Hair Loss Product Reviews

MHRA Medical License | FDA Approval | Food Supplement

Viviscal is a natural food supplement intended to nourish hair follicles and promotes the growth of existing hair where it has slowed down or temporarily stopped. It contains an AminoMar C™ Marine Complex that Viviscal claims is what helps deliver the nutrients essential for hair growth.

Natural products and supplements must not make medicinal claims, such as that they can “treat hair loss”, but they are not required to prove their claims in clinical trials. Viviscal is not a medicinal product, and as such it is not subjected to approval and licensing by the MHRA or FDA. 

The Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency and the Food and Drug Administration are responsible for approving medicinal products in the UK and US respectively, and licensing them for a specific purpose once they have unequivocally demonstrated safety and efficacy in treating that condition. You can therefore only be sure that a product is effective to its stated cause if it has been licensed by these bodies.

The MHRA and FDA have only licensed and approved two products for the express purpose of treating hair loss. You can find more information about those products here – Hair Loss Treatment for Men | Hair Loss Treatment for Women

The Belgravia Centre does not offer Viviscal but it can be purchased at most pharmacies, including Boots, and online via its website.

Viviscal Ingredients:
AminoMar C™ (Marine Complex)
Acerola Cherry Extract (Malphigia Glabra L)
Microcrystalline Cellulose (E460)
Horsetail Extract (Equisetum Arvense L.)
Natural Orange Flavor
Magnesium Stearate
Hypromellose
Glycerol

With so many hair loss products circulating in pharmacies, health shops and online, it’s a wonder why so many men still battle with a receding hairline. Hundreds of supplements and treatments promise to halt the balding process and restore hair but unfortunately, most are simply exaggerating or even making illegal claims about their merits. In such a highly marketing-oriented, consumer driven culture, how is the average man with able to tell the difference between what works for hair loss and what doesn’t? Quite simply, there are only two treatments that that are clinically proven and licensed to treat hair loss and the most effective treatment for men is Propecia.

How does Propecia work?

Propecia is a one-a-day tablet that works by inhibiting the formation of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in your scalp. DHT is the main cause for male pattern baldness, the most common form of hair loss which affects 80% of men. The body naturally converts testosterone to DHT but significantly higher levels of DHT on the scalp attack the hair follicles causing them to shrink. This results in thinning hair which can lead to baldness.

Propecia is the first and only FDA approved pill proven to treat male pattern hair loss on the top, middle and front of the head where hair loss generally occurs. For extra stubborn patches of balding or receding hair, a combination of Propecia and minoxidil, the only other FDA approved hair loss treatment, will give superior results. And there are other ‘booster products’ that can add to Propecia’s effectiveness. It’s also important that any prescription medication is closely monitored by a medical specialist.

MRPS Christina Chikaher said Propecia produces visible results. “The majority sees stabilisation of hair loss and most show regrowth and an improved appearance in the quality of the hair.”

What scientific evidence is there to prove Propecia is an effective hair loss treatment?

Hair loss is usually a progressive condition, and male pattern baldness can start as early as puberty. The earlier the condition is addressed, the better the result. A five year clinical study demonstrated the effectiveness of Propecia in treating hair loss.

The facts of the study:

• 9 out of 10 men who took Propecia had visible results – either regrowth of hair (48%) or no further hair loss (42 %), compared to 25% who took a placebo according to an assessment of photographs by an independent panel of dermatologists.
• 2 out of 3 men who took Propecia regrew hair, as measured by hair count. All of the men in the study who were not taking Propecia lost hair.
• A majority of men who took Propecia were rated as improved by doctors – 77% compared to 15% of men who took a placebo
• A majority of men who took Propecia reported that their bald spot got smaller, their hair loss slowed down, and the appearance of their hair improved.

How do I know that it will work for me?

If you’re a man who’s subjected to male pattern baldness and is beginning to recede, the chances are you’ll want a quick fix solution for the best price. There are literally hundreds of hair loss products you could try but wouldn’t you want to try the best proven treatment first so you could stop worrying about your hair and start enjoying life again?

