Future Treatments Archives | His Hair Clinic

Is this the future for hair loss treatment?

14 March 2018/in Future Treatments, General Hair Loss, Hair Loss Blog, Uncategorized /by admin

Hope for a hair loss cure has been provided once again after researchers develop a new hair restoration technique. There’s been a lot of developments in hair regeneration in recent years, and this latest one from Japanese scientists is definitely one of the most exciting.

Understanding the study

A team of researchers from Japan, have developed a new method to mass-produce hair follicle germs (HFGs). The results of the study were published within the Biomaterials journal and highlight the new form of hair loss therapy that could be used in the future.

Hair regenerative medicine itself isn’t new. There have been several studies carried out in recent years which have revealed hair regenerative methods prove successful at combatting hair loss. However, large-scale production of HFG has so far been challenging. That’s why this new study is so promising. The researchers have managed to mass produce the HFG using a fairly simple method.

They tested the HFG on mice and it showed successful at re-growing the hair.

Could it be the future of hair loss?

The new hair regeneration method is certainly promising in the future treatment of hair loss. However, it’s unlikely to be ready to be used as an actual treatment for quite some time. Further studies, especially on humans, will need to be carried out.

In the meantime patients do have quite a few effective hair loss treatments to choose from. Both temporary and permanent hair loss conditions can be treated either through medications, surgery or unique alternative treatments such as SMP.

Before any treatment can be started, the cause of the hair loss will need to be diagnosed. Different treatments work for different hair loss conditions so identifying the root cause is essential. You can book a free and confidential consultation today to discover the cause of your hair loss worries and to determine the best treatment going forward by completing the form on the right.

Ageing and hair loss

30 January 2018/in Alopecia, Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, Other solutions /by admin

We all know that as we get older our hair becomes thinner and more brittle and that the incidence of hair loss increases for men and women. It seems obvious really but now a team of researchers in Sinagpore, working with University of South Carolina Pharmacy School Department of Drug Discovery have gone some way to establishing the physiological reasons for this form of hair loss.

The science behind age related hair loss

The team of researchers, led by Thomas Dawson believe from A*STAR believe that age related hair loss (chronogenetic alopecia) could be caused by the slowing of the metabolism. Interestingly this may go some way to explaining how younger people can also suffer alopecia without any firm explanation. As he explains “Any time there is a screw up in your metabolism you lose hair. People who go on crash diets, students undertaking exams, all will lose hair—only a small change in metabolism makes a noticeable difference.”

Hair growth is an energy intensive process

One of the discoveries made by the team is actually how energy intensive the process of growing hair is. A normal human will grow approximately two metres of hair across their body every hour and when you consider that the amount of energy used in growing one gram of hair is similar to six minutes of intense exercise it’s not hard to see how easily hair growth can be affected by a change in metabolism.

Through the use of laser microscopy the team have established that there is a relationship between mitochondrial metabolism, reactive oxygen and the slowing in growth of hair. Although this hasn’t resulted in a treatment to date the research team are obviously hopeful that their findings will lead to a greater breakthrough in tackling chronogenetic alopecia. Definitely one to keep an eye on for the future.

Turkish delight for balding migraine sufferers

26 January 2018/in Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, Hair Transplant Surgery, Specific Conditions /by admin

For anyone who’s ever suffered from a migraine they know that it’s not simply a headache. Symptoms can often include nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to sound or light. It affects about one in five women and one in fifteen men and when it strikes the results can be truly debilitating. So, it may come as some relief to sufferers that a potential cure has been found by accident – a hair transplant.

150 patients surveyed with impressive results

In December the Sun newspaper reported that a Turkish research team led by Dr Safvet Ors from Kayseri was claiming remarkable improvements in susceptiblity to migraines in a survey he carried out of 150 of his patients who’d had transplants in the last five years. Although he’s not sure of the reason why this might be the case, there is a suggestion that it may be to do with the transplant neutralising nerve endings on the scalp.

Reasons to be cautious

Turkey has become a popular destination for health tourism as the cost of transplants can be significantly lower than most of Western Europe. Unfortunately, it’s not without some risk though as many of the procedures are carried out by more junior staff and not the surgeon you meet and discuss the operation with. Bearing this in mind it probably pays to be a little cautious about the claims of the Dr Safvet. Even he is suggesting that the research is in its infancy and requires larger clinical trials.

