Friday, June 10 2005 20:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

There are lots of traditional as well as artificial treatment for hair loss. In traditional ways, one can use coconut oil; a hot oil massage is usually dependable for temporary hair fall, like the ones after surgery or disease. Other traditional treatment includes herbs like henna, amla, ritha and sikakai. Most of them are now easily available in market.

Depending on your type of hair loss, artificial treatments are available. If a medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medicine. Recognizing and treating an infection may help stop the fall of hair. Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further loss of hair.

Medicines may prevent or reduce the pace of development of a common baldness in individuals. Some medicines are available even without prescription. Minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine) for example, is of that category. It is applied to the scalp. It can be used by both men and women.

Another one, the Finasteride (brand name: Propecia) is available with a prescription. It comes in pills and is only for men. It may take up to 6 months before one can tell if any of these medicines are working on them or not.

Though our markets are flooded with a number of products that claim to check the hair loss, a large majority of them are found ineffective by its users. If adequate treatment is not available for your type of hair loss, you may consider trying different hairstyles or wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves or even artificial hair replacement!

Part I - Hair loss: Some common causes and treatments