“The rule of thumb, and general belief, is that if it (the bald area) has gone smooth, it is unlikely hair will regrow,” Belgravia Centre hair loss specialist Leonora Doclis said.

“Most men with vertex thinning, that is, thinning on top of the scalp, respond well to the treatment.”

Most men can expect to see visible results in as little as three months but since everyone’s genetic code is different and Propecia is a hormonal treatment, the response time can vary. At the end of the day, Propecia is clinically proven to treat hair loss in men. If hair loss is a concern for you, would you try everything on the shelf before turning to the best treatment?

For more information, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or message the centre. Alternatively, simply complete an online diagnostic form to access expert advice and the most effective treatments for hair loss from anywhere in the world.

(Propecia and balding pic courtesy of ~! and sameffron both at flickr)

More Information:
Propecia Success Stories
Propecia’s Side Effects
Hair Loss Products

Interesting Articles:
What is DHT and How Does it Cause Hair Loss?
Hair loss treatments… What’s the best you can get?
Avacor Scam Exposed

MHRA Medical License    |   FDA Approval    |   Food Supplement

Nourkrin is a supplement advertised for the prevention of hair loss. Nourkrin’s main ingredient (as stated on their website) is ‘cartilage from deep-sea fish’, as well as other minerals and vitamins. It is these ingredients that Nourkrin claim prevent hair loss and promote hair growth for those experiencing hair loss.

Nourkrin is not a medicinal product, and is not licensed in the UK or USA by the medical regulatory authorities – the Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) respectively. Click on the links to find out the importance of the medical regulatory bodies – MHRA and FDA.

There are only two medicinal products that have been licensed in the UK and USA for the prevention of hair loss. These two products are currently the only ones proven to prevent and reverse hair loss in most cases. For more information visit our Hair Loss Treatment pages. Hair Loss Treatment Men | Hair Loss Treatment Women.

The Belgravia Centre does not offer Nourkrin but it can be purchased from highstreet health stores such as Holland and Barrett or Boots.

Nourkrin Ingredients:
Extract Compound of Marine Origin (Shark cartilage and other shellfish)
Acerola Cherry Extract (Vitamin C 30mg)
Silica Kieselguhr (special soluble naturally occurring silica)
Horsetail extract
Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Protein
Microcrystaline Cellulose
Magnesium Stearate
Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
Fatty acids

Procerin is a supplement containing vitamins, minerals and various nutrients.  Although Procerin is marketed as a product for prevention of hair loss and hair regrowth, like all other ‘hair loss supplements’, there is no clinical evidence to suggest the product will be effective for this purpose.  Procerin is not a medically proven treatment for hair loss but their website displays results from an observational clinical study carried out by Procerin themselves. The trials were carried out under lenient guidelines and results are vague and inconclusive. More information on the study to follow, but first please read this information on official clinical trials:

What do official clinical trials entail?

Official clinical studies consist of a large number or participants that are closely monitored.  In the case of studies for hair loss products, hair count will be taken at the beginning and end of the study and subjects will be monitored closely to make sure that they use the product consistently as directed.  Official studies require a percentage of participants to use a placebo product.  A placebo resembles the real product but contains no active ingredients.  This ensures results of the active product can be compared against a group of people that are not actually taking the medication to ensure results would not have occurred naturally, had the subjects not taken the active product.  The only two medications that have shown successful results for hair loss prevention and regrowth from official clinical trials are MINOXIDIL and PROPECIA (click on name for more information).  These are the only two FDA approved hair loss treatments and most of the participants in the trials for each experienced hair regrowth.

What did the Procerin trials entail?

The Procerin website holds details of the study they carried out for the combination of their topical and oral products on 21 subjects.  The website claims that in the study, the participants were told to use the two Procerin products for 90 days.  It seems the Procerin study was not strictly monitored or controlled – subjects were simply told to take the product every day and not to use any other hair loss product over the 90 day duration.

