Hair Loss News

A police recruit in Northern Ireland has won an appeal after his application to join the police force was rejected because he did not have enough hair to undergo routine drugs testing. He was unable to give hairs of up to 3cm in length for the testing process, or to provide 200 body hairs as an alternative.

The man, who was at an advanced stage of the recruitment process, won his case at the High Court in Belfast after claiming the decision to reject his application was irrational and discriminatory.

Lawyers for the Police Service of Northern Ireland told the court that the man, who has not been named for security reasons, would be reinstated in the recruitment process, and policy would be changed to include other sources of DNA analysis.

It might seem like a small victory for the balding, but it does raise the question of how many other insidious forms of discrimination go unnoticed. Men who are experiencing hair loss may lack confidence in their appearance and feel that they look older, less attractive or less virile as a result. They may suspect that they are passed over for dates, or even promotion at work, in favour of those with a more youthful and vigorous appearance.

Androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, is hereditary and causes hairloss in 25% of men by the age of 30. It is caused by the action of dihydrotestosterone, a hormonal derivative of testosterone that gradually causes hair follicles to become dysfunctional. The good news is that while balding may seem inevitable, especially if your father or grandfather went bald, there is in fact effective treatment available to stabilise hair loss and promote regrowth.

The Belgravia Centre’s individually designed hair loss treatment courses are based around primary medications that are clinically proven to be safe and effective, along with various hair growth boosters.

Propecia and Minoxidil are the only products that are licensed by the MHRA in the UK, and FDA approved, so there is a wealth of evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness. For example, in a 5 year clinical study into the effects of Propecia on 279 men, 9 out of 10 subjects achieved visible results, either maintaining hair count (42%) or experiencing regrowth (48%) while all the men in the study who were not taking Propecia lost hair.

You can view our hair loss success stories to see just some of the results we have achieved for men suffering from thinning hair, a receding hairline or patchy baldness.

To book a free consultation with one of our hair specialists, call 020 7730 6666 or send us a message with any enquiry you might have. Alternatively, if you can’t get to the London centre, complete the online diagnostic form for worldwide advice on a home-use treatment course individually designed to meet your needs.

If you plant a flower, all it needs is water to grow. But no one can doubt the added benefits provided by sunlight and fertiliser. You can think of hair growth in the same way. It’s clinically proven that minoxidil can singularly promote growth and help prevent hair loss, but some people find that there are certain things that give this treatment an added boost which may help improve their results.

Minoxidil is a topical liquid and a clinically proven and MHRA-licensed treatment for hair loss. However, its limitation lies in its inability to combat the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormonal bi-product that causes genetic patterns of hair loss in men and women. Propecia is a hair loss treatment that is effective for this purpose, but the MHRA have only licensed it for use in men, not women.

Now, if you plant a flower and provide it with water, sunlight and fertiliser, it will grow, but not as well as it should if the soil contains a parasite. Women need an alternative to Propecia that can help block the production of hair loss causing DHT, so they too can address the cause rather than simply try to make the most out of a bad patch of soil. Equally, some men may prefer to use just one product rather than incorporate two into their daily routine, and adding certain ingredients to minoxidil might be a desirable alternative for them.

The Belgravia Centre finds that male hair loss is most effectively stabilised and reversed when Propecia and minoxidil are correctly prescribed and synchronised for an individual and supported with a variety of hair growth boosters. Belgravia has found the clinically proven products complement each other because they work toward the same outcome but in different ways. When Propecia is not an option, Belgravia sometimes incorporates either medroxyprogesterone (MPG) or azelaic acid (AA), depending on the findings of an individual diagnosis, into the minoxidil formula to substitute the action of Propecia. When these products are added to minoxidil, or the concentration is increased above 2% and 5% for women and men respectively, it becomes a prescribed treatment. The Belgravia Centre has found that by adding these ingredients to minoxidil, results achieved tend to be superior and there may be a number of reasons for this.

Azelaic acid is a licensed medicine used to treat acne and sold under the brand name Skinoren, but it is also thought to have properties that may be beneficial in the treatment of hair loss.  Azelaic acid kills bacteria associated with acne and also reduces the growth of keratin surface (the harder, outermost) skin cells, thereby working to prevent sebaceous oil build up from blocking the hair follicle, reducing inflammation and allowing for normal hair growth.

Medroxyprogesterone is a licensed medicine sold under various brand names such as Climanor, Premique and Provera. It is it is normally taken in tablet form to help regulate irregular periods and is an active ingredient in some birth control treatments. But it is also an anti-androgen and, when applied topically to the scalp, is a competitive inhibitor of DHT for 5-alpha reductase as it replaces or supplements the naturally produced hormone progesterone. At the base of the hair follicle is an on-off switch, more commonly referred to as a “receptor”. Three things compete for binding to the hair follicle receptor – testosterone, DHT and progesterone. If the latter is bound to the receptor, it is accepted that DHT cannot be bound and therefore will not interfere with the hair follicle lifecycle and lead to hair loss.

