Hair Loss Diagnosis

Natural hair loss treatments do not sell as much as some of the best-selling hair loss drugs such as Propecia and Rogaine but due to the sheer variety their combined sales already exceed the sales of medicinal hair loss 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 negative side effects. However, none of these statements seem be true.

Many herbal and naturally-derived substances out there are assumed to treat hereditary hair loss in humans but none of them has ever been clinically proven and independently verified in a statistically significant sample to do so. Therefore, no matter what the marketers of the natural hair loss products say about the superior effectiveness of their products, you should take their word with a grain of salt. That does not necessarily implies that all natural hair loss remedies are a scam. Natural treatments are a mix of numerous components that are believed 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 and naturally-derived supplements have not been subjected to any rigorous clinical testing regarding their safety, either alone or in interactions with other substances, distantly comparable to medicinal drugs. If at all, they are only tested on rodents not on humans. In addition, increasing numbers of herbs and herbal products are becoming responsible for nasty allergic reactions. Many marketers tell you that saw palmetto is as effective as finasteride in treating hereditary baldness 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 finasteride does. However, saw palmetto is thought 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 water. A quick internet research turned up the following list of side effects experienced by saw palmetto users: stomach pains and diarrhoea, severe bleeding during saw palmetto use, allergic reactions, difficulty with erections, testicular discomfort, decline in sexual desire, breast tenderness and enlargement 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 example shows that herbal substances may not be so harmless after all.

And last but not least the price comparison does not speak in favour of natural hair loss products, either. They happen to be some of the most outrageously-overpriced hair loss cures 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, vitamins and common minerals? Natural hair loss products usually come as a complete treatment, consisting of topical and oral applications and a shampoo with conditioner. You are advised to use the entire therapy, as the individual components complement each other. This strategy obviously ensures very good profits for the manufacturer.

Propecia and Rogaine may be the best sellers amongst the hair loss treatments but their market share is not too big. Combined sales of natural hair-loss products are due to their sheer variety already exceeding the sales of medicinal hair-loss 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 negative side-effects. However, none of these claims seem be true.

There is an array of herbal and naturally-derived substances 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 a scam. Natural 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. Nonetheless, you will always find some hair loss sufferers who will swear by their natural remedy.

It is needless to say that herbal and naturally-derived supplements have not been subjected to any rigorous clinical testing regarding their safety, either alone or in interactions with other substances, as medicinal drugs. Most plants and naturally-derived substances are only tested on rodents not on humans. In addition, increasing numbers of herbs and herbal products are recently becoming responsible for nasty allergic reactions. Many marketers tell you that saw palmetto is as effective as finasteride in treating hereditary baldness and that it can be used as its natural alternative. Its mode of action is to reduce the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in your scalp, the same job 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 bottled water. A quick internet research turned up the following list of side-effects experienced by saw palmetto users: stomach pains and diarrhoea, severe bleeding during saw palmetto use, allergic reactions, difficulty with erections, testicular discomfort, decline in sexual desire, breast tenderness and enlargement 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 after closer examination may not be so harmless at all.

And lastly the price comparison does not always speak in favour of natural hair-loss remedies, either. They happen to be some of the most outrageously-overpriced hair loss products 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. This ensures very good profits for the manufacturer although some of its components such as shampoo can never grow you new hair.

The hair loss treatments most frequently prescribed by dermatologists and hair loss clinics around the world are Propecia, or some other form of finasteride, such as Proscar, and Regaine/Rogaine, or its generic form - minoxidil. Some doctors will also recommend you to use supplementary vitamin and mineral pills, special shampoos, such as Nizoral, and perhaps a laser comb. But very few dermatologists and hair loss clinics will recommend their patients buy herbal hair loss 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 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 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 fields are strictly regulated in almost every country in the world, ensuring patient’s safety. Doctors can only prescribe permitted medications for certain conditions and the safety and efficacy of such medications has to be approved by the national health supervisory authority. 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 product, they will be taking the risk of supporting a treatment that has not been subjected to any rigorous clinical examination. Most doctors would not dare to do that since they have no guarantee that such a product would be beneficial to their patients and recommending a bad product 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 hair loss. They might be effective to a certain degree since some of them also contain minoxidil, the only existing, clinically-proven and FDA-approved, topical medicine for treating hereditary baldness. Additional components, besides herbal extracts, usually include minerals, vitamins, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Most of these substances are either essential to ensuring healthy growth of hair and skin or they have been shown to promote new 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 fraction of the original price. This is the way some herbal hair loss product manufacturers earn their money.

