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Most men and women don’t start considering hair loss treatment options until they’ve already lost a great deal of hair. But what if you could catch it in its early stages, or even before balding starts?

Preventing the progression of baldness is far easier than trying to grow hair in completely bald areas. Below we’ve listed several tips that may just help you save the hair you have.

Regular Physician Checkups: A qualified hair restoration physician or dermatologist can analyze your scalp under magnification and look for signs of miniaturization and hair loss not yet visible to the naked eye. Regular checkups can help you plan for treatment if necessary before too much hair is lost.

Treating Your Hair Loss Early: If you find you are experiencing hair loss, starting medical treatment early may help you save your hair. Non-surgical hair loss treatments like Propecia (finasteride – men only) and Rogaine (minoxidil) can be very effective in stopping the progression of male pattern baldness.

Important Health and Hair Care Tips: Though genetic baldness occurs in men and women with even the healthiest lifestyle and hair, keeping your body and hair healthy can minimize the chance of non-genetic hair loss. Minimize junk food and pollution intake such as smoking and alcohol. Shampoo and condition your hair daily. Don’t color treat your hair or excessively pull or over-style it.

Technorati Tags: hair loss treatment, balding, baldness, bald, hair loss, hair loss treatments, finasteride, minoxidil, male pattern baldness, Hair Care

If you are a man and going bald, you may be like the majority of men scrambling around looking for a way to stop hair loss.  But with all the new hair loss treatment solutions on the market, which ones really work and which ones don’t? 

On this hair loss forum thread, forum member “Hatrick” shares his success with Propecia (finasteride) and how it has helped stop his hair loss.  He has also recently undergone hair transplant surgery.  You are encouraged to offer your input and share your own experiences with Propecia (finasteride).

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: bald, hair loss, hair loss treatment, hair transplant, Propecia, finasteride

You may be wondering why you might need to take Propecia (finasteride) if you are going to restore your hair with hair restoration surgery. Some patients think that continued use of Propecia is to maintain the transplanted hair. Others believe that because transplanted hair is permanent that surgery replaces the need for any non-surgical hair loss treatments. But why do hair restoration physicians typically recommend Propecia after a hair transplant? What role does hair transplant surgery play in the progression of male pattern baldness? Will hair loss continue after surgery or is surgery a baldness cure?

Join in the discussion between patients and physicians as they discuss the role of Propecia and why it may complement your hair transplant procedure.

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, restore your hair, hair restoration, transplanted hair, hair loss treatments, hair restoration physicians, hair transplant, male pattern baldness, hair loss, baldness cure

I am losing hair at a very fast rate and don’t know which hair loss treatment I should use to stop it.  Please advise.

There are a number of possible causes of hair loss, the most common of which is androgenic alopecia (female and male pattern baldness). 

The only two non-surgical treatments of any viable effect in my opinion, are Propecia and Rogaine, both FDA approved for the treatment of male pattern baldness. 

Propecia comes in a pill form and contains active ingredient finasteride.  Finasteride works to inhibit DHT, the hormone responsible for androgenic alopecia.

Rogaine is a topical solution containing active ingredient minoxidil.  Minoxidil is a vasodilator originally used orally to lower blood pressure by relaxing the veins and arteries in the body.  An accidental side effect of hair growth was found and then later tested topically and FDA approved to stop hair loss.

A number of other non-surgical hair loss solutions exist, but the proof of their efficacy are lacking.  Be sure to research all products you are considering and speak to your physician about Propecia (which requires a prescription).

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair loss treatment, hair loss, androgenic alopecia, male pattern baldness, Propecia, Rogaine, finasteride, minoxidil, hair growth, stop hair loss, hair loss solutions

I began taking Propecia (finasteride) a little over 6 months ago and my hair shedding seemed to slow down significantly within the first month, but has increased again over the past two months. Is this normal? Will the shedding slow down again?

Even though finasteride has a high success rate in treating male pattern baldness, unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict whether or not your hair loss will slow down again or stop.  However, in my experience, it is best to give Propecia at least one full year before making a determination as to whether or not it is effectively treating your baldness.

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair shedding, male pattern baldness, hair loss, baldness

I’ve been on Rogaine since January of 2004.  Within 4 months the frontal pattern baldness stopped and I couldn’t see my scalp anymore.  But last summer I noticed scalp appearing on the temple regions so I went on Proscar in 2007.  I’m still using the Rogaine 5% but no hair is coming back.  Will a Proscar (or Propecia) and Rogaine combination help regrow hair in the temple region?

Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are FDA approved and proven for a balding crown but many hair loss sufferers also swear by their efficacy in the hairline and temple areas.  Everyone responds differently to these medications. Though they might restore a good amount of hair in some, others may experience lesser hair growth, or maybe none at all. Typically, these hair loss treatment solutions, especially when combined are pretty good at stopping the progression of male pattern baldness, but only a select few have significant hair regrowth.

