Hair Loss

Diet Change - Promoting Hair Growth

Women: yogurt with active acidophilus cultures
Men: low fat diet

Foods to avoid if you want hair to grow healthy:

- Caffeine, Sugar, Fat, Carbonated drinks

Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair (from WebMD)

No. 1 - Salmon
Contains: omega-3 fatty acids - scalp health, vitamin B-12 + iron.
Vegetarian alternative: flaxseed; contains omega-3 fatty acid

No. 2 - Dark Green Veggies
Spinach, Broccoli, etc. - excellent source of vitamins A + C, also provide iron + calcium

No. 3 - Beans: legumes like kidney beans and lentils - provide plenty of proteins to promote hair growth, large amounts of iron, zinc, and biotin.

No. 4 - Nuts
Brazil nuts - one of natures best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of the scalp
Walnuts - alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair; also a great source of zinc
Cashews, Pecans, Almonds - great source of zinc (deficiency can lead to hair shedding)

No. 5 - Poultry (chicken, turkey)
High quality protein, iron with high degree of bioavailability (meaning more of it is absorbed by your body)

No. 6 - Eggs
One of best protein sources you can find, also contain biotin and vitamin B-12

No. 7 - Whole Grains
Zinc, Iron, B-vitamins

No. 8 - Oysters:
Zinc (beef and lamb are also good sources for zinc)

No. 9 - Low-Fat Dairy Products (Skim Milk/Yogurt) 
Calcium, can also contain whey and casein (2 high quality protein sources); can toss in some ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc

No. 10 - Carrots
Great source of vitamin A (for healthy scalp and good vision)

Medical Remedies

Most hair transplant surgeons recommend that one should always try medical hair restoration before deciding to undergo hair restoration surgery. Minoxidil slows down hair loss and stabilizes it by slowing down the miniaturization process. It is sold as a topical solution under the brand name Rogaine, recommended and approved by the FDA as a hair loss treatment for men and women. Rogaine prolongs the hair growth (anagen) phase of hair. Prolonged use is required for minoxidil to be fully effective; note that it may take as long as 6-12 months to see a noticeable improvement in hair growth. Following discontinuation of the drug 2-3 month after, the former Rogaine user can see a sudden vanish of the increase number of terminal hairs (hair with full thickness) and hair growth.

Pros & Cons of Rogaine
Effective on the crown of the head, but not much effect on the frontal, receding hairline part of the scalp.
- For women, even after discontinuation, just the use of Rogaine for a period of time can sometimes completely reverse the thinning. 
- Good for women because female pattern hair loss is a diffuse thinning over the scalp.
- However, once male Rogaine users stop the medication, they might experience a complete reversal of benefits that they gained prior to discontinuation of treatment.

Using Minoxidil prior and immediately after hair transplant surgery is recommended by some hair transplant surgeons.

Logic: Prevents temporary loss of healthy, preexisting hair due to the shock of hair restoration surgery. Minoxidil reduces hair shedding due to transplant trauma and shortens recovery from surgery.

For more precautions before and after hair transplant surgery, visit:  http://hairloss.ourgoodhealth.org/Medical_Hair_Restoration.html

Hair Transplant Surgery

Most balding men will have a fringe of hair (hair in the back and sides) that can be used as donor hair if they choose to engage in hair transplant surgery to restore their lost hair.