Clip Hair Extensions

Losing your hair can be a very sensitive issue and can cause anything from mild self-consciousness to a major blow to self-esteem. Our hair is incredibly important to us and the way we style it can be an open book about who we are. It can convey to people what type of music we like, that we are modern and fashionable or that we are successful in business. The list goes on and all around the world hair is a very important factor in both culture and religion.

There is a specific hormone that is involved in causing hair loss called Dihydrotestostrone, or DHT for short and this hormone is derived from androgen. Androgen is circulated through the bloodstream and is converted to DHT by an enzyme. DHT tends to attach itself to the hair follicle receptors that causes the follicles to grow thinner and weaker hairs until nothing re-grows and the follicles eventually shrink and wither away.

As with all areas of the human body, a head of full, strong and healthy hair needs the required nutritional building blocks. Today’s top quality natural supplements provide essential minerals and vitamins helpful for hair follicle support. These include Zinc, Magnesium, Biotin and Vitamin B6. These nutrients are also essential for immune function, skin and nail health, protein digestion and healthy red blood cells. The also utilise a blend of botanicals that naturally inhibit DHT formation. Saw Palmetto and Nettle are two key ingredients, both of which block DHT and have been used in traditionally as an herbal remedy for many years.

Alopecia areata is a condition distressing humans, in which hair is lost from several or all areas of the body, usually from the scalp. Because it origin bald spots on the scalp, especially in the first stages, it is sometimes called spot baldnessAlopecia areata is a malfunction of the immune system whereby the body begins to attack its own hair follicle. However it is very selective in which areas it attacks, so that circular / oval shaped bald patches develop. These are silky smooth to the touch, because all hair including vellus hair (soft downy hair) has been lost. Currently there is no medical explanation as to why the patches are selected in the manner in which they are. Accordingly there is no test that can be done to determine if the patches will stay contained in the given area or spread to another area.What causes and origin alopecia areata? Less than 1% of the population suffers with alopecia areata with both males and females being affected. Children as well as adults suffer from the condition. There is a genetic link. Families that develop atopic allergies like asthma, psoriasis and eczema tend to have a greater incidence of alopecia areata. This would imply an inherited over-sensitive immune reaction. If you have an inherited tendency towards this disease, stress can cause the condition to start.How do you confirm that you have alopecia areata? Due to the fact that the areas under immune attack are localized, it is not possible to confirm a diagnosis by blood tests. It follows that a punch biopsy (removing a section of the bald spot) is the only logical way to confirm an immune attack in such a localized area. However for most people this would be too invasive, so it tends to be diagnosed by the pattern of loss alone.What treatments are available? At the initial onset it is common to see a spontaneous regrowth with no treatment. However it is common for it to spread rapidly and can result in total scalp hair loss. At this stage it is known as Alopecia Totalis. Further progression sees it spreading to the eyebrows and eyelashes and eventually affecting all body, scalp and facial hair. At this latter stage it is termed Alopecia Universalis and it is uncommon to see a spontaneous remission at such an advanced stage. As this disease has such an uncertain outcome it can have a big psychological effect. Doctors saying “do not worry it will probably grow back on its own”, whilst it may have a high probability of being statistically correct, does very little to alleviate very real fear the patient has. That fear is based on the knowledge that it is also statistically correct that a lower percentage of sufferers will see it progress.Most people fear that they will be the unlucky ones! Medical treatments are limited: With less than one percent of the population troubled by this problem, it is difficult from an investment standpoint to make a return on any investment into research work into a cure. However a pure investment returns approach sadly misses the fact that the disease is extremely upsetting to the sufferer. In western cultures it is common to see men lose their hair to alopecia androgenetica (male pattern baldness) so it is more socially acceptable to see a bald man. However that does not make the situation any easier for men. However women and children with hair loss are less common and attract much more unwanted stares and attention. Teasing at school can be very cruel as children tend to find patches of hair loss amusing.Treatment types these tend to fall into broad categories:Immune suppression like steroid creams or injectionsIrritants like diphenylcyclopropenone.Holistic approachesNatural products like plant extracts and supplementation.In many cases when a parent first approaches their doctor about alopecia areata, the doctor will refer the patient along to dermatologists. The very delay between seeing the doctor and dermatologist can be extremely stressful as the problem will usually be getting worse. Therefore many people seek alternative treatments via the web solely because they feel they at least they are being proactive and doing something that may benefit them.

