New site releases guide to hair loss treatments
According to i-hairloss.com, the desire to avoid hair loss is not confined to our time. In ancient Egypt, men used to rub fat from crocodiles, snakes, lions, and other animals on their head in hopes of preventing or treating hair loss. Today, this motivation to avoid balding is still evident.
There are many available hair loss remedies that include creams, vitamins, hormones, wigs, hairpieces, hair transplants, and scalp-reduction procedures. A report filed recently by the FDA stated that in a nine year time-span, about 300,000 hair loss treatment products claiming to help hair regrowth were investigated.
According to i-hairloss.com, non-surgical treatment options also include hair additions such as hair weaves, hairpieces and toupees. i-hairloss.com explains that these devices are made of human hair, synthetic fibers or a combination of both. Constructed in a variety of ways, these hair loss aides can give you the look of having a full, natural head of hair without the expense of costly surgeries or expensive medicines.
If typical hair loss treatment products aimed to slow down or stop hair loss are ineffective and you have the time and money, there are surgical treatments for hair-loss.
Hair Loss provides detailed information about the cause of male and hair loss, as well as products, treatments, remedies, and more.
How to treat hair loss
For your lovely tressesA serious matter of concern for most people— hair loss can be treated
NO OTHER treatment in modern times has aroused as much passion and controversy as hair treatment. An estimated 95 per cent of hair loss is genetic, but other factors, such as nutrition, overall health, hormone deficiencies, overcoloring of hair and emotional stress also contribute to the problem.
According to Dr Mukesh Batra, chairman and managing director of Dr Batra’s Positive Health Clinic, "Hair loss is universally regarded as a negative trait with a poor image of a bald man or woman. The overall impression is that hair and lots of it is good. And the loss of it, on the other hand is interpreted as a sign of weakness and ageing."
In fact, a recent German study showed that when applying for jobs, 41 per cent of men with an abundant crop of hair were selected for job interviews while only 27 per cent of men with bald pates were selected.
Another reason for controversy is that for every genuine treatment that exists today, there are probably 10 more other treatments—which in the medical world are politely described as ‘snake oil’ treatment. Billions of dollars are spent every year by research and development wings of various medical institutes in searching for a safe and effective cure of hair loss.
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http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=149586#
P&G partner Curtis in hair loss treatment research
P&G, Curis partner in hair growth researchProcter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals has entered into a research and development agreement with Curis, Inc. to study and develop possible treatments for hair growth regulation using Curis' Hedgehog agonist technology, Curis announced Monday.
Scientists at Curis Inc. a therapeutic drug development company, have shown that small molecule Hedgehog agonists can induce hair growth.
P&G was granted a license to use the technology and Curis will have the option to co-develop, as well as retain rights to veterinary applications of the technology.
"Procter & Gamble's expertise in pharmaceutical development, combined with their solid track record in creating market-leading hair and skin care products, makes them an excellent choice as a partner for our hair program," said Daniel R. Passeri, Curis president and chief executive officer. "This is the second collaboration agreement structured to provide Curis possible co-development opportunities. Collaborating with major pharmaceutical companies to execute clinical programs is one way to build Curis' internal development capabilities to re-apply to our in-house programs."
Procter & Gamble Co. has agreed to pay Curis a $500,000 initial payment and up to $2.8 million in pre-clinical milestones, contingent upon achievement of certain pre-clinical goals.
Curis scientists showed in a February study that a small molecule Hedgehog agonist, applied to the skin, triggered hair follicles from the resting to the growth phase of the hair cycle. They concluded that it may be effective in treating hair disorders such as male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss.
About 80 million men and women in the United States suffer from hair loss.
Published September 19, 2005 by the Cincinnati Business Courier
Stress could be cause of your hair loss
Losing your hair? It could be stressMadeleine Brindley, Western Mail
THE hectic pace of modern life and stressful working hours could be to blame for premature hair loss and even greying.
Experts say they are seeing more people suffering hair loss as a result of stress.
The comments come as Scottish television presenter Gail Porter unveiled her shaved head and red mohican after suffering from stress-related alopecia.
Her blond hair, as seen in the picture, right, had been falling out for weeks until she decided to take drastic action, following a turbulent year which had seen her going through a divorce from husband Dan Hipgrave, caring for her three-year-old daughter Honey and travelling to America every two weeks. She has also struggled with post-natal depression and in March took an overdose of pain-killers in a cry for help.
