Loss of Hair + Loss of Libido = Lawsuit
10:18 PM - Posted by michelle -
Eddie Sebastia was aiming to improve his appearance, not interfere with his sex life, when he took Propecia or Proscar.

The drugs, which contain finasteride, were prescribed for male pattern hair loss, the Polk County man said in a lawsuit filed in circuit court. Instead, he contends, it led to erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, testicular pain and related emotional issues, including depression and anxiety.

Male pattern hair loss is a common condition in which men have gradual thinning of the hair on the scalp, leading to a receding hairline or balding on the top of the head, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Sebastia and his wife, Lisa, are suing Merck & Co. Inc., a global pharmaceutical company, and Merck, Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary that distributes both drugs.

Similar lawsuits have been filed by other men nationwide, with some law firms advertising their interest in class-action lawsuits. Some online websites warn of possible long-lasting or permanent side effects.
A Merck spokesman, however, responding to other lawsuits about Propecia, is quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer as saying Merck is prepared to ‘vigorously defend’ against them.

Propecia is marketed for male pattern hair loss. It’s a lower dose of finasteride than Proscar, which Merck markets for treating prostate gland enlargement. Finasteride is deemed to effectively treat alopecia or hair loss by inhibiting the buildup of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in the scalp. DHT is responsible for blocking the absorption of nutrients by the hair follicles, hence causing hair to thin, excessively shed, or cease to grow. Although it has proven to be successful in regrowing hair, finasteride has repeatedly received reports of its harmful side effects.

Sebastia said his doctor told him, when he took Proscar, to divide the Proscar tablet containing 5 mg of finasteride into separate daily doses. The other drug, Propecia, has 1 mg of finasteride.


Experts Warn Black Women about Baldness
12:25 AM - Posted by michelle -
Some black women often subject themselves to risky hairstyle practices to either follow the fashion, give in to societal pressure or because of low self-worth linked with images on television, which often tell black girls that they are more beautiful if they have a more Caucasian look.

Eryca Freemantle, one of the leading makeup and skin care consultants in the industry, shares, “Research has made us aware that the problem with WOC [women of colour] sometimes goes very deep; much deeper than just wanting to have long hair, thicker hair. Sometimes it’s the pressure of society.

“In the UK, we do not have many role models in society that represent WOC, and if we do, they tend to be wearing hair extensions, weaves, wigs, and the like.

“There are only a few, actually maybe two or three in the media that look like me. Based on that, some WOC take extensions and weaves a little over the top, whereas many wear them because it just makes life a lot easier.

“Commercials and the media reflect white women to be beautiful and superior to WOC. Of course there is going to be a deep-rooted complex for some WOC seeing this. There are no TV commercials promoting shampoos, soaps, or skin products specifically for WOC, so on the surface alone, some WOC are going to want to be like their white counterparts,” she said.

“Braiding the hair over the course of history does not cause damage to the hair or scalp. However, what you will find is that part of the root of the problem is, I have been told, that the tighter the braids, the more it pulls on the skin, the more this can make the nose look straighter.”

She added that too many black women have grown up seeing white girls or girls with lighter skin tones receive better treatment—even if it is getting to play the princess in the local school play.

“At a very young age, the black girls (are being subconsciously told) that they were not worthy of being the main character in their class plays, and the boys were made to understand unconsciously that black girls were not that pretty.

“At this time, the lighter-skinned girls walked like they were goddesses because it was obvious that they were the symbol of beauty. This was the time our girls wished for white dolls for Christmas, as if they were wishing that they could play Snow White some day.

“Some say beauty is just skin deep, but it is actually an economical and political factor. We should maintain our hair and our natural given beauty by being a little gentler on ourselves.

“No need to use such harsh products and chemicals. Only we can make the difference in the beauty industry for ourselves.”


Go Herbal in Treating Hair Loss
2:29 AM - Posted by michelle -
Thinning hair can cause fear and anxiety in women as they feel helpless about how to stop their strands from falling out excessively. Then to make matters more complicated, there are so many hair regrowth products to choose from.

