Hair Regrowth Treatment

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If you’re looking for ways to combat hair loss but don’t want to explore medical or surgical means, you could try natural hair regrowth methods.  Some of these natural hair loss treatments are based on age-old solutions and the more established naturopathy practices.  Here are some of the natural hair regrowth treatments you might want to learn about:

Vitamins and minerals

The hair is made up of organic material – protein and keratin, to be exact.  That’s why it’s probably logical to think that ‘feeding’ your hair with vitamins and minerals will help in encouraging regrowth.  Some of the vitamins commonly used in natural treatments include Vitamins A (carotenoid, carotene, retinol), E and biotin, zinc and protein.

These nutrients are often used in shampoos, gels and supplements.  Their effect, however, is mainly improving the quality of the hair.

Essential oils

They may smack a bit of folk remedy-ish but essential oils seem to work with some people.  There is a placebo-controlled, double-blind study involving 86 people who had a hair loss condition called alopecia areata.  The combination involved essential oils of herbs like lavender, cedarwood, rosemary and thyme, mixed with grapeseed and jojoba oil.  The mixture was then applied to the scalp everyday.

If you take this route, have enough patience.  It took seven months for 44% of participants using the essential oil mixture to show an improvement.

Onion

Another herb used to aid in natural hair regrowth is – believe it or not – onion.  The juice of the onion is extracted and applied onto the scalp twice a day for 60 days.  In the study, which appeared in the Journal of Dermatology, showed hair regrowth in 73% of the participants after just four weeks.  After six weeks, hair regrowth was seen in 86% of participants.

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Can light truly make a difference in hair loss problems?  It seems that manufacturers of devices that assist in hair regrowth want you to think so.  But what can laser hair regrowth truly offer and is it the answer to all problems related to hair loss?  Here are things you need to know:

What is laser hair regrowth?

Laser hair regrowth is known by several names, such as Low Laser Therapy or LLT or Laser Hair Therapy™ or LHT.  These treatments are just some of the newest solutions that promise to rejuvenate the scalp and encourage the regrowth of hair.  Many of these treatments are patented and promote a safe, non-surgical method of using light energy.

How does laser hair regrowth work?

The treatment uses low-level laser, which is considerably cooler than the usual laser light being used to cut or burn.  It involves the direct delivery of the light energy to the skin.  It works in the same way as photo biotherapy, in that light is used to stimulate the metabolism of cells in the scalp.  This helps rejuvenate the cells, repair any damaged cells and then encourage the hair to grow.

Laser hair regrowth also helps increase the supply of blood in the scalp, stop hair loss in majority of patients and in about 25% of users, repairs the quality of hair shaft.

Does it work?

Although promising, laser hair regrowth does not work in 100% of patients.  In a double-blind placebo study involving 18 patients, 14 were observed to have shown improvement in the thickness of hair and 15 showed undeniable regrowth.  All 18 patients also showed improved quality of hair shaft.  The placebo group did not show any improvements at all.  The treatments were administered 2x a week for five consecutive weeks, with each session lasting half an hour.

Read this article on ezinearticles.com about Laser Hair Regrowth

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If you’ve been doing research about hair regrowth, you’ll find that there are numerous solutions and treatments that are currently available.  However, if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that not all of these solutions really work.  Here are just some of the most commonly promoted hair regrowth treatments being used:

Chemical treatments

A lot of things can hitch a hike on hope and it’s probably safe to say that the hair regrowth treatment industry owes a lot to this truth.  One of the most popular solutions used are chemical-based treatments, including shampoos, topical creams and gels and even pills.  These treatments vary in efficacy and while some such as Minoxidil may have approval from the FDA, many others do not live up to the same standards.

Natural treatments

These treatments are popular among hair regrowth patients who prefer to use more natural products.  The main ingredient in these treatments are usually herbs that encourage hair growth, darken the hair or coat the hair strands, making the hair look thicker and thus, fuller.

Although still popular among a niche market, not all natural hair regrowth treatments might work.  Apart from Saw Palmetto, many of the active ingredients used have not undergone extensive studies and may have side effects that are yet unknown.