INTRODUCTIONWithin the past decade, Follicular Unit Transplantation has transformed hair transplantation from a cosmetically unpredictable procedure to one that can produce consistently natural results. The key to its effectiveness lies in the fact that scalp hair tends to grow in tiny bundles, called “follicular units,” rather than individually. By working with these naturally occurring units, instead of larger or smaller grafts, Follicular Unit Transplantation creates as natural a look as possible while minimizing the transplant wound size and accelerating post-operative healing. A recently developed refinement, Follicular Unit Extraction, promises to eliminate, for select candidates, the procedure’s most invasive aspect: the surgical removal of a strip of tissue from which the units are harvested.Follicular units are made up of one to four terminal hairs, one to two vellus hairs, their associated sebaceous glands, neurovascular plexus, an erector pilorum muscle, and a circumferential band of adventitial collagen, the perifolliculum. The tendency of scalp hair to grow in this way, rather than in single hairs, can be most easily demonstrated by clipping the hair to approximately 1 mm in length and then viewing it with a densitometer at x 30 magnification in a 10-mm field. What this also reveals is that these compact units are surrounded by significant amounts of non-hair-bearing scalp. Including this extra skin in the dissection — as do hair transplants with larger grafts, such as plugs and minigrafts — requires a larger recipient wound, as well as risking visible scarring in the skin around the grafts and distortions of the growing hair. Although simple in concept, Follicular Unit Transplantation has many nuances and complexities. Those wishing to perform Follicular Unit Transplantation in their clinical practice are encouraged to join the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) and attend its annual meeting, subscribe to Hair Transplant Forum International (the trade publication for hair transplant surgeons), and follow relevant medical literature (particularly Dermatologic Surgery). Although it is not an accredited board, certification by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS) indicates a basic competency in the field and requires three years of clinical experience and passing both oral and written examinations. The process of preparing for ABHRS certification is a worthwhile endeavor and recommended for those serious about surgical hair restoration. HISTORICAL VIGNETTEReports of successful hair transplants appeared as early as 1930 in Japanese literature, beginning with Sasagawa’s hair-shaft insertion procedure and then Okuda’s success in pioneering 2- to 4-mm punches for the treatment of various alopecias of the scalp, eyebrows and moustache. Okuda made the important observation that using smaller punches in the recipient area improved cosmetic results.By 1943, Tamura had treated 137 cases of non-androgenetic alopecia of various etiologies using techniques very similar to modern-day hair transplantation. For instance, he harvested donor grafts by making an elliptical incision that was sutured closed, prepared recipient sites with a thick needle, stored grafts in physiologic saline, and observed post-operative telogen effluvium. Most significantly, Tamura demonstrated that single-hair grafting resulted in growth practically indistinguishable from naturally grown hair — and much more natural-looking than hair transplants using larger grafts. But it took several decades before Western surgeons would apply Tamura’s insights to their hair restoration procedures.The first hair transplant surgery in the United States was performed by Dr. Norman Orentreich in 1952 with grafts measuring 6 to 8 mm in diameter, significantly larger than those of either Tamura or Okuda. At first, incredulous editors rejected Orentreich’s work, not believing that hair transplantation was even possible. He finally found a publisher in 1959, in the Annals of the New York Academy of Science. The paper laid out the concept of “donor dominance” — the idea that grafts continue to show the characteristics of the donor site after they have been transplanted to a new site. This remains the basic tenet of all hair transplantation surgery. Yet while donor dominance insured that transplanted hair could grow, it did not guarantee that the results would look natural.Not until 40 years later would hair transplants in the United States start to produce consistently natural-looking results and promise predictable cosmetic improvements in most patients. It was a slow evolution, but the large grafts used throughout the sixties and seventies eventually gave way to minigrafts in the eighties and mini-micrografting in the early nineties. The stage was then set for Follicular Unit Transplantation. First appearing in the medical literature in 1991 it quickly emerged as the standard in hair restoration — supplanting mini-micrografting in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia and rendering other well-established procedures such as scalp reductions, scalp lifts and flaps virtually obsolete.So swift was Follicular Unit Transplantation’s ascent that the two standard textbooks on surgical hair restoration, published in 1995 and 1996, as well as the most comprehensive text on trichology, published in 1997, make not one mention of the terms “follicular unit” or “Follicular Unit Transplantation.” At the 1996 meeting of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons, three seven-minute presentations on the procedure were given; but at the 2002 meeting, Follicular Unit Transplantation was the subject of entire seminars and workshops and suffused every aspect of the weeklong gathering.The follicular unit was first defined by Headington in his landmark 1984 paper “Transverse Microscopic Anatomy of the Human Scalp.” Follicular Unit Transplantation had its origins in the microscopic dissection techniques of Dr. Limmer in 1988 that was described in his paper “Elliptical Donor Stereoscopically Assisted Micrografting as an Approach to Further Refinement in Hair Transplantation” in 1994. The term “follicular unit” was introduced into the hair transplant literature by Bernstein and Rassman in 1995. The conceptual framework for Follicular Unit Transplantation was mapped out by these authors in the publication “Follicular Transplantation” and in the paired articles, “Follicular Transplantation: Patient Evaluation and Surgical Planning” and “The Aesthetics of Follicular Transplantation” (1997).The name “Follicular Unit Transplantation” was formalized by a group of hair restoration surgeons in a 1998 publication in Dermatologic Surgery. In this paper, the procedure was precisely defined and included the two basic techniques, single-strip harvesting and stereo-microscopic dissection, as integral parts of the procedure. However, since follicular units can now be harvested directly from the donor area without the necessity of a strip incision (using Follicular Unit Extraction) the original definition has become too restrictive. The term Follicular Unit Transplantation should now be used to encompass all hair restoration procedures that utilize naturally occurring, individual follicular units exclusively in the surgery, regardless of how these units are harvested. The caveat, of course, is that the harvesting technique must always maintain the follicular unit’s integrity.

