Archive for the ‘Hair Loss’ Category
Hair loss is estimated to affect over fifty percent of the population. This is a common problem that can affect men, women, and adolescents. There is not a cure for hair loss, but scientists are working hard to change that. Hair loss is a medical condition that requires one to seek medical treatment. There are a number of hair loss treatments, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which are successful in treating hair loss.
While men can benefit from Propecia, women who suffer from hair loss often feel overlooked in the battle to stop this condition from occurring. As women cannot take Propecia, they are left with few alternatives. Hair loss can cause one to experience depression, fear of social situations, and a loss of self esteem. We live in a world that is very much “appearance conscious.” The loss of hair can cause one to feel self-conscious and negative about outward appearances.
There is a new treatment used in the
What is the Length of Time Needed for Results?
In order for the best results to be achieved, anti-androgen treatment must be used for a period of one year or more. Many women have used this treatment program for a period of two years. In some cases, it took an entire two years before there was significant improvement in the re-growth of new hair. A complete reversal of hair loss can only be achieved if the treatment is used within two years of the onset of hair loss. This is why it is so important to seek immediate medical treatment once you notice hair loss.
Usually, the amount or degree of results is dependent on the woman’s age and the length of time that she has been suffering from alopecia. In all cases, there has been an improvement in the quality of hair. If a woman withdrawals herself from the treatment process, then alopecia will most likely progress further. It is recommended that a patient must stick with the treatment program in order to see the best results.
Are There Side Effects to CPA Therapy?
The side effects of CPA therapy are very similar to those that are closely associated with an oral contraceptive. Spironolactone is known to cause disruptions in the menstrual cycle and an increase in menstrual bleeding. However, in most cases, there were no side effects reported.
CPA Conclusion
CPA therapy is designed to stop damage from occurring in the hair follicle by attacking the root cause of hair loss. It is unknown at this time when anti-androgen therapy will or if it will be approved for use in the
An In-Depth Look at a Hair Transplant
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008Did you realize that an adult human has an average of five million hairs on the entire body? One would naturally assume that most of these hairs are on the head, when in fact, the scalp only has a total of 150,000 hairs. This means that every single hair on our head, so to speak, is priceless.
If you have noticed that your hair is thinning, discolored, or falling out, you should seek medical attention. In fact, with treatments like Propecia, the sooner you act, the better your head will retain and re-grow your hair. Hair loss is a huge problem that affects a large portion of the population. There are several treatments that are effective at treating different types of hair loss. There may not be a cure yet, but there are solutions.
The Downsides of Surgical Hair Restoration
A person that does not respond to any of the recommended treatments may be a candidate for surgical hair restoration, such as a hair transplant. However, there are several major downsides to having hair restoration surgery. This type of surgery is often very expensive, time consuming, and can be extremely painful.
A hair transplant may be a permanent solution to hair loss, but it involves a complicated series of costly operations that actually extract plugs from the scalp, located at the back of the head or the sides - these are the areas where hair most often grows densely. The extracted plugs are then implanted in the area that you are balding. Surgical hair restoration requires a major commitment of time and financial resources.
Usually surgical hair restoration is not covered by one’s medical insurance. Sometimes these procedures cost $15,000. In addition, this type of procedure can take up to two years to fully complete. Despite all of these pitfalls, over 200,000 men decide to have hair restoration surgery each year.
Information on a Hair Transplant
One of the most common surgical hair restoration procedures is a hair transplant. A hair transplant involves the implanting of hair grafts. There are different types of hair grafts that can be used, the most common being a Macrograft. A Macrograft is a cylindrical plug that operates much like a hole puncher. The surgeon will remove a graft that contains up to twenty holes and place the graft into a cylindrical hole located in the balding region of the scalp.
The cost and length of time that the procedure takes depends on the individual’s degree of baldness. Most often, it takes one to four sessions in order for the hair transplant to be complete. Each session will involve the placement of up to sixty plugs. Hair transplantation sessions are usually scheduled three months apart. The cost for one session or fifty grafts is around $12,000.
Men who suffer from hair loss primarily in the frontal area are the best candidates for a procedure like hair transplantation. A patient’s potential for further baldness and age is also taken into consideration.
