FOR YOUR HEALTH
Growth factors
BY BARBARA BOUGHTON
T FIRST THE signs were sub-
tle. Christina, ;;, noticed an
increasing amount of hair in
her hairbrush, and her hair
seemed thinner than usual. A year later,
she realized she was experiencing grad-
ual but steadily increasing hair loss—
including a bald spot near her crown. A
Costco member who lives
in Tustin, California,
Christina has androge-
netic alopecia, the most
common cause of hair
loss; it affects ;; million
men and ;; million
women in the U.S.
An inherited condition, androgenetic alopecia (also called male- or
female-pattern hair loss)
usually occurs after the age
of ;;, but it can begin as
early as young adulthood,
according to the National
Institutes of Health.
More than just a physical challenge
Christina, a single mother, has found it
difficult to cope with her hair loss. “After I
was diagnosed, my self-esteem went down
the toilet,” she says. “I felt embarrassed
about how my hair looked, especially on
dates. It’s a tough topic to talk about.”
Hair loss can certainly be dishearten-
ing and can cause anxiety and embarrass-
ment, particularly for women. “For many
of the women I treat, their hair loss is dev-
astating,” says Dr. Shani Francis, medical
director of Ashira Dermatology and clini-
cal assistant professor of medicine at the
University of Chicago Pritzker School of
Medicine. “Hair is often the foundation of
a woman’s self-identity and femininity.”
Treatment options
There are two Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approved pharmaceutical products for androgenetic alopecia. Minoxidil, a lotion or foam available in
; percent and ; percent strengths, must be
applied to the scalp once
or twice daily. Oral finas-
teride (also marketed as
Propecia) at ;-milligram
strength is FDA-approved
for use by men, but cannot
be used by women because
it causes birth defects.
Although these two
pharmaceuticals are con-
sidered among the most
effective treatments for
male- or female-pattern
hair loss, they do have dis-
advantages. Minoxidil,
particularly in lotion
form, can cause itching
and rashes in some people, and finasteride
may produce the side effect of sexual dys-
function in men. “With minoxidil, some
hair growth occurs in most people to vary-
ing degrees. Yet real improvements are not
seen for at least four months and some-
times up to a year,” says Dr. Michelle
Galant, professor of dermatology at
Stanford University.
Other alternatives
Some studies have found that other
drugs are useful for hair loss, including oral
spironolactone and oral contraceptives for
women and topical latanoprost for both
men and women. Laser combs, laser hel-
mets and other laser devices for hair loss
may also be helpful. They emit a low level of
laser light that may help stimulate hair
growth, and can be used without a prescrip-
tion at home. “Lasers used with minoxidil
can also have a synergistic effect that may
lead to increased hair growth,” Francis says.
Most current treatments, such as
minoxidil and lasers, need to be used continuously to sustain the effect; once
stopped, hair loss will continue to progress,
Francis notes. “What patients don’t realize
is that treating hair loss can mean a lifelong commitment, and you have to be consistent and patient.”
Transplants and cover-ups
Of all treatments, hair transplants are
often the most effective, resulting in the
greatest amount of hair regrowth. In these
procedures, hair is transplanted from one
part of the scalp to areas where there is
thinning or baldness. A hair transplant
procedure can take four to eight hours,
since it is performed by harvesting and
transplanting single hair follicles consecutively, but complications are rare. It can
take six to nine months for patients to see
significant hair growth after surgery.
If all else fails, wigs and toppers (
partial wigs that usually cover the top of the
head) can be used to cover up hair loss.
Powders and spray-on topical hair fiber
products can also make thinning hair
appear fuller, but they must be applied to
existing hair to provide coverage. Most
studies have not found any beneficial effect
from using supplements and shampoos
said to thicken and grow hair.
Research continues
The good news is that research continues to delve into new treatments for hair
loss, including stem cell therapies and
platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. One
of the newest treatments for hair loss,
PRP is now being used by dermatologists.
With PRP treatments, the patient’s blood
is used to formulate a concentration of
platelets that are injected into the areas of
hair loss. “This may help retain and
thicken the hair that one currently has,
and may lead to regrowth of new hair,”
says Dr. Marc Glashofer, a dermatologist
specializing in hair loss who practices in
northern New Jersey. C
Barbara Boughton is a medical writer
and editor.
aDealing with hair loss BARABASA / SHUTTERSTOCK
The effects of androgenetic
alopecia, prior to treatment.
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THECOSTCOCONNECTION
Costco and Costco.com offer Kirkland
Signature™ hair regrowth treatment.
Prescription treatments can be ;lled at
Costco pharmacies.
