Much has been said and written about modern day hair loss treatments but this tends to relate almost exclusively to men. Do these same treatments offer solutions to women suffering from hair loss or is there a completely different category of remedies available? It really depends on what is causing hair loss in
first place and as most common causes of hair loss are same as those that affect men, treatments available are pretty similar.In an earlier article we concluded that three most common causes of hair loss in women are female pattern baldness, telogen effluvium and alopecia areata. We'll now look at each of these in turn and examine best treatments available, bearing in mind specific needs of women:
1. Treatments for female pattern baldness.
In most instances minoxidil (Rogaine) is first treatment used. This is one of only two FDA approved hair loss treatments and it remains only one approved for use by women. Minoxidil comes in form of a topical solution that works by tackling symptoms of hair loss and helping to generate new hair growth. It does not target causes of hair loss and will not work for everyone. The women's version of minoxidil is a 2% solution but 5% version marketed for men can be used if necessary.
The most popular drug for treating male pattern baldness is of course finasteride (Propecia). Women of child bearing age should not use this drug due to severely damaging effects it can have on unborn male fetuses. Any women considering using Propecia should discuss it first with their physician. In some cases your doctor may prescribe a different androgen blocker called spironolactone as a means of stopping hormone activity that is causing hair loss. Spironolactone is normally used as a diuretic and results may be variable.
There is a bewildering range of commercial products available, most of which are aimed squarely at men but many are also suitable for women to use. Whether they work or not is another question but some products containing ingredients like saw palmetto, stinging nettle, pygeum and green tea have shown their value. You can find out more about these and other poential hair loss solutions by visiting site listed at end of this article.
