Baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Some time women also develop female pattern baldness. In female hair loss begins usually in the form hair thinning.
Diagnosing: The doctors usually enquire about food habits, diet, recent illness, medications, menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause etc for diagnosing the cause of hair loss. Blood tests or a biopsy from scalp is also done if necessary.
Treatment for hair loss : Hair loss treatments are available according to the type hair loss. If the hair loss is due to medications, doctors prescribe different medicines. If the hair loss is due to infections usually antibiotics are prescribed. Hair loss due to hormonal imbalance is corrected using hormone/ steroid injections. Medicines are also available to help in preventing the development of baldness. Following are some of the common medicines available for preventing hair loss or slowing down baldness.
Minoxidil: This medicine is applied on the scalp. Both men and women can use this medicine. This medicine is available over the counter however it is better to consult a doctor beforehand.
Finasteride: This medicine is suitable only for men and it comes in the form of pills. This medicine is available only on prescription.
The other methods to reduce or prevent hair loss include stress reduction and regular exercise. Regular exercise can help to keep the androgen levels low. Stress reduction methods like Yoga, Reiki, laughter therapy etc are great for reducing hair loss.
