oil hair treatment

Is coconut oil the best hair loss treatment?

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New year, new hair loss remedy. Coconut oil has long been touted as the healthiest oil around. Natural health gurus have expounded its benefits for mind, body and soul. But did you know that coconut oil is now being presented as a possible hair loss treatment?

The science

While new must-have natural hair loss remedies are ten a penny, this one does have some basis in scientific fact: coconut oil contains a high level of lauric acid – an essential fatty acid that helps to bind proteins in the hair, keeping them strong and preventing breakage.

Now this is starting to sound suspiciously like another treatment that improves the health of your hair. But it can’t prevent hair loss from conditions like androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern baldness).

EXCEPT, another benefit of lauric acid, along with the other essential fatty acids present in coconut oil, is that it has been shown to block the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – the hormone that is responsible for androgenetic alopecia.

How can I use coconut oil to prevent hair loss?

More research really needs to be done into the actual efficacy of coconut oil as a hair loss treatment. MCTs present in the oil have been shown to have an effect on DHT production. But no one has performed a thorough study into the use of coconut oil itself to treat hair loss.

Some experts suggest massaging the oil into the scalp daily, to stimulate the hair follicles and coat them in coconut oil. However, it seems just as likely that including coconut oil in your diet would be beneficial in blocking DHT production. Perhaps try using it in the place your usual cooking oil.

What if my hair loss is too advanced?

While coconut oil does seem to hold some promise as a preventative measure for hair loss treatment, if you are already experiencing severe hair loss, it is unlikely to do much to reverse the problem.

Before any hair loss problem can be treated effectively, it is important to identify the root cause. Whilst the majority of hair loss issues in the UK are related to male or female pattern baldness, there are other conditions that can lead to hair loss, including:

  • alopecia areata
  • telogen effluvium
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other hormonal fluctuations – particularly in women

It is a good idea to rule out any of these conditions before commencing hair loss treatment. The best first step is to book a consultation with a hair loss expert.

An expert can diagnose the cause of your hair loss and present a balanced look at all the treatment options available.

For more information or to book an appointment, please contact us.

SMP

SMP: What, why and how?

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You’ve probably read about scalp micropigmentation (SMP) on this site. You might have noticed we’re big fans! But it is quite a tricky concept to get your head around. Unlike other hair loss treatments, we’re not actually trying to stop hair loss with SMP, we’re just stopping it from being a problem anymore.

So we thought we’d put together a general information post on SMP. How it works and what to expect from the treatment.

What is SMP?

Scalp micropigmentation is a hair loss treatment like no other. Pigment is injected into the scalp in thousands of tiny microdots, creating the illusion of active hair follicles.

How does SMP differ from tattooing?

It is a similar process, but SMP injections are delivered much less deeply than a regular tattoo, which allows us to be much more precise. It also avoids a ‘blob’ effect, and we can create a very realistic hair follicle impression.

How can you make SMP look like real hair?

If you just injected uniform black dots across a scalp, it might look effective from a distance. On closer inspection however, it would be very obvious that it wasn’t real hair. With SMP, we inject each dose of pigment to a slightly different depth and from a slightly different angle to the last, replicating the way that real hair grows.

We also use a number of different pigments for each client, closely matched to their hair colour, for as natural a finished effect as possible.

Who is a suitable candidate for SMP?

Literally anyone could have SMP and it would be effective, although we do stick to over-18s! Man or woman, young or old, the beauty of this procedure is that it is hugely versatile.

You can leave your head shaved and have a buzz cut, a popular option for our male clients. Or you can grow your hair out and just use SMP to disguise the thinning areas. This works especially well for women suffering from female-pattern baldness, which tends to present as a diffuse thinning across the whole scalp.

Can I really choose my own hairline?

Yes, you absolutely can. Our technicians will work closely with you to ensure that the hairline you choose is the right one for you. After all, this is a permanent procedure and you want to look your best at the end of it. But if you’ve always fancied a widow’s peak, now’s the time to do it.

How long does it take?

Each SMP session will last between two and four hours, and you will need at least two, probably three sessions before the procedure is finalised.

Previous clients have described SMP as a ‘life changing’ experience, so if you’ve been considering it why not take the plunge and give us a call today on 020 8159 9060.

discriminating against hair loss

Is Love Island discriminating against bald contestants?

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It’s had its fair share of controversies in the past. Now, reality TV show, Love Island has been accused of discriminating against bald contestants.

Famed for an endless bevy of beauties, but Love Island has never had a balding contestant, male or female. And a new poll shows that viewers have started to take notice.

