Friday, August 29, 2008

Hair Loss Part VII---ReGrow Hair With Prescription and Over the Counter Drugs

As we mentioned in the previous articles, hair loss is caused by the by-product prolactin of testosterone in men increasing, stimulating the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that causes the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT causing our hair to grow back thinner or to not grow back at all. Foods, nutritional supplements and herbs might help to stop hair loss and promote hair growth. Prescription and over the counter medication are still the number one source in this subject. If you suffer from hair loss, you should talk to your dermatologist.
Here are some prescription and over the counter drugs that might help prevent further hair loss and promote hair growth.

1.Minoxidil
Minoxidil is an over the counter drug and is a spray or lotion that you put directly on your scalp twice a day. It is available without a prescription. It is believed to work by affecting potassium- regulating mechanisms in the hair follicle. Study shows that it helps to slow and stop hair loss and regrow new hair with over 60 % success rate. Be sure talk to your doctor or dermatologist before taking minoxidil. It might cause rash to some patients.

2.Finasteride
Finastteride is an oral prescription medication. Finasteride is a synthetic hormone that halts hair loss and stimulates new hair growth. It is a medication that selectively inhibits the activity of an enzyme that converts the "male hormone" testosterone into a form that is active in hair follicles.

3.Rogaine
Rogaine is a clear alcohol-based solution and should be applied to a person’s thinning area with it's supplied dropper or spray twice a day. It helps about 25 percent of men and 20 percent of women to grow back moderate amounts of hair very gradually, mostly on the very top of the head. They must keep using Rogaine indefinitely to keep the new hair.

4.Retin-A
Retin-A is only available by prescription in the US. In the right doses and when combined with Minoxidil it can be a hair growth stimulator. Studies shows that Retin- A can result in moderate hair growth in some patients.

5 Proscar
Proscar contains the same active ingredient finasteride. Proscar has the effect of lowering the hormone DHT, which interacts with bald vulnerable hair follicles and causes hair loss. By reducing the DHT in the patient's body the finasteride in the Proscar proved to slow and even stop or reverse hair loss in many men.

Before taking any hair loss medication over the counter, please consult first with your doctor or dermatologist.
If you need more information of this subject, please visit my home page at:
http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.com
http://hairlossparti.blogspot.com/