Have We Won The Fight Against Hair Loss?
The thought of going bald has always been a private nightmare
for most men. We dare not think of it. Maybe just the thought
would cause our hair follicles to shrivel up and die.
It's the 21st century and we're no closer to defeating the
common cold much less hair loss. Or are we closer? Let's take a
look at the facts first.
1.If you're going bald there's a 95% chance it's hereditary.
2.Minoxidil and Propecia are the only FDA approved drugs to
treat hair loss.
3.Neither Minoxidil or Propecia is 100% guaranteed to work. 4.By
doing nothing your 100% guaranteed to continue losing hair.
Those are some pretty harsh realities. I rather get the bad news
outta the way first. Since DHT is responsible for causing hair
loss we'll look at ways to slow down it's production.
NATURAL TREATMENTS:
A.Green Tea - Thought to effect the 5a-reductase type I enzyme,
which converts testosterone to DHT.
B.Flax Seed Lignans - Is suggested to have beneficial effects on
hair loss
C.Saw Palmetto (herb) Effective at blocking the formation of DHT
and appears to block the androgen receptors which are found on
the hair follicles. It blocks Type 1 and Type 2 forms of 5
alpha-reductase and has shown to be more potent than Finasteride.
D.Zinc - Recent studies have shown that certain formulations of
topical Zinc can inhibit DHT in the skin, leading to reduction
of oil and possibly helping hair regrow. Do NOT overdose. Doing
so can accelerate or cause hair loss
E.Vitamin B6 - Combined with Zinc, Vitamin B6 was markedly able
to inhibit the conversion of Testosterone to DHT in the skin.
There are now studies that show that specific types of B6 alone
will inhibit DHT creation and androgen receptor activity. One
important factor is the source of B6 to use. Some sources
actually INCREASE creation of DHT. If you don't know what form
of B6 you're getting, it may be best to leave it alone. It is
important to get enough though, because according to the same
studies, a deficiency of B6 will increase DHT creation as well.
F.Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids - Contain anti-inflammatory
properties that are useful in maintaining healthy hair. By
increasing these levels of essential fatty acids one can slow
down hair loss.
G.Horsetail (herb) - Rich in amino acids, silica, and
phytosterols, which condition & strengthen hair as well as
reduce buildup of oils in the scalp.
H.Ginger (herb) - Ginger has circulatory agents that help
stimulate the hair follicle's growth cycle. Additionally Ginger
is rich in fatty acids which are recommended for hair loss, and
the thinning of the hair shaft
I.Rosemary (herb) - Rosemary has been shown to promote increased
circulation as well as help remove dandruff and sebum
accumulations on the scalp.
J.Sage tea (herb) - Contains potent antiseptic and astringent
components makes it a useful conditioner for the hair.
Additionally, it thickens and strengthens compromised hair shafts
K.Capsicum (herb) Stimulates hair growth by 50% and increases
blood flow to the scalp as well as histamine release to
stimulate cell division. It is excellent at accelerating new
hair growth.
L.Ginger - Ginger has circulatory agents that help stimulate the
hair follicle's growth cycle. Additionally Ginger is rich in
fatty acids which are recommended for hair loss, and the
thinning of the hair shaft.
Be aware that there is no scientific proof that these foods will
stop hair loss. But they can help to maintain what you have now
and slow down your hair loss. Also using more than the
recommended daily dose of these foods may be counter productive.
The key here is the amount consumed. Almost anything is toxic if
consumed in large doses. including salt and even water! As long
as you follow the recommended dosage by the manufacturer or
retailer, and the recommended doses are not exceeded by
combining too many different supplements, then the chance of
toxicity will not be a factor.
THE SEARCH FOR COMMERCIAL TREATMENTS:
Thanks to the web we have more access to hair loss treatments.
Although this is a good thing it leaves the consumer on a wild
goose chase trying to figure out what product will work for
them. Although GOD created every man equal, man didn't create
every hair loss treatment that way. So we're left to fend on our
own and research countless web sites all selling their miracle
hair growth product.
We goto forums and see what worked for Tom Dick and Harry. But
who do they work for? I'm not saying that every member of a hair
loss forum is actually the owner of www.wehaveth
ebesthairlosstreatment.com. But I wouldn't put it past some
unscrupulous advertisers. You also research articles such as
this one to find unbiased information on hair loss treatments.