Cosmetic treatments

They may be temporary but cosmetic treatments work by fooling the eye.  If the hair loss case is not extensive, using cosmetic treatments might work by covering bald spots and making the hair appear thicker and fuller.  These treatments include hair color, perms, hair weaves, wigs and hair pieces.

Surgical treatment

The only accepted surgical treatment for hair regrowth is hair transplantation.  This method involves taking a patch of hair from the patient’s donor area and surgically attaching it to the balding area.  The new hair can then be allowed to regrow naturally.

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Although there are dozens of hair regrowth treatments being marketed today, there are actually only two types that truly work.  These are:

Topical hair regrowth treatment

The first hair regrowth treatment using medication that has been approved by the FDA is Minoxidil, which is being marketed under the brand name Rogaine™.  Once available only through prescription, Minoxidil has been sold OTC for some time.  Minoxidil is a topical cream applied directly on the scalp. 

Minoxidil is available in two strengths – 2% and 5%, with the 2% solution recommended for women and the 5% recommended for men.  Its effectiveness is established, however, on specific areas of the scalp in men and women.  It has shown to be effective for back and front baldness in women but it generally works well for the back area of the scalp in men.

Minoxidil works by dilating the tiny vascular structure of the follicle, something that shrinks as a result of hormones or age.  This process weakens the hair, which then falls off and doesn’t grow back.  By dilating the follicle, Minoxidil encourages the healthy regrowth of hair and solves the problem of baldness.

Surgery

A more permanent hair regrowth treatment is hair transplant, one that requires the removal of donor hair and transplanting it on the bald area.  This corrects the problem of follicles that no longer grow hair.  Instead of encouraging these follicles to produce hair, live follicles that are capable of growing thick, healthy hair are used to replace the unproductive area.

What’s great about this type of hair regrowth treatment is that it is generally permanent and the results are often quite satisfactory.  It does, however, carry a few risks that are associated with surgery and it is also costly.

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Hair regrowth products are big business.  They have, in fact, built a whole industry.  They have also become a major source of income for many scammers.  So what hair regrowth products are out there that truly present a genuine solution?  We take a look at some that seem to show promising results.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is the main ingredient in topical creams and shampoos.  This solution is medicated.  Strangely enough, it was first used for treating high blood pressure but was discovered to also help grow hair.  Minoxidil is available in two strengths: 2% (regular) and 5% (extra).  It is one of a few hair regrowth products that have the approval of the FDA.

Procerin

Procerin is being marketed as a natural supplement to reverse hair loss, especially in men suffering from the common condition called androgenetic alopecia. 

Thymusil

Certain hair loss conditions involve only certain areas on the scalp.  This type of hair loss is called Alopecia Areata, which appears as patchy bald spots.  Thymusil has been especially formulated to address this particular problem.

Nizoral

You’re probably wondering what an anti-dandruff shampoo is doing on this list.  Although Nizoral is formulated to treat dandruff and scalp itchiness, it does help in preventing hair loss to a certain extent.  People with dandruff generally have bad scalp conditions.  By improving the scalp, it also helps promote hair regrowth and has in fact been proven effective in increasing hair count.

Finasteride

Finasteride is a hair regrowth product that is taken as an oral treatment.  It is available only through a medical professional’s prescription and is not recommended for use by women because it has shown to cause birth defects.

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It’s your hair.  Keep this in mind when choosing a hair regrowth product to use.  When there are so many hair loss products available, the question truly is not whether there’s a treatment out there available but whether or not they work.  Knowing what to look for and where is essential to finding the right solution to the problem of hair loss.  Here are some of the things you should keep in mind when looking for hair regrowth products:

The hair growth product must fit your needs.

Not everyone who experiences hair loss has the same concerns… or causes.  In fact, there are many factors that contribute to hair loss, such as age, gender, predisposition, hormonal changes, medication, stress, etc. 

Find out what the cause of your hair loss is so you can choose the right product to use.  If chemotherapy medication is causing your hair to fall out, for example, you generally can’t try to combat the problem with hair regrowth medication.  Besides, the condition is just temporary.  If your hair loss is caused by stressful events in your life, it might be remedied by keeping yourself organized or recovering from the constant pressure.

It should pass certain standards for safety and efficacy.

Many of the products being marketed for hair regrowth are classified as drugs and as such, should be placed under certain monitoring standards.  The government is one of those that maintain these standards. 

