In an earlier blog we mentioned the Framingham Health Study in America, which surprisingly showed a link between hair loss and cardiovascular disease, please see:-  Heart Disease and Hair Loss. A further large study began in 1982 and took place over 11 years and the results obtained confirmed the clinicalobservation that men who lose their hair are at a greater risk of having a heart attack.  Further studies were later carried out which all led to the same conclusion, that hair loss is linked to cardiovascular risk and elevated levels of cholesterol. These are still links without the scientific causes being proven, nevertheless when the argument is deconstructed it begins to make sense.  The reason it makes sense is simple,… read more

There is still much to understand about the science and genetics of hair loss.  Scientists pretty much agree that what causes hair loss in males revolves around DHT, dihydrotestosterone. DHT is produced when the enzyme (a chemical which changes other chemicals in the body) 5 alpha reductase reacts  with your male hormone, testosterone.   In susceptible men, the hair root becomes sensitive (like becoming allergic) to its own DHT and reacts by shutting off the blood flow to the root.  The hair root is pretty much committing suicide at this stage. So the DHT is starving the hair roots of blood which in effect is preventing them from getting food and oxygen.   The hair follicle weakens, the hair it produces  gets… read more

It is interesting that hair loss primarily affects the top of the head and the hair around the sides nearly always remains in a horseshoe shape. The resistance of this remaining hair to the effects of DHT is one of the bases of hair transplants, where this hair is transplanted from the side of the head to the top of the head where it grows. There have been great developments in hair transplants since the early days, when patients’ hair looked like it was growing in clumps like you would find on top of a doll’s head. Now individual hairs are transplanted with a much more natural effect.

Saw Palmetto is a popular herbal treatment for benign (non cancerous) prostatic hyperplasia, also known as an enlarged prostate. However, this tiny fruit has also been used to help prevent hair loss. Saw Palmetto has existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It has been known to be used by both North and South American Indians, as well as Aborigines. The herb was used for a number of purposes including appetite stimulation, painful menstruation and even as a treatment for infertility. The Link between Saw Palmetto and Hair Loss It appears that the Saw Palmetto fruit contains an agent that works against the male hormonal metabolite, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is known to be involved with causing pattern baldness in… read more

In a number of previous blog entries and also extensively in the forums, it has been reported that a cocktail of hair loss products often works better than one single hair loss product, therefore attacking the chemical and physiological causes of hair loss from a number of angles. For example, ProFusion Shampoo and Conditioner can be used with Propecia (Finasteride) and Regaine (Minoxidil). How does Finasteride Work? This involves a lot of biological terms but we have tried to explain these where possible. Finasteride inhibits an enzyme in your body called Type II 5α-reductase. This enzyme converts testosterone into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Two distinct isoenzymes (or isozymes) are found in humans: Type I and II. Isozymes have a slightly different chemical… read more

I was fortunate enough to catch the end of Live from Studio 5 recently when the hot topic of the day was hair loss and hair transplants in particular. At Pro Hair Biosystems we adopt a neutral position regarding hair transplants but commend the advances being made to improve the process. Like all developments in science early results are always experimental and sadly early hair transplants can look a little obvious, however as the technology advances and the experience of the surgeons increase, then the process and the results continuously improve. We have heard people say “We have never seen a good hair transplant”, that can’t be correct, because presumably they only notice the bad ones, they probably walk past… read more

It has been said on this blog and on a number of others, that hair loss products often work best as in combination, with people often using three or four products together therefore tackling the issue from a number of different directions. It is well reported that hair loss is caused by the hormone DHT in the scalp, causing a reduction in blood flow to the hair root. Therefore some shampoos and conditioners work by suppressing DHT in the scalp and others work by increasing blood flow, which is where ProFusion shampoo and conditioner are generally accept to fit. ProFusion shampoo and conditioner can be used with Regaine (Minoxidil) or Propecia (Finasteride), but we would like to hear your experiences… read more

Spironolactone was originally marketed by Searle as a Aldactone as a potassium sparing diuretic, that is it makes you pass more urine but doesn’t deplete your body of potassium. Diuretics are used to control blood pressure among other uses. The use of Spironolactone as a hair loss treatment is a fairly new phenomenum. It has a powerful antiandrogenic effect, in simple terms it works to reduce the male hormone testosterone by decreasing production and also blocking the effect of androgens at a cellular level. Spironolactone is a competitive inhibitor of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) receptor binding. The drug competes with testosterone for the androgen receptors on each cell so less testosterone can bind to it. It has also been suggested that the… read more