Each hair on the scalp grows less than half an inch per month. About 90 percent of the hair on the scalp is growing at any one time while about 10 percent of the hair is in a resting phase; after two to three months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place. One large study that was done in Australia showed that the prevalence of mid-frontal hair loss increases as people age and affects 57% of women and 73.5% of men aged 80 years and over.
Hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. In the past it was believed that baldness was inherited from a person’s maternal grandfather; while there’s some basis for this belief, both parents contribute to their offspring’s likelihood of hair loss. Hypothyroidism can cause hair loss, especially thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder also known as “spot baldness” that can result in hair loss ranging from just one area to every hair on the entire body. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it’s important to find the cause so that it can be treated properly and fast. Poor digestion, parasites and nutrient deficiencies such as iron or biotin deficiency shouldn’t be overlooked as possible causes.
Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss. Some drugs or medications can cause hair loss, which improves when you stop taking the medicine; medications that can cause hair loss include blood thinners, medicines used for gout, chemotherapy drugs used for cancer, too much vitamin A supplementation, birth control pills and antidepressants. One type of baldness is called traction alopecia, which is most commonly found in people with ponytails or cornrows who pull on their hair with excessive force.
Hair loss remedies and treatments with prescription drugs are long term commitments; not short term exposure. The surgical methods used include hair transplantation, whereby hair-producing follicles are taken from the back and sides of the head and injected into bald or thinning areas. Topical application of Ketoconazole, which is both an anti-fungal and a potent 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, is often used as a supplement to other approaches.
Products for hair loss include: shampoos, shampoos and conditioners, conditioners, lotions, creams, concealers, thinning hair shampoos, laser combs, laser brushes, the Lasertron Hair Growth Brush, herbal based products, chemical based pills or tablets, Nizoral shampoo, Neutrogena T-Gel, and many others. Stress reduction can be helpful in slowing hair loss. Minoxidil is a drug that’s used daily to prevent hair loss but may create heart problems; the hair it grows is very fine, only on the top of the head and may fall out again soon after the drug is stopped.
Immunosuppressants applied to the scalp have been shown to temporarily reverse alopecia areata, though the side effects of some of these drugs make this therapy questionable. While drastic, broad spectrum anti-androgens such as Flutamide are sometimes used topically; Flutamide is potent enough to have a feminizing effect in men, including growth of the breasts. Propecia (Finasteride) and Minoxidil (Rogaine in the U.S and elsewhere as Regaine) are drugs that have reported having shown some success in partially reversing loss but consider the side effects.
Circulation to the scalp is important. Make sure to test remedies on a small area first and check with your hair loss doctor or skin doctor before trying any natural home remedy if it includes any irritating ingredients. Onion juice and honey remedy for hair loss: prepare a hair-growing elixir by combining 1/4 cup of onion juice with one tablespoon of honey; massage the scalp with the mixture every day.
Russian cure with honey and vodka remedy for hair loss - combine one tablespoon honey with one jigger of vodka and the juice of a medium-size onion; rub mixture into the scalp every night, cover with a cap and shampoo in the morning. Try scalp massage every day. Resveratrol, from grape skins, is a lipase inhibitor and by decreasing the body’s ability to absorb fat through the intestine walls, it reduces the total fat and calorie content of a person’s diet.
Polygonum Multiflorum is a traditional Chinese cure for hair loss; whether the plant itself is useful, the general safety and quality control of herbs imported from China can be questionable. Try lying on a slant board with head down for 15 minutes a day, but clear it with your doctor first. Beta Sitosterol, which is a constituent in many seed oils, can help to treat BHP (benign prostatic hypertrophy) by lowering cholesterol; but consuming large amounts to get at small quantities of beta sitosterol is likely to exacerbate male pattern baldness.
Fingernail buffer for hair loss: strange as it may sound - three times a day or so, for about five minutes, buff your right fingernails with the fingernails of your left hand; this is supposed to stop hair loss, encourage hair growth and prevent hair from graying. Saw Palmetto is an herbal DHT inhibitor often claimed to be cheaper and have fewer side effects than finasteride and dutasteride; unlike other 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, saw palmetto induces its effects without interfering with the cellular capacity to secrete PSA (protein specific antigen). Garlic oil remedy for hair loss - at bedtime, puncture a couple of garlic pearles, squirt the oil on the scalp, massage, cover with a cap, shampoo and rinse in the morning.
It’s important to find out exactly what is causing your hair loss problem in order to choose the right approach. Treatment for alopecia can be slow and sometimes not successful; the more hair that’s lost, the more you may have to work at it to get it back and in some cases may not be able to; but try as many natural non-invasive treatments and remedies as possible. If you experience any form of hair loss that causes you concern, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the treatment options available to you for your particular condition.