Tuesday, 16 August 2011

Treatment Of Baldness (Hair Loss)

Baldness, whether permanent or temporary, can not be cured. But the hair loss treatments are available to help promote hair growth or hide hair loss. For some types of alopecia, hair may resume growth without any treatment.

Medicine

Effectiveness of drugs used for hair loss depends on the cause of hair loss, the amount of loss and individual response. In general, treatment is not effective as more extensive cases of hair loss.

The types of drugs for the treatment of alopecia that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration include:

Minoxidil (Rogaine). This over-the-counter (nonprescription) medication is approved to treat androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. Minoxidil is a liquid or foam that you rub into your scalp twice daily to grow hair and prevent further losses. Some people experience some hair regrowth or slow hair loss or both. Minoxidil comes in a 2 percent and a 5 per cent.

New hair resulting from the use minoxidil can be thinner and shorter hair before. But there may be sufficient for the growth of hair for some people to hide the hair loss and new hair will merge the existing hair. The new hair growth stops as soon as you stop using minoxidil. It may take up to 12 weeks and new hair begins to grow. If you experience minimal results within six months, your doctor may recommend stopping. Symptoms may include irritation of the scalp.

Finasteride (Propecia). This prescription medication to treat male-pattern baldness is taken daily in pill form. Many men taking finasteride experience a slowing of hair loss and some may show some new hair growth. Positive results may take several months. Finasteride works by preventing the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shrinks hair follicles and is an important factor in hair loss in men. As with minoxidil, the benefits of finasteride stops if you stop it. Rare side effects of finasteride include decreased sexual desire and sexual function. The FDA also warned that some men who are at increased risk, but low for a severe form of prostate cancer with high-grade (prostate cancer). If you are concerned about your risk of developing prostate cancer, talk with your doctor.

Finasteride is not approved for use in women. In reality, it constitutes a significant risk to women of childbearing age. If you are a pregnant woman, not even handle crushed or broken finasteride tablets because absorption of the drug can cause serious birth defects in male fetuses.

Corticosteroids. Injections of cortisone into the scalp can treat alopecia areata. Treatment is usually repeated every month. Sometimes doctors can prescribe steroid hair loss due to alopecia areata important pills. The new hair may be visible four weeks after injection. Ointments and creams can also be used, but may be less effective than injections.

Anthralin (Dritho-scalp). Available in cream or ointment, anthralin is a synthetic, tarry substance that is applied on the scalp and wash every day. It is typically used for the treatment of psoriasis, but doctors can prescribe for the treatment of other skin diseases. Anthralin can promote new hair growth in cases of alopecia areata. It may take up to 12 weeks for new hair to appear.

Surgery

The goal of surgery is to efficiently use your existing hair to "cover the lost ground."

Hair transplant techniques, such as transplants stroke minigrafts, micrografts, grafts or slit tape are available to treat androgenetic alopecia when more conservative measures have failed. In these techniques, take a dermatologist or plastic surgeon tiny plugs of skin, each containing a few hairs at the back or sides of your scalp. The plugs are then implanted into the bald sections. Several transplant sessions may be needed as hereditary hair loss evolves over time.

Scalp reduction, as its name implies, means decreasing the surface of the skin on the bald head. Your scalp and the top of the head may seem to have a good fit. However, the skin can become flexible and stretched enough for some of them to be surgically removed. After the scalp hair is removed, the space is closed with hair-covered scalp. Doctors can also fold hair-bearing skin over an area of ​​bald skin in a reduction technique called a flap of scalp. Scalp reduction can be combined with hair transplantation to fashion a line of natural looking hair in those with more significant hair loss.

Surgical procedures to treat baldness are expensive and can be painful. Possible risks include infection and scarring. It will take six to eight months before the quality of new hair can be properly assessed.

If you are interested in these procedures, consider board-certified dermatologists, plastic surgeons or cosmetic surgeons, and check local councils and the medical condition for a list of patient complaints before choosing a physician. Refer to doctor to confirm the cause of your hair loss and review all treatment options, including nonsurgical before proceeding with plans for surgery.

Wigs and hairpieces

If you want an alternative treatment balding doctor or do not respond to treatment, you should consider wearing a wig or toupee. They can be used to cover the hair loss is permanent or temporary. Quality, natural-looking wigs and hairpieces are available.

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