For the problem of thinning hair women need help and they need it now. It can be a detriment to a woman in every single aspect of her life to live with chronically thinning hair. If you don’t change the course of action in a quick and concise manner the problem will only continue to get worse.Thinning hair in women is not uncommon. It happens to most women, actually. Some women are just not prone to losing as much of it as others. As time goes by and our genetic material dictates what happens to our bodies, we all tend to notice a decrease in the thickness of hair on our heads.How do you know if you are just another woman losing a little bit of her thickness and body or if you are a woman on the path toward balding patterns? In most cases, genes play a huge role and if your own mother or grandmother lost a significant amount of her hair then chances are so will you.You are not encouraged to sit back and let your hair fall out. Rather, today’s help is just as readily available for women as it is for men. Preventing further hair loss is essential to developing a very full head of hair that isn’t going to let you down. The earlier you treat the problem the better. You don’t want to wait until your hair is actually showing balding areas before you start doing something about your thinning hair problems.Women are more susceptible to the emotional impact of thinning hair. When hair loss strikes is often strikes with intention. You genetic code has triggered your hair follicles to significantly slow down the production of hair and you start to notice that the area around the part or the top of the head no longer has significant thickness. Treating hair thinning problems as early as possible is essential to preventing further hair loss. Some products can help you regrow your thinning hair. Most products that can stop hair loss claim that only a percentage of women can actually see her hair starting to grow in thicker and fuller. In some cases, there will be enough hair regrowth to slow down on the treatment, which is the hope of every woman with thinning hair.Most of us can look back and remember if our grandmothers had full heads of hair or if their hair was thin and styled to help cover up the balding that she was experiencing. If your grandmothers had thinning hair problems and your mother also had thinning hair problems, then don’t wait another moment. Make sure you get help as soon as humanly possible.

While thinning and balding hair are often associated with the aging process, hair loss can occur in very young adults. In fact, male pattern baldness has been known to show its first signs in men as young as 15 years old. While it’s most commonly seen in middle-aged men, it is not at all rare to see many cases of male pattern baldness in men in their 20s and early 30s.

Generally, genetics may play a large role in an individual’s thinning hair timeline. If you have several relatives who experienced hair loss in their younger days, then it’s likely that you’ll be prone to a similar experience. While it used to be widely believed that the balding trait was passed down from the material side, experts now trust that it is inherited from both parents.

Regardless of your age, you probably want a straightforward, non-invasive treatment for hair loss. Many hair loss treatments on today’s market offer unfortunate side effects or major procedures. It’s no wonder that so many individuals feel frustrated with the treatment for hair loss options available.

Male Hair Loss Treatment

As DHT buildup is one of the main causes of thinning hair, it’s imperative that the male hair loss treatment you choose tackles this specific problem. So, why is DHT such a common predicament for male scalps? Well, it’s simple; DHT is short for dihydrotestosterone, which is a converted form of the male sex hormone testosterone.

Of course, all males produce testosterone so it’s no surprise that so many men have issues with DHT buildup. Basically, DHT becomes an issue when it makes itself comfortable in your hair follicles. When it resides there, it essentially blocks the follicular openings, making it difficult for hair to pass through them. If new hair cannot easily grow through the follicles, then the entire growth cycle is assaulted. Over time, if the follicles aren’t freed from the DHT blockages, hair growth may simply cease.

