Lotions and Medications

A number of pharmaceutical products are available that affect the structure and working of the hair follicle itself enabling it to support the growth of healthy hair again.  These medications come in the form of lotions or as tablets to be taken with water.  There are prescription as well as over the counter drugs available to counter hair loss.  The prescription drugs are stronger, show a more remarkable difference than the over the counter types that are less effective but also carry less chances of side effects.

Minoxidil or Rogaine (Brand Name) is a hair growth stimulant that is applied topically to stimulate the follicles to grow hair.  Minoxidil or Rogaine is available as a lotion, hair spray, gel or foam and has shown to regrow hair in hereditary pattern baldness in men as well as in women. Minoxidil is dose dependent, meaning that to maintain the benefits to the hair the application of Minoxidil should be continued. Minoxidil 2% takes about at least 4 months of regular usage to show results whereas Minoxidil 5% may show positive results as soon as in 45 days.  Minoxidil 5% should not be used by women.

Retin-A by Ortho Pharmaceutical is a less familiar product that is used alone and in combination with minoxidil to treat male pattern baldness.  Retin-A increases the amount of minoxidil reaching the hair follicle cells thus some believe it works better.

Another solution known as Xandrox, used as an alternative to Rogaine, is manufactured with different percentages of Retin-A, minoxidil and azelaic acid. A doctor or pharmacist should be consulted to advise the suitable formula for you.

Finasteride or Propecia is the only ‘take-one-a-day’ tablet that is taken as a treatment for hair loss in men due to Male Pattern Baldness.  Finasteride stops the male hormone Testosterone from converting into DHT (dihydrotestosterone).  Dihydrotestosterone has been linked to hair fall in men genetically predisposed to Male Pattern Baldness. It is a prescription drug and is only prescribed for men with no liver complications.  It is not recommended for women or children.

Hair Replacement Systems

Hair replacement systems are hair additions or any external hair-bearings attached to the scalp or existing hair to cover bald spots or thinning hair. This category covers toupees, hairpieces, hair weaves, hair extensions and partial hair prostheses. These systems may consist of human hair, synthetic fiber or a combination of both.  More popular nowadays are partial hair additions which are secured in a number of ways to the existing hair.  Some of the techniques used are fusion, cabling, bonding and weaving.

The last and usually the most expensive treatment would be:

Hair Transplantation

Hair transplantation is the surgical procedure of removing small plugs or hair bearing pieces of scalp from the thick hair on the sides and back of the head called the donor site.  These plugs are then inserted into punched holes on the bald or thinned out area of the head. There are several other types of hair transplant surgeries like scalp expansion, reduction and flaps etc. Hair transplants are done by cosmetic surgeons and great care should be taken while choosing a surgeon and a procedure.

What Is Male Pattern Baldness?

Male pattern baldness is the predominant type of hair loss in men and accounts for 95% of all male hair loss.  It advances in a predictable progression starting with the receding hair line and thinning of hair at the crown and ending up with a fringe of hair around the back of the head.  PROPECIA specifically targets the cause of Male Pattern Baldness stops hair loss and even promotes re-growth!

PROPECIA Pro-Hair

After a five year clinical study PROPECIA is the only ‘take-one-a-day’ tablet that has been approved by the FDA as a treatment for hair loss in men due to Male Pattern Baldness.

PROPECIA (finasteride) checks the male hormone Testosterone from converting into DHT (dihydrotestosterone).  Dihydrotestosterone has been linked to hair fall in men genetically predisposed to Male Pattern Baldness.

Each hair grows from a hair follicle which is a sac like structure embedded in the skin and contains the live part of the hair.  DHT reduces the size of the hair follicle until it is unable to support healthy visible hair.  PROPECIA inhibits the enzyme 5-alpha reductase from converting testosterone into DHT thus treating hair loss at the very basic level of hormones.

The 5 years clinical study of PROPECIA showed the efficacy and safety of the drug on 1,553 men aged between 18-41 years with mild to moderate hair loss.  9 out of 10 men who took PROPECIA showed visible result assessed by an independent panel of dermatologists.  Out of those taking PROPECIA 48% showed visible re-growth measured by hair count and 42% showed no further hair loss.  As compared to the men taking PROPECIA all men on the placebo (sugar pill) exhibited hair loss.  Majority of men on PROPECIA reported slowing down of hair loss, improvement in the appearance of hair and reduction in the size of the bald spot. A large majority of men taking PROPECIA were pronounced improved by doctors.  PROPECIA showed significant improvement in both the crown area and the hairline.