‘Baldist’?

A poll of 1,000 people in the UK found that 39% think Love Island discriminates against men with hair loss. Additionally, 45% think the show discriminates against women with thinning hair.

A further 48% of those surveyed feel that bald or balding people are not included in beauty standards.

In recent years, some headway has been made to include people of all shapes and sizes in advertising campaigns and even on the catwalk. But it is still rare to see a model of either gender who suffers from hair loss.

Damaged self esteem

This perceived discrimination has certainly contributed to the feelings of self-consciousness that people already experience around hair loss. Two-thirds of women who took part in the poll said that hair loss negatively affects their confidence, with 41% of men saying the same.

The survey also found that dating apps and social media have a part to play. Three quarters of respondents said these factors have a direct negative impact on their self esteem. And 57% blamed them for increasing their worry about current or future hair loss.

Hatfishing

It is this lack of confidence that has led to the phenomenon known as ‘hatfishing’. People (predominantly men) with thinning hair wear a hat for their profile photo on either social media or dating websites, in an attempt to cover up their hair loss.

Potential matches report feeling ‘deceived’ when they meet the match in person, only to find that the hat was covering a head of thinning hair.

The same survey showed that 21% of those suffering from hair loss had used a hat to hide their thinning hair in online photos.

What is the solution?

The survey suggests that the majority of participants would like people who are bald or experiencing some form of hair loss to be better represented in the media.

Building self esteem does have to come from within as well, however. So if you are experiencing hair loss and are feeling bad about yourself as a result, it is important to seek help.

That might mean having counselling to help work on your self esteem. Or it might mean seeking treatment for the hair loss itself. Whichever route you go down, remember that there should be no shame attached. What is right for one person won’t be right for everyone.

If you would like to speak in confidence about your hair loss experience and discuss all the options available to you, please contact us to book a consultation with one of our hair loss experts.

Bald Dating

New Bald Dating app launches

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A new matchmaking site ‘Bald Dating’ was launched in November. It aims to help the path of love run smoother for those of us who suffer from hair loss.

The UK-based (but globally available) dating app was created by entrepreneur David Minns, 47, who is himself bald. Minns was inspired to launch the app because of the rise in ‘hatfishing’, he told Fox News. This is where men with hair loss wear hats in their profile pictures to avoid putting off potential matches.

Not just for bald men

While ‘hatfishing’ might be primarily a male thing, Minns insists the app is just as dedicated to female hair loss sufferers. “Bald Dating was created to give men and women the confidence to focus on dating and not hairlines”, he explained.

However, you don’t even have to suffer from hair loss yourself to join the site. You just have to be open to dating someone who does. And research shows that a lot of women do find bald men attractive. After all, there are many perceived traits associated with baldness, including masculinity, strength and confidence.

How does the app work?

Like many dating apps today, Bald Dating uses a ‘like’ function that allows you to indicate interest in a potential match from their profile picture. If they ‘like’ you back, you can begin to communicate via messaging.

Bald Dating is currently free to use, although its creator has indicated that there will eventually be a fee to use it of around US$8 per month. This will come into effect over the coming months.

Is there really a market for a bald dating app?

The response so far would suggest yes, there is. In the first five days after its launch, Bald Dating amassed over 1,000 users.

Anyone over the age of 18 can join, but Minns says that so far the main interest has come from people in their thirties and forties.

With approximately 40% of men experiencing hair loss by the age of 35 and the same percentage of women by age 40, there is potential for this app to become huge.

Why do bald people need their own dating site?

The truth is that they shouldn’t. In an ideal world, no one would be judged based on the number of hairs on their head, just as they wouldn’t be judged for carrying a few extra pounds.

But this isn’t an ideal world. And while studies have shown that women are attracted to bald men, many of us who are follicly challenged have a hard time applying that to ourselves.

A dating app that is set up purely for people with hair loss might just give us the confidence we need to finally make a connection that lasts.

hair transplant

Robbie Williams reveals his hair transplant failed

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Pop star and former Take That icon Robbie Williams has opened up about his hair loss troubles while appearing on a podcast. Taking part in Clarke Carlisle’s Old Before I Die podcast, Williams revealed he is ‘going thin on top’ despite having undergone a hair transplant in 2013.

He then showed the host, Clarke, and his wife the top of his head so they could appreciate the issue, and explained that he is using powder to ‘fill in the gaps’.

Why would the hair transplant have failed?

The honest answer is that the transplant itself didn’t fail – as evidenced by Williams’ hairline. Clarke even commented that his ‘wing-backs are pushing on’, meaning that the hairs at the transplant line are still growing strong, but the hair has unfortunately continued to recede behind that line.

