All you have to do is do a search on line for the term hair loss and you will find hundreds if not thousands of products that claim to be able to restore your hair to its former fullness. The question is, why are there so many products available if they all grow hair. And the answer is most of them are completely worthless. The medical community knows what causes hair loss in men and if the hair restoration product does not treat this condition then you can not treat the balding effect.

The US FDA has only approved two drugs for the treatment of hair loss in men and one for hair loss in women. If a product doesn’t have one of these ingredients then it probably is not very effective. There are some natural products which mimic these drugs to a certain extent but they do not seem to be as effective as the original approved drugs themselves.

The first pharmaceutical is known as Finasteride. This is taken in a tablet form each day and actually slows down the cause of the baldness. The vast majority of men who experience hair loss do so because of a condition known as Male Pattern Baldness. This is caused by a hormonal factor called DHT which actually bonds with the individual hair follicles and causes them to slowly stop producing hair shaft material. Finasteride works to limit the amount of DHT in the blood supply and thus allow the hair to continue to grow.

The second approved treatment for hair loss is called Minoxidil. This is applied in a topical solution which means it is rubbed into the scalp. This drugs works to counteract the affects of the DHT as opposed to limiting its production. Originally Minoxidil was developed to treat high blood pressure but it was quickly determine that it also had a positive effect on Male Pattern Baldness.

Women can also be affected with pattern baldness although in this case it is referred to as female pattern baldness. Of these two approved drugs the only one suitable as hair restoration for women is Minoxidil. Finasteride has the nasty side effect of causing birth defects.

If the hair restoration product you are using does not contain one of these two ingredients then it probably will not be very effective.

Before you rush off to buy a hair restoration treatment, take time to review things thoroughly. And remember too, what might be the best hair loss treatment for one person may not work that well on another. While some find that a natural hair loss treatment will work, many resort to using the following medical treatments.

Hair Restoration Products

Male hair loss treatments can differ from the treatment used for females, although some treatments can be used by both males and females. One of the prime treatments used for males with male pattern baldness is the prescription drug, Propecia. Originally this drug was used to treat prostate problems in men, however during the course of taking the drug many men noticed a reduction in hair loss and actual hair re-growth in some instances. This drug effectively treats male pattern baldness in most of the men who take it.

Minoxidil, applied topically, can also help reduce hair loss though it is not as effective as Propecia at treating male pattern baldness. It does help halt hair loss to some extent and when combined with other treatments can make a difference.

Women Hair Restoration

When it comes to female hair loss treatment, there are not as many options available as there are for women, primarily because the common drug used to treat male pattern baldness, Propecia, is not recommended for women.

One of the more common treatments for women is again using Minoxidil, which according to studies actually seems to work better for women than it does for men, especially if the hair loss is diffused over the scalp and not localized to one position. While only 2% Minoxidil has FDA approval, physicians often prescribe 5% in cases where it will be used under their supervision.

Other medication prescribed for women, normally used to treat other illnesses or conditions, can also help with female balding. Spironolactone, usually prescribed for its diuretic effects, and Cimetidine which is used to help treat stomach ulcers can both block the action of androgens and thus help prevent hair loss in females.

By far the most common prescribed treatment for women after menopause is hormone replacement therapy, such as taking estrogen and progesterone pills or applying hormone cream topically. This is very effective for women who’s hair loss is due to hormonal changes.

Hair Restoration Systems

If you don’t want to be hassled with buying products to apply to your head everyday or you are worried about the side effects of drugs there are two other options. The first is hair restoration surgery. This involves removing living hair follicles from one area of the head and inserting them into the bald spot of the scalp. This hair restoration procedure is fairly expensive but it does work well.

The other option is to get a hair replacement system also known as a hair piece or toupee. With new manufacturing techniques and attachment systems they are almost completely unnoticeable. Whatever hair restoration treatment you choose to go you deserve to have a full head of hair once again.