Need to know more about hair transplants, hair loss drugs or hair replacement systems? Want to know what Ayurvedic hair care is? We will give you in-depth explanations and resources for it all so you can understand and choose the appropriate hair loss solution for you. The hair loss industry is growing – over one billion dollars has been spent researching hair loss causes and treatments – and so are solution and treatment alternatives.
Hair Loss Statistics in Men and Women
Male pattern baldness is what causes men’s hair loss 95% of the time. Approximately 55 million men and 30 million women in America suffer from hair loss. Almost 60% of men will experience some symptoms of male pattern baldness by age 50 and about 30% of susceptible women have female pattern baldness.
So, before you decide on a hair loss solution, learn what our contributors have to say about hair loss causes, prevention, transplants and drugs and natural hair replacement systems. They’ve been there. Doug Melvin of Boise, Idaho, provides us with an overview.
Understanding Hair Loss Causes Before You Decide on a Solution by Doug Melvin of Boise, Idaho
It’s important to understand the causes of hair loss, so you can decide if the problem is short-term or a sign of a more serious condition. Often hair loss is a sign of aging, and can be expected after you turn 50. Hair loss can also be caused by medications you are taking or recent changes in your lifestyle. But going bald can also be a symptom of a more serious problem. We’ll provide helpful hair loss tips and solutions but only your doctor can advise you about your individual health needs. Make sure to bring a list of all medications you are taking and to let your doctor know if you’ve been ill or under any stress, or if anything in your medical history has changed that may be causing your hair loss.
Contact your doctor immediately if you begin experiencing any of these hair loss symptoms:
- You have started losing hair in an unusual pattern;
- You have started losing your hair quickly or at a young age;
- You experience pain or itching in the hair loss region;
- Your scalp or the areas where you are losing hair is red, scaly, or has an unhealthy appearance;
- You have an onset of acne, unusual facial hair, or menstrual irregularities;
- You have unusual bald spots on your scalp, beard or eyebrows and are not experiencing hair regrowth;
- You have unusual weight gain, weak muscles, fatigue or cannot tolerate cold temperatures.
Hair Loss Prevention Treatments to Try
If you are starting to lose your hair, there are a number of preventive treatments you can try to slow or halt the process. Herbal shampoos and hair products help block hormones that inhibit hair growth in men and encourage new hair growth in women. Ayurvedic hair care treatments take a natural, centuries-old approach to preventing hair loss. And prescription and over-the-counter drugs like Rogaine®, Propecia® and Procerin® help prevent further inhibit hair loss and encourage new hair growth.
Stage a Systematic Attack to Prevent Hair Loss
Even if you decide to get a hair replacement system, the work to prevent hair loss is far from over. Many qualified providers recommend continued use of a prescription or over-the-counter hair loss medication or laser treatments in addition to a new hair system. It’s a concentrated, multi-faceted attack on hair loss prevention. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, the hair loss drugs prescribed for prevention and treatment most often by hair loss providers in 2006 were Propecia® (74% of the time) and Minoxidil®, the prescription version of Rogaine, which ranked a distant second (61% of the time). Minoxidil was the most frequently prescribed drug after a hair replacement system surgery to prevent further hair loss.
Hair Loss Replacement Systems Growing in Popularity
According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), the number of hair loss replacement systems purchased in 2006 was more than 100,000 in the U.S. alone. The number of hair replacement system patients in 2006 was almost 650,000. ISHRS members (board certified providers of hair loss solutions) reported having a record 526 patients for surgical and non-surgical procedures in 2006. ISHRS members further reported that they performed more than 200 hair replacement system surgeries for patients in 2006. Men made up 86% of patients and women made up 14% of surgical patients. For non-surgical hair loss, women made up 28% of patients and men accounted for just below 79% of patients. And based on worldwide hair replacement system procedures performed in 2006 and average fees charged, ISHRS estimates that the market for hair restoration is well over a billion dollars.
We thank our contributors:
- Doug Melvin of Boise, Idaho
