who used the placebo continued to lose hair. Results of the study were reported at a 2001 meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Ketoconazole Shampoo
Ketoconazole shampoo is among the best hair products for baldness. Although FDA-approved for the treatment of excessive dandruff, ketoconazole is scientifically proven to help treat male pattern baldness. It is available in most grocery stores as the main ingredient in Nizoral shampoo.
A 1998 Belgian study published in the "Journal of Dermatology" found ketoconazole to have "almost similarly" the effect of 2 percent strength minoxidil on increasing hair density in men with male pattern baldness. Belgian researchers suggest that ketoconazole is promising in the long-term treatment of androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness.
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