This is actually a common problem when hair transplants are performed too early. It’s why Wayne Rooney has had to undergo several transplants, and it’s why most reputable hair transplant surgeons would advise against having a transplant until your hair loss is quite a lot more advanced.

So why did Williams have a hair transplant in the first place?

Well, for a start, the rules for celebrities are quite different from the ones the rest of us have to follow. If money’s no object, why not have a hair transplant, even knowing you might need another one in a couple of years?

And Williams has himself admitted that he didn’t need a hair transplant, but had succumbed to the pressures of living in LA. Speaking on the Graham Norton Show in 2013 he said:
“They say if you sit in the barber’s shop for long enough you’ll end up getting a haircut. Well if you live in Los Angeles for long enough you’re going to get some surgery.”

What is this powder he’s using to fill his hair in?

It’s unclear from Williams’ description exactly what he’s using, but it sounds like cosmetic hair fibres. They come in powder form, you shake them on to any areas of thinning hair and they will expand to form strands of hair-like fibre.

Although not a permanent solution, hair fibres do present a very effective quick fix for thinning hair, and can be quite cost effective.

So am I better off buying the powder than having a transplant?

That all depends on where you are in the hair loss process. If you have just a few areas of thinning hair then yes, the fibres could be a good choice, but if your hairline has receded a long way then you might be better off opting for a transplant.

And those aren’t the only options available. There are plenty of different hair loss treatments, and the best way to find out which one will work best for you is to speak to a hair loss expert.

Thinning Hair

Could you grow out your thinning hair?

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YouTuber Harry James started noticing thinning hair around his hairline about two and a half years ago. His first reaction was to shave it all off, and he’s been rocking the skinhead look ever since.

However, James says that while he felt that shaving his head had dealt with one aspect of his hair loss, because he did it so early on in the process, he never really had a chance to come to terms with the process of losing his hair.

James was keen to examine all sides of hair loss and document it on his YouTube channel, Baldcafe. He decided to set aside the clippers and let his hair grow out, so he could experience how it really feels to be a balding man.

Other people’s attitudes

Whilst shaving his head allowed James to be bald and proud, he was fearful of how others might react to his thinning hair as it grew out.

But since letting his hair grow, James has visited all kinds of places and says other people don’t bat an eyelid at his balding head.

“By exposing myself to this fear, I can kind of put it to rest,” he told Men’s Health. “I realized even with this balding hair, no one cares. No one mentions it. No one gives a shit. And that’s just allowed me that final piece of the pie, that cherry on top. I have nothing left to fear with this damn balding hair. And that is going to allow me to rock my shaved head even more confidently.”

Could you grow your hair out?

Growing your hair is not something you expect to do as a balding man. But if, like James, you’d like to know how you’d feel if you did let it grow, perhaps his story will give you the confidence to do so.

Or perhaps you’re keen to grow your hair but not so keen on having your baldness exposed to the world, and that’s OK too. There are a few options in that situation:

  • Hair loss drugs – if you’re in the early stages of hair loss, it might be worth trying some hair loss drugs to prevent further damage and allow you to grow your hair without fear. From prescription medications to expertly formulated supplements, there are products out there that can make a difference to your hair loss, but you do need to seek expert advice
  • Hair transplant surgery – this one is for those of you whose hair loss is more advanced. It’s not a cheap option, but it is almost guaranteed to work, although it may take a few months to see the results
  • Scalp MicroPigmentation – this is a great option for those of you who are unsure about growing out your hair, as it will be just as effective with a shaved head as with longer hair. A specially trained practitioner will inject pigment (exactly matched to your natural hair colour) into your scalp to create a highly realistic “buzz cut” effect. As you grow your hair, this will disguise any thinner areas, but if you decide to keep shaving you can do so with the confidence that no one will know your hair loss secret.

For more information on any of these, or to book a consultation with one of our hair loss specialists, please contact us.

Food for Hair Loss

What foods help fight hair loss?

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Changing your diet to fight hair loss when its at an advanced stage probably won’t have a huge impact, and you may need to seek professional help. But if you’re in the early stages of losing your hair, or even looking to prevent future hair loss, there are some foods you can eat, rich in hair growth nutrients, that might just help to delay the inevitable.

1. Coconut oil

Coconut oil hit the big time a couple of years ago, when it was promoted as a healthier cooking oil alternative. It was pointed out that coconut oil contains a higher level of saturated fats than butter or vegetable oil. New research has shown that lauric acid, a key component of those fats, could stop the production of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that contributes to hair loss.