Another consideration for migraine sufferers is at this stage this may only be of use to those with thinning hair and deep enough pockets to pay for a hair transplant. If you’re going to have a transplant anyway and suffer from migraines then there’s a chance that it may provide some additional beneficial side effects.

Using fat to regrow hair

23 January 2018/in Alopecia, Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, Hair Loss Drugs, Hair Transplant Surgery /by admin

An interesting new procedure for the treatment of hair loss has been discovered in America. The company Kerastem has reported successful results in their phase two hair growth clinical trials and aim to target their treatment method to patients with alopecia.

The Kerastem therapy is a one-time only treatment which uses fat derived regenerative cells; these are combined with purified fat and are delivered to the affected areas of the scalp which are balding. The clinical trials found that their treatment group were achieving a statistically significant increase in hair count when they were compared to the control group – men who were in the early stages of hair loss. All of the participants from the treatment group were safe and had no serious adverse reactions to the treatment.

The results are highly encouraging and the company is seeking distribution relationships around the world so that more alopecia sufferers can benefit from the treatment.

Other hair loss treatment

Although the Kerastem treatment is not yet available in the UK, there are multiple other options available for men and women who are suffering from hair loss. Recently hair transplants have become increasingly popular and the taboo around them is also decreasing as more public personalities are being open about turning to hair transplants. Results can take up to one year to be completely visible, however hair regrowth begins from as little as two months post-procedure.

Scalp Micro Pigmentation (SMP) is a cosmetic procedure in which a specialised technique is used to deposit pigments onto the scalp. The result is a completely natural looking appearance of a freshly shaved head. SMP is a much more cost effective and permanent solution to hair loss than hair transplants.

Products such as Minoxidil are also available, Minoxidil has been approved by the FDA and can help stimulate hair regrowth and decrease hair thinning. Finasteride medication can be prescribed by your doctor and has similar effects to Minoxidil. However both drugs need to be used continuously for hair growth results to be sustained, both can be used together at the same time.

A cup of tea to prevent hair loss?

22 December 2017/in Future Treatments, General Hair Loss, Hair Loss Blog, Other solutions /by admin

Every week, if not every few days there is always some new ‘miracle’ hair product or technique available claiming to prevent hair loss, improve the overall condition of your hair and even claiming to thicken your hair!

Recently the new hair care brand Pai-Shau, has debuted tea-infused hair care products and a blowout service. The company claims that tea has superior benefits for the scalp and we all know healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp.

How does it work?

Each of the hair care products are infused with combinations of different teas, such as white, green, black and even African red bush tea. They claim the tea has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties on the skin and is colour safe, oil-free and suitable for all kinds of hair textures. Pai-Shau products are suitable for most skin types too, as many women with sensitive skin have found they weren’t suffering from any dryness or allergic reactions as a result of the product.

Tea has the unique ability to both stimulate and soothe the scalp simultaneously, which can encourage hair growth yet still keep the scalp calm so that existing and newer hair can flourish. Tea also comes with the added bonus of caffeine, which is used as a natural suppressor of DHT (a hormone which has been found responsible for hair loss).

Is it safe to try tea-infusion for hair care?

Although there is absolutely no harm in trying tea infused hair products, you need to remember that this method has not been clinically proven to be able to treat hair loss. If you are suffering from hair thinning or hair fall; it’s best to speak to a hair loss expert for a professional diagnosis and guidance.

There are a number of clinically proven treatments ranging from medication to Scalp Micropigmentation and if you’ve got a hair loss problem a delay in seeking proper advice could result in irreversible problems.

Is PRP the future for the hair loss industry?

7 December 2017/in Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, SMP Information /by admin

New hair loss treatments are consistently being added onto the market and one of the most bizarre is PRP. Using your own blood to stimulate new hair growth, Platelet-Rich Plasma is becoming quite a popular treatment in the US. So, how exactly does it work, and could it be the future for the hair loss industry?

Understanding PRP

PRP aims to encourage new hair growth by stimulating the hair’s follicles. It does this by inserting white blood cells, contained in our plasma, into the scalp. To start, blood is drawn from the patient’s arm, before it’s placed into a Centrifuge machine. This spins the blood to separate the red blood cells and the plasma.