Results of the study consisted of opinions from the participants – there was no hair count taken before or after the study, but photos were taken.  Results on the Procerin website state that most of the participants ‘agree or strongly agree that Procerin is effective in helping to slow down hair loss’.  Contrary to these claimed clinical results, Procerin state on their website that ”Procerin is effective in reversing hair loss in men caused by androgenetic alopecia”.  There is in fact no evidence to support this claim.

The Belgravia Centre produces a similar hair supplement to Procerin containing many of the same ingredients – HAIR VITALICS.  However, Hair Vitalics is recommended as a booster to the proven hair loss treatments in order to maximise results and improve the condition of the hair. As with Procerin, we do not recommend the use of Hair Vitalics on its own if hair regrowth is to be expected.

There are only two treatments that are proven to prevent and reverse hair loss. If prescribed at the optimum dose to suit the individual, and used and combined correctly, most users will experience hair regrowth from the use of these products. You can find more information on these treatments here – PROVEN HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS.

More information on Procerin, including opinions on the product from some of Belgravia’s experienced hair loss specialists – FEEDBACK ON PROCERIN.

And you’ll find another interesting related article from Belgravia’s blog here – HERBAL HAIR LOSS SUPPLEMENTS VS. PROVEN HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS.

Procerin ingredients:

Tablets: Saw Palmetto, Zinc, Pyroxide, Magnesium, Gotu Kola, Nettles, Pumpkin Seed, Eleuthero Root, Muira Puma Root, Uwa Ursi

Liquid: SD Alcohol 40, Purified Water, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Alpha Linoleic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Evening Primrose Oil, Avacado Oil, Saw Palmetto Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Gamma Linoleic Acid, Pygeum Bark Extract, Stinging Nettle Leaf Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Zinc Sulfate, Pyroxide (Vitamin B6).

First posted on November 18th 2008. Updated on 26th January 2009.

Name: Felix

Question: I’ve heard many good things about the DS Laboratories Spectral DNC for frontal regrowth and indeed growth in general. Have you heard any evidence that would back these comments up or is this just ‘another’ miracle cure praying on the weak?

Answer: Spectral DNC is a product that I had never heard of before this question was sent into the blog.  The first thing I noticed when coming across the Spectral DNC website was the heading for the product - ”World’s Most Effective Topical Hair Loss Treatment”…  A heading that I’ve seen so many times in marketing material for hair loss products. At first I thought, just another supplement making claims that can’t be backed up.

But listed underneath the heading is a description of the ingredients, the first being minoxidil. Minoxidil is the only proven topical treatment for hair loss so I suppose that brings a little justification to their statement, although not total justification, as it’s the minoxidil contained that is the most effective individual topical treatment for hair loss, not the treatment combination itself.

The rest of the ingredients contained are unlicensed for hair loss and are unlikely to make any dramatic differences to the results for hair regrowth. Because Spectral DNC contains minoxidil, similarly to Regaine it will definitely help to prevent hair loss and could promote some regrowth for some users.

The most effective course of action for hair loss is a combination of the medically licensed treatments with various boosters to suit the individual hair loss sufferer. It’s important that treatment is specially tailored and closely monitored in order to fine tune the specific components of the treatment programme and monitor response.  Minoxidil is one of the proven treatments, but there are also two more – Propecia and the HairMax LaserComb. For more information on effective treatment programmes that will regrow hair in the great majority of cases please visit Belgravia’s HAIR LOSS TREATMENT PAGES.

Back in 2007, CBS News investigated Avacor, a product claimed to be a 100% natural herbal hair loss treatment, whose company guaranteed hair growth and promised a 90% success rate.

It wasn’t a 100% natural product though. It contained Minoxidil, listed on the ingredients by its chemical name.

And as they delved deeper, they found Dr David Gordon (who appeared in the company’s TV advert) working in the offices. He claimed “I have nothing to do with the manufacture of this product” before closing the door on the reporter. CBS found he was no longer licenced to practice medicine, after being arrested and convicted for “massive Medicaid fraud while he was a Queens radiologist”, stealing $2.2m by claiming he’d read sonograms he hadn’t, for which he spent “two and a half years behind bars”. The prosecutor claimed Gordon still owed the state $500,000, they “never got a cent” and having received this new information he would endeavour to recover the money.

