How to Choose the Right Hair Loss Products

By: Rachel Mork

There is an abundance of hair loss products for men and women on the market. How do you know which of these hair loss products are worthy of your money and which are unproven hype? 

Take medical findings into consideration as you consider hair loss products. It's best to check in with your doctor to ask for the latest research results and request products that are both safe for your medical conditions and proven to be effective.  At this time, doctors usually recommend one or more of the following products: Rogaine, Propecia or Provillus.

Rogaine
Rogaine is a topical hair loss product that is massaged into the scalp daily. This product is believed to be effective at preventing additional hair loss, as it strengthens the health of the hair follicles and stimulates re-growth of hair follicles in areas where the follicles are in a resting state. While Rogaine does not work for everyone, scientific studies have shown it to be effective for some men and women.

Propecia
Propecia is a medication for men taken internally to combat male pattern baldness. It is reported to be quite successful in both re-growing hair and preventing hair loss, but is also reported to cause sexual impotency side effects.  It is not intended for women or children; it is especially dangerous for pregnant women.

Provillus
Provillus is a medication taken internally to promote both healthy hair growth and re-growth of hair where follicles are resting.  It is a combination of vitamins and minerals needed for healthy hair growth. 

You'll want to determine the cause of your hair loss before you investigate hair loss prevention products. It is very possible that your hair loss could be prevented through stress management, a change in diet or supplementation of vitamins (try iron, B vitamins, biotin, and low levels of zinc and MSM).  If your hair loss is due to heredity, you will need to check with your doctor about the side effects associated with products, as you will need to decide whether or not you are willing to take on the risks in order to reap the potential benefits.

Many hair loss products make extravagant claims. You need to be wary of any product that claims to have incredible success rates but no claims backed with scientific studies or approval by doctors. Most hair loss products can prevent the loss of more hair at best; it is rare to find a product that will promote substantial re-growth. Check with your doctor before trying any hair loss prevention product, and watch for adverse side effects for the duration of use.

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