Female Hair Loss Treatment

If you’ve been researching hair loss treatments and you’re a female, you may feel a little overlooked. Male pattern baldness is far more common than female baldness—approximately 35 million men live with this condition, as opposed to 21 million women—and what’s more, men are generally more comfortable discussing this matter. However, Kevis has designed a line of hair rejuvenating products that won’t make you feel like you’re raiding the men’s locker room.

Of course you want to protect and revitalize your hair—but you want beautiful, glossy hair as well. Unlike some harsh treatments that strip your hair, leaving it dull and limp, our lotions and shampoos are formulated with HUCP, a form of hyaluronic acid, a substance that keeps cells hydrated and well lubricated. This makes our products the perfect hair loss treatment for the discriminating female.

DHT Blocker

While reasons for hair loss can encompass a variety of factors, such as illness or trauma to the hair, the most common culprit is the DHT hormone. DHT essentially inhibits normal, healthy hair growth, causing the follicle to enter dormancy and possibly ending in its demise. Because of this, those suffering from hair loss can benefit from a DHT blocker, which can help promote healthy hair in a scientific and safe way.

One cutting-edge DHT blocker is hyaluronic acid, also known as HUCP when it carries a specific high molecular weight. Patented by Kevis, and present in our product line, HUCP promotes hair strength and longevity by creating robust, hydrated hair as it permeates the scalp, preventing follicles from filling with DHT. Ultimately, by using natural ingredients which capitalize on established human biochemical interactions, the Kevis Hair Improvement System creates an environment in which your hair can strive and thrive.

Hair Loss Medication

Hair loss is a problem that affects a wide variety of people from all walks of life including both men and women. Consequently, there have been many different products and programs created to address the needs of those who wish to stop or prevent hair loss. Prescription hair loss medication is widely available these days, and in many cases it has produced reliable results.

Unfortunately, most types of hair loss medication carry the risk of possible side effects that users have to worry about. These side effects may include itchy scalp, headache, blurred vision, hypotension, acne, sexual dysfunction, chest pain and increased hair loss. There may also be a risk of drug interaction with other medications taken at the same time. All types of hair loss medication should only be used under a doctor’s supervision.

Hair Loss Drugs

Due to the pervasive issue of hair loss in both men and women, many hair loss drugs have become available. Certain hair loss drugs require a doctor’s prescription but it’s wise to consult your doctor even before you begin taking any non-prescription hair loss drugs. Most hair loss drugs may cause side effects in users, such as itchy scalp, headache, facial swelling and decreased sexual desire.

Natural Treatments for Hair Loss

In an ideal world, we’d all never have to take any medication of any kind. We’d all like to keep our bodies as natural and free of toxins as possible. While this ideal is not always achievable, our Kevis team has taken you one step closer to it; we offer natural treatments for hair loss so you don’t have to take hair loss drugs to get the full head of hair you want.

What Are Natural Treatments for Hair Loss?

While there are other natural treatments for hair loss available, few have been shown to be as effective as the Kevis system. In clinical studies, we have shown an extremely high success rate –92%. The timeframe for results does vary from individual to individual; however, most of our clients see positive changes in their hair’s texture and appearance within a few weeks.

Other natural treatments for hair loss include vitamins, aromatherapy, massage and certain natural herbs. If you are taking extra vitamins to aid hair growth, make sure to consult your physician; taking too many vitamins can be detrimental to your health. In fact, a possible side effect of taking too many vitamins is thinning hair so you certainly want to make sure you aren’t working against yourself!

The Kevis system is one of the most natural treatments for hair loss since every single one of our products is completely drug-free. You don’t have to even think about possible side effects since you won’t get any with Kevis.

- Dr. Hair

Kevis products contain no drugs and so require no medical supervision. Also Kevis shampoos, conditioners, and lotions contain no harmful chemicals, produce no side effects and are safe and effective for men and women of all ages. They are easy to use and get results. Kevis products promote healthy hair growth, increase your hair’s beauty and health, and intensify its strength.

For more information on our products please visit:

Hair Loss Products & Treatments

or

Kevis Hair Regrowth Products

Today’s world economy demands that people work longer hours and many times eat on the go. Because of todays fast pace lifestyles many people are concerned that they may not be obtaining the proper daily nutrition that will support healthy bodies, healthy hair and hair growth. So many consumers follow FDA guidelines (RDA) for daily vitamin supplements to help offset possible nutritional deficiencies. Yet, the demands of a stressful society in today’s challenging economy with ever decreasing nutritional factors from commercial foods may suggest that current RDA guidelines are inadequate in providing the necessary nutritional needs for the maintenance of healthy hair and hair growth.

