Hair Loss - Baldness Treatment Choices

You heard the word. You probably laughed at someone who has this when you were a kid. And maybe, you jokingly called one, "Baldy" now that you are a grown up. The thing is, you may even be "Baldy". Not to worry anyway because a baldness treatment is not hard to find nowadays.

Baldness as you may know is the lack or thinning of hair. It is a major problem if it affects the head and too bad, there are more men affected by age 50 than those who are not. In women, they experience hair loss, also, usually when they give birth or are menopausal.

A short trip to the department store on the hair care department will amaze you. Baldness treatment is not the problem anymore but choosing one is. You can use any hair regrowth shampoos, creams, and other products as well. Visiting your nearest pharmacy will show you the drug-based treatments also. These are over the counter so no need for prescriptions.

There are actually two drug agents approved by FDA for baldness treatment: Minoxidil and Finasteride. They both inhibit dihydrotestosterone or DHT which is responsible for hair loss. The Minoxidil is a vasolilator that is initially marketed to lower high blood pressure while Finasteride used to be an approved treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Hair transplantation can also be a baldness treatment. This can be done by taking hair follicles that are not affected by balding and placing it on the "baldy" part. Hair will now grow probably after a year and for a lifetime. Modern hair transplants are modeled from the normal grouping of hair making it look as if the transplant is natural.

Ketokonazole can also be a baldness treatment. Though it is indicated by fungi-infected scalp, it inhibits 5-alpha reductase, which is responsible for converting testosterone to DHT. It is also a hair growth stimulant although it is not approved by FDA for hair loss treatment, but is approved for fungal infections.

Baldness treatment choices can never be complete without mentioning remedies. For herbal options, saw palmetto as it inhibits 5-alpha reductase. Ash gourd is also used by some because it combats dry scalp. Alfalfa on the other hand is used because it strengthens the roots of the hair.

Moreover, knowing the cause of your condition will lead you to the best baldness treatment. If in case it is due to hormonal imbalance, regulating the therapy may stop the hair loss that leads to baldness. If the cause is due to your excessive use of hot hair iron or hairstyles that warrant your hair to be pulled and tagged, limiting these activities could be a mode of treatment.

Low laser therapy, specifically the Hairmax Lasercomb, is a device that received the FDA clearance to be marketed although the efficacy and safety of the products is still to be established.

Amazingly, caffeine is being claimed as a baldness treatment if the hair fall is due to high testosterone. There are shampoos and hair spray added with caffeine so that it will be applied to the scalp.