WHAT REALLY CAUSES HAIR LOSS?  THREE MAIN FACTORS

To begin with, three things need to occur in order for one to lose hair due to common pattern hair loss, AKA androgenetic alopecia (AGA) --- by far the most prevalent form of hair loss affecting 60 million American men and women.  

Mammalian hair follicles represent one of the most rapidly proliferating tissue systems in a living organism.  In humans, scalp hair typically grows at a rate of 1/2" per month, representing a remarkably robust rate of cell division.  Equally interesting, is the fact that hair goes through several distinct cycles, loosely analogous to the cycles deciduous tree leaves go through as the seasons change.  Like the leaves on a tree, hair follicles go through a growing stage (anagen) a shedding stage (catagen) and a resting stage (telogen).

Hair Loss Press (July 14, 2010) — As reported in a paper in the July 1, 2010 issue of Nature  a Columbia University Medical Center team of investigators led by Dr. Angela Christiano has uncovered eight genes that are linked to alopecia areata, one of the most common forms of hair loss, Since many of the genes are also implicated in other autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes -- and treatments have already been developed that target these genes -- this discovery may soon lead to new treatments for the 5.3 million Americans suffering from hair loss caused by alopecia areata.

With regard to choosing between one delivery system or another within the HairGenesis® treatment line, I would point out that the reason we've designed our formulations this way is based on our understanding of human physiology; specifically with regard to androgen sensitive hair follicles in the scalp.

Because psoriasis can manifest in a variety of ways, and to varying degrees it is somewhat difficult for any professional to answer these ostensibly simple questions, especially from long distance and particularly without seeing the patient.  In the first place, scalp psoriasis can either be very mild, with slight, fine scaling, or it can be more severe with thick, crusted plaques covering the entire scalp.  In and of itself, this is an important distinction.

A prospective customer writes asking "Why are identical twin experiments important?"  Here is my response:  The reason why identical twin experiments are an excellent way to test a product like Hair Genesis™ can be understood as follows.   Imagine you are one person and you're losing your hair.  You want to know what will happen if you use Hair Genesis® vs. what will happen if you don't.  Since you can't slice yourself into two halves, it is pretty tough to know for sure, correct?  This is where identical twins become very useful in medicine and science.  Identical twins, by definition have the same genetic identity.

A prospective customer writes asking "Can one become tolerant to HairGenesis®?"  Here is my response: First, I would like to share a couple of things that will help provide useful context.  To begin with, a number of ingredients used in HairGenesis™ have, historically, been used to treat a different ailment which is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) --- a non-cancerous growth of the prostate.  Long-term clinical studies, in vitro analyses, and basic science experiments support the hypothesis that such ingredients provide continual benefit without a reduction in affect.

The most common form of hair loss in women, as well as men, is called pattern hair loss AKA androgenetic alopecia (AGA).  AGA is known as pattern hair loss because hair outside of the pattern is remains essentially unchanged, while hair inside the pattern thins and ultimately weakens and dies.  There are three key factors that influence the disorder.

In fact, before embarking on any treatment regimen, pharmaceutically derived or otherwise, my first suggestion would be to bring your concerns to the attention of your primary treating physician.  That said, I shall preface the remainder of my comments with the following assumptions.  If I am wrong in any of these please correct me.

Depending upon the severity of loss you have noted in your frontal scalp area, HairGenesis may, or may not, be beneficial in restoring some degree of density.  Importantly, your response to treatment will be predicated on variable factors including genetics, degree of loss, age, etc. 

I am impressed with your product, however, still hesitant.  I have researched many products and even considered Bosley (hair transplants) who says there is NO product that can help regrow hair, i.e., Rogaine, etc.

I appreciate your dilemma.  I can also tell you that I spent the better part of a decade working as research director for a large, Denver based, hair loss clinic that also offered both HairGenesis & hair transplant surgery.

In the first instance, I am aware of the side effect profile noted with finasteride.  I've also read the clinical studies describing its utility in the setting of pattern hair loss.  As you may be aware finasteride is a specific inhibitor of the type two 5 alpha-reductase enzyme, the enzyme implicated in the conversion of testosterone to the pathologic metabolite 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.  However, because both 5 alpha-reductase (5AR) isoforms (type 1 and type 2) may play a role in patten hair loss, the activity of type 1 5AR is still operative even in the face of therapeutic challenge with finasteride.

Statistically speaking, the most common reason why a 39 year old healthy woman loses her hair is due to androgenetic alopecia (AGA), also known as common pattern hair loss.  This is not to say that it is an absolute certainty that you are suffering from AGA and not another kind of loss.  Merely, I point out that the statistical odds favor AGA over the less common disorders.

Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention so I hope you do not mind if I reply personally.  I should preface my comments by noting that I am a Ph.D. research scientist, NOT an M.D. clinician.  This means that any thoughts I offer in this regard should not be construed as medical advice.  As long as we both appreciate the limitations of what I've just conveyed, here are my thoughts.

Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention so I hope you do not mind if I reply personally.  I should preface my comments by noting that I am a Ph.D. research scientist, NOT an M.D. clinician.  This means that any thoughts I offer in this regard should not be construed as medical advice.  As long as we both appreciate the limitations of what I've just conveyed, here are my thoughts.

Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention so I hope you do not mind if I reply personally.  I should preface my comments by noting that I am a Ph.D. research scientist, NOT an M.D. clinician.  This means that any thoughts I offer in this regard should not be construed as medical advice.  As long as we both appreciate the limitations of what I've just conveyed, here are my thoughts.

A consumer concerned about alopecia areata type hair loss writes:  Does HairGenesis® work in the setting of alopecia areata (AA) as well as for other forms of hair loss?  Here's my response:

Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention so I hope you do not mind if I reply personally.  I should preface my comments by noting that I am a Ph.D. research scientist, NOT an M.D. clinician.  This means that any thoughts I offer in this regard should not be construed as medical advice.  As long as we both appreciate the limitations of what I've just conveyed, here are my thoughts.

Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention so I hope you do not mind if I reply personally.  I should preface my comments by noting that I am a Ph.D. research scientist, NOT an M.D. clinician.  This means that any thoughts I offer in this regard should not be construed as medical advice.  As long as we both appreciate the limitations of what I've just conveyed, here are my thoughts.

    Currently, the typical drug-based regimen for pattern hair loss is either minoxidil and/or finasteride -- or possibly dutasteride.   A caveat with all current drug-based options is the potential for negative side effects.  Alternatively, in the past few years a series of naturally-based hair loss treatments have been developed containing active compounds and phytochemicals.  These generally offer an excellent safety profile, however, with rare exception, they remain largely unsupported by peer-reviewed data.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), commonly called pattern hair loss shares a striking degree of hormonal factors with other diseases including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).  For a number of years, European research studies have pointed to the potential benefits of saw palmetto in the setting of BPH.  Until recently however,  saw palmetto while regularly employed against BPH, was not considered to be a potential tool against hair loss. 

It is instructive to review the basis under which the hair loss treatment line HairGenesis® is tested and supported.  Here is a list of validation descriptive terms useful for this purpose.  

Here's a list of the top ten substances you can use to combat hair loss.  If you wish, you may also purchase HairGenesis® which contains a proprietary admixture of all of these.

In the current issue of the premier science journal Nature (www.nature.com) investigators report the discovery and identification of a genetic mutation involved in hypotrichosis simplex, a hereditary hair loss disorder that affects less than 200,000 Americans. The disorder causes hair follicle miniaturization, a process in which hair follicles shrink and narrow, and thick hair is replaced by fine, downy "peach fuzz" hair.