General Hair Loss

The Belgravia Centre’s line of concentrated treatment shampoos and conditioners are intended to ensure optimum health and vitality of both the hair and scalp. They are each carefully formulated for not only a specific hair type, but a particular scalp type as well, and are provided within most of Belgravia’s comprehensive hair loss treatment programmes.

Details of Belgravia’s shampoo and conditioner range

B1 Concentrated Treatment Shampoo
Hair: Dry, Porous, Over-Processed
Scalp: Normal to dry condition

B2 Concentrated Treatment Shampoo
Hair: Normal to oily, Fine hair
Scalp: Oily condition

B3 Concentrated Treatment Shampoo
Hair: Normal
Scalp: Normal condition

B4 Medicated Treatment Shampoo
Hair: All hair types
Scalp: Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis, Stubborn dandruff

B5 Concentrated Treatment Shampoo
Hair: Afro/Caribbean, Dry, Porous or Over Processed
Scalp: Normal to dry

B6 Concentrated Treatment Conditioner
Hair: Dry, Porous, Over-Processed, and Afro/Caribbean hair

B7 Concentrated Treatment Conditioner
Hair: All hair types
Scalp: Normal

When it comes to surgical procedures for dealing with hair loss, Hair Transplantation is the most popular option these days – this involves taking hair follicles from areas where there is still growth (usually the back and sides of the head) and transferring them to bald or thinning areas. But let’s look back at a slightly dated form of hair surgery, popular in the eighties and early 90’s – a ‘scalp reduction’.

Warning - Not for the faint hearted!

What is Scalp Reduction?

Scalp Reduction surgery involves cutting open the scalp and stretching the area of skin that can still produce hair over the area that is bald and no longer capable of growing hair.

How Does Scalp Reduction Surgery work?

Scalp Reduction surgery starts with the insertion of a balloon like device under the area of scalp with hair that is closest to the bald area. The balloon is filled with a salt-water solution to expand the tissue. Once the tissue has expanded to the required point, the balloon is removed and the bald area is cut away. The new, stretched skin is pulled over the gap and sewn up. In a single operation up to 5cm in width can be removed, resulting in an immediate reduction in the size of the bald area.

Flap Surgery

For larger areas of baldness, Flap Surgery might be more suitable if the size of donor area is suitable. With flap surgery a section of the bald scalp is cut away and a section of the healthy scalp is lifted from the head while still attached to the blood vessels – a similar concept to a skin-graft. The flap is pulled over the exposed area and attached to the remaining skin. The procedure is performed in this way to keep the hair follicles from the flap in constant contact with the blood supply which speeds the healing process and claims to help hair to grow without any delay. However, this procedure involves a minimum of 3 operations which are extremely complicated.

What Other Less Daunting Options Are Available?

Flap Surgery is rarely performed in this day and age as it is a lengthy and complicated procedure that also often results in scarring and an unnatural look. The procedure has been replaced by more modern, effective and less invasive techniques.

Leonora Doclis, senior trichologist at The Belgravia Centre says, “The complications with  Scalp Reduction and Flap Surgery include partial or complete failure of the flap, visible scarring along the hairline or donor area and most significantly, with the further progression of hair loss a potential unnatural appearance.”

“The most modern surgical hair restoration technique is FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction but much of the time the right combination of medications will offer as good as, if not better results than surgery depending on the extent of the subject’s hair loss. FUE involves carefully transplanting active follicles from an area of dense hair growth to an area of baldness or thinning hair and the results can look very natural.”

“However, seeking the optimum non-surgical treatment combinations can result in levels of regrowth that vary from person to person. Smooth areas of total baldness will not be restored so surgery may be necessary for areas such as a receding hairline, but where there is still thin hair anything is possible so giving treatment a go for at least 6 months is always advised before deciding on surgery. In any event the use of preventative treatments are necessary following surgical hair replacement in order to maintain the areas of hair that are still susceptible to hair loss”.

Finding the Best Hair Restoration Option For You?

The Belgravia Centre offers a free consultation with a hair loss specialist who will examine your hair and scalp and recommend the most suitable surgical or non-surgical option for you. Alternatively, the online diagnostic form in most cases provides Belgravia’s trichologists with all of the information required to offer advice on the best solution.

To book a consultation you can call the centre on 020 7730 6666 or send an instant message. The appointment is free of charge and will take about 30-40 minutes. Alternatively, to submit an online diagnostic form please use the link – a treatment advisor will be in contact.

Belgravia have treated thousands of men with treatment courses based around the MHRA licensed medication Propecia over the past 10 years with great success. Very few men will experience side effects from the use of Propecia and for those that do, they have always been reported to be temporary (either wear off with continued use or once the medication is stopped). In clinical trials Propecia’s side effects affected less than 2% of users and consisted of lowered libido and difficulty achieving an erection. No long-term side effects have been reported by any of Belgravia’s clients or by Merck – Propecia’s manufacturers.

