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Losing your hair (or at least some of it) is one of those inevitable, physical conditions that happen to most men over 30 – even for men in their 20’s.
Unfortunately there isn’t a best hair loss treatments for men, that works for everyone.
This is because we are all different, and respond better to some treatments than we will to others.
The good news is; if you are currently losing your hair, I can recommend some proven treatments that do repair and re-grow head hair.
It’s just a case of establishing which treatment works for you, (often by trial and error) and how much you’re willing to spend.
The hair loss industry is worth billions of dollars a year, resulting in a deluge of worthless hair-growth products.
Most men have no idea where to look for suitable products, or what treatment they should take.
There are three recognized and affordable hair treatments:
- ‘Alternative’ hair-growth products (Non-FDA Approved)
- FDA approved hair growth products
- Home laser treatment
Non-FDA Approved / ‘Natural’ Hair-Growth Products
There are numerous types of hair loss treatments for men that have not been approved by the FDA.
It doesn’t mean the products aren’t any good, just not FDA tested.
It costs millions of dollars in medical trials to meet the stringent requirements of the FDA, so it doesn’t make financial sense for most companies to gain approval.
Sure, a lot of them are cheap, and (at best) useless.
But there are genuine companies that have worked extremely hard to produce products that actually work to stimulate hair growth.
The ingredients in many of these alternative products include a combination of vitamins, minerals, herb and plant extracts, such as;
- Horsetail
- Rosemary Oil
- Peppermint Oil
- Burdock
- Aloe Vera
- Tea-Tree Oil
- Stinging Nettle
- Lavender oil
- Saw Palmetto
- Nettle leaf
- Pumpkin seed powder
- Biotin
- Zinc
- Vitamin B6
- Magnesium
Some of these leading ‘alternative’ brands have an army of loyal supporters and thousands of great testimonials for their products.
It is also no co-incident that these leading alternative brands contain some or all of the ingredients that the FDA-approved hair growth products contain.
So it might be the combination of vitamins, minerals, and plant extracts, as well as the FDA-approved ingredients, that are responsible for their success and excellent customer feedback.
There are 3 non-FDA approved, alternative products that stand-out as being effective for hair loss and re-growth:
Natrol Biotin Maximum Strength Tablets, 10,000mcg
Biotin is a water-soluble, B-complex vitamin.
It plays a key role in the body and is an important nutrient for the growth and maintenance of your hair, skin, and nails.
Biotin supports the production of fatty acids and cell growth which can increase the bulb size of your hair follicle, helping hair to appear fuller.
Natrol Biotin Maximum Strength tablets provide your body with 10,000mcg of this vital, hair restoring vitamin.
Oh my goodness, this supplement sells like ‘hot cakes’!
There are thousands of positive reviews on Amazon alone from men (and women) who have experienced their hair re-growing after taking biotin supplements.
Ultrax Labs Hair Rush
This popular supplement contains significantly less biotin – 150 mcg per serving.
It’s key ingredient is ‘Cynatine,’ a revolutionary ingredient comprised of solubilized keratin, a protein found naturally in the body.
A clinical trial in 2014 conducted by The Scientific World Journal on the effect of cynatine on hair and nails stated:
“A eutrophic effect for hair on the head was seen after 3 months of treatment.”
Hair Rush also contains saw palmetto extract.
Clinical trials have shown that saw palmetto may block an enzyme, ‘5-alpha-reductase’, which facilitates the change of testosterone into DHT. DHT is considered a major cause of male pattern baldness.
Other ingredients include pumpkin seed powder, nettle leaf powder, and a number of vitamins.
Again thousands of satisfied customers have documented their success whilst using this supplement.
Like DasGro, Hair Rush is happy to offer 90 day money-back guarantee if you don’t see results from taking their supplement.
Ultrax Labs Hair Surge Shampoo
If you are 100% serious about restoring your hair I would suggest you take a supplement and use a shampoo.
If you don’t fancy taking a supplement, you can try and re-grow your hair using a shampoo.
The ingredients in the shampoo are totally different from the supplements, and yet both help stimulate hair growth.
Why wouldn’t you take both products?
Reading the reviews, Ultra Labs Hair Surge is proving to be particularly effective.
The key ingredient in this shampoo is caffeine, which is simply absorbed into your head.
