If you’re a woman suffering from alopecia, you’re probably desperate to find a solution that will help you grow your hair back and prevent future loss. Before you nail down the correct treatment, however, you need to determine the underlying cause as discussed in our last health article.
Once you’ve visited your doctor, gotten the results from your bloodwork, and isolated the cause of your hair loss, you can proceed with a treatment plan. Doctors are often reluctant to prescribe drugs in these cases because they can play havoc with your hormonal balance. Your physician will want to confirm that excess androgen levels are causing your alopecia before giving you a prescription for anti-androgens. There may be unpleasant side effects, but the drugs can keep the alopecia from destroying too many hair follicles.
Androgen receptor inhibitors include spironolactone (Aldactone), cimetidine (Tagamet), and cyproterone acetate, while estrogen and progesterone drugs such as oral contraceptives, ketoconazole (Nizoral), are finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) are sometimes prescribed to encourage hair growth.
Often, doctors recommend scalp treatments. Minoxidil (Rogaine) is currently the only FDA-approved treatment for women, but even topical applications can cause internal side effects (supposedly minimal) since the chemicals are absorbed through the skin. Interestingly, a 5-percent minoxidil solution appears to be more successful in treating women’s hair loss than men’s, although far fewer women use it.
You should do thorough research and explore all of your options before embarking on a drug treatment program with potential side effects. If your hair loss is due to stress or nutritional deficiencies, you can correct the problem with natural approaches such as exercise and a healthier diet, along with supplements like a high-potency multivitamin paired with a strong multimineral.
Herbalists suggest taking 160 mg of saw palmetto daily. You can also try applying arnica shampoo, cream, or ointment to the scalp twice a day to boost your blood circulation. Jojoba oil, emu oil, licorice, rosemary, sage, and safflower oil have all been recommended as natural remedies for hair loss.
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