Another positive result of PROPECIA is that it grows healthy natural hair and not light fuzz.

PROPECIA like any other prescription drug should be taken with your doctor’s consent.  PROPECIA comes in 1mg tablets which should be taken daily with a glass of water with or without food.  The PROPECIA tablet should be only taken by men with no liver complications.

PROPECIA only treats hair loss in men and does not treat female hair loss.  PROPECIA should NOT be taken by women or children.  It is only advised for men over 18 and should be prescribed by a medical practitioner.

Finally after long and hard searches by mankind for a cure for hair loss Merck has come up with PROPECIA a true cure for men facing hair loss and baldness handed over to them through hereditary.  Now with PROPECIA men have a choice, they can keep their hair on!

Androgenetic Alopecia or Male Pattern Baldness affects roughly 50% of men (this is the main cause of the usual pattern of balding seen as men age) and just as many women over the age of 40.

Minoxidil is an antihypertensive vasodilatory medication and was prescribed to high blood pressure patients. When it was observed that excessive hair growth was a side effect the prayers of many a bald men were answered.  Minoxidil 2% under the brand name of Rogaine was approved by FDA and made available to the public in 1988 as a prescription drug.  After eight years the status of Rogaine was changed from prescription to over the counter drug as no doubt the side effects presented were none more that a skin irritation in some users.

In one clinical study on men aged between 18 and 50 years of age with Male Pattern Baldness half the men applied minoxidil 5% solution while the other half were given a placebo.  After 32 weeks the men using minoxidil 5% had an increase of 39 hair/cm² as compared to 5 hair/cm² in men who used a placebo.

It is not fully understood how minoxidil works but it is believed that it widens blood vessels and allows more blood, oxygen and nutrients into the hair follicle thus reversing their shrinkage and allowing for healthier and thicker hair.

Minoxidil or Rogaine is available in 5% solution for men and in 2% solution for women.  It is available as a scalp lotion, foam, a gel and even in the form of a shampoo.

Rogaine is to be applied twice a day onto dry hair and scalp.  Initially there may even be more hair loss before improvement is seen.  It seems to work best on men who had been experiencing hair loss for less than 10 years with a balding patch under 4 inches across with some hairs in the middle of the balding patch.

Rogain is a dose dependent drug i.e its effects only last as long as the drug (in form of topical application in this case) is used.  Rogaine loses its effect and the hair loss starts again once the application has stopped for around 30 days.

What was once thought to be an impossible feat—growing new hair against Androgenetic alopecia has now been a reality for more than 3 decades now.  What is more reassuring is that no serious side effects have ever been reported during this time for the topical hair loss treatment Rogaine.

The Procedure

After your first consultation with the cosmetic surgeon and deciding on the number of sessions, blood work is usually done.  On the day of the transplant under local anesthetic a portion of scalp measuring about 1 cm x 30 – 35 cm from an area with dense hair is removed.  The donor areas are usually the back of the head or the sides.  The donor portion is then divided into single hair or sometimes tiny groups of hair.  These are now called plugs or grafts.  Tiny holes are then punched in the thinned out or bald areas of the scalp.  These plugs are then inserted into the punched holes where they bond with clotting.  Thinner hair is inserted at the front of the scalp while the thicker at the back mimicking the grading of nature.  2000 to 3,500 hair can be inserted in a one to two hour procedure.  The hair can take five to six months to settle.  This procedure can produce a noticeable difference in the re-growth and density of hair permanently in a relatively short time.  With the help of the right surgeon with the right experience, no one can detect you had a hair transplant.

Hair transplantation is also done with artificial hair and is marketed for Male Pattern Baldness.  In this technique synthetic fibres are implanted in to the scalp under local anesthetic.  This method however is not recommended by most experts as it carries with it a high risk of infection and scarring.

Another exciting and new advancement in hair transplant is cloning or multiplication. In this technique a small number of patient’s hair cells are taken and multiplied in the lab.  These hair cells are then injected into the scalp in the thinning and bald areas.  This is still a very new technique and is still undergoing clinical trials.  In one of the initial trials 58% of patients undergoing this procedure grew new hair six months after the treatment.  This technique has a long time before it is introduced to general public.

