Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Lady Gaga going bald from excessive hair dye - turns to Rogaine

Lady Gaga going bald from excessive hair dye - turns to Rogaine


  • Lady Gaga / July 25, 2011 / By:  / Source: examiner.com

  •  

    Lady Gaga’s extreme hairstyles has taken a toll on her hair and she is starting to go bald, according to Contact Music. Lady Gaga changes her hair color often and all these dyes are starting to make her hair fall out. She has started using the anti-baldness drug, “Rogaine,” to stop any more hair from falling out and hopefully promote new hair growth.

    It was during Lady Gaga’s “Monster Ball” tour that she first started to worry about the large amount of hair she was losing. At one point she went ballistic backstage as she went to comb her hair and her hair fell out and flew everywhere. In a recent interview, the pop diva explained that she cut her hair, calling it a “chemical haircut,” because “my blonde hair is falling out.”

    While her collection of wigs will tie her over until her hair starts to get healthy again, this is a big price to pay for the flamboyant and creative look that Lady Gaga uses as part of the total package of her act.

    Baldness cure sends men flocking to Turkey

    Baldness cure sends men flocking to Turkey

    Source: thenational.ae

    ISTANBUL // Tarik travelled to Istanbul from his home in Abu Dhabi to solve a very personal problem. The 28-year-old asked a doctor in Istanbul to restore his main hair that had become thin because of premature hair loss.

    "In one or two months from now, there will be no problem anymore," Tarik said after receiving a hair transplant in Istanbul this month. "The operation took three days, but I am very happy with the result," he added, sounding jubilant.

    Tarik is not alone. A growing number of men from Arab countries as well as from Europe are asking doctors in Turkey to fill out thin beards, moustaches and main hair with transplants. Turkey's thriving health tourism industry offers a combination of high-quality treatment, reasonable prices and the attraction of a popular tourist destination, doctors and patients say.

    Irfan Atik, a Turkish tour operator who specialises in arranging visits by patients from abroad for hair transplants in Turkey and who brought Tarik to Istanbul, said many Arabs preferred Turkey because the country did not feel foreign to them.

    "This is a Muslim country, they feel at ease here, they feel at home and not like foreigners," Mr Atik said. He said he started organising the visits for people seeking hair transplants two years ago when he realised, in his work as a travel agent, that a growing number of his clients were looking for hair treatment.

    In the procedure, hairs from the back of the head are taken with their roots and planted on the upper part of the patient's head, cheeks, chin or over his upper lip. A full hair transplant can take days, whereas transplants to strengthen beard or moustaches can be done in several hours.

    Selahattin Tulunay, a Turkish plastic surgeon in Istanbul who offers hair treatment and has many foreign patients, said men had many reasons to look for good-quality hair transplants.

    "Some say they are not taken seriously at work," he said in his office in the upscale Nisantasi neighbourhood on Istanbul's European side.

    There are no official statistics of how many foreigners come to Turkey for hair transplants, which cost €2,000 to 4,000 (DH 9,500 to 19,000), but Dr Tulunay said demand from Arab patients, most of whom contact him via the internet, had been rising sharply for about a year.

    "On average, there are about 50 Arabs seeking hair treatment arriving in Istanbul every day," he estimated.

    "We offer good quality and good prices," he said. "They come here, stay for four days or a week, do a little sightseeing and go home again."

    Dr Tulunay dismissed as untrue Turkish press reports about eager Arab patients showing up at Turkish hair transplant clinics with pictures of Ibrahim Tatlises, a prominent Turkish singer with a trademark shiny-black moustache, in their hands. "The media have been exaggerating," he said.

    "It's not a macho-problem, it's a real need. I have had grown men in here crying."

    Mr Atik, the tour operator, said some younger clients wanted to improve their chances of finding a wife. For others, it was a matter of self-confidence. "When you look into the mirror in the morning, you want to like what you see," he said.

    Hair was an important part of a person's personality and appearance, Mr Atik said. "Why do you comb your hair in the morning?" He said 99 per cent of his patients were looking for transplants to fill up their main hair, and only a few people came because of beards or moustaches.

    Mr Atik said the choice of the right doctor was crucial. "Trust is very important," he said.

    Many patients are reluctant to talk about their hair problem in public. Tarik, the 28 year old man from Abu Dhabi, agreed to be interviewed by telephone only and would give only his first name. Dr Tulunay quoted one patient as saying he "looked like a child" because a lack of facial hair.

    Dr Tulunay said trust in Turkey's health sector had built up over years.

    "A few years ago, people were worried about whether it would really help them," he said about hair transplants. "But with the latest developments in technology, results are wonderful."

    The Association of Health Tourism, a business pressure group, says around 400,000 foreigners seeking medical and wellness treatments in clinics and spas are expected in Turkey this year, up from 100,000 two years ago.

    Turkey's health tourism industry includes package tours for eye and dental operations as well as plastic surgery. The Association of Health Tourism estimates that the country can earn up to $10bn a year by attracting foreign patients.

    In a move designed to boost the sector, Turkey lifted a ban on the employment of foreign doctors and health workers earlier this year. So far, 158 foreign doctors have received permission to practise in Turkey, according to government figures quoted by news reports.

    About Biologix Hair Inc. and Biologix Hair Science Ltd.

    About Biologix Hair Inc. and Biologix Hair Science Ltd.


    Source: www.BiologixHair.com

    Biologix Hair Inc. (Biologix Hair), together with its wholly owned biotechnology subsidiary, Biologix Hair Science Ltd. ™ (BHS), is focused on realizing the full market potential for its patent-pending hair loss formula – Biologix Revive – and its demonstrated ability to prevent and reverse the effects of alopecia, which plagues hundreds of millions worldwide.

    Between mid-2004 and mid-2012, more than 30,000 pre-clinical-trial treatments of Biologix Revive were administered to 5,000-plus patients in South America suffering with varying degrees of alopecia, as well as people seeking preventive treatment. The participating treatment clinicians subjectively observed and reported that virtually 100% of preventive care clients continued to retain their healthy hair and an estimated 80-85% of the males and 90-plus% of the females treated for hair regeneration experienced significant regrowth of their own natural hair. And among alopecia areata patients, virtually total hair regrowth was observed in 100% of the cases. To date, no negative side effects have been reported.

    BHS is currently focused on obtaining FDA approval for its breakthrough hair loss prevention and regeneration therapy and has initiated a research and development program with one of the world's leading medical research universities, the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT). The R&D program, expected to take approximately twelve months to complete, is an important final step before formal clinical trials and the FDA approval process begins.

    Additionally, on May 11, 2012, Venable LLP, the Washington-based law firm overseeing the worldwide IP and regulatory approval processes on behalf of BHS, filed a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application on behalf of BHS for Biologix Revive in Geneva, Switzerland. The PCT is an international treaty, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to which 144 countries have as of now contracted, including Canada and the United States.

    Biologix management is determined to be in a ready position to capitalize on the high-margin sales potential of the Biologix Hair Therapy System™, if and when FDA and other major market approvals are forthcoming.

    As BHS advances the regulatory approval process, Biologix Hair, together with wholly owned subsidiary companies operated by BHS, are rapidly developing a global distribution network of licensed clinicians and medical practitioners seeking to become Certified Biologix Hair Therapists™ and secure exclusive territorial purchasing and treatment rights for the Biologix Hair Therapy System™.

