Hair Treatment For Baldness

Hair loss or balding can be confusing and complicated. There are literally thousands of hair treatments that claim to regrow lost hair and prevent further loss. Very few of these treatments deliver on their promises and even fewer are scientifically proven to treat baldness. While this might be discouraging, there are still several safe and clinically proven hair loss treatments that will help slow or prevent pattern baldness.

Cause

According to the Hair Loss Learning Center, the majority of baldness conditions are caused by a genetic predisposition to androgenic alopecia or pattern hair loss and the presence of dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. In those predisposed to hair loss, testosterone converts to DHT and attacks hair follicles that are not genetically programmed to resist this androgenic hormone. DHT can be found in both men and women and is considered to be "the main culprit" of hair loss.

Treatment

There are two FDA-approved hair treatments for baldness.

The first treatment is minoxidil, colloquially known as Rogaine. It can be used by both men and women. It is applied two times a day to areas of thinning hair. According to the The International Association of Hair Restoration Surgery, minoxidil has been used for more 15 years in peer-reviewed studies. Surprisingly, how exactly minoxidil functions to restore hair remains somewhat of a mystery. Experts seem to think that minoxidil promotes hair growth by speeding up blood flow to the scalp.

The second treatment is finasteride, also known as Propecia. Finasteride is specifically for male pattern baldness and directly addresses the hormonal cause of male balding. The American Hair Loss Association (AHLA) documents that 65 percent of men experienced a significant increase in hair growth from finasteride. The AHLA considers it to be the very best medication for men experiencing pattern baldness.

A third, lesser-known treatment is ketoconazole shampoo. It can be used by both men and women. While it is generally used to treat excessive dandruff, it is also clinically proven to help treat balding. A study in the 1998 edition of the Journal of Dermatology titled "Ketoconazole: effect of long-term use in androgenic alopecia" concluded that ketoconazole was as effective as 2 percent minoxidil in increasing hair density. Doctors believe it will be beneficial in the long-term treatment of pattern baldness.

Expert Insight

It is generally regarded that finasteride and minoxidil are only beneficial at treating baldness on the crown or the vertex of the scalp. Dr. Robert Bernstein, professor of dermatology at Columbia University and certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, says otherwise. He states that both FDA-approved treatments will restore hair on the frontal hairline if that area still has hair remaining. He suggests that many users have come to believe that it is only effective on the top of the scalp because that is the area most sampled and tested in clinical trials.

Misconceptions

Dr. Bernstein also discusses many of the prevalent misconceptions on baldness on Bernsteinmedical.com. The doctor explains that DHT is the primary cause of balding, not wearing tight hats, shampooing too often, decreased blood flow to the scalp or clogged pores. He also states that it is a myth that only adult men experience baldness, as four out of every ten women will experience some degree of hair loss as well.

Warning

Dr. Bernstein regards finasteride to be well tolerated and safe, but notes that certain side effects may occur. These side effects are thought to be completely reversible. Bernsteinmedical.com states that 3.8 percent of men using 1 mg of finasteride experienced some form of sexual dysfunction in the form of either a loss of libido or erectile dysfunction. These symptoms were relieved by discontinuing the treatment.