Hairloss PI

Archive for the ‘Male Hair Loss’ Category

Hairloss PI has delved into a number of proposed causes behind hair loss, above and beyond the obvious candidate of genetics. There is one form of hair loss however that is of our own making, quite literally. This form of hair loss, often afflicting the young, is commonly referred to as hair pulling disorder.

Trichotillomania is an irresistible urge to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body, sometimes resulting in significant hair loss, in many cases permanent hair loss.

Hair pulling from the scalp often leaves patchy bald spots, which people with trichotillomania may go to great lengths to disguise.

For some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. For others, the urge to pull hair is overwhelming and can be accompanied by considerable distress. Some treatment options have helped many people reduce their hair pulling or stop entirely.

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Before the introduction of cutting-edge hair loss medications like Rogaine and Propecia; before the development of state-of-the-art hair transplant surgery; the only available hair loss treatments were soaps, sprays and tonics pandered by the likes of questionable snake-oil salesmen to the embarrassed, balding masses.

Fortunately, along with today's wave of hair loss surgery options and prescription medications, newer, more effective hair loss shampoos, conditioners, foams and lotions have also emerged—to help manage receding hair lines on a day-to-day basis. But what makes today's hair loss shampoos and topicals any more effective than the mysterious hair loss potions of the past? To find out more about these treatments' active ingredients and how exactly they can assist with premature hair loss or thinning hair, we've compiled a list of five of today's most popular hair loss shampoos*.

Important Note: Before reading this list, please be aware that no shampoos currently available are FDA approved as a treatment for Male Pattern Baldness.  If a hair follicle has become inactive, no topical shampoo will be able to reverse that; what certain shampoos and treatments can do for hair loss patients is to cosmetically conceal the early signs of hair thinning.

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Men who have fallen victim to baldness may hope to regrow new hair with the help of a new anti-hair loss injection, likely to be available in 5 years’ time.

Male pattern baldness treatment has been made easier and less expensive than before thanks to Propecia and Rogaine, two FDA approved medications with some effectiveness in some men in reducing the rate of hair loss. Now another unique hair loss treatment is under development and is likely to be available on the market within 5 years, according to experts from Yale University.

The proposed baldness treatment, which will use fat cell reserves from the waistline, may also help in streamlining patients’ silhouette, suggests the new research. It says that unused fat cells can send across chemical signals to the dormant hair follicles and reactivate them to produce new hair growth.

The details of the new research have been published in Cell, a peer-reviewed medical journal. A series of lab studies using potentially hair-triggering fat cells have so far been conducted on mice and the scientists hope the results will not vary in humans.

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RepliCel Life Sciences Inc. (REPCF) has developed RepliCel(TM), a natural hair cell replication technology that the company believes has the potential to become the first minimally invasive solution for androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) and general hair loss in men and women. RepliCel(TM) is based on autologous cell implantation technology that replicates a patient's hair cells from his or her own healthy hair follicles. The company's technology is designed to initiate natural hair regeneration when the hair cells are reintroduced into areas of hair loss. Patents have been issued by the European Union and Australia and are pending in other major international jurisdictions.

In December 2010, RepliCel completed the acquisition of two subsidiaries, TrichoScience Innovations Inc. and 583885 B.C. Ltd., pursuant to share exchange agreements. As a result of these acquisitions, the company's business became the development of hair cell replication technology.

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Hair loss is men’s number one cosmetic problem.  Many men ignore the onset of baldness until it is too late.  If you love your hair, you might want to add ‘Baldness calculator’ in your hair care list besides creams, lotions and medicines. As the name suggests, baldness calculator estimates the exact age at which a person will go bald or have lost most of their hair.

Dr Adolf Klenk, head of research and development at hair care company called “Dr Kurt Wolff”, said: more and more men value full hair, especially younger men, as they are looking for a partner and are at the peak of their social lives. Baldness calculator may provide a relief for them as it can predict the age at which a man will go bald or if they will have a full head of hair in the old age.

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A calculator has been launched on the internet aimed at giving men an idea of when, if ever, they will lose their hair.

The dating device comes courtesy of Dr Adolf Klenk, a hair loss specialist associated with the Alpecin research institute in Germany.

His calculator asks the reader a series of questions and then, based on the answers given, predicts the likelihood of possible balding and the approximate age at which it may happen.

If you are feeling brave, you can even upload a picture to see what you would look like with no hair.

