The root causes of the different factors that lead to baldness were not accurately identified until the 80’s and, as a result, there used to be a wide variety of products that claimed to stop hair loss and stimulate hair growth. Few of them used scientific methods to prove their effectiveness, and even fewer serious laboratories challenged their results.

However, all kinds of hair-loss treatment products were developed, ranging shampoos, soaps, creams, lotions, and massages to electromagnetic machines, and even certain products of dubious reputation, which only the bravest and most desperate have dared to try.

Treatment Options

Today, there are medications with scientifically-proven effectiveness for stopping hair loss and stimulating the growth of hair not yet lost. There are direct-application – also known as topical – treatments, as well as oral treatments.

What can I expect from either of these treatments?

While both types of treatment can offer good results, please keep in mind that they only stop/prevent hair loss in those areas that are still able to regenerate hair.  It is also important to mention that in cases where hair has been completely lost, it will be impossible to grow new hair. In these cases, a hair transplant is required.

Orales Treatments

(Finasteride)®

Finasteride is only indicated for hair loss in men, and it is sold in 1-mg pills. You can see a response after the sixth month of use, and the most common brands are: Propecia, Forcles, Renacidin, Andropel, Capilfor, Pelicrep, Tricofarma, and Sutrico.

This medicine should be taken daily for the rest of the person´s life, otherwise hair loss will return. If you forget to take it, do not try to “make up the missed day” by taking two pills the following day. Just continue with your daily regimen, but try not to forget too often.

You will start to see results with Finasteride after the sixth month, when you will notice that hair stops falling out. People that suffer from hair thinning with miniaturization (tiny hair) will experience the best results; however, these cannot be expected for type VI or VII advanced hair loss.

Not everyone who takes Finasteride responds well to treatment. 15% of patients will continue losing hair despite taking the medication. A decreased libido and erectile dysfunction (partial erection or complete lack thereof) have also been reported in 5% of patients.

Remember that you should never start a treatment without first consulting a doctor.

This treatment was originally used to treat enlarged prostate, but at a dose 5 times greater, under the trademark “PROSCAR”.

Should Finasteride be taken when you have a hair transplant?

This is a question very frequently asked by our patients at Gardel Hair Restoration Institute.  Although we feel that Finasteride can be a good complement to hair transplant, in the end it is a very personal choice to delay or play around with how long you can keep hair affected by androgenic baldness.

In our experience, transplanted hair will grow naturally for the rest of a person’s life, without the need for medications. The growth of transplanted hair is guaranteed for life because its pilous follicle contains a genetic code making it resistant to the hormone that causes baldness. Therefore, it is of great importance to note that our specialists carefully select the pilous follicles to achieve a successful restoration.

Propeshia does, however, serve a very useful purpose for men who want to reduce progressive loss of hair that was NOT transplanted.

For further information, visit our section 3D Finasteride

(Dutasteride)®

Not yet marketed for treating baldness, since it has not been approved by the FDA. Patients who are willing to risk their health without waiting for approval by the competent authorities, use 0.5 mg capsules..   The best-known brands are: Avodart, Avidart, Avolve, Dutas, Duprost, and Dutagen. The response is considerably better than with Finasteride, but the adverse side effects are also greater.

Response time is approximately four months. Perhaps somewhat faster than Finasteride.

To see noticeable changes in your scalp, you will have to wait at least four months. Maximum results tend to appear after a year. Consistency is key, since it is a long-term treatment.  

Remember to never start a treatment without first consulting a doctor.

For more information visit:

http://www.dutasteride.org

Topical treatments 

(Alfatriadol) ®

Sold under the brand name Avixis. It is indicated to treat male and female androgenic baldness. Alfatriadol is indicated for increasing the duration of the anagen phase (active growth phase of hair follicles) in mild to moderate baldness.   It has been proven effective when applied once a day to the skin on the head. As the condition improves, frequency of application may be reduced to once every two or three days.

With this treatment, improvement may be seen after the third month. Continuing treatment for more than a year should only be done under medical supervision.

For more information visit:

http://www.galderma.com.mx

ROGAINE® (Minoxidil)

This medication was initially used to treat high blood pressure, but it proved to make hair grow in different parts of the body, including in balding areas with thinned hair or fuzz. It did not turn out to be very effective against high blood pressure.   It is sold in 2% and 5% concentrations. Response can be seen after the third or fourth month of use. Several laboratories manufacture it, and the best-known brands are: Rogaine, Regeine, Ylox, Lacovin, Kresse, Minoxile, Tricoplus, Locermix, and Neoxidil.   It is not very clear how this medication acts on hair growth, but when applied locally it seems to improve blood irrigation on scalp and to stimulate follicles to produce hair longer. As a result, it lengthens the period of time during which hair grows, but does not affect hormonal or hereditary factors.   It has proven effective when used twice a day on areas with thinning hair.   Rogaine comes in three presentations: 2% Rogaine, which is recommended for women; a stronger, 5% solution, and its newest presentation, a foam exclusively for men.   For more information visit: http://www.rogaine.com

Treatments of unproven effectiveness

Hair Massages

The idea behind hair massages is simple: achieve greater blood irrigation to feed follicles and grow healthy hair. If this were true, hair implants would not work since they would be placed precisely in the areas where (in theory) irrigation is not sufficient. There are plenty of pictures of people who have gotten hair implants, and their hair definitely does not fall out again.

There are dozens of techniques and devices for hair massages, however, not one of them has been proven to work for androgenic baldness.

Gardel Hair Restoration does not recommend hair-massage therapies, because they are ineffective, whether done at hair centers, or at home with a helmet. We have heard from too many patients who have said to have been unsuccessfully treated with hair massages.

Aminexil

According to Loreal, Aminexil is a chemical that acts by rejuvenating the pilous follicles, allowing thicker, healthier hair to grow. The complete treatment comes in a box with 42 Aminexil ampules and a shampoo, which also contains a percentage of the chemical. You apply one container per day during six weeks, massaging the scalp for two or three minutes. Hair should be washed with the shampoo provided.   They claim that two treatments per year are all that is needed to prevent and/or stop hair loss.   The most common brands are: Dercos by Vichy, and Kerastase by L’Oréal.

Response time is not specified precisely anywhere, but there are some studies that suggest what the results may be.

Because it is considered a cosmetic product, it does require FDA approval and can be sold over the counter. No one has been able to show any significant contribution by Aminexil to the treatment of hair loss. It may work as a beauty product by helping to nourish hair and improve its quality, but it does not seem to stop androgenic alopecia.

At Gardel Hair Restoration Institute, we haven't heard from anyone who has achieved successful results by using Aminexil.  It goes without saying that we do not recommend this treatment.