Hair Loss Treatments and Products Information

Your hair grows at a rate of about 1 cm--less than a half inch--each month. At any given time, about 90 percent of your hair is growing while the other 10 percent is resting. The resting hair falls out after about two or three months and new hair begins to grow. Although it is normal to have some hair loss each day, some people lose hair at an excessive rate. The cause of this excessive loss may be from surgery, hormonal problems, medications, infections and, in some cases, from a medical condition.

Medications

• The drug minoxidil, also known as the brand name Rogaine, may be purchased without a prescription and can be used by both men and women. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration, minoxidil is applied directly to your scalp. It has been successful in slowing the loss of hair and to encourage new growth, but its effects are only temporary. Finasteride, known under the brand name Propecia, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1997 to treat male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia. Its use has been effective, but it may only be used by men.

Hair Restoration

• A dermatologist can correct hair loss with a hair restoration surgery. Hair transplant involves taking strips of your scalp where hair is growing and transplanting them into the bald areas. Scalp reduction is done by removing some of the areas of bald skin and closing the gap with sutures. Scalp extenders are devices that are placed under the skin to stretch the areas where hair is growing. Some of these procedures are done in combination for best results. They are usually performed under local anesthesia in a dermatologist's office or an outpatient surgical center.

Foods/Vitamins

• According to Hair Loss Haven, certain foods are suggested to encourage hair growth and prevent hair loss because they contain vitamins that are essential for healthy hair and scalp. They include chickpeas and roast beef (vitamin B-6 and zinc), soybeans and almonds (iron and vitamin E), whole wheat (silica and iron), cow's milk (absorbable iodine), oats (absorbable iron, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium), oranges (vitamin C) and fish (vitamin A, vitamin B-6, protein and essential fatty acids). The effectiveness of eating these foods in treating hair loss has not been studied.

Home Remedies

• The following home remedies are recommended as hair tonics, to be applied to the scalp to prevent hair loss: amla (or Indian gooseberry) boiled in coconut oil to make amla oil; equal amounts of amla juice and lime juice; coconut oil mixed with lime juice; coconut milk; castor oil; a paste of hot olive oil, honey and 1 tsp. of cinnamon (left on for 15 minutes); a paste of lime or lemon seeds and black pepper and almond oil.

Considerations

• Your doctor can determine the cause of your hair loss. If it is the result of an underlying condition, treatment of the condition may eliminate hair loss. If your hair loss is caused by a medication, changing or stopping the medication likely will correct the problem. Never stop taking a medication without the advice of your doctor. According to the American Hair Loss Association, research continues to find effective treatments for hair loss.