How to understand hair loss and regrow your hair

This guide provides information on understanding hair loss and ways to go about treating it and what to avoid. This article is very comprehensive (and long) and will help to understand the causes of hair loss and the best hair loss treatments available for your type of hair loss. It is recommended that you bookmark his page to fully digest the information.

What causes hair loss?

In most cases, hair loss is caused by genetic factors known as androgenetic alopecia. Most men suffer Male Pattern Baldness or MPB (androgenetic alopecia) - hair loss through genetic predisposition. It is thorough familial link, either on maternal or paternal side of the family. This type of hair loss will progress if not treated. However, the rate of progress varies greatly from person to person.

Usually, only hair at the front and top is affected by MPB. This is why there are so many people with hair loss that still have their hair at the sides and the lower back.

Male patter baldness or hair loss is caused through conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, which, when binding to hair follicles, leads to gradual miniaturization. The hair life cycle is cut shorter, until eventually the hair shafts produced by the follicles are so small and thin that the scalp becomes visible because of the thinning hair.

Excess sebum production

Sebum is secreted by sebaceous glands that are attached to the hair follicles. Sebum gives hair the shine, however excess production of it blocks hair follicles. Too much accumulation of sebum and dead skin cells will hinder the follicles from sprouting new hair shafts and shorten the lifecycle of existing hair.

Other causes of hair loss

- Alopecia Areta is another cause of hair loss. There is a significant number of people that suffer this type of hair loss. This type of hair loss could be stress induced.

- Side effects of some medication can also be a factor in hair loss. Since this is not related to MPB, this kind of hair loss is usually reversible when the medication is stopped.

- Many cancer sufferers can also suffer hair loss when undergoing radiation therapy such as chemotherapy.

Hair loss in women

Androgenetic alopecia in women (female pattern baldness) is hair loss related to genetic factors.

Tellogen effluvium is often another big cause in female hair loss - It is hair loss related to stress or as a result of medication. Tellogen effluvium is often temporary and regrows when the cause is treated e.g. overcoming stress or discontinuing medication responsible for the problem.

Some myths about the causes of hair loss

There are lots of myths surrounding the cause of hair loss flying around. These do not cause hair loss and have no scientific basis to them

• Brushing hair rigorously will not cause hair loss.
• Tugging hair will not cause hair loss. You may be able to pull few out that were going to fall out anyway.
• Shampooing regularly does not cause hair loss. Avoid using harsh shampoos though.

Treatments for hair loss

There are quite a few hair loss treatments now available on the market. To be able to treat hair loss properly, it is best to be fully informed of the causes of hair loss, this would enable you to select an appropriate treatment for hair loss rather than jumping on the bandwagon in a blindfold. There are many cases of people wasting time and money buying hair loss products that have very little scientific bases to their claim to regrowing hair. These are known in the industry as snake oil.

Best treatments

The best hair loss treatments that exist both from a pricing and actual results standpoint are propecia and minoxidil.

Propecia (Finesteride)

This is the foremost treatment for combating DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) responsible for hair miniaturization.

Side effects of propecia

Although the side effects of propecia are not serious and for most people it is negligible, but up to 2% of users have experienced side effects. It can result in loss of libido and erectile dysfunction. For some, it can also result in problems with ejaculation i.e. lower volume of semen (watery). However, as stated, these side effects are rare and should go away after weeks or months.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is the pre-eminent treatment for regrowing hair. It stimulates the follicles into lengthening the lifecycle of hair and stimulating new hair. It is thought it increases the blood supply to the balding area.

Minoxidil can be found in various strengths: 2%, 5% (sometimes referred to as ‘extra strength for men') and other higher concentrations such as 12% and 15% provided by special hair loss treatment clinics operating online.

Currently, the best treatment for women's hair loss is regain, which has minoxidil 2% concentration. The 2% concentration of minoxidil is the recommended dosage for women's hair loss treatment. Minoxidil 5% can have very unwanted side effects such as facial hair, so it should be avoided.

What hair loss treatments should you consider?

The best hair loss treatment for your case will vary on the level of hair loss you have.

If you are just beginning to notice hair loss and are no worse than Norwood Scale 2, you should really only consider a treatment to combat DHT (dehydortestosterone). This should be sufficient to stop hair loss from progressing further and should thicken existing after a few months. You should therefore look into propecia or something like revivogen.

It may also regrow hair. At this stage you should avoid minoxidil because you still have much of your hair left and you can avoid the daily hassles of applying the minoxidil solution on the scalp (it can be a bit messy).

If your hair loss has progressed substantially and the hair loss and scalp is very visible, you would need both an anti DHT treatment and a hair growth stimulant like minoxidil. These will have the combined effects of stopping hair loss and regrowing hair. This combined effect could have great results.

How often to use minoxidil and propecia?

It is recommended that propecia (finesteride) be used at 1mg per day. This would be sufficient. There are some people that use a quarter (0.25mg) of this and derive sufficient results i.e. stop hair loss. This is often done to lessen the impact of side effects, which may be more pronounced at a higher dosage.

Other viable treatments

There are other hair loss treatments available that have been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Revivogen

This is a topical solution containing various natural ingredients. It is primarily a DHT inhibitor. The efficacy of revivogen in treating hair loss has some backing through a few independent studies.

Revivogen is seen by many as a good alternative to propecia in combating DHT, especially by those that have been forced to stop using propecia because of its side effects or others through apprehension of using propecia.

Dutasteride

This is considered a more powerful version of propecia. However the expense and thus far not enough studies to prove its efficacy and side effects have meant it is still relatively in its infancy as a viable treatment to stop hair loss.

Tricomin

Tricomin is a spray that is used to help soothe the scalp and provide it with nourishment. It is principally a treatment to aid in hair regrowth when used with hair loss treatments like finesteride (propecia) and minoxidil. However, tricomin on its own has some merits for mild regrowth.

Folligen

Folligen is much like tricomin in that it is also principally used to cleanse and nourish the scalp to aid in regrowth.

Snake oil

This is a derogatory term widely used in the hair loss industry for treatments that have simply been conjured up to take advantage of people that are desperate to get their hands on any treatment that would magically regrow their hair.

Warning: Avoid any treatments that have not been passed by the Food and Drug Administration! This will just be waste of your money and there is no guarantee of safety of products sold over the internet that have not been approved by the FDA.

Some tips to maximise hair regrowth

• Use hair loss treatments consistently i.e. keep to a strict regimen.
• Provide your scalp with total care. After exercising or any other activity that causes a lot of sweat, take a shower or at least wash the hair, preferably with Nizoral.
• Take MSM. This is naturally found in the body, but the quantity is inadequate to effect hair regrowth. MSM has been shown to boost hair regrowth and more importantly, help thicken hair.

Hair transplantation

Hair transplants can be way to provide a permanent solution for hair loss. However, up until recently, hair transplants were poorly done, either because the technology wasn't good enough, patients could not afford the cost of having enough hair transplantations to have better coverage/hair density, or that the hair transplant surgeons were not trained to provide an adequate procedure.