Conventional vs. Uncongenial Treatments for Alopecia

Alopecia Areata is a condition that leaves most of the people wondering about all the ways they can get their hair back. There are a lot of ways to treat it, but they are not all effective in all cases. Conventional treatments include:

Corticosteroid shots that are injected directly into the bald spot. The treatment is effective but also painful. The aim of this approach is to suppress the autoimmune reaction but it has been proven to work only on small bald spots.

Treatment for small bald spots is the application of topical anthralin. Anthralin is a tar-like substance used to treat psoriasis.

Topical immunotherapy is the form of treatment for extensive alopecia areata that is most common. It consists of usage of immunosuppressant such as cyclosporine that causes a skin reaction similar to mild eczema, which in some cases may lead to hair regrowth . It’s the most drastic form of treatment that causes an array of negative side effects. PUVA - psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation consists of a topical or oral application of psoralen, followed by ultraviolet radiation. This method is better tolerated than topical immunotherapy but is also less effective.

There also some other methods, like Ayurveda, essential oils and shampoos that contain herbal ingredients.

Ayurvedic methods are ancient Indian medicinal system that uses plants and herbs with curative properties. It focuses on the three doshas which are vata, pitta, and kapha and the disease is viewed as a state of imbalance in each person's doshas. Ayurvedic treatment for Alopecia centers is about balancing the manifestations of 5 elements that govern all functions of the body and promote healthy hair follicles, resulting in re-growth. Clinical research suggests tremendous success of this system, which includes both oral therapies as well as local applications for Alopecia.

Essential Oils are widely used and highly effective. There was a research conducted with a group of 86 people. Researches included placebo effect to find out the percentage of people who saw the improvement after the use of essential oil. They find out that the combination of those two might work. The essential oils that were used as a natural remedy for hair loss were: thyme, rosemary, lavender, cedar wood and carrier oil mixture containing jojoba and grape seed.

They applied the mixture of these oils daily on the scalp. Some of them used only the carrier oils every day. Within a period of about 7 months, 19 of 43 people or 44% of the people with the essential oil blend showed improvement as against the 6 of 41 people or 15% in the control group. There were no side effects. However, use of essential oils may lead to allergic reaction.

Marbo Shampoo is highly effective against hair loss. Marbo Shampoo contains herbal ingredients from different medicinal herbs with active ingredients, full of vitamins and mineral salts, which can stimulate local circulation and consequently hair root renewal. Sage and rosemary extracts regulate sebum secretion, prevent scalp greasing and soothe scalp itching and irritation. In case of serious seborrhoeic dermatitis and dandruff, it can be used in a combination with Marbo Lotion.