Hair transplant is no doubt the best way money can buy in solving hair loss problems, but its 'downtime' can be difficult to stomach for some. While the wait for new hair growth to sprout from transplant site can take several months, other forms of hair loss treatments can be used to ease the unnecessary embarrassment in the meantime, such as cool laser beam, hair wigs and extensions as well as hair restoration formulations.
This article discuss the use of hair restoration formulations in the form of topical application as well as oral consumption.
Minoxidil
According to author Peter Conrad of 'The Medication of Society', topical minoxidil was widely prescribed by dermatologist to over 100,000 patients yearly in the mid 80's before it was even approved by the FDA. Minoxidil is originally a medication for high blood pressure when hair growth in various parts of the body were reported
One of the first minoxidil drug used and the only one approved by the FDA is Rogaine, which is a minoxidil 2% and 5% topical application. The recent 5% variant is the preferred choice for many since it provide quicker results in as early as 12 weeks and is still safe to use, according to a study conducted by Rogaine's manufacturer Pfizer.
Rogaine generally works by revitalizing the shrunken hair follicles for normal and healthy hair growth although the exact reason of why it works remain unknown to scientists. This is because although Rogaine promote vasodilation, other vasodilation drugs have had no effects on hair growth. However, it may not give the same results for everyone. Pfizer's research showed that out of 984 men, 15.9% find it to be very effective, 47.8% claim that it is effective, 20.6% of participants rated it moderately effective and 15.7% said it is not working for them.
Dr. Jerry Shapiro said in his book, 'Hair Loss - Principles of Diagnosis and Management of Alopecia', "There are reports in the literature that topical minoxidil solution twice daily may lessen the effluvium usually seen postoperatively."
Finasteride
Minoxidil's dominance was threatened with the FDA's approval of Propecia in 1997, a new drug to stop baldness using finasteride, a drug originally used to treat benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate.
Hair transplant physician Dr. Jerry Shapiro observes, "Finasteride may stabilize any further thinning of pre-existing hair in the recipient area. This would logically reduce the number of sessions necessary." Like Rogaine, it deals with miniaturizing of the hair, albeit from a different approach. Studies shows that 66% of men experienced an increase in hair growth with 30% see slight improvement, 31% reported to have moderate improvement and 5% claimed significant improvements. Out of thousands of participant studied in 24 months, 83% of men has successfully halt their hair loss.
Just how effective is finasteride?
According to the book 'Hair Transplantation' by Walter P. Unger and Ronald Shapiro, patients are advised to start finasteride at least 6 months after the hair replacement surgery to enable patients to know what treatments contribute to which improvements. For those who seek fast result, the authors warned that, "any positive hair growth effects of finasteride usually become noticeable only 6 to 12 months after it is started."
Combined Usage Of Rogaine and Propecia
Since these two medication tackle hair loss from different angles, taking them simultaneously will produce better results without necessarily increasing its risks. Minoxidil induce vasodilation to stimulate healthier hair grow while finasteride blocks the effect of DHT from suffocating the hair follicles and causing them to weaken and die. However, you may want to start off with just one to track its effects before combining them.
It is crucial to note that any results from using these hair loss formulations will not last once you stop using them for a few months. Therefore, a true solution for regaining lost hair permanently is still hair transplant, while minoxidil helps to promote healthy hair growth and finasteride prevent further balding.
