Hair Loss Product: Viviscal
Viviscal is a hair loss product that comes in the shape of tablets and is made of AminoMar and a mixture of other nutrients. AminoMar is a fish protein that is claimed to help hair grow better. Malnutrition can affect human hair and some microelements like Zinc and other vitamins that are essential to the growth of hair. However, despite of the extensive advertisement, there is no evidence that healthy people not suffering from any malnutrition of these elements can be helped with their hair growth.
The science behind AminoMar, which is promoted by Viviscal as its hair growing ingredient, is very limited and certainly questionable. In addition to the active ingredient AminoMar, there is no evidence that the other ingredients can help grow hair in people who are not malnourished.
If you are suffering from malnutrition and are concerned that your hair loss is associated with lack of certain nutrients, you need to be examined by a doctor who can order some lab work to easily determine the level of those elements which can be treated if it is found to be necessary.
Can Arthritis Medicine Cure Baldness?
Hair restoration experts are always working to find new cures and solutions for hair loss. One of the most interesting examples of a new solution happened in the past year to a gentleman named Kyle Rhodes. Rhodes was diagnosed with alopecia areata at the very young age of 2 years old. His hair began falling out in patches and he had lost all of the hair on his head, as well as on his body, by the time he turned 18 years of age.
As the years went by, there didn’t seem to be much hope for his condition to be reversed. Thankfully, one of his doctors at Yale University realized that Rhodes’ hair loss was the result of an autoimmune disease. Since this was the case, why not try and treat the condition with medication used for other autoimmune disorders? The autoimmune disease drug of choice was Xeljanz which is better known as a treatment option for rheumatoid arthritis.
The treatment process took about eight months but the results were worth the wait. Kyle Rhodes now proudly possesses a full head of hair. It wasn’t only the hair on his head that returned. Kyle’s eyelashes, eyebrows and the hair on his body all grew back after he was treated with Xeljanz.
While the results were wildly successful for Rhodes, it is not known if the same results can be achieved by the vast number of people who currently suffer from alopecia areata. There are other doctors who say caution must be taken before the drug is used on other patients. Some patients who have used Xeljanz in the past have died from conditions such as tuberculosis. Also, the doctor that treated Rhodes isn’t sure if the drug will work on baldness that comes about as a result of getting older.
Until a final decision is made on whether or not to expand the use of the drug to other patients suffering from alopecia areata, Rhodes says he will continue to use the drug. He also plans on enjoying the sensation of having a full head of hair.
Can a Baseball Cap Help Female Hair Loss?
Even though hair loss is mostly thought of as a condition that mainly happens to men, there are a number of women who also suffer from hair loss. Many women are embarrassed to discuss their hair loss in public so they don’t seek professional help. However, there is now a hair loss treatment that women can use by simply wearing a baseball cap.
The LaserCap LCPRO is a baseball cap that is operated by batteries and includes a special disc inside the dome of the cap. Once the switch is turned on to activate the LaserCap, 200 pulsed lights go to work on stimulating scalp hair growth. The pulsed light is a low level laser light that stimulates what is known as the “energy factory” of the cell as it passes through the scalp. In turn, this stimulating action brings about an atmosphere that is rich in oxygen and energy to help stimulate the hair follicles.
One of the most convenient aspects of the LaserCap LCPRO treatment process is that it doesn’t require a number of trips to the doctor’s office. The patient can take the LaserCap LCPRO home and use it for treatment multiple times during the week. The number of times the cap needs to be used in the comfort of the patient’s own home is determined by the doctor as the needs of each patient are different. However, wearing the cap is normally recommended at least three times per week in 15-minutes intervals.
While the LaserCap LCPRO has been on the market for more than five years, it has only recently received approval from the FDA as a product that can be used to stimulate hair growth. While it’s too soon to tell the long term effectiveness of the LaserCap LCPRO or other laser caps currently on the market. However, it does offer female patients another way to combat hair loss beyond Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, which is currently the only medication approved by the FDA to combat female pattern baldness.
Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration currently offers a special Laser Cap with 224 individual 650nm 5MW lasers. This Laser Cap is used to treat thinning hair in many patients without other medical or surgical options. Please contact our office if you would like more information.
Is There Solid Evidence to Support PRP?
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, has been on the radar of hair regrowth advocates for a few years. There are many proponents of the treatment but their enthusiasm is tempered by a lack of solid evidence to support the treatment as we previously discussed on our website. However, there is a newly published study that shows favorable results pointing to a promising future for the use of PRP.