The unknown factor here is - where would your hair loss be without them? Though Propecia and Rogaine may not be regrowing all your lost hair, your allopecia could be much worse without these medications. Of course, there is also a possibility that your hair would be in the same condition if you weren’t using them, hence, the unknown factor.

In my opinion, unless you are experiencing side effects, you may want to consider continued use as they will give you the best chance of preventing future balding.

Technorati Tags: baldness, Proscar, Rogaine 5%, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, balding, hair loss, hair growth, hair loss treatment, male pattern baldness, hair regrowth, allopecia

This insightful hair loss information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Jerry Cooley of Charlotte, NC who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

Propecia is approved by the US FDA for once a day use for hair loss. This does not mean it is the best dosage, only the one that was studied and approved. The average serum “half-life” of finasteride 1mg is about 5 hours in young men and 8 hours in older men. This does not mean that half of the medicine is out of your body in that time period though. The finasteride molecule is distributed throughout the body where it binds to the type II 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, thereby inhibiting conversion of testosterone to dihydrotesterone (DHT). Serum DHT is reduced about 65%, and less DHT means less balding. But several studies show that a single dose of finasteride suppresses serum DHT for 7 days or more (Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 1991 Jan-Mar;16(1):15-21, J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990 Apr;70(4):1136-41, Prostate. 1989;14(1):45-53). So the finasteride is leaving the bloodstream, entering the tissue throughout the body, and binding to the type II 5AR (5-alpha-reductase) enzyme, resulting in long lasting DHT suppression.

Technorati Tags: hair loss, Propecia, finasteride, dihydrotesterone, DHT, balding

There is nothing like the promise of a hair loss cure that can tap into the emotional insecurities of balding men and women who would do pretty much anything to recover their long lustrous locks. Fancy marketing tactics found on television, the radio, and the internet loudly proclaim “guaranteed results or your money back”. No wonder hair loss sufferers are forking over their hard earned money to try the latest and greatest baldness cure wonder drug. These companies may make good on their promises at refunding your money if a product doesn’t work, but is it worth the price of nonrefundable hair?

Below we uncover the secrets of fancy marketing hype that will allow you to evaluate the validity behind many hair loss treatment solutions.

This Product is FDA Approved: Finasteride (found in Propecia and Proscar) and minoxidil (found in Rogaine) are the only 2 hair loss products that have been FDA “approved” to treat baldness. Any other hair loss treatment claiming FDA approval contains one of these two ingredients, most popular of which is minoxidil. In most cases, it is significantly less expensive and more effective to invest in the FDA approved ingredient than a product that includes it.

Money Back Guarantee: Most questionable treatments come with a money back guarantee. Though this might entice your wallet, using an ineffective product will cost your nonrefundable hair. Therefore, we encourage you to research all hair loss products you are considering.

Technorati Tags: hair loss cure, balding, hair loss, baldness cure, hair loss treatment, Finasteride, Proscar, minoxidil, hair loss products, treat baldness

Hair Loss in the peak of our social lives at young ages can be emotionally devastating.  But for those balding men and women who catch it early, nonsurgical hair loss treatment solutions may be worth considering.  But which one is the best?  Do late night infomercials that promise full hair restoration with miracle cure products truly deliver?  Which products really work to help treat baldness and stimulate hair regrowth?

This hair loss forum member is in a tricky situation and wants your input.  View this hair loss forum thread as forum members discuss treatments that have worked for them.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Hair Loss, balding, hair loss treatment, hair restoration, help treat baldness, hair regrowth

Hi, I am a 29 year old male and I lost most of my hair on top within 2 years.  I feel that I am way too young to be experiencing this much hair loss.  I took many medicines and hair loss treatments but none of them really worked.  What is the best way to regrow hair naturally?

Losing hair can be emotionally difficult, especially when it seems that hair is rapidly shedding and disappearing leaving us with a bald head.

Though “all-natural” hair loss products are appealing, the majority of the ingredients in them at best contain anecdotal evidence of any efficacy for treating baldness.  Common ingredients in these herbal hair loss treatments include saw palmetto, nettle root, Vitamin E, tea tree oil, azelaic acid, and PABA.  Though many of these claim to inhibit DHT (the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness), most have not been clinically tested, and those that have, only on a smaller scale. 

In my opinion, Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil), though they are not considered natural products, are superior and give balding men the greatest opportunity to stop hair loss and possibly stimulate hair regrowth. 

None of them however, are miracle cures and those with severe thinning hair or the completely bald will most likely not experience much new hair growth.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair loss treatments, regrow hair, Losing hair, bald, hair loss products, baldness, herbal hair loss treatments, saw palmetto, nettle root, Vitamin E, tea tree oil, azelaic acid, PABA, DHT, male pattern baldness, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, balding, stop hair loss, hair regrowth, thinning hair, hair growth