The trial has not been performed on humans yet, and so the jury is out on whether coconut oil really could be used to treat hair loss. But it couldn’t do any harm to keep some in the pantry.

2. Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds make an awesome snack. They’re convenient to pick at on the go, and provide a huge range of nutrients that are great for hair growth.

Did you know that an ounce of almonds contains 37% of your RDA of vitamin E?

And as if that wasn’t enough, pumpkin seed oil has also been shown to be an impressive DHT blocker. In a 24-week study involving 76 men experiencing male pattern hair loss, those who took a daily 400mg pumpkin seed oil supplement had significantly more hair growth than those who received a placebo.

3. Eggs

Eggs contain lots of nutrients that are essential for healthy hair growth. They are a great source of both zinc and selenium, as well as biotin and protein, deficiencies in either of which can lead to hair loss.

While eggs might not contain the DHT blockers that can actually combat hair loss, they are a very good way of ensuring that the hair you do have remains strong and healthy, and can certainly help to prevent hair loss caused by nutrient deficiency.

4. Seafood

Almost all seafood can be good for the hair. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel contain a high level of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been reported to reduce hair loss and improve hair density and texture.

Oysters are one of the best ways to get zinc through food, and a deficiency in zinc has been shown to lead to telogen effluvium.

And shrimp contain many nutrients that are deemed essential to hair growth, including protein, zinc, iron, B vitamins and vitamin D. In fact, a 100g serving of shrimp provides 38% of your RDA of vitamin D.

There are plenty more foods that can help you to maintain a healthy head of hair. So if you’re concerned about present or future hair loss but aren’t quite ready to seek treatment, you could do worse than consider adding some of these to your daily diet.

 

Receding Hairline

Receding hairline? Here’s what to do about it

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If you’re starting to experience hair loss, a receding hairline is the first thing you’ll notice. More than 50% of men will suffer from male pattern hair loss at some point in their lives, and as the name suggests, it does tend to follow a pattern.

Generally, a receding hairline is followed by a thinning at the crown. If you’re really unlucky, you might get both at once.

So the good news is that you’re not alone. And that might go some way to soothing your pride, but it doesn’t solve the problem. Luckily, there are a few things you can try to restore your hairline to its former glory. Or at least somewhere near it.

1. Consider changing your hairstyle

If you’re not quite ready to think about hair loss treatments, but would quite like to disguise your receding hairline, why not try a trip to the barber.

Tempting as it might be to grow your remaining hair a bit longer and use it to cover up the thinning areas, expert advice is to do the opposite. By cutting your hair shorter at the back and sides, you will balance out any thinning that might be happening on top.

Another option is to shave it off completely. This might sound extreme, particularly if you’re only at the early stages of hair loss. But remember, without treatment the hairline will continue to recede. And if you choose to shave your head now, it won’t be so obvious to observers that you were pushed into it through hair loss.

If you’re keen to go for the shave, but can’t quite cope with the full skinhead look, you could think about giving SMP a go. This revolutionary treatment uses micro-injections of pigment across the scalp to create the illusion of a buzz cut. You can even choose your own hairline!

2. Hair loss drugs

There are two main contenders currently available in the hair loss drugs market, and there are pros and cons to both of them.

Minoxidil is a topical treatment that is used to widen the blood vessels in the scalp, promoting new hair growth.

Finasteride is taken orally and functions as a blocker to the hormone DHT, which is what causes male-pattern hair loss in the first place.

Both of these drugs are prescription medications, and are proven to be relatively effective. However they do come with side effects, and it is important to seek medical advice before embarking on a course of treatment with either of them.

3. Hair loss products

There are any number of shampoos, hair oils and supplements on the market that claim to treat hair loss, not to mention all the “home remedies” recommended on the internet.

The truth is that there are products and supplements out there that will have an impact on your hair loss, but they do need to have the right formulation. But very little of what is available on the high street is effective.

If you are seriously concerned about hair loss and would like to stop it in its tracks, your first port of call should be a hair loss expert.

For more information or to book a free consultation, please contact us by phone on either 0121 516 1767 (Birmingham) or 020 8159 9060 (London).

male grooming mistakes

Step away from the comb: 4 common grooming mistakes made by balding men

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If you’re losing your hair but aren’t quite ready to accept it, chances are you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve to disguise any bald patches. But are they as foolproof as you think?

We’ve rounded up four of the biggest grooming mistakes that balding men make when trying to cover up/distract from their thinning hair, along with some nifty alternatives that just might do the trick.

