If your hair is thinning or thinning, there are various steps you can take to combat it. You can start by treating the medical condition that may be causing it and changing the way you treat your hair. If your hair is still falling out, try taking supplements or medications such as Rogaine or Propecia. Still falling? You can have surgery, cover it with a wig, or accept it and choose a hairstyle that suits you.
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Method 1 of 4: Coping With Medical Conditions That May Be Causing It
Step 1. Visit a doctor first to find out if there is a medical condition causing hair loss
Whether this hair loss is new, or your head is almost bald, consulting a doctor is the first step you should take because if there is an underlying disease for your hair loss, none of the steps below will fix it. Your doctor will do a blood test and take a scalp sample to check if you have any of the following medical conditions that cause hair loss:
- Androgenetic alopecia in men
- Thyroid disease and anemia
- Diseases such as severe infections, major surgery, or severe cases of flu
- Cancer therapy such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy
- Ringworm
- Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that attacks the hair follicles
Step 2. Discuss your diet with your doctor
Lack of nutrients or excessive consumption of certain vitamins can cause hair loss, which can usually be corrected by correcting an unbalanced diet. In particular, be aware of:
- Sudden weight loss
- Anorexia (lack of eating), or bulimia (spitting up food)
- Too much vitamin A intake, usually as a result of taking supplements
- Lack of protein intake
- Lack of iron intake
Step 3. Research the medications you are taking
There are many medications that have the side effect of causing hair loss. You can discuss replacement drugs with your doctor. Medications that can thin hair include:
- Blood thinners
- Arthritis, depression, gout, and high blood pressure drugs
- Contraceptive pill
- Anabolic steroids
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
- Chemotherapy drugs
Method 2 of 4: Changing Hair Care
Step 1. Take good care of your hair to prevent premature hair loss easily
This step is the easiest and cheapest option. In fact, most of these methods can help you save money. This is a great way to tackle hair loss early on. However, if you have a lot of hair loss, you may need stronger methods such as using Rogaine or Propecia, or undergo hair transplant surgery.
If your hair loss is due to genetic factors (such as male pattern baldness), you may not be able to do anything about it
Step 2. Reduce the frequency of hair treatments
If your hair is falling out, try reducing the frequency of shampooing, combing, and brushing. Let your hair dry on its own instead of using a towel or using a hairdryer, and never comb or brush wet hair as they are more prone to breakage.
Step 3. Don't bleach, color, or perm your hair too often
Color-bleaching agents, paints, gels, and all styling products can make hair brittle and break easily. If your hair is falling out, consider limiting or discontinuing the use of these products.
Step 4. Let the hair dry by itself
Frequent use of a hair dryer, straightener, or curling iron will cause the moisture in the hair shaft to evaporate, making it brittle and prone to breakage. To slow hair loss, let your hair dry on its own before styling.
Step 5. Avoid using styles that make hair pulled or tied tightly
Tight ponytails, tight braids, or braids can cause hair loss over time. If you're going to use a hair tie or band, be sure to place it on different parts of your scalp and not always tie it in the same place. If you like braiding your hair, consider switching to another style that's gentler on your hair.
Method 3 of 4: Using Medical Medicine, Natural Medicine, or Surgery
Step 1. Use medications or herbal remedies to fight severe hair loss
If your hair has thinned out to the point where it's disturbing your appearance, you may need to try a stronger treatment than simply changing the way you treat your hair. Herbal remedies are a cheaper option to start with, while medicines are more potent, and surgery offers a quicker solution despite the high cost.
- Herbal medicine. Herbal medicines are relatively inexpensive and known to be effective, although their effectiveness is lower than medical drugs. If you're on a tight budget and aren't too concerned about the condition of your hair, herbal remedies are a great option to start with.
- Medical medicine. Finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine) are more expensive than herbal remedies, but they are also more potent. Use Propecia as a start because it has better clinical results. If that doesn't work, consider using Rogaine. This drug can be very effective in treating hair loss because it can inhibit the formation of the hormone DHT, which causes hair loss in men.
- Operation. Surgery is the most expensive option. Even though it produces immediate results, in the US, an operation like this costs an average of IDR 60,000,000. If you want to deal with hair loss immediately, this is the best way.
Step 2. Choose an herbal supplement that has effects resembling minoxidil or finasteride
There are a variety of over-the-counter supplements that contain compounds that can increase blood flow to hair follicles such as minoxidil, or inhibit DHT synthesis such as finasteride. Clinical trials have proven the effectiveness of this supplement in promoting hair growth.
- Pumpkin seed oil – patients taking 400 mg of pumpkin seed oil once daily showed a significant increase in hair growth compared to patients taking placebo. No significant side effects were seen, including no erectile dysfunction or decreased libido.
- Saw Palmetto – with a dose of 320 mg daily. Saw palmetto can inhibit DHT production and has been shown to promote hair growth, although it is not as effective as finasteride.
- Pygeum – African plum tree extract, pygeum is often combined with Saw palmetto. Used in doses of 12 to 25 mg daily, this extract can reduce blood levels of the hormone DHT as well as the number of binding sites, and has been shown to effectively treat prostate enlargement. Thus, broadly, this extract may be beneficial in dealing with hair loss.
- Green tea Green tea contains compounds that block DHT and have been shown to promote hair growth.
- Grape, peppermint or rosemary oil – when used topically, these oils are known to increase blood flow to the scalp and promote hair growth. In clinical trials, peppermint oil has been shown to be more effective than minoxidil.
