What Ingredients Should One Look For In The Best Shampoo For Hair Loss
Hair loss in men can happen for a few reasons. However, it most commonly occurs in the form of male pattern baldness. This is where the balding process starts in a tell-tale pattern, gradually being lost on the crown of the head and at the temples (otherwise known as a receding hairline). In previous years there was little that could be done to halt the balding process. This is no longer the case – there are now a number of treatments that can slow or even stop (with some more serious medications) the process. Before trying to find the best shampoo for hair loss, it may help to understand what causes the process.
It all comes down to hormones. These are of course necessary for usual function of the body. However, a side effect of one specific hormone (known as dihydrotestosterone, which is in the family of ‘androgens’) damages the follicles by slowing the necessary supply of blood to the scalp.
The problem gets worse as a man ages and the hormone has had a longer period to cause damage. The length of time a follicle allows strands of hair to grow will gets progressively shorter, and eventually it will no longer produce hairs at all. When the process has progressed by a significant amount, all that can be done is a cosmetic procedure, known as a transplant.
Many people may not wish to go to such drastic measures, which is why there are a number of products on the market, including shampoos, that can help to slow the balding process. To really have any chance of being effective, the product must either increase blood flow to the follicles in some way or counteract dihydrotestosterone so that the damage it can cause is reduced.
To increase the blood flow, one of the most widely used ingredients in called Minoxidil. This medication is called a vasodilator and it increases blood flow to the area to which it is applied. It is available in shampoos, which is possibly the easiest way to apply, liquids or a foam form. Many experts on the subject advise the use of the foam, because it is absorbed more readily by the scalp and will stay in the follicles all day to do its job.
Potentially the best shampoo type (and this makes a good compliment to a Minoxidil foam) are ones containing ketoconazole. This is a popular chemical to include in medicated anti-dandruff shampoos. However, the chemical is known to also act as an ‘anti-androgen’, which means that it helps to fight the effects of the baldness-causing hormones in the scalp.
As both of these treatments are ‘medicated’, they can have a drying effect on the hairs. This means that, whilst the best shampoo for hair loss will contain one of these chemicals, it is usually beneficial to also use a nourishing conditioner.
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