Reputable hair loss treatment clinics nowadays have real, FDA approved, treatments that work to offer clients. Used professionally, these provide a real solution to hair loss. This article is about male pattern baldness and what Europes most popular hair loss clinic finds to be the best hair loss solution.
Male Pattern Baldness
.. and the hair loss solution that stops it
Male pattern baldness starts early in some. I remember a friend at college pulling back his hair to shock us with his receding hairline over his temples. For him it started when he was around 18 years old.His dad was bald. It's inherited (from either side). There is a hair loss solution, but first, let's just understand what causes male pattern baldness (Androgenic Alopecia).
Hair follicles are set deep into your skin, so they are there for life (they don't slough off with old skin). They cycle through a process of hair growth, cessation, rest, and back to growth again. Where the follicle is on your body determines how long the growth cycle lasts and how long your hair can grow, so it's 2-6 years on your head, but only a few months in your eyebrows.
How to prevent hair loss
.. and save time and money in the process
There's such a lot of stuff on the Internet about hair loss, it's a wonder anyone can make a decision. Some of it's plain wrong, some is hard sales, some is even fraudulent. Much of it is copied from other sites. So how do you decide what to do?Of course, there's plenty of good information on the Internet too. But do you really want to spend your valuable time trying to self-diagnose and work out what's trustworthy and out of that, what you want to try?
The problem is .. if you try something that doesn't work, that's another six months and whatever cost wasted. And the real drug treatments can't resurrect a dead follicle .. so it's very much better to catch it early.
So our approach is simply this. See your doctor in case there's anything medical that's causing your hair loss, either something wrong, or it could be a side effect if you're taking any medication.
Hair loss treatment isn't available on the NHS, so after that your doctor might simply prescribe a hair loss shampoo.
See a hair loss specialist such as The Belgravia Centre who have successfully treated thousands of people. Lean on their expertise and experience. Let them take responsibility for the treatment decisions. Then, simply, get on with your life.
(Image courtesy of Freeparking on Flickr, some rights reserved).
Everything you need to know about follicles
The up to 100 hairs that normally fall out of your head each day come from follicles at rest. You can often see the club at the root of the hair that's formed around the base during the 'cessation' stage.
In men, there's a derivative of the male sex hormone testosterone (dihydrotestosterone, or DHT) that affects how genetically susceptible hair follicles work. Basically, each time the susceptible hair follicles return to the growth phase, they produce thinner hair until their effectiveness is so diminished they stop working, and baldness results. It's because that process is linked to testosterone that the effect usually starts early, when testosterone levels are high.
The solution is partly to act early. It's easier to stop hair loss than to regrow lost hair.
In men, there's a derivative of the male sex hormone testosterone (dihydrotestosterone, or DHT) that affects how genetically susceptible hair follicles work. Basically, each time the susceptible hair follicles return to the growth phase, they produce thinner hair until their effectiveness is so diminished they stop working, and baldness results. It's because that process is linked to testosterone that the effect usually starts early, when testosterone levels are high.
The solution is partly to act early. It's easier to stop hair loss than to regrow lost hair.
A custom hair loss treatment plan with regular monitoring works best
The Belgravia Centre, a London hair loss clinic that prides itself in delivering both the best results and the best prices, creates custom treatment programmes for each of its clients. Clients are able to visit the clinic or use Belgravia's online hair loss diagnostic form and receive treatment by post.The root of the Belgravia Centre hair loss solution is a combination of treatments aimed at blocking DHT, so it doesn't affect the hair follicles, and stimulating blood flow to the scalp. More blood equals more nutrients to the follicles equals healthier hair.
The centre has their own pharmacy and so are able to prescribe various combinations of two FDA-approved drugs, Propecia and Minoxidil. The most recent (and exciting) drug, Propecia, inhibits DHT. Minoxidil promotes circulation. The FDA is the official American body that approves drugs for prescription use by checking they work and any side effects are known and minor.
Where appropriate, and again because they have their own pharmacy, they can add a choice of other DHT inhibitors: medroxyprogesterone (MPG), and/or azelaic acid.
What have you tried?
We find the most effective treatment results from a combined approach: using everything we know works in a barrage attack on the problem.
When people come to us, they've often tried single solutions. Have you?
