There are varieties of alopecia shampoo, available on the market or home made. These shampoos are designed to assist in the treatment of alopecia areata, an immune system disorder which causes scalp hair loss, often in small patches. Treating alopecia is usually a trial and error process, experimenting to find the most appropriate remedy for each patient. Fortunately, most experts believe the patient's body ultimately decides when to regrow hair since hair follicles aren't lost or damaged during an active alopecia episode. Homemade alopecia shampoos are made with herbs and natural oils, while prescription remedies for alopecia contain ingredients like minoxidil and anthralin.
Alopecia is a relatively rare disorder that affects only about 1% of the population, and most often strikes childhood and adolescence. It is not life threatening, though it does frequently cause emotional and psychological problems. This disorder is unpredictable and can reoccur after the initial outbreak is treated, sometimes even years later. The most common type of this disease causes scalp hair loss, but another form of the disorder can cause hair loss from any area of the body including eyelashes and body hair like from the legs or pubic regions.
Hair loss products, including alopecia shampoo, can be prescribed by medical personnel and include ingredients intended to stimulate hair follicles into producing new hair. Minoxidil is very popular hair follicle stimulant, and is found in remedies for alopecia as well in over the counter products for male and female pattern baldness issues. The dosage of minoxidil is typically a 5% solution and is safe for both adults and children. If successful, minoxidil stimulates new hair growth in about 12 weeks.
Anthralin is another ingredient used in some alopecia shampoo formulas to promote new hair growth. It is more likely to cause skin irritation than minoxidil, and is used to treat only the most severe cases of alopecia. The solution containing anthralin should be applied and left on the skin for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the doctor's orders. After the allotted time, the solution should be washed off to prevent harmful and unnecessary skin irritation.
For those patients with less severe cases of alopecia, or those who prefer to avoid chemical remedies, a homemade alopecia shampoo can be used. Most handmade remedies for alopecia recommend starting with a gentle, all natural shampoo and then adding essential herbal oils such as rosemary, carrot, and lavender to the solution. Many recipes also suggest adding tea tree oil and jojoba oil for excellent results.