The therapy for hair loss

Drug therapy for hair loss

Most hair loss medications are effective in treating hair loss caused by hormones (Androgenetic alopecia). What all these drugs have in common is that the hair loss returns after the therapy is discontinued, so that lifelong therapy is necessary.

For more information, see the main article on Hair Loss.

Therapy for hereditary hair loss in men

A real one Miracle cure against hereditary ones Male hair loss does not exist yet.
This is mainly because the The cause of this phenomenon is still largely not understood is.
A promising approach to explaining hair loss comes from the field of endocrinology or andrology. It is assumed that the hair of the scalp is affected by the male hormone Dihydrotestosterone wither and ultimately fail completely.
The hormone is created in the body from testosterone with the enzyme 5-reductase, which is accumulated in the prostate occurs. The aim of therapy should therefore be a Reduction in dihydrotestosterone levels to be in the blood to combat hereditary hair loss. This can be done with the help of the active ingredient Finasteride happen. The drug inhibits the 5-reduct key and thus prevents the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. However, finasteride must be taken daily and successes are not seen in all men.
As a side effect, finasteride can be the subjective sexual pleasure (libido) reduce. However, the drug has no influence on potency.
Finasteride is not approved for women because it is used in Pregnant women or Women damage to the fetus can occur at childbearing age.

Another drug used to combat hereditary hair loss in men is this Minoxidil. Minoxidil will actually as a means of lowering blood pressure used, but in this context it has the pleasant side effect of increased hair growth. Why this is so cannot be fully clarified to this day. Perhaps the vasodilating effect of Minoxidil on the scalp ensures a better supply of the individual hair follicles with blood and thus extends their lifespan.

In addition to the drug therapy described so far, there is another operative option, namely the Hair transplant. Here will be Hair from the nape of the neckwhich have a much longer survival time than hair on the front head, transplanted onto bald areas of the scalp. Depending on your needs you can up to 5000 follicles individually find a new place on the scalp under local anesthesia. The hair transplant is with approx 5000 Euro not exactly cheap and should be carefully considered, especially by younger people affected.

Therapy for hereditary hair loss in women

Hereditary hair loss is coming in men much more often than in women. However, women usually suffer more from the problem because they feel hurt in their femininity. Also, unlike most men, long-haired women find it difficult to switch to a short hairstyle.

In principle, the same therapeutic means are available to women as to men. However, women are not allowed to take finasteride; if taken during pregnancy, deformities of the fetus can occur.
Essential more effective but is anyway Minoxidil, which is done using a pipette or spray attachment on the scalp twice a day is applied. There it ensures increased blood circulation and thus a better supply of the hair roots with oxygen and nutrients.
Shortly after starting therapy however, with minoxidil it can become one reflective hair loss come because the new hair displaces the old. However, such hair loss is called Proof of effectiveness of the means viewed. At daily application should after three to six months first successes to be observed.
The biggest disadvantage The treatment with Minoxidil are mainly in the awkward handling of the mean. On the one hand, it has to be applied twice a day, and on the other hand, it needs the solution about an hour to move in. During this time, the scalp should not come into contact with shampoos or water, as this will impair the effectiveness.

A Alternative to minoxidil put Anti-baby pill preparations these are not so effectivebut show but visible results after regular use. The way the pill works is based on Antiandrogensthat lower the level of male hormones such as testosterone and thus counteract hereditary hair loss. However, strict attention should be paid to the dosage, as no long-term studies have yet been carried out. In addition, this type of therapy is designed exclusively for women and should therefore not be used by men.
In the future it will still be on Research on gene therapy or other drugsthat are supposed to stop hereditary hair loss.

Therapy for diffuse hair loss

Other therapy options are used for diffuse hair loss. Diffuse hair loss, in contrast to hereditary and circular hair loss, is not limited to certain areas of the head. There are many reasons for this, e.g. improper diet, stress, hormonal changes or side effects of medication lead to diffuse hair loss.

As a rule, diffuse hair loss is stopped by treating the underlying disease. Normal hair growth then resumes within six months.
Supportive treatment with minoxidil may be appropriate. Targeted nutritional supplements are controversial as a treatment.

You may also be interested in the following article: Hair loss due to iron deficiency

Therapy for circular hair loss

Circular hair loss, or also Alopecia areata, leads to bald, round to oval areas within a short time. This can occur anywhere that hair grows; thus also in the beard or in the eyebrows. An autoimmune disease is suspected to be the cause.
Therapy is not absolutely necessary; in principle, the circular hair loss can resolve itself.

If the immune system is suspected to be dysfunctional, glucocorticoids (e.g. cortisone) may be prescribed to suppress the immune system.
These can be administered locally in the form of a cream or hair tincture or, in severe cases, systemically as tablets.
In milder cases, taking zinc as effervescent tablets can lead to an improvement in symptoms.

Read more on this topic: Zinc deficiency

The currently most effective therapy is external immunotherapy with the active ingredient DCP (Diphenylcyclopropenone). DCP is not officially approved for the treatment of alopecia areata, but it is used in many university hospitals. DCP leads to a defense reaction on the scalp, so that the body's own antibodies are "diverted" and concentrate on the preparation. Side effects or sometimes desired reactions are redness, itching and flaking of the scalp.
DCP is mainly used when the circular hair loss affects a large part of the scalp and even when previous attempts with corticoids have not been successful.