She said, "In a way shaving my head feels like a new beginning for me. It's me saying goodbye to everything that's been going on. I have had my share of stress this year and I just want to start looking forward now. I'm not on the edge of a nervous breakdown or anything like that."
The Institute of Trichologists, experts in the science of the structure, function and diseases of the human hair, said the type of alopecia Ms Porter suffers from - alopecia areata - affects about one in 100 people and has been linked to stress.
The condition typically causes one or more small bald patches, which are about the size of a 50p piece, to appear on the scalp. The hair may start to re-grow at one site, while another bald patch develops. But the hair may also thin all over.
Alopecia occurs when the body's immune system begins to attack its own hair follicles, and special white blood cells in the body cause the hair to stop growing. The hair then enters into the resting phase before falling out. But the follicles remain active and can start to produce new hair shafts.
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Chinese herbal medicine may prevent hair loss
Tsumura Elucidates That White Mulberry Extract May Help Prevent Hair LossBy Aki Tsukioka, JCNN
Tokyo (JCNN) - Japan's leading kampo (Chinese herbal medicine) manufacturer Tsumura announced on September 13 the results of its latest research on white mulberry (Morus alba), a kind of Chinese herbal medicine.
According to its recent mice experiments, an extract of white mulberry has a property to inhibit the binding of TGF-beta 1 receptors so that it can help prevent hair loss.
It is generally considered that the binding of TGF-beta 1 receptors induces apoptosis of hair follicle cells and triggers hair loss.
Details of the research will be presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pharmacognosy to be held in Kanazawa from September 16. Tsumura will proceed with further research with a view to developing innovative hair-growth drug using white mulberry.
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New therapy treatment for hair loss
New mesotherapy techniques unveiled in workshopMoms who have just given birth, senior men with hair-loss problems, and beauty-conscious individuals now have reasons to rejoice with the introduction of MesoLift, Meso Alopecia and Meso stretchmarks. These latest techniques on Mesotherapy were recently unveiled in an exclusive workshop for medical practitioners organized by Creative Skin & Spa Products. Creative Skin is the same company which propelled the popularity of this breakthrough treatment in the Philippines.
Dr. Philippe Deprez, noted Belgian doctor who has been practicing this form of non-surgical treatment for the past thirty years, and Dr. Florencio Lucero, President of the Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons both presented the newest techniques to the doctors/participants of the Experts’ Workshop on Mesotherapy held at the Quezon City Sports Club last August 30.
A praised alternative for plastic surgery, Mesotherapy relies on the administration of microinjections of customized mixtures and pharmaceutical agents in the mesodermic layer of the skin, right above the problematic areas. It has been renowned for its tremendous effectiveness in delivering healing and corrective treatment. Problems on cellulite, baldness, wrinkles, ageing etc., can be aptly solved thru Meso sessions.
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Can your diet cause hair loss?
Changes in diet can sometimes lead to hair lossBy Tara Parker-Pope, The Wall Street Journal
Dieters hoping to lose weight are discovering they're losing something else -- their hair.
The little-talked-about secret of the dieting industry is that a successful diet can also trigger hair loss. As Americans struggle with obesity and tackle countless fad diets, some dermatologists say they are increasingly hearing complaints from perplexed dieters about thinning hair.
After Esther Sokol, a New York City records manager, lost nine pounds on the Atkins diet a few years ago, her hairdresser noticed her usually thick hair was beginning to thin. It was only after talking with doctors and hair experts that she learned her diet was the likely culprit.
"Diet was the only major change I'd made," says Ms. Sokol.
Hair loss can be triggered by a variety of factors including pregnancy, stress, surgery and age-related hormonal changes, to name a few. But few people realize that weight loss can also cause hair to shed, likely due to a nutritional deficiency. Although iron deficiency is often associated with diet-related hair loss, a range of nutrient deficiencies can result in thinning hair, dermatologists say. Changes in levels of zinc, magnesium, protein, essential fatty acids and vitamins D, B and A can all trigger episodes of shedding hair. The problem affects both men and women, but women are more likely to notice it and seek treatment, say doctors.
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Younger women experiencing hair loss
Younger Women See Hair Fall OutAdrienne Mitchell, WTOP Radio
WASHINGTON - If you're a stressed out mom who's not eating or sleeping as much as you should, you may notice something your mother and grandmother is experiencing: hair loss.
