Treatments and Techniques to Restore Hair

It is quite natural to try to recover the lost hair from experiencing excessive shedding of hair while attaining adulthood. Apart from trying to look more attractive, they may see it as a step up in the business world, or it could be necessary for those employed in the entertainment business. Young women often connect their girlishness with having lustrous, natural hair. Regardless of the motives, which may be quite complex, the decision to restore one’s hair needs to be carefully considered as the most suitable hair restoration procedure must be chosen.

These days, there are numerous hair replacement clinics with safe procedures that are being used to disguise a receding hairline. Before, wigs and toupees were the only real hair replacement options that dealt with hair loss, and even now wigs are the first option for those with hair loss problems. However, the materials used to produce artificial wigs have improved dramatically over the last four decades. For a reasonable price, one can buy a fairly realistic hairpiece. Synthetic wigs and toupees require less care than hairpieces that are made from human hair, they don’t cost as much as they used to, and matching colors is much easier. Synthetic wigs are also easier and less expensive to customize.

Invigorating scalp massages will help to reduce hair loss and cause new growth. Massaging the scalp promotes blood circulation to the hair follicles, which will revitalize hair follicles. There is a vast range of scalp lotions and hair creams in stores to purchase; some are more suitable than others. Antifungal shampoos will eliminate dandruff and debris, which can clog the pores of the scalp. The active ingredient ketoconazole blocks DHT (dihydrotestosterone) from bonding with the hair follicles, therefore fighting against hair loss.

Saw palmetto extracts is widely used by herbalists as a DHT blocker. It comes in capsule form or as a topical preparation and is sometimes used in addition to other alternative treatments such as shampoos for hair loss.

Zinc has been proven effective in the fight against baldness. A zinc-based lotion can be applied directly to the hair and scalp, as well as being ingested in supplement form.

Most people in developed countries do not lack zinc or other minerals in their diet; however, certain individuals might not be getting enough zinc-fortified food. Those people who are confined to a meat-free diet need to take zinc supplements.

The most common hair loss treatments change the way that hormones perform. This is why males and females require individual prescriptions for hair loss medication. Women can suffer some hair loss during puberty although they are more liable to be affected during middle age and beyond.

When concerned by the grave symptoms of unexpected hair loss, you would be well advised to seek professional advice from a qualified practitioner, so that you can get treatment and correct the problem before the condition develops into a long-term affliction.

Pointers about Hair Loss

Worried about hair loss? Perhaps you shouldn’t fret as much. Knowing basic facts about baldness, hair loss, or alopecia can help you arrive at apt treatments for the condition. The following are pointers you can learn about hair loss:

Male-Pattern Baldness

To a degree, hair loss can be inherited from your mother’s or father’s genes. A high level of the male hormone testosterone in the blood is also largely to blame, so if you are losing your hair, you can also be extra confident, as it is an indication that you are virile. The main problem with male pattern baldness is not hair fall but new hair not growing. So it is important to look after what you have got.

Desalinated Water

Most countries rely heavily upon desalinated water to provide the water that comes from our taps. The problem with desalinated water is that it can damage the hair follicle causing it to break off. So what is often perceived as hair fall is in fact hair damage, and fortunately the hair will grow again. Use hair products containing Anti-Sal formulations to stop minerals from desalinated water drying and damaging your hair. To check if the hair fall is caused by desalinated water, look at the hair strand under a magnifying glass and if there is no hair bulb or root, then it is hair breakage probably caused by desalinated water.

Poor Diet

Hair cells grow quicker than practically any other cells in your body, and so they require a continuous supply of nutrients. But because hair is not an essential body organ, it is low down on your own body’s list of priorities and gets the nutrients last.

Protein for Healthy Hair

Hair is made up of protein called keratin and it is therefore important to have enough protein in your diet. Vegetarians must be especially careful to make sure that they have sufficient protein in their diet, as insufficient protein can cause thinning hair. The incidence of women who have thinning hair is very high among those who have crash diets.

Onions for Hair Loss, Odd yet Effective

In an age where scientists have discovered and manufactured vaccines that prevent diseases that claimed the lives of thousands of people centuries ago and developed treatments that can eliminate certain types of cancer, there is not yet a foolproof treatment for hair loss. Many people have admirably taken it upon themselves to experiment with their own formulas and homemade recipes to prevent hair loss. Onions, surprisingly, have been a main ingredient in some commercially manufactured hair loss treatments. While this sounds odd, you might be curious about the potential onions have for treating alopecia, or male pattern baldness.

Clinical Evidence

Many commercial non-FDA-approved hair loss treatments and formulas contain ingredients that have little to no scientific basis or have not undergone any legitimate clinical studies. Onions, however, have been used in a small study that suggests they could be useful in the treatment of a type of hair loss called alopecia areata. The study, conducted by Iraqi researchers and published in the June 2002 Journal of Dermatology, found that the group of hair loss patients that topically applied crude onion juice to their scalp experienced a significantly higher rate of hair regrowth than did the group of patients that received the placebo.

Alopecia Areata vs. Androgenic Alopecia

Alopecia areata is different from the traditional genetic baldness, which follows a distinct pattern. Alopecia areata involves random patches of hair falling out and not regrowing. Alopecia areata is significantly less common than androgenic alopecia, which is the primary type of hair loss for both men and women, according to the American Hair Loss Association. While androgenic alopecia is genetic and caused by the predominately male hormone, dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, the causes of alopecia areata are less certain. Doctors believe it is an autoimmune disease in which the body inappropriately attacks hair follicles. Unfortunately, there are no treatments that are particularly effective in treating alopecia areata.

Onion Juice Probably Not Effective for Common Hair Loss

Androgenic alopecia, which is due to genetics, is the type of hair loss in 95 percent of all hair loss cases in men. Genetic susceptibility to DHT is thought to be the main cause of hair loss in women but the percentage is likely not as high. Androgenic alopecia occurs when DHT attacks hair follicles that are genetically susceptible to hair loss, mainly hairs along the hairline and crown, and progressively shrinks them over time. The most effective treatment for combating androgenic alopecia is finasteride, which lowers the level of DHT in your body. Onion juice is not likely to be effective for most cases of hair loss because it does not address DHT. Hair restoration surgeon, Dr. William Rassman, senior member of the American Hair Loss Association, confirms this and believes there is no potential in onion juice as a hair loss treatment.

FDA-Approved Treatments

Although onion juice is unlikely to be an effective treatment for hair loss, there are two treatments that have been approved by the FDA and clinically proven to help prevent or slow hair loss. The first treatment is finasteride, which is for men only. It works by reducing the hormone DHT, the main cause of hair loss. The American Hair Loss Association considers finasteride to be the “first line of attack” to stop hair loss. The second treatment is topical minoxidil, which can be used by both men and women. Minoxidil is thought to work by increasing blood flow to your scalp. Minoxidil, unlike finasteride, is available over-the-counter. You should consult your doctor before you use either of these treatments or if you are noticing an abnormal rate of hair loss, well beyond 100 hairs a day.