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I have always enjoyed a rather thick head of hair, but have noticed of late it may not be as lush in the crown area.  Needless to say this has caused me a great deal of concern, so I was happy for the opportunity to try Reluma’s Men’s Hair Complex, compliments of TIA.  Formulated with their trademark Human Adult Stem Cell technology, it also contains Minoxidil (at 3%) which has been proven effective in hair loss for many.  Before I began use I visited their website to see what results I might expect and here’s an excerpt:

“Invitra Hair Complex is a proprietary formula derived from Invitrx Therapeutic’s adult stem cell and wound healing technology. Invitra replaces what has been lost due to aging and replenishes the essenial growth factors and cytokines in the hair follicle, stimulating growth as well as reducing and preventing further hair loss.”

This was an easy to use product that didn’t require any major change in my regular daily routine – directions are to apply 1-2 pumps evenly to the entire scalp twice daily.  Encased in an airless pump, the light amber color liquid is fragrance free and non-oily.

I shampoo on a daily basis, so I applied the product after towel drying then continued with my regular routine.  I also applied it each night about 30 minutes prior to bedtime. (When applied to a dry scalp at night, it dried in the same time as if water were applied.) Since the product has the same consistency as water, it didn’t alter the way I usually style my hair or the way it behaved.  I would categorize my scalp in the “normal” range – it’s neither overly dry nor oily and I don’t have any problems with dandruff.  Using the product didn’t change this either way and I also didn’t experience any breakouts or itching during my use.  This is 30ml/1.1 oz ($61.50) and using twice daily it has lasted for a month and two days.

I’ve often read that it’s normal to shed about 100 hairs daily, but it is also important to know that your hair also experiences changes as explained below:

At any given time, hairs are in various stages of growth. The hair growth cycle can be divided into 3 phases:

Anagen – this is the phase of active growth. A new hair is formed which pushes the old club hair up the follicle and eventually out. During this phase the hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. On the human scalp, the anagen phase of each hair follicle lasts for about 2 to 6 years.

Catagen – this phase marks the follicular regression and at any given point 3% of hairs on the scalp are in this phase. This phase lasts approximately 2-3 weeks.

Telogen –this is a resting phase and 10-15% of all scalp hairs are in the telogen phase. This phase normally lasts for about 3 months.

Every single hair follicle goes through these three stages of hair growth. Noticeable hair thinning or baldness is partly a result of a short anagen phase and a particularly long  telogen phase, which eventually leads to the shutting down of hair follicles completely which marks the end of their growth cycle.

Although I’m not sure exactly which phase my hair is currently in, I think it’s of value to realize that each person will go through these stages of growth and loss.  I can say I did notice a change while I used the Reluma, namely the amount of hair shedding. It took a couple of weeks before I began to notice, but at that point forward, I started to see a decrease in the amount of hair shed.  I believe that I began with the ‘normal’ amount of hair shedding but since I saw that amount noticeably decrease while using the Reluma, I think it has had a positive effect.  As for regrowth, it’s a bit hard to tell, but I can’t say that I see any noticeable difference at this point, but it also has not gotten worse.  That said, I do think seeing less hair shedding is enough to give this a thumbs up.

Ingredients:

Human Adipose Derived Stem Cell Conditioned Media, Water, Minoxidil Sulfate 3%, Cellulose Gum, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate-20.

http://www.stylebistro.com/Fashion+Forum/articles/PYOd8eUK7Ql/Reluma+Hair+Complex+For+Men

Follica has raised more money for its quest against hair follicle disorders like male pattern baldness. The biotech startup, which is developing drugs that could spur the formation of new hair follicles, has raised $7.5 million in equity financing, according to an SEC filing.

Daphne Zohar, a Follica co-founder and managing director at PureTech Ventures in Boston, says the funding mentioned in the SEC filing is part of the startup’s Series B round of funding. The new cash came from Follica’s previous backers, which include PureTech, InterWest Partners, of Menlo Park, CA, and Waltham, MA-based Polaris Venture Partners. The Series B round was initially announced as an $11 million financing back in 2008, but Zohar says that was not the actual amount raised at the time and this latest infusion of capital brings the total round to $13 million. (Editor’s note: this paragraph was changed from the originally published version to include additional details from Zohar about the total amount raised in Follica’s second round of financing.)

“The investors are pleased,” Zohar said. “Things are going really well—it’s really exciting.”

Exactly how much progress Follica has made in developing a new hair-loss therapy, or whether baldness is the number-one target in its pipeline, Zohar wouldn’t say. The policy of the firm, she said, has been not to comment in detail on R&D activities.

I did learn from Zohar that the company’s headquarters are now in Mendham, NJ, and have been since drug industry veteran William Ju took over as the firm’s CEO last year. Yet the firm continues to conduct drug-delivery and device research as well as corporate development in Boston, she said. Ju was not immediately available for comment this afternoon.