Women in their 30s and even 20s are getting treatment for hair loss -- a condition that usually affects much older women.
Dr. Martin Behnke of Medical Hair Restoration in Chevy Chase says he's seeing more younger women with hair loss problems.
"In the past two years, about 20 percent of our patients we do procedures on are women now, where before it was like 5 percent, 3 percent," Behnke says.
"What would have been lost in 10, 15, 20 years, they're losing it in six months to a year."
According to the National Institutes of Health, a number of factors can cause hair loss and baldness, including aging heredity and testosterone.
Some other causes include the following:
* Stress, both emotional and physical
* Poor diet
* Lack of sleep
* Hormonal changes from thyroid disease, childbirth or birth control pills
* Serious illnesses
* Too much shampooing and blow-drying
* Nervous habits (hair pulling or scalp rubbing)
If you're losing your hair, talk to your doctor .
Surgery should be a last resort after changing your lifestyle and trying products, such as Rogaine and Propecia.
Source
Changes in diet can sometimes lead to hair loss
By Tara Parker-Pope, The Wall Street Journal
Dieters hoping to lose weight are discovering they're losing something else -- their hair.
The little-talked-about secret of the dieting industry is that a successful diet can also trigger hair loss. As Americans struggle with obesity and tackle countless fad diets, some dermatologists say they are increasingly hearing complaints from perplexed dieters about thinning hair.
After Esther Sokol, a New York City records manager, lost nine pounds on the Atkins diet a few years ago, her hairdresser noticed her usually thick hair was beginning to thin. It was only after talking with doctors and hair experts that she learned her diet was the likely culprit.
"Diet was the only major change I'd made," says Ms. Sokol.
Hair loss can be triggered by a variety of factors including pregnancy, stress, surgery and age-related hormonal changes, to name a few. But few people realize that weight loss can also cause hair to shed, likely due to a nutritional deficiency. Although iron deficiency is often associated with diet-related hair loss, a range of nutrient deficiencies can result in thinning hair, dermatologists say. Changes in levels of zinc, magnesium, protein, essential fatty acids and vitamins D, B and A can all trigger episodes of shedding hair. The problem affects both men and women, but women are more likely to notice it and seek treatment, say doctors.
Source
Hair care with herbs
HAIR consists of a protein called keratin and each hair has a follicle, which determines the nature of the strand. It is imperative that we ensure that each follicle is nourished adequately in order to have healthy hair.
If you want to keep your hair healthy, you have to avoid the enemies of healthy hair – too much sun, vitamin deficiencies, illness or other stresses, certain drugs like sulfa drugs and birth control pills, and cosmetic assaults like perming or dyeing. There is also the issue of environmental contamination, as from chlorine.
Hair loss is a common disorder that affects men and women of all ages; and about 50% of men and women suffer from hair loss by the age of 40. Androgenetic alopecia and diffuse hair loss (telogen effluvium) are the common causes, while alopecia areata (patchy balding) affects 1.7% of the population.
Many factors cause hair loss. These include malnutrition and crash dieting, pregnancy and childbirth, UV radiation exposure, drugs, endocrine disorders, extreme physical and emotional stress, and severe systemic illness.
In studies involving mice, stress has been shown to inhibit hair growth by inducing premature hair growth cycles and by initiating a cascade of inflammatory processes, which are strong inhibitors of hair follicle growth.
Another common disorder that plagues the scalp is dandruff. The yeast Pityrosporum ovale is the causative microorganism (fungus) of dandruff, which releases certain fatty acids which in turn trigger inflammatory processes, causing scalp inflammation and tissue damage.
Poor diet, poor hygiene, genetic disposition, hormonal imbalances and infections contribute to dandruff. Excessive use of hairsprays and hair gels, improper use of hair-colouring products, excessive use of electric hair curlers, dry indoor heating, tight fitting headgears or scarves, infrequent shampooing of the hair, inadequate rinsing of hair, stress, anxiety and tension worsen dandruff.
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L'Oreal holding symposium on hair loss
L'Oreal's Third International Symposium on Ethnic Hair and Skin Spotlights New Treatments, Key Dermatological IssuesCHICAGO, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The third international symposium on ethnic hair and skin, a gathering of respected scientific thought leaders, will convene this September in Chicago, sponsored by the L'Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research, in partnership with Howard University College of Medicine, Department of Dermatology.
