What To Look For In An Effective Baldness Treatment

If you have been doing research trying to find an effective baldness treatment I’m sure your head is spinning due to the crosscurrents of information. Part of the reason for the differing opinions, especially when it comes to testimonials, is that no product works 100% of the time. Let’s look at some facts concerning the so called most effective baldness treatment minoxidil (Rogaine, Loniten). 

Minoxidil is approved by the FDA for hair loss and when applied topically it can both protect existing hair and promote new hair growth. So far so good, right? It is available without a prescription and has the ability to slow hair loss in nine out of ten users. Even better! Studies indicate it helps re-grow hair in 20 to 40 percent of the time but is less effective in older adults. It takes approximately 90 days for new growth to occur but new growth can only be sustained with continued use and the quality of new growth may not be of very good. OOPS! 

With minoxidil considered by many to be the most reliable and effective baldness treatment you can easily see how unpredictable other products could be. Nevertheless, learning more about balding and thinning can go a long way in both moderating high expectations and giving you the confidence to try another product if your first choice fails. 

The vast majority cases of permanent and/or ongoing balding is known as male and female pattern baldness. Pattern baldness occurs when testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone and accumulated in the hair follicle complex over time. Once this accumulation occurs it shrinks the hair follicle to a point where blood flow starts to be cut off. The result is hair becoming finer, interruption of the hair replacement cycle, and an acceleration in the number of hairs entering the dormant or resting phase. If this process is not halted hair follicles will start to die and balding will be both ongoing and permanent. 

As you can now see an effective baldness treatment is only as useful as its ability to block or moderate DHT and restore follicle health. 

As discussed above minoxidil does a good job in some areas. The oral prescription medication finasteride (Propecia) has a reasonably good track record in middle aged to younger men. Minoxidil can be used safely by both men and women whereas finasteride is only approved by the FDA for use by men. 

Also, there are at least two herbs shown to be effective DHT blockers; saw palmetto and nettle root. There are a number of effective baldness treatments that are touted as natural which contain either one or both of these herbs along with B vitamins and minerals which have received very good reviews over the last five or so years. Another effective baldness treatment in the natural area are topical formulas containing almond oil, pumpkin oil, jojoba oil, and lavender oil. Once again while you have quite a few choices remember that not every treatment works for every person. 

What Next? As briefly discussed above there are currently a handful of hair re-growth products (specially formulated for both men and women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated products can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.