Overview
Most people have around 5 million hairs growing all over their body, according to National Institutes for Health data. Although follicles are shed on a regular basis, many people don’t start to miss them until the hair on the head becomes noticeably and permanently thinner. As of April 2010, there were two hair loss treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Common Cause of Hair Loss
Androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) is the most common cause of hair loss, according to a March 2003 “American Family Physician” article. It is a genetic problem and a family history of it increases your risk, regardless of which side of your family it occurs, says the Mayo Clinic. Male hormones called androgens shorten the phase during which hair follicles are in the active stage of growth and also cause follicular miniaturization. The end result: thinning hair that becomes finer in texture.
Treatment for Pattern Baldness
The first-line treatment for pattern baldness is topical minoxidil, a nonprescription FDA-approved medication. Minoxidil (Rogaine) is available in a 2-percent concentration for both genders and a 5-percent concentration for men. An April 1999 article in the “American Family Physician” states that clinical studies conducted in the 1980s yielded a 50-percent effectiveness. Best candidates for topical minoxidil were defined as men who had been losing hair for less than five years and whose bald spot was less than 4 inches in diameter and located on the vertex. Minoxidil had little or no effect when applied to the hairline or anterior scalp. Topical minoxidil is more effective on women than men, says the AHLA.
Treatment Options for Men
Men might be suitable candidates for finasteride (Propecia). This prescription oral medication is recommended by the AHLA as a more desirable hair loss treatment, as its effective on not only the vertex, but the anterior mid-scalp. According to the AHLA, results of clinical trials indicate that Propecia stopped hair loss in 86 percent of participants; 65 percent experienced considerable regrowth. Oral finasteride is not prescribed to women, since doctors are wary of using a systemic treatment for female pattern baldness.
Evaluating Hair Loss
Finding the right hair loss treatment might require uncovering the underlying cause. The AAFP indicates that a doctor will take a history and conduct a physical examination to determine when hair loss began and how it progressed, including if a patient was under any stress. A hair-pull test, in which one or two hairs are removed, might be conducted. The Mayo Clinic notes that sudden hair loss, in which hair falls out in handfuls, or hair loss that occurs in a patchy presentation, always warrant a medical consultation.
Other Treatments
The Mayo Clinic cites several other reasons for hair loss, such as a poor diet, use of certain medications, diseases, medical treatments, scalp infections and changes in hormone levels. Some types of hair loss don’t require treatment, points out the Mayo Clinic. Hair loss that occurs from physical or emotional stressors (telogen effluvium) resolves on its own over time, as does traction alopecia, in which hair loss is caused by tight hairstyles, such as braids. There’s no cure for permanent hair loss, says the Mayo Clinic. Talk to your health-care practitioner about treatments that are appropriate for you.
