Hair Loss Treatments and Medication

Hair Loss Treatments and Medication   

Depending on your type of hair loss, treatments are available.

For Hair loss Treatments

Some of the causes of hair loss are not easily changeable, such as a genetic predisposition most often seen in men and referred to as male pattern baldness, but others may be related to diet, stress, medication or hormonal imbalance, which are treatable once they are identified as the root of the problem.  

If you have decided to attempt to regain your hair, treatments do exist that may also help slow or prevent the development of baldness. You want to get the right hair loss treatment for your particular cause as using the wrong one can have side effects that are uncomfortable, such as itching and rashes, or that make for a worse problem in encouraging the growth of unwanted hair on arms, face or back.

If adequate hair loss treatment is not available for your type of hair loss, you may consider trying different hairstyles or wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves or artificial hair replacement. 

Perhaps the most important thing to remember in your search for a hair loss treatment is that you are not without help or hope, no matter the cause of your hair loss.  

Hair loss treatments

Surgery

Regaine

Propecia 
 

Surgery

Plastic surgery may be the only reliable way to regain lost hair, and techniques for restoring hair growth are constantly improving. These include: 
 

• Transplant, where the surgeon moves non-sensitive hairs from the back of the head to the top. This is best for men whose hair loss is limited to the front of the scalp. Factors that determine whether a person is a suitable candidate include age, hair colour, the nature of hair loss, and whether the hair type is straight or curly.

• Scalp reduction, a technique that is most suitable for men with a small, well-defined bald spot on the top of the head.

• Flap-surgery, which involves making the part of the scalp that still contains hair larger. This is a possibility in cases of hair loss over a small area.

 

Regaine

Regaine stimulates hair growth in balding areas. It works by keeping hair follicles in the growth phase for longer, so hairs grow bigger and the rate of further thinning slows down.  
 
The lotion is applied to the scalp and spread lightly. It doesn’t need to be massaged in. With the 2% lotion, no effect is seen for the first 3 or 4 months. The 5% lotion (Regaine Extra Strength) is slightly more effective. 
 
To decide whether Regaine is likely to help, you need to examine your scalp closely, preferably with a magnifying glass.  
 
Regaine may work for men

• Who have been bald for less than 5 years
• Whose bald area is less than 10 cm across and/or your main problem is general thinning
• Whose hair loss is mainly at the top of the head
• Whose bald area has lots of tiny, fine hairs.

Regaine is not likely to help men

• who are completely bald
• Whose main problem is receding hair (frontal loss)
• Whose bald scalp has very few tiny, fine hairs.
   

Bear in mind that Regaine

• Is not successful for everyone, only about 35% of men have noticeable regrowth of hair, and this is often fine and downy, and the manufacturers advise users to give up if there has been no regrowth after using it for 1 year
• Has to be applied twice a day, 7 days a week and does not produce a permanent cure. If the treatment is stopped, the follicles go back to how they would have been without Regaine. About 10-12 weeks after starting Regaine you may notice some extra hair loss. Take no notice; these are simply the old short downy hairs at the end of their life
• It is important to read the manufacturer’s leaflet, as Regaine is probably not suitable for some people. For example, it should probably not be used by people taking drugs for blood pressure, or who have angina. The solution contains alcohol, and can cause irritation in some people.
• Regaine can be bought from pharmacies without a prescription; in fact, it is not available on the National Health Service prescription in the UK