Hair Restoration Treatments: Hope or Hype? (Part 1)

Both men and women tend to lose hair thickness and amount as they age. Inherited or "pattern baldness" affects more men than women. Approximately 25 percent of men begin to bald by the time they are 30 years old, and about two-thirds are either bald or have a balding pattern by age 60. Women, on the other hand, generally have diffuse thinning that affects all parts of the scalp. In this situation, much of the hair remains, but the thickness of the hair shaft is smaller than normal.

There are a number of treatment options available designed to re-grow hair and to replace hair that's already been lost. Currently in the United States, there are more than 2,000 topical and oral products, about five surgical procedures and several hair restoration devices, but only a few that actually work. Out of all the topical and oral treatments available, only two are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are Propecia and Rogaine.

Propecia is an oral medication; its chemical name is Finasteride. It was developed nearly 40 years ago as a treatment for prostate hypertrophy (extended prostate). However, users found that the hair in their crown and bridge areas of their scalps was getting thicker, and they weren't losing hair at the same rate they once were. Propecia is known as a DHT-inhibitor, actually slowing or halting the conversion of testosterone into di-hydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shrinks hair follicles as men age. Because DHT is known to be the primary cause of male-pattern baldness, stopping the conversion of DHT allows genetically susceptible hair follicles to remain intact, and in some cases increase in size. The side effects of Propecia are minimal and can include a reduced desire for sex (1% chance) and possible breast enlargement (less than .25% chance).

Rogaine is a topical treatment, the latest version being foam. Its active ingredient is Minoxidil, which was originally developed as a product to control blood pressure. But users found that they were growing hair in areas where hair didn't previously exist. Minoxidil comes in a number of strengths: the maximum non-prescription strength of five percent usually recommended for men, two percent formula recommended for women and prescription strength 12 ½ percent, which is seldom used.