- Cuscuta reflexas extract – This extract is known to help regrow hair in mice that have lost due to excess DHT hormone and the use of cyclophosphamide (a drug commonly used in chemotherapy). However, the recommended dose for humans has not been established.
- Beverages and soybean oil – intake of soy products such as tempeh, edamame, tofu, and soy milk are known to prevent hair loss. Alternatively, you can also use 300 mg of soybean oil daily as a dietary supplement.
Step 3. Use finasteride (Propecia)
Finasteride is an oral medication that is taken once a day and has more than just stopping hair loss. This drug can inhibit the synthesis of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a chemical that causes hair loss and prostate enlargement. Finasteride has been shown to be effective in slowing hair loss while preventing prostate cancer, and may also reduce the risk of heart disease. Although reports that these drugs can cause erectile dysfunction have dwindled in popularity, these side effects have never been supported by solid scientific evidence.
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WARNING:
Finasteride should not be used by women. Pregnant women or women who may become pregnant should not even touch a broken finasteride tablet because it can harm the fetus.
- You can take finasteride with or without food.
Step 4. Try using minoxidil (Rogaine)
Minoxidil is a topical medication, most effective at 5% levels, which has the effect of increasing blood flow to the hair follicles. This drug is most often prescribed to women or men under 40 years of age and is applied topically to the scalp 2 times a day. The most common side effect is contact dermatitis on the scalp. Consult with your doctor to find out if this option is right for you.
Minoxidil is available as a 2% solution, 5% solution, or 5% foam
Step 5. Consider hair transplant surgery as a quick solution if medical and herbal remedies are not working
Not all cases of hair loss can be stopped through the use of drugs or changing the way hair is treated. If you are still experiencing hair loss, you may need to consider hair transplant surgery. In this procedure, a small part of the scalp that is covered with hair is removed and the hair there is transferred to the part that is experiencing baldness or thinning. This surgery is usually able to make the hair grow back properly and provide permanent results. The average cost of hair transplant surgery in the US is Rp. 60,000,000.
There are two types of hair transplant surgery that are generally available. One of them is follicular unit extraction which removes hair follicles one by one so as not to leave a large scar. Another type is a follicular unit transplant, which transfers a strand of hair follicle tissue from a part of the body (usually from the nape of the neck) to the scalp that is experiencing hair loss. This action may leave a scar
Method 4 of 4: Living Life With Hair Loss
Step 1. Consider other options if most of your hair has fallen out or if other methods don't work
You don't have to fight hair loss. Even if it has a certain stigma, hiding hair loss with a wig or wig is not something wrong. If you don't like it, consider accepting the condition of your hair by choosing an appropriate style.
- Opt for a wig or wig if most of your hair is falling out and you want to appear with a head full of hair. While they may be expensive, using wigs is an instant solution, and with the adhesive glue, you can use your hair like real hair.
- Accepting baldness won't cost you anything, on the contrary, it will allow you to stop fighting your natural state, in fact, like Michael Jordan and Jason Statham, you can make it look cool too! If you want to stand out from the crowd, don't wear a wig and look neat and organized, or get your hair trimmed altogether.
Step 2. Consider using a wig to cover up partial baldness
Unlike full wigs, these wigs (toupee) only cover certain areas of baldness. A well-made wig will blend into your natural hair so that your head looks full of hair. Most wigs are priced from IDR 6,000,000 to IDR 19,000,000, and if they are glued together, you can even use them during swimming or bathing.
- For those who are impatient, wigs are an instant solution to hair loss.
- However, wigs require a lot of maintenance, so if you don't like them, consider something else.
Step 3. Use a wig to cover more extensive baldness
Just as wigs are used to cover certain areas, wigs can also be attached to the scalp with glue or tape so that they can be worn during swimming or bathing. Synthetic wigs sell for between Rp. 500,000 to Rp. 6,000,000, while wigs made from real hair are priced from Rp. 10,000,000 to Rp. 37,500,000. A well-made wig should be indistinguishable from your real hair.
Wigs must be cleaned regularly, and in order to be worn long term, they must be cleaned and styled regularly by a specialized hairdresser, especially if they are made of real hair. If you do not want to undergo continuous treatment, choose another method
Step 4. Choose the appropriate hairstyle
If you're not interested in growing your hair back or none of the other methods have worked, and if hair transplant surgery or wigs are too expensive or you don't like, accept the situation by choosing the right hairstyle. By trying the following hairstyles, you will no longer have to worry about combing your hair:
- Disheveled – on thinning hair, random cuts of different lengths will make it appear thicker and thus cover the fall out. Just don't try this style for too long. If any part of your head starts to look bald, it's time to cut your hair short.
- The Roger Sterling – the name of the hairstyle taken from the character of the film series "Mad Men" is suitable for those whose hairline is getting back, but with the crown of the head that is still quite thick with hair. This style combines a short haircut on one part of the head and a short haircut that blends with the top of the head.
- The Caesar – this hairstyle is inspired by the Roman emperors, featuring short hair with bangs that are cut horizontally and styled forward to disguise a receding hairline.
- Buzz cut – the noticeable difference between long hair in some sections and bald in others is not a great style. So if your hair is already falling out a lot, the best option is to shorten it. This cut is especially suitable for those whose hairline is backward or with baldness in several parts of the head. Imagine the style of Jason Statham or Andre Agassi.
- Clean-shaven – if it works for Michael Jordan and Patrick Stewart, this might also work for you. This look shows that you have actually gone bald and can make you stand out. In addition, this hairstyle is also easy to maintain.