There is no argument about the need for the intake of vitamins (either from foods or supplements) for healthy bodies, healthy hair, and hair growth. Science has shown that sulfur-containing substances like MSM, L-Arginine, and L-Methionine combined with minerals and B-vitamins such as Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Biotin, Boron, and B3, B6, B12 vitamins are necessary nutritional factors that are essential to healthy hair and hair growth. In an attempt to cash in on consumer demands for vitamin products large retail chain-stores have provided a line of vitamin supplements based on standard FDA recommended daily nutritional intake levels.

Current research investigations on human nutritional factors indicate that significant vitamin concentration levels must be up taken in the body before a noticeable biological effect can be observed. With the exception of Vitamin A and E most commercial vitamin products sold by major retail chain-stores contain other nutritional factors at such low concentration levels that any biological effect expected is probably nonexistent.

Furthermore, other important product concerns should be noted when selecting the proper vitamin supplements for the support of healthy hair and hair growth. Unless you are aware of reputable vitamin producers and suppliers you’re probably getting vitamins that will not be effectively absorbed into the intestinal tract when taken. When ingesting many commercial vitamin products very little of the nutritional factors are up-taken but are simply excreted as waste material. Taking vitamins will be of little value unless the vitamin formula contains a transport system for maximum vitamin absorption. Do not assume just because it is on the store shelf that it’s effective. Rule of thumb in the vitamin supplements market: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. If you are not currently getting your vitamins supplements from establish health food stores and whole-food markets I would strongly advise that you should be skeptical of the quality of vitamin products that you are buying. Health food stores and whole-food markets are companies that were instrumental in making good quality vitamin products available to health conscious consumer’s years before mainstream retail markets became aware of the importance of vitamin supplements.

So don’t be fooled by large retail chain-stores that claim to have a quality line of vitamin products. Many retail chain-stores are selling off spec vitamins or cheap bottoms products from vitamin producers. When looking for vitamin supplements to support healthy hair growth do look around and ask questions. Look for vitamin producers and suppliers that offer products that have sufficient nutritional factor levels and have incorporated in their product formulas active absorption transport systems. Remember that natural-based formulas are preferred over synthetic ones. Based on our current understanding on human nutritional needs proper vitamin supplement intake will go a long way in improving not only healthy hair and but also hair growth.