Once the plasma has been successfully separated, it is directly injected into the scalp. There, it gets to work stimulating the hair follicles. As it uses the patient’s own blood, there’s a low risk the body will see it as a foreign object, which means the immune system will not attack the cells.

The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes and injections are given across the balding area of the scalp, covering every half an inch. It has so far proven to be quite effective, but it is a treatment you will need to keep enduring in order to maintain results. You’ll need to have a repeat procedure every month for around four months, before dropping down to every three to six months.

Are there better options out there?

While PRP presents very few risks and it has shown to be effective, the fact it needs to be carried out continuously to maintain results makes it an expensive and inconvenient treatment option.

There are other treatments available which can provide the same, if not better results, which do not require such strict maintenance. If you’re looking for the same type of results, hair transplants or laser therapy could be an ideal alternative. If you’re happy to simply cover up the issue and achieve a more shaven look, SMP could be ideal.

It’s important to talk through your options with a specialist as treatments will work slightly differently from person to person. The treatment recommended to you will depend upon the severity of the hair loss, as well as the type of hair loss you’re experiencing.

Future treatment to stop hair loss during cancer treatment

29 November 2017/in Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, Hair Loss Drugs, Specific Conditions /by admin

Recently it has emerged that a protein injection could possibly be the answer to stop hair from falling out during chemotherapy. A study found that by injecting mice with a protein which promotes hair growth, meant that they did not lose their hair during cancer therapy. The finding has raised hope that perhaps one day cancer patients will be able to avoid this distressing side effect of chemotherapy.

Hair loss has actually been found to be one of the side effects of chemotherapy that patients are mostly afraid of. In fact, a survey of women with breast cancer found that eight percent of the women were considering refusing treatment so that they would not have to lose their hair.

Current options to stop hair loss during cancer treatments

Unfortunately, patients have little to no options whilst receiving treatment to save their hair. Currently ’scalp cooling’ caps are available, these work by freezing and constricting the blood vessels near the scalp so that the chemo drugs don’t flow into the hair follicles. The downside is that they are costly, only appear to be effective in fifty percent of patients and cannot be worn for more than two hours without side effects such as discomfort and headaches.

Other patients and scientists have attempted using topical solutions of Minoxidil during chemotherapy; however randomised controlled trials have found this to be non-beneficial.

How was this hair promoting drug discovered?

Researchers decided to increase their understanding of how chemotherapy damaged hair follicles and studied the protein p53. P53 is activated during cancer treatments however it plays a role in supressing hair growth; previous studies have noted that mice which do not have the p53 protein did not lose their hair during chemotherapy. Whilst studying the p53 protein, researchers also found another hair promoting protein WNT3a.

Further investigations and experimentations found that by injecting WNT3a into mice during chemotherapy seemed to prevent hair fall. Scientists are now looking into how they could adapt their findings for use in patients, perhaps by administering several injections into the scalp during chemotherapy or by delivering WNT3a via a cream or gel form that can be spread over the scalp.

South Korea leads the way in hair loss research

23 November 2017/in Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog /by admin

South Korea has become one of the world’s technical powerhouses with Companies like Samsung continually innovating and pushing technology boundaries. It’s not just TVs and mobile phones though where the nation leads the way. According to the Korea Times the Science Ministry has just announced that a team at Yonsei University has developed a new biochemical product to prevent hair loss.

Protein causing the damage

Their research led to a deeper understanding of the way in which the Wnt singnalling pathway operated in adult hair. If the pathway becomes blocked or inhibited then it can prevent the follicle from developing properly, resulting in hair loss. The key discovery made by the team was a protein called CXXC5 which was acting as a negative regulator of the Wnt pathway. Armed with this knowledge the team, led by Choi Kang-yeol set about creating a means of stopping this protein from causing any damage and after some research they produced a new biochemical material PTD-DMB.

In the latest edition of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology the team published their findings, stating, “Disrupting the CXXC5-Dishevelled interaction with a competitor peptide activated the Wnt pathway and accelerated hair regrowth and wound infected hair follicle neogenesis”.

