Should these sufferers just grin and bear it? No, they should not because there are a number of potentially effective treatments they could utilize, depending on nature of their hair loss. In this article I will outline some of most popular hair loss treatments currently available in order to reinforce fact that hair loss can be treated. The next article in series will look closely at treatment regimes best suited to specific ailments such as alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.

At present only two medications have been approved as hair loss treatments by FDA. These are minoxidil, better known as Rogaine, and finasteride, better known as Propecia. Several other drugs have proven to be effective in combating hair loss, dutasteride for example, but have not yet been approved for this particular use.

Finasteride was originally developed to treat enlarged prostate conditions but a low dose version was subsequently approved for treatment of hair loss in men. It tackles causes of male pattern baldness by preventing conversion of 5-alpha-reductase into DHT. Given that DHT is main male hormone linked to hair loss, reducing its production by two thirds has a major impact on controlling this type of baldness.

Research has shown that 83% of men studied were able to maintain their hair count and 64% experienced regrowth by end of a two year period. It should be noted that finasteride is approved for use by men only as drug can have serious effects on unborn male fetuses. Women should therefore only consider using this drug under strict supervision of a physician.

Dutasteride (Avodart) is a new medication for use in treating prostate conditions and, although not yet approved for treatment of hair loss, it does offer exciting possibilities. It works in a similar way to finasteride but reputedly reduces overall DHT production by over 93%. As is case with finasteride, women should consult their physician before using dutasteride.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is other hair loss treatment approved by FDA and it is only anti-baldness drug approved for women. Applied topically, its main benefit is its ability to stimulate regrowth thus reversing effects of pattern baldness. Many users combine application of minoxidil with other hair loss treatments like Propecia to achieve maximal results, but others experience satisfactory outcomes using minoxidil on its own.

When we eat, our gallbladder contracts and pushes bile into small intestines where it helps with digestion of fats. Bile is made up of water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins and bilirubin. Under certain conditions, substances in bile, especially cholesterol or bile pigment (bilirubin) can harden into stones – gallstones. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. We can develop one large stone or a multitude of smaller ones.

Many people with gallstones have no symptoms at all. Others go through life relatively symptom free, experiencing minor symptoms such as abdominal bloating, intolerance to fatty foods, belching, intestinal gas and indigestion. For others, however they may suffer what is called a gallstone “attack”. Gallstone attacks often follow a fatty meal. Symptoms of an attack include steady, sever pain in upper abdomen that can last from 30 minutes to several hours. Sufferers may also experience pain in back between shoulder blades or under right shoulder. A gallstone attack is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting. If symptoms such as sweating, chills, a fever or a yellowish color to skin or whites of eyes occur, it is important to seek medical assistance.

There are a number of factors that increase your risk of having gallstones. Those at a higher risk include women, especially women who are pregnant, on hormone therapy or taking birth control pills, people over 60 years of age, Native and Mexican Americans, overweight individuals and individuals who fast or go on crash diets and lose a lot of weight quickly.