It seems like every time you turn the page in a magazine, there’s an ad for a new hair loss treatment. But the sad reality is that most of these treatments aren’t evidenced based, and won’t result in any hair regrowth at all. If you want to narrow your search to treatments that have been shown to be both safe and effective, here are the main three hair loss solutions you should consider:
- Medical Treatment:
Much male pattern baldness is caused by something called miniaturization. This is a phenomenon in which strands of hair become thinner, shorter and weaker with each cycle of hair growth. Early on, one of the most common treatments for balding caused by miniaturization is medical (drug) treatment. There are two drugs that have been approved by the FDA for treatment of male pattern baldness. Arguably the most effective option is Propecia, a prescription that is only available for men. Another popular option, Rogaine, can be used by both men and women.
- Hair Transplant Surgery:
There are two main kinds of hair transplant surgery (follicular unit extraction and follicular unit transplantation), but it’s best not to get bogged down in the details until you actually talk to a hair transplant surgeon and figure out if you’re a candidate for either one. In both cases, the surgeon removes donor grafts from one area of the head or body, and then implants them in a bald spot or along a receding hairline. Although the transplanted hairs themselves may fall out, the implanted follicles begin to produce natural hair growth on their own. This makes hair transplant procedures the most effective treatment available for people suffering from severe hair loss.
- Laser Hair Growth Stimulation:
Don’t panic — these aren’t the same lasers that are used to remove hair. Low level laser therapy, or LLLT, has been shown to sometimes be effective in encouraging follicles to produce more or thicker hair. It’s thought that this works by energizing the hair follicle. There’s not as much support for laser treatment as there is for the previous two methods, so it’s often used in conjunction with other treatments in order to maximize results. As with all hair loss solutions, you should consult a respected hair loss doctor before proceeding.
Are there any other hair loss treatments you’ve been considering? Share your thoughts or ask questions in the comments section below.