How Can Hair Loss Be Cured? 

 

• Q: I'll get straight to the point here.  Is there a cure for baldness? If not, then what are the best treatments or the closest thing to a cure?

This is a very broad question, so I will answer it broadly. First of all, I should note that there is no cure for baldness, be it for men or women. That is the bad news. However, various hair loss types can be treated, and some treated quite effectively.

Curing baldness and treating it are two separate things. Like I said, curing hair loss is impossible, but treating it is very viable, on the condition you treat it early enough.

Types of Baldness

Let’s look at some of the most common hair loss types that CAN be treated:

• Pattern Baldness - Pattern baldness occurs in over 60% of men and 40% of women, respectively. It is a genetical form of hair loss.
• Seasonal Shedding - Seasonal hair loss occurs during the changing phases of your hair. This type of hair loss occurs during certain seasons of the year, most commonly in spring and autumn.
• Post-Partum Hair Loss - Hair loss is very common in women who are going through pregnancy or after giving birth. Shedding can be very excessive during this time.
• Menopausal Thinning - Many women suffer from baldness as they enter their menopause. This can affect up to 60% of women.
• Temporary Hair Loss - Stress is one of many temporary forms of baldness. However, any form of thinning or shedding is not good, especially if you are already prone to hair loss.  

There are many more types of baldness, but the five I have mentioned are by far the most common, and most treatable. So, now that we have established what hair loss types are treatable, let’s take a look at some of the most popular and effective treatments for hair loss.

Best Hair Loss Treatments

• Medically Approved Hair Loss Treatments - If you’re looking for something that has gone through medical trials and testing, then you have two options (or only one of you are female). Finasteride is the only medically approved pill for treating male pattern baldness. It can halt the pattern of hair fall, if tackled early enough. The problem with Finasteride is that it can come with some very harsh side-effects, including erectile dysfunction, low libido, headaches, and it can cause mental issues. Your other medically approved option is Minoxidil (5% for men and 2% for women). Minoxidil is a topical treatment that can help regrow hair. The problem is, the results are very minimal and like Finasteride, Minoxidil does come with unwanted side-effects.
• Multi-Vitamin Hair Supplements - If, like many men and women, you are looking to avoid the side-effects from medically approved drugs, then a natural hair supplement is a great alternative to try. Multi-vitamin hair supplements are packed with hair beneficiary ingredients that can help slow down the formation of hair loss, and promote healthy hair growth. Some of these supplements can work really well, and the great news is that they contain natural ingredients, meaning there are no side-effects, so you won’t have to compromise on your health and well being.
• Hair Surgery - Your final option is to try hair surgery, in the way of hair transplantation. Hair transplantation is a surgical technique that removes hair follicles from one part of the body, called the 'donor site', to a bald or balding part of the body known as the 'recipient site'. The technique is primarily used to treat male and female pattern baldness. Going down the surgical route is usually a last resort, but even this treatment is not guaranteed to give you the results you desire. It’ll also cost you a fair bit too, with the average hair transplant costing in the region of £20,000.

I’d love to be able to give you a longer list of viable treatments for hair loss, but unfortunately, that’s it. You can find hundreds, even thousands of hair products that claim to do a number of things, but ultimately, you're left with the three options above.

If a product claims to be a cure, then it isn't. It's that simple. Also bear in mind that hair loss treatments vary from person to person, so what may work for you, might not work for the next person.

Baldness is a complex condition to tackle, and although there isn't a cure for it, you can treat it effectively with the right products.