It is easier to prevent the fibrosis of follicles and shedding of hairs than to regrow hair from atrophied follicles. There are products for regrowth, include finasteride (marketed in the U.S. as Propecia) and minoxidil ( Rogaine). Without treatment, in randomized studies, more of the balding men on placebo had lost hair compared to baseline by 24 months, relative to test subjects hair loss treatment on Propecia.
Hair multiplication/hair cloning, a treatment for hair loss which extracts self-replenishing follicle stem cells, multiplies them many times over in the lab, and microinjects them into the scalp, works in mice. Subsequent versions of the treatment are expected by some scientists to be able to cause these follicle stem cells cause the surrounding hair follicles to rejuvenate.These treatments are some that regrow lost hair and prevent progrwssion of hair loss. Generic versions are equally effective and less expensive. Interestingly, placebo treatments in studies often have reasonable success rates. For example, in finasteride (Propecia) studies, the percent of patients with any drug-related sexual adverse experience was 3.8% compared with 2.0% in the placebo group.
While treating hair loss most successfully is a multi-faceted, ongoing experiment for the individual, there are three principles, sometimes called "The Three P's" that are considered important to help produce success and avoid the somewhat common mistakes that can sabotage treatments. The Three P's are: proven treatments first, take pictures, and be patient. The average hair loss treatment takes a minimum of 6 months to begin working, and sometimes up to 24 months to truly see optimal results. Treating hair loss takes time because of hair cycles.Hair loss results from "miniaturization," which takes many years. Hairs grow in, cycle into dormancy, and then grow in again several months later. Each time they re-emerge, they do so thinner, shorter, and less pigmented. In time, they become so small that they are no longer noticeable. This can take many years. New hairs only grow in a 2 or 3 year cycle, which is why it can take a year or more to be able to detect the success of a treatment.
Many treatments often cause initial periods of hair shedding, as some resting hair follicles are ejected and a new cycle of growth begins, hopefully with a thicker follicle. Discontinuing all hair loss treatment will cause a period of shedding, likely to one's non-treatment baseline, but probably not worse.
Interestingly, some of the same agents that work for hair loss treatment also work in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. stroke uric acid