    Biologix Hair has decided not to risk creating any potential regulatory conflicts by offering treatment outside the United States and other major high-product-margin markets until FDA approval has been granted. Therefore, the Biologix Hair Therapy System™ is not yet available other than to the 5,000+ patients who participated in the pre-clinical-trials conducted in South America.

    Wednesday, February 20, 2013

    9 Bizarre Baldness Cures


    By Jennie Cohen



    Some men—and women—believe that receding hairlines, thinning manes and smooth craniums lend an air of dignity. For those who don’t, there have always been plenty of baldness treatment and prevention options available, albeit with highly variable levels of effectiveness. Find out about some of the weird and wacky ways people have attempted to curb or conceal their hair loss over the centuries.
     

    1. Ancient Egyptian Remedies

    Ancient Egyptian Remedies
    Blaine Harrington III/Corbis

    The Ebers Papyrus, a medical text that dates back to 1550 B.C., offers a number of recommended cures for ancient Egyptians suffering from hair loss. Suggestions include a mixture of fats from a hippopotamus, crocodile, tomcat, snake and ibex; porcupine hair boiled in water and applied to the scalp for four days; and the leg of a female greyhound sautéed in oil with the hoof of a donkey. Apparently concerned with maintaining adequate hirsuteness, both male and female royals in ancient Egypt were known to wear wigs and fake beards.

    2. Hippocratic Growth

    Hippocratic Growth
    Stock Montage/Getty Images

    The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who was born around 460 B.C. and is often referred to as the father of Western medicine, personally grappled with male pattern baldness. He prescribed himself and fellow chrome domes a topical concoction of opium, horseradish, pigeon droppings, beetroot and spices. It didn’t stop anyone’s hairline from receding. Hippocrates also conceived of a radical treatment for hair loss after noticing that eunuchs never went thin on top. Though it is unlikely that men began opting for castration over a bald spot, in 1995 researchers at Duke University confirmed that the procedure could indeed prevent hair loss.

    3. Combovers and Laurel Wreaths

    Julius Caesar
    Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    When Julius Caesar began losing his hair, he tried everything to reverse the curse and hide his shiny pate. First, he grew his thinning mane long in the back and brushed it over his scalp in an early version of the combover. When that didn’t work (hairspray had yet to be invented, after all), his lover Cleopatra recommended a home remedy consisting of ground-up mice, horse teeth and bear grease. This too had little effect, so the Roman dictator took to covering his scalp with a laurel wreath.

    4. Toupees

    Louis XIII

    Popular in ancient times, hairpieces were revived in the 17th century by royals such as King Louis XIII of France, who donned a toupee to mask his balding scalp. Massive wigs, often featuring elaborate curls and peppered with white powder, became all the rage among French and English nobles. Wealthy American colonists adopted the accessory as a status symbol until the American Revolution, which put a damper on monarchy-inspired fashions.

    5. Snake Oil

    Sutherland Sisters
    The seven Sutherland sisters, part of a sideshow act in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

    In the United States, the 19th century witnessed the emergence of so-called “snake oil” salesmen—essentially, swindlers masquerading as doctors and peddling phony potions that promised to treat all that ails you. Some of these tonics were supposedly formulated to reverse hair loss, including an ointment called Seven Sutherland Sisters’ Hair Grower, inspired and marketed by a family of sideshow performers with cascading tresses.

    6. Tea

    Iced Tea
    KLSbear/iStockphoto.com

    Who wouldn’t want a baldness cure that can double as a refreshing beverage? In 19th-century England, people stricken with thinning hair would rub “cold India tea” and hunks of lemon into their scalps. Not surprisingly, the results were underwhelming.

    7. Hot Heads

    Thermocap

    In the 20th century, manufacturers scrambled to develop high-tech solutions for one of the most prevalent cosmetic issues on the planet. One notable example is the Thermocap device, unveiled by the Allied Merke Institute in the 1920s. Men and women with thinning locks and busy schedules simply had to spend 15 minutes a day under the bonnet-like gadget’s heat and blue light, which supposedly stimulated dormant hair bulbs. “Has a Remedy for Baldness Been Discovered at Last?” screamed the headline of a 1923 Popular Mechanics advertorial. The answer, sadly, was probably not.

    8. Vacuum Power

    Xervac

    The Crosley Corporation, a radio and automobile manufacturer, ventured into the personal care market with its 1936 introduction of the Xervac, a machine that purportedly used suction to spur hair growth. Advertisements for the system, which could be rented for home use or found in barbershops, encouraged businessmen to kick back and relax with a cigarette and newspaper as the helmet-encased vacuum pump worked its magic on their follicles.

    9. Hair Transplants

    Hair Transplants
    Keystone Features/Stringer/Getty Images

    In 1939, a Japanese dermatologist pioneered a procedure for grafting hair from the scalp, eyebrows, face and other parts of the body onto bald spots. Two decades later, the New York doctor Norman Orentreich popularized hair transplants, which for many years resulted in scalps reminiscent of doll’s heads. This treatment for male pattern baldness is alive and well to this day, but with more natural results.

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    Tuesday, February 19, 2013

    In search of a head of hair

    In search of a head of hair


    Author: CONOR POPE
     
    Finding a cure for baldness has kept generations busy, but has the search come to an end? US academics and dermatologists seem to think so.

    EARLY LAST week reports emerged from US academic circles that a cure for baldness had been discovered and could be on our pharmacy shelves within two years. If the story stands up – and that is by no means certain – the cure will have been a long time coming. More than 4,000 years in fact.

    Almost since we crawled out of the primordial soup, looked down and realised those opposable thumbs might be quite handy, the males of our species have worried about losing their hair.

    It’s not hard to see why. It doesn’t matter what culture you’re talking about or when, baldness has always had a really bad press.

    Samson with hair was strong and manly while Samson without was a pathetic weakling who couldn’t push over a pram never mind the pillars of a massive temple. The holy man Elisha took such a dim view of his own hair loss that he ordered wild bears to slaughter 40 children who called him “baldy”.

    Ezekel wasn’t such a touchy prophet but was still pretty hard on the sleek headed when warning that sinners would have to “put on sackcloth, and horror will overwhelm them. Shame will cover all [their] faces, and all their heads will be bald”.

    Julius Caesar came, saw, conquered and then went and spoiled it all be creating the comb-over. Rather than opting for the side-to-side style that is the, um, fashion, of our time, the greatest of the Romans opted to comb from the back of his head to the front. He also wore a laurel wreath to cover his bald patch – a bit like the way the Edge wears a hat today just in case we see that (shock, horror) he may have lost some hair.

    Male pattern baldness has been blamed on many things – too much testosterone, too many hats, too little virility, too much stress, too much thinking, slow circulation, diet and sin. The sin link comes from Ezekel.

    The causes are one thing, the “cures” are quite a different kettle of rancid fish, rubbed on to your head.

    Yes, rancid fish is just one of the treatments which has been peddled to the desperate over the many years since the hunt for hair repair began. Romans smeared chicken poop on their scalps while the Egyptians went for the fat of lions, geese, crocodiles and snakes. The inventor of western medicine, Hippocrates, swore quite the oath when he realised his diligent applicant of chicken urine to his bald spot had inexplicably failed to re-grow his hair.

    By the middle ages, European men had moved on from chickens and were rubbing cow spit onto their heads with mixed results to no avail.

