The causes of hair loss vary between stress, hormonal imbalances, malnutrition, genetics, skin disease, scarring and infection. Depending on the cause, the treatments can change as well. Before deciding how to treat your specific case of hair loss, first decide what exactly is causing it. Once you have found the trigger, proceed to the appropriate form of therapy or medicine.
Common Balding Medicine
Androgenetic alopecia, better known as male pattern or common baldness, results from an inherited, premature maturational cycle that causes hair to enter in the resting/non-growth phase earlier in life than normal. It mostly affects males and is the most common form of permanent hair loss.
According to August 2008 research at Harvard Medical School, there currently exists only two FDA-approved drugs for androgenetic alopecia available on the market: minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia).
Both are expensive and require you to take them for the rest of your life to potentially slow hair loss and resume hair growth. Research at the Mayo Clinic suggests Propecia may be more effective; however, because it can seriously harm the womb, child-bearing women should not consider Propecia as an option for hair loss.
Surgery
Individuals with scarring alopecia, or cicatricial alopecia, may want to consider scalp reduction surgery, which removes the bald layer of the scalp and pulls over a healthier layer in place of it. Because of the elasticity of the skin, surgeons can perform the surgery without any significantly noticeable side effects.
Harvard Medical Center says hair transplant techniques have vastly improved over the years since approval by the FDA in 1997. Hair transplants work by attempting to plant and redevelop hair follicles in bald portions of the scalp. Unfortunately, both surgical procedures can be timely, taking several procedures over six to eight months, and the cost is $8,000 to $12,000, depending on severity.
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
In the case of skin diseases, scarring alopecia or other incidences where hair loss is due to inflammation, doctors may prescribe oral or topical creams involving steroids, or corticosteroids, to help increase your immune response and to reduce inflammation of the scalp, according to research at the Mayo Clinic. Depending on the infection, new hair can develop in as little as four weeks.
Anti-fungal Medicine
For individuals with hair loss due to ringworm or other fungal infections, anti-fungal medicine, usually oral or topical, can be picked up either by prescription or over-the-counter to kill the fungus and allow for redevelopment of hair growth.
Proper Diet
When hair loss occurs because of a lack of nutrients, supplements such as iron, protein, silica or vitamin B-12 can help your hair follicles begin growing again. Also, simply modifying your diet to include these nutrient sources through cereal, meat or fish can help.
Overcoming Stress
Extremely stressful situations, like fever, pregnancy, emotional distress or significant loss, can produce hormonal imbalances leading into hair loss. Once the stressor is removed, hair growth will resume but it may take up to six months for total recovery.
Even worse, hair loss may not even show for up to three months after the stressor is removed. In the instance of a hormonal balance due to stress, time may be the best medicine. Even in the case of chemotherapy, hair growth resumes as cells begin to pick up their normal growing cycle.
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