Hair loss is a depressant. Hair enthusiasts love to see their hair healthy and strong. When the hair thins and break, they search for remedies.
Alternatives to Minoxidil
For many years, people used Minoxidil to treat hair loss. However, it has terrible side effects. Searching for natural alternatives to Minoxidil seems like the only b solution to the problem.
Minoxidil is an antihypertensive vasodilator used to treat male-pattern hair loss. Sometimes, it treats thinning hair in women. It majorly used in the treatment of androgenic alopecia in both genders. You will witness regrowth of hair between 3-6 months of use.
Minoxidil has some annoying side effects. They include unwanted hair growth, irritation on the eyes and the treated area and itching. In some severe cases, Minoxidil can cause headaches, fainting, difficulty in breathing, swelling on various parts of the face, dizziness, tachycardia, unwanted weight gain, and chest pain.
Due to various health reasons, many people are seeking alternatives to Minoxidil.
Over the counter hair loss treatment are known to cause Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). For this reason, many people are choosing alternatives with DHT Blockers. Other people prefer to use remedies that will encourage the circulation of blood and nutrients. Some remedies include both properties to block DHT and promote circulation.
Below are some alternatives to Minoxidil that can help reverse hair loss without side effects.
Home remedies.
This group consists of ingredients, most found in the kitchen that can aid in blocking DHT and promoting blood and nutrient circulation. The FDA does not regulate the remedies, but the advantage is that they have other health benefits besides reversing hair loss.
To get the best results, you have to experiment with various combinations until you find what works for you. The results of these remedies happen in 3-4 months of use.
Essential oils
Essential oils are majorly plant-based oils. They work by penetrating deep into the scalp and hair strands to stimulate blood and nutrient circulation. They are so intense; they can irritate. To effectively reap the benefit of essential oils as alternatives to Minoxidil, add few drops to carrier oils you intend to use on your hair. Do a skin test before applying the oil on your scalp. The essential oils include;
- Tea tree oil. It is useful in the treatment of itchy scalp. Scalp sensitivity happens when the yeast and bacteria on the scalp are out of balance. The anti-microbial property of tea tree oil helps in soothing the scalp. Use Tea tree in small quantities in initial stages. You can increase the quantity as your scalp gets used to the oil.
- Mint Essential oil. The different species of mint plants have varied amount of menthol content. Menthol is an anti-inflammatory ingredient. It also helps in circulation and soothing irritations. Most people prefer peppermint since it is lighter than other mint oils.
Cligan USDA organic peppermint oil nourishes your hair follicles and soothes your scalp.
- Rosemary oil. It reduces dandruff and flakiness. It also helps in circulation of blood and nutrients. It is lighter than most essential oils in the market. Rosemary oil will prevent your hair from greying prematurely. It also restores the luster and sheen of your hair.
- Lavender oil is known as the lightest essential oil. It is gentle to the skin, hence does not irritate. It has both antibacterial and anti-microbial properties. Lavender oil helps in keeping the hair follicles healthy.
- Caffeine is a stimulant. It helps calm your nerves, hence reducing stress. Taking a cup of coffee every day will give you the right amount of caffeine needed for your hair growth. Alternatively, you can wash your hair with caffeine-based products, or use caffeine as a hair mask.
Supplements
Formulating haircare regimens using different products and essential oils is tedious. You can use the easier path of supplements. Most of the supplements will benefit your hair, nails and skin.
- Several people have testimonies of Biotin successfully promoting hair growth. The only downside is that Biotin will increase the growth of all the hairs in your body. In most cases, it is taken together with Vitamin C.
- When you take zinc and iron supplements together, your hair follicles will get enough oxygen. It will also heal from any damage caused by external stressors. They balance the normal functioning of sebaceous glands; hence, your hair will be protected by natural oils from the scalp.
- Your hair requires essential nutrients for growth. When you have a deficiency of the nutrients, you are likely to experience balding and alopecia. Multivitamins play a vital role in the absorption of the essential nutrients in the body. They also give energy to your body, hence reducing stress.
