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Hair loss can be a distressing experience for both men and women. And if your balding is caused by genetics or autoimmune diseases, it may not be reversible.
However, you may be able to slow down or stop the process by addressing the underlying cause of balding, whether it’s due to nutritional deficiency, stress, thyroid imbalances, bad styling products, or anti-acne medication. Hair loss may take 3-6 months to reverse.
What are the different types of balding?
There are different types of balding, and each looks slightly different. Example includes:
- Alopecia areata: Patchy in different parts of the scalp
- Male pattern baldness: Along the temples and vertex of the scalp
- Telogen effluvium: All over the scalp
What can help with hair loss?
Diet rich in vitamins and minerals
A diet rich in vitamin D and iron may help with hair thinning and balding. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. We also get vitamin D from foods such as eggs, fatty fish like cod, mushrooms and dairy. Iron is a mineral that is present in meats and green leafy veggies.
Other causes of baldness include a deficiency of biotin, selenium, and proteins. Foods such as yogurt, eggs, kimchi, salmon, spinach, meat, pumpkin, and walnuts are packed with vitamins, proteins, biotin, omega-3 fatty acid, probiotics, iron, and more that help provide all the essentials that a body needs to promote hair density.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-blocking or licorice shampoo
Male pattern hair loss is a genetic condition in which DHT hormone blocks the supply of blood and nutrition to hair, leading to hair thinning, hair loss, and eventually baldness.
Several varieties of shampoo claim to block the effects of DHT on hair follicles. While considered minimally effective, some men have seen good results when combined with other treatments, diet, and a healthy lifestyle.
Like DHT shampoo, licorice shampoo and licorice products have been said to stimulate hair growth.
Essential oils
Essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, lemongrass, and tea tree, when used on a regular basis, can help hair grow as well as add strength and shine. Green tea extracts also claim to stimulate hair growth.
Medications
Studies have reported that using minoxidil and finasteride together is more effective than using either one alone for certain types of baldness.
Finasteride:
- According to the American Hair Loss Association, finasteride stopped hair loss progression in 86% of men who took the drug in clinical trials, and 65% of them experienced increased hair growth. Side effects were minimal.
- Propecia (finasteride) is an oral medication known as a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, which causes baldness by converting testosterone into DHT. However, when 5-alpha-reductase is inhibited, so is the production of DHT, which can stop or reverse hair loss.
Minoxidil:
- Rogaine (minoxidil) is an over-the-counter liquid or foam that is applied to the scalp twice a day. Minoxidil doesn’t have a direct effect on DHT. However, it is a peripheral vasodilator, which means it helps widen and loosen the blood vessels, increasing blood flow. Experts believe that massaging the scalp with minoxidil may help hair to regrow.
- Minoxidil hasn’t been shown to be effective for receding hairlines, just hair growth at the crown of the head. Additionally, it tends to work best on younger men who’ve been experiencing hair loss for less than 5 years, according to some studies.
- Keep in mind that minoxidil must be used continuously. If you discontinue it, any new hair growth may reverse, and your male pattern hair loss will pick up where it left off.
Other treatments
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment:
- Dermatologists draw your blood and place it in a centrifuge to extract the plasma, which they then inject into your scalp. The theory is that certain factors in the platelets can spur hair growth.
- A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences reported that PRP treatment increased the number of hair follicles and overall hair density.
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT):
- LLLT is an FDA-approved method to treat hair loss.
- Devices used in LLLT emit constant red light-emitting diode (LED) light, which is believed to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow to the hair follicles.
Mesotherapy:
- This process of intradermal scalp injections can help encourage natural hair regeneration.
- Microinjections are made just under the epidermis to help stimulate the mesoderm layer. Furthermore, mesotherapy is a dual-action process that tends to involve both chemical and mechanical stimulation.
QR 678 Neo therapy:
- This therapy consists of a combination of growth factors and peptides injected into the scalp. It claims to curb hair loss and increase the thickness, number, and density of existing hair follicles.
- It is non-invasive, non-surgical, and affordable. The procedure takes 6-8 sessions.
- Mesotherapy in combination with the QR 678 Neo solution is far more effective than traditional mesotherapy, and it is 5 times more effective than PRP.
![](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/quiz/hair-loss/hair-loss-s1.jpg)
QUESTION
It is normal to lose 100-150 hairs per day. See AnswerPatterned hair loss: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/patterned-hair-loss
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