Hair Loss Restoration

Hair loss can be stressful and difficult. There are hundreds of hair loss treatments that can make the process confusing. Thankfully, there are effective treatments that can help men and women prevent further loss and restore their hair. While these treatments will be effective for many, some may still be in search of a permanent solution. Whatever the case may be, there are safe and effective ways to restore your hair.

Causes

The Foundation of Hair Restoration reports that although there many reasons for hair loss, 95 percent of the cases are from a condition called "androgenic alopecia." Androgenic alopecia is a genetic condition that is caused by the male hormone dihydrotestosterone attacking and progressive shrinking otherwise healthy hair follicles. Over time, this results in pattern hair thinning.

Effective Treatments

Although there are literally hundreds of hair loss treatments from special shampoos to laser combs, there are only less than a handful that are scientifically proven to restore hair.

Minoxidil is an FDA-approved topical solution for the treatment of androgenic alopecia. HairSite reports that minoxidil has been used for over 20 years by males and females. Although the exact "mechanisms" still are not quite understood, minoxidil is generally thought to help restore hair by increasing blood flow to the scalp.

Finasteride is an FDA-approved oral medication for the treatment of male pattern baldness. It should not be used by women. It is available by prescription only. Finasteride works by reducing DHT levels, the main hormone that causes hair loss. According to the American Hair Loss Association, finasteride can reduce your DHT levels by 60 percent.

Ketoconazole shampoo is an over-the-counter shampoo that can help prevent hair loss and restore hair. It can be using by both males and females. In a 1998 Belgian study "Ketoconazole: effect of long-term use in androgenic alopecia" published in the Journal of Dermatology, researchers found that ketoconazole shampoo improved hair density and the proportion of hair in the growth phase as much as 2 percent minoxidil. They conclude that it would be effective in the long-term treatment of androgenic alopecia or pattern baldness.

Expert Insight

While finasteride and minoxidil are FDA-approved to regrow hair on the vertex or crown of the hair, they "definitely can" regrow hair on the frontal hairline according to Dr. Robert Bernstein, hair restoration surgeon Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University. Bernstein explains that FDA requires that both minoxidil and finasteride indicate that they have only been tested on the scalp, but should restore hair on other areas of the scalp so long as their is still hair remaining in those areas. Dr. Bernstein recommends that males stay on finasteride and minoxidil for 12 months before considering hair restoration surgery.

Misconceptions

There are still several popular myths about what causes hair loss. Bill Falceros, Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center, dispels some of these popular misconceptions. Hair loss is not caused by wearing a tight fitting hat. Hair loss is not caused by stress. The myth that cutting or shaving your hair will make it thicker may be true for facial hair, but it is not true for scalp hair.

Permanent Solution

Although hair loss treatments can help prevent further hair loss and regrow hair in many cases, only a hair transplantation procedure offers a permanent solution. The Foundation for Hair Restoration describes the procedure. Hairs are taken from the "donor area" that contains hairs that are not susceptible to androgenic alopecia. These hairs are moved to areas where hair has thinned or become bald. The transplanted hairs will continue to grow for a lifetime and will not thin.