The symposium, "Ethnic Hair & Skin: Advancing the Scientific Frontier," will bring together dermatologists, other physicians and scientists from academia, industry and private practice to discuss the latest ethnic-specific research. The three day event will be held September 23 through 25, 2005, at The Fairmont Hotel, 200 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago, and will feature presentations by a number of leading researchers from around the world.
This year, the symposium breaks new ground by exploring not only new laboratory research, but also experimental clinical treatments, including use of lasers to treat hair and skin problems.
"This year's exciting research offers new hope that serious hair and skin problems can be controlled, either by using new treatments being presented or by building on the findings of researchers in the field," said Victoria Holloway Barbosa, MD, MPH, director of the L'Oreal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research. "This symposium demonstrates how L'Oreal's commitment to science extends beyond the company, into the larger scientific community, providing a forum to discuss the very real concerns for women and men of different ethnicities.
"Disfiguring hair and skin disorders can dramatically affect how an individual copes with the world," Holloway Barbosa added. "Finding tangible solutions will do more than make people look better; it will contribute to their quality of life. The research shared during the Symposium represents a significant step toward treating these problems."
The research findings to be presented deal with a variety of dermatological issues confronting ethnic consumers, including:
-- New treatments for pseudofolliculits barbae or hair bumps.
-- New treatments for alopecia, or hair loss in women of color.
-- New research into maturational hyperpigmentation or age spots.
-- The use of new molecules in preventing melanogenesis or pigmentation
spots.
-- Strengthening African hair.
-- Use of lasers in the treatment of acne.
-- Use of lasers in the treatment of facial hair.
"This event continues to break new ground," said Dr. Rebat Halder, Chairman of the Howard University Department of Dermatology and co-chair of the symposium. "Approximately 80 percent of the world's population are people of color, deriving from places such as Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, however, most of the scientific community's understanding of the structure and function of hair and skin comes from research on Caucasian people. This symposium and the work of L'Oreal's Institute are significant in broadening the knowledge base."
The Symposium will also feature keynote addresses by two women who understand the issues facing ethnic consumers and the importance of this research: Mikki Taylor, cover and beauty editor of Essence magazine, and A'Lelia Bundles, author of the critically-acclaimed, best-selling biography about her great-great-grandmother On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker.
"The research being discussed here is critical to solving the problems affecting millions of consumers and patients worldwide," said Dr. Susan Taylor, Founding Director, Skin of Color Center at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York. "L'Oreal is helping to focus the rigorous science of skin and hair on the needs of ethnic people. This science improves our knowledge of skin and hair diseases, treatments and products. This exciting meeting lays critical groundwork for the future."
Researchers, healthcare providers and others interested in registering for or learning more about the symposium should e-mail: Loreal@ghgroup.com or phone: 877-327-8564.
Preventive Measures for Hair Loss
By Han Eun-jung
Staff Reporter
Washing your hair and eating are rituals carried out on a regular basis. However, you may be one of the many that underestimates their importance in the maintenance of strong, healthy and shiny hair and how easily they can work as preventive measures of hair loss if done properly.
Genetics, having been the primary cause of hair loss in the past, has now been surpassed by stress and pollution in responsibility for it. In South Korea, an estimated 3.3 million men and 2.9 million women are suffering from hair loss.
Lee Hwang-hee, who chairs the KAT, calls hair loss an ailment, given the amount of pain and suffering it can inflict upon an individual.
According to a survey conducted by the Korean Association for Trichology (KAT) in time for the International Hair & Scalp Care Expo 2005 that was held in Seoul last weekend, 98 percent of the 364 people questioned replied that losing one’s hair puts he or she at a disadvantage in normal everyday life.
Seventy-five percent said that the condition affects their personal relationships with the opposite sex and socializing in general.
``That is why there needs to be a change in how we view the issue and take care of our hair,’’ Lee said.
The following are simple easy-to-follow tips that the KAT suggests you follow to maintain healthy hair.
Shampooing 101
What many may not know is that often damage to the hair is self-inflicted in the process of washing it _ and washing is ideally what should be one of the first steps in maintaining a healthy mane.
-How Often
Frequency differs from person to person. Shampooing everyday is not the answer to healthy hair, but also does not cause hair loss. If you have a dry scalp it is better to shampoo every other day while an oily scalp will require a wash on a daily basis.