Dramatic though that is, for us the interesting thing is that it appears the company has tried to create a product that would sell and be effective. So they made what looks like a natural, herbal medicine (because that’s what people want to buy), and then put Minoxidil into it (because that’s what works).

So let’s get this straight. We all would prefer a natural hair loss remedy. We could debate what ‘natural’ means for a while but it’s one of those marketing words that makes people feel comfortable. So, ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean nice or healthy (being eaten by lions is natural) but, to marketers, it’s a great word and it makes people buy more stuff. Marketers love ‘natural’.

But .. we think he knew his ‘natural’ product didn’t work. So he added Minoxidil, a scientifically proven hair loss drug developed and produced by the pharmaceutical giant The Upjohn Company.

And there he had the perfect hair loss product: something that appeared natural so people bought it, that worked because it had an FDA approved hair loss drug hidden inside.

Incidentally, the perhaps more powerful hair loss treatment Propecia is only available for men, and only on prescription, so he couldn’t put that in and offer the product to all. For men, we usually recommend both.

It illustrates perfectly the dilemma people with hair loss work through. People want something natural, maybe they try a few things but they don’t work (they waste their money) and they eventually come to The Belgravia Centre where we can give them a proven hair loss treatment plan with the best possible chance of success. The problem is, many try unproven treatments which don’t work for them, causing them to give up on treatment for their hair loss before they have even tried the proven treatments.

Our battle is to make it clear that the proven treatments work best when hair loss is caught early, when it’s just thinning hair. When you notice that, it’s time to start. Don’t waste a year trying natural remedies.

Spironolactone is a diuretic (makes you urinate more) and an antiandrogen .. ie. it inhibits the effect of the male sex hormones. A derivative of testosterone is what shuts down genetically prone male hair follicles to create male pattern baldness, and there’s some evidence that the same effect happens in women in some instances of female hair loss although female hair loss is more complex.

Some sell Spironolactone as a hair loss treatment, but we feel its efficacy is not proven and there are better treatments that have been shown to work. The key one Propecia is, however, not approved for women (but Minoxidil is).

A new trial at Melbourne’s St Vincent hospital aims to discover the efficacy of Spironolactone as a female hair loss treatment. Around 80 women suffering hair loss are being sought, half of which will take a placebo.

We don’t hold out a lot of hope for a good outcome, not least because there appear to be significant potential side effects, but we’ll keep watch for the results.

Tricologic is a hair supplement that can be used by both men and women produced by Wellman.  It’s a relatively new line for Wellman but the name has spread rapidly because of the vast amounts of advertising carried out for the product.

Tricologic is an herbal product that contains vitamins, minerals and nutrients.  It’s a similar product to Hair Vitalics, and a number of other well-known hair supplements.

But what is the purpose of Wellman Tricologic? Will it help prevent hair loss like the proven treatments do?

As stated on the Wellman website, Tricologic helps to ‘maintain healthy hair growth and hair follicles’.  Like all other non-proven hair supplements, Tricologic is designed to maintain the condition of the hair, but will not significantly help to reduce, prevent, or reverse hair loss. There are a number of similar supplements for healthy hair, but only two medical treatments that have been proven to prevent and reverse hair loss.

The two medically proven hair loss treatments are Propecia and Minoxidil. They have undergone vigorous clinical testing and are the only ones to have been licensed for the prevention of hair loss by both the MHRA and FDA in the UK and USA respectively, for the prevention of hair loss. You can find more information on these treatments on the HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS PAGE.

Most people nowadays search the Internet for solutions to health problems and there’s a lot of information out there. But frankly, finding the right path to treat male pattern baldness is quite simple because there are really only two effective treatments available.

Propecia is a proven hair loss treatment for men, approved as safe for use to treat male pattern baldness by the FDA (the United States Food and Drug Administration). The active ingredient in propecia is Finasteride.

Taken as a 1mg daily pill, tests show over 83% of men experiencing male hair loss might expect to maintain or increase their hair count and their appearance.