The study highlights the results of a randomized placebo-controlled study that compared hair regrowth with PRP versus a placebo group. PRP was prepared for use from a small volume of blood. It was then injected on half of the patients’ scalps in the study while the other half was simply treated with a placebo. The described treatments were administered a total of three times in 30-day intervals.
The endpoints of the study were defined by hair regrowth, hair dystrophy, any itching or burning feelings and cell proliferation. A total of 23 patients were enrolled although 3 were excluded at some point in the study. At the end of the 3 total treatment cycles, clinical improvement was seen in the mean number of hairs as well as an increase in the total hair density. It’s also worth noting that no side effects were detected or recorded during the study period. Any relapse of androgenic alopecia was not studied in any of the patients until 12 months after their last treatment. According to the authors of the article, only 4 of the patients reported any continued hair loss after the 12 month period. They were then re-treated.
More information about the study group, study parameters and more total data from the study can be found here.
What exactly does this mean for the use of PRP as a treatment for hair loss? While the data does show positive effects in combating hair loss, the fact that there were only a small sample size of participants in the study means that the study group and its results might not be large enough to draw an accurate conclusion when it comes to utilizing PRP as a hair loss treatment. Also, as of now, there are no studies that have looked into the long term potential side effects of PRP scalp injections. More studies are necessary with a larger number of participants to accurately determine the validity of PRP as a hair loss treatment.
Do the Effects of Propecia Level Off After Three Years?
Q:
Good day Dr. Mohebi,
I hope everything is fine with you. I have a question about Propecia. I have been taking it for few years now. I remember you mentioning in the past that Propecia effects level off after 3 years.
If this is the case, should I continue taking it ?
I look forward to your answer.
A:
It is good to hear from you.
The effects don’t level off but, it’s important to note, you won’t continue seeing the initial effects that had been noticeable due to the initial enlargement of some of the miniaturized hairs. You have been making DHT all along but at a lower level as time passes.
At this point, it is still slowing down your hair loss. If you stop taking it, you will see a more aggressive loss of your native hair that is prone to balding.
Does PRP Really Work for Hair Loss Treatment
Q:
Hi, Doctor.
I had a quick question. Recently, I tried to grow my hair long and realized after my locks had reached the length that I like them at, my hair is noticeably thinning around my crown area. It’s been happening since I was about 18 years old, but none of my barbers had informed me that it was thinning, repeatedly telling me that it was just my cowlick, until now. I’d like to combat this hair loss, but it is my understanding that any medications you start becomes a lifelong commitment. Also, I am afraid the common side effects associated with Propecia, but I do want to know if it can help. I’ve also done some research on PRP, and it seems I would have to maintain the regimen throughout the year, how many times would I need treatment to maintain results?
A:
I would recommend that you seek an evaluation from a hair specialist or a hair surgeon. Make sure the initial evaluation specifically includes a microscopic evaluation, which will give you an indication of what your future pattern of hair loss may be. Only after this initial meeting and evaluation could it be determined what treatment options are best for you.
There are a few FDA medications and methods that have proven to slow down hair loss such as Propecia and Rogaine. However, hair transplant is the only viable, permanent solution at this point to restore ones hair. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and mesotherapy are among the treatments that do not have significant scientific data to support their claims of treating hair loss.
Using Hair Relaxer after Hair Transplant
Q:
Hi Doc!
I have a question for you. In the past, I used chemical hair relaxers. Do you think they damaged my hair follicles? If not, am I able have a chemical relaxer in my hair 6 weeks post-surgery?
Thanx!
A:
Hair relaxers do not seem to be absorbed through the skin. The generative parts of hair follicles are residing a few millimeters below skin level and any product that does not get absorbed through skin, cannot reach the active parts of the follicles and cannot affect their growth. Most cosmetics and other products can be safely used a few weeks after a hair transplant procedure, when the active inflammatory phase is over.
Thanks,
How to Properly use the Laxometer
The Laxometer, a device used to measure the laxity of the scalp in a more objective way, was invented by Dr. Parsa Mohebi back in 2007. In 2011, it was made to be more precise and was called “Laxometer II.” Surgeons around the world are now using this device for all Strip hair transplant procedures to measure scalp laxity. With this device the safety of a hair transplant procedure is increased, since it allows the surgeon to record the needed distance in order to efficiently close the wound in the donor area.