Options range from prescription drugs designed to stimulate re-growth, to natural supplements that have been found to be effective at preventing hair loss.
First, a few basics about hair, how it grows and why it starts falling out. Hair has two parts, the follicle that extends down into the skin and the shaft, which is visible above the scalp. We are actually born with all of the follicles we will ever have, or about 5 million across the entire body, including about 1 million on the head.
We never generate new hair follicles as we age and grow. The hair shaft is made of a protein, in part, that is not a living structure. That's why we can go to the barber and not feel a thing when he cuts our hair. Other parts of the shaft contain pigment, giving hair its color. The hair on our head grows about 6 inches per year, on average, according to the American Hair Loss Association, going through three phases of growth, eventually shedding the shaft and restarting from within the same follicle.
Genetics play a major role in male pattern baldness, the most common type of hair loss. The condition affects up to 70 percent of men at some point in their lifetime. About 40 percent of women experience similar thinning over their scalps; however, total hair loss in women is rare.
In the case of genetic hair loss, a hormone called dihydrotestosterone attacks the hair follicles on the head, causing them to shrink until they are no longer able to produce hair. DHT is a derivative of the male hormone testosterone that’s produced through a metabolic process in the body, specifically within the oil glands of hair follicles.
Finasteride, better known by its brand name Propecia, is one of the most common prescription medications for treating male pattern hair loss. The drug blocks the enzyme that creates DHT. While effective, finasteride has serious side effects ranging from erectile dysfunction to prostate cancer. Another common hair-loss treatment is minoxidil, or Rogaine, now available over the counter. Rogaine is purported to stop hair loss and promote re-growth, and can be used for long periods of time. While common side effects include itching, redness and irritation, a compounded version of minoxidil can reduce some of the irritation.
