Hair Treatments: Best Options To Help With Hair Growth
Many men and women suffer from excess hair loss. Many men are even starting to lose hair before the age of 20. This makes many young men look much older than they are. Hair loss at a young age can contribute to low self-esteem, and a lack of self confidence for those experiencing it. Embarrassing, balding, thinning hair and receding hairlines used to be something that one would just have to live with. Thankfully, with constant advancement in research, over the past few years, many hair treatments have become available for hair loss.
One of the common hair treatments for balding and thinning hair, is using a medication targeted at this condition. The two hair loss medications approved by the FDA are Finasteride and Minoxidil. Finasteride blocks the production of 5-Alpha reductase, which is an enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, on the scalp. Excess DHT can disrupt regular functioning of hair follicles and is often what causes baldness in a large percentage of men. This medication takes about three months of daily use to show results and imperatively requires a regular intake to prevent re-occurrence of hair loss.
Therefore, taking this medication can be a lifelong commitment for those who would like to keep the hair it has helped them grow back. Side effects of Finasteride can include impotence and rashes. Minoxidil works in a similar way. It is a cream that is applied twice daily to the scalp. Like Finasteride, the results only last if the product is continued to be used. Once use is stopped, the hair will promptly go back to falling out again, often within a year. Minoxidil can also cause sudden weight gain, rapid heart beat, and chest pain, on rare occasions, and should be avoided by those with pre-existing heart conditions. Neither of these hair loss medications should be used by women.
One of the expensive hair treatments for balding and thinning hair, is the hair transplant procedure. This must be performed only by a qualified professional. This treatment involves taking very small plugs of hair from existing, fuller areas of your scalp, and moving them to the bald or thinning areas. This technique is suitable for men and women.
A typical hair transplant procedure normally takes several sessions. What surprises many, is that after the hair transplant procedure is performed, the transplanted hair actually falls out. This is expected and a normal part of the process. Once this transplanted hair falls out, new hair regrows, typically within three months. After this phase of hair loss and regrowth, the patient will continue to have the full head of hair they wanted. A downfall to this procedure is that it involves much pain and swelling over the scalp area. This pain and swelling usually subsides within a few weeks. This procedure requires many areas of the scalp to be cut, and sutured back up, so it is not for the faint of heart.
Laser treatment is one of the newest hair treatments for hair loss sufferers. This laser therapy involves applying low-level laser rays directly to the scalp. This process is said to stimulate red blood cell production in the scalp, and cause an increase in hair thickness and growth. Unfortunately, the benefits of this treatment are highly debated among physicians.
