by:
William Cortes
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 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.
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.
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.hairvitamins.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.
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.
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.
This article was posted on January 26, 2006
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Different Hair Loss Needs Different Treatment
There are quite a few different types of hair loss which affect men and women
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