There are other surgical techniques also available that reduce the area of the scalp thus reducing the bald spot.  In another procedure known as the Flap a whole flap of dense hair bearing skin from the back of the head is attached to the front of the head giving a sudden growth of dense hair at the front hair line.  This method like others has its benefits and drawbacks.

Hair replacement systems are hair additions or any external hair-bearings attached to the scalp or existing hair to cover bald spots or thinning hair. This category covers toupees, hairpieces, hair weaves, hair extensions and partial hair prostheses. These systems may consist of human hair, synthetic fiber or a combination of both.  More popular nowadays are partial hair additions which are secured in a number of ways to the existing hair.  Some of the techniques used are fusion, cabling, bonding and weaving.

Do not think for a moment that these systems are a cheaper alternative to other solutions for hair loss.  With hair replacement systems you get what you pay for and natural doesn’t come cheap.  The more natural looking the piece the more invisible its attachment system the more expensive it’s going to get.  You should also factor in the maintenance and the adhesive or attachment accessories.

One of the best and most natural looking of the hair replacement system is the second skin membrane system.  The secret to its very natural look is the individual tied or looped strands of hair which are woven into a very thin co-polymer membrane, because of this it is very hard to tell the difference between the second skin membrane system and a real head of hair.  However these systems are very delicate and have to be replaced a few times a year.  This is most definitely the better and more natural choice for men facing hair loss as compared to old toupee or wigs.

The lace hair replacement system one of the most expensive systems is by and far one of the most natural looking system. To tell the difference between this hair replacement system and real hair is virtually impossible as each hair looks surely to be growing out of the scalp itself.  But the reality is that the hair is really only just knotted into the lace. The lace hair replacement system makes a very natural looking hairline and thus is most suitable for men as well as for women.

It is also healthier as it allows the skin of your scalp to breathe. The lace hair replacement system is very lightweight and comfortable to wear. Depending on how often you wear it, you may need to replace this as many as 2 -4 times each year.

If your hair loss is due to illness or chemotherapy or physical abnormalities, these hair replacement systems are a boost to your self confidence and help you feel more at ease with yourself.

As there are more chances in males to get bald than the females. Each two of the three men is facing hair loss. They lose 65 to 100 hair in a day. Imbalanced diet and hereditary are the main causes of hair loss. Few people who are having cancer treatment also face this kind of dilemma. Other reasons include thyroid and iron deficiency. A large amount of the drug intake can also result in this predicament.

There is a herbal hair tonic available which is being used by a number of people. It helps to slowly increase in the number of hair and also in their thickness. There are also some shampoos accessible which can help you to get rid of hair loss problem. These shampoos include Aqua glycolic shampoo, biotin shampoo, Nano shampoo, nioxin shampoo, thicker fuller hair shampoo, tricomin shampoo and conditioner, silica shampoo and Dercap/Aminexil shampoo. The names of the hair loss concealers available are Dermmatch, the great coverup, pro THIK spray, toppik hair building fiber and COUVRe Alopecia Masking lotion. On the other hand names of the hair removal systems are forever free hair remover, Kalo hair removal, laser hair remover. Whereas there are also other products which include COUVRe hair brush, COUVRe protein hair expander, HR29 thinning Hair Supplement, Hydro plexx pac, Luftek Natural hair.

These are the products which you can buy through internet. Some are also available in the market. All of them are manufactured after great research and they have benefited many. If you have this problem then you can make use of any of these products. Many people have tried a number of products. As one is afraid of the surgeries or the laser treatment so he chooses to use these as an alternative. With it surgeries are very expensive and a common man is not able to do it. For this he has to find another way which is definitely of using the products.

One of the most common conditions causing hair loss in both men and women is called Telogen Effluvium.  In this condition there is an overall shedding of hair of the head and body.  This condition usually begins suddenly with hair loss continuing for around six months and then the hair loss stops and hair density is regained.  Telogen Effluvium is caused by the reaction of the body to intense stress, hormonal changes or medication.  As this condition appears a while after its trigger it is hard to relate it to its cause in the first place.  Some women with Telogen Effluvium can be diagnosed as neurotic or over anxious.  A lot of people go through this condition at one time or another in their life, either caused by sickness, stress or as a side-effect to a medication.  Hair lost due to Telogen Effluvium re-grows when the stressor or trigger is removed.

