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Proven Hairloss Cures

Several options are currently available to treat hair loss, including pharmaceuticals, toxins and light therapy. All have shown some benefit in correcting various degrees of alopecia, the medical term for baldness. However, always consult with a dermatologist to discuss available treatment options for hair loss.

  1. Finasteride

    • A study appearing in the March 2011 issue of "Dermatologic Therapy" investigated the efficacy of finasteride, a pharmaceutical to treat alopecia, on women with female pattern hair loss. They conducted a six-month study to compare patients with normal androgen sensitivity to those with greater sensitivity due to genetic factors. The study concluded that those with genetic modifications leading to repeats in the amino acid sequences of the androgen receptor will benefit from therapy with finasteride.

    Botulinum Toxin Type A

    • The bacteria that causes food poisoning produces a toxic chemical called Botulinum toxin type A, or BTXA, which has recently been investigated as a potential therapy for alopecia. A December 2010 study published in "Dermatologic Surgery" examined the efficiency and safety of BTXA and whether it can stimulate modifications in neurotransmitter levels, which are chemical signals that direct nerve impulses. The researchers surmised that BTXA may influence the production of neurotransmitters that inhibit hair growth. The study, however, also concluded that BXTA was not an option for intractable alopecia, but had mild beneficial effects in patients with mild to moderate hair loss.

    Laser treatment

    • Several research studies on male pattern baldness treatment by light and lasers have been recently published. An article in the December 2010 issue of "Dermatologic Surgery" investigated the use of laser treatment with genetically-engineered mice that mimic alopecia. The researchers reported that stimulation of hair growth was dependent on the energy level, density and irradiation level of the laser. The study concluded that hair growth was induced by laser treatment, but further studies were required to elucidate actual clinical applications.

    8-MOP

    • A study appearing in the February 2011 issue of "Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Photomedicine" investigated the effects of UVA radiation in conjunction with a pharmaceutical called 8-methoxysoralen, or 8-MOP. The researchers recruited patients with alopecia and treated them with 8-MOP every three months for a year. They found that 57 percent of the study participants showed at least a partial response to the therapy and concluded that 8-MOP is an effective treatment for hair loss.

    Dinitrochlorobenzene, Squaric Acid Dibutylester and Diphencyprone

    • The "International Journal of Trichology" published a study in January 2010 which documented the efficiency of three drugs to combat alopecia: Dinitrochlorobenzene, or DNCB; squaric acid dibutylester, SADBE; and diphencyprone, DPCP. The authors reported that DNCB is a mutagen, which is a substance that causes adverse modifications to DNA and can lead to cancer. SADBE and DPCP, however, were found to be nonmutagenic with beneficial responses observed in 60 percent of alopecia patients with severe hair loss and 88 to 100 percent of patients with patchy alopecia.

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