For the first time a client recently reported attacks of depression, mood swings and nightmares that seemed to coincide with his use of Propecia. He stated, “it took a while to work out it was Propecia that caused it and still wish this wasn’t the case as it really was great for my hair.” The client also informed us that the effects were temporary and “have mostly worn off now”.

As already stated, we have treated thousands of men with Propecia, which means that according to our records the chance of experiencing such effects is much less than 1%, but we will be monitoring future users and keeping this post updated should there be any further reports of similar effects.

Please feel free to leave your comments should you have any feedback regarding the use of Propecia.

MHRA – Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency, UK

The MHRA is the government medical regulatory body in the UK. When it comes to medical products the MHRA are responsible for granting a license depending on the efficacy of a product i.e. the product’s effectiveness to its stated cause and its safety. So if a product for any medical condition receives a license from the MHRA it means that the product has been proven effective and safe following rigorous clinical trials involving a large number of participants.

FDA – Food and Drug Administration, USA

Similarly to the MHRA in the UK, the FDA is the medical regulatory body in the USA and is responsible for the licensing of medications depending on their efficacy following clinical trials. In the USA a licensed medicine is referred to as ‘FDA Approved’ which put simply, means it has shown sufficient evidence that it works whilst ensuring safety.

When it comes to hair loss there are only two medications that have been licensed by the MHRA and approved by the FDA, these are Propecia (men only) and Minoxidil (men and women). Most of Belgravia’s treatment courses for hair loss are based primarily around one or more of these medications, as well as additional hair growth boosters which are included in most treatment programmes for best results. Additionally, the HairMax LaserComb is the only device that has been ‘FDA cleared’ for hair loss.

There are many other supplemental products available that are marketed for hair loss but other than Minoxidil and Propecia there is no product that shows any significant evidence of hair loss prevention or hair regrowth.

If you would like to enquire about a job at the Belgravia Centre please send your CV by email to Marilyn Harris or Jonny Harris, depending on the role you wish to fill (see below). Marilyn and Jonny’s email addresses are their first name followed by @belgraviacentre.com.

Roles available:

Treatment/Sales Advisor – Contact Marilyn
Trichologist (requires nursing or medical qualification) – Contact Marilyn
Receptionist – Contact Marilyn
Tricho-Therapist – Contact Marilyn
Content Writer (journalistic qualifications) – Contact Jonny
Web Developer – Contact Jonny
SEO Specialist – Contact Jonny

Name: Dawn

Question: Hello I’m 28 and have worn my hair in tight hairstyles since I was a child I have curly frizzy hair that has always been really thick and hard 2 style but over the last 2 years I have lost over half my hair as it falls out in quite big clumps when washed and brushed. My main concern is I have 2 BIG bald patches at the bottom near my neck where I have pulled my hair too tight and it’s really getting me down it’s very noticeable and people often comment on it. Is there any treatment for the bald patches as I’m scared it will never grow back please help!

Answer: It sounds like the reason for your hair loss is a condition called Traction Alopecia (click on the link for more information). It’s hair loss caused by tension on the follicles, so if you have tied your hair up and caused your hair at the back to be under constant pressure, this is most likely what has caused the bald patches.

An alternative possibility is Alopecia Areata, but your comments about pulling your hair too tight make it most likely that Traction Alopecia is the cause.

Depending on the severity of damage to the follicles it might be possible to grow hair back at the areas of loss. Here are some before/after photos of women with traction alopecia that have used a Belgravia treatment course – TRACTION ALOPECIA PHOTOS.

I would advise that you visit the centre for a consultation, which is free and can be arranged by messaging the centre or calling us on 020 7730 6666.

This year’s biggest music festival ended last Sunday night and going by the coverage on the BBC and online, a good time was had by all. The weather was mostly good and the music offered was a diverse mix with something for everyone. However, a few eyebrows were raised when, back in May, the full line-up was announced for this year’s main stage. With Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Blur holding the main spot on the Pyramid Stage over the weekend and other headlining acts including Crosby, Stills and Nash, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, and Status Quo, the emphasis, with perhaps the exception of Blur, seemed to be on what some were calling ‘dad rock’. And even Blur have semi-retired from being full-time rock stars.

However, the man in charge is Glastonbury head honcho Michael Eavis and not only a bald man himself, but also a man loved by the hundreds of thousands of music fans who attend or watch the festival on TV. The man knows what works and this year, with its fine array of musicians with receding hairlines confidently gracing the main stage, Eavis declared it ‘the best year ever’.