Though minoxidil is itself clinically proven to help treat hair loss, both men and women can benefit from a fully comprehensive approach. The Belgravia Centre has found that adding certain ingredients and supporting the clinically proven medicines with other selected products can help augment the treatment, nourish the follicles, and provide  an optimum environment for the renewal and maintenance of healthy hair growth.

After years of successfully helping men and women combat hair loss, The Belgravia Centre has developed and fine-tuned their hair loss treatment programmes, and tailors them to suit each individual. By taking the most effective and proven hair loss products and employing a range of other beneficial elements, Belgravia’s approach aims to provide both men and women with the best opportunity to manage and reverse the effects of thinning hair and hair loss.

For further information, or to arrange a free consultation with a Belgravia hair loss specialist, call on 020 7730 6666 or message the centre. If you can’t make it to the London centre, you can still take advantage of the online consultation service.

More Information:
Hair Loss in Men
Hair Loss in Women
Licensed Hair Loss Treatments

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Hair is a culturally significant natural accessory, but some specialists are calling for a ban on certain styling practices such as hair extensions and cornrows because they can severely damage peoples’ hair and scalp.

The Belgravia Centre, the UK’s leading hair loss centre, says these damaging styling habits can directly lead to hair loss and sporadic baldness.

Leonora Doclis, a senior hair and scalp specialist at the Belgravia Centre, says women who have hair extensions are often disappointed by the results.

“People who have hair extensions usually have high hopes they’ll look and feel good but very often it ends miserably,” Ms Doclis said.

“Wearing hair extensions for a long period of time can destroy hair permanently and lead to irreparable hair loss.”

Ms Doclis says the hair of young children is also at risk if it’s styled in braids, plaits, or cornrows.

“Their hair shouldn’t be controlled at a young age. Braiding and plaiting can pull the hair and it can be too tight on the scalp, causing problems like a receding hairline, baldness and hair loss.”

Jennifer Aniston is one of the many celebrities that were quick to warn others against hair extension after having her hair ruined by them three years ago.

“Nothing destroys your hair faster than extensions. [It took] a year and a half to get my hair grown out,” Aniston told Harper’s Bazaar at the time.

“I decided to have a couple of extensions, never knowing you end up with 400 things in your head that cause your hair to break off.”

Ms Doclis has seen first hand the damage caused by hair extensions, and believes it’s time that extensions which are glued-in, sewn-in or attached with a metal ring should be banned in the UK.

“Hair extensions pull out one’s natural hair,” she warned. “They’re heavy, don’t absorb water easily and can tangle very quickly.”

Ms Doclis acknowledged that the quality of hair extensions can make a difference, but with no regulation governing the hairdressing industry in the UK, many unqualified people are doing a poor job of adding hair extensions.

“Poor quality hair will snag with brushing and combing and eventually rip your hair out,” she said.

“But regardless, hair extensions are bad for hair and scalp health and if not addressed early enough the hair loss that results could be permanent.”

For more information about hair loss and the available treatments, contact the Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or message the centre.

More Information:
Hair Loss in Men
Hair Loss in Women
Hair Loss Treatments

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Solicitor Calls for Regulation of Hairdressers to Prevent Hair Loss Damage
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The demand for hair restoration is on the rise and specialists caution against self-diagnosis, recommending each person receives a professional examination to determine which treatment will be most suited to and provide the best results for them.

Hair loss is a cosmetic inconvenience for many and can sometimes indicate more serious health concerns, says The Belgravia Centre’s hair and scalp specialist, Leonora Doclis.

“Self-prescribing, as many people do, can be a waste of time and money on ineffective products, and at times it can be dangerous,” Doclis said. “Our hair can act as a warning signal to notify us of something wrong inside the body and any disruption in hair growth patterns should be investigated by a medical professional.”

Depending on the type of hair loss, it may reverse and correct itself in time or it may get progressively worse, which is why a specialist needs to consider a number of factors when formulating an individualised programme that incorporates the most effective hair loss treatments.

“Medical history is important so we can assess the suitability of the person with the medication that we are about to recommend. Scalp health is important as certain scalp maladies can prevent the person from applying topical treatment. And lifestyle factors need to be considered,” Doclis said. “Some people are too busy for certain products, so I would tailor the treatment so the client will find it easy to sustain.”

Hair loss affects approximately 80% of men and 40% of women, but the nature and cause varies, which in turn affects the treatment recommendations.