Before deciding to get a hair transplant, you may want to try other hair loss treatments that have been proven effective, such as Propecia. Propecia has been clinically shown to stop hair loss and re-grow hair in a vast majority of men who take the treatment. As a DHT inhibitor, Propecia treats the hair loss problem at the roots.
If you are interested in hair transplantation, you should talk with your healthcare provider to see if you qualify for the procedure – and whether you should first begin with Propecia as a safer, less painful, and more affordable alternative.
What is Drug Induced Hair Loss?
Monday, December 31st, 2007Many people do not realize that certain prescription medications can cause drug induced hair loss. There are several prescriptions, in categories ranging from cholesterol to acne medications, which cause people to temporarily loss their hair. Also, certain prescriptions can act as a trigger, causing the onset of male pattern baldness. Some prescriptions are known to cause permanent hair loss to occur.
Before you start a new medication, you may want to talk with your doctor about the side effects of the medication. If you are concerned about hair loss, find out if hair loss is a common side effect. You can perform your own research by performing an Internet search or by reading the entire warnings that are included in the drug manufacturer’s instruction booklet.
Before you have your prescription filled, your pharmacist can provide you with the following information on side effects. Also, many pharmacies and bookstores sell a medication guidebook. The guidebook can give you complete information on a prescription drug. There are often drug substitutes that one can take, if their medication does cause hair loss to occur.
Hair loss is a problem that affects a large portion of the population, including both men and women. Hair loss can occur because of a genetic predisposition, stress or it can be drug induced. Once hair loss occurs, it is important that you seek immediate treatment – for example, the earlier you begin to take Propecia, the better your results will be in treating hair loss. By seeking treatment with products like Propecia, you can prevent further damage to your hair follicles and prevent hair loss from occurring further. By talking with your doctor or pharmacist, you can prevent drug induced hair loss.
Information on Hair Loss Organizations
Sunday, December 30th, 2007There are several organizations that provide support and information to individuals that are suffering from hair loss. A reputable organization is The American Academy of Dermatology. This is one of the largest dermatologic associations in the
The AAD is not a hair loss organization, in a technical sense, but the AAD is very involved and supports finding new techniques and medications that can stop hair loss from occurring. Also, the AAD is known to support and assist in the spreading of knowledge that deals specifically with hair loss. The AAD has many experts in the field of hair loss on the membership roster who prescribe Propecia as an effective treatment.
The main goal of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation is to support research that deals with finding a cure for the treatment of alopecia areata. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) is dedicated to supporting people who are affected by this disease. Also, the NAAF works hard to educate people about this disease.
The NAAF is regarded highly for its donations to research workshops and programs that are furthering the wealth of knowledge that is known about alopecia areata. These research programs look into the causes and treatments that could be effective at treating alopecia areata. The NAAF hopes that there is a cure for hair loss one day, but in the meantime, supports the use of Propecia.
Spencer Kobren, host of The Bald Truth, offers information about effective, new hair loss treatments that are currently available on the market. Spencer encourages listeners to call in and share their humor, thoughts, and experiences with Propecia.
The First 5 Alpha-Reductase Inhibitor
Friday, December 28th, 2007Finasteride, the main ingredient in Propecia, is considered to be an inhibitor of an enzyme known as 5 alpha-reductase, which is responsible for converting testosterone to DHT. DHT is the main cause of male pattern baldness. By inhibiting the production of DHT, further hair loss can be prevented.
Finasteride is the first 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor that is made available for consumption by the general population. Propecia has been approved, by the Food and Drug Administration, for men to use as a treatment for hair loss. Finasteride is effective when it is absorbed through oral administration.
Men, who take once-a-day oral Propecia, most often take a one milligram dose twice a day. It is up to your physician to recommend what Propecia dose to take. Men, who take five milligrams of Finasteride a day, have noticed that this dosage inhibits prostate enlargement.
Finasteride holds promise in treating other disorders that are DHT-mediated, such as prostate cancer, acne, frontal lobe alopecia, and facial hirsutism. It has not been approved to treat these medical conditions yet, but is still in the final stages of investigation.
There have been no reported overdoses of men that take finasteride on a regular basis. In fact, a does of eighty milligrams a day, taken for three months showed no adverse side effects.
The future use of finasteride looks very promising. In the future, finasteride may be used to treat many medical conditions. For now, men suffering from male pattern baldness can benefit from using Propecia, whose main ingredient is finasteride.