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A great many people suffer from hair loss problems during their lives, and suffering from thinning hair – particularly at an earlier age – can prove very stressful and traumatic. We often associate hair loss with old age, but the truth is that there are many causes of this problem and it can affect anyone and at any age.

Androgenetic alopecia ( male and female pattern balding ) is by far the most common cause of hair loss amongst men and a serious problem for many women. There are three important components which are responsible for both female and male balding: 1. A genetic predisposition for balding to occur.

Our ancestors did not have the benefit of today’s scientifically researched drugs, but they often found natural remedies that worked just as well. Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to treat everything from premenstrual syndrome to high blood pressure. Men experiencing the first signs of baldness often looked to natural cures as well, and some of the herbal remedies have surprising results.

While there are certainly a number of medical treatments that offer great results, experts say that natural hair loss treatment can yield some of the best benefits for anyone concerned about the health of their hair. Most people choose to treat their hair loss with medications or surgery, such as Minoxidil or hair transplantation.

Billions of dollars will be spent on hair loss solutions this year. Much of this money will go to waste. Ineffective products and misleading advertising are only partially to blame. Many consumers are not using these hair loss products in an effective way. Fortunately there are a few simple ways that consumers can increase their chance of success. Following these guidelines will ensure that your money does not go to waste:

A drug-free hair loss product, from a surprising source, may be the new answer to thinning hair, alopecia, and male pattern baldness.

Always wash your hair with lower temperature water. A lot of people damage their hair with very hot water. Wash your hair every other day or even every third day.

As many as 75% of men may suffer 'male pattern baldness' as they grow older. If your father, or either of your grandfathers had noticeable balding, the chances are high that you may, too. The news isn't all bad, of course. New research seems to indicate that the typical 'horseshoe' male balding is in fact a sign of an ultra-strong immune system, making the carriers of the genes that dicatate the balding proclivity better able to weather the assualts of the environment, and thus more likely to pa

Could it be possible that our ancestors got it right with some of their traditional hair loss remedies? Folklore tells us they certainly went to great lengths to find solutions to thinning hair. Although each culture had its own approach influenced by local conditions, there seem to have been many examples of common practices. Nettles, for example, formed an important element of traditional hair loss remedies throughout the world.

In a separate article in this series we looked at some of the most popular herbal hair loss remedies for ingestion. Here we'll expand that theme to include some potentially useful herbal remedies for external use.

Herbs hold an obvious appeal for many people because they support the body's natural healing mechanisms to target the cause of the problem, as opposed to merely tackling the symptoms. It would be wrong to present herbal hair loss remedies as a miracle solution for all sufferers - there is however growing evidence to support the view that some herbal remedies offer real hope to many people.

1. Eat adequate amounts of protein. Protein is composed of the amino acids essential for the building of new cells, including hair. Five amino acids are of particular relevance to hair growth - cystine, cysteine, methionine, arginine and lysine. Inadequate protein intake over a lengthy period can force hair into the resting phase with shedding a few months later. It is obvious then that sufficient portions of protein rich foods should form part of your daily diet. The best sources of die

Could something as basic as inadequate nutrition really contribute to excessive shedding of hair? Does sensible nutrition have a role to play in helping hair to regrow? The answer to both questions is yes! There is no doubt that poor nutrition and hectic lifestyles can contribute to hair loss. Modern diets can be associated with a number of nutritional deficiencies that are thought to contribute to hair loss:

Many people suffering from hair loss prefer not to use the strong drugs and medications that currently form the best available treatment options. They may have tried a range of treatments but found they did not work or perhaps suffered unpleasant side effects. What options are left for such people, especially if they do not wish to consider surgery?

At present only two medications have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of hair loss, namely finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine). While both of these continue to prove their worth to many patients, some individuals are disappointed with their results and seek other forms of treatment. Often they turn to drugs that have not been approved for the treatment of hair loss, but which have shown themselves over time to have a positive effect in dealing with this condition.

Much has been said and written about modern day hair loss treatments but this tends to relate almost exclusively to men. Do these same treatments offer solutions to women suffering from hair loss or is there a completely different category of remedies available? It really depends on what is causing hair loss in the first place and as the most common causes of hair loss are the same as those that affect men, the treatments available are pretty similar.

Most hair loss sufferers seek solutions from Western medicine or turn to remedies derived from local traditions. Some experts however argue that the ayurvedic system of medicine has much to offer in dealing with hair loss conditions.

Minoxidil is one of only two FDA-approved treatments for hair loss and is the only anti-baldness drug approved for women. Originally introduced as a medicine to treat high blood pressure, it was noticed that users began to grow extra hair. It is now available without prescription as a topically applied liquid in solutions like Rogaine, but cheaper generic versions are also available. A 2% solution is marketed as a treatment for both men and women, but a 5% version is approved only for men.

Finasteride was initially marketed to treat prostate conditions under the name Proscar in 5mg pills. It was known to inhibit the formation of DHT, a major contributor to both prostate cancer and male pattern hair loss.

The effectiveness of modern hair loss treatments is clear for all to see, but many people simply prefer not to use strong chemicals or non-natural substances. If you fall into this category, does this mean you'll just have to accept an ever-decreasing head of hair? The answer to this is an unequivocal NO!