In some cases, we recommend topical medication, which prevents continual hair loss and baldness for men and women if used in the beginning stages of alopecia. We tell our patients to expect to wait six months before they see results, according to the regular cycle of hair follicles. Minoxidil is an FDA-approved component of topical hair loss treatment that stimulates oxygen and blood flow to the hair follicles. This ingredient delivers much-needed nutrients directly to the hair follicles. We recommend 5% for both men and women.
When you stop taking these topical medications, the former thinning patterns will return and continue.
Topical solutions vary by patient, depending on the cause of hair loss – a chronic condition, sudden hair loss due to circumstances or stress, or devitalized hair. Chronic hair loss is one of the most common chronic conditions treated by dermatologists. Male and female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is a genetic disorder that is characterized by a short growth stage (also known as the anagen phase).
Throughout the hair growth cycle, hair follicles fall into three main types: terminal, indeterminate, and vellus, with terminal hairs being the thickest, healthiest, and strongest. With chronic hair loss, the anagen phase gradually shortens, and terminal hairs are converted into indeterminate hairs and eventually vellus hairs.