It’s important to shop for a hair regrowth product that has been approved by the FDA or have unbiased clinical studies to back up the claim of the manufacturer.  This ensures that the product has passed stringent testing and studies and is considered safe.

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To get to the root of the problem in hair loss, it’s important to understand what caused the condition in the first place.  Some hair loss problems, for example, are caused by heredity while others may be caused by medication, stress, illness and changes in the hormone levels.  But is there one effective hair regrowth formula that will address the problem of hair loss?  We take a look at some options.

Hair loss caused by stress, disease or illness

This type of hair loss usually resolves on its own after the stressful event or when the disease has run its course.  With medication and enough time, you could experience a healthy regrowth, so there’s probably no need to worry too much about losing hair permanently.  In the meantime, you can cosmetically cover the bald areas of the scalp with wigs, hairpieces or by changing to a darker hair color.

Hair loss caused by genetics

You could fight your genes by using tried-and-tested hair regrowth formulae.  At present, there are only a few that are approved for use by the FDA.  These are minoxidil and finasteride.  Minoxidil is available as a topical solution while finasteride is taken orally as a pill.  They may or may not be prescribed to be used together.

The hair regrowth formula of minoxidil is designed to arrest the problem of hair loss, which makes it very effective especially during the first stages of the condition.  Minoxidil is actually medication used for hypertension until it was discovered that one of its side effects was encouraging hair to grow.  It is believed that this formula dilates the blood vessels, including those in the scalp, an action that promotes the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicle.

Finasteride’s hair regrowth formula is prescription-strong, so it’s not available over-the-counter.  It’s usually prescribed only to men because it has shown adverse side effects to fetuses.

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Undergoing chemotherapy doesn’t automatically make you a candidate for hair loss.  That will depend on the kind of treatment you have and the dosage that will be administered to you.  However, if hair loss is indicated in your particular treatment, here are things you can expect about the condition and what you should know about hair regrowth after chemotherapy:

Hair loss and chemotherapy

When you start chemotherapy, you can expect your hair to fall out within two weeks from the start of the treatment.  The rate of the hair fall will vary depending on the patient – it could occur gradually or quickly and in clumps.  Hair loss will occur during the treatment and might continue for about a month or so. 

There is still no known treatment that can prevent hair loss during chemotherapy.

Hair regrowth after chemotherapy

Take heart.  Hair loss during and after chemotherapy is a temporary condition.  That means you will only experience it during the treatment period.  You hair will start growing again in about six to 12 months after the treatment has been completed. 

Expect your hair regrowth to be a bit different after chemotherapy.  Remember that your hair cells need time to recover from the treatment, too.  Hair regrowth will feel and look different – the texture could be different so your hair could appear finer or curlier than it was and the color will be slightly different as well.  Some patients report that they grew gray hairs after chemotherapy.  However, in a few months, your hair will have recovered completely and it will grow back to its old self once again.

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Cancer treatment in the form of chemotherapy has shown success over the years in killing cancer, and women who have undergone chemotherapy later become success stories for the next generation of women who have to undergo the therapy in some time. One such badge that chemotherapy leaves behind is hair loss, which is a side effect that many people know about, thanks to movies and the popular media.

However, hair loss is only a temporary state, and for most people who have undergone chemotherapy, hair will start growing back eventually. For some people, it will take only a few weeks; for others, it may take months or even years before hair finally grows back and reassumes its original thickness and luster. Some patients have reported that they have their hair back even before they have finished chemotherapy. Others report that about one to two months after their treatment, they have their hair back already.

When a person’s hair does grow back after chemotherapy, the hair might be of a different texture, and sometimes, it may also be of a different color from the one that the person had before chemotherapy. Some patients report that they started growing curly or wavy hair after therapy, while they had straight hair before it. In other cases, people report growing gray hair, and then having the original color restored after a few months.

If you are undergoing chemotherapy, be patient. Take care of your hair while it grows by using only gentle shampoos, and applying gentle conditioners. You will also want to avoid having any chemicals in your hair during the first few months after chemotherapy, as your hair will still be brittle and your scalp is sensitive. For more information, talk to your doctor about what you can do to let your hair grow back to its best shape.

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