In summary, no herbal hair loss remedy has ever been clinically proven and independently verified to effectively 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 patch.

Herbs have been used in traditional folk medicine of many cultures for thousands of years to treat various hair loss conditions with varying degrees of success. Admittedly, it appears that to this day no ultimate herbal or medicinal cure for genetically-determined hair loss conditions exists. Nevertheless, herbal remedies have experienced a tremendous increase in popularity recently and now account for well over half of all hair loss products sold. This revival began with the discovery of the true cause of hereditary baldness, now believed to be dihydrotestosterone (DHT) attacking hair follicles and the arrival of finasteride (Propecia), which is capable of blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Finasteride is a drug that had been used for some time prior to the discovery of its hair growth-promoting benefits to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called prostate enlargement. Following this discovery, herbalists started looking for possible less expensive natural alternatives to finasteride among plants that have been traditionally used to treat urinary problems and more specifically enlarged prostates.

Saw palmetto has been used for several decades to treat prostate enlargement and it is one of the few plants used in natural remedies that have been subjected to some sort of medical research in regards to their potential for treating BPH. Its supporters assume that it works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into prostate and follicle-harming DHT but no study has yet confirmed this assumption. Some studies suggest that saw palmetto works by a different modes of action, and does not affect the levels of DHT. Nonetheless, the most recent research results indicate that saw palmetto might not be effective in treating BPH as previously assumed. No clinical research has ever been conducted on saw palmetto’s effects on hair loss. All of its potential hair benefits are derived from the assumption that if it is effective in treating BPH, it must be also effective in treating hair loss. Saw palmetto is a popular herb used by thousands of hair loss sufferers around the world and it is sometimes blamed for causing side effects similar to those attributed to finasteride and thus should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding women or by children.

Extract from the bark of the evergreen tree pygeum africanum is another popular herbal ingredient found in natural hair loss treatments and many naturalists believe it is more potent in treating hair loss than saw palmetto. Its rise to popularity also comes from the general assumption that this herb, thought to be beneficial for treating prostate enlargement, must be also effective in treating hair loss. Pygeum africanum has been less well studied than saw palmetto and nothing is known about the possible mechanism affecting the prostate, let alone about its impact on hair growth. It has never been used in any clinical hair loss study related to hair. Its inclusion in herbal, hair loss products is derived from the assumption that it is a natural DHT inhibitor. For those who want to try a natural DHT blocker, pygeum africanum seems to be a safer option than saw palmetto due to its lower health risk profile.

The third popular herbal ingredient used in natural hair loss cures is nettle root extract. This herbal drug is derived from the root of the stinging nettle, a popular healing plant found in temperate and subtropical zones of the northern hemisphere. Its use in natural hair loss remedies also stems from the belief that it helps shrink enlarged prostates and is thus thought to inhibit the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Several small studies have shown that nettle root is far more effective in relieving the symptoms of BPH when used in conjunction with pygeum africanum than when used alone, but its mode of action remains unknown. Nettle has never been used in any clinical hair loss study. Caution is advised to patients using nettle root extract since the whole plant is known to be allergenic to a lot of people. Other than that it seems relatively safe as it has been used for centuries in many parts of the world as a vegetable and has been often compared to spinach in terms of its nutritional benefits.

Other popular herbal extracts frequently found in natural hair loss treatments include ginkgo biloba, eleuthero root, Asian ginseng, gotu kola, green tea, pumpkin seed oil, rosemary, chamomile, horsetail, etc. These herbs are supposed to work by various different modes of action, such as by improving the blood circulation in the scalp, fighting fungal infections and inflammation in the scalp or providing necessary nutrients to the hair follicles. Although all of these plants possess properties frequently utilized in traditional folk medicine, none of them has ever been clinically tested for treating hair loss. No scientific proof exists that any herb, vitamin, mineral or nutrient contained in the natural remedies promotes new hair growth. Whether you decide to try a commercial herbal remedy or just one or two herbs on their own, keep in mind that besides there being no guarantee of their efficacy, no daily dosage has ever been established and side effects might occur despite the general belief that herbal hair loss remedies are safe and free of them.

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.