Cedarwood, lavender, thyme, and rosemary oils have hair growth–promoting properties. These oils have been anecdotally used to treat alopecia for more than 100 years.
Topical minoxidil
Minoxidil, commonly known as Rogaine, is a topical treatment that's easy to apply and can be easily purchased over the counter. Minoxidil works to help the hair grow faster once the follicle is no longer under attack by the immune system and is capable of producing hair.
Oil forms an occlusive layer on your scalp. So, if you are using any topical medicine for hair loss, it will be ineffective as it won't be able to penetrate the oil barrier. Instead of applying oil all over your scalp and hair, treat oil as a conditioner and apply it only along the lengths of the hair.
Prescription-strength corticosteroids in liquid form can be applied directly to the scalp. This is often an effective treatment for children affected by alopecia areata. Corticosteroid injections into areas of patchy hair loss on the scalp may help revive hair growth within several weeks in people with alopecia areata.
Included in a mixture with lavender and rosemary, cedarwood extract was also found to reduce hair loss in those with alopecia areata. Mix a few drops of cedarwood essential oil with 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil of your choice. Massage it into your scalp, and leave it on for 10 minutes before washing it out.
Causes of Alopecia Areata
In alopecia areata, the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing inflammation. Researchers do not fully understand what causes the immune attack on hair follicles, but they believe that both genetic and environmental (non-genetic) factors play a role.
Ketoconazole shampoos help treat Alopecia by cleaning the skin area around your hair follicle of sebum, or the skins natural oils that are produced. Getting rid of these oils can allow your hair follicles to receive more nutrition and release for your hair to regrow.
While there is scientific proof that coconut oil can reduce protein loss in hair, there's no scientific evidence to show that coconut oil has any effect on preventing male pattern baldness caused by DHT. However, this hasn't stopped people from making claims about coconut oil's “ability” to prevent hair loss.
“It's all to do with the menthol and eucalyptus which can be found in Vicks,” she says. “These ingredients won't cause hair that has been lost to traction alopecia or female pattern hair loss to regrow, but they may help existing hair to grow in length although we wouldn't recommend putting Vicks onto scalps.
Can Alopecia Be Reversed? Whether your hair loss is caused by hormones or an autoimmune disorder, regrowing your hair by using new medications and modifying your diet can be possible as long as you start treatment early.
Ways to Stop Alopecia Areata from Spreading or Worsening
Avoiding unnecessary hair or scalp trauma, reducing stress and analyzing your diet are all worthwhile endeavors when attempting to prevent alopecia areata from spreading.
On the AIP elimination diet, you will avoid grains, legumes, nightshades (such as potatoes and peppers), dairy, eggs, coffee, alcohol, sugar, oil and food additives. After a few months, you can work the excluded foods back in one at a time to figure out which foods trigger an inflammatory reaction.
Alopecia areata (AA) occurs when the immune system attacks the hair follicle. Studies have shown a relationship between AA and low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D should be supplemented if levels are low.
Calcipotriol, a vitamin D analog, has been reported to be topically used in treating alopecia areata with promising results. Combination therapy of vitamin D analogs with corticosteroids might also be used in treating alopecia areata.
There is no cure for alopecia areata. If you have a few, small patches of hair loss on your head, it's likely your hair will grow back within a few months. Your doctor may not prescribe treatment in those cases. For larger areas of hair loss, your doctor may prescribe steroid injections under your scalp.
You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
A 2019 study also found that people with alopecia who got daily scalp massages reported a boost in hair regrowth. More than 300 people did scalp massages for 11 to 20 minutes a day for almost 6 months. Nearly 70% of participants reported less hair loss or more hair regrowth.
The plants with the most evidence-based effect against alopecia are Curcuma aeruginosa (pink and blue ginger), Serenoa repens (palmetto), Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin), Trifolium pratense (red clover), and Panax ginseng (Chinese red ginseng).
Use the fingertips of both hands to apply light to medium pressure to your scalp, moving in small circles. Work your way across your scalp to cover all areas. Try to massage your scalp using your fingertips for at least 5 minutes at a time, several times a day.
ACV might help prevent hair loss and stimulate new hair growth. Adding apple cider vinegar to your hair care routine "will help keep your scalp healthy by warding off bacteria and keeping a balanced pH level," said Dr. Jaliman, adding that "this will stimulate hair growth.