Here is what really works for hair loss

BOCA RATON, Fla. – There’s hope for millions of American men and women suffering from thinning hair and hair loss, which although may seem superficial, can be psychologically devastating.

Dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Fromowitz said that’s why people desperate for help jump at any number of products promising improvement, the majority of which have little or no data to back those claims.

Now, a recent meta-analysis has determined what works, and how well, including various doses of 3 oral medications and one topical solution.

“So it just kind of confirms what we’ve already seen in practice and really we need to do a little bit more work and get better details but we know that orals work best with topicals and we don’t do an ‘either-or’ approach when look at hair loss we combine lots of different things like vitamins, supplements, diet, blood work, orals and topicals. So this is kind of an ‘all on hands deck’ approach because hair loss can be very disconcerting for both men and women,” Fromowitz said.

The study, published in the journal Jama Dermatology, listed the top treatments for hair loss as various doses of oral dutasteride, finasteride, and minoxodil, followed by topical solutions of minoxodil.

Hair loss specialists say the key is not waiting until the hair loss is so far gone that the follicles cannot be stimulated with oral or topical medications.

And people who include a little yoga or tai chi in their day may be more likely to remember simple things, like where they put their keys.

Researchers at the University of California Irvine and Japan’s University of Tsukuba found that even very light workouts can increase the connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage.

In a study of 36 healthy young adults, the researchers discovered that a single 10-minute period of mild exertion can yield considerable cognitive benefits.


About the Authors:

Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor. She joined Local 10 in August 1993. After many years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Kristi now co-anchors the noon newscasts, giving her more time in the evening with her family.

Veteran journalist Kathleen Corso is the special projects producer for Local 10 News.