Herbs to Treat Hair Loss

admin    Hair Loss Treatments, Natural Hair loss Treatments    

Before it is even possible to discover which herbs can effectively treat hair loss it is necessary to get a definitive diagnosis as to exactly which type of alopecia is present.  There are several different diagnoses and not all of them are treated in the same way.  While there are herbal remedies that have shown significant benefits in treating hair loss, the type of remedy is dependent on the diagnosis.  The first step would be to consult a qualified physician to accurately put a name to the hair loss symptoms being presented.

The Most Common Type of Hair Loss:  Androgenetic Alopecia

Androgenetic Alopecia is by far the most common form of hair loss.  It presents itself in both men and women and it does not discriminate against races or ethnic groups.  By the age 50, more than half of all men evidence some amount of genetic hair loss.  It is directly proportionate to levels of DHT in the system and the only effective treatments to date involve inhibiting the production of, or reducing available amounts of, DHT in the body.  DHT, Dihydrotestosterone, is a metabolite of the male hormone, testosterone.  It is manufactured, for the most part, in the testes, the prostate gland, the adrenal glands and in hair follicles.  There are both prescription and OTC pharmaceutical chemical med

Two Powerful Herbs for Treatment of Androgenetic Hair Loss

While there are many herbs that do provide some limited benefit to regrowth of hair, in relation to hair loss as a result of an overabundance of DHT, two stand apart from the crowd.  Those two herbs are Saw Palmetto and Evening Primrose.  Both are highly effective in reducing available amounts of DHT in the hair follicle, thus inhibiting the damage it can do.  Saw Palmetto is by far the more potent of the two.  The recommended dosage is 160 mg twice daily to limit the amount of DHT in the body.  This treatment was found when studying the effect of the herb in treating Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, an enlarged prostate.  Second to Saw Palmetto is Evening Primrose as an effective treatment for genetic hair loss.  The recommended dosage is a 1,300 mg capsule once daily.  Both Saw Palmetto and Evening Primrose are able to inhibit the conversion of Testosterone to DHT.

In general, there are many herbs that can either stimulate hair growth by cleansing the body of toxins that are known to damage follicles on a cellular level.  Some of those herbs would include Aloe, Birch, Burdock, Chamomile, Licorice, Marigold, Nettles, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage and Stinging Nettle.  While those herbs stimulate hair growth in follicles that are not damaged or dying, they are ineffective in treating hair follicles that are damaged and in the process of disintegrating.  It takes a DHT blocking herb to be effective in that case, and the only two with any amount of efficacy are Saw Palmetto and Evening Primrose.

Since there are various types of hair loss it is always advisable to get an accurate diagnosis prior to using any treatments.  The treatment of choice is dependent on the diagnosis which only a qualified physician can make.

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