    Meanwhile, their China cousins were mixing the testicles of farm animals with ground herbs and rubbing the paste into themselves. While in India men tried headstands. As the age of enlightenment dawned in Europe, the cures increased. Electric shocks, vibrators, suction devices, caustic agents, wilful blistering and lights were all tried with absolutely no success at all.

    But today, after all the broken promises, the failures and the heartbreak, the answer is tantalisingly close.

    First, for the science bit – concentrate. There are roughly 100,000 follicles on the human head and each produces hair for between two and six years. Testosterone and its stronger derivative dihydrotestosterone (DHT) play a crucial role in the development of the male foetus and are essential elements leading towards male maturity.

    But they have a dark side. Certain hair follicles in the scalp are genetically programmed to be vulnerable to DHT and when attacked they wither like a plastic straw held over a candle.

    They produce thinner, shorter hair and their growing phase becomes shorter as hairs fall out that can not be replaced fast enough.

    About 40 per cent of men can expect to lose some of their hair before they hit 35. Most of these men would do almost anything to reverse the process which is why the baldness industry is worth well in excess of a billion US dollars each year and more money is spent on finding a “cure” for something which is not actually an illness than is spent on finding a cure for TB, malaria and sleeping sickness. Combined.

    Last week, a team of US dermatologists moved things on by discovering that an enzyme, called prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), instructs follicles to stop producing hair.

    They hope to reduce the levels of PGD2 on the male scalp and stop hair loss dead. George Cotsarelis, the head of dermatology at Pennsylvania University, says he is now talking to several drugs firms about creating the anti-baldness product and he says a lotion could be on the market within two years.

    It seems a tad optimistic as taking any drug from the drawing board to the pharmacy tends to take quite a bit longer than that.

    Cotsarelis is not the only general fighting in the war on hair loss. Earlier this year, researchers working at the forefront of stem cell technology in Switzerland and Scotland may also have accidentally come up with a cure.

    They were looking at stem cells from the thymus, a small organ which helps run the body’s immune system, to see how the cells would perform if transplanted into growing skin.

    The researchers were looking at ways they could help burns victims regrow skin.

    Unexpectedly, they managed to change one cell type into a different one and ended up with skin cells that had working hair follicles – the holy grail of the bald cure merchants.

    The scientists transplanted these cells into the skin of lab rats and found that the cells forgot they were from the thymus and began performing just like healthy skin cells. Eureka. Possibly.

    It is not, however, likely these treatments will be available in the months or even years ahead and for the most common hair loss treatments that actually work (a little bit) are Minoxidil and Finasteride. The former is a lotion you rub on to the scalp while the latter is a prescription-only tablet.

    Finasteride inhibits DHT and is said to have an 80 per cent success rate at preventing hair loss. Minoxidil was originally developed as a drug to reduce blood pressure but in trials brought about hair regrowth in some patients. It was modified and developed as a spray for the scalp and released onto the market in the late 1980s.

    It stops hair loss in 80 per cent of cases, according to the company, and leads to new hair growth in one in four users, although much of the regrowth is said to be downy and light in colour and about as attractive as having mouse hair stitched to the scalp.

    Laser therapy is popular and apparently works by stimulating blood supply to the follicles and scalp although medical experts are deeply sceptical about such treatments. They are less so about hair transplant surgery, which has come a long way since hair was first stitched into Japanese men’s scalps in the 1930s.

    During a transplant, hair-bearing skin from the side of the head is removed and dissected to produce grafts which are then sewn onto the balding area.

    While it is effective, it is not a cure. And it is very expensive and you could expect to have little change out of €10,000 after the procedure. Alternatively, you could cut your losses, shave your head and deal with the self-esteem issues another way.

    Natural Treatment Helps Hair Loss in Men

    Natural Treatment Helps Hair Loss in Men


    Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by: Fleur Hupston
    Source: naturalnews.com

    (NaturalNews) It is normal to shed hair each day but sometimes hair loss may be exacerbated by stress, a poor diet or illness. Hereditary hair loss is known as alopecia, which affects men more often than women. Many men turn to cures that promise amazing results in preventing hair loss, but usually these are nothing more than expensive scams that can damage health over time. There are, however, homeopathic and herbal treatments available that can slow down hair loss and encourage hair to grow naturally.

    Causes of Hair Loss and Baldness in Men

    Baldness, or alopecia, is total or partial loss of hair. This is often a hereditary condition that occurs more frequently in males than females because it depends on the influence of the male hormone testosterone. Pattern baldness is the most prevalent instance of hair loss in men.

    Sudden, temporary hair loss sometimes occurs as a result of stress, flu, pneumonia or typhoid fever. Temporary baldness can also be the result of exposure to nuclear radiation, X-rays, anti-cancer drugs or a severe nutritional deficiency.

    Natural Treatments for Hair Loss in Men

    Herbal and homeopathic treatments can stimulate and encourage hair growth, as well as support good blood circulation, hormonal balance and correct thyroid functioning.

    Homeopathic - A homeopath may prescribe Aurum metallicum for an individual who is losing hair and also suffers from headaches and/or boils on the scalp. Phosphoric acid is generally recommended for hair loss following grief and exhaustion. Selenium is said to help an individual with a painful scalp combined with loss of hair. Visit a qualified homeopath to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

    Herbal - An herbalist may suggest a daily intake of rosemary tea or nettle tea. Equisetum arvense (field horsetail), Avena sativa (oats) and Echinacea are effective in combating hair loss and nourishing hair follicles. Visit an herbalist first before deciding on these treatments.

    Aromatherapy - A scalp massage with essential oils such as fenugreek, ginger, cypress, lavender and rosemary are suggested to help with hair loss. Blend 2 drops of essential oil to 15ml (1 tablespoon) of carrier oil, such as jojoba.

    Vitamins and Minerals - Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, choline and inositol should be taken regularly by men whose hair is receding or falling out.

    Cutting down on alcohol and sugar and eliminating nutritionally deficient junk food from the diet can slow down hair loss. Stick to a natural, healthy diet that includes good fats, protein, whole grains and plenty of organically grown fruits and vegetables in order to prevent hair loss or thinning hair.

    http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Aur
    http://www.essentialoils.co.za/hair-loss.htm
    http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/herbs-for-hair-growth.html
    http://www.vitaminstuff.com/herbs-nettle.html

    About the author

    Fleur Hupston is a professional freelance writer. She is passionate about natural, healthy living and is currently studying to be a naturopath. She divides her time between writing for Natural News and various other sites, home schooling her children and studying part time.

    Sunday, February 17, 2013

    Cure for baldness? Researchers find that eye drops caused eyelashes to grow

    Cure for baldness? Researchers find that eye drops caused eyelashes to grow

    Preliminary trials are now under way to see whether it can reverse hair loss in both men and women

    Date: 27 Oct 2012 10:00
    Source: mirror.co.uk


    Eye drops used to treat glaucoma hold the key to a cure for baldness.

    Researchers have found bimatoprost, a key ingredient in the Lumigan drug, increases hair growth.

    The drug is given as eye drops to patients with glaucoma, a condition caused by excess fluid in the eye that leads to vision loss.

    But it has one marked side effect - it can stimulate the growth of eyelashes.

    Preliminary trials are now under way to see whether bimatoprost can reverse hair loss in both men and women.

    If successful, it may not be long before the drug is re-marketed as a baldness treatment.

    Lead scientist Professor Valerie Randall, from the University of Bradford, said: "Bimatoprost is known to stimulate eyelash growth and is already used clinically for this purpose.