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A comprehensive hair loss solution
The strategy of providing a comprehensive hair loss solution that addresses the problem from every angle doesn't end there. The centre offers a free laser comb (an FDA cleared device that stimulates hair growth), in-clinic therapies that can include regular steam, scalp treatment, ultra violet and infra red light therapy, laser and massage, all aimed at stimulating activity in the scalp and improving the condition of the hair, Hair Vitalics (a herbal hair loss supplement that contains many ingredients identified to improve the quality of the hair and to help reduce hair loss) and Belgravia's specially formulated shampoos and conditioners. These booster products are the 'icing on the cake' to teh complete hair loss solution and a comprehensive treatment course combination will ensure maximum response in the way of hair loss stabilisation and hair regrowth.Regular quarterly checkups are recommended, particularly while using prescription drugs, but the centre prides itself on being available to answer questions at any other time (during working hours) either by phone or over the Internet. Photos are taken of all patients who visit the centre for checkups so that response can be monitored visually. Many of these 'before and during treatment' photos can be seen on their website.
So while male pattern baldness is common and isn't restricted to older men, in this day and age it isn't as big a problem as one might think.
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Should I check my protein intake?
Hair is made from keratin, and so are things like nails, horns and beaks. Keratins are proteins, so that's probably where this advice comes from. It's unlikely to be the cause of your hair loss, but it's possible.(Image courtesy of Thowra_uk on Flickr, some rights reserved).
"What is Minoxidil?"
Your questions answered
Minoxidil tablets were first used to treat high blood pressure. As a side effect, some patients experienced hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) which prompted research into its use as a hair loss remedy. Further research showed that applying a Minoxidil solution to the scalp can help treat hair loss.
"How does Minoxidil help reduce hair loss?"
No-one knows, is the short answer, and the interesting thing is .. other circulation stimulants don't have the same effect. There's just something unique about Minoxidil.
"What strength Minoxidil do I need?"
Good question, success will partly depend on matching your condition with the best strength of Minoxidil. Belgravia trichologists provide a mild 4% lotion, a stronger 5% lotion, or an extra-strength 12.5% cream, which is what we use to treat very stubborn patches of thinning hair and baldness.
There are 'booster' compounds we can add to Minoxidil to make it even more effective, such as Medroxyprogesterone (MPG).
"What is Medroxyprogesterone?"
Inherited baldness (male and female) is caused by follicles being sensitive to a derivative of testosterone, a sex hormone naturally produced by men and women. Medroxyprogesterone (MPG) helps to stop that derivative interfering with hair follicles.
The combination is more effective but it becomes a prescription-only treatment. That's why Belgravia has its own pharmacy. We add MPG to our lower-concentration Minoxidil treatments.
"What is Azelaic Acid?"
Azelaic Acid (AA) has a similar effect, again it interferes with the process by which testosterone affects hair follicles to cause inherited baldness. We exclusively add this to our 12.5% Minoxidil cream and again, it's only available on prescription.
"Are there any side effects from using Minoxidil?"
At the Belgravia Centre, we've treated tens of thousands of men and women and we estimate less than one in one hundred (1%) people experienced side effects from Minoxidil. Those ranged from mild facial hair growth, headaches, rashes and palpitations. All were mild and needed no medical treatment. They either diminished in a short time during use of Minoxidil, or shortly after stopping use of Minoxidil.
This, however, is one reason some drugs in some concentrations are only available on prescription, so that clients can be monitored by a professional trichologist and a course of treatment can be adapted as required. The Belgravia centre stores scalp photographs so that progress can be objectively measured.
"And Propecia?"
Of course, Propecia is the FDA-approved (proven, safe) drug that works to prevent testosterone causing baldness, so if you're a man you can combine Propecia and Minoxidil and all the other advice and treatments that work to give yourself the best chance of keeping your hair and hopefully getting some of it back. Propecia is not approved for women, though, but it's not so bad .. Minoxidil is more effective for women.
In a nutshell, the most effective hair loss treatment involves not just Minoxidil, but a combination of drugs and treatments together with regular monitoring by a professional trichologist to ensure the course of treatment is safe and achieves the best possible result.
"How does Minoxidil help reduce hair loss?"
No-one knows, is the short answer, and the interesting thing is .. other circulation stimulants don't have the same effect. There's just something unique about Minoxidil.
"What strength Minoxidil do I need?"
