Combating Hair Loss with Medication, Herbal Remedies, or Surgery

1. Use medical or herbal means to combat advanced hair loss

If your hair has already receded more than is to your liking, you may want to take more aggressive action than simply changing your hair care routine. Herbal remedies are an inexpensive place to start, while medications are more potent and surgery offers a quick, though expensive, fix.

• Herbal Remedies. These remedies are relatively inexpensive and have been shown to be effective, though less so than medication. They are a good place to start if you are budget conscience and not too worried about your hair.
• Medications. Finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine) are more expensive than herbal alternatives, but also more potent. Start with Propecia, which has better clinical results. If that doesn’t work, consider using Rogaine. These medications can be very effective at treating hair loss because they block the formation of a hormone, DHT, that causes hair loss in men.
• Surgery. Surgery is the most expensive option – an average of $5,000 in the U.S. – but also yields immediate results. If you want to address your hair loss right away, then this is the way to go.

2. Choose herbal supplements that mimic the effects of monoxidil or finasteride

There are a variety of over-the-counter supplement that have compounds that also increase blood flow to hair follicles like minoxidil or block DHT synthesis like finasteride. Clinical trials have proven some of these supplements to be effective at promoting hair growth.

• Pumpkin Seed Oil – Patients taking 400mg of pumpkin seed oil once a day showed significant hair regrowth compared to patients on a placebo. There were no significant side effects, including no increase in erectile dysfunction or loss of libido.
• Saw Palmetto – Taken in doses of 320mg per day. Saw palmetto inhibits the production of DHT and has been shown to promote hair growth, though not as effectively as finasteride.
• Pygeum – The extract of the African prune tree, pygeum is often combined with Saw Palmetto. Taken at doses of 12 to 25mg per day, it reduces both the levels of DHT in the blood and the number of sites where it can bind and has been shown to effectively treat enlarged prostates, so by extension, may well be useful in treating hair loss.
• Green Tea – Green tea contains DHT blocking compounds and has been shown to promote hair growth.
• Grape, Peppermint, or Rosemary Oil – When applied topically, all of these have been shown to increase blood flow to the scalp and to thereby improve hair growth. Peppermint oil proved more effective than minoxidil in clinical trials.
• Dodder Seed (Cuscuta reflexas) Extract – This extract has been shown in mice to help regrow hair lost due both to excessive DHT and due to the use of cyclophosphamide, a common chemotherapy drug. No recommended human dosage has been established.
• Soy Drinks and Soy Oil – Consumption of soy products like tempeh, edamame, tofu, and soy milk has been shown to prevent hair loss. Alternately, you can take 300mg of soy oil daily as a diet supplement.

3. Use finasteride (Propecia)

Finasteride is an oral drug taken once a day that does a lot more than just stop hair loss. It works by blocking the synthesis of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a chemical that causes hair loss and enlarges the prostate. It has been proven to be effective in both slowing hair loss and preventing prostate cancer, and may also reduce the risk of heart disease. Though reports that it causes erectile dysfunction have reduced its popularity, there is not substantial evidence that it does so.

• WARNING: Women should not use finasteride. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not even touch broken finasteride tablets, as this may harm the fetus.
• You can take finasteride with or without food.

4. Try minoxidil (Rogaine)

Minoxidil is a topical formula, most effective in the 5% formulation,, which works by increasing blood flow to hair follicles. It is most often prescribed for women or men under 40 and is applied topically to the scalp twice a day. The most common side effect is contact dermatitis of the scalp. Consult your doctor to see if it is right for you.

• Minoxidil is available in 2% solution, 5% solution, or 5% foam.

5. Consider hair transplant surgery for quick results of if medication and herbal remedies fail

Not all hair loss can be stopped through medication or changing your hair care regimen. If you are still losing hair, you may opt for hair transplant surgery, in which small, hair-bearing segments of scalp are surgically removed, and the hairs relocated to balding or thinning areas of the scalp. The surgery typically results excellent hair re-growth and is permanent. The average cost of transplant surgery is $5,000 in the United States.

• There are two types of hair transplant surgery generally available. One type is follicular unit extraction, which removes individual hair follicles one by one. It does not leave a significant scar. Another type is follicular unit transplantation, which involves transplanting a strip of hair follicle tissue from one area (usually the back of the neck) to the area with hair loss. It can leave scarring.