Hair loss is often attributed to1 of three things in a woman: stress, genetics, or insult to the hair follicle. There are different products available for each of these very different conditions. Often the latter of the three is due to styling techniques, or medication such as chemotherapy. This type of hair loss generally subsides after the agitating source has been identified and corrected. There is generally no need for any special products to help re-grow hair after chemo. However, vitamins and specialized shampoo can be used after the chemo has been stopped to promote a healthy environment for the hair… if your physician says that the products are okay to take with your current condition and medications. You can buy these products online, at a pharmacy, or at your local health food store.

Thinning hair due to genetics is often noticed with age, and there are a whole host of products to help with this condition. If the condition is severe enough, and you have excessive thinning that may lead to balding, you can use products such as Rogaine or Provillus. However, if you are simply concerned because your pony tail is slightly smaller than it use to be, you can use products such as thickening shampoos, hair maintenance vitamins, or home remedies.

Some great home remedies are warm treatments using almond, olive, or coconut oil. Apply one of these warm oils to your scalp and wrap your head with cotton, allow the oil to remain on your hair over night and wash it out in the morning. Also, diet plays a huge role in your hair’s vitality; try to include as much protein as possible in your diet, and a vitamin A supplement as well. These things will not only improve the appearance of your hair but make it healthier from root to tip!

Finding these natural products is as easy as one, two, three. Perform a simple web search for natural or alternative hair loss treatments for women, and you will be surprised how many results you will find. Now remember, the goal of all these web sites is to sell you a product, in other words they are going to try and make you believe that their product could grow hair on a rock! So, you must be sure to do your own investigating. Check out the product from start to finish. Read product reviews carefully but, also be sure to check if the business selling the product is a member of the better business bureau and if so, check with them to ensure they don’t have massive amounts of negative feedback from scorned customers. When investigating this topic I found a promising company that runs more like a doctor’s office rather than your local GNC. This company makes a product called Regenix.

Regenix actually has a clinic at cedars-Sinai medical office towers, and a hair sample analysis laboratory. The company will analyze your hair and let you know if their product can help with your current situation. There are a few things I like about this company, first of all I like that they are up front and honest about the fact that their product cannot re-grow hair that has already fallen out. The second thing I like about this company is the fact that they document your treatment with continued hair sample analysis. The down side is the product is rather costly at $153.00 for the start up kit. This kit includes a 30 day supply of shampoo, cleanser, and a protectant, as well as a hair loss treatment serum. You will also receive a tutorial DVD on how to apply your new medicine.

Sometimes the answer you have been looking for is as simple as a bottle of vitamins. In some cases of female hair loss the problem is simply an imbalance or lack of vitamins, which can cause the hair to fall out. This lack of vitamins can also disrupt the normal cycle of which hair grows, so taking a daily supplement will help your body promote a healthy growing environment. The idea is to build the body up with these helpful vitamins to promote healthy skin, hair, and nail growth.

Many of these systemic herbal remedies/vitamins are very good for you, and can be taken in conjunction with traditional treatment. The herbal aspect of treatment can prevent any further hair loss, and ensure that the scalp is healthy enough to re-grow hair. Of course if you are taking any type of prescriptive and or traditional medicine it is essential to alert your primary care physician of any natural medicines you are thinking about taking. Finding the right medication natural or otherwise can take some time but, don’t let that discourage you! The right medication is out there for you, all you have to do is find it!!

Another form of temporary hair loss is called Telogen Effluvium; this form of hair loss is thought to be directly related to stress. A woman may experience this type of hair loss after pregnancy and child birth, serious sickness, or any type of major stress. It is common to experience this type of hair loss 6-8 weeks after the stress that caused this phenomenon has occurred. Telogen Effluvium is in no way shape or form predictable, or preventable, and doctors treat this condition simply by telling the woman to avoid stress.

Female pattern baldness, commonly known in the medical community as androgenic alopecia, is a genetic disorder that has nothing to do with how you style your hair, how many times you permed it or colored it, or how often you wash and brush it. No matter what you do if you have the specific gene that causes female pattern baldness, you will more than likely struggle with thinning hair through out life. There are a few things you can do to ensure you don’t develop a large bald spot however. If you have female pattern baldness, start treatment as soon as possible, and take good care of yourself! This includes taking vitamins and ensuring that you don’t allow stress to take hold in your life.

