The
hair loss industry has attracted a lot of criticism over the years. But
is this fully justified or are there some genuine ways to deal with
premature baldness?
The hair loss industry is not one that inspires great confidence in
most people. I have to admit this is perfectly understandable given the
damage caused by the many rogues and charlatans who have abused the
trust of far too many vulnerable people - people who have received
worthless and even dangerous products or advice in exchange for their
hard earned cash. The end result is the prevalance of a stigma that the
industry is hard pressed to shake off.
But is this perception really justified nowadays? Are there no genuine
treatments that sufferers can turn to in a bid to treat the ravages of
premature hair loss? The simple answer is YES, there are several safe,
affordable, accessible and effective hair loss treatments currently
available. Some have even been approved by FDA for the treatment of
hair loss conditions while others draw on natural remedies as the basis
for commercially available products. Whether or not any of them are
suitable for a given individual depends on a number of important
factors.
First and foremost, every individual must determine the exact cause or
causes of his or her hair loss. This may appear to be an
over-simplistic statement but the truth is, most people undergoing a
course of treatment for hair loss have proceeded on the basis of
self-diagnosis. Given the fact that premature or excessive hair loss is
often associated with underlying medical conditions, this is perhaps
not the most sensible course of action.
My advice in all cases is to seek the guidance of a qualified medical
practitioner because the consequences of not doing so may be serious in
a small number of cases. Even where all the evidence points to the
onset of hereditary male pattern baldness it would probably be best to
seek advice, if only to rule out other factors.
Once the cause of hair loss has been properly diagnosed you will be in
a position to choose a suitable form of treatment. This may range from
the prescription of drugs aimed at balancing disrupted hormone levels
to the topical application of minoxidil to reduce the symptoms of male
pattern baldness.
Hair loss may be caused by many factors including changing hormone
levels, illness, stress, overuse of strong chemicals, excessive
traction, poor grooming practices, side effects of medical treatment,
poor nutrition, weak immune system and the effects of aging. The good
news is, all of these can be tackled with reasonable hope of success
but only if you choose the right treatment.
The next article in this series will look closely at the various causes
of excessive hair loss and outline suggested treatments that are both
affordable and accessible. If you take only two things from this
article, please take these suggestions on board:
1. Always seek the advice of your physician before undergoing a hair loss treatment regime.
2. Don't despair, there's often a simple explanation for excessive hair
loss and even hereditary loss or male pattern-type baldness can be
treated successfully for most people nowadays.