Unfortunately, this funding news doesn’t provide any new clues about whether Follica is much closer to bringing to market a treatment for baldness. Judging from the frenzy of interest in our previous Follica posts, it’s clear that many people are excited about the firm’s approach of generating new follicles to grow shoots of hair. Its technology, which is licensed from the University of Pennsylvania, could also be used to deliver permanent removal of unwanted hair.

If anything, we could hold out hope that more money for Follica means it has a greater chance of advancing its much-anticipated treatments for hair loss.

Male-pattern baldness and an enlarged prostate go hand in hand, Spanish researchers reported Monday at a San Francisco meeting of the American Urological Assn.  The findings hint that early hair loss could be sign that men are going to develop prostate disease and that preventive treatment should be begun, they said.

Male pattern baldness, formally known as androgenetic alopecia, is the most common type of hair loss in men. It is associated with higher-than-normal levels of an enzyme known as 5-alpha-reductase, which converts the male hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Baldness results from a genetic defect that renders hair follicles more susceptible to the influence of dihydrotestosterone, causing them to shrink when exposed to it. The enzyme also plays a role in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and researchers have long speculated about a link between the two conditions. In fact, Propecia, a drug that is used to combat hair loss, contains the same ingredient -- finasteride -- as Proscar, which is used to prevent or treat BPH. It inhibits 5-alpha-reductase.

The Spanish researchers studied 30 men with early-onset male pattern baldness and compared them to a group of men with full heads of hair. None of the participants had been diagnosed with BPH or were taking drugs to prevent it. Using ultrasound, the researchers found that the volume of the prostates was 34% larger in the bald men, while their urine flow was 32% lower, indicating that they had an early stage of BPH.

"BPH is a very treatable condition that can significantly impact quality of life if left unchecked," Dr. Kevin T. McVary, a urology association spokesman, said in a statement. "The study suggests that patients with [baldness] should talk with their doctors about any urinary symptoms they may be experiencing so that we can minimize this impact by taking preventative measures."

-- Thomas H. Maugh II

The month of August has been designated as hair loss awareness month by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Every year the AAD runs a public awareness campaign to educate people and to refute the hair loss myths that may delay millions from seeking diagnosis and treatment.

The public education campaign raises awareness about the signs of hereditary hair loss, a condition that affects 80 million American men and women.

True or false?

1) A man will lose his hair only if his grandfather on his mother’s side was bald.
2) Women rarely lose their hair.
3) The likelihood of hair loss varies by racial heritage or ethnicity.

All of these statements are false says the American Academy of Dermatology.

“The AAD wants to reach those men and women who look in the mirror every morning and overlook the initial signs of hereditary hair loss,” says dermatologist Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. “Sometimes denial keeps them from seeking treatment. But often it’s a belief in common myths about hair loss that may cause them to wait months, or even years, before consulting their dermatologist – if they seek treatment at all.”

Three of the most common myths about hereditary hair loss are:

Myth #1: Hereditary hair loss is passed only from the mother’s side of the family.

Fact: Men and women should look at both sides of their family tree for relatives with hereditary hair loss. The condition can be inherited from their mother, their father, or from both parents.

Myth #2: Hereditary hair loss is rare among women.

Fact: In the United States, 30 million women—or one in four—experience hereditary hair loss. Less frequent causes for hair loss in women include stress, illness, medication, diet, and pregnancy. But 70 percent of women with thinning hair can attribute it to hereditary hair loss.

Myth #3: Prevalence of hereditary hair loss varies by ethnic or racial background.

Fact: Race neither increases nor decreases a person’s likelihood of experiencing hereditary hair loss. Hereditary hair loss affects all ethnicities.

About Hereditary Hair Loss and Treatment Options

Hereditary hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia, is marked by a progressive miniaturization of hair follicles, causing a shortening of the hair’s growth cycle. As the growth phase shortens, the hair becomes thinner and shorter. Eventually there is no growth at all. Because hereditary hair loss is gradual, the sooner treatment is started, the better the chances of results.

There are several different treatment options for men and women suffering from hereditary hair loss:

Minoxidil (Rogaine) topical solution works on hair follicles to reverse the shrinking process and stimulate new growth on the top of your scalp. It is sold over the counter and is FDA-approved for use by men and women. Minoxidil is the only hair regrowth ingredient approved by the FDA for use by women.

Finasteride, (Propecia) a pill taken orally, stimulates hair regrowth by blocking the formation of the active male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is FDA-approved for use by men and is available by prescription.

Hair transplantation involves removing healthy hair follicles from one area of the scalp and transplanting them to the bald areas.

More information about hair loss and treatment options is available online at the American Academy of Dermatology Web site, http://www.aad.org, or visit the American Hair Loss Association web site, http://www.americanhairloss.org/