Not commercially available yet

Whilst this is very encouraging it’s still not a commercially available product and it’s likely to be some time before it finds it’s way to the West, if at all. In the mean time there are a number of clinically proven hair loss treatments that are available. These range from medical compounds such as minoxidil and finasteride to newer treatments like low level laser therapy or the increasingly popular scalp micropigmentation (SMP).

If you’re concerned about hair loss and want to find out what’s available to you now why not complete the form to the right or call us for a free and confidential consultation on +44(0)845 359 2924

New hair loss product launched in Malta

9 November 2017/in Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, Hair Loss Drugs, Other solutions /by admin

The premium skincare brand Vichy Cosmetics has launched its own anti-hair loss treatment targeted at both men and women. The Dercos Aminexil Clinical 5 claims that it can rebalance and recreate a healthier scalp thanks to its combination of five active ingredients. The ingredients are aminexil which ‘re-anchors’ the roots, SP94 which is meant to support hair survival and growth, arginine which helps to stimulate micro-circulation and well-nourished hair, octeine which aims to rebalance the scalp and Vichy mineralising water to soothe and reinforce the effects of the active ingredients.

A “Multi Target” hair loss product

The miracle product is marketed as ‘multi target’ and claims that it can slow down hair loss regardless of its cause – hereditary, stress-related, seasonal, post-pregnancy or even hair loss which is related to menopause.

Users are advised to follow the Aminexil Clinical 5 regime for at least three weeks to see results. Ninety six percent of users said that they had a significant decrease in hair loss within six weeks of using the hair loss treatment which was also validated by dermatologists. The product itself is easy to apply on both wet and dry hair; it has a non-greasy, non-sticky and non-oily texture and does not require rinsing as it doesn’t leave any residue.

Clinically Proven Hair Loss Solutions

Although the Aminexil Clinical 5 does sound like an excellent, miracle hair loss solution product it’s still early days and yet to be seen in the UK. There are however, some clinically proven hair loss solutions already available.

Minoxidil is the active ingredient in the Rogaine brand which has been proven to work and is also currently recommended by doctors. Hair loss patients simply need to apply a topical solution on the affected areas on their head on a daily basis to see results and has been shown to work on improving thinning hair and delaying symptoms of male and female pattern hair loss.

Finasteride has also been clinically proven to improve symptoms of hair thinning and hair loss, patients simply need to take one tablet a day. Unfortunately however, Finasteride has been linked with some negative side effects such as impotence and depression.

To learn more about which hair loss solutions are suitable for you contact us here at His Hair Clinic for a free consultation on +44(0)845 359 2924 or fill in the form on the right.

Can a stool sample really help regrow hair?

6 November 2017/in Alopecia, Future Treatments, Hair Loss Blog, Other solutions /by admin

An interesting article which was recently published in the American College of Gastroenterology has featured case reports of some of the diseases of the digestive systems. The study described had two male participants, each who suffered from recurrent intestinal infections which are notoriously difficult to treat and also suffered from alopecia universalis.

Findings Of The Study

Initially the patients were given antibiotics, however treatment was deemed unsuccessful. Then the patients were treated with faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) and both patients actually experienced hair regrowth!

The first patient who had suffered from alopecia universalis for more than ten years displayed patchy hair regrowth over his whole body. The second patient had only had alopecia universalis for two years but appeared to have complete regrowth on his scalp and on some other areas of his body. Neither of the two participants had shown any positive response to the traditional treatments for alopecia areata. Researchers have suggested that a likely explanation to the difference in results was that the first patient had had alopecia universalis for a longer period of time, therefore less hair regrowth.

Auto immune disorder

The idea behind FMT is that by transplanting gut microbes, you could possibly treat many unrelated illnesses. Both the bowel and hair loss diseases here are considered auto-immune disorders; it is possible that by rebalancing the normal flora (microbes found in the gut) the researchers were aiding the defences of the gut lining cells and mucus which is secreted by these cells. Although it is still unknown as to why this FMT gave such surprising results, at least we can appreciate how interconnected our body parts are with the trillions of microbes living in and on our bodies.

Although it is unlikely to be a treatment in the short term, if you are suffering from hair loss, seek professional advice from a hair loss expert for more reliable (and desirable) hair loss treatment options.