A Little Something About Hair Loss

According to Gregor Mendel's law on genetic inheritance, I had a pretty good chance at keeping my hair. So, I really wasn't concerned with hair loss - until recently, when I noticed a significant thinning of hair across the top of my head. I wasn't happy with what I saw, so I decided that I was going to grow it back.

My first step to growing it back was research. I needed to know what was causing my hair loss and what I could do about it. For men, there are several causes of hair loss but the most common is androgenic alopecia. This is a fancy name for male pattern baldness and was the obvious cause of my hair loss. The cure for this type of hair loss is not obvious and is complicated by people trying to sell products that don't do anything to stimulate hair growth. Despite this setback, I managed to learn what causes of male pattern baldness and what can be done about it.

Androgenic Alopecia is caused when the body contains an excess of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Under normal conditions, DHT binds to the androgen receptors in hair follicle and that is what regulate the normal growth and resting cycles. However, when there is too much DHT, the cycle is changed - usually resulting in hair loss. So, to prevent hair loss, this cycle must be changed.

Interestingly, DHT is created when testosterone combines with an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. So, one way to stop hair loss is by blocking the binding of 5-alpha-reductase with testosterone, which will inhibit the formation of DHT. Another way is to block the reception of DHT by the androgen receptors or by treating the immune response that occurs when excess DHT is present in the hair follicle. Of course, there is another way but how it works is not known. All that is known is that that there is other ways because Minoxidil has been proven effective but its mode of operation is unknown.

So, how do you distinguish the medication from the snake oil? Well, any FDA approved treatment is guaranteed to be effective - but they may not work on your hair loss. Any other treatment is questionable at best. To get an idea of some of the treatments available, I created a list with my opinions about them. Remember, this list is merely my impression of the treatment formed by my own research. Use this guide for your own research (let me know if your research reveals something new).

Finasteride is a DHT inhibitor that is available by prescription only. Propecia (1mg) is the name of the pill form prescribed for hair loss. However, Proscar (5mg), which is prescribed for problematic prostrates, is the same exact drug and can be divided into four 1.25mg tablets for a significant savings over Propecia. Of course, you'll have to get that prescribed by your doctor. Finasteride isn't cheap and has some serious side effects and precations. Yet, it is the most effective (about 60%) FDA approved treatment for hair loss for men and it will not work for women. In fact, it can be harmful to women, especially when pregnant. In which case ingesting dust from a broken pill can cause birth defects. As such, one might be inclined to use this treatment as a last resort.

Minoxidil is a solution that is applied to the scalp twice a day. A common brand name is Rogaine but there are many generic equivalents. This is an FDA approved treatment and is available over the counter. It is is claimed to be a little less effective than Finasteride (about 40%-70% satisfied with their hair growth). Men can use a 5% solution but women should only use the 2% solution to avoid growing unwanted facial hair. It is relatively safe. The most common side effect is skin irritation that may cease with time or with certain shampoos. I actually use Rogaine 5% and have had no negative side effects (except dandruff and dry hair, which can be fixed with shampoo and conditioner). I even documented my hair growth progress in my hair growth diary.

Surgical Options can get hair growing on your bald spot even if you have been bald so long that no drug can help. A common technique is to cut a strip of hair off the back of your head and separate each individual hair into plugs that are inserted into your bald spot. Apparently, the new hairs grow, and from the pictures I have seen, the inserted hair looks rather full and natural. It can even be a less expensive than medication depending on your age (all current medical treatments require daily lifelong treatments) and extent of hair loss. So, if you don't mind having your scalp 'sliced and diced', this may be the ideal solution.

Cover-ups are things like wigs, sprays and scalp cosmetics. It is obvious that they work but I hesitate to call them a treatment for hair loss. I see them as a hair loss alternative, not a treatment, because your hair and/or hair line is not restored.

Saw Palmetto is a berry that comes from the Saw Palm plant. Since it is a herb, it cannot be patented. So, American drug companies can't overcharge for selling it. As such, it will never get FDA approval and can't be recommended by western doctors as a treatment for anything. Despite all this, European doctors often prescribe Saw Palmetto for problematic prostrates before considering any other treatment. That's because numerous tests have shown that it is a DHT inhibitor just like Finesteride. In fact, studies have shown that Saw Palmetto has what seems to be the exact same effect in the body as Finasteride (without the side effects). Yet, nobody seems to have done a study to see if it can help grow hair. As such, one should be skeptical when using this as a hair loss treatment. But, since it is rather inexpensive and can help you if you have a problematic prostrate, you may be inclined to see what it will do for your hair loss as well. I personally take saw palmetto daily. While I don't know for sure if it has contributed to my hair regrowth, what it has done for my prostrate is amazing. I feel ten years younger and sleep through the night!

Tricomin is a topical solution that uses Copper Peptide technologies to stimulate hair growth. Apparently, it has been shown effective for hair loss in preliminary FDA clinical studies but isn't FDA approved because the approval process was too costly. Personally, I plan to try this product (in shampoo form) in the near future but I want to see if can grow hair without it first. I actually don't expect it to grow hair. Instead, I think it will thicken my hair. But, this is all speculation. If or when I try this product, I'll document it in my hair growth dairy.

Procerin falls in the category of being too good to be true. However, it does contain a lot of Saw Palmetto so it might work. Of course, Saw Palmetto has not proven to grow hair, yet. Anyhow, I put Procerin in the probably won't help section because Procerin appears to be one big MLM or, at least, an overpriced marketing (dare I say it) scam. Let's look at the facts, it is made by a little known company and can only be only purchased from a 'company salesperson'. It is not at any drug store, GNC, Target or any place like that that I can find. If you want it, you must find the Procerin dealer. They are easy to find on the web. In fact, every Procerin website seems to contain the exact same text that was probably supplied to the dealer from the company. There's huge money in Procerin on the web. I have verified this through my own web marketing research. Albeit, Procerin may actually work but it is cheaper to just buy the herbs that it contains.

Nizoral is an antidandruff shampoo but some people claim that it stimulates hair growth. If you take Finasteride, you are also supposed to shampoo your hair with Nizoral but I haven't seen anything that explains why. So, I put this in the Probably won't help section. Yet, I must admit, I use Nizoral to treat my hair loss. Actually, I use it because the alcohol in Rogaine dries my scalp and gives my pretty bad dandruff. So, I use Nizoral to treat the dandruff created by Rogaine - not to treat my hair loss. I haven't been using much of this, lately. Perhaps may scalp is adjusted to Rogaine or maybe Nizoral works very well.

Folligen uses Copper Peptide technology like Tricomin and cost about the same.

Nano is a very expensive shampoo that the maker claims stimulates hair growth in the same manner as Minoxidil.

Semodex is supposed to reduce the infestation of a microscopic organism called a Demodex, which is said to inflame the scalp, shorten a hairs life cycles and cause hair loss.

Revivogen contains grape seed extract, which can grow hair on rodents. Also contains some other ingredients that grew hair in a test tube.

Crinagen products contain azelaic acid and Proanthocyanidins, which are claimed to inhibit DHT.

Yes, there are many more products that may, or may not, work. I guess it is up to your pocketbook and your desire to have hair whether to use them or not.

Want more input? http://www.stophairlossnow.co.uk/Hair_Loss_Remedies.htm