Another very common cause of hair loss in women is Androgenetic Alopecia.  Androgenetic Alopecia commonly known as Male Pattern Baldness is referred to as Female Pattern Baldness when occurring in women.  This condition occurs in a set pattern and in women it is characterized by an overall thinning of hair on the front and top of the head. Hair loss in women due to Androgenetic Alopecia is related to their hereditary and hormonal changes. It affects approximately 50% of women over the age of 40.  It can also affect women below 40.  But after menopause this condition can affect as many as 75% of women.  Although in women Androgenetic Alopecia does not cause complete baldness but in some post-menopausal women hair loss is more severe and may come close to baldness.

Anagen Effluvium is a pathological condition causing hair loss.  This condition is the result of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer.  The hair loss is reversed when the treatment is discontinued.

Another cause of hair loss in women is called Alopecia Areata commonly known as spot baldness.  In this condition small patches of hair fall off and leave the head with small bald spots ranging in size from a small chickpea to a large circular patch and in some rare cases loss of hair is complete.  This condition is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the hair follicle causing hair loss.  This condition usually rights itself within months but sometimes spontaneous recovery may take years.

A condition known as Trichotillomania affects close to 3.4% women.  It is a psychological disorder where a person feels compelled to pull out her/his own hair during times of stress or depression.  This condition may cause thinning of hair or bald spots or may progress to a completely bald head.  Trichotillomania when chronic can be difficult to treat.

A rare disorder known as Cicatrical Alopecia affects men and women of all ages and races. It is a devastating and permanent type of hair loss where hair follicles get destroyed and form scar tissue beneath the skin.  This condition may form small bald patches or may even cover the head. Unfortunately there is no cure found for this condition as yet.

Male Pattern Baldness or Androgenic Alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss in men and in women.  In men it accounts for about 95% of all hair loss cases. This condition in men is characterized by the gradual thinning of hair starting at the hair line and thinning of hair at the crown.  The hair line begins to recede and the crown loses all visible hair. This slowly progresses to complete loss of hair on the top of the head and the crown and only a horse shaped fringe remains at the back and sides of the head.

MPB or Male Pattern Baldness usually starts at the age of 30 but sometimes it may start in the early 20s or even during teenage years.

Causes of Male Pattern Baldness

A number of genetic factors cause Male Pattern Baldness.  Along with advancing age and an inherited tendency this condition is caused by an excess of the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) within the hair follicle. DHT is a highly active form of testosterone. This hormone causes the hair follicles to make thinner and thinner hair until they eventually pack up completely.  Technically, most follicles are still alive and able to produce new hair although weaker and thinner. In Male Pattern Baldness the growing phase of the hair known as anagen progressively becomes shorter and thus more hair is shed. The hair in the resting phase known as telogen becomes thin and cannot survive the daily wear and tear. Healthy and thick hair in the balding areas slowly changes from long, thick, colored hair into fine, un-pigmented, fuzzy hair.

Other Causes of Hair Loss

Telogen Effluvium is another cause of hair loss in men and in women. Telogen Effluvium is caused by the reaction of the body to intense stress, hormonal changes or medication.  As this condition appears a while after its trigger it is hard to relate it to its cause in the first place.  A lot of people go through this condition at one time or another in their life, either caused by sickness, stress or as a side-effect to a medication.  Hair lost due to Telogen Effluvium re-grows when the stressor or trigger is removed.

Some other cause for hair loss in men could be:

• Hypothyroidism
• Anemia
• Chemotherapy
• Fungal infections and
• Side-effect of a prescription drug

A rare disorder known as Cicatrical Alopecia affects men and women of all ages and races. It is a devastating and permanent type of hair loss where hair follicles get destroyed and form scar tissue beneath the skin.  This condition may form small bald patches or may even cover the head. Unfortunately there is no cure found for this condition as yet.

Dutasteride or Avodart (brand name) is an enzyme inhibiting drug.  Dutasteride blocks the action of 5-alpha-reductase enzymes which act as a catalyst to convert testosterone into dihydrotestosterone or DHT.  Finasteride, or Propecia (brand name) is also in the same class of drugs and inhibits the 5-alpha-reductase enzymes, but where as finestride inhibits only type I isoform of the enzyme Dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II isoform of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme.

