How to Treat Hair Loss and Thinning Hair
Whether it’s clumps of hair coming out as you brush or visible thinning of your hair on your scalp, discovering that you’re losing your hair can be extremely distressing. It can also have a negative effect on your self-confidence. Although hair loss and thinning hair are most typically associated with men, many women also suffer from such problems to some degree. However, there’s no reason to lose hope, as there are many treatment methods available that can be used to prevent further hair loss and to stimulate the growth of new hairs. If you’re suffering from hair loss or thinning hair and want to treat the problem, there are a number of simple steps that you can take.
1.
Determine the cause of your hair loss or thinning hair. This may require the assistance of your doctor and is an important step because there are many different factors which can cause hair loss, including environmental, hormonal and genetic factors as well as medications and medical conditions. If, for example, your hair loss is caused by environmental factors, lifestyle changes may be necessary to prevent the problem from continuing.
2.
Further consult with your doctor to find out if there are any forms of treatment that you should not undergo as a result any health problems or medical conditions that you may have. Then you will know which types of products to avoid.
3.
Find a health supply retailer which offers quality products for treating hair loss. Such retailers can even be found online, such as Naturalwellbeing.com, so you can check out various products and treatment methods from the comfort and convenience of your own home.
4.
Decide which treatment method will be best for you and your situation. For example, there are special shampoos and conditioners available that are designed to promote fast hair growth. There are also pills and scalp therapy formulas available for the same purpose.
5.
Follow the treatment instructions accompanying the product you have chosen
Berry Johnson is an author from New York.
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Drug Therapy Versus Hair Replacement Surgery — Which Is Better for Treating Hair Loss?
The only permanent “cure” for hair loss is hair replacement surgery. Sometimes drug therapy is used in conjunction with surgery, but medications alone will not restore hair to bald areas of the scalp. If drug therapy is the only weapon in your doctor’s arsenal, when drug therapy stops, your hair will begin to fall out again.
The FDA has approved just two medications for hair loss: Rogaine and Propecia.
* Rogaine — a foam or liquid solution, applied twice daily, that slows the hair-loss process and promotes new hair growth in 30 percent of its users. Rogaine is generally prescribed for those who do not respond to Propecia.
* Propecia — a pill taken daily that offsets the effects of DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is a hormone that destroys hair follicles in persons who possess it in abundance. Propecia has been shown to stop the hair-loss process in 86 percent of the men who use it.
Unfortunately, side effects for both medications abound. Propecia tablets are dangerous for women. Broken tablets merely touched by pregnant women were found to cause birth defects in male infants. Serious allergic reactions may occur, and the drug may cause problems in sexual functioning.
The cost of treating hair loss with drugs is astronomical over time, hundreds of dollars a month in most cases, a fact that is particularly discouraging if, after such an investment, treatment must be discontinued. Once the drugs stop, hair loss starts again.
By contrast, permanent hair replacement is a happier, healthier, and wealthier solution. Happier because it not only stops hair loss but covers bald spots with natural, permanent hair. Healthier because there are no side effects and you do not need to continue drug therapy for the rest of your life. It is friendlier to the pocketbook as well. In most cases, one or two sessions — generally priced between ,000 and ,000 each — will provide you with the long-term, maintenance-free hair replacement you seek.
If you or someone you love suffers from hair loss and you select to go the route of hair transplant surgery, make sure you select a doctor with adequate skill and experience, a doctor versed in the latest methods and practices. Outdated procedures don’t yield good results, causing phenomena like unnatural-looking hairlines and “doll-head hair” (unsightly plugs). Doctors who still perform these procedures may call them by various names that make it sound as if they practice the newer methods.
Buyer beware: a good hair doctor will be performing surgeries every day. Ask for names of former patients and call those people for references. Insist on seeing the procedure performed before you sign up for it. A reputable hair surgeon will be gracious in granting both requests. If a prospective doctor hesitates on either, keep shopping.
Hair replacement surgery can be one of the best things you ever do for yourself. Or it can be a nightmare in the hands of the wrong physician. Do your homework, and be prepared to travel as necessary. The likelihood that a skilled hair transplant surgeon lives down the street from you is very slim.
Dr. Lawrence Shapiro has performed over 10,000 permanent hair replacement surgeries in the last 18 years. Call Dr. Larry Shapiro of Dr. Shapiro’s Hair Institute for a hair transplant consultation: 1-800-799-4247.
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