The Best Over the Counter Products for Combating Men's Hair Loss
By Andrew Otis
, last updated August 7, 2011
Hair loss is a terrible affliction. However, there are some measures you can take to combat hair loss. And many of the products for hair loss are available over the counter. Both men and women suffer from alopecia. There are some options to combat hair loss and even a few steps to regrow hair. However, there is no true way to cure hair loss. There are only treatments. The drug minoxidil, best known by the name Rogaine and other generics, is the most effective known counter to hair loss..
Source:eHow
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Minoxidil
The most prominent drug for regrowing hair over the counter is minoxidil. No one is entirely sure how minoxidil works, except that it does. One of the downsides of minoxidil is that it must be applied frequently. Minoxidil shampoos must be applied once or twice daily for the best results. minoxidil must be used for at least 4 months, and sometimes for up to 1 year, before the user will notice a difference.
Its trade names are Rogaine, Regaine, Avacor, Loniten, and Mintop. It is available over the counter and is off patent, meaning that many cheap generics exist. Minoxidil works best on customers who are younger than forty years old, so you should start while you are young. Furthermore, it works best on who have just recently started losing their hair. Minoxidil does nothing for receding hairlines. It is not a cure for baldness. In fact, most people lose their new hair within a few months after they stop taking Minoxidil.
There are many ways to apply minoxidil. They vary from pills to topical solutions like foams, gels or shampoo. Minoxidil usually comes in liquid form that can be put on your scalp in measured doses.
Finasteride
Finasteride, also known as propecia or proscar is another proven drug that combats hair loss. It is marketed by Merck. It should not be taken by women or children.
Dutasteride
Dutasteride is not currently a drug available on the market for combating hair loss. It is still undergoing clinical trials. GlaxoSmithKline has yet to determine if it wishes to pursue FDA approval for Dutasteride.
Ketoconazole shampoo
Ketoconazole shampoo is another potential treatment for hair loss. Support for Ketoconazole shampoo comes from one study done in 1998 that found Ketoconazole shampoo to be effective in the growth of new hairs. However, Ketoconazole shampoo is only FDA approved for use in the treatment of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp. Maybe in a few years there will be studies that indicate if ketoconazole shampoo is truly effective.
Nioxin
Although not technically an over the counter since you must buy it at a salon, and although it does not claim to stop hair loss, it is marketed to make your hair look much thicker. Data is few and far between on Niioxin's effectiveness. Nioxin Research Laboratories Inc, has not released any of its clinical trials on it Nioxin Shampoo products. Nioxin shampoo mainly works by cleaning out sebum, the oily and waxy matter that is secreted by glands around the hair follicle, as well as other residues and fatty acids from the hair follicle. Nioxin is only sold in salons, so it is not cheap, if viewed on a monthly basis. Salons generally offer it for around $30 a month for a starter kit.