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow
Let’s face it, bodybuilding is a visual endeavor and sport. No one wants to have a great body without a full head of hair to match. So, it should have come as no surprise to me that I received so much mail after I wrote my first article on the topic in 1997 in MMI (issue 179). “Hair today gone tomorrow” was published in MMI and later on the BrinkZone.com web site. It was clear to me that I hit a nerve with readers as I received more email and snail mail then I had expected, especially considering the fact it was an article that had nothing to do with building muscle! Why did I write it? From the last article,
“I thought a new article for those people who are really bumming that their hair is falling out, want to make sure their hair does not start falling out, or are just real paranoid about their hair falling out, was in order. If you fit any one of the above descriptions-which most people do- than this is the article for you! So why do I care so much about hair loss? My mother’s father was bald, my father is mighty thin up top, my hair started to thin a while back -you do the math!”
I have received countless emails and letters over the years asking me to update the article. Here, finally, is the updated version which will integrate info from the last article and the newer recommendations. People who have not read the first article can view that HERE
Readers of this article may be confused by some of my comments if they are not familiar with the last one, so I recommend you read the first article. Go ahead, I can wait!
What causes male pattern baldness (MPB)? From 1997:
“So what makes your hair fall out? Well for a long time scientists thought that DHT was the sole cause of hair loss, but this does not appear to be the case. As most of you already know, androgens such as testosterone (natural and otherwise) can convert to DHT by the previously mentioned enzyme 5AR. People who have high levels of the enzyme 5AR have higher levels of DHT and are prone to losing their hair.
Men with a congenital deficiency in 5AR show no receding of the hair line. This knowledge of the relationship of DHT to hair loss kicked off the big race to find things that shut down the 5AR enzyme and thus reduce the amount of DHT. Simple enough right? Well I have said it a thousand times before and I will now say it a thousand and one times: two plus two rarely makes four in the human body and this is the case again regarding the relationship of DHT to hair loss.”
“People and researchers who used 5AR inhibitors such as Proscar and Saw Palmetto found it helped with the hair loss but in no way shut it down or regrew much of the hair that was lost. What appears to be the ultimate cause of hair loss for most people is an auto immune response where the body actually attacks the hair follicle like some kind of foreign invader thus causing an inflammatory response.
By yet unknown mechanisms, DHT causes a change in the follicle signaling the immune system to attack the follicle and your hair starts falling out (If you take a close look, you can actually see a red line of inflammation on the scalp of some people losing their hair). How do we know this? It was discovered that the hair follicles of people losing their hair look very similar under a microscope to people who experience organ rejection after surgery. And, it has been found that the immune system suppressing drug which is used to stop the organ rejection (Cyclosporine) grows hair like crazy because it shuts down the immune response in the body.
A cure you say?
NO! If you take some Cyclosporine and you grow hair it will be because you have no immune system and you will get very sick and possibly die. I shit you not-don’t mess with this stuff. Anyway, though DHT is clearly important in the cause of hair loss, it is not the final cause and a new race has been started to address the inflammatory response which ultimately causes you hair to fall out.
Clearly, you have to attack hair loss from both the DHT and inflammatory response, and that’s what most of this article is about….sort of. There are also other factors related to hair growth and hair loss such as nutrition, SODases, Nitric Oxide (NO) and others, but DHT and the immune response are the two biggies.”
2005 comments:
Interestingly, almost a decade later, our understanding of the cause of MPB has changed little. Androgens (e.g., DHT) and a poorly understood immune response, that has interactions with SODases, NO, and other factors, creates the environment for MPB.
1997 treatment options versus 2005:
In the previous article, I covered copper binding peptides, Nizerol shampoo, Proscar, Minoxidil, and a very promising mystery drug called RU 58841. What follows in this section are comments on each of them from 1997 followed by my thoughts now after almost a decade of experience with them:
Copper binding peptides: back when I wrote the first article a drug called Iamin had just been approved by the FDA for wound healing. Another drug similar to Iamin is Tricomin. Both Iamin and Tricomin were invented and subsequently patented by Dr. Loren Pickart. As I stated in the 1997 article about these compounds,
“These drugs are copper based compounds that have certain peptides added to them. When put on the skin they have profound anti inflammatory properties and increase the rate at which skin heals dramatically (hence Iamin700s approval for wound healing). As I mentioned earlier, chronic inflammation at the site of the hair follicle appears to be a major link in the chain of what makes hair fall out.”
2005 thoughts: Unfortunately these products did not turn out to be nearly as effective for MPB as I had hoped. Feedback was lackluster at best. I believe they still have some use in multi ingredient formulas that may add some small additional benefit, but the general advice is they are minimally effective for MPB alone.
Nizoral Shampoo 1997:
“Nizoral is an anti fungal shampoo and the active ingredient is a plant derivative called Ketoconazol and is produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. How and why Nizoral works on hair loss in not very well understood. It might work by blocking the DHT at the follicle and/or working by reducing the amount of inflammation at the hair follicle.”
2005 comments:
Nizoral turned out to be a big disappointment. It was very popular when I wrote the article, but has dropped out of use by most people. It can now be had without a prescription in 1% strength, but it’s a moot issue at this point as Nizoral is ineffective for treating MPB in my opinion. There was one small study (Pierard-Franchimont C, et al. Dermatology. Ketoconazole shampoo: effect of long-term use in androgenic alopecia. 1998;196(4):474-7 )that appeared to find Nizoral about as effective as Minoxidil, so people can use Nizoral if they want I suppose, but feedback and experience says it’s of no use.
Proscar 1997:
“…Proscar is a very specific inhibitor of the enzyme (5AR) that converts androgens into DHT. Its official use is for prostate enlargement which is also related to DHT levels (among other things). It was felt originally that Proscar would not be effective for hair loss because it only inhibits the enzyme found in the prostate and not in the hair follicle.
Well again, nothing is cut and dry in the human body, and Proscar has been found to reduce the amount of DHT in circulation which reduces the amount of DHT the follicle has to deal with and thus less hair is lost. Several recent studies have shown Proscar is effective for hair loss and can help regrow some hair on some people, but as I said before, the use of 5AR inhibitors only deals with a part of the problem and are generally not very effective when used as the only treatment.”
2005 comments:
At the time I wrote the above, Proscar (finasteride) came in 5mg pills and was approved for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) only. Because studies found 1mg almost as effective as 5mg for lowring DHT, I recommended people split the 5mg tabs into 4, which gave you 1.25mg. Of course the producer of finasteride (Merck) saw the marketing potential for treating MPB, and finasteride was packed in 1mg pills and sold as Propecia.
There is of course no difference between Proscar and Propecia except the dose, so people in the know still buy Proscar and divide it into 4 pieces to save money. I would still recommend Finasteride for MPB, but it is far from the miracle drug for MPB people hoped it would be when it came out. Side effects such as gyno, reductions in libido, and others also appears to be higher in the real world then the studies claimed. Finally, finasteride does appear to work topically (contrary to what Merck claims) which will greatly reduce systemic side effects. However, topical is generally less effective then oral treatment.
Minoxidil 1997:
“…Minoxidil did not turn out to be the hair growth stimulant we all hoped it would be and if it had not recently gone OTC I would not even have included it in this list. However, being minoxidil can now be purchased without a prescription and is about half the price of what it used to cost, I think it is a useful addition to a person’s regimen. For hair growth, minoxidil has pretty much been a bust, but for reducing hair loss, I have found it is definitely better than nothing.”
2005 comments:
The only thing that has changed since I wrote the above is that Minoxidil comes in a stronger version for men (5% vs. 2%) and can be found as a generic, saving money for the user. I think Minoxidil makes a good carrier for other compounds you may want to use topically, such a Finasteride, etc.
1997 comments on RU 58841:
“RU 58841: This is the mother of all topical anti androgens. RU58841 is made by the Roussel Corporation of France. This stuff shuts down DHT at the hair follicle like nothing else. One of the major problems has been that anti androgens such as Spironolactone and Flutamide taken orally might be good for hair loss, but they cause all sorts of problems related to having low androgens in your body, such as loss of muscle, increased fat, loss of sex drive, gyno, etc.
When these same anti androgens have been used topically (put directly on the scalp) they do not cause the negative systemic side effects, but they did not seem to do much of anything for hair loss or growth either. Therefore, a topically active anti androgen without systemic effects would be highly desirable. RU58841 is a topical anti androgen that shuts down DHT at the follicle without any systemic side effects in the body!”
See Part 2!

