Dr. Victor Hasson and Dr. Jerry Wong, elite hair restoration surgeons and members of the International Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (IAHRS) and the American Hair Loss Association (AHA) report that 99 percent of all hair loss in males is caused by androgenic alopecia or genetic male pattern baldness. Androgenic alopecia in females or female pattern baldness does not have as clear of a cause, but is also thought to involved an oversensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). If you are experiencing hair loss and want to regrow hair, consult your doctor and become familiar with the treatments that can help you.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is an FDA-approved hair regrowth treatment that both men and women can use. It is topically applied two times a day to areas of thinning hair. Minoxidil is available over-the-counter a most grocery store and drug stores in the United States. HairSite reports that minoxidil is the number one purchased hair loss formula in the world.
Minoxidil is thought to promote hair regrowth by increasing cutaneous blood flow to the scalp, but even after 15 years of use and clinic testing -- this theory is still debated. Omnimedicalsearch reports that about 48 percent of men and women should expect moderate to dense hair regrowth from applying minoxidil to the top of their scalp. Minoxidil was totally ineffective for only 16 percent of users.
Finasteride
Finasteride is a prescription medication that is used specifically to treat male pattern baldness. It is not for women. Finasteride is taken once a day continuous and treats hair loss and promotes hair regrowth but decreasing DHT levels in the body. The American Hair Loss Association deems finasteride "the first line of attack" for men trying to regrow their hair and prevent further hair loss since it directly addresses the DHT source.
Omnimedicalsearch claims that two out of three men are successful in regrowing hair when taking 1mg of finasteride. Even more promising, nine of ten men either regrew hair or stopped their hair loss. Finasteride must be taken continuously or your previous rate of hair loss will resume.
Ketoconazole Shampoo
Although most hair regrowth shampoo are ineffective and unsupported by clinical studies, ketoconazole is a clinically tested effective treatment for androgenic alopecia. A Belgian university study published in the Journal of Dermatology found ketoconazole applied topically to be as effective as 2 percent minoxidil at treating hair loss and increasing the proportion of hair follicles that are growing. Belgian researchers concluded that ketoconazole shampoo could be effective in the long-term treatment of androgenic alopecia or hair loss caused by DHT.
Ketoconazole shampoo can be found in most grocery stores and drugs stores. It can be used by both men and women to combat hair loss and regrow hair.
References
- American Hair Loss Association: Men's Hair Loss / Causes of Hair Loss
- American Hair Loss Association: Men's Hair Loss / Treatment
- Omnimedicalsearch: Finasteride (Propecia) for Hair Loss
- HairSite: Rogaine
- PubMed; Dermatology; Ketoconazole Shampoo: Effect of Long-Term Use in Androgenic Alopecia; 1998
- Omnimedicalsearch: Minoxidil (Rogaine)
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