Hair Solutions
What Is Hair Health Support?
The health of your patients’ hair reflects the body’s nutritional and hormonal balance. As we age, it can become more difficult to maintain therapeutic levels of the health markers that promote vitality inside and out. Aging alone isn’t the only culprit behind alopecia. Factors impacting hair quality and quantity are varied and all should be considered to best support your therapy goals. Whether accelerating hair loss is at play or hair thinning is a concern, targeted therapies are at your fingertips. Root causes vary from person to person. Using a compounding pharmacy with a range of medications and combinations, like Belmar Pharmacy, can accommodate your patients’ individual needs within a focused formulary.
Types of Hair Health Medications
Finasteride can block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent androgen. High levels of DHT in the scalp and serum can be associated with hair thinning and loss.
Minoxidil, as a vasodilator, may accelerate hair growth by awakening hair follicles from a resting state into a growth phase. When combined with other hair health agents like finasteride/dutasteride and tretinoin, it has the potential for greater impact.
Tretinoin may improve cell turnover and promote a healthy scalp. When formulated with minoxidil, it may help the minoxidil penetrate tissues more thoroughly.
Latanoprost appears to stimulate hair follicles, but the mechanism isn’t fully understood. The medication mimics natural prostaglandin, which has been known to modulate hair growth.
Ketoconazole is an antifungal that can address dandruff and dermatitis by attacking fungi and yeast growth on scalp tissue.
Hormone levels fluctuate as we age, and imbalances can affect the hair cycle. Both estrogen and progesterone appear to have a protective effect. Estrogen support may limit dryness and thinning, and variations in progesterone may affect the pattern of hair growth.
Who May Benefit from Hair Loss Support?
Patients with a family history of alopecia may find hair loss options are right for them. While some patients are genetically predisposed to hair problems, there are many issues that can affect hair health. Individuals with inflammatory and circulatory conditions, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, or even high stress levels, can experience significant hair loss.
Patients experiencing hormonal imbalances may also notice changes to the health of their hair and scalp. Levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can affect the hair cycle. While androgens like testosterone can inhibit hair follicles, hormones like estrogen and progesterone appear to have a nourishing, protective effect. Declining estrogen during menopause may be associated with thinner, drier hair.
Who Should Avoid Hair Loss Support?
Some medications are not recommended if your patients are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, as they may be potentially harmful. Avoid all forms of spironolactone and finasteride if pregnancy is a current consideration. There are alternative options for hair health. With a wide range of therapies to choose from, our pharmacy team will work with your practice to find the best fit.
Available Topical Hair Options
Our topical hair formulations are available as solutions. Pinpointing a formulation that easily fits into your patients’ daily routine can be challenging, and hair solutions can be a seamless addition. Consistent application is important for results. Once daily or twice daily dosing provides your patients’ hair and scalp with the necessary attention typically required for improvement they can see and feel.
- Solutions
- Hair solutions can be applied topically to the hair and scalp up to twice daily, depending on prescriber instruction. These formulations are designed to sit for longer periods of time to better penetrate the hair follicles and scalp tissue. Solutions are a denser hair product and may feel slightly heavier than foam. Instruct your patients to apply the product as directed and style their hair as they normally would.