-How Much You Should Use
Many people associate lather with cleansing ability. However, a head heaped with high mounds of later only means that too much shampoo was used. The amount of shampoo used should be about the size of a coin, which should be just enough to lubricate the scalp and hair.
Water temperature
The water used should be lukewarm or cool, as hot water tends to dry out the scalp and hair. After rinsing the hair of all suds, it is suggested that you rinse one final time with cold water. The cold water will tighten the hair, strengthening it and giving it extra bounce.
Diet
Hair, composed primarily of proteins (88 percent), is technically a byproduct of the body’s functions. Therefore if your body is operating on the best of nutrients, the healthier and better your hair will be.
Haircut benefits children with long-term medical hair loss
By Carol La Valley, Roundup staff reporter
Friday, September 9, 2005
When Jamie Ludtke saw Locks of Love featured on "The Montel Williams Show," her heart went out to children who had lost their hair due to disease.
"I thought, my hair grows really fast. I need to do that," Ludtke said. That was July. On Friday, Sept. 2, hairdresser Kristy Sauder at Backstreet cut off a bit more than 10 inches of Ludtke's hair.
Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that uses donated hair to create hairpieces that are given to financially disadvantaged children 18 years and younger suffering from long-term medical hair loss.
According to Locks of Love the majority of all hair donated is by children, but anyone with real hair -- straight or curly may donate a 10-inch or longer ponytail. Hair that is gray or unsuitable for children is sold at fair market value to offset the cost of manufacturing the wigs.
Sauder said that over the years she has had several men just drop in to have their hair cut off so they could donate it.
Locks of Love can be reached at (888)896-1588 for more information.
Article source
Hair loss editorial
Heads you loseBy Jonathan Moules
“Baldy! Slaphead! Spam!” How we laughed at those chrome-domed adults when we were mop-headed teenagers.
Kids can be cruel. Pulling up our thick fringes and smacking our palms against our bare foreheads whenever a man with a receding hairline passed us in the street seemed so funny at the time.
The leader of one local youth group, who from recollection appeared to have lost his hair at a disconcertingly early age, was nicknamed Grandad.
Mr Porter, a French teacher at my school who had the misfortune of having a puny frame as well as a smooth head, was once pinned to the wall by a gang of boys in the top year and had the word “Spam” scrawled in Biro across his head.
But fate is a fickle creature and retribution sometimes comes to those that mock.
I had not even got to the end of my twenties when, standing in one of those restaurant toilets where the mirrors face one another, I first noticed the thinning at the back of my head.
At first I would try to ignore it, hoping that it was a trick of the light. This delusion was shattered when I happened to comment to a female friend about an acquaintance who was losing his locks. “You’re a fine one to talk,” she shot back.
Hair loss is one of society’s last legitimate targets for ridicule and prejudice, alongside being ginger. You cannot help but feel sorry for Neil Kinnock.
Part of the problem is a lack of solidarity among the hairless. Elton John might be proud to be gay, but he has spent untold amounts of money having his thinning crown replanted because of the shame of a hairless head.
Hair loss article source
Hair today, not gone tomorrow
Products and trends for head to toeBY ERICA CORSANO
Hairdos haven’t been this big since Hairspray hit the Broadway stage. Bold, long locks are a girl’s dream come true. But what if you were born with mousy hair, your hair is thinning, or you just can’t handle your curls? We went to Boston’s experts for advice on how to make the most of problem hair and learned that we’ve come a long way since Aqua Net.
Issue one: thinning hair. For those who think this is a problem that affects only men, you’re terribly mistaken. Millions of women around the world suffer from some form of hair loss, and the number appears to be rising each year. Many things can cause hair loss, including stress, heredity, and illness. If gobs of hair appear in your hand after you brush or after a quick shampoo, you might have a serious problem. The good news is that technology to treat thinning hair has advanced a great deal over the years.
Full report
The buzz on baldness
The follically challenged are taking it all off for premeditated styleBy Pat Seremet
Special to The Morning Call
September 5, 2005
Jeffrey Reynolds of Wethersfield, Conn., didn't like losing his hair at 30 — especially when he caught an aerial view of his head in a movie he was in that was shot in Hartford. Then when he was hosting a Halloween party at the Elks Club, Reynolds, now 35, decided to shave his head and go as Dr. Evil. He's never gone back.
