At 23 years old Kyle* was after a hair regrowth solution after he noticed his hairline had begun to recede and his hair was also thinning on top. Six months later Kyle decided to call Ashley and Martin to take the first step towards arresting the hair loss he was experiencing.  Together with the support of his partner he attended his free consultation to discuss what treatment options were available to him in order to help him keep the hair he still had and regrow the hair he had already lost.

During his initial consultation Kyle was asked about his family background, he told his consultant that both his father and maternal grandfather had also lost their hair.  This information supported the consultant’s diagnosis of Male Pattern Baldness which was a level IV on the Norwood scale.  He also told his consultant that had no pre-existing medical conditions.  Together with this information and more given in his initial consult, it was recommended Kyle commence on the RealGROWTH^® program in conjunction with regular laser treatments for his hair regrowth solution. Kyle commenced his treatment after seeing the clinic doctor; attending laser treatments approximately once per month as well as taking his prescribed medication.

At his 4 month check-up a comparison set of photos were taken and these new photos showed that Kyle’s hair had not only started to look thicker and healthier, they highlighted the vast improvement of hair growth in the temple area. The scalp was no longer completely visible through Kyle’s thinning hair.  Kyle also reported he was experiencing a small amount of flaky skin on his scalp.  His consultant gave him a medicated scalp treatment to control the flakiness which worked extremely well for him.

Ashley and Martin were the first stop for Kyle and he is so pleased with the results of his hair regrowth solution he has stayed with the RealGROWTH^® program and continued to retain his hair.

Since the beginning of 2014, numerous studies have been published looking at using stem cell research and their components to aid hair regrowth and ultimately assist in the effective treatment of hair loss. Currently in the experimental stages, researchers believe that a treatment for baldness may soon be a reality – using stem cells to regrow missing or dying follicles.

Perelman School of Medicine

The school of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published results of their study into stem cells, where they describe how they were able to convert adult cells into epithelial stem cells – cells that facilitate the regrowth of follicles. The thought of using stem cells to regrow follicles has never been properly experimented on before and the team says they are the first to achieve this result.

How did the team produce the cells?

By adding three genes, the team led by Dr. Xiaowei Xu, converted human skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These stem cells are able to change into any cell types in the body, which means the researchers were able to convert them to those stem cells which are commonly found in part of hair follicles. Dr. Xu was able to force the iPSCs to make large quantities of epithelial stem cells – using techniques from other researchers to convert the iPSCs into keratinocytes.

Not ready for practical use yet

Though hair follicles were produced from this experiment, Dr. Xu says there is still a while to go before this can be implemented as remedy to hair loss for patients. “This is the first time anyone has made progress of cells that are capable of generating hair follicles” – adding that the cells could aid in wound healing as well as hair regeneration. However, researchers will still need to determine how to foster the growth of dermal papillae, the other cell that is needed for a healthy hair follicle to grow.

Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development

States away, a team at the Laboratory located at the Rockefeller University in New York focused on stem cells in the hair follicle to determine what causes them to switch on – naming the signal as “Sonic Hedgehog”. Led by Ya-Chieh Hsu, the team was able to disable the signal which allowed them to interfere with hair growth and regeneration.

Importance of Sonic Hedgehog

The results of the research concluded that Transit-Amplifying cells (TACs) are able to emit a signal that induces quiet hair follicle stem cells to become active. Once TACs are generated, the stem cell population becomes activated. Although there still needs to more insight into how to control TACs and the Sonic Hedgehog signal, this study can prove to be vital into the manifestations of hair loss, which in the long run can be beneficial when using stem cells to facilitate hair regrowth.

Ashley and Martin currently do not advocate the use of stem cells, however our doctors constantly stay in touch and monitor the latest research and developments in hair loss treatment.

The value a woman places on her hair is high. Women obsess over their hair, how to wear it, the colour, length and style and then one day they notice maybe their normal part is a bit wider then it had been before, or perhaps that their ponytail is not as thick as it used to be. This should be your cue to schedule an appointment – not with your hairdresser but with a hair loss expert.