Good question, success will partly depend on matching your condition with the best strength of Minoxidil. Belgravia trichologists provide a mild 4% lotion, a stronger 5% lotion, or an extra-strength 12.5% cream, which is what we use to treat very stubborn patches of thinning hair and baldness.
There are 'booster' compounds we can add to Minoxidil to make it even more effective, such as Medroxyprogesterone (MPG).
"What is Medroxyprogesterone?"
Inherited baldness (male and female) is caused by follicles being sensitive to a derivative of testosterone, a sex hormone naturally produced by men and women. Medroxyprogesterone (MPG) helps to stop that derivative interfering with hair follicles.
The combination is more effective but it becomes a prescription-only treatment. That's why Belgravia has its own pharmacy. We add MPG to our lower-concentration Minoxidil treatments.
"What is Azelaic Acid?"
Azelaic Acid (AA) has a similar effect, again it interferes with the process by which testosterone affects hair follicles to cause inherited baldness. We exclusively add this to our 12.5% Minoxidil cream and again, it's only available on prescription.
"Are there any side effects from using Minoxidil?"
At the Belgravia Centre, we've treated tens of thousands of men and women and we estimate less than one in one hundred (1%) people experienced side effects from Minoxidil. Those ranged from mild facial hair growth, headaches, rashes and palpitations. All were mild and needed no medical treatment. They either diminished in a short time during use of Minoxidil, or shortly after stopping use of Minoxidil.
This, however, is one reason some drugs in some concentrations are only available on prescription, so that clients can be monitored by a professional trichologist and a course of treatment can be adapted as required. The Belgravia centre stores scalp photographs so that progress can be objectively measured.
"And Propecia?"
Of course, Propecia is the FDA-approved (proven, safe) drug that works to prevent testosterone causing baldness, so if you're a man you can combine Propecia and Minoxidil and all the other advice and treatments that work to give yourself the best chance of keeping your hair and hopefully getting some of it back. Propecia is not approved for women, though, but it's not so bad .. Minoxidil is more effective for women.
In a nutshell, the most effective hair loss treatment involves not just Minoxidil, but a combination of drugs and treatments together with regular monitoring by a professional trichologist to ensure the course of treatment is safe and achieves the best possible result.
A quick guide to Alopecia Areata
(bald patches in unusual places)
Alopecia Areata usually shows itself as a small round bald patch somewhere on the scalp, although it could be anywhere on the body.
Wikipedia says there's no real cure, and 50% of cases sort themselves out within a year.
The problem is, if it's visible, it does cramp your style rather. Actually, people with Alopecia often feel less confident about themselves and that leads to socialising less and to things like anxiety and depression. There are quite a few confidence-building self help groups for women with Alopecia Totalis which seek to overcome those feelings.
Here at London's Belgravia Centre, we treat people with Alopecia Areata with a 12.5% Minoxidil cream with an Azelaic Acid booster and we've seen seen good and seemingly repeatable hair regrowth even in long-term bald patches. It's not exactly scientific proof, but it does use a scientifically proven medication and cases are administered by professional trichologists with science training, so it's the closest we have.
Wikipedia says there's no real cure, and 50% of cases sort themselves out within a year.
The problem is, if it's visible, it does cramp your style rather. Actually, people with Alopecia often feel less confident about themselves and that leads to socialising less and to things like anxiety and depression. There are quite a few confidence-building self help groups for women with Alopecia Totalis which seek to overcome those feelings.
Here at London's Belgravia Centre, we treat people with Alopecia Areata with a 12.5% Minoxidil cream with an Azelaic Acid booster and we've seen seen good and seemingly repeatable hair regrowth even in long-term bald patches. It's not exactly scientific proof, but it does use a scientifically proven medication and cases are administered by professional trichologists with science training, so it's the closest we have.
The Belgravia Centre blog
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Useful links
- Wikipedia on hair follicles
- All you ever needed to know about hair follicles
- Belgravia's 'remote' hair loss diagnostic form
- In case you are outside London, you can use this hair loss diagnostic form and get treatment by post
- NHS Direct on male pattern baldness
- They mention Finasteride, that's the chemical name for Propecia mentioned in the article.
Videos
The Belgravia Centre
- The Belgravia Centre
- London's leading hair loss clinic and pharmacy
by JHarris
I'm a director of the Belgravia Centre and have spent much of my time over the past 6 years studying hair loss and scalp problems, the treatments avai... (more)
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