Want more hair for less? Get a pill cutter
By Stephanie Cooperman
Columbia News Service
When Adam Kolom noticed his hair accumulating around the shower drain, he vowed not to let his hard-earned money follow it down the drain.
"I was very concerned when I saw my own hair beginning to thin," he said. "I looked at Rogaine, hair grafting. It was so expensive."
Kolom, a 23-year-old business consultant in New York, also didn't want to spend the $55 a month for the hair-loss drug Propecia. His insurance company – like most – wouldn't cover the cost of the pill, which contains 1 milligram of the testosterone-blocker finasteride. Then he heard about Proscar, which turns out to be the identical drug, but dispensed in 5-milligram pills. Doctors routinely prescribe Proscar to treat an enlarged prostate, and Kolom's prescription drug plan would help pay for it. The difference is striking: A month's supply of Proscar would cost Kolom only $5, less than one-tenth the cost of Propecia.
So Kolom persuaded his primary care physician to give him a Proscar prescription. Every month he cuts the neon-blue pills in half, taking 2.5 milligrams daily. As he runs his hands through his thick dark brown hair, it's hard to imagine that just 18 months ago he was worried about hair loss.
Some call what Kolom is doing insurance fraud. He calls it common sense.
"Everyone I know is on Proscar," he said. "No one is paying for Propecia."
Searching for the bald truth
Few things concern men quite as much as losing their hair. Lucie Hoe looks at the treatments available
His personal life might be stressful, but Jude Law now has another worry on his plate: the Alfie star is said to be losing his golden hair. Law is reported to be so worried about his receding hairline that he has consulted Dr Michael May, a Harley Street expert, in a quest to save his locks.
He is not alone. Research from the University of Wales found that the prospect of baldness causes at least as much anguish in men as a serious skin condition causes at least as much anguish in men as a serious skin condition, such as psoriasis. "Baldness causes men far more suffering than I had ever imagined," says Elizabeth Steel, founder of Hairline International, a support network. "It does not hurt physically, but it does cause so much suffering across the board: people lose confidence, marriages break down, careers are ruined, and it can lead to suicide attempts."
Law's ex-wife, Sadie Frost, is apparently encouraging him to seek advice from experts in Chinese medicine, homoeopathy and acupuncture. But is she wasting her time?
Here, we review what can and cannot save your crowning glory.
Hair health requires good nutrition, with enough iron, vitamin C, B vitamins and essential fatty acids. "These nutrients can help to reduce hair loss and promote healthy growth," says trichologist Andrew Bernie. Supplements of zinc and silica can also help, as can the amino acid lysine, which helps promote good circulation. Iron deficiency causes a drop in serum ferritin levels, which can slow down the rate of hair growth, and research has shown that redressing this imbalance with iron supplements can help.
"Red meat is an important source of iron, a nutrient that is vital for hair growth," says Bernie. "Anyone who cuts it from their diet could be at risk of deficiency."
NEW YORK — When Adam Kolom noticed his hair accumulating around the shower drain, he vowed not to let his hard-earned money follow it down the drain.
"I was very concerned when I saw my own hair beginning to thin," he said. "I looked at Rogaine, hair grafting. It was so expensive."
Kolom, a 23-year-old business consultant in New York, also didn't want to spend the $55 a month for the hair-loss drug Propecia. His insurance company — like most — wouldn't cover the cost of the pill, which contains 1 milligram of the testosterone-blocker finasteride. Then he heard about Proscar, which turns out to be the identical drug, but dispensed in 5-milligram pills. Doctors routinely prescribe Proscar to treat an enlarged prostate, and Kolom's prescription drug plan would help pay for it. The difference is striking: A month's supply of Proscar would cost Kolom only $5, less than one-tenth the cost of Propecia.
So Kolom persuaded his primary care physician to give him a Proscar prescription. Every month he cuts the neon-blue pills in half, taking 2.5 milligrams daily. As he runs his hands through his thick dark brown hair, it's hard to imagine that just 18 months ago he was worried about hair loss.
Some call what Kolom is doing insurance fraud. He calls it common sense.
"Everyone I know is on Proscar," he said. "No one is paying for Propecia."
A hair-raising news for men is that they bald four times more than women. Going by the survey, the baldness begins at the 16-25 age group for men.
Such alarming facts were made known to the media in the interactive session got up by Dr. Batras' Positive Health Clinic Pvt. Ltd (DBPHCPL) which opened its fourth branch here yesterday. The branch is its 43rd in the world.
The company has introduced TRICHOSCAN, a sophisticated technology for scientific analysis of hair problems, the first-of-its-kind in the country.
As the leaders in providing homeopathic treatment by introducing sophisticated medical diagnostic equipment in their clinics, the new invention will help the doctors measure the hair loss and prescribe treatment as per the need.
Dr Batra observed that hair loss in the 16-25 group has had a staggering increase of 250 per cent in the last five years. 'Mental stress, unbalanced diet, hereditary, scalp and thyroid disorders, use of wrong hair products are the strong factors. Researches have shown that bald people are the least favoured for sales and marketing jobs.'
Dwelling further, Dr Batra lamented that as per a recent German study, 41 per cent of men got preference over 27 per cent of the balding ones for job interviews.
In the view of Mukesh Batra, CMD, DBPHCPL, 'hair loss is a common complaint in clinical dermatology.
The new technology is patient-friendly and inexpensive, providing patients with precise information regarding the stage of hair loss and the rate of growth, augmenting the efficacy of the treatment.'
Dr Akshay Batra, DMD, DBPHCPL, felt that ancient science will now be practised through modern technology combating the challenge of taking specialised cost-effective treatment to the masses with a personal touch.
Crowning Glory
Hair loss. There's no denying it's a frightening thought. If you've been losing your lovely locks, relax, there
is help available. By Julia Bound.
When it started, it was innocent enough. I'd been losing small but noticeable amounts of hair for a while - I'd see the strands on my pillow or clinging to my brush. Then one day a bald patch the size of a five-cent coin appeared on my crown. Within a week its currency value had multiplied to 50 cents. My husband, a proud shaved-head type, began joking that it was true after all - you do end up resembling the person you live with. Ha ha.
One morning I stepped out of the shower, looked in the mirror and screamed. The bald patch now covered almost the entirety of my crown - my previously thick, healthy locks washed away forever down the drain. I needed help. Pronto.
"This problem of hair loss is definitely becoming more widespread," says naturopath and registered nurse, Brenda Rosenfeld. "I'm seeing more and more men, women and young girls come into my clinic very distressed about the chunks of hair they are losing."
feed your follicles
It's estimated that up to 60 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women will experience some type of hair loss within their lifetime. For men, the problem is usually hereditary. For women, causes include nutritional deficiency, pregnancy, menopause and stress. Other possible medical causes of hair loss include auto-immune diseases, fungal infections of the scalp, hormonal imbalances or hereditary contribution.
Known as alopecia areata (small areas of complete hair loss in circular areas) or alopecia totalis (baldness of the entire head) the condition has myriad causes and several options for treatment.
I chose to treat it naturally and holistically. Some of the treatments that were not for me included cortico-steroidal injections into the scalp, hair extensions, anti-androgen drugs to control hormones or artificial follicles "sewn" into the scalp.
Hair Loss Treatment Center is your guide to all the latest developments in hair loss treatment, solutions and products.