Hair Loss and Hormones

Some causes of hair loss in women are signs of other things going on in your body, which is why talking to your doctor about this seemingly embarrassing situation can be helpful. Your doctor will want to know about any other symptoms and take some tests. Your test results will offer your doctor some clues to what’s causing your hair loss. Especially important will be hormone levels since the drop in certain hormones can lead to hair loss. There are some things that can cause hair loss that you may not even think of some medications have the side effect of hair loss, a dramatic crash diet limiting your nutrients may starve your body and your hair of vital nutrients, even certain hair styles that add more stress on your hair can be the culprit.

Family History

Around 60 percent of women will deal with hair loss at some point in their lives. Tell-tale signs that the culprit is female pattern baldness are a family history of either male of female pattern baldness and looking at a woman’s scalp with a magnifying glass and noting hair follicles of different sizes.

Treatments Are Available

Once you have been diagnosed with female pattern baldness it is important to understand that there are treatment options available to you which your doctor will discuss with you. There are prescription treatments available that may be available to you, such as Spironolactone and Finasteride medications that can be prescribed to postmenopausal women.

Unlike men, women tend to retain a line of hair on the forehead and experience a thinning in the part of their hair. This leaves options like hair teasing, different hairstyles and thickening treatments such as shampoos and serums available at the drugstore, as viable options to help cover over the loss or make it less noticeable. For those looking for more permanent choices and who are willing to consider it hair transplant surgeries are an option, hair is surgically moved from one place on the scalp to another.

One of the best treatments for female hair loss is revolutionary Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). The benefits of a laser cap are numerous: patients can do it at home in their own time so treatments are regular, making them it more effective, and the cap has 224 laser diodes which cover a substantial area of the scalp. To see an improvement in hair loss, a laser cap needs to be worn just 30 minutes a day, every other day.

Whichever way you choose to manage your hair loss, it may be helpful know that there are options out there and that this experience is faced by many other people all over the world.

Book in a Free Consultation to discuss what hair loss treatments are suitable for you.

Propolis is a mixture made from various tree buds, sap flows and botanical sources from honey bees. Used by bees as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the beehive, Propolis has been tried for medicinal purposes dating back to 350 B.C – the Greeks for abscesses; Assyrians for healing wounds and tumours; and Egyptians have used Propolis for mummification. Even now, it still has many uses for medicinal purposes – including when treating hair loss.

How it was discovered

It was a study first conducted in Japan that found the properties in Propolis could be used to aid hair growth and treat hair loss effectively. In 2014, scientists from Hokkaido University in Japan led by Dr. Ken Kobayashi tested the sealant on mice. Results then concluded those mice that were given Propolis grew back their fur faster than those that did not receive the application. The scientists also noticed that after the treatment of Propolis on the mice, “the number of special cells involved in the process of growing hair increased”.

How Propolis works in treating hair loss

As observed by the scientists, growth occurred without any detectable abnormalities in the shape of the follicles. Propolis works in treating hair loss through stimulating growth by inducing hair keratinocyte proliferation. The application increased the keratinocyte production and migration into the hair shaft – Keratinocytes are cells that are a major component in hair shaft and follicle production. Propolis also includes anti-inflammatory properties, which can be used to combat the inflammatory component that is linked to hair loss.

Questions of Efficacy

The research and experimental process of Propolis is fairly new. Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, a board certified dermatologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology has spoken about her doubts on the mixture, stating it might not do as much as the experiment results show. “The reason people start to go bald is because…the testosterone that is released in puberty shuts down some of the hair follicles on the top of the scalp,” she told Fox News. “It has nothing to do with the inflammatory properties. Though inflammation does cause hair loss in some cases, they only occur in specific medical conditions and are not common. Those conditions are diseases like alopecia areata. Dr. Draelos also commented that the most effective thing to treat pattern hair loss right now is not Propolis but other supplements.

Whether or not Propolis is effective against conditions induced by inflammation remains to be seen once scientists carry out more research – Dr Kobayashi and his team are currently in the process of studying the effect of Propolis on human hair follicles in vitro. However, he does have hopes that Propolis can eventually be placed as a topical treatment alongside minoxidil, the main ingredient used in hair growth medication, stating that a combination of both products may prove to be very effective.

Ashley and Martin currently do not advocate the use of Propolis, however our doctors constantly stay in touch and monitor the latest research and developments in hair loss treatment.