Hair Loss, Is It Fixable?

Hair Loss, Is It Fixable?

With age men and even women often suffer the ailment of hair loss. Thousands of dollars are spent each year trying to regain the growth of hair follicles. Over the counter treatments, infomercials, and advertisements have flooded the mainstream over the past twenty years trying to lure those who are balding into buying their products. The question truly is: hair loss, is it fixable?

Almost everyone has seen a commercial for Rogaine or the Hair Club for Men.

 New advances in the treatment of hair loss have actually shown strides in progress. Surgical hair restoration has evolved into a highly successful answer to the embarrassment and personal ridicule that hair loss often causes. Most people who have elected to go the route of surgical hair restoration have regained both a full head of hair and the self-esteem that it brings.

Medicines that promote the growth of hair also are available. FDA approved medicines are always advised as many “cures” do not live up the hype and often do not work at all. One of the first drugs approved by the FDA that promotes hair growth is minoxidil. Minoxidil is the active ingredient in Rogaine. It does slow down hair loss, and in some cases does regrow hair in moderation.

One of the newer and more effective drugs on the market is Propecia. This medicine reduces the amount of androgen dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, in a person’s system. DHT shrinks hair follicles. Reducing the amount of DHT in the body has been proven in clinical trials to reduce the amount of hair loss. This is a great stride in the eradication of balding and receding hairlines.

Hair loss can affect anyone. There are treatments that are approaching success, but mankind has yet to find a hundred percent cure to this ailment.