The most valuable home remedy for hair loss is using seeds of lime and black pepper. Ground it together and then make it into a fine paste. Apply this paste on the balding or thinning patches. This might itch but at the same time it stimulates hair growth and promotes the hair follicles to grow firm hair shafts.

Indian gooseberry or amla is an herb which has been used since old times for curing hair-related problems and also for having good and healthy hair growth. Many natural remedies can be prepared using amla, like boiling pieces of dried amla with coconut oil till amla pieces turn black. This mixture can be used for reducing hair loss.

Amla and lemon juice can be mixed in equal quantities for washing hair which can remove even the toughest dandruff off the scalp and reduce this problem.

Sage and rosemary are good hair loss remedies when used together. You can boil together peach leaf, nettle, rosemary, sage and burdock in water. Strain the loose herbs and wash your hair with the liquid.

Just by taking zinc, studies have shown that it slows down the causes in the body which contribute to hair loss. When zinc is taken with vitamin B6, it produces very good results, as was tested in a clinical study with bald men and women. It slowed down hair loss by up to 90 percent. Vitamin B6 is most powerful when it is taken daily in a dose of 100 mg. If you take more than 500 mg per day, the vitamin b6 can cause damage to the nerves. And too much zinc will make you ill so don’t believe that more is always best.

The leaves of the tree margosa will be beneficial in treating hair loss. It must be used as a decoction. This will stop hair from falling and will stabilize them into their roots. It also kills the hair parasites.

One healthy hair care tip is not to comb wet hair. Do not pull or rub your hair for any reasons. Use small clips to tie them. Protecting them from the sun and pollution is another important task which you can do by using sunscreen and scarfs. It is also advisable to prefer cotton headgear.

A secret home remedy for healthy hair is drinking half a liter of lettuce, spinach, carrot and alfalfa juice in equal proportions daily. This mixture is natural and very effective as a natural supplement.


Excessive Hairstyling Can Cause Excessive Loss of Hair
12:59 AM - Posted by michelle -
Some hairstyles, including tight braids and weaves, may increase the risk of developing an irreversible form of scarring hair loss, according to a new study in the Archives of Dermatology.
Seen predominately in African-American women, this type of hair loss, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, centers on the vertex (crown) of the scalp and spreads peripherally.

“Any style that causes too much tension and traction on the hair, such as braiding with artificial hair weaved in, can possibly lead to scarring hair loss,” says study author Angela Kyei, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

“You can’t bring the hair back, so you should see a dermatologist who specializes in hair loss and let them evaluate your scalp.”

In the study, 326 African-American women answered questionnaires about their hair-grooming methods, health status, and other demographic information. Dermatologists then performed a scalp examination to grade hair loss.

Nearly 60 percent of the women showed signs of advanced central hair loss with scarring. The women were also more likely to have type-2 diabetes and bacterial scalp infections, and sport hairstyles associated with traction, including braids and weaves, the study showed.

The increase in the number of women with type-2 diabetes and traction alopecia dovetails with the theory that it may also be influenced by metabolic problems.

Hair Loss in African-American Women

“It is harder to manage tightly curled hair and is often not socially acceptable to wear hair in its natural form for these women,” Kyei says. So some women turn to braids and weaves, and because these hairstyles can be costly, they are sometimes worn for extended periods.

“But hair loss is permanent, meaning that we can inject steroids or creams but it won’t bring your hair back, so it’s very important to seek help with dermatologists early on,” she says.

The study “is 100 percent true,” says Yael Halaas, MD, a facial plastic surgeon in New York City who specializes in hair restoration. “This type of hair loss starts from the center and spreads out,” she says. “It is an epidemic among African-American women with a history of tight braids and weaves.”

Often the only treatment option is a hair transplant, she says. This can be problematic if the hair loss is extensive and has jeopardized donor sites.

