Hair loss is a major problem for many people around the world. It affects both men and women. This post explains the various ways on how to prevent hair loss. Continue reading for more insights.
Also called androgenic alopecia (AGA), male pattern baldness is a common condition among men. Research shows that about two-thirds of men in American have visible hair loss by age 35. By the age of 50, 85% of men will have significant hair loss, and before reaching 21, a quarter of men will start losing hair. If you are suffering from hair loss, you are fortunate because there are plenty of hair restoration treatments available to treat hair loss. You also need to know how to prevent hair loss before it strikes.
If you start noticing that you are losing hair, or you want to prevent hair loss before it catches up with you, there are plenty of ways to do so. This guide will provide and explain some of the ways you can use it to prevent hair loss. Continue reading for more insights.
What causes hair loss is a chemical process involving the testosterone hormone. This male hormone is converted by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Miniaturization occurs when DHT binds to hair follicle receptors, causing the hair follicles to shrink. When this happens, the hair growth phase is reduced. Hair won’t grow as long and as thick as it used to. The process will continue, making the hair grow shorter and finer until the hair follicles become dormant, incapable of producing hair. It won’t matter how much DHT or testosterone is produced. Generally, hair follicles are sensitive to DHT.
To prevent thinning hair or balding, this process has to be stopped or prevented. Below is a detailed explanation of how to prevent hair loss using medication.
How to Stop the Hair Loss Process
Most of the methods used to stop hair loss are chemical-oriented and have been proven to work scientifically. The natural ways of stopping hair loss have no scientific backings that they can work, even though many people say that they do. If you suspect that you may be suffering from a hair loss condition, take action first and visit a specialist who will advise you on proper treatment options. The chemical used to stop hair loss also works effectively at the early stages of hair loss, therefore, act first before it’s too late.
How to Prevent Hair Loss with Medication
Generally, there are three types of medication used to stop hair loss. They include finasteride, minoxidil, and ketoconazole. Clinically, they’ve all been proven to work effectively in reducing hair loss. It can also be used to accelerate hair growth in many men. Although these treatments can work individually, they are even much more effective when combined. Let’s look at each of them:
Finasteride (Propecia)
Can a pill a day stop hair loss? Although it may sound impossible, it really works. The drug is commonly sold as Propecia and Proscar, and is clinically proven to work when you want a drug to reduce the effects of hair loss. DHT, which is the main cause of hair loss, is reduced by 60%. Most use the Propecia device because it is highly recommended.
This type of hair loss prevention treatment works on the entire head. Doctors have proved that it can stop hair loss at the temple or a receding hairline. Any person suffering from mild or full-blown hair loss can use this type of medication. Finasteride has minimal shortcomings because it is taken orally. One of it’s drawbacks is that one needs to seek a prescription from the doctor. Another setback is that it is quite expensive. Proscar, being generic of Propecia, is less expensive. The drug is so effective that only 2% of its users encounter negative side effects.
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
The most popular drug used for the prevention of hair loss is minoxidil, also called Rogaine. There is substantial evidence that this drug has the ability to regenerate and enhance hair growth. Being an anti-hypertensive vasodilator, minoxidil works by widening blood vessels to increase the flow of blood. Originally, minoxidil was designed to treat blood pressure, but it’s side effects include growing hair.
This type of hair loss prevention medication also works by prolonging anagen – growth phase and shortening telogen, which is the shedding phase in the hair cycle. The drug also converts miniaturized hair follicles into thicker hairs. Miniaturized hair follicles are responsible for generic or age-related hair loss. This type of hair loss medication works better on individuals who have dense hair follicles in order to boost hair regrowth. Most men who suffer from hair loss will experience hair regrowth after using 5% minoxidil foam for four months. Persons whose hair follicles have remained dormant for 5 years may not be able to reactivate them using Rogaine.
Conclusion
Before opting for any hair restoration treatment, the ideal thing to do is visit a physician. He or she will carry out a few tests to establish the cause of the hair loss. After that, you will be given a suitable hair loss treatment option that will work effectively based on your hair loss condition. Prevention of hair loss is better than treating it. We hope that this guide on how to prevent hair loss was helpful to you. With these hair loss prevention drugs, you can be able to slow down or even stop hair loss while in its early stage.