The modern comb-over

Yes, we all know to avoid the more traditional comb-over look – you know, the one your dad may have sported in the nineties, with a few wispy strands delicately balanced across an essentially baldpate.

But you might not be as far away from that as you think. Plenty of balding men still grow the hair they do have that little bit longer, thinking it will add some volume and distract from the thinning. Brushing it forward to disguise a receding hairline, say, might seem like a great style choice, but in reality it’s pretty obvious what you’re doing.

Do it differently: Try scalp micropigmentation (SMP) to cover thinning areas. This clever little procedure uses pigments injected into the scalp to mimic the effect of hair. You can either use it to disguise bald patches or go the whole hog and shave your head for a buzz cut look.

Blow drying for volume

Perhaps you’ve noticed your girlfriend using the volumising attachment on the hairdryer to give her locks a boost, and decided to try it for yourself? You wouldn’t be alone.

A lot of men like the volumised look that can be achieved by blowdrying close to the roots of the hair. Look a little closer however, and you’ll see that what you’ve actually done is to suck all the moisture out of those roots. This leaves the hairs looking wispier than ever.

Do it differently: Try holding the hairdryer a little further from your scalp. (Experts recommend about eight inches.) Using a round hair brush whilst blow drying can also help to add volume without losing moisture.

Compensating with facial hair

There’s nothing wrong with a bald head and a beard together. But if you’re trying to make up for hair loss by growing more hair on your face, it might not be the best combination. Particularly if the facial hair is no great shakes either.

A balding man with a bit of fuzz on his face is only drawing more attention to his thinning locks.

Do it differently: A shaved head goes much better with a beard than a balding one. If you can’t quite summon up the courage to go completely bald, consider trying SMP and opt for a buzz cut.

Partings, generally

We may have recommended against brushing your hair forwards to disguise your receding hairline, but a severe parting isn’t your friend either, once your hair starts thinning.

Because most balding men start to lose their hair at the top of the head, a centre parting is only going to draw attention to it. And a side parting starts to stray into traditional combover territory. So what is the best option to disguise hair loss?

Do it differently: opt for a shorter style, and either embrace your bald patches, or try SMP to create the illusion of a full head of hair that you have decided to cut short.

If you want to find out more about SMP or if you have any other questions about your own hair loss, then please get in touch with us at HIS Hair.

hair loss drug

Trials Underway for New Drug that Claims to Reverse Male-Pattern Hair Loss

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It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for – finally a hair loss drug is on the way that claims not just to prevent male-pattern hair loss, but actually to reverse any thinning that has already occurred.

Pharma company Histogen announced that they had submitted an application to begin trials of the drug back in May 2020, and now they have issued a press release stating that they have completed patient dosing at the six week point of the 18-week trial.

How does this differ from other hair loss drugs on the market?

Histogen refers to the drug as HST-001, or Hair Stimulating Complex (HSC). HSC is designed to be a physician-administered treatment in the form of injections.

Most existing medications for hair loss are produced in the form of tablets to be taken orally – the main injectable treatments available are platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP), which uses the plasma from your own blood to try to stimulate the hair follicles, and corticosteroid injections, which are used as a treatment for alopecia areata.

The major difference between this and other existing hair loss treatments, however, is that HSC claims to actually trigger new hair growth, rather than just reduce or prevent further hair loss.

How does the clinical trial process work?

There are 36 patients taking part in the trial, which is being conducted over an 18-week period. Of the patients, two thirds have been randomly selected to be injected with HSC, while the rest will receive a placebo. Patients are unaware which group they fall into.

The injections will take place at the 0, 6 and 12 week time points, so patients have just received their second round of treatment. Each patient rexeives a total of 20 injections at each time point – 10 in the temporal recession (receding hair line), and 5 in each vertex scalp region (around the crown), as these are the areas most commonly affected by male-pattern hair loss. Results will be assessed at the end of the 18 weeks.

When is HSC likely to become available to the public?

As with all drugs, it all depends on the results of the clinical trial – the treatment needs to be safe as well as effective. If all goes to plan, the aim is to receive top line results by the end of 2020, and for the product to hit the market by 2025.

In the meantime, if you’re experiencing male-pattern hair loss and don’t want to wait four years for a viable treatment to become available, there are other options open to you. While there might not be a drug that can reverse your hair loss, we can certainly create the effect of more hair.

Both hair transplant and scalp micropigmentation (SMP) offer a proven, effective way to reduce the appearance of hair loss.

For more information, or to book a consultation with one of our resident hair loss experts, please contact us.

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