“Avoid tight braids and weaves at all cost,” she says. “They will do damage.”

“Their hair has a lot of curl, which means it provides good coverage for thinning areas, so they are slower to take action because they don’t realize how much thinning they are getting,” Halaas says.

Neil Sadick, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, says this type of hair loss is a growing problem in African-American women.

“These hair-grooming practices can lead to excessive trauma to the hair shaft of predisposed individuals [and] interfere with hair integrity and are major culprits in causing this cosmetically debilitating scarring hair loss,” he says.

“It can be best tempered by dermatologists by educating the patient to the deleterious effects of their current hairstyling practices and discontinuing excessive heat and chemical treatments to their hair,” he says.


Hair Loss: An Aftermath of Stress
11:31 PM - Posted by michelle -
Stress is a part of our life. It is in fact an integral part of our existence. Stress can affect our physical efforts and mental framework. All of us feel stress, but have different ways to express or react to it.

Stress can be termed as the unseen ailment which disturbs our equilibrium. It is something which shouldn’t be taken lightly because it is an established and well-proven cause of mental and physical pathos.

Talking about the impact of stress on hair and scalp condition, it is important to mention that this type of stress-induced hair loss is called telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is a temporary condition characterized by shedding of hair from the scalp triggered by acute or chronic stressful situations. The hair may re-grow within 6–9 months.

The only lasting treatment apart from a symptomatic one is proper management of stress. Stress becomes highly injurious to our health if not managed effectively.

Learning to relax, exercises and meditation, spending a quiet time in introspection, organizing oneself, avoiding unnecessary competition, talking to friends, developing a positive attitude and taking things lightly, are the techniques of dealing with stressed conditions.

Managing stress properly will make your life beautiful. You will feel positive, better, charged, active and relaxed. Stress can be positive or negative depending on how you perceive it. On one hand, it might bring the best out of you, by instilling a sense of heightened concentration while encountering a challenging situation. And on the other hand, it can be so consuming that it might end up being highly stressing, ultimately making you unable to relax. So a balance is needed, to be in complete control of life and decide the path you want to tread and not forcefully follow, out of stress, jeopardizing your health, mind, and peace.

Apart from these useful methods, excessive use of synthetic hair care products—which leads to damaging hair, causing baldness and rapid hair loss—should also be avoided. The use of natural herbal products should be promoted which will be mild on your precious priceless possession—your hair, the crowning glory!


Hair Loss Treatments: Medication vs. Natural Supplements
10:42 PM - Posted by michelle -
If you are anything like a lot of men with thinning hair, then it probably feels like you’ve tried every hair loss medication in the world. If you are still looking, it is most likely because nothing you’ve tried so far has actually worked. Sometimes, these medications cause side effects that are too problematic to ignore; other times, there is no noticeable benefit in taking a particular medication, and you end up throwing it out. Frustrating, isn’t it? One of the biggest problems with a lot of products today is that they are geared for use by both men and women—and a man, your problem is probably androgenic alopecia.

Natural Treatments and Androgenic Alopecia

You are most likely more familiar with the common term for androgenic alopecia—male pattern baldness. This is the most common type of hair loss in men, by far. Yet so many kinds of medication completely disregard the science behind what causes male pattern baldness, hoping to cash in on and appeal to as many customers as possible. Today’s natural products are the few kinds of medication available that are specifically designed to deal with the underlying causes of male pattern baldness.

Nip Thinning Hair in the Bud

Now this is a very important part of this topic. DHT blockers are an exciting type of hair loss medication that works in two very distinct ways. Their oral supplements work to block the hormone known as DHT—or dihydrotestosterone—preventing it from being produced in the first place. Some DHT blockers also contain a topical serum to gently massage into the scalp to help create a fertile environment for fresh, new hair to regrow. Men who have tried virtually every medication under the sun swear by DHT blockers because they actually work—and keep on working. Since they’re all natural, they can be safely used every single day.


