A Review of Hair Loss Products
by Alison Stevens
It is easier to prevent healthy hair falling out than to regrow hair in already-dormant hair follicles. Home Remedies
There are all kinds of home remedies for hair loss. Many of them can be dismissed as old wives tales–but some of them possibly help some people. Here are a few of the more promising home remedies for hair loss:
- Rinse hair with a solution of sage tea and apple cider vinegar – Almond oil, castor oil, olive oil, jojoba oil and amla oil may have benefits when warmed and
massaged into the scalp – Coconut milk or aloe vera gel massaged into the scalp may have a similar effect – A masque of honey and egg yolk can be applied to the hair and scalp.
With the exception of the sage tea and apple cide vinegar all other applications should be shampooed out of the hair after use.
Herbal Remedies
Several herbal remedies make the claim of restoring hair growth and a number of herbal lotions as well as several nutritional supplements claim to be specifically formulated to deal with hair loss. A person with a preference for alternative treatments rather than chemically based treatments may benefit from a visit to a herbalist to discuss herbal hair loss remedies.
It has been suggested that the following herbal remedies may be of assistance in hair loss:
- ginko biloba – green tea – polygonum multiflorum, a traditional Chinese herb – pygeum – aloe vera – saw palmetto (serenoa repens) – stinging nettle – resveratrol, a natural antioxidant found in grape skins
Some of these are taken in tablet form and some are made into preparations that you massage into your scalp. Some, for example stinging nettle, can cause an allergic reaction, so all herbal preparations should be used with care.
It is claimed that saw palmetto – a herbal DHT inbibitor – has fewer side effects and is cheaper that finasteride (sold in the US as Propecia) and works in a similar manner
Minoxidil (Rogain®)
Many people have confidence in this product for restoring hair growth. Its available at any pharmacy without a prescription and it appears to work for a lot of people. Minoxidil is useful for both men and women to assist in regrowing hair. Treatment needs to be continuous, however, because ceasing treatment with Minoxidil will cause the hair to again begin falling out.
Finasteride (Propecia®)
Finasteride in an antiandrogen 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, marketed under the names Propecia, Proscar, Finacar and others. It is a prescription medication and may be the best hair loss product for some people. A visit to a doctor is required to get a prescrption, but that in itself is not a bad thing because the doctor will check to see if there is some underlying cause for the hair loss that may require treatment. There are some known side effects with Finesteride, including erectile dysfuntion, that affect a small number of users of the preparation.
Ketoconazole
Ketoconazole is an anti-fungal and potent 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that is often used as a topically applied supplement to other hair loss treatments.
It is interesting to note that placebo treatments often have reasonable success rates (and similar side effects) in studies, although the success rate tends not to be as high as with the product being tested.
Concealing Baldness
There are times when the best hair loss product is a cover up of some kind. This is especially true when the hair loss is temporary, such as when hair falls out during chemotherapy. Several organizations produce hats or caps for cancer sufferers.
Other methods of hiding hair loss include the comb over which involves combing the remaining hair over the bald spot. This ceases to be effective as balness increases. A wig or a hairpiece is another option but in the end, embracing baldness – especially for men – can be the simplest, cheapest and often the best option.
Alison Stevens in an online author and publisher and manages the websites http://www.red winepublications.com and http://new-hair-loss- treatment.com