Caffeine compounds have been shown to reduce hair loss, stimulate hair growth and block the effects of testosterone within the skin.
A study was carried out and published in the International Journal of Dermatology which involved hair follicles being removed from balding men and cultured (artificially grown) in a lab.
All the follicles were exposed to testosterone and some were also exposed to caffeine.
The hair growth from follicles exposed to testosterone was significantly reduced (as is the case with follicles affected by Male Pattern Hair Loss).
Not only did caffeine seem to prevent testosterone from negatively affecting hair growth, but it also stimulated the growth of the hair.
According to the study;
“Caffeine was identified as a stimulator of human hair growth.”
Hair Surge also contains saw palmetto and ketoconazole compounds, shown to aid in hair growth.
Whether enough caffeine is absorbed into the head from shampoo is debatable.
What isn’t debatable is the vast number of customer reviews, raving about the effectiveness of this shampoo.
FDA Approved Hair Growth Products
Unsurprisingly, given the cost of obtaining FDA approval, there is currently only 1 FDA-approved, an over-the-counter drug that is proven to restore hair growth.
Rogaine
The drug is called minoxidil, which goes under the brand name Rogaine, and it works for the majority of people that use it.
I simple terms, Minoxidil works by widening blood vessels and opening potassium channels, which allows more oxygen, blood, and nutrients to the hair follicles.
The mechanism by which minoxidil promotes hair growth is not fully understood.
This may cause follicles to shed, which are then replaced by thicker hairs.
Used in a lotion or foam, topical Minoxidil promotes hair growth in both men and women who have gradual hair loss (thinning hair) at the top of the head.
According to the manufacturers, it takes a while before hair grows back and Rogaine should be used for at least four months before hair re-growth can be seen.
The first hair regrowth will probably feel fine and soft, but should gain the same appearance and thickness of the rest of your hair as treatment continues.
How effective is Minoxidil In men?
Two studies into Rogaine, using a 5% solution of minoxidil, were conducted in Germany.
Men in both studies applied the solution twice a day.
One year-long study of 984 men with hereditary hair loss found the product to be very effective in 15.9% and effective in 47.8% of patients for stimulating hair growth.
The second study tested a 5% solution of minoxidil on 743 men with male hereditary hair loss.
The study lasted for four months. It was rated by 7.5% of the men as very effective and 55% of the men as effective at stimulating hair growth. 74.2% of men also reported an increase in hair thickness.
Low-Level Laser Therapy
The third type of treatment that doesn’t involve expensive surgery or prescription drugs, is laser treatment.
Laser therapy, otherwise known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a safe form of light/heat treatment to treat the genetic forms of hair loss common in men and women, and rogenetic alopecia or male pattern balding.
LLLT is believed to increase blood flow in the scalp and stimulate hair follicles, resulting in the production of anagen hair (the active growth phase of hair follicles).
It is a treatment recommended by the Belgravia Centre, the leading hair loss center in London.
There are 3 leading products that offer this type of treatment for home use:
iRestore Laser Hair Growth System
The iRestore is designed to simply sit on your head whilst the led lights generate heat into your hair follicles.
The manufacturer recommends you use the iRestore every other day, for approx 25 minutes per ware.
This device has a lot of positive reviews, and like the iGrow below, comes with a 6 month satisfaction guarantee and a 12 month manufacturer’s warranty.
Here’s a video review from a guy who has used the iRestore for 6 months:
BIOEQUA Enercharger (H1)
HairMax LaserBand 82 (FDA Cleared)
Although relatively more expensive than taking supplements or using lotion/shampoo, laser therapy is still a reasonably priced treatment that seems to work for a lot of people.
Conclusion
For a lot of men, especially those with male pattern balding, there are some pretty good treatments on the market that will help restore some hair and prevent further hair loss.
These products are backed by thousands of satisfied customers.
And you can’t argue with customer reviews – it’s what makes Amazon so successful!
You have 3 options –
- Supplements
- Shampoo / lotion
- Low-Level Laser Therapy
If you are determined to do something about regrowing your hair (and you have the money to spend) then why wouldn’t you choose all 3 options?
Failing that, the other option is to do nothing and be content with your hair loss.
Anyone had any experience with these products?
Let me know your thoughts.
Peter
