When it comes to finding remedies to stop hair loss and regrow hair, your options seem limitless. Between the internet and health food stores, thousands of herbs, vitamins, minerals, devices, and shampoos claim to stop hair loss and regrow hair. But which remedies actually work? It turns out the most traditional remedies are also the most safe and effective.
Propecia
Propecia is 1mg of oral finasteride and is an FDA approved remedy for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Propecia works by reducing DHT levels in the body. DHT is a male sex hormone, found to be responsible for hair thinning in those who suffer from androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness. It is the first and only FDA approved anti-baldness pill in the world, according to Hairsite.
Hairsite highlights several clinical trial that documented Propecia's effect on male pattern hair loss. In a 24 month study, 83 percent of males reported that their hair count either increased or remained the same, indicating no further loss. In another 24 month trial sponsored by Merck Pharmaceuticals published in the 1998 Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, researchers found that 1 mg of finasteride "improved scalp hair by all evaluations" and led to "clinically significant increases in hair" at the end of 12 months and also the end of 24 months.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is an FDA approved remedy for the treatment of male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness. It is very important that you and your doctor determine the cause of your hair loss before seeking remedies to treat it. According to Hairsite, minoxidil is the most popular hair loss remedy in the world. You may be familiar with minoxidil under the former Upjohn patent name Rogaine.
Hairsite highlights a one year observational study conducted by Dr. Jerry Shapiro at the University of British Columbia. Dermatologists kept track of the number of hairs lost while washing over the course of the year. At the beginning of the study, men shed an average of 69.7 hairs when washing. After 12 months, men shed an average of 33.8 hairs when washing. Since a small of amount of daily hair shedding is expected for anyone, a 50 percent reduction in hairs lost while showering can be very significant.Also, balding areas got larger in only 2.9 percent of patients. The other 97.1 percent either regrew hair or maintained their initial hair count.
Ketoconazole shampoo
Ketoconazole shampoo is less familiar remedy that will stop hair loss and regrow hair. Ketoconazole is an FDA approved remedy for the treatment of excessive dandruff, but has been scientifically proved to treat hair loss as well as 2 percent strength minoxidil. It is available in the same aisle of your local grocery store or pharmacy as minoxidil under the brand name "Nizoral" shampoo.
Researchers at the University of Liège in Belgium found that ketoconazole shampoo improved hair density and the amount of hairs in the anagen, or growth phase "almost similarly" to 2 percent strength minoxidil. Belgian scientists noted in the 1998 Journal of Dermatology that ketoconazole shampoo may be a promising remedy in the long term treatment of male pattern hair loss.
References
- Hairsite: Propecia Finasteride Hair Loss Treatment
- Springer Link: Safety of Topical Minoxidil Solution: A One-Year, Prospective, Observational Study
- Eblue: Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenic alopecia
- Hairsite: Rogaine
- PubMed; Dermatology; Ketoconazole Shampoo: Effect of Long-Term Use in Androgenic Alopecia; 1998
Member Comments