Hair Loss Medicine

There is no single natural hair loss treatment that sells as much as some of the best selling hair loss medicines such as Propecia or Rogaine. However, due to the sheer variety of natural hair loss products, their combined sales exceed the sales of medicinal treatments. The key to the growing popularity of natural products is a general belief that they are as effective as medicinal treatments but less expensive and do not carry the risk of causing negative side-effects. However, none of these claims seem be true.

There are many herbal extracts out there that are assumed to treat hereditary pattern baldness in humans but none of them has ever been clinically proven and independently verified in a statistically significant sample. Hence, no matter what the marketers of the natural hair loss treatments say about the superior effectiveness of their products, you should take their word with a grain of salt. That does not automatically imply, though, that all natural hair loss products are useless. Herbal treatments are a mix of numerous components that are thought to promote hair growth and they may work for some people but their mechanism of action is a mystery and their results usually vary significantly between patients.

Herbal supplements have one weakness and that is that they have not been subjected to any rigorous clinical testing regarding their safety, either alone or in interactions with other substances, as medicinal drugs. Most herbal extracts and naturally-derived substances are only tested on rodents not on humans. In addition, increasing numbers of herbs and herbal products are becoming responsible for bad allergic reactions. Many marketers tell you that saw palmetto is as effective as finasteride in treating hereditary hair loss and that it can be used as its natural substitute. Its mode of action is to reduce the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in your scalp, the same job as finasteride does. However, saw palmetto is supposed to have no negative side-effects. Saw palmetto simply enjoys the best of both worlds; it is as effective as finasteride but as harmless as drinking mineral water. A quick internet search turned up the following list of side-effects experienced by saw palmetto users: stomach pains and diarrhoea, severe bleeding during saw palmetto use, difficulty with erections, testicular discomfort, decline in sexual desire, breast tenderness and enlargement, allergic reactions and a warning that saw palmetto extract is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding because of its possible hormonal activity. This shows that herbal substances are not so harmless after all.

The price comparison does not speak in favor of natural hair loss products, either. They happen to be some of the most outrageously-overpriced hair loss remedies on the market. Sure, it is not easy to beat the price of cheap generic minoxidil. But why should you pay ten times more for the same generic minoxidil just because it comes in a box with a few herbs and vitamins? Natural hair loss products usually come as a complete treatment, consisting of topical and oral applications and a shampoo. You are advised to use the entire therapy, as the individual components complement each other, which ensures very good profits for the manufacturer.

The most frequently prescribed remedies for male pattern baldness by dermatologists and hair loss clinics are Propecia, or some other form of finasteride, such as Proscar, and Rogaine, or its generic form - minoxidil. Some doctors will also recommend you to use supplementary vitamin and mineral pills, some anti-dandruff shampoos, such as Nizoral, and a laser comb. But very few dermatologists and hair loss clinics will recommend their patients buy herbal treatments. But there are so many of them out there and most of them claim that they work better than Propecia or any other medicinal hair loss treatment prescribed by your doctor, while being free of potential negative side effects so typical of prescription medicine. And some of the manufacturers seem to be so much convinced about the effectiveness of their product as to offer you a full money back guarantee. Or is it a catch?

First, one needs to differentiate between medical practice and the pharmaceutical industry on one hand and the cosmetics industry on the other. The medicinal and pharmaceuticals industries are strictly regulated in almost every country in the world, ensuring patient’s safety. Doctors can only prescribe certain medications for certain conditions and the safety and efficacy of such medications has to be approved by the national health supervisory authorities. Such products are considered safe and clinically proven to help treat the given condition. If your doctor recommends you some other, unproven herbal hair loss remedy, they will be taking the risk of supporting a treatment that has not been subjected to any rigorous clinical testing. Most doctors would not do that since they have no guarantee that such a product would be beneficial to their patients and recommending a bad treatment could hurt their reputation.

Although some of the active ingredients in herbal hair loss products may pose a health risk, despite the common belief that they are safe, this is not their main controversy. The principal question is whether the herbal hair loss remedies are effective in treating baldness. They might be effective to a certain degree since many of them also contain generic minoxidil, the only existing, clinically-proven and FDA-approved topical medicine for treating hereditary hair loss. Additional components, besides herbal extracts, usually include minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids and amino acids. Most of these substances are either essential to ensuring healthy growth of hair and skin or they have been shown to promote hair growth, mostly in small studies conducted on rodents. They have never been clinically tested for treating hereditary baldness and thus their effectiveness and mechanism of action are unknown. They may or may not help promote hair growth but since no clinical proof of their efficacy exists, the only way to find out is to buy them and try for yourself. And should they fail to work as promised, you may find out that the generous money-back guarantee, after deducting their incurred costs, only applies to a small percentage of the original price. This is the way some herbal hair loss product manufacturers make their money.

In summary, no herbal hair loss remedy has ever been clinically proven and independently verified to treat hereditary baldness. This does not necessarily mean that all herbal hair loss remedies are ineffective as they might work for some of us. However, they are usually overpriced and should at best be expected to maintain your existing hair rather than grow new hair from a bald spot.

Many people feel that the problem of hair loss cannot be solved with the help of hair loss treatment products. They often get frustrated after spending too much money on ineffective hair loss remedies and their side effects with no positive results at all. In reality, hair loss treatment can be divided in two categories: Natural hair loss treatments and chemical treatments.

Here are some best hair natural hair loss treatments:

Aloe Vera
Indians, Native Americans and Caribbeans have used Aloe Vera to promote healthy hair and prevent hair loss since ages. Aloe Vera balances the pH of the scalp and heals from within. It is also helpful in cleansing the pores. A general remedy of Aloe Vera gel with coconut milk and small amount of wheat germ oil used as a shampoo has shown great benefits. Aloe Vera surely helps you stop hair loss.

Jojoba
If you are affected with hair problems like eczema, psoriasis, dandruff or seborrhea you are requested to use jojoba oil. Native Americans and Mexicans have used jojoba oil for centuries to prevent hair loss and to control dandruff. Jojoba oil works well for hypoallergenic skin, as is a good moisturizer. This is one of the best hair loss treatment products.

Henna
Henna is a traditional Indian herb, which is a good natural conditioner and works great as hair loss treatment product. It heals hair shaft by sealing the cuticle and repairing, stops breakage and restores the silky-shiny effect of your hair.

Capsicum – It stimulates hair growth by 50% and increases flow of blood to the scalp. This herb is effective in preventing hair loss.

Lemongrass – This herb helps stabilizing oil product in the scalp. It also provides nourishment to the hair. You can use oil of lemongrass for massage as well.

Dong Quai – Formation of DHT is the main cause of hair loss. Dong Quai contains phytoestrogens, which reduces the formation of DHT. Hence, Dong Quai is believed to be helpful in hair loss.

It is recommended that you consult an expert to know which hair loss treatment product is suitable for you.