Which Hair Loss Products Work?

If you want a hair loss product that offers a 100 percent proven, money back guaranteed solution, you will find one on the internet. But if you want a hair loss treatment that actually works, that’s another thing entirely.
Knowing which you can’t trust to be both safe and effective can be a minefield. Some may have testimonies from people purporting to be satisfied customers, with claims made of clinical testing and cheap, enticing offers but despite all this, the fact is that a lot of of what is sold on the internet is completely useless.
Anyone can currently make convincing allegations about fake hair loss products and get away with it on the internet because, unlike TV and print media who have to adhere to the Advertising Standards Authority, at the time of writing (February 2009) there are no strict rules and regulations regarding the advertising of such claims online.
Due to a lack of internet regulation, there is no law that states clinical evidence is needed to verify any claims made on the internet and even if there was such a law in the UK, websites can operate from anywhere in the world so fraudulent sites could still get away with false advertising.
Hair loss is a problem that needs effective treatment right at the outset to get the best results possible. With hundreds of different hair loss products and remedies floating about online it can be hard to know what or who to trust. Remember this only products which have been tested over many years by reputable organisations should be considered.
Two medications have been officially recognised by the UK's and USA's medical regulatory bodies, being both MHRA licensed and FDA approved for the treatment of genetic hair loss - Male Pattern Baldness and Female Pattern Hair Loss. A low-lever laser therapy hair growth device has also received FDA-clearance.
These organisations are known to be among the strictest and most thorough regulatory authorities in the world and subject anything that is brought before them to testing for safety as well as tolerability and efficacy. Drugs that cannot be proven to work safely for their stated purpose are not allowed to be sold in pharmacies.
However this can be half the problem. A lot of hair loss sufferers would prefer to deal with the problem discreetly rather that discus the problem with a pharmacist at the counter. A confidential consultation with a trichologist or hair loss specialist at a reputable hair clinic will not only provide you with a professional diagnosis of your condition and a greater understanding about what it entails, but also personalised treatment recommendations. Furthermore, it can also give people worried about losing their hair peace of mind, knowing that there are real options out there and people who understand what they are going through. An online diagnosis is even available for those who are not able to travel to London hair loss clinics, following which suitable treatment can be arranged for collection or delivery.
There only two properly established MHRA licensed and FDA approved treatments for male pattern baldness: finasteride 1mg (oral) and minoxidil (topical) which have both demonstrated the necessary clinical trial data to acquire this coveted status. They can be used separately or in tandem by medically-suitable men and have complementary actions; Finasteride 1mg is taken as a one-a-day tablet which inhibits the formation of DHT - the key cause of the follicular miniaturisation which results in hereditary hair thinning and receding; high strength minoxidil is applied directly to the scalp in order to open up the potassium channels and promote blood flow in order to increase the flow of nutrients and oxygen to localised areas, in order to encourage healthy hair growth.
Though finasteride is for men only, minoxidil can also be used to treat women with Female Pattern Hair Loss.
The HairMax LaserBand devices are the most recent addition to the FDA’s recognised treatments for hair loss, having granted these wearable, home-use devices FDA clearance ('approvals' are granted to medications, whilst 'clearance' relates to devices). Though they may not be as effective at preventing baldness or stopping thinning hair as the clinically-proven medications, this low-level laser therapy product uses medical-grade lasers - 41 in the LaserBand 41 model, and 82 in the LaserBand 82 - to stimulate follicles on a cellular level into accelerated hair growth and inducing stronger, fuller hair. They can also be used alongside the topical and oral hair loss solutions outlined above.
If you use a hair loss product or remedy which has not been subjected to clinical testing by the MHRA and/or FDA there's a good chance you are wasting your time - and money. Supplements, vitamins and changing your diet will not reverse the effects of genetic hair loss and it is highly unlikely to go away on its own. The sooner you act, the more likely these medically proven treatments will have an effect as the more advanced the hair loss gets, the longer it can take to treat.