We think we can improve on that.

Minoxidil is the only other FDA approved drug for hair loss treatment. Because it works in a different way, we can combine the two and take advantage of both effects. We also add anti-androgens ‘Medroxyprogesterone’ (MPG) or ‘Azelaic Acid’ (AA) to our Minoxidil as we have found that improves the effects of Minoxidil.

In fact, it turns out that choosing the dosage of Minoxidil has a big effect on the outcome. And it’s not just the dosage that needs to be chosen wisely. Propecia and Minoxidil can be combined with other compounds and treatments, for instance a lasercomb or Hair Vitalics (free with most courses of treatment from the Belgravia Centre), that improve effectiveness even further. And proper independent monitoring (not just an occasional look in the mirror) using scalp photographs with consistent lighting can show progress and help inform changes to the treatment, along with discussion of any adverse effects.

So, let’s be clear:

1) There are only two proven treatments for hair loss, Propecia and Minoxidil. Nothing else is backed up by proper scientific tests to prove they work or are safe.
2) If you want the best chance of success, it’s not as simple as just taking the pills and applying the creams. Your best chance of keeping your hair is to use the skills and long experience of a professional hair loss clinic where a custom treatment program can be designed to suit your exact circumstances and preferences in order to maximise results to their optimum potential.

So the only question is where to go for treatment. Well, we’ve done the legwork for you. We sent out secret shoppers to the London hair loss centres and… well you know we wouldn’t have done that if we didn’t think we offer the best treatment and value, so big surprise, The Belgravia Centre came out the best by quite a long way.

For a no-obligation diagnosis and treatment plan, contact us for a free consultation at our London hair los clinic or complete our online hair loss diagnosis form.

* A word of warning. Propecia is the only form of finasteride that is available legally for hair loss, any other form of finasteride (for example Proscar) is unsafe and unlicensed to treat hair loss. If you come across any organisation prescribing Proscar or any form of finasteride other than Propecia for the treatment of hair loss, it should be reported to the MHRA immediately. Alternatively inform us directly and we will pursue the matter.

(Finasteride pic courtesy derek7272 on Flickr, some rights reserved)

Question: I have been reading about a product called Crescina. Is it any good? Can this be used if I am already using Propecia and Minoxidil 12.5% + AA, as it all so has to be rubbed into the scalp?

Answer: Crescina contains two amino acids and a vasodilator (product that increases blood supply in the areas of application).  Amino acids are the ‘building blocks’ of protein and the ones contained in Crescina are Cysteine and Lysine.  Cysteine is also contained in Belgravia’s hair loss supplement ‘Hair Vitalics’.

There is no clinical evidence to say that these amino acids will individually help towards stabilising hair loss or promoting hair growth and with regard to the vasodilator contained in the formulation; Minoxidil, which works by opening up potassium channels at the areas of application, is the only vasodilator that has been proven to prevent hair loss and regrow hair and I have read reports of other vasodilators that have been tested but none have been found to have the same or similar effects to Minoxidil. The vasodilator in Crescina is not Minoxidil.

Minoxidil and Propecia are the two only FDA approved, medically proven treatments for the prevention of hair loss, and the HairMax LaserComb is the only FDA cleared, proven device. Used and combined correctly, with individually recommended ‘hair growth boosters’, these treatments form the most effective hair loss solution available and will prevent hair loss and regrow hair in most men and women (please note: women cannot use Propecia).

All in all I would not advise Crescina as a sole treatment for hair loss but it could perhaps be used as a ‘booster’ to the primary medications (which you are already using).  If you wanted to apply the liquid as well as Minoxidil 12.5% + AA you would have to apply the Crescina and wait about 20 minutes until it is all absorbed into the scalp and then apply the Minoxidil cream.

For those who wish to enquire about Belgravia’s combination treatment programmes for hair loss, please CONTACT THE CENTRE with a question or to arrange a free consultation, or complete our ONLINE DIAGNOSTIC FORM for Belgravia’s world-wide mail-order hair loss service.

More information on the PROVEN HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS.

More information on the NATURAL HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS.