There are countless hair loss treatments available, but only minoxidil and finasteride have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for their ability to regrow hair. That hasn't stopped people from trying a number of alternative methods, however, and while several have shown some promise, the majority of them are of little use.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil was the first drug to receive FDA approval in 1988. It was available only by prescription in a 2-percent solution. In 1996, minoxidil was approved as an over-the-counter drug. In 1998, minoxidil 5-percent solution was released and also was an over-the-counter drug. The latest minoxidil offering is the foam version, which was introduced in 2006. Minoxidil was originally developed as a treatment for hypertension, but during the testing phase researchers noticed that patients were growing hair.
Finasteride
Finasteride, which is sold as Propecia for hair loss, was approved by the FDA in 1997. Like minoxidil, finasteride was originally developed for a different use than hair loss, as it first was used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, the medical term for an enlarged prostate. Once again, researchers noticed patients participating in trials were showing signs of hair regrowth. The American Hair Loss Association recommends finasteride as its first choice when battling male pattern baldness, as it has yielded better overall results than minoxidil.
Nizoral
Nizoral shampoo is one of the few non-FDA-approved hair regrowth methods that can back up its claims with scientific data. The active ingredient, ketoconazole, helps prevent the buildup of sebum on the scalp, which leads to less shedding and thicker hair. Its main function, however, is as an anti-androgenic, which simply means it is able to prevent androgens--in this case dihydrotestosterone--from binding to the hair follicle. Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is the leading cause of male pattern baldness.
Saw Palmetto
When it comes to herbal hair loss products, saw palmetto is the most popular. Although there have been no large-scale mainstream studies on the use of saw palmetto for treating hair loss, the belief is that because saw palmetto acts in a manner similar to finasteride for treating prostate problems, it will have similar effects for dealing with hair loss.
A study conducted by Nelson Prager, Karen Bickett, Nita French and Geno Marcovici appeared in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in April 2002. The study tested 19 subjects between ages 23 and 64 with 400mg of saw palmetto and 100mg of Beta-sitosterol or a placebo to study the effects of the two on hair loss. At the end of the study, the researchers deemed 60 percent of those who had taken the saw palmetto and Beta-sitosterol as "improved" and recommended a larger-scale study should be conducted.
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