How to Avoid Hair Loss from Chemotherapy
12:48 AM - Posted by michelle -
For many women facing the emotional and physical whirlwind of breast cancer treatment, the possibility of losing their hair is one more trauma to go through.

“It’s typically two of the first questions I get: ‘Will I lose it, and when will I lose it?’” said Dr. Susan Melin, who specializes in treating breast cancer as an associate professor of internal medicine—hematology and oncology—at Wake Forest Baptist University Medical Center.

“They feel like it is a declaration to the world of their condition and the chemotherapy that they’re about to go through.”

Melin is hopeful that a feasibility study of a scalp-cooling device—just under way at Wake Forest Baptist—will enable her to eventually answer “no” more often to those questions.

“Preventing chemotherapy-induced hair loss by using the scalp-cooling cap may relieve severe psychological and emotional stress and improve the patient’s quality of life,” Melin said.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Wake Forest Baptist and the University of California at San Francisco for an investigational device exemption for DigniCap, which is made by Dignitana of Lund, Sweden. The study is the first step required to gain FDA approval. Melin is the principal investigator for the Wake Forest Baptist study.

The device, aimed at patients with stage 1 breast cancer, is already in clinical use in Canada, Europe, and Japan. According to the Dignitana website, more than 80 percent of the patients have kept their hair during chemotherapy.

Both US medical centers will enroll 10 patients. The first patient at Wake Forest Baptist is set to undergo chemo treatment while wearing the cap. UCSF has at least five patients enrolled.

The device is a tight-fitting silicone cap placed directly on the head, and an outer neoprene cap that insulates and secures the inner one. The cap is connected to a cooling and control unit with touch-screen controls. The design leaves the ears uncovered.

A coolant circulates throughout the inner silicone layer. The cap is designed to deliver consistent cooling to all areas of the scalp. The device features safety sensors that monitor and optimize the treatment temperature, typically around 42 degrees. A lower temperature is recommended for patients with thick hair.

When a cap is applied to the head, the temperature of the scalp is lowered over a 20- to 30-minute period. Blood vessels surrounding the hair roots contract, resulting in a significant reduction of cytotoxins to the follicle.

Reduced blood flow leaves a smaller amount of chemotherapy available for uptake in the cells. The decreased temperature results in less absorption of—and reduced effects from—the chemotherapy.
The treatment cycle, depending on the patient, would range from four times over a two-month period to eight times over a four-month period, Melin shares.
Melin said there have been few side effects with the cap, primarily headaches. Melin said that one of the goals with the study is to determine if it is safe and will cause no side effects.

Patients will have follow-up visits of three, six, nine and twelve months to determine whether hair has grown back.

Melin said that a larger efficacy study would include patients with stage 1 and stage 2 breast cancer. “Basically, the DigniCap would be used for certain patients who have a moderate chance of their cancer recurring,” she said.


Hair Growth Treatment Stumbled upon by Researchers
11:45 PM - Posted by michelle -
Researchers have stumbled across what may turn out to be a “miracle” treatment for hair loss in humans. The scientists were investigating how stress affects the digestive system when they made the discovery.

The team at the University of California-Los Angeles and US Veterans Administration were working with mice which were genetically engineered to overproduce a stress hormone called corticotrophin-releasing factor or CRF.

As they aged, these chronically-stressed rodents lost the hair down their backs, much the same way that extreme stress can cause baldness in humans.

Investigators studying irritable bowel syndrome injected the mice for five consecutive days with a chemical compound, or antagonist, called astressin-B, which blocks the effects of CRF, the stress hormone.

Lead researcher Million Mulugeta says they wanted to see if the treatment eased the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a disorder that causes severe pain and cramping.

“And we left these mice back to their home cage and came back three months, and all these mice that received this antagonist had their hair grown back fully,” says Mulugeta.

Four months later, the rodents’ fur showed no signs of thinning. Mulugeta isn't sure if astressin-B only reverses stress-related hair loss, or whether it would correct hair loss due to aging or chemotherapy.

