There can be numerous reasons that men begin to lose hair prematurely. For some it may only be a short-lived issue caused by stress or lifestyle choice; however, for others, it’s a permanent condition if left untreated — often known as androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness.
The importance of treating hair loss as soon as possible is not often stressed enough. This may be because men wish to avoid speaking with their doctor, or they refuse to acknowledge the condition at all. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that if men wish to maintain a healthy head of hair, then their best defence is to begin a treatment programme as soon as possible.
Prescription Treatments
Prescription hair loss treatments have a history of causing ill-wanted sexual side effects including reduced sex drive in men. I’d advise you to discuss the options for prescription products with your family doctor. For many, negative sexual side effects can be enough to avoid considering any of these medications; however, they are not familiar with over-the-counter alternatives which can help them keep their hair.
The cause of most hair loss cases is the same: a hormonal sensitivity of the scalp which causes hair follicles to stop producing new healthy hairs and become dormant.
In order to stop the process, you must relieve the hormonal sensitivity in one of two ways:
1. You must either reduce the production of the hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in the body which is the culprit of causing hair follicles to become dormant.
2. You must stop DHT from binding with hair follicles on the scalp.
Over-the-counter hair loss treatments use either one or both of these methods.
Oral Treatments
There are several oral drugs that claim they can reduce premature hair loss by either reducing the production of DHT in the body or blocking the DHT that is produced from reaching the scalp and binding to hair follicles.
While some products have received positive feedback from consumers, you’re usually better off either using a topical treatment that is applied directly to the scalp in conjunction with an oral supplement or just a topical product all on its own.
Topical Treatments
Topical treatments make up the majority of over-the-counter hair loss treatment products. Creams, serums and shampoos are the usual form these products take. Also you will often find kits that contain a shampoo, serum and oral supplement altogether. These products offer a multi-pronged approach to treating hair loss both directly on the scalp and at the DHT production level.
Effective topical products contain a concentration of the FDA-approved hair loss ingredient minoxidil. You’ll find concentrations of 2.5% and 5%. Usually the 2.5% is enough to get the job done.
Other products will contain all-natural ingredients claiming to stop hair loss. While you may find wonderful results with these products, I’d urge you to look for clinical studies and trials of a product to prove its effectiveness before spending a dime.
Other products will contain all-natural ingredients claiming to stop hair loss. While you may find wonderful results with these products, I’d urge you to look for clinical studies and trials of a product to prove its effectiveness before spending a dime.
