Hair loss problems are characterized by baldness and thin hair. No one wants to be part of these problems. There are medicines that are used to treat the problems and many people are beginning to appreciate them. We will see which ones are best and available in the market today.

Before we get to that, we need to know the common hair loss problems that people encounter and what causes them because this is when you would know the best medicines. They are grouped according to the type of hair loss.

So, there are two types of hair loss that people encounter.

Inherited hair loss and Alopecia areata hair loss. This second one is a result of immune system attack to the follicles of the hair.

Best medicines

Now that we know the two types of hair loss that we would be dealing with, we would look at the best medicines that would effectively clear each of the problems. We will consider each of them in the order they are listed.

For inherited hair loss, which is usually baldness, you would any of the below two medications. You have to stick to the instructions for you to be able to get positive results from them. 

You can get the minoxidil over the counter. You will not be asked for a prescription to be given this medication. Then, you will be instructed or you would just have to spray or rub the medication on the scalp. Pretty soon it would respond and you would see hair growing. This medication is to be applied twice daily.

Alternatively, you can see a doctor who would prescribe for you the Finasteride drug. These are pills that you would take once a day. Women who are planning to have children must not even handle these drugs. They have side effects of birth defects.
 
Then, let us now turn our attention to hair loss that results from immune attacks. Here there are 3 medicines that you can consider.

** For patchy hair loss, you would need to inject corticosteroids into the scalp every 4 to 6 weeks. The injection is done several times but at 1cm apart.
** You can use diphenylcyclopropenone medicine once a week. It is to be applied on the scalp. It is a form of contact immunotherapy and is very effective for severe hair loss.
** Finally, you can also use the Psoralen drug to sensitize the skin to ultraviolet A light. This is called Psoralen with Ultraviolet A light therapy.

Yes, with any of the above three methods you will be sure that you will improve the situation. You have to be reasonable on your expectations though. Even when we preach that these medications are the best, you may never have whole hair like it is for those who do not have the hair loss problems.

Sometimes, you may have the bald get small, as in hair will grow on some parts of the scalp and not others. But you can also be disappointed when you stop the treatment. So, you have to maintain the treatment to succeed.

Hair loss is normal process of the body. Unfortunately, this process can sometimes become abnormal and lead to psychological and pathological maladies. The experts agree – natural hair care is one of the best methods to avoid abnormal hair loss.

While hair loss is common among both males and females, the reasons behind it tend to differ. In order to effectively prevent the loss of hair, you must first understand the natural life cycle of a hair.

Life Cycle of a Hair

Hair growth can be divided into three stages:

Anagen
Catagen
Telogen

The anagen stage is known as the “growing stage.” It can last anywhere from 2 to 6 years. Regular intake of nutrients throughout this stage will result in strong, healthy hair. The second stage, or the catagen stage, is stage of partial degeneration. It lasts a mere 10 to 14 days. The final stage, known as the telogen stage, is referred to as the “resting phase” and results in the shedding of hair. An increase in age or the presence of a hair loss disorder prolongs this final resting phase.


Preventive Hair Care

Taking preventive action is the best solutions for curing as well as avoiding a hair loss fiasco. Different techniques include:

Natural food supplements
A balanced diet with sufficient fruits and vegetables
Natural herbs

Natural food supplements provide sufficient resources for beautiful, vibrant hair by creating a healthy environment for hair follicles. These natural, chemical-free products keep hair healthy and strong.

Natural and organic food items can provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for a balanced hair growth cycle. Research has shown that the phytochemicals found in organic food are an excellent source of antioxidants. These chemicals are more beneficial to hair than Vitamins A, C, and E! Natural fruits and vegetables are rich in these phytochemicals.

Many herbs and plants possess excellent hair care qualities as well. Certain herbs have proven to provide effective relief for women during different phases of their life. Women suffer significant hormonal imbalances during menopause, which can result in hair loss. Herbs found in natural health supplements have proved quite effective.

Different hair care oils and products made from herbs have been used for centuries by people all over the world. 

All in all, nutrition plays the most significant role in any natural hair care regiment. A proper supply of nutrients results in healthy, luscious hair – it’s as simple as that! A diet consisting of natural vitamins, proteins, and minerals will provide sufficient nutrients to the follicles for healthy hair growth. 

While organic foods and herbs serve as the best protection against hair loss, medication is recommended if you are experiencing an abnormal, perpetual degree of hair loss.

A brief overview

      The word Alopecia itself means any type of baldness or hair loss, whether it’s on the scalp or on any other hairy part of the body. When this word is combined with other terms, it can be used to describe a number of conditions, all relating to hair loss.

      Alopecia Areata is used to describe hair loss which occurs on any part of the body. Alopecia Totalis refers to a condition when the patient loses all of his hair on the scalp. Alopecia Universalis is when the patient loses all of his hair on the scalp, the rest of the body including the pubic hair. Alopecia barbae is when the patient loses only the beard hair. Androgenetic Alopecia, commonly referred to as male pattern baldness, is thinning of hair to such an extent that the scalp is almost visible. It is usually considered a hereditary form of hair loss.

      An interesting thing to note about this disease is that it has almost nil or very insignificant affects on the body. The patients normally are in excellent physical health. The psychological effect is however is more pronounced. Hair loss or even complete baldness results in low self esteem, embarrassment, anxiety attacks and even depression and ironically all of these aforementioned states are known to result in an increase in hair loss.

Causes

      The most recent research shows that Alopecia Areata is an abnormality of the immune system. That is why it is referred to as an autoimmune disease.  The immune system for unknown reasons starts to consider the hair follicles as unfamiliar tissue. The white bloods cell attack the follicle and prevent or reduce hair growth though the follicles are not damaged. This is why there is always a chance of the hair growing back once the normal cycle of the follicle is allowed to begin.

Diagnosis

      The first signs of the disease are small, often round patches of baldness appearing on the scalp. The disease is usually found in young children, teenagers but can happen to almost people of all ages. In males, the baldness usually starts from the forehead and can then move on to the whole scalp.

      Another reliable sign is the exclamation point hair. This is when the part of the hair close to the base reduces to such an extent that it starts to look like an exclamation point. This can be viewed with a hand lens. Another method is where the doctor gently tugs puffs of hair, where hair seems to be unusually less. The force is less than what would be required to pull out normal healthy hair and if still, hair falls, this means the patient is suffering from Alopecia Areata.

Treatment

      Usually hair begins to grow back on the patches. This happens to almost fifty percent of the patients. However there are cases where the disease can be persistent and often increase in intensity. There is no known method to date which can cure the disease hundred percent. Different treatments have different effects on patients and it’s a matter of realizing what helps the most.

      Cortisone Injections are a popular treatment in which cortisone is injected into the bald patch directly usually once a month. This helps only the injected patch; it does not stop other patches from being created. Topical minoxidil has also known to be effective on patients though its effect is varied. It is normally used in concentrations of two and five percent and has insignificant side-effects. Corticosteroids can also be used to stop the increase in patches. Wigs are also an alternate option.

Research is still being carried out to understand Alopecia Areata, its causes and possible treatments as there is still some ambiguity regarding this disease.