- If you live in a stressful environment, you will need some nutrients to help deal with the stress. Adaptogens such as ginger, ginseng and others will help calm your nerves. You will ingest most of these adaptogens in the form of spicy foods and teas.
Red light Therapy
This is a new kid in the block. Though the method is still in the experimental phase, it has produced tremendous results on the users. FDA has not yet approved the in-house devices for hairless treatment, so be vigilant before purchase.
Red light therapy promotes the production of ATP through mitochondria stimulation; Mitochondria change the nutrients into a usable form. The ATP contributes to the production of collagen and proteins necessary in hair production.
Red light therapy helps to keep your hair follicle active and healthy. When the hair follicles wear out, hair strands become weak and eventually fall off, causing alopecia. Therefore there is a need to keep each hair follicle active and strong.
Hair masks
There are a lot of hair masks available in the market. They are perfect alternatives to Minoxidil. You can use various ingredients to make your hair mask. They include milk and honey, avocado and eggs, banana and honey, olive oil, caffeine mixed with a moisturizer, and others,
Apply your mask on your hair at least one hour before shampooing. They help loosen the dirt and dead skin, hence making the cleaning process easier.
Exercise
Physical exercise improves your cardiovascular health. As we all know, the heart is the major organ responsible for circulation. Regular exercise keeps the heart and blood vessels in good health. The pumped blood will nourish the hair follicles. When using other alternatives to Minoxidil, ensure you incorporate cardio exercise, it will speed up the recovery process.
Hair Loss Shampoos
There are various shampoos for various uses. Manufacturers created some shampoos to reverse hair loss. They are among the best alternatives to Minoxidil.
Hair loss shampoos have limited side effects. Most of them are FDA approved.
Your hairdresser or dermatologist is in the best position to advise you on the best hair loss shampoo available in the market. Most dermatologists recommend ketoconazole based shampoos. Ketoconazole is used in the treatment of fungi. Fungi weaken the hair follicles, making the hair to shed. It promotes hair growth by blocking DHT as it eliminates fungi. There are some over the counter ketoconazole shampoos in the market. They have a low concentration of the ketoconazole ingredient. Shampoos with higher concentrations are only available on prescription.
When purchasing shampoos to reverse hair loss, keep the following rules in mind.
Choose Shampoos containing natural oils
Natural oils have a composition similar to sebum. Your hair will respond positively to oils it is familiar with.
In the market, you will find various shampoos infused with either shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, argan oil, olive oil, bamboo oil, and others. These oils help prevent dryness. They also help the hair retain moisture for long. They also act as sealants, hence preventing your scalp from irritations caused by shampoo ingredients.
Avoid parabens and sulphates
These two ingredients strip off hairs natural oils. Consequently, they cause irritation and dryness. The result is thinning and hair breakage.
Choose a shampoo that blocks DHT and stimulate your scalp
Most hair loss shampoos have ingredients that are specific for preventing hair loss. These ingredients improve the health of your scalp. Hence, your hair grows healthy and strong.
Tea tree & Lavenda shampoo will give you all the three benefits, why not give it a try?
Use of Taoist Soap and Peach Seed powder.
Taoist soap is an anti-inflammatory soap used for hair and scalp. The soap instantly stops inflammations, that causes hair loss. Taoist soap does not contain artificial fragrance; therefore, people with sensitive skins and respiratory system irritations can use the soap.
In most cases, you use the Taoist soap together with peach seed powder. The powder unblocks blood vessels by breaking down the mucus that forms within the vessels. The combination will leave you looking youthful and your hair healthier and fuller.
When you are using these two products, incorporate regular cardio exercise and scalp massage. It will speed up the recovery process. Scalp massage promotes blood flow in the scalp, hence speeding up hair growth.
Conclusion on Alternatives to Minoxidil
When your hair starts falling off, there is no need to panic. There are various natural remedies to reverse hair loss. Probably you only heard of the over the counter remedies that have terrible side effects. The above tips have simplified your search for alternatives to Minoxidil. Using natural products will improve your hair and body health. Changing your lifestyle and avoiding stress will also stimulate your hair growth.