What causes baldness? Understand why people lose their hair

Table Of Content

• Which supplements are best for hair loss in females?
• Oral Minoxidil Is an ‘Off-Label’ Treatment for Hair Loss
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Frequently asked questions about hair loss medications
• Addressing shortfalls through diet and supplements: Does it help hair growth?
• Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.
• Supplements

Many types of hair loss are treated with a combination of medications for optimal results. Dermatologists at NYU Langone may add antibiotics to a treatment regimen to prevent the immune system from attacking healthy hair cells or antimalarial medications to reduce inflammation in the scalp. If a fungal infection called tinea capitis, or scalp ringworm, is the cause of hair loss, a dermatologist prescribes an antifungal medication to be taken by mouth daily.

Which supplements are best for hair loss in females?

Scalp ringworm, which is caused by a fungus, requires antifungal medication. It’s essential that you not become pregnant while taking spironolactone. To prevent pregnancy, your dermatologist will also prescribe a birth control pill if it’s possible for you to get pregnant. After 12 weeks of treatment, the patients treated with minoxidil and microneedling had significantly more hair growth.

Best hair growth supplements for thickness 2024 - Good Housekeeping uk

Best hair growth supplements for thickness 2024.

Posted: Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Oral Minoxidil Is an ‘Off-Label’ Treatment for Hair Loss

Low levels of vitamin D, selenium, zinc, and iron may cause hair loss. Over-supplementation of some nutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin E, and selenium, may also cause hair loss. Connecting with a doctor as soon as you see the early signs of hair loss may result in an early diagnosis and both of you can discuss which options are available.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Adolescents, in particular, are often excluded, teased, and bullied by their peers due to their hair loss. People with alopecia commonly report feeling frustrated about the lack of treatment options. Many have resorted to taking off-label therapies, like topical steroids, with varying results, and which can come with potential side effects, including acne and glucose intolerance. Prescription drugs used to treat hair loss — finasteride, spironolactone, and dutasteride — are more accessible with subscription-based telehealth platforms like Hims, Keeps, and Roman. While many products do provide applicator nozzles that reach through the hair, some droppers aren’t as precise.

Male-pattern baldness

Other professional treatments include laser devices and microneedling. Steroid injections, hair transplants, and platelet-rich plasma procedures may be options to consider, although these are more common treatments for inflammatory hair loss. Vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, and vitamin D are all beneficial for hair health.

Frequently asked questions about hair loss medications

Vitamin C contributes to the synthesis of collagen, which contains amino acids that can be used to build keratin — an important part of hair structure. While factors such as age, genetics, hormones, and medication may affect your hair, nutrition is key for hair health throughout life. In particular, vitamins B, C, and D, plus iron and zinc, appear to play important roles in hair growth and thickness. Many individuals are able to consume vital nutrients through a healthy diet.

Addressing shortfalls through diet and supplements: Does it help hair growth?

For example, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) has been proven to support hair regrowth for many people and is more likely to give you the results you are looking for than an untested ingredient. When looking for effective hair regrowth products, consider the ingredient and if those ingredients have been clinically proven to help regrow or thicken hair. Be sure to check with your doctor before using any new hair growth product. If the product is topical, it’s best to do a patch test before use. You can choose the products you want to use right away or fill out a questionnaire about your hair loss, medical history, and lifestyle. These solutions contain some of the most popular ingredients for regrowing hair, like finasteride, minoxidil, dutasteride, and spironolactone, which are available by prescription.

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

The Ordinary is a fan favorite for low cost, effective beauty treatments. This product is a concentrated serum that’s designed to help hair look thicker, denser, fuller, and healthier. You may have heard that laser combs, brushes, hoods, and caps can help halt hair loss. The theory is that when hair follicles absorb laser light at a certain level, it stimulates hair to grow. But there’s not enough evidence that any of these devices restore hair or prevent balding. Minimize the use of high-heat styling tools, hair extensions and harsh treatments like perms.

Supplements

Because this can cause you to get too much of the nutrient, many dermatologists recommend taking a multivitamin instead. Studies indicate that laser therapy is safe and painless but requires many treatment sessions. To see a bit of hair growth, you may need several treatments a week for many months. The decrease in DHT helps prevent your prostate from growing larger. It also leads to increased hair growth and decreased hair loss of the hair on your head. The disease can vary in severity, but for some, it can be life-altering — a total loss of body hair, including eyelashes and eyebrows, even nose hair and hair in the ears.

Most manufacturers suggest you apply it to dry or towel-dried hair. No matter your age or gender, dealing with hair loss can be frustrating. There are many hair loss products available on the market, which can add to the overwhelm. Additionally, visiting a dermatologist or hair loss specialist can be expensive. Individuals who cannot visit or do not feel comfortable consulting a physician in person can consider using a telehealth service to discuss their hair loss and get a prescription.

BlinkRx is an online pharmacy that claims to provide people with the lowest prescription prices for a wide range of medications. A 3-month supply of oral finasteride costs $20 per month, and the same supply of topical minoxidil costs $16 per month. Additionally, the AAD advises that people should not use spironolactone if they are pregnant, as it can cause birth defects. A person should use birth control to prevent pregnancy if they want to take spironolactone. Some research has revealed positive results for spironolactone for FPHL.