Thinning hair is likely be awfully stressful. Dr. Glenn Charles, elite hair restoration surgeon and member of the coalition of independent hair restoration surgeons, reports that you just generally come to spot thinning hair on the scalp after 50 percent of the hair has already shed. Though this can be quite distressing, hang in there; there are several dependable and helpful treatment options that may be used by both men and women to stop thinning hair.
Step 1
Schedule an appointment with with your physician. It is is critical to learn the source of your balding prior to pursuing any remedies. Male pattern hair thinning will generally be cared for in a different way than women's pattern baldness.
Step 2
Talk with your health-care professional about finasteride. Finasteride is an FDA-approved tablet that is swallowed one time a day for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Finasteride is accessible by a medical professional's prescription exclusively. Finasteride is only for men.
The American Hair Loss Association reports that genetic male baldness, or hereditary male pattern hair loss, is the sole reason for hair thinning in more than 95 percent of men. Male balding is triggered by the male hormone Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, attaching to and shrinking hairs that are not able to withstand DHT. After many months, this leads to thinning hair. The American Hair Loss Association notes that finasteride can cut Dihydrotestosterone amounts by almost 60 percent. Lower DHT amounts equal a significantly smaller quantity of hair falling out. Additionally, The American Hair Loss Association deems finasteride as "the first line of attack" for men interested in treating hair thinning.
Step 3
Buy minoxidil from your food store or neighborhood pharmacy. The American Hair Loss Association explains that minoxidil was the earliest FDA-approved remedy for pattern hair thinning. HairSite states that minoxidil is the most purchased thinning hair medication in the world. Although the precise "mechanisms" of the drug are still unclear, minoxidil is believed to increase cutaneous blood flow on the areas affected by hair loss. Greater cutaneous blood flow provides an environment favorable to preventing hair thinning and potential hair maturation.
The FDA approves 5 percent strength minoxidil for adult men and 2 percent minoxidil for adult women. The usual treatment of minoxidil is one or two applications of 1 ml of topical solution applied two times each day to areas of thinning hair.
Step 4
Get ketoconazole from your local grocery store or local pharmacy. Ketoconazole is the working ingredient in Nizoral shampoo and is scientifically established to help to remedy hair thinning. In a Belgian peer-reviewed study titled "Ketoconazole: effect of long-term use in androgenic alopecia" available in the 1998 version of the Journal of Dermatology, researchers established that ketoconazole shampoo enhanced hair thickness and the amount of hairs in their growth cycle just as much as 2 percent strength minoxidil. The researchers established that ketoconazole shampoo can be helpful in the long-term treatment of androgenic alopecia. The shampoo can be used by both men and women.
Tips and Warnings
- Apply minoxidil after you shower and your hair is dry. Remember to take finasteride every day if you are prescribed it. Keep the ketoconazole shampoo on your head for 3 to 5 minutes to let it absorb.
- Finasteride is only for men. Finasteride was found in a Merck study mentioned on the Propecia website to cause loss of libido in 3 percent of men.
Things You'll Need
- Finasteride
- Minoxidil
- Ketoconazole shampoo
References
- Charlesmedicalgroup.com: Hair Transplant Hair Restoration Facts; Frequently asked questions
- American Hair Loss Association: Men's Hair Loss / Introduction
- American Hair Loss Association: Men's Hair Loss / Treatment
- Hairsite: Rogaine
- PubMed; Dermatology; Ketoconazole Shampoo: Effect of Long-Term Use in Androgenic Alopecia; 1998
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