It is important to seek hair loss treatment for women
as soon as possible in order to stop or reverse any additional hair loss.Hair loss is a very sensitive subject for most people who suffer from it. Losing your hair can be extremely devastating; it can affect a person's self image, confidence, and even their emotional well being. According to the American Hair Loss Association, women comprise forty (40) percent of Americans who suffer from the loss of their hair. Psychologically, it can take a toll on sufferers because all that they see is hair fall but can not pinpoint exactly why they are losing hair, they do not know if it is temporary or a permanent malady. In that regard, it is important to seek hair loss treatment for women as soon as possible in order to stop or reverse any additional hair loss. First, in order to get an accurate diagnosis, women suffering from hair loss should visit a dermatologist but in order to get a better understanding, listed are some common types of loss of hair.
Alopecia * ponytails It is important to note here that if a woman does not treat her hair and scalp once she notices excessive thinning then the problem could be exacerbated and scarring alopecia can occur, which is very hard to reverse without invasive procedures. Infectious Agents Folliculitis is a generally caused by a bacterial infection and is an inflammation of hair follicles that causes a loss of hair. There are other forms of non-contagious folliculitis caused by excessive oils and grease that clog up the hair follicles. Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition that is caused by an overproduction of sebum on the scalp.
Alopecia is a common term that is used frequently when describing the loss of one's hair but what does it mean exactly? Actually, it means just that, loss of hair, either from a person's head or their body. Alopecia essentially refers to baldness, and the accurate medical terminology is androgenetic alopecia. This is what is meant when you lose your hair due to genetics. Alopecia is in fact the most common type of hair loss; with men it is more commonly referred to as male pattern baldness. This is where you notice significant balding either on the crown of the head or the temples. Women typically do not experience androgenetic alopecia; their hair generally thins all over. If a woman is experiencing patchy baldness in certain areas it is probably brought on by styling and starts out thinning overtime until the scalp is exposed. These styling methods include but are not limited to:
* tight braids that are essentially pulling the hair out from the root;
damaging the follicles
* hair relaxers or other chemical processes
* excessively hot hair tools used frequently
Ringworms is a fungal infection and if it develops on the head, specifically the scalp, it can cause people to lose patches of hair because the fungus gets into the hair shaft causing it to become brittle and break off, thereby creating temporary baldness.
It is important for women to know that what is going on externally may be a reflection on what is happening internally. If you have an improper diet, are emotionally overwhelmed due to stress and anxiety this can also cause hair fall. Hair loss can be very disconcerting, but there are hair loss treatment for women that can stop or slow down hair fall.
It is important to note that in the case of androgenic alopecia, women who suffer from this condition are in a difficult position because it is genetic and although there are drugs that doctors can prescribe to combat this form of hair loss, many are hesitant because oral medications can tamper with androgen levels. Instead, doctors opt to prescribe topical treatments; which are applied externally, or directly to the scalp. Again, it is very important that if you are diagnosed with androgenic alopecia you begin treatment as soon as possible. Alopecia that is left untreated has the potential to destroy the hair follicles.
Bellow you'll find the Most Effective Hair Loss Treatment for Women
Here is a list of medications that are used as a hair loss treatment for women. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved one hair loss treatment for women, but in other informal tests, researchers have found success with other treatments. The effectiveness of these treatments will vary from person to person, but overall, women who suffer from hair loss have had moderate success using these methods.
Rogaine (active ingredient Minoxidil)
Rogaine is a brand name in hair loss treatment for women. The primary ingredient in Rogaine which facilitates hair growth is minoxidil. Minoxidil is an FDA approved ingredient but the supported concentration for women is 2%, whereas with men it is 5%. However, some dermatologists will prescribe 5% concentration for women who suffer from androgenic alopecia while under close doctor supervision. When applied directly to the scalp, minoxidil is absorbed into the bloodstream and stimulates hair growth.
Aldactone/Spironolactone
Aldactone and Spironolactone are popular brand names for diurectics or water pills. You may be wondering why a diurectic is prescribed as a hair loss treatment for women but what this drug does is it slows down the production of androgens and blocks the actions androgens.
Tagamet/Cimetidine
Tagamet is the brand name that Cimetidine is sold under and is a histamine blocker. Studies have shown that Citetidine has powerful anti-androgenic properties and is currently being prescribed to women with androgenic alopecia with promising results.
Estrogen/Progesterone
This is also regarded as hormone replacement therapy and is commonly prescribed to women who are going through menopause whose estrogen levels are diminishing. Research has shown that it has been effective in regrowing hair with women.
Oral Contraceptives
Birth control pills have long been prescribed to women in order to prevent pregnancy. Contraceptives decrease the production of androgens in the ovaries and consequently doctors have found that it can help treat androgenic alopecia as well. Needless to say, the user must follow the same warnings that a woman who is using the pill for birth control would as the side effects are similar.
Propecia
Propecia was initially designed to combat male hair loss and was approved by the FDA for that purpose, not as a hair loss treatment for women. However, some dermatologists prescribe this drug to women because its effectiveness in inhibiting the production of DHT which is known to kill hair follicles. Pregnant women are expressly prohibited from using this drug because of the high risk of birth defects in a male fetus.
Nizoral/Ketoconazole
A topical treatment only available by prescription, it is used primarily as an anti-fungal agent that can be used to treat fungal infections on the scalp that is causing hair fall like Folliculitis. Ketoconazole also has anti-androgenic effects that can help those individuals who are suffering from androgenic alopecia.
The above listed medications, with the exception of Rogaine, can only be prescribed by a doctor or dermatologist as a hair loss treatment for women. A doctor must assess the type of hair loss you have in order to determine what treatment would be best for each individual person. It goes without saying that there are a plethora of hair loss treatments on the market that can be purchased over the counter that claim to treat hair loss but only these drugs have proved, under a doctor's care, to stop or reverse hair loss in women.
Hair loss treatment for women.
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