Do Hair Loss Treatments Work?

What is the effectiveness of hair loss treatments?

There are many different types of hair loss treatments, from medical to non-medical, and although results tend to vary from person to person, there's a general understanding that some treatments are more effective than others.

For example, a treatment such as minoxidil (branded as Regaine/Rogaine) tends to work well for people with early stages of hereditary baldness at the back of the head, just under the crown.

Surgical procedures like hair transplants are usually more successful for people who have a good donor area. However, if you have widespread thinning or baldness, or if your hair loss is due to chemo or medications, they won’t be as effective.

Finding the right hair loss treatment that works best for you, individually, can be a tough task, so here, we take a look at the most used hair loss treatments on the market, and determine which ones are generally considered to be the most effective...

Finasteride/Dutasteride

Finasteride (or a similar drug, Dutasteride) is a medically approved hair loss treatment pill for male pattern baldness. The pill has been shown to help reduce the rate of hair loss in men suffering from early stages of baldness.

Although the pill can be effective, it can also give negative side-effects, some of which can be quite severe, so caution is advised before taking this hair loss treatment.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil, most commonly branded as Regaine/Rogaine, is a medically approved topical solution for men (5% solution) and women (2% solution). It has been shown to help reduce hair loss, and even stimulate hair growth, albeit on a small scale.

Minoxidil can be an effective treatment to use for early stages of androgenic alopecia (pattern baldness), but it should not be used for temporary hair loss types such as seasonal shedding and stress-related hair loss, because it can cause excessive shedding.

Multivitamin Extract Hair Supplement

Multivitamin extract hair supplements like HR23+® contain a broad range of DHT blocking properties and hair growth agents that combine to help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. Some of these supplements have been shown to have a success rate of 80%-90%.

Multivitamin extract hair supplements do not give any negative side-effects, which means you won't ever have to compromise on your health and wellbeing. They can also be used for all hair loss types.

Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF)

Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF) is a DIY active ingredient that can help promote the function of healthy hair growth by utilising the nutrients that contain prebiotics, polysaccharides and antioxidants to protect the cells that make hair.

This non-medical treatment is most commonly used as a topical serum, and has shown to help reduce hair thinning, and support the function of healthy hair growth in men and women experiencing a range of hair loss types, permanent and temporary.

Ketoconazole

Ketoconazole is an antifungal medicine. It's used to treat skin infections caused by a fungus (yeast). It can also prevent them coming back. It is also used in a shampoo (Nizoral) to treat hair loss.

The possible effectiveness of ketoconazole shampoo for hair loss has been observed in a few studies, but it's not FDA approved for this use. Nizoral shampoo can help treat most hair loss types in both men and women.

Micro Needling

Micro needling is a process whereby one pierces tiny holes into the skin. As the we wounds heal, they produce protein and collagen, which can generate hair growth.

This relatively new practice for treating hair loss has shown to be quite effective, particularly when used in conjunction with minoxidil or keratinocyte growth factor serum.

Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)

Studies have shown that LLLT stimulated hair growth in both men and women. Studies with largest randomised controlled trials demonstrated statistically significant hair regrowth by terminal hair count in both males and females.

Although it's not a cure for baldness, LLLT can help stimulate hair growth, particularly when done in conjunction with using various other treatments. However, more research and testing is needed to validate the exact effectiveness of LLLT for treating hair loss.

Hair Transplantation

A typical hair transplantation procedure involves the individual extraction of hair follicles, which are then transplanted elsewhere on the scalp.

Hair transplants offer a good solution for hair loss, however, they are very expensive, and require multiple procedures, which means they are out of reach for many people.

Conclusion

The best way to find a hair loss treatment that works for you, individually, is through trial and error. Be sure to try some medical treatments (after speaking to your doctor or trichologist) as well as over-the-counter treatments, just to see what works and what doesn't.

Remember, it is absolutely vital that you know what the cause of your hair loss is. The more you know about your hair loss, the easier it will be to treat the issue.

If you tackle hair loss early enough, then you are in a strong position to treat it effectively.

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