Ryan Gorneau of Newington is 24 and said he used to check the pillow every night for hair, which started thinning when he was 20. He recently took the same route — he shaved his head. And like Reynolds and many others who go that route, he grew a goatee.
Matt Smith of Hartford, 27, started losing his hair at 22, but he's still got enough to work with so he hasn't reached for the shaver yet. Still, he said, he's irritated to be losing his hair so young, especially when his father still has a full head of hair. He has friends in their early 20s who've gone for expensive hair consultations.
''It's younger and younger that men are noticing it, and caring about it,'' said Aaron Krach, senior editor at Cargo, a magazine directed at the men's market. ''They heard their dads worrying about it.''
The unspeakable ''it'' is balding.
Women worry about gaining. Men, even today's twenty-thirtysomethings, worry about losing. MSNBC recently had a special on hair loss hosted by none other than the rapidly thinning Matt Lauer. It's so much a worry that people who have it even have a politically correct euphemism — follicly challenged. One can buy caps and shirts that proclaim it, and there's even a hair salon, Shear Perfection in Hollywood, that gives discounts for "the follicly challenged.''
There are all sorts of theories about why men lose their hair. High on the list are genetics and the hormone testosterone.
Krach was surprised to see, in an interview in Cargo's September issue, that tennis star Andy Roddick was concerned that wearing his baseball cap all day would cause balding.
''He's only 23, has a great huge head of hair and he's worried,'' Krach said.
Full report source
Hair loss treatment improving
Legitimate remedies for balding are improvingPat O'Brien The Press-Enterprise
Hair loss, like weight gain and aging skin, causes people to try everything from over-the-counter beauty products to surgery.
The newest treatment is literally hair-raising. Hair cloning or multiplication of hair cells could be in clinical trials by next year and be a treatment for balding in four years. It depends on Food and Drug Administration approval.
For now, balding men and women will have to depend on available treatments.
Cloning would be an adjunct to hair transplantation, a procedure dramatically improved in recent years. Early methods looked like doll's hair. Now the look is natural, moving follicles in units of one to four hairs instead of clumps.
"It was really cool, the best thing I've ever done," said Les Livingston who had a transplant nine months ago. The Riverside resident said his new look has boosted his confidence.
"I do sales. I feel much more confident when I talk to people. I feel younger, and I look younger," the 45-year-old said.
He endured 11 hours in the surgical chair and had 2,400 hair grafts at Medical Hair Restoration in Beverly Hills. Many people break up treatments, rather than do it all at once as Livingston did.
In a transplant, genetically different hair from the back and sides of the head is moved to the top, where most balding takes place. People are born with 100,000 hair follicles, but genetics can make follicles on top shrink due to sensitivity to the hormone DHT. The result is receding hairlines, thinning hair and bald spots.
Transplants cost $3,000 to $30,000, depending on hair loss and number of grafts.
Full hair loss report
Live webcast for hair loss sufferers
Suffering from alopecia? Join top trichologist Carol Michaelides for a live webchat at 9.30amWith over a million people suffering from alopecia in Britain and many more suffering in silence, there is still no set cure for this condition, which for many has devastating effects.
The word alopecia comes from the Greek 'alopex' which is literally translated as 'fox's disease'. However, today alopecia areata is defined as hair loss in patches.
Alopecia is defined as a hair loss disease that effects men, women and children. The onset of hair loss is often sudden, random and frequently recurrent. While the disease itself is not damaging to the person's health, coping with hair loss can prove challenging.
Epidemology
Alopecia affects approximately 1.7% of the population, including more than four million people in the US, with both men and women being equally affected. About 25% of patients have a family history of the disorder.
It's reported that 90,000 people in the UK are affected by alopecia - though these figures are under estimated as many people do not report their suffering.
What causes Alopecia? |
The exact cause of alopecia is presently not known, although it is generally agreed that it is a disease of the autoimmune system. In addition, there is believed to be a genetic component in some cases and some studies have shown a link with stress.
In alopecia, the affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by a person's own immune system (white blood cells), possibly due to chemicals called cytokines, resulting in the arrest of the anagen (hair growth) stage and a move to the telogen (resting) phase where the hairs are then abruptly shed.
Hair loss article source
Hair loss question
Q. I am 23 years old and have problem of losing my hair. I have been told that shampoo could be the main reason of it. What makes hair loss worse? Can I prevent losing hair? I would appreciate if you could let me know?
