If you've spent any time looking you probably already know there are a wide range of products available boasting claims of how they can help prevent hair loss, reduce the appearance of it and stimulate the growth of new hair. Because there is such a demand for these types of products many companies have joined in the fight against alopecia, or hair loss, and are offering their best products.
Living with alopecia is so stressful for many of us we are willing to try anything that sounds like it might work. Because we are willing to try so many products the industry has become pretty large with billions of dollars a year spent on these products. But with so many hair loss prevention products out there how do you know which products are effective and which products are the next big, smart marketing scheme?
Stick with Proven Products
While nothing works perfectly for every single person, there are a few products that have some clinical evidence and FDA approval behind them. Things like shampoos and topical solutions that contain minoxidil have been effective as a hair loss prevention treatment and for some they have even promoted new hair growth.
There are a few medications still in trials as a hair loss treatment, but for now the only approved medication is finasteride. This has also been effective in trials to stop hair loss and regrow hair in many people.
Laser Hair Therapy
Laser hair restoration has become popular in recent years as a non-surgical hair loss treatment. It has been cleared by the FDA for use as an alopecia treatment, but there is some debate about the wording of the approval and the clinical trials involved.
Hairpieces
While there may be comedy sketches based on bad hairpieces, they have come a long way in recent years. Now it has become difficult to distinguish the difference between a hairpiece and the real thing.
Ironically many people avoid hair restoration surgery because of the cost, which isn't covered by most insurance plans, but after years of trying other products unsuccessfully for some the cost of surgical hair implants may have been cheaper in the long run. Of course not everyone is a candidate for this type of procedure, and the process is continually refined making the results much more natural-looking today than they were some years ago.