Nutritionists say you can improve your hair’s health by feeding hair what it needs to be healthier from the inside out.  While the quality, quantity, and distribution of your hair is genetically pre-determined and cannot be changed, solving hair malnutrition problems can make a big difference in the health and appearance of your hair.  •    Is your hair breaking more easily?•    Is your hair duller than normal?•    Is your hair more limp than usual?•    Are you noticing more hair fall-out than normal?Since your hair is often a barometer of your body’s health, if you notice hair thinning and fall-out, consult a board-certified dermatologist for an accurate diagnoses of your hair loss and consult your primary care physician in case hair loss is a symptom of a larger systemic health issue. In addition, evaluate your own diet and keep a food diary for about seven days to identify if you are falling into any of these bad hair diet traps.Also, beware of ‘vitamin-enriched’ masks and conditioners that sit on top of hair because they can’t improve hair’s health. Stylists and doctors alike agree that applying proteins like collagen to your hair won’t change hair’s structure because hair is composed of dead cells, like fingernails, that don’t absorb and can’t ‘use’ the nutrients. You need to “feed” your hair what it needs to be healthy from the inside out!•    Appetizers:  Steer clear of sugary, fatty foods. “Junk food is the worst offender,” advises dietitian Joanne Larsen, M.S, R.D. of askthedietitan.com. “Junk food fills you up with empty calories that have no nutritional value and your body can’t use the calories for building and maintaining healthy tissue, like skin and hair, let alone overall health.”•    Main Course:    According to Larsen, hair is made of keratin protein and a diet deficient in protein will show up in hair thinning and loss along with dulling and breakage. The United States Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) Food Guide Pyramid advises that at least 15% of daily calories should come from high-quality protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, soy, nuts, grains and seeds.  According to the USRDA, Depending on weight, age, and physical activity level, adult men aged 25-51+ need 63 grams of protein (around six ounces of protein per day). Women aged 25-51+ need 50 grams (around five ounces).•    Side dishes: Be sure all eight essential amino acids which are included in ‘complete proteins’ are eaten every day. Some complete proteins include milk, egg whites, and a variety of legumes like beans, peas and nuts. If a person eats a variety of legumes, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and grains, they will get all eight essential amino acids an adult needs, as directed by the USRDA. In addition ‘essential fatty acids’ are not produced within the human body and must be taken from your daily diet are essential to shiny, vibrant, healthy hair and the cellular function necessary for hair growth. The use of cold-pressed nut and seed oils, such as flax seed oil, daily on salads and in any dishes that do not require heating contain the essential omega-6 fatty acids while omega-3 fatty acids are contained in fish.•    Drinks anyone?  Avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks because they leach important vitamins and minerals from your body. These poor drink choices also take the place of healthier choices like water, green or black teas or fresh, all-natural fruit juices.  In addition the human body needs about 64 ounces of water (eight, 8-oz. glasses) to maintain health. Are you getting enough? After urinating the first time after waking up, your urine should be colorless and odorless for the remainder of the day. If it is a concentrated yellow, or has a strong odor, increase your water intake, explains Larsen.•    Desserts: Don’t crash diet because a diet very low in calories (less than 600 calories per day) also deprives hair, as well as the rest of your body, of the necessary nutrients for health.If you want more information on serving sizes of actual food choices, portions, and menu plans, go to mypyramid.gov to view a great chart that makes the information clear and easy to use in your daily diet, as recommended by the USRDA. Also, a good, whole food multi-vitamin and mineral supplement can help when your diet is out of balance.  Larsen says beware hair analysis services that have not yet been determined appropriate for general nutritional evaluation. “Even though businesses in hair analysis operate, they are a waste of money,” she says.