Dutasteride is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).  It is also prescribed for the Male Pattern Baldness in men. Some clinical results have indicated that dutasteride at both 0.5 mg and 2.5 mg/day produced a superior hair count and better hair quality as compared to finasteride 5 mg at weeks 12 and 24.

Male Pattern Baldness and Dutasteride

Male pattern baldness is the predominant type of hair loss in men and accounts for 95% of all male hair loss.  It advances in a predictable progression starting with the receding hair line and thinning of hair at the crown and ending up with a fringe of hair around the back of the head.

It has been found that among other genetic and aging factors one thing that is most common in men with Male Pattern Baldness is an excess of DHT dihydrotestosterone found in the hair follicles. DHT dihydrotestosterone is a much stronger form of testosterone.  This dihydrotestosterone affects the structure and functioning of the hair follicle, reducing it in size so much so that it cannot support a healthy hair, causing gradual and permanaent hair loss known as Androgenic Alopecia or Male Pattern Baldness.  The production of dihydrotestosterone is made possible with 5-alpha-reductase enzymes.  Dutasteride on inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase enzymes stops the production of dihydrotestosterone thus eliminating the root cause of Male Pattern Baldness.  Dutasteride not only stops hair loss it even promotes re-growth! By protecting the hair follicle from dihydrotestoterone Dutateride promotes healthy recovery of the hair follicle thus enabling it to support a healthy visible hair.

As yet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Dutasteride for Male Pattern Baldness. However, GlaxoSmithKline the manufacturers of Dutasteride has completed Phase 2 trials for its use in treating hair loss.

It should be noted that Dutasteride is not recommended for women or children.  Pregnant women or women who could get pregnant should not handle this drug as it can cause fetal deformities in the male fetus.

Dutasteride is a prescription drug and should be prescribed by your doctor.

Researchers studying hair loss evaluate your hair loss with a technique known as the computerized light video-dermoscopy, but as you may not have one of those available to you at your home we will discuss other ways to evaluate your hair loss.

You must have heard that if you lose up to a 100 hair a day it is normal.  This is how you evaluate your hair loss based on a 1000,000 hair count on average. These hair grow back. Hair grow in cycles of growth phase and resting phase.  The growth phase is called anagen and usually lasts 3 years.  The resting phase or telogen lasts for 3 months.  In the telogen phase the does not grow any longer and rests until a new hair is formed in the hair follicle which pushes the telogen hair out thus resulting in natural hair fall.  At any one time about 10-15 percent of hair are in telogen phase while the rest are in anogen phase (solving the mystery why hair grow so uneven).

Sometimes certain drugs, hormonal deficiencies or stress may cause a larger number of hair to go into telogen or resting phase altogether.  After a three month resting phase these large number of hair will start to shed.  When new hair that had pushed out the telogen hair grow out of the follicle the hair density may be regained again.

This is known as temporary hair loss. But if your hair is gradually thinning and not growing back, then you have ‘alopecia’ the medical term for hair loss.  In most cases alopecia is treatable once you evaluate the cause of your hair loss.

Evaluate Your Hair Loss

If your hair loss is gradual which has been going on for a long period of time then the culprit might be your genes.  About 80% to 95% of hair loss is hereditary.  In men it starts with a receding hair line and thinning at the top of the head but in women the thinning is spread out in the front and top of the head.  In men this gradual thinning of hair may lead to baldness but in women it rarely does.  There are lotions and drugs now in the market which your doctor can prescribe to treat hereditary hair loss.

If you are going through chemo therapy then your hair loss will be faster, more severe but reversible once the drugs wear off.

If you are anemic or have thyroid problem then controlling these can check your hair loss.

Check for ring worm or other fungal infections that cause hair fall.  Once treated, the hair will grow back again.

Another condition known as trichotillomania, where a person intentionally or unintentionally pulls out his/her own hair over time can result in thinning hair or even bald spots.

A sudden weight loss due to dieting or any other reason  will also cause hair loss and can be reversed through a good balanced diet.

Check if you are using very harsh hair products or techniques.  These can cause hair weakening and breakage which can seem like hair loss.

Some medicines like blood thinners, contraceptive pill, medicine for arthritis etc. cause hair loss as a side effect.

In conclusion don’t lose hair over losing hair.  Evaluate the cause first, seek out a good dermatologist and assess your chances for getting back your crowning glory.  And with the amount of research going on in this field you have good chances.