**Alternative Medicine for Hair Loss Alternative Medicine for Hair Loss**

Gurkan Yardimci Gurkan Yardimci

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66593

#### **Abstract**

In recent years, people have begun to give further emphasis to the external beauty, especially for their hair. Except drugs with proven effectiveness, complementary and alternative treatment options that have not yet been clarified of their effectiveness and side effect profiles have been used for centuries. Many plants or their extracts are widely used to prevent hair loss and treat alopecia (e.g., androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, or traction alopecia) worldwide, especially in Far Eastern countries. The mechanisms of action of these plants are still unknown. Although there are little randomized-controlled studies investigating the effectiveness in the treatment of hair loss, reported results have demonstrated that complementary and alternative medicine will become much more popular in the near future.

**Keywords:** hair loss, complementary, alternative, medicine, herbal, acupuncture, hypnosis