    "We wanted to see whether it would have the same effect on scalp hair, as the two types of follicle are very different.

    "Our findings show that bimatoprost does stimulate growth in human scalp hair follicles and therefore could offer a new approach for treating hair loss disorders."

    Male hormones, or androgens, can both stimulate the growth of hair on the chest and chin, and suppress it on the head.

    They are responsible for classic male pattern baldness, marked by a receding hairline and expanding bald patch in the middle of the scalp, which affects around 6.5 million men in the UK.

    The hormones stimulate signalling pathways linked to baldness by latching onto specific receptor molecules on cells.

    These are proteins that act as key-operated switches, making a cell behave in different ways.

    However, bimatoprost acts on a quite different receptor unconnected with androgens.

    "Even if the androgen receptor is telling the hair follicle to do negative things, the drug is telling it to do positive things," said Prof Randall.

    It is hoped the effect of bimatoprost will prove stronger than that of the androgens, thereby allowing hair to grow.

    Findings from the laboratory research appear in The FASEB Journal, published by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

    The drug was tested on living scalp tissue obtained from volunteer donors undergoing cosmetic surgery. Follicles treated with bimatoprost grew a third more hair than untreated samples in just nine days.

    Scalp follicles were found to contain exactly the same receptors responsive to bimatoprost as eyelash follicles.

    "This means that - so long as the drug can be applied in such a way that it can reach the follicle - it should stimulate hair growth in patients," said Prof Randall.

    Results from the Phase II clinical trials taking place in the US and Germany should be available before the end of the year.

    They involve 220 men with male pattern baldness and 172 women with female pattern baldness.

    Participants are undergoing six months treatment either with a solution of bimatoprost, applied to the scalp, or an inactive placebo.

    A comparison with the baldness treatment minoxidil is also being assessed.

    Prof Randall acts as a consultant to Allergan Inc which manufactures Lumigan.

    The Future of Hair Restoration

    The Future of Hair Restoration


    By Dody Gasparik M.Sc.
    Source: worldwidehealth.com

    Restoring the hair lost due to hereditary factors is the dream of many hair loss sufferers. Until not too long ago, the only effective and authentic-looking methods of reversing hair loss were non-surgical cover-ups. It was only with the advent of follicular unit transplantation and the discovery of the true cause of baldness - the harmful effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on our hair follicles - that the hair-loss sufferer's chances of reversing hair loss naturally have greatly improved.

    The three best weapons in the fight against baldness today are the two FDA-approved medicinal drugs - finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine) and hair surgery, the follicular unit transplantation and, especially, the follicular unit extraction technique. However, no ultimate cure exists yet as each of the three aforementioned hair restoration methods has its limitations. Minoxidil and finasteride work well only in the vertex area of the scalp, and finasteride cannot be used by women. Hair transplant surgery is suitable only for people who have sufficient hair density in the donor area, and many women, who typically suffer from diffuse thinning, do not make good candidates for hair transplantation.

    Therefore, scientists around the world are relentlessly searching for new approaches to treating hair loss. There are presently several promising medications and new techniques under development listed below but progress seems to have slowed down a bit due to the global financial crisis, as some projects are finding it increasingly difficult to raise financing to further their research.

    The greatest progress has been achieved on dutasteride. Dutasteride is an antiandrogen, in its chemical structure and mode of action it is similar to finasteride. It is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and since it is a dual 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, it should be a more potent DHT blocker than finasteride. Therefore, it is thought to be more effective in treating hair loss, especially in the frontal area of the scalp. Dutasteride completed Phase III clinical testing this year and the study results are expected to be published soon.

    NEOSH101 was originally developed by the US medical research firm Neosil and was until recently undergoing phase IIb clinical testing. At the end of 2008, Neosil was taken over by Peplin, Inc., a development stage specialty pharmaceuticals company and since then no information on the further progress of the clinical trials has been released. In previous clinical trials, NEOSH101 was shown to be a more powerful and faster-acting, hair growth stimulant than minoxidil and it only needs applying once daily. Though significantly improving the current hair-loss treatment options, NEOSH101 is not going to become the ultimate cure for baldness. The clinical trials seem to be advancing slower than most hair-loss sufferers would like and, hence, do not hold your breath waiting for it to hit the market anytime soon.

    Another promising area of development is the telomerase research. Telomerase is an enzyme that is able to put natural caps on telomeres and thus protect them from shortening. Telomerase thereby maintains the genomic integrity. Shortened telomeres are associated with premature aging processes. However, the uncontrolled activation of telomerase can cause cancer. Cancer research is the main focus of the telomerase studies but scientists are also looking for other applications, such as anti-aging drugs and drugs against baldness and premature grey hair. Telomerase research could really change the world of medicine but its commercial application might be a good 15 years away.

    Hair multiplication, often called hair regeneration or hair cloning, is the next hopeful treatment option being developed. This technique involves extracting hair follicles from the back of the patient's scalp, culturing and multiplying them and injecting the newly-grown hair cells into the bald scalp area. The UK healthcare firm Intercytex appears to be the frontrunner in hair multiplication research. Intercytex has already completed phase II clinical study of ICX-TRC (a suspension of a patient's own dermal papilla cells). The main benefit of hair multiplication would be solving the shortage of donor hair that is the main limiting factor in hair transplant surgery. However, Intercytex is currently facing financial difficulties and after failing to find an investor, it will have to continue operating on its own. Aderans, the main competitor of Intercytex, has also recently launched a Phase II clinical study on cell-based hair regeneration for men and women.

    Generating new hair follicles in hair-free skin wounds is an entirely new approach to regrowing hair. It was discovered accidentally when wounded skin in mice started producing new hair. This technology is currently being developed by the US medical device company, Follica, which has licensed this technology from the University of Pennsylvania. Though this method may sound a bit weird, it is said to only use common instruments and drugs that have already been medically approved and thus it might not take too long for it to become commercially available.

    This list of the undergoing R&D projects in the field of hair-loss research includes the most promising lines of development but it is not exhaustive. However, none of the new therapies, with the exception of dutasteride's approval for treating hair loss, is expected to hit the market before 2013 and the immediate future of hair restoration lies in improving the surgical techniques, increasing the yields of the follicular unit extraction method and making it more affordable to a larger portion of the population. For more information on novel as well as existing treatments for hair loss and grey hair please visit the author's website dedicated to educating the public on treating genetically-determined hair conditions.

    Monday, February 11, 2013

    Medical Treatments for Male Hair Loss

    Medical Treatments for Male Hair Loss

    Modern Medicine Can Help

    By , About.com Guide
    Source: menshair.about.com

    These days, there's not as much of a negative stigma surrounding hair loss in men and many men are picking up the razor and going bald by choice. For some men, however, male pattern baldness and hair loss can be a devastating blow to self-esteem and confidence. Fortunately, there are more medical treatments for male hair loss available today than ever before.

    Before I continue, it's important to note that there is no cure for baldness. By the age of 50 nearly half of all men experience male pattern baldness, which is an inherited condition caused by the body's excessive production of dihydrotestosterone (commonly called DHT). There's not much that can be done to reverse genetics, but options are available to compensate for the hair loss and slow down the rate of loss.

    Medications

      Propecia
      Propecia (finasteride) is a drug that works by helping prevent the body from converting testosterone into DHT. The drug can be an effective treatment for male pattern baldness on the front and center of the head, but appears to be ineffective for hair loss near the temples. In a 5-year study of men with moderate to mild hair loss, about half experienced some re-growth, while 42% had no further loss. In order to maintain any hair that has been gained, Propecia must be taken continually. Most of the hair gained is lost within a year of ceasing therapy.

