Are there any alternatives to hair transplant?

There are a variety of alternatives to hair transplants, including scalp reduction surgery, flap surgery, hairpieces and drug treatments.  All these are essentially useless, painful and exorbitantly expensive treatments.

Pills to grow hair have been around for decades. Each year, numerous medications, herbs, spices and nutritional supplement are being cited as the panacea for hair loss. Annually, North American men spend more than 2-4 billion dollars in the quest for the magic drug to look younger, sexier and hairy.

Unfortunately there is nothing on the horizon for more hair.

Two FDA approved medications for hair growth are available. Minoxidil, which is sold over the counter as Rogaine, for both men and women, and Finasteride, a prescription pill, sold as Propecia, for men only- both these suck and are a total waste of money. You will be lucky if you even grow one strand of hair on your backside after 10 years (personal experience). 


Two other drugs have been recently approved for hair growth and include a high-estrogen oral contraceptive which is for women only and Aldactone (spironolactone) which can be used by either gender. These two pills are generally safe but as far as their hair growth abilities are concerned- “shit” would be the best answer. 

Can finasteride (propecia) help my hair grow?

Finasteride is the generic name for the brand names proscar and propecia. Finasteride was initially marketed for treatment of enlarged prostate. However, during the clinical trials it was observed that some men complained of hair growth. The amount of hair growth during these trials was never quantified and in most cases was mild. This did not stop the drug company from turning the product around and marketing it for males going bald. There is both a 1 mg pill and a topical solution available for hair growth.

How Finasteride Works

Finasteride inhibits an enzyme in the body called 5 alpha reductase. This enzyme normally converts testosterone into the more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The company claims that the 1 mg pill can lower levels of DHT and help minimize hair loss. A lot of numbers are given by the company on the success of this drug in restoring hair.

So what is the real evidence?

If there ever was a scam, than this is it. Finasteride at best only grows a strand of hair here and there. There is not an individual on this universe that can step forward and claim to have decent hair growth following use of finasteride. Individuals have used finasteride for more than 5-10 years, and in the majority, the drug has done nothing. The drug is expensive and in 99.9999999% of individuals, it does nothing. In the other 0.000001% of individuals, they may get some pubic hair growth.

Therefore, the best advice for those who have loss of hair or baldness, get used to the condition or get a wig. There is no drug out there that will grow more than 1-2 hairs a year. Unfortunately, there is nothing in the drug market that works for hair growth. If you have no money and are going baldness, get used to that bald look, wear a hat or get rid of your mirror. If you have money and are going baldness, just enjoy life. Hair transplant is an option, but it is exorbitantly expensive and often does not work great. Baldness sucks especially when it occurs in the prime of your life, but I would rather be bald and have money, then be bald and having wasted all my money on a worthless drug.

What is telogen effluvium? Part 2

Symptoms

The biggest complaint by all individuals affected with telogen effluvium is that hair is shedding at a high rate. Further most individuals will also complain that the remaining hair is less dense. The hair loss can occur in patches but compete baldness is rare. The entire episode of hair loss lasts about 6 months. Most individuals will give a history of emotional turmoil or some physical health problem a month or two preceding the problem.

The diagnosis of telogen effluvium is not difficult but one needs to see a skin doctor. An average family physician will have no clue about this disorder. The most important fact about this disorder is that there is no scarring.

Known stressors that can cause telogen effluvium include a change in medications, change in diet, pregnancy, delivery of a baby, immunization, acute illness, or major injury.

Other causes of telogen effluvium include:

- Crash diets
- chronic iron deficiency
- heavy metal poisoning
- medications like beta-blocker, blood thinners,
excess use of retinoids and various vaccines

The most definite way to make a diagnosis is a scalp biopsy but often an astute dermatologist can make a diagnosis without the biopsy. If a metabolic cause is suspected, blood work may be required.