Concerned Reader Singida.
A.Whatever the main reason for hair loss, there are other factors, which can make the problem worse. These are: rubbing or pulling hair, stress, serious illness, a high fever or a big operation, thyroid disease, loss of blood – anemia due to any reason, child birth, some skin disease affecting the scalp for example psoriasis and some types of medication especially those to treat cancer. If the tendency to lose hair runs in your family there is nothing you can do to stop it happening to you, but it makes sense to take extra care of your hair, to try and keep the loss down as much as possible. Do not use dyes. These dry the hair and make it weaker. Vigorous rubbing, scratching or massaging of the scalp can damage hair. Use a soft bristled brush and be gentle do not tug at hair. Do not be afraid to use shampoo or hairspray. None of these should cause hair loss. There are no special shampoos, which often help, but occasionally may be too strong and make the problem worse. Find mild shampoo and stick to it. Avoid anti-dandruff shampoos and brushing and combing your hair a lot, all of which stimulates grease glands.
To make the very best of your hair you need to look after it with care. Here are some tips: washing the scalp and grease produced by the scalp. How quickly your hair becomes dirty also depends on your work and where do you live. Hair can be washed with soap but expect difficulties rinsing it out completely. It is some times better to use shampoo, which usually contains a detergent, soap, water and oils. Do not rub hair roughly with towel to dry it. Instead pat-dry to remove most of the water and then comb it into places. There is no reason why you should not blow-dry it provided you use low heat. Avoid using strong heat. Dry hair is due to the scalp not producing as much grease, as it should. It may also make an already thinning scalp look balder. Special shampoos, which leave more oil behind and contain conditioner to make the hair look shiny, may help.
Actress gives wigs to hair loss suferrers
Raquel Welch gives out wigs on her birthdayBy WENN
Sep 2, 2005, 19:00 GMT
Movie star Raquel Welch is planning to celebrate her upcoming 65th birthday in a generous fashion - by handing out wigs to cancer sufferers.
The stunning pensioner, who hits 65 on Monday (05 September 05), has announced plans to donate $1 million (GBP555,500) worth of Hair To Wear wigs to the American Cancer Society - to mark her big day.
The charity plans to hand the wigs out to cancer patients who have suffered hair loss during chemotherapy treatment, through its Look Good... Feel Better programme.
Welch says, \"When a woman gets into this kind of life threatening situation, there is apparently a deep resource that comes to the surface and the morale, the attitude, the spirit of these women is amazing.
\"It is very enriching for me to be around. I don\'t feel sad around them; I feel inspired.\"
Curis publishes hair growth report
Hedgehog Agonists Modulate Hair Growth; Preclinical Data Published in The Journal of Investigational DermatologyCAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 2005--Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a therapeutic drug development company, today announced the publication of data reporting on the therapeutic efficacy of one of Curis' proprietary Hedgehog pathway activators in an adult animal model of hair growth. The results of the study show that a topically applied small molecule agonist of the Hedgehog signaling pathway can stimulate the transition of hair follicles from the resting to the growth stage of the hair cycle. The Hedgehog agonist induces hair growth and causes no other detectable short or long-term changes in the skin of the animals. This study also demonstrated that the Hedgehog agonist is active in human scalp in vitro as measured by Hedgehog pathway gene expression. The results suggest that topical application of a Hedgehog agonist could be effective in treating hair loss conditions, including male and female pattern hair loss. These results expand on those that were presented at the February 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Curis' Hedgehog agonist program was exclusively licensed to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in January of 2004. Under the terms of the license agreement, Curis retained the right to develop Hedgehog agonists for topical treatment to stimulate hair growth. The license agreement was subsequently amended to broaden Curis' development rights to include topical applications to treat or prevent skin diseases or disorders and Wyeth has approved a group of Hedgehog agonist compounds for use in Curis' retained programs.
"We are encouraged by these preclinical results showing the utility of Hedgehog agonists to stimulate hair growth in an adult animal model. It is our goal to partner this program with another biotechnology company or a larger pharmaceutical company with expertise and skills in dermatological hair growth that complement our own in-house capabilities. Our collaboration strategy allows for the development of a broad portfolio of promising assets providing risk diversification with significant value potential," said Daniel R. Passeri, President and Chief Executive Officer of Curis, Inc.