And yes I do admit I use this venue to attract potential
customers. But I believe in the product I sell. You are more
than welcome to visit my site. With that said lets take a look
commercial treatments.
Avacor- Product contains herbs such as saw palmetto and
Minoxidil which they call Loniten. At $235 for a three month
supply it's one of the most expensive products out there. The
product comes with a money back guarantee. Although they claim
that the product has a 90% success rate it has come under
backlash from a popular hair loss forum. Read the actual article
at www.
hairlosstalk.com/newsletter/article294.htm. There are also
complaints posted on www.ripoffreport.com.
Just type the word Avacor on your search.
Follicare - This product seems fairly new. The hair growth
treatment includes a topical spray that contains Minoxidil,
shampoo and a nutritional supplement. The topical should remain
on your scalp for 4 hours before washing your head. Expect to
pay $100 for a two month supply. They claim a 95% success rate
and offer a money back guarantee. Their site is www.follicare.com.
Hair Genesis - Botanically derived treatment designed to prevent
pattern hair loss in both men and women. The topical treatment
serum is designed to use directly on the affected scalp while
the goal of HairGenesis oral SoftGels is to treat the problem
systemically, and block the negative progression of pattern hair
loss before it has a chance to damage the hair follicle. The
site claims it's best to use both products. Of course at a
higher cost. Hair Genesis does NOT cure hair loss. It improves
your hair follicle which in effect makes it thicker. So the
theory here is the hairs on your head will be thicker giving
your scalp the impression of more hair. A three month supply
will run about $200. For more info visit www.hairv
itamins.net/hair_genesis/faq.htm
RK19 - This product removes DHT inflammation and revives your
dormant hair follicles. DHT inflammation is believed to stop
your hair follicles from growing and accelerate your hair loss.
It comes in 2 bottles. One is an anti-inflammatory and the other
a nutritional supplement. The cost is only $99 for a 6 month
supply and comes with a 90 day money back guarantee. The Hair
Transplant Network verified RK19's results. For more info on
HTN's verificationi click here htt
p://s2.phpbbforfree.com/forums/endbalding-about4.html. To
purchase RK19 visit www.endbalding.com
This is only a small list of what's out there. If you have any
information on these products or comments you can email me
help@endbalding.com
FUTURE HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS:
Stem Cells - Research on bald mice can grow hair after being
implanted with a type of stem cell could lead to an eventual
cure for baldness according to a group of scientists. Many
scientists have been researching whether hair follicles contain
"blank slate" stem cells that can give most humans a full head
of hair for life. Don't count on this treatment any time soon.
It's still several years away.
Hair Cloning - The principle behind hair cloning is to produce
new hair follicles from certain cells. At its simplest, a few
healthy hair follicles can be excised from a biopsy. The
follicles are then get dissected to isolate a small ball of
cells at the base of each follicle called the dermal papilla.
For the average full grown scalp hair there are about 200-400
cells in each dermal papilla. These few cells can be cultured in
incubators to make several hundred thousand cells within 6 weeks
or so. The cells are then implanted into the patients bald skin
where the dermal papilla cells induce new hair follicles to
develop.
The process is not fully understood, but we do know that dermal
papilla cells send out chemical signals called cytokines that
tell the skin to produce a new hair follicle. A new hair
follicle is made from epithelial cells, but the *development and
cycling* of the follicle is determined by dermal papilla cells.
You must have both dermal papilla cells and epithelial cells
together to form a hair follicle. Just one or the other cannot
form a follicle on their own.
Since there are so many factors involving the development of
hair follicles in order to bring about new hair follicle
formation the actual development is a long way off. For the
entire article read www.hairlosstalk.com/newslette
r/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=240
Maybe in our lifetime science will find a cure for hair loss.
Hair loss is not a crippling disease. It's a lifestyle. If
you're comfortable with the way you look then you've won. If on
the other hand it's affecting you emotionally that you need to
use medication, then try different hair loss treatments and see
what works for you.
Always consult your doctor about any treatments you're
interested in. And take the time to look for any side effects on
the product you're looking to purchase.