Hair loss can be physiological, such as that which occurs in the fall or postpartum. Also pathological, due to chemotherapy or other drugs, such as retinoid or anti-thyroid drugs. It may be produced by nutritional deficiencies of vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, or iron; or that the cause is metabolic problems, such as thyroid disease or other hormonal problems.
Another hair loss produces localized alopecia, such as alopecia areata, lupus, ringworm of the scalp, or lichen planus, which are due to localized inflammation.
The type of alopecia is essential to determine the type of treatment and its duration. There are several topical and oral, to treat hair loss and prevent its progression.
Minoxidil
The first is a vasodilator used in both men and women who suffer from hair loss. After three months of treatment, its effect is usually seen after applying two milliliters of product a day. According to the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), the effectiveness is seen between 30 and 60 percent of cases. However, he warns that “if minoxidil is abandoned in three months, most of the benefit disappears.”
Despite its benefits, the product does have some side effects. The AEDV highlights:
- Temporary hypertrichosis of the cheeks.
- Dermatitis irritativa
Although it is rarer that it happens, they can also occur:
- Finasteride
- Oral finasteride, meanwhile, is only used in men or postmenopausal women since, used in pregnant women or women of childbearing age, it can pose a risk to the fetus. It is a drug used by millions of patients for more than 20 years.
In order to cure hair loss, it would take between three and six months of intake to appreciate the improvement, and the minimum effective dose is one milligram per day. According to the AEDV, finasteride is more effective and safer than minoxidil for hair loss.
Although it is not without side effects:
- Decreased libido.
- Reduction of the volume of ejaculation.
- Erectile dysfunction (in about one percent of cases).