Is bald the real beauty? No, if it is so the nature has not provided us hair. There are hundred thousands to one hundred fifty thousands hair on the head of a normal human being. Hair depend on the inner skin for their existence and nourishment. They grow from saclike structures under the skin which known as follicles. The bottom part of the hair which is attached to skin is called hair root. Generally, 50 to 150 hairs fall everyday; there is nothing to worry about it. But, faster rate of hair fall can lead to baldness. Hair fall whenever proper nourishment is not available for them from follicles.

There are numerous types of baldness and remedies are also different. Male pattern baldness is a type of baldness from which at lot of people all over the world are suffering. This baldness is also known as Alopecia in men; Baldness-male; Hair loss in men. The main characteristics of this kind of baldness are remaining hair on the head acquire shape of ‘M’ and they become very thin. This baldness generally starts sat the age of 30, however many cases of early hair fall are also reported. The progress of this disease is slow and not associated with itching and pain. The slowness prevents people to take appropriate corrective measures to cure this disease.
Male pattern baldness is usually caused by hormonal disorder in the body and genetic also affect this kind of baldness. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a hormone secreted in the body to initiate the process of puberty in male. This hormone starts the growth of pubic hairs and beard but its effect on hair of head is reverse and deteriorating. It reduces the size of follicle in the scalp. Contracted follicles cannot hold and nourish hair hence hair starts falling. Thus, excess of DHT can be murderous for hair of head.
Male pattern baldness can be cured with the help of Propecia. This is an oral-prescription drug which has approval from FDA. Propecia pills come in volume of 1mg. Propecia (finasteride) is a steroid Type II(±) reductase which can synthesize DHT into 5-Alpha DHT which does not affect follicles of scalp. In simple words it inhibits the unwanted working of DHT and prevents hair from falling.
Pruritus, hypersensitivity, and swelling of lips are some side effects of Propecia. The side effects are mild and will disappear after the use of drug for few days. Though use of Propecia is not associated with any harmful side effect but it is necessary to get doctor’s advice before switching to this drug. While using the drug avoid making your sex partner to conceive child, as the exact result of using Propecia on an embryo is not known.
Propecia effectiveness on male pattern baldness is unquestionable and side effects are minor and short lived then why to continue with ugly baldness.

The human body is continually growing and replacing hair. It is normal to lose a little hair every day. However, there are several conditions that cause abnormal hair loss.
Alopecia areata is hair loss of unknown origin. It results in small, usually round, suddenly appearing patches of complete baldness. There is no known cause. Only one in five cases has a genetic component. Sometimes alopecia areata is a result of an autoimmune disorder.
Alopecia areata is a form of hair loss that appears on the scalp, but may also occur on the beard. Sometimes it can even affect the eyebrows or eyelashes. Sometimes it is a result of stress. Alopecia areata can spontaneously correct itself, or it may respond to topical treatments such as prednisone. Injections and ultraviolet light are other treatments for this form of hair loss.
Another form of hair loss is called traction alopecia. People who wear tight braids, cornrows or ponytails can cause hair loss at places where the scalp has been pulled too tight. Nervous habits such as hair twisting can also cause traction alopecia. If the practice is stopped before the scalp develops scarring, it usually reverses the hair loss fairly quickly. Other kinds of scalp scarring, from overly hot hair treatments or the chemicals used in permanents or hair straightening, for example, may inflame follicles and cause permanent or temporary hair loss.
Some hair loss is caused by medicines such as blood thinners, chemotherapy agents, excessive use of vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants. This losing of hair usually reverses itself after the medication is stopped.
Many women worry about a perceived excessive losing of hair after childbirth. This is actually an issue of perception. During pregnancy, the body retains hair that would have normally fallen out every day. As pregnancy hormone levels drop, the retained hair is quickly lost. Losing several months’ worth of hair is more noticeable than daily shedding, but it is only your hair returning to its normal state and is not indicative of balding.