Corticotrophin-releasing factor orchestrates the stress response and the cascade of stress hormones that follows. Mulugeta says scientists are now trying to figure out which stress hormones are most closely tied to hair loss so they can develop a treatment that does not disrupt the endocrine system.

While the hair loss treatment has not been tried in humans yet, Mulugeta is optimistic that it will work.

“These hormones and their receptors are present in the skin both in mice and humans, and they are very similar,” he says. “So all this gives us hope that the antagonist may work in human(s).”


Hair Loss – Truth behind Myths
6:21 AM - Posted by michelle -
Hair LossFictitious popular conceptions that determine possible causes of baldness may have some underlying truth behind, nevertheless remain myths due to lack of scientific validation.

• Wearing Hats Can Cause Hair Loss
Prolonged use of hats especially during hot and humid climate can contribute to the excretion and accumulation of sebum on your hair. Sebum is a waxy substance that is secreted by the sebaceous glands of your skin. Overtime, sebum can react with cholesterol to create a hardened sebum plug that cuts off oxygen circulation to the hair follicles and cause it to fall out.
While this may be a myth, hats do cause hair breakage and, to a lesser degree, split ends. Since hats are not washed as frequently as other clothing, they can also lead to scalp uncleanliness and possible Pityrosporum ovale contamination in men with naturally oily scalps. Some scalp infections, if left untreated, can cause hair loss.leimo hair loss

• Hair Loss is Inherited From the Mother’s SideMajority of hair loss in both men and women is hereditary and can be inherited from either the mother’s or father’s side.

• “Bald men are more sexually active than others”
Levels of free testosterone are strongly linked to libido and also DHT levels, but unless free testosterone is virtually non-existent, levels have not been shown to affect virility. Men with androgenic alopecia are more likely to have a higher baseline of free androgens. However, sexual activity is multifactorial, and androgenic profile is also not the only determining factor in baldness.

• DHT is The Only Culprit in Hair Loss
While it is true that overproduction of the male hormone or androgen called DHT is an important cause of hair loss in men and women, it is not the only cause.
DHT is a natural form of testosterone produced by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. Binding of this metabolite to its receptors in the hair follicle is thought to lead to hair loss. Many chemical drugs and natural supplements either inhibit the production of DHT or prevent it from binding to its follicular receptors.
DHT, however, is required for normal sexual functions. Indiscriminate inhibition of this metabolite has led to sexual performance problems, such as impotence or erectile dysfunction.
In addition to preventing the overproduction of DHT, your hair loss treatment regimen should also include providing nutrients and vitamins to strengthen existing hair, prevent hair fall out due to damage, and promote new hair growth. Improving blood circulation via photobiostimulation to the follicles using Leimo Personal Hair Laser can also be used to treat hair loss.

• Blow Drying and Frequent Washing Causes Hair Loss
Unless they are done excessively, blow drying and washing your hair frequently will not cause hair loss. However, heat damaged hair is often brittle and prone to shedding. Too much heat can also permanently damage hair follicles, leading to hair loss. Similarly, physical damage to hair due to aggressive shampooing or toweling can lead to a hair loss condition called traction alopecia.

• Losing 100 Strands of Hair per Day is Normal
Your hair grows and falls out according to its normal growth cycle. In this cycle, a hair follicle would grow for about four to five years. In its fifth year, the follicle would stop growing and enter its rest cycle. By the beginning of the sixth year, the hair strand would fall out and the growth cycle starts again.
The average number of follicles in your scalp is between 100,000 to 150,000, 90% of which is in the growth cycle at any given time. It has been said that we shed about 100 strands of hair per day – however, this number has turned out to be a gross overestimate. Although the exact number of hair shed varies from person to person, new studies have indicated that only about 20 to 50 strands are shed normally in a day.
Thus, losing 100 hair strands per day may be indicative of early stages of hair loss.

