The battle against balding has been raging on for years. There are so many treatments out there that sell hopes of complete hair transformations but never deliver on that promise. Due to these fraudulent practices, legitimate hair loss treatments, like Shapiro MD and the Regrowth Club, sometimes struggle to inspire trust in many people. It is unfortunate that far too many brands have abused the trust of vulnerable people, but despite this, there are several reputable and trustworthy hair loss treatments that are safe and effective.
To begin peeling back the layers of deception versus truth, we must first acknowledge that the hair loss industry is backed by decades of scientific research and has its own board-certification program for physicians and medical research organizations. Some hair loss treatments are also approved by the FDA for the treatment of hair loss. Other companies rely on natural or known medical ingredients that have been studied and proven to promote natural hair growth. Whether or not these treatments work will depend on various factors and also depend on the individual.
Firstly, when seeking treatment for hair loss, individuals should seek the guidance of a qualified medical professional. The consequences of not doing so may only factor in for a small number of people, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, to determine the correct treatment needed, an individual must first determine the cause or causes of his or her hair loss. This may seem like a trivial statement, but the truth is that most people seek hair loss treatments based on self-diagnosis. This can be dangerous as hair loss is often a symptom of a larger underlying medical condition. Just so you have some insight, leading hair loss researchers have concluded that the leading cause of hair loss in men is due to the male sex hormone, DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This hormone inhibits the follicles in the scalp from promoting hair growth. DHT locks itself onto the follicle’s receptor cells and blocks important proteins, vitamins, and minerals needed for proper nourishment.
HAIR LOSS SCAMS – RED FLAGS
A huge red flag to look for would be when fraudulent marketers skirt around the facts by mentioning DHT but vaguely mentioning that their product effectively blocks the hormone. The FDA has been doing a reasonable job at cracking down on these non-descriptive marketing claims, however, many desperate people still fall prey to these tactics. Here are a few other red flags to watch out for.
- Watch out for products that oversell and/or over guarantee results. Chances are if the company is promising “immediate” results, there is a reason to be suspicious. Legitimate, non-surgical hair loss treatments produce results gradually, usually over many months or years of use.
- Beware the Ancient Secret Formula. This one is a classic scam marketer tactic. It’s tempting to believe that ancient civilizations had all the answers to life’s questions, but unfortunately, there is simply no reliable data to prove these “ancient remedies” work. Also, if these secret formulas were that incredible, wouldn’t every hair loss clinic, physician and pharmaceutical giant be selling it? Think about it.
- Ingredients found in remote areas of the world are a big red flag. This kind of tactic is quite common in many cosmetic and medical marketing messages, especially so in the hair loss industry. There seems to be some universal belief that if an ingredient or product is sourced from the depths of some hard to reach rainforest or never heard of mine, then it must be magic. These types of claims are not based on years of dedicated research and are therefore not reliable.
SO WHAT DOES WORK?
Biotin – Biotin is a B vitamin that is essential for your health in many ways. It is also one of the only natural hair loss treatments backed by science and years of studies showing its results in significantly increasing hair growth in people with a B vitamin deficiency. While most cases of hair loss are not caused by Biotin deficiency, it does affect on average one person per 137,400. That said, it is still recommended that hair loss sufferers add a Biotin based supplement to their regimen as double-blind studies have shown it to increase the rate of hair growth in people with thinning hair.
Minoxidil – Minoxidil is the only over the counter medication approved by the FDA to treat hair loss. It can be used by both men and women. The treatment works by stimulating the hair follicles to promote natural hair growth. It is usually found in liquid or foam in either a 2% strength or 5% strength. Minoxidil is applied topically, usually twice a day on the crown of the head. It is not a permanent remedy for hair loss, contrary to popular belief. If you stop taking Minoxidil, you will start losing hair again. Despite this, it works well in 2 out of 3 men and is strongly recommended as a treatment for most cases of crown balding.
Finasteride – This treatment works to stop your body from making the DHT hormone. It is branded under the name Propecia in many cases. Finasteride typically comes in the form of a pill to be taken once a day (usually in combination with Minoxidil). Like Minoxidil, it will not permanently cure hair loss and if you stop taking it, your hair will start falling again. Legitimate brands like Hims and Keeps provide Finasteride to their customers as part of a subscription-based plan. If you are looking for Finasteride from a trusted source, I would start with one of those. That said, while Finasteride may be worth looking into, we must mention one of the biggest drawbacks of using the treatment. Finasteride can cause erectile dysfunction and other sexual side effects in men, so be mindful of this.
Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to treating hair loss. Being an informed consumer will allow you to feel more confident in seeking legitimate treatment for your hair loss. It is very important to be able to distinguish between science and psuedo-science. If you are struggling with hair loss, there are legitimate treatments out there that are backed by leading hair restoration physicians and clinics and that are highly rated by efficacy and seller safety. I also recommend using a complete hair restoration system. A complete system will allow you to not only treat your hair loss issues but will also improve your overall hair health. Companies like the Regrowth Club have products with over a decade of proven research. Regrowth Club is also highly recommended by many top hair loss physicians and clinics. Brands like this are worth looking into as the risk of deceit is low.
The good news is that there are many qualified hair loss treatments that work well for both men and women. The key to finding the right solution is by doing your homework and due diligence to ensure you are not being misled. It is important to remember that not all hair loss treatments are created equal and that if a claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
