Whether you are a man or a woman, hair thinning is exceptionally distressing. The average person loses 50 to 100 hairs a day, so it is hard to even tell if you are just shedding or actually beginning to permanently lose hair. Dr. Glenn Charles, a hair restoration surgeon, says you will most likely not notice hair loss until 50 percent of your hair has already fallen out. But don't worry, there are effective treatments that can help restore your hair.
Step 1
Schedule an office visit with with your general practitioner. It is is imperative to identify the cause of your thinning hair before beginning medications. Male pattern hair thinning will be addressed by a different means than female pattern baldness. Do not skip this step.
Step 2
Discuss taking finasteride with your health practitioner if you are a male. Finasteride is an FDA-approved medication that is ingested once a day for the treatment of androgenic alopecia in males. Finasteride is offered by prescription only and is not for use by women. Take one 1mg tablet per day if you are prescribed finasteride.
The American Hair Loss Association reports that pattern hair thinning, or hormonal male-pattern baldness, is the main reason for hair loss in 95 percent of adult men. Male balding is triggered by the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) attacking and thinning hairs that are not able or genetically programmed to resist DHT. After many months of this progressive cycle, the result is thinning hair. The American Hair Loss Association states that finasteride can decrease DHT levels by an estimated 60 percent. Decreased DHT levels means a lesser amount of baldness and potential restoration of hair follicles. In addition, The American Hair Loss Association regards finasteride as "the first line of attack" for men who want to treat their hair loss and try to restore their hair.
Step 3
Apply over-the-counter minoxidil as an alternative to prescription medication. The FDA approves 5 percent strength minoxidil for males and 2 percent minoxidil for women. Apply 1ml of minoxidil one to two times per day, ideally in the morning and at night.
The American Hair Loss Association says that minoxidil was the initial FDA-approved medication for pattern hair thinning. Hairsite.com notes that although minoxidil has been used for over 20 years, how it work is still not quite understood. Minoxidil is believed to improve blood flow to the head. Better cutanenous blood flow gives the scalp an environment favorable to potential hair restoration.
Step 4
Try ketoconazole shampoo, which can be used by both men and women. Most shampoos are ineffective at treating hair loss and restoring hair, but ketoconazole has been scientifically tested to help treat thinning hair from androgenic alopecia.
In a Belgian university study titled "Ketoconazole: effect of long-term use in androgenic alopecia" available in the 1998 edition of the Journal of Dermatology, doctors confirmed that ketoconazole improved hair thickness as much as 2 percent minoxidil. Belgian scientists concluded that ketoconazole can be helpful in the overall treatment of of male-pattern hair thinning.
Tips and Warnings
- Use finasteride everyday. Use minoxidil everyday. Use ketoconazole shampoo every day for two weeks and then every third day to help remove DHT from your scalp. If after 12 months you are not satisfied with your hair density, a hair restoration procedure can offer a permanent treatment.
- If minoxidil gets in your eyes, thoroughly rinse them with water.
Things You'll Need
- Finasteride
- Minoxidil
- Ketoconazole shampoo
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