• There is Nothing You Can Do to Prevent or Treat Hair Loss
In the past, this was true – there was nothing they could do about hair loss. But now, with advances in the science of trichology about the nutritional needs of hair, men and women no longer have to live with hair loss.
A breakthrough in hair care, Leimo Personal Hair Laser is the first cordless laser phototherapy device specifically designed for hair regrowth using Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and Light Emitting Diode Therapy (LEDT). Equipped with precision components, it is designed for the general public to use at home. It is the next generation in hair and scalp restoration with no medication, no drugs and no reported side effects.

Empirical data revealed that both men and women of all ages are satisfied with its positive benefits.
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about hair loss. Recognizing them and the truth behind can help you make an informed decision in treating hair loss.


Dealing with thinning hair the appropriate way
5:00 AM - Posted by michelle -
Thinning hair is typically apparent in men, though older women can experience this when they grow older. Thinning of the hair can be an early sign of alopecia or hair loss. Majority of the hair care experts say that the main culprit of this distressing condition is genetics, which means it is passed on from generation to generation. Androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness is by far the most common cause of hair loss in almost all men in different countries and an overwhelming 80 percent of the male population will inevitably suffer from this certain type of hair loss.

Men with androgenic alopecia are basically vulnerable to the hormone dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This hormone attacks the hair hair loss laser therapyfollicles on the scalp, particularly at the front and crown area. DHT devastates or degrades the hair follicles ability to generate healthy tick hair, leading to permanent pattern baldness. From the word pattern, the display of loss on men’s head follows a precise shape such as the rim or horseshoe shape that can be easily seen at the front and the bald spot at the top. In most cases, androgenic alopecia really starts with thinning hair and then progresses into scalp denudation.

Treating male pattern baldness is not mandatory if one is pretty comfortable with his appearance. However, most men who have lost huge amounts of hair due to this type of hair loss use hairpieces like wigs to conceal their bald spots. Others would constantly change their hairstyles just to disguise their hair loss problem. For those men who are completely bothered by androgenic alopecia insist on having a treatment that is so safe and yet efficient enough to use in battling the condition. Well-known hair loss treatments that consist of natural and organic chemicals are highly recognized by reputable hair care experts and are in fact advantageous in preventing male pattern baldness. Natural ingredients like the saw palmetto extracts can significantly stop DHT production without the aggravating side effects of treatment medication such as minoxidil and the dreadful side effects of prescription drugs like finasteride (Propecia).

There are countless hair loss products out in the market nowadays that contain saw palmetto extracts. It is labeled as their main and leading ingredient in halting thinning hair, androgenic alopecia and most importantly in stimulating hair regrowth.


Home Remedies For Hairloss
7:24 PM - Posted by michelle -

Hair loss is one of the most common problems which affect almost everybody at some point in their life. In this article let us find out some of the root causes of this problem and how one can keep hair loss under control with help of time tested natural home remedies. Main Causes Of Hair Loss Hair fall can be due to a number of reasons but the most common ones are depression, stress, drugs and medications and hormonal imbalance like excess production of DHT in the body which makes the hair follicles weak resulting in hair loosing their grip and falling off from the head. How To Treat This Problem The main thing when dealing with hair fall is to start the treatment as soon as possible to minimize further damage.

You can also take the following steps to combat hair loss as well as grow new hair.
1. Take appropriate sleep as it helps in overcoming stress and relax your mind resulting in enhancing your overall health condition.
2. Avoid using shampoos as they contain chemicals which slowly make the hair thinner and then they start to fall off instead you can use herbal shampoos containing herbs which provide the hair with vital nourishments.

3. Massage your hair regularly with natural oils like almond or coconut oil. Massaging helps strengthen the scalp as well as hair follicles hence preventing loss of hair as well as helps in growth of new hair.
4. Take natural pills which contain herbs like saw palmetto and emblica as they are helpful in lowering the levels of DHT in the body the main cause of hair loss in the body. These were some of the steps you can take to curb hair loss naturally at home and regularly following these things in your daily life will even help in growth of new hair.


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