Stress can and will cause a woman’s hair to fall out, and while it may not be as noticeable as female pattern baldness, if you posses the gene that causes female pattern baldness, stress will only make your condition worse. Also, try and wear loose fitting hair styles and limit the amount of “product” you use. Although researchers have not made a direct link between styling products and thinning hair, there has been much speculation that some of these things have the potential to leave a build up of residue on your scalp, in turn depleting the amount of fresh clean oxygen that gets to the root. Don’t misunderstand, I am not saying don’t use them I am simply saying limit the use to a minimum.

Always keep in mind sometimes no matter what you do, or how good you are to your hair, genetics are genetics, and no amount of wishful thinking can change that. However, luckily for women everywhere female pattern baldness is starting to step out of that embarrassing little closet it has been in for centuries. And researchers everywhere are starting to give it the amount of attention it needs to be stopped dead in its tracks… before all your hair ends up on the bathroom floor, instead of on your head!

This procedure is considered a cosmetic procedure and can be performed at a plastic surgeons office, under general anesthetic. Although, if you prefer you can opt to contact an institute such as the “hair club for men”…who has extended a gracious offering to women as well! Or the Bosley institute. There is no shortage of these types of “clubs” around the US, and they do offer a more welcome feeling, because they specialize in hair transplantation. However, if you find membership to these clubs a bit out of your reach due to location or costs, a reputable plastic surgeon is well qualified to perform the procedure.

So, what exactly is hair transplantation, and who is a candidate for this procedure? Each and every case is different and your doctor should explain all your options to you in detail on the day of your consultation. There are a few different procedures when it comes to hair transplantation. However, most women have the mini-graft procedure. During this procedure the surgeon will harvest a graft of hair from the back of the head, and replant the mini graft in the thinning areas, creating a fuller head of hair. It is important to understand that hair transplantation surgery will never give you the amount of hair you had prior to the thinning. The purpose of the procedure is to cover the thinning or balding areas, and restore the confidence you once had.

In order to be considered a candidate for this procedure you must have a sufficient supply of hair on the back side of your head for harvesting and relocating. As well as being healthy enough to undergo the procedure itself. You must be sure to inform your surgeon of all medical problems, and medications you are taking, as this could have be a deciding factor in performing the surgery. After all, the number one concern is always your safety and well being!

One last tip to consider, if you hair loss is due to an accident, such as scarring from a burn, your health insurance may pay for the procedure as it would be considered a reconstructive surgery. Of course we all know an insurance company is not going to willingly pay for anything they don’t have to, so call your insurance provider and ask for a copy of your policy. If in your policy it states that they do in fact pay for reconstructive surgery, then on the date of your consultation ask your surgeons office to inquire about payment through your insurance!! Hopefully after that everything will be smooth sailing with the insurance company, and you will emerge from your surgery with a fully covered head of hair…and a big boost in the self esteem department!

Provillus and Rogaine both contain the FDA approved active ingredient known as minoxidil. They are both very good, very popular, products used to not only prevent hair loss, but also to re-grow hair that has already fallen out. So, which one is really better? Or are they the exact same product just dressed up in different boxes? The answer to this question is yes and no… let me explain.

Rogaine’s method of treatment is basic, treat the problem at the root. When you purchase Rogaine for women you will get a box containing a one month supply of 2% minoxidil topical serum. The instructions clearly state to apply 1ml of this solution to the affected areas twice daily, they also state that women typically see results in 2-4 months. This method of treatment is very similar to Provillus. However, the difference is Provillus believes that the answer to a thicker, fuller head of hair is to treat the problem at not only the root, but at the base of the problem as well.

Provillus uses the same active ingredient, 2% minoxidil as Rogaine, but they take it one step further by supplying the individual with a daily supplement. This supplement helps promote an all around healthy environment for the hair to grow in. The supplement contains 5 very specific ingredients that are all widely used in the promotion of healthy skin, hair, and nails. Provillus has this to say about their supplement:

“Strong, healthy hair is a result of good nutrition. Our formula features the vitamins, minerals and herbs targeted for hair growth and vitality.”

As far as a price comparison, a one moth supply of Provillus will cost you twice what a one month supply of Rogaine will. However, keep in mind that Provillus is giving you twice the protection, therefore, twice the product. Before ordering any product online you should be 100% sure that female pattern baldness is the culprit. This is because if your hair loss is temporary due to stressful events, hormonal imbalances, or styling procedures neither of these products will work for you…no matter what the cost!