      If you have a good relationship with your doctor, you may wish to ask about a prescription for Proscar (finasteride). Proscar is the same drug as Propecia, but tablets come in 5mg dose. It is cheaper than Propecia, but you will need to cut the pill in fifths (which can be tricky). If you're on a tight budget, this may be an option. Keep in mind that finasteride, even in small concentrations, can cause birth defects in a male fetus, so it should be avoided if there are pregnant women in the household. Consult your doctor before taking any medication for possible complications or side-effects.
      Rogaine
      Rogaine (minoxidil) is a cream or foam that is normally applied to the balding areas twice daily. Like Propecia, hair growth will only occur as long as the product is used and is effective in about 25% of men with male pattern baldness.

    Surgery

      Tissue Expansion
      During this procedure a device called a tissue expander is inserted under the scalp. Tiny balloons in the expander are gradually inflated over the period of a few months. This causes the skin to expand by up to one third. Another surgery is required to place the newly expanded skin over the bald area.
      Plugs
      During a transplant, very small plugs of hair and scalp are taken from the side or back and moved onto the bald areas. While this form of surgery has improved, it is still critical to find a good surgeon and get references from his patients before you agree to any treatment. One of the downsides to this form of surgery is that it can leave scarring in the areas where the hair plugs are removed, which will limit your options for shorter haircuts.
      Scalp Reduction
      This is like a face lift for the top of your head. A section of the bald scalp is removed and the scalp on the sides of the head are pulled together, filling in the bald area.
      Flap Surgery
      A portion of hair-bearing scalp is relocated to the bald area while still attached at one end to its original blood supply. The type of procedure typically can leave scarring under the hair where the flap was removed, making shorter hairstyles impossible.
    The above treatments can help you replace some of the hair you've lost. Unfortunately, most hair loss remedies on the market are, in my opinion, not effective enough for most men to justify the cost. Cut it short and leave the pills and scalpel alone. If the medical options aren't right for you, please read my Non-Medical Treatments for Baldness.

    Saturday, February 9, 2013

    Solutions For Hair Loss

    Solutions For Hair Loss


    This article is brought to you in part by Bosley.com
    (Source: uk.askmen.com)

    If you are one of the unlucky fellows who is becoming "follicly challenged" over time, you don't have to sit back and helplessly watch your hair fall out. There are treatments available that will stop your follicles from failing you. Losing your hair can take its toll on your self-esteem and sex appeal, but there are ways to remedy or reverse the damage.

    what causes hair loss?

    A normal person will lose between 50 to 100 hairs daily, because 90% of hair is in growth phase and 10% is in shedding phase at any given time. However, any significant change that alters the normal growth cycle of hair, or permanently damages the roots of the hair (the follicles), can result in excessive hair loss of over 100 hairs a day, which may be temporary or permanent.

    Common causes of hair loss include:

    Genetics: About 95% of hair loss from the scalp comes from heredity. If your grandma, grandpa, mom, or dad has lost their hair, you may inherit the genetic tendency to lose yours as well. Balding can skip generations, and its incidence is random in terms of siblings. For instance, one brother could go bald in his 30s and another may keep a full head of hair his entire life.

    Stress: Surgery, illness and a variety of mental stressors can cause excessive hair loss. Those with the rare anxiety disorder trichotillomania, often pull their hair out in clumps to the point of baldness.

    Age: The aging process causes the breakdown in many of the skin's functions, including hair follicles. Many people over 50 have thinning hair because their hair follicles are less effective and therefore hair grows more slowly. Also, mature hair changes in texture and tends to break more easily.

    Trauma to the hair: Although this may not apply to the majority of men, botched bleach jobs, abuse of permanents and over-the-counter hair dyes or straightening products, forceful brushing, styling or combing, and tight hairstyles like corn rows, can break and damage hair, and cause hair loss. On rare occasions, due to friction or hair breakage, wearing a ponytail that is too tight can literally pluck or exfoliate the hairs off your head. However, in this instance, the hair loss will not be as widespread as male pattern baldness and will resolve itself after cessation of ponytail wearing.

    Certain drugs or diseases: Lupus, certain autoimmune diseases, and radiation therapy or chemotherapy, all contribute to temporary or permanent hair loss.

    Men who notice their hair shedding in large quantities should consult a doctor or a dermatologist. Sometimes hair loss indicates an underlying medical condition for which treatment is necessary. If hair loss is sudden and in concert with other worrisome symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

    male pattern baldness

    The most common hair loss problem that plagues men of all races from their mid-20s onwards is genetically-triggered male pattern hair loss, medically termed as "androgenetic alopecia." Genes affect the age at which a man begins to lose his hair and the extent, rate, shape, and pattern of hair loss. In most men, male pattern hair loss typically begins at the temples and the crown.

    Here's why you're losing it, and what you can do to get it back...

    why you're losing it

    In genetically predisposed individuals, sensitivity to a class of hormones called androgens, in particular the hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, causes hair follicles to shrink. The scalp begins to sprout hairs that are thinner than normal and fail to grow to normal length.

    Eventually the follicles wither away and no hair grows at all. In this scenario, thinning hair eventually progresses to chrome dome stage when the follicles cease to function. But it doesn't have to be that way.

    stop the hair loss

    Men who suffer from male pattern hair loss have several options. They can either choose to chemically treat hair loss, get artificial wigs or weaves if drug treatment is ineffective or impossible, or invest in a permanent solution; hair transplant surgery.

    Drugs
    The only FDA approved drugs available to medically treat hair loss are Propecia (Finasteride) and Rogaine (Minoxidil). Both products slow further thinning of hair and increase coverage of the scalp. Propecia inhibits the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shrinks hair follicles, whereas Rogaine stimulates hair follicles.

    Neither medication will produce full regrowth of hair and the length or texture may be slightly altered in areas of regrowth. Also, the effectiveness of medications depends on the cause of hair loss, the extent of the loss and individual response rates; both products work best if hair loss is recent (within five years) and occurs on the top of the head rather than near the forehead.

    Usually the drugs take at least a couple of months to produce a noticeable effect. However, these medications need to be taken continuously. If the medications are stopped, any hair that has grown in will gradually be lost, and within six to 12 months, the scalp will look the way it did prior to treatment.

    Wigs & weaves
    If a man has medical conditions or allergies that may interfere with the use of pharmaceutical solutions for hair loss, or chooses not to undergo hair replacement surgery, he may opt for a wig, toupee or weave. Specialty wig shops can offer realistic looking pieces made from human hair or realistic looking synthetic materials. However, as many a man who has shamefully lost his toupee to a strong gust of wind, hairpieces are artificial, may look unnatural, and may simply fall off at the worst of times.

    Hair restoration
    Hair transplantation is a permanent form of hair replacement. Anyone who has suffered permanent hair loss may be a candidate for hair transplantation. For instance, Bosley is one of the world's most experienced hair restoration practices, with many consultation and treatment centers located across the United States.

    The surgical transplanting of hair follicles is a remarkably simple outpatient procedure. According to Bosley.com, the procedure of hair transplantation involves moving some hair from hair-bearing portions (donor sites) of the head (usually the horseshoe-shaped area at the very back of the head), to bald or thinning portions (recipient sites) and/or removing bald skin.

