Hair Loss Treatment for Women
Last Updated Thursday, 25 September 2008 16:45
Hair Loss Treatment for Women
Women are in a very disadvantageous position when it comes to treating hair loss using drug
treatments. Doctors are reluctant to prescribe drugs for treating women, even though they may
work to a certain extent. Drug companies are not taking any steps to prevent and treat female
hair loss and pattern baldness either. There are no specific drugs tested to tackle this problem.
Doctors hesitate in providing systematic treatments, as these treatments affect the body’s
androgen levels. Without confirming that high androgen levels or sensitive over responses to
normal levels are causing hair loss, they can not prescribe a treatment which can bring the
androgen level back to normal. Therefore they prefer tropical treatments which are applied to
the scalp directly.
If treatment is not started as soon as possible after the first signs of hair loss appear, there is a
chance that extended androgenic alopecia will destroy a lot of hair follicles. To prevent further
damage to hair follicles and to stimulate growth from dormant but working follicles which are a
result of prolonged hair loss, anti-androgens can be used. If the treatment is stopped, the hair
loss will start again unless the body androgen levels are kept stable through some other way. It
is advisable to keep vitamin and mineral levels under check while on a systematic treatment.
Treatment Methods
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
Minoxidil was originally used as a tablet medicine for the treatment of high blood pressure.
When excessive hair growth (hypertrichosis) was found to be its side effect, further research
was carried out which showed that hair growth could be stimulated if a minoxidil solution was
applied to the scalp.
Minoxidil is available under the name of Rogaine and is more effective for women as compared
to men. It is recommended that only a 2 percent concentration of minoxidil should be used, but
clinical trials are under way to test the effectiveness of a 5 percent concentration solution.
Spironolactone (Aldactone)
This is a potassium-sparing diuretic. It is an anti androgen and workds by slowing doen
androgen production or blocking androgen action.
Some other treatments are as follows:
- Cimetidine (Tagamet)
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Hair Loss Treatment for Women
Last Updated Thursday, 25 September 2008 16:45
- Cyproterone Acetate
- Estrogen and Progesterone
- Oral Contraceptives
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