One of those acts, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, has been playing for 26 years. The members of the Bad Seeds have changed over the years with the current line-up comprising Thomas Wydler, Conway Savage, Ed Kuepper and Cave’s Grinderman partners. Australian singer-songwriter Cave has been at work for over two decades by making music that is full of doom and gloom. He is best known for a 1996 duet with Kylie Minogue, “Where the Wild Roses Grow”, in which he imagines smashing, with a rock, the head of his petite partner.

Grinderman is a side-line project formed by Cave in 2007, the year he turned 50. For those that are unfamiliar with the group’s music, they like to describe it as “foul-mouthed, noisy and hairy”. Grinderman’s debut self-titled album was released in February 2007. In his review, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian particularly praises ‘No Pussy Blues’ describing it as ‘hilarious’ and ‘thunderously exciting’. He describes how Cave “howls his way through a tale of unrequited lust, scarred by the ravages of middle age” with the line “I combed the hairs across my head, I sucked in my gut and still she said she just didn’t want to.”

Despite what Petridis describes as a ‘tumultuous racket’ of guitars, drums and a ‘relentless scream of feedback’, he says there are moments of ‘ethereal loveliness’ in the album that “seem as indicative of maturity as No Pussy Blues’ ruminations on hair loss and paunches”.

This is not the first time that The Guardian music journalist & GQ music editor Petridis has reflected on the locks of rock. Back in 2003, he was a little more forthright in describing musicians and their hair: “A receding hairline is no fun whoever you are, but for the rock star, hair loss induces mania. Deranged solutions are sought, ones involving headbands, or, in the case of Elton John, a transplant apparently based on the coiffure of homely northern playwright Alan Bennett. The late Maurice Gibb spent his last decade wearing a fedora at all times, under the mistaken impression that this would fool the world into believing he had a full head of hair underneath it.”

However hair, or lack of it, did not seem to bother this year’s main bands at Glastonbury nor their fans. Indeed, the reviews of this year’s set at Glastonbury have been full of praise for Cave and his motley crew. Full marks were given for appearance and music with Dafydd Goff of The Guardian commending them for setting the standard for “sartorial splendor with black pin-striped numbers, aquamarine shirts, gold cufflinks and pendants. Think 1970s Miami Mafiosi. Or Scarface meets Pulp Fiction”.

Goff says that, even minus instrumentalist Mick Harvey, the Bad Seeds are “still an accomplished, versatile backing band” and that Cave continues to push himself as an artist and performer, producing some of his best work. And going by the large number of positive comments made on Twitter, the fans seem to agree.

If you are experiencing hair loss or hair thinning and would like to learn more about available hair loss treatments, please feel free to email us or call on 0207 730 6666 where we can arrange for a free initial consultation with one of our hair care specialists. Alternatively, if you are unable to make it into the clinic, you can fill out the online diagnostic form and a treatment advisor will be in touch with you shortly.

More Information:
Male Pattern Baldness
Hair Loss Success Stories

Interesting Articles:
Bald Men Who Drive Sports Cars
Phil Spector – What’s Wig the Bald Mug?
Status Quo’s Francis Rossi Cuts Ponytail as Hair Loss Sets In

Question: My doctor refuses to prescribe me Propecia, saying she wouldn’t give it to her own son because it is such a risky drug and long term studies i.e. over 10 years have not been conducted. How can you prescribe Propecia in light of these sentiments from a respected medical doctor? Many thanks.

Answer: The British National Formulary (BNF) is a joint publication of the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. It is published biannually under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee which comprises representatives of the two professional bodies and of the UK Health Departments. The BNF aims to provide doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals with sound up-to-date information about the use of medicines.

BNF recommends Propecia (Finasteride) 1mg as a treatment for Male Pattern Baldness. The side effects are very rare and temporary (you can get a better idea on our Propecia Side Effects page).

Perhaps your doctor is not aware that the active product found in Propecia - Finasteride, was first used in a much larger dose (5mg compared to 1mg) to treat benign prostate hyperplasia 20 years ago and it is still one of the treatments for this condition. During this period of 20 years the medicine has not been linked with severe permanent side effects. In fact there is a recent study that indicates finasteride may in fact help prevent prostate cancer.

Please feel free to present this information to your GP.

Dr. Elena Dimitrova Koleva

To whom it may concern 
 
I am not gonna comment about everyone individually as I thought the whole concept was brillant. Every single staff was very pleasant from the reception to the trichologist and advisor whom were both fantastic on all levels but especially on explaining everything to a high standard and a good level of friendliness mixed with it.

I have actually recommended the practice to most of my friends. Unfortunately I have seen my doctor but forgot to talk to him about it and it will probably take an other few weeks now till I get to see him.

In the meantime thank u very much. I will be in touch when time is right.
 
kind regards
 
H

I thought this would be a refreshing addition to the blog! A picture drawn by the daughter of one of our clients during her wait in reception. Thanks Angela!