    Because the procedure involves time, patience, surgery, and at least two repeat procedures, as well as the considerable investment of money (between $4,000 and $10,000 US), transplantation should only be done by a qualified, board-certified and experienced surgeon.

    a full head of hair

    With proper techniques and solutions, hair loss can be minimized. If you suffer from hair loss, invest the time and research treatment options and weigh the benefits of replacing lost or thinning hair. After all, a full head of hair not only influences the way others perceive you professionally and personally, but can influence the way you view yourself.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2013

    Future Balding Treatments

    Future Balding Treatments


    By Andrew Chomik
    (Source: uk.askmen.com)
    It’s not hard to find horror stories on the internet or television about men who reach for the stars to get their mop back.

    
    Wayne Rooney hair before and after
    Manchester United player Wayne Rooney recently (and infamously) spent $50,000 on a hair transplant. Since he's been back on the pitch with his new hair, he's been an unstoppable force, most recently scoring five goals over two games. Observers are remarking that Rooney's hair seems to have given him a major confidence boost, and that's translating into amazing on-field performance that nobody could have predicted.

    Sure, most of us can't afford $50,000 to treat our male-pattern baldness. But hope for the balding regular Joe could be just around the corner, with these future balding treatments. Who knows? One of these treatments could help you bag that promotion that's been eluding you the past three years.

    While it’s not hard to find horror stories on the internet or television about men who reach for the stars to get their mop back (including anything from toupees to toxic spray-ons), they’re all looking for the same thing: a “cure” of sorts to baldness. And while there is no cure for male-pattern baldness now, there are some promising treatments to be released in the near future that just might bring that idea to life. What's the best part? These future balding treatments are already in development and on their way.

    Here are a few future balding treatments you’ll likely see in the coming years with the advancement of science and technology regarding men and hair loss.

    Hair cloning (hair multiplication)

    Hair multiplication (or follicular cell implantation) involves reproducing healthy hair follicles and distributing them in numbers large enough to completely eliminate male-pattern baldness. It is the modern, up-to-date version of your traditional hair transplant in the sense that they borrow from existing spots on your head to fill in the gaps. However, rather than simply move the hairs around to new spots, new hairs are created making the possibility of thick, wavy hair more attainable.

    Hair follicles have a property similar to plants when the “cutting” method of reproducing is used: If a follicle is split in two, it can essentially take the form of two new hairs if cultured and grown correctly. The hair can then be replicated thousands (or millions) of times over, and then either injected back into the scalp and grown from scratch to rejuvenate current hair follicles or transplanted back onto the head.

    This future balding treatment is still in the development stages and that’s why you haven’t seen any products on the shelf just yet. However, companies like the Aderans Research Institute Inc. are developing a cell therapy process for male-pattern baldness, and are currently running clinical trials in the U.S. There are also clinical trials in the works using stem cells to grow artificial follicles at Berlin Technical University in Germany.

    Genetic testing

    One of the best ways to guarantee luxurious locks of hair is to avoid losing them in the first place -- sorry for all those who have a shine on their scalp already. Genetic testing is the way of the future for preventative male-pattern baldness treatments.

    Don't wig out just yet, there are more future balding treatments to check out...
    Men who inherit two particular genetic variants are seven times more likely to become bald.

    Male-pattern baldness is a common problem in males: About two-thirds of men experience some degree of baldness by the time they reach their 60s. Of course, baldness can start anywhere from a man’s teenage years all the way to retirement and beyond. Therefore, getting to the root of the problem (no pun intended) might be your safest bet to keeping your hair.

    Men who inherit two particular genetic variants are seven times more likely to become bald, according to researchers who analyzed the human genome for the DNA strain that causes male-pattern baldness.

    deCODE Genetics, an Icelandic company, has developed a personal genotyping service. If it is noted that you are susceptible to the genes that cause baldness, preventative treatments can follow such as Rogaine, Propecia or Dutasteride. Understanding male-pattern baldness and its hereditary patterns will be critical to solving androgenic alopecia and better, less-invasive treatments.

    Baldness be gone: Baldness diagnostics are available through deCODE.


    Natural regeneration

    Prior to 2007, science revealed that regeneration was a possibility in only select animals, such as salamanders and newts. It wasn’t until scientists at the University of Pennsylvania were studying wound reparation on mice that they discovered that hair follicles could regenerate by “re-awakening” genes that were once active only in developing embryos. Amazingly, when the wound begins the healing stage, it triggers an “embryonic stage” in which non-hair-follicle (epidermal) stem cells are sent to the wound area to repair the injury. The skin becomes receptive to wnt (wingless) proteins that are essential for hair follicle development. This window of opportunity allows scientists to manipulate the amount of wnt and other protein types to stimulate hair follicle growth (or conversely, stymie it if hair growth is not wanted). Another interesting conclusion they came to was that this can be achieved with little to no scarring. This process to treating male-pattern baldness also has the potential to treat other hair disorders and forms of alopecia.

    A patent is now out for this process of follicle neogenesis, and a company called Follica Inc., which includes scientists in the original wounding experiment, is heading up the project. While the treatment is still years away, and may cross paths with the idea of hair multiplication, pre-clinical trials are already underway.

    Baldness be gone: There is no determinable date as to when this might be available given that trials can last years. As soon as 2015 or 2018 could be a possibility, but that’s being generous.

    ban baldness

    A “cure” for baldness in both men and women may not be an accurate word to use in the case of these technologically driven treatments. However, treatments are what they are: They are forms of therapy that can be used to help keep the hair you have or grow a new 'do. There are plenty of hair-regenerating products out on the market designed to fool the consumer, but real progress is being made to find safe, lasting and fulfilling solutions to male-pattern baldness. In the meantime, appreciate the Bruce Willises and Jason Stathams of the world and embrace your look no matter how full-headed or sparse it is.

    British scientists confident of baldness cure

    British scientists confident of baldness cure


    by FIONA MACRAE
    Last updated at 20:19 08 October 2006
    (Source: dailymail.co.uk)

    
    Hair today, gone tomorrow: New treatment
    could help those suffering from
    alopecia or male pattern baldness
    It is a ray of hope for men limited to choosing between an unflattering comb-over, a toupee or a transplant.

    British scientists are working on a new cure for baldness and are confident they will have perfected their technique by the end of the decade.

    So far, the remedy, which involves a series of injections under local anaesthetic, has improved hair growth in almost three-quarters of those treated.

    Researcher Dr Paul Kemp, who is using himself as a guinea-pig for the pioneering new treatment, says the results are so encouraging that soon 'baldness will be a choice'.

    And the Government is so tickled by the thought of a cure for the condition that affects 7.4million British men at any one time that it has ploughed almost £2million of taxpayers' money into Dr Kemp's research.

    The treatment centres around tiny scalp cells called dermal papilla cells. Found at the bottom of the hair follicle, they are responsible for the growth of new hair.

    Scientists at Cambridge-based biotechnology firm Intercytex, have found a way of harvesting these cells, growing them up in the lab and then injecting them into the scalp at a point where the hair is thinning. There, the cells happily sprout new hairs.

    Science Minister Lord Sainsbury believes the technique could establish the UK as a 'world leader' in research into baldness.

    Dr Kemp, a biochemist, said: 'The idea is to inject the cells back into the scalp, where many of them will develop into new hair follicles.'

    'Sometime in the future baldness will be a choice rather than something you have to suffer.
    'Any bald people will have chosen to be bald.

    'There is huge potential in the market. Analysts estimate that a good baldness treatment could be worth £1 billion a year in Britain and many times that worldwide.'

    The treatment, which is still experimental, could end severe hair loss in older people and thinning on top for the young.

    Intercytex says the technique is quicker, less painful, and, crucially, gives better results, than conventional hair transplants. It is also likely to be cheaper than the current transplants which cost up to £10,000.

    These transplants generally take two eight-hour sessions under local anaesthetic. The results are often patchy, with patients complaining the relocated hair looks unnatural and 'tufty.'

    With the new technique, a small section of hair and skin is removed during a 30-minute operation carried out under local anaesthetic.

    The hair is taken from the side of the head, where the follicles tend to live longer - and so produce hair later in life - than those on the top of the scalp.

    The sample is then taken to the lab, where the dermal papilla cells are separated out and coaxed into multiplying in flasks.

    After two months, the patient returns to the clinic to have the lab-grown cells injected into his bald patch, again under anaesthetic.

    But it is not all good news for those with thinning barnets. A typical bare pate would currently need around 1,000 injections. with each jab penetrating 3mm into the skin.

    Three months later, new hair should start to poke its way through the previously bald skin.

    In early trials, five out of seven men treated experienced hair growth. Larger-scale trials, boosted by a £1.9million grant from the Department of Trade and Industry, are underway.

    Male-pattern baldness affects two-thirds of men as they get older, and despite, being a supposed sign of virility, it can have a devastating effect on self-esteem.

    Earlier this year, LibDem MP Mark Oaten blamed his midlife crisis and ensuing sex scandal on losing his hair.

    Cloned hair follicles to cure baldness

    Cloned hair follicles to cure baldness


    PTI May 2, 2011, 06.35am IST
    MELBOURNE: Coming soon: Cloned hair follicles to cure baldness , say scientists. In what might become the most effective permanent treatment for the condition, several research teams around the world have successfully cloned human hair follicles — though only in limited amounts.

    Though human trials are yet to be held, the cloned follicles have been successfully implanted into soles of feet of lab rodents, giving hair-loss sufferers a ray of hope that a cure is within reach.

    Now, the challenge for the scientists at University of Melbourne and St Vincent's Hospital, and for research teams at Berlin Technical University and British company Intercytex, is to increase the number of follicles that can be cloned from a single hair taken from a patient's scalp. At the moment, one hair produces only one or two clones.

    "We've got to find a way of increasing the yield," Rod Sinclair, head of the research team at St Vincent's , said.

    "We've got to find a way of multiplying one hair extracted into 1000 hairs — what commonly happens in the expansion process is that they lose their ability to induce new hair follicles," he said.

    He said cloning hair was difficult because each strand, including its follicle, was a complete organ like a kidney or liver. "Human stem cells are actually pretty weak and that's one of the problems that we've got."

    To clone hair, the scientists have to extract stem cells from the hair follicle, multiply them in a culture dish, and then implant them into the scalp. "They have to produce hair that is the right thickness, the right length, the right angle as it leaves the scalp and right degree of curliness."

    The scientists have been encouraged by the success of the trials involving mice, says Sinclair , adding that human trials are expected within two years.

    Monday, February 4, 2013

    Regrowing hair: UCLA-VA researchers may have accidentally discovered a solution

    Regrowing hair: UCLA-VA researchers may have accidentally discovered a solution


    It has been long known that stress plays a part not just in the graying of hair but in hair loss as well. Over the years, numerous hair-restoration remedies have emerged, ranging from hucksters' "miracle solvents" to legitimate medications such as minoxidil. But even the best of these have shown limited effectiveness.
     
    Now, a team led by researchers from UCLA and the Veterans Administration that was investigating how stress affects gastrointestinal function may have found a chemical compound that induces hair growth by blocking a stress-related hormone associated with hair loss — entirely by accident.
     
    The serendipitous discovery is described in an article published today in the online journal PLoS One.
     
    "Our findings show that a short-duration treatment with this compound causes an astounding long-term hair regrowth in chronically stressed mutant mice," said Million Mulugeta, an adjunct professor of medicine in the division of digestive diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a corresponding author of the research. "This could open new venues to treat hair loss in humans through the modulation of the stress hormone receptors, particularly hair loss related to chronic stress and aging."
     
    The research team, which was originally studying brain–gut interactions, included Mulugeta, Lixin Wang, Noah Craft and Yvette Taché from UCLA; Jean Rivier and Catherine Rivier from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif.; and Mary Stenzel-Poore from the Oregon Health and Sciences University.
     
    For their experiments, the researchers had been using mice that were genetically altered to overproduce a stress hormone called corticotrophin-releasing factor, or CRF. As these mice age, they lose hair and eventually become bald on their backs, making them visually distinct from their unaltered counterparts.
     
    The Salk Institute researchers had developed the chemical compound, a peptide called astressin-B, and described its ability to block the action of CRF. Stenzel-Poore had created an animal model of chronic stress by altering the mice to overproduce CRF.
     
    UCLA and VA researchers injected the astressin-B into the bald mice to observe how its CRF-blocking ability affected gastrointestinal tract function. The initial single injection had no effect, so the investigators continued the injections over five days to give the peptide a better chance of blocking the CRF receptors. They measured the inhibitory effects of this regimen on the stress-induced response in the colons of the mice and placed the animals back in their cages with their hairy counterparts.
     
    About three months later, the investigators returned to these mice to conduct further gastrointestinal studies and found they couldn't distinguish them from their unaltered brethren. They had regrown hair on their previously bald backs.
     
    Hair Regrowth"When we analyzed the identification number of the mice that had grown hair we found that, indeed, the astressin-B peptide was responsible for the remarkable hair growth in the bald mice," Mulugeta said. "Subsequent studies confirmed this unequivocally."
     
    Of particular interest was the short duration of the treatments: Just one shot per day for five consecutive days maintained the effects for up to four months.
     
    "This is a comparatively long time, considering that mice's life span is less than two years," Mulugeta said.
     
    So far, this effect has been seen only in mice. Whether it also happens in humans remains to be seen, said the researchers, who also treated the bald mice with minoxidil alone, which resulted in mild hair growth, as it does in humans. This suggests that astressin-B could also translate for use in human hair growth. In fact, it is known that the stress-hormone CRF, its receptors and other peptides that modulate these receptors are found in human skin.
     
    The finding is an offshoot of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
     
    UCLA and the Salk Institute have applied for a patent on the use of the astressin-B peptide for hair growth.
     
    The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is one of the world's preeminent basic research institutions, where internationally renowned faculty probe fundamental life science questions in a unique, collaborative and creative environment. Focused both on discovery and on mentoring future generations of researchers, Salk scientists make groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of cancer, aging, Alzheimer's, diabetes and infectious diseases by studying neuroscience, genetics, cell and plant biology, and related disciplines. Faculty achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including Nobel Prizes and memberships in the National Academy of Sciences. Founded in 1960 by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk, the institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark.
     
    The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA ranks among the nation's elite medical schools, producing doctors and researchers whose contributions have led to major breakthroughs in health care. With more than 2,000 full-time faculty members, nearly 1,300 residents, more than 750 medical students and almost 400 Ph.D. candidates, the medical school is ranked seventh in the country in research funding from the National Institutes of Health and third in the United States in research dollars from all sources.
     
    For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom and follow us on Twitter.

    CBS news has covered this story, 'Hope for Baldness Cure?', see the clip below.
     
     

    Saturday, February 2, 2013

    Baldness remedies – what works and what doesn't?

    Baldness remedies – what works and what doesn't?


    Written by Colin Brennan, health journalist
    (Source: netdoctor.co.uk)


    People have always been gullible where their hair is concerned. Queen Victoria drank silver birch wine made from sap because she believed it would cure her baldness. And despite icons such as David Beckham shaving off their locks, hair loss is refusing to become fashionable.

    Dr Andrew Messenger, a consultant dermatologist at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, told NetDoctor: 'Although the great majority of men learn to live with it, I think everybody would prefer not to be bald. For a very small number of men, it becomes a big issue.'

    He says it is more often younger men who visit their doctor to ask what can be done about hair thinning.

    Medical attitudes to thinning hair

    Most doctors believe men should think deeply before using any remedies for hair loss because the treatment options are so limited.

    Baldness isn't a life-threatening condition, and it is easy to spend a lot of money trying to restore a full head of hair.

    While it's all very well being told how you ought to feel about the loss of your hair, if it starts to dint your self-esteem, it's probably worth seeking treatment.

    But Dr Messenger is clear about the limitations of medicine in this area: 'There are only two ways to deal with baldness currently available in the UK that the evidence shows work to at least some extent.' Neither of the medicines listed below is available on the NHS.

    Minoxidil

    Minoxidil is sold over the counter as a topical solution (liquid) under the brand name Regaine.

    How does it work?

    We don't know how minoxidil works. It was first used on patients with heart disease who reported an increased growth in their hair. It may increase blood supply to the hair follicles.
     

    How is it used?

    It's applied twice a day, and it can take up to four months for the results to be noticeable.
     

    Is it effective?

    • About two-thirds of the men who use it have some improvement in their hair growth, ranging from minimal to moderate-to-dense regrowth.
    • If hair starts to regrow, it will probably be soft, downy and barely visible. With continued use, this new hair may become the same colour and thickness as the rest of your hair.
    • Regrowth of hair can be as much as 25 per cent of the existing hair, depending on how bad the hair loss has been and how long it has been happening.
    • It is not possible to tell in advance whether minoxidil will work for you, and there's no evidence it works better in younger men. They may get better results because hair loss is not as severe, but this would apply to a man in middle age too.
    • It isn't known why minoxidil works for some people and not others.
    Regaine Extra Strength is a higher strength version of minoxidil and has a slightly better effect.
    • The first sign of new hair begins to show after two months and it peaks at around one year.
    • In trials comparing the two strengths, Regaine Extra produced 43 per cent more regrowth than the regular strength after 12 months' use.

    How long do the effects last?

    Any benefits to hair growth will carry on for as long as you continue the twice-daily applications. Once you stop using minoxidil, regrown hair will be lost after three to four months, and the balding process will start again.

    'It can become a bit of a bind rubbing it into the scalp twice a day after it has stopped improving and you can't see anything happening,' says Dr Messenger. 'You also have to go on paying for it at the rate of about £25 per month.'
     

    How much does it cost?

    The price depends on the strength and quantity of minoxidil being purchased. It is possible to get a triple pack three-month supply for around £59.95.
     

    Is it safe?

    Minoxidil is a safe treatment. Known side-effects include irritation of the scalp and the growth of hair on other parts of the body.

    In some cases, loss of hair actually increases at first. If hair loss continues after two weeks, you should stop using the product and consult your doctor.

    People with heart conditions should not use Regaine without first seeing their GP.
     

    Finasteride

    Finasteride is an oral tablet treatment for male baldness. In the UK its brand name is Propecia. It is not available over the counter in shops or on the NHS: this means you will need to get a private prescription from your GP.

    How does it work?

    It works by inhibiting the action of an enzyme in the body called type II 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme is responsible for converting the male hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a hormone that can damage hair follicles and lead to hair loss in men who are genetically sensitive to it.
     

    How is it used?

    You take one tablet every day, with or without food.
     

    Is it effective?

    Propecia is effective in about 80 per cent of men. It may take three to six months of treatment before you see any noticeable results.
     

    How long do the effects last?

    You will need to continue to use Propecia to maintain any benefits to hair growth. This can be expensive, because doctors can only prescribe the medicine on a private prescription. If you stop taking the drug, you are likely to lose any hair you have gained within 9 to 12 months.
     

    How much does it cost?

    The cost of treatment is around £35 per month.
     

    Is it safe?

    Yes. Potential side-effects include sexual problems such as a decrease in sex drive and temporary impotence.

    Women cannot take this treatment, nor should they handle any crushed or broken tablets. This is because the active ingredient can cause feminisation of a male foetus in pregnancy.
     

    What if these treatments don't work?

    There are no other clinically proven medicines for baldness. In cases where medicines aren't effective, some men may be tempted to try a hair graft.

    Hair replacement grafts

    How does it work?

    In a hair graft, surgery is used to take hair from the back of the scalp and transplant it to the bald patch where the hair grows as if it were still on the original site.

    • It is a minor operation done under local anaesthetic.
    • It can be done in several stages or in one mega session where thousands of hairs are involved.
    • The hair is now usually moved in micrografts - small groups of hairs - to get a more natural look. This helps avoid the graft resembling a doll's head.


    Is it effective?

    'A good result depends entirely on the surgeon's skill,' says Dr Messenger. 'I have seen some fairly good results but I don't think it ever looks completely natural.'
     

    How much does it cost?

    Usually between £1500 and £4000.
     

    Is it safe?

    The side-effects are the usual surgical risks of infection and scarring.

    There is no known way of reversing this procedure, so if you aren't pleased with the results, you're stuck with it. The transplanted hairs will grow on in the same way as the hairs at the back of the head, which most men keep forever.

    'I wouldn't recommend surgery hair grafts to anybody. I would let men know it's available, but that's all. I certainly wouldn't have it done myself. It is pretty bloody and traumatic,' says Dr Messenger.
     

    What about claims for other products?

    Dr David Fenton, a consultant dermatologist at St Thomas' Hospital in London, says men should be careful about adverts that claim to cure hair loss.

    'Many of these people are offering treatments that have no scientific basis. Men wishing to restore their hair should stay well clear of them and get advice from doctors. Then they will be advised by people who are highly trained in their field, not salesmen with no medical background whatsoever.' He also feels that men seeking help should be supported, given counselling and not belittled.

    Buyer beware

    Elizabeth Steel founded the support group Hairline International for both men and women after she lost her own hair.

    'We hear of so many unsatisfactory transplants that we no longer recommend them,' she says.
    'We advise our members to stay away from private clinics to avoid losing their money as well as their hair. It is just money down the drain.

    'Some men have told me they knew the exotic and expensive remedies they were given weren't going to work, but they just wanted to enjoy the temporary light at the end of the tunnel.'

    Her organisation has given impartial advice to more than 30,000 men worried about their hair falling out. Elizabeth says thinning hair can leave men very vulnerable: in one case, a successful 40-year-old father of two took his own life after a hair transplant went wrong.

    Where can I get help?
    • Your GP: consult your doctor before you hand over your money to anyone offering a cure for baldness.
    • For general advice on hair loss, write to Hairline International, Lyons Court, 1668 High Street, Knowle, West Midlands B93 0LY. Enclose an A4-sized self-addressed envelope.