Supplement may help compulsive hair pullers

A nutritional supplement could be the first cure for compulsive hair-pullers who pluck hair from their scalp, eyebrows and lashes to the point of baldness

July 2009

A simple nutritional supplement could provide the first medical assistance for compulsive hair-pullers, who often pluck hair from the scalp, eyebrows and lashes to the point of baldness.

The supplement, N-acetylcysteine, has previously been found to aid people with other compulsive disorders, and a new clinical trial showed that it benefited more than half of those who took it.

Compulsive hair-pulling, also known as trichotillomania, is marked by a high level of tension that is relieved by the hair-pulling; sufferers receive pleasure, relief or gratification from the act.
It is believed to affect up to 4 percent of the U.S. population, most commonly women, but accurate figures are hard to come by because many sufferers hide their conditions.

Victims often suffer a reduced quality of life and difficulties in working because they refuse to be seen in public.

There are no approved medical treatments for the condition, but cognitive behavioral therapy can help some patients.

The condition, like many other compulsive behaviors, is thought to arise from an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, especially levels of serotonin and glutamate, a chemical that triggers excitement.

N-acetylcysteine blocks production of glutamate in specific areas of the brain.

Dr. Jon Grant of the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and his colleagues studied 50 people with the disorder, 45 women and five men with an average age of about 34.

Full trichotillomania article

Hair loss news

Steroid Abuse Leads To Alarming Rise In Hair Loss Victims

If you have taken steroids and suffered premature baldness, all is not lost. There are treatments and solutions available to help you regain your head of hair and your confidence

July 2009

Men are being warned that steroids can lead to premature baldness after a leading hair clinic reported an alarming rise in the number of patients affected by the designer drugs.

Optima Hair Specialists – which supplies advanced hair replacement systems – has seen a 60 per cent increase* in enquiries from men who have taken anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and suffered early hair loss as a result.

AAS are believed to stimulate Dihydrotestosterone** (DHT) – a powerful sex hormone that triggers baldness in men***.

Peter Murtha, founder of Optima Hair Specialists, said: “It is widely accepted that DHT has an adverse affect on hair follicles and is the main culprit behind male pattern baldness.

Recent studies have found that steroid drugs can increase the levels of DHT within the body and therefore accelerate hair loss.

“Alarmingly, we’ve seen a significant rise in enquiries from men who have taken steroids and subsequently suffered from premature baldness.

I feel it’s crucial to warn others of the potential dangers, so they can avoid the side effects of AAS.”

Peter added: “If you have taken steroids and suffered premature baldness, all is not lost. There are treatments and solutions available to help you regain your head of hair and your confidence.

* Based on enquiry figures at Optima Hair Specialists, March 2008-April 2009

** Robert W Brueggemeier, Ph.D, Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University

*** Rebora A (2004). “Pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia”. J Am Acad Dermatol 50 (5): 777-9

Full Steroids and hair loss article

Hair loss news

Volluma Challenges Social Taboo of Womens Hair Loss

Volluma is pleased to announce the release of their newly updated “10 Styling Secrets for Women With Thinning Hair” style guide.

Written to address the questions raised by more than 30,000 seekers each month (according to Google search metrics), this free-to-download resource is perfect for the woman managing her thinning hair and seeking styling advice solutions.

Co-written by a professional salon stylist the new Style Guide contains 10 Secrets women with thinning hair want to know; including the best haircuts for thinning hair, how to use color to create dimension and thickness, and important guidance about choosing a stylist and other products for thinning hair sufferers.

“We understand the challenges Women with thinning hair face every day.

It’s often an unspoken silent suffering, that’s why we published this important resource online – it’s accessible when women need it most,” said Dale Lorna Denison, co-founder of Volluma.com

The Style Guide is available online at Volluma.com/blog/style-guide for free, only an email address is required for delivery – no other personal information is requested.

Womens hair loss article

Hair loss news

Nanogen hair loss concealer

Nanogen Nanofibres Overview:

Nanofibres are being heralded as the “30 second hair transplant” by their makers. We have to say we think these hair building fibres are amazing.

They really do eliminate the appearance of baldness and thinning hair in seconds. We know because we’ve tried them!

Nanogen is different. What the makers have done is use specialist microfibre technology so that each hair is made thicker and fuller in an instant to produce outstanding results not seen with any other similar product.

What are Nanofibres?

Nanofibres are a unique formulation of pure keratin that have been precision cut by laser to microscopic dimensions.

After cutting, the fibres are dyed and coated to enhance the retention of electrostatic charge.

The dried fibres are then hygienically packed into containers, which are constructed from a sophisticated polymer that stimulates static charging of the fibres whenever the container is moved.

Nanogen hair loss concealer

Hair loss news

Womens hair loss

Hair loss for a woman can be devastating. The problems seems to be increasing every year. It is estimated that six out of ten woman will suffer some degree of hair loss.

Most people assume that it is only men who suffer from hair loss, but nothing could be further from the truth. Although it is basically true with regards to heredity, millions of women the world over suffer from some form of hair loss and the number appears to be rising each year.

The overwhelming cause is a hereditary condition called androgenetic alopecia or female-pattern hair loss. One of the least engaging facts about getting older is that a significant number of women also experience hair loss.

All women have some of the male hormone testosterone in their bodies, but women with androgenetic alopecia are more sensitive to the hormone. This sensitivity causes hair to thin all over the head, and some women develop thinning patches similar to male-pattern hair loss

Sudden hair loss may not be painful or even dangerous in itself, but for the six out of ten women who suffer from it at some point in their lives can find, it a devastating blow to their confidence – marital break up, career problems, social isolation and even suicide has been known to follow in its wake.

One of the most traumatic experiences a woman could endure in her life would be baldness. Hair thinning or slight hair loss is bad enough but total baldness can be completely heartbreaking.

To see one’s hair fall out in clumps and be able to do nothing about it is something no woman ever contemplates. Sadly there is a hair disorder that affects women for no reason, which causes the hair to fall out in handfuls. There is no known cure for the problem and many women with the disorder sadly spend vast sums of money with the so called “hair specialists” on wonder shampoo’s which they claim will restore their crowning glory.

Womens Hair Loss

Hair loss news