Rogaine for women is an extremely popular product used in the fight against hair loss. Chances are everyone of a certain age has heard of Rogaine mostly because of its major marketing in the late eighties and early nineties. However, just because it is the most widely known product does not mean it is the most effective product on the market. As with any type of medication individual results vary, this is largely due to the differences in conditions that are causing the hair loss, as well as body chemistry, and your body’s ability to respond well to the medication.

The ideal situation for any hair loss treatment is to catch it as early as possible to prevent further damage to the hair follicle, and keep as much of your hair as healthy as possible. Rogaine is no different in this aspect. Long ago Minoxidil was used as a systemic hypertensive (blood pressure) medication. Doctors started noticing the abnormal amount of hair growth their patients were having, this was known to be a common side effect of the drug. It was at this time that researchers started performing experiments by applying minoxidil in a topical solution directly to the scalp. By placing the topical solution on the scalp researchers noticed that it stimulated hair growth, but did not affect the blood pressure in any way.

Rogaine is an extremely effective drug for many women. However, the FDA will only approve its use in 2% form for women, not the higher 5% that is used in the men’s formula. In several clinical studies overall 59% of women reported some form of hair re-growth while using 2% minoxidil topical treatment. 19% of the study participants reported moderate re-growth, while 40% only showed minimal re-growth. Many doctors believe that the success rate could be higher if the FDA would approve the use of minoxidil in its 5% strength range for women, rather than the lesser 2%. This is exactly why many doctors choose to prescribe their patients 5% minoxidil with the condition that she remains under his supervised care while using it.

The one thing you should remember is Rogaine is not a quick fix. It is not uncommon for a woman to use the product for 4-6 months before she begins to notice substantial re-growth. Also, it is recommended that you continue using the product in order to prevent a relapse in hair loss, as well as continued hair growth. The good news is there are other options available to women now! Therefore, if you happen to be in the 41% of women, whom had no response to Rogaine, simply try another drug and hope for the best!!

The first step in treating female hair loss is to correctly identify the cause. The one thing that male and female hair loss sufferers have in common is the fact that hair loss is always a sign of some internal disturbance. Whether the disturbance is a long term condition such as a disease that may, or may not, cause a hormonal imbalance, or a genetic disorder. Some examples of short term disturbances that can cause an issue with hair loss are pregnancy, stress, or certain medications. Usually the short term disturbances are quickly and easily identified, while the long term disturbances can be extremely difficult and somewhat costly to determine.

By far the most common type of hair loss in women is a genetic condition commonly referred to as female pattern baldness; otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia in the medical community. This condition is caused by a particular male hormone known as dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This hormone is similar to testosterone and has the potential, when in the presence of its enzyme reactor, to cause death to the hair follicle. Although DHT is a male hormone, women do posses it in trace levels in their bodies. The presence of DHT in a woman’s body is a completely normal occurrence; it is when these levels of DHT rise, even slightly, that a woman may experience female pattern baldness.

Another common form of female hair loss is known as Telogen Effluvium, or TE. TE is simply described as a direct result of a stressful event that can cause your body to shed its own hair. This condition usually occurs following a stressful event that has taken place including but not limited to, pregnancy and child birth, serious sickness, as well as surgery. The somewhat confusing fact about this condition is that the hair loss normally takes place about 6-8 weeks after the actual stressor has occurred. This particular condition will usually go in to remission as long as the woman suffering from it avoids major stressors. However, in some cases this condition can be chronic and plague the woman on and off for several months, or even years.

Last but not least a woman can suffer hair loss due to environmental factors such as medications, and self inflicted insults to the hair follicle itself. These conditions are better known as Anagen Effluvium and traction alopecia. Anagen Effluvium is a direct result of medications such as chemotherapy, and traction alopecia is a direct result of damage caused to the root, or hair follicle, by wearing tight hairstyles.

No matter what the cause female hair loss can be devastating for the woman suffering from it. It is imperative to find the cause and start treatment as soon as possible to prevent further hair loss. Now days there are several treatment options to choose from including traditional, non-traditional, and of course home remedies. Research your options and go from there. However, always try and remember that stress is a great cause of hair loss itself, so do your very best to remain positive!