Commercial Treatments

Has it ever sparked your notice why hair loss is such a part of people's lives? Do you ever wonder, with much astonishment, why the rich and famous like Hollywood superstars, such as Bruce Willies for instance, could never find a treatment for hair loss, in spite of their "millions"?

Hair loss is probably as old as the dawn of man so it should simply be taken as part of living. Actually, shedding hair did come to a point when it's considered "natural", notwithstanding, that it is an unnatural occurrence because how come other people get to keep their hair? While it is predominantly a man's issue, supposedly, hair loss is also affecting about 30% of women at the age of 50.

However, you don't have to live with baldness. Only recently has medicine made a great leap in the treatment of male-pattern baldness that is driven primarily by genetics. Men who are genetically-predisposed to shedding hair observed that the problem could begin as early as their 20's and progresses with age. If detected early and with regular intake of FDA-approved medications, the hair loss problem is nipped in the bud.

It is only during this generation when it is possible to treat hair loss – safely and effectively. Propecia (finasteride) belongs in a class of DHT-inhibitor medications; dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is linked to miniaturization of hair follicles. Rogaine (minoxidil) available in pill, injection, or topical cream has been found in extensive studies to thicken existing hair. Both these drugs have passed FDA regulations and considered commercial hair loss treatments.

Despite the discovery of finasteride and minoxidil, the market is still plagued with commercial hair loss treatment products with no FDA seals, and are neither effective for hair loss treatment. These commercial treatments of hair loss did not undergo specific guidelines set by the FDA to prove their worth.

Most of these commercial hair loss treatment products also claim to have similar mechanism of actions of Finasteride by inhibiting DHT conversion. While this could be true for such commercial hair loss products as Revivogen shampoo, Nisim shampoo, Hair Genesis, Thymuskin, and a plenty more others – sometimes, one plus one doesn't always sum up to two.

Majority of these products are only supported by claims and a few small clinical trials, which only speak little of a product's effectiveness against hair loss compared to the extensive research Propecia and Rogaine went through before it earned the approval of the FDA. Moreover, these commercial hair loss treatment products contain herbal ingredients that are as potent as medications. Hair Genesis, for instance, contains saw palmetto extracts, which reportedly caused severe hemorrhage in one patient during surgery. Manufacturers of commercial hair loss products have also failed to establish the possible side effects of their medications. I

Female-pattern baldness, unfortunately, has narrower options when it comes to treatments since Propecia (considered the most effective medication for hair loss treatment today) is not recommended for use in women due to its hormone-inhibiting properties. Some commercial treatments for hair loss, such as Spironolactone, were also found to grow tumors in laboratory animals.

Treating androgenetic alopecia for men and women should be strictly defined because of the biological differences of both sexes, and because hair loss in women could be driven by other underlying medical factors, which can reverse hair loss when treated. Aside from that, specific types of hormones control androgenetic alopecia in women. Commercial treatments thought to be effective for male-pattern baldness is not necessarily effective in treating female hair loss.

Lastly, any commercial hair loss treatments with no FDA-approval, for which purpose they claim, should not be taken seriously if they cannot present any valid scientific evidence, other than testimonials. Serious adverse reactions could ensue from these products and cause future health problems.