All individuals who develop telogen effluvium have to understand that the disorder is transient and will resolve in 6 months. The only treatment for telogen effluvium is reassurance. If you have telogen effluvium from an identifiable cause like diet, iron deficiency or use of medication, your physician will recommend changes.

Many young people hate being bald for a few months. for them it is better to cover the head with hat, wig, or a scarf. The use of minoxidil or propecia has not been shown to promote recovery. The medications almost never work, are expensive and are useless.

IS there a Treatment for Hair loss? Part 2

Medications

Despite all the razzmatazz about medications by the drug industry, they are all ineffective and expensive. It is the very rare individual who will regain hair growth after use of these medications and this is more pure luck than any credit to the medications. None of these medications work if there is baldness. It is hard to find any one individual (who is honest) to have any sort of significant hair growth after using these medications.

The drugs approved for the treatment of alopecia are:

Minoxidil (Rogaine). This medication was associated with a lot of hype but never lived up to its expectations. It can be used to treat both types of alopecia. It comes as a liquid and is applied on the scalp twice a day. It is available over the counter in strengths of 2-5%. It is approved for the treatment of androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata. It is difficult to find anyone (at least those not paid by the industry) who has evidence of any hair growth after use of this medication.

The industry claims that new hair after application of minoxidil is thinner and shorter than previous hair. The hair growth stops once the use of the mediation is stopped. The only side effect is an irritation or dryness of the scalp.

Finasteride (Propecia). Finasteride is another medication which has been approved for male pattern baldness. It is taken as an oral pill. Some individuals do claim hair growth and the results take at least 2-4 months to show. Finasteride works by inhibiting the conversion of the male testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that decreases hair growth. For some men there may be some hair growth but the medication also causes a decrease in sex drive- a high price to pay for some hair follicles. As with minoxidil, the benefits of Finasteride stop if you stop using it. The drug is only approved for use in men.

Corticosteroids. For alopecia areata, some physicians may inject corticosteroids. These injections are performed every month for a few months. Some physicians also recommend topical corticosteroid creams. The results are not great. Some individual show a response and many do not. In most cases of alopecia areata, the hair growth will recover after some time and the need for corticosteroid injection is questionable. Corticosteroids do nothing for androgenic alopecia.

Anthralin (Drithocreme). Available as either a cream or an ointment. This is a tar like chemical which is used in the treatment of psoriasis. It is not effective in all individuals and the results are mild, at best. The drug also stains bed sheets, clothes and makes a real mess.

Herbs/nutrients; everyday on the internet and popular medical magazines, there are new drugs/nutrients advertised as the latest to cure hair growth. Individuals from every ethnic background have their own version of folklore tales and myths about hair growth. The things recommended for hair growth are wild and beyond the realms of one’s imagination- from crow’s feet, bears penis, scorpions arse, snakes gall bladder, meditation, yoga, et etc. There is not one iota of proof that any of these work. There is no herb or nutrient that can grow any hair.

The hair growth industry is a big scam and the best advice is to avoid these products and save one’s money.

Coping with hair loss part 1

Losing hair is a miserable experience and one filled with anxiety, depression and loss of confidence. Hair loss typically occurs to males in their prime and is a very frustrating disorder to deal with. No matter what others say, hair loss is the Achilles heel of most men and coping is difficult. Many suggestions have been made to cope with hair loss and this includes joining a support group, discuss with family and friends and learn more about the disorder. Only time heals the pain of hair loss.

Conclusion

For those intent on having hair, the time to start drug therapy is when there is still some hair left on the head. For completely bald people, the options are limited to wigs and wearing a hat or accept a hairless scalp. Few insurance plans cover drug therapy and one needs to take the drugs forever to get the benefits and maintain them. The drugs are not cheap and there is no guarantee of hair growth. For a years supply, Rogaine may cost $200-$300 and Propecia can cost $700-$1,000. Neither of these medications is covered by any medical insurance.