“Some hair loss conditions can be self-correcting,” Doclis said, “such as diffuse hair loss, telogen effluvium or post partum alopecia.”

Excessive shedding or hair thinning can sometimes be a symptom of medication, illness or nutritional deficiency, especially if one has always had thick and healthy hair. In these cases, as long as the external cause is dealt with, the hair often grows back without treatment.

“That is, however, unless these forms of temporary hair loss trigger the genetic trait that leads to hereditary hair loss,” Doclis said.

In such instances, hair loss treatments will help stabilise, prevent and reverse the effects of genetic thinning, but again, Doclis says tailored administration and monitoring is essential.

“The person may be taking other medications that could contradict with the hair loss treatment, or they may not realise that you cannot take it while trying for a baby,” Doclis said.  “Amazingly, I have had pregnant women almost begging for treatment.”

If you want the most effective treatment for hair loss that will not only be safe for someone in your particular circumstance, but also give you the best possible results, you need a professional diagnosis and the right advice.

Call the Belgravia Centre to arrange your free apointment with a hair loss specialist on 020 7730 6666, or meesage the centre for more information. If you can’t travel to the London centre, you can still take advantage of their online consulation service.

More Information:
Male Pattern Baldness
Hair Loss In Women
Before and During Treatment Photos

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If rumours that John Travolta had a transplant because he was worried about hair loss were true, it seems the surgery was a waste of money. The actor, famous for his role as the cool, comb-carrying Danny in Grease, said he’s not bothered by baldness and is considering losing his slick dark locks for good because the women love it.

Travolta shaved his head and wore a goatee beard for his role as FBI Agent Charlie Wax for the new movie From Paris With Love, and the 55-year-old actor revealed that he got more female attention when he donned the bald look than when he sported a full head of hair.

“It was quite a radical look for me and I was a little concerned about what people might think,” Absolute Now quotes him as saying.

“Not only did Kelly [Preston] like it but they did an online survey and 99% of people preferred it to my usual look. I might just go bald and bearded full-time from now on.”

Not feeling Travolta’s enthusiam? Find out about that hair loss treatments that work and which ones will be most beneficial for you by calling The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666, or send an email. Otherwise, simply fill in an online diagnostic form.

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Male Pattern Baldness
Hair Loss Products
Before and During Hair Loss Treatment Photos

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A man is suing the company that sold him baldness tablets in a class-action that could set back the company by £18 million, because the product does not work.

Teva-Altman falsely claims its hair restorative product HRRoots will stop hair loss and restore growth, according to Ehud Nathan who used the tablets for a year and a half.

Nathan argues the product’s efficacy has never been proven by scientific studies or in clinical trials, despite Teva-Altman’s claims that it has.

Teva-Altman develops, markets and sells a range of food supplements, homeopathy products, medical cosmetics and natural and organic food stuffs, but Nathan says the company violated health regulations when it attributed medical benefits to a nutritional supplement.

Additionally, aside from being an unproven hair loss treatment, Nathan claims HRRoots could cause physical harm.

Teva-Altman has not yet commented on the lawsuit but said its baldness tablets have proven effective for many people who have used them and that they are recommended by doctors in Israel.

Nathan’s motion relies on an expert opinion from dermatologist Dr Arie Lifshitz, who wrote that there was no evidence that the hair loss product HRRoots can stop balding or stimulate regrowth.

According to Lifshitz, HRRoots contain a number of minerals and plant extracts that could be beneficial for hair health in those who are lacking those particular nutrients, but they will not treat hair loss and could potentially be harmful.

“The medical literature opines that taking additives that the body does not lack could cause damage,” Lifshitz said.

There are only two products that have been extensively proven in clinical trials and approved and licensed by medical regulatory bodies for the treatment and prevention of hair loss – PROVEN HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS.

For more information about these treatments or hair loss in general, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or message the centre. If you would like to receive personalised advice and find out what hair loss treatment combination would work best for you, submit an online diagnostic form and a medical professional will contact you with the results.

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Male Pattern Baldness
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Hair Loss Success Stories

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A trip to the hairdresser might be a social outing for women but men tend to just fit in an appointment for a short back and sides when they can. Now though, while women gossip with their stylist men could be receiving health advice from their barber if a government initiative gets the green light.

Men are less likely than women to visit their doctor for health advice, says labour’s health spokeswoman Maggie Mansell who suggested that a haircut could be combined with that service.

Hairdressers often dish out advice when it comes to hair and scalp health or baldness worries, but Councillor Mansell said the barber’s was a good place where information about men’s illnesses, such as prostate or testicular cancer could also be made available.

“Most men visit the barber’s at least twice a year and it is a place where men gather for what can almost be a social occasion,” Cr Mansell said at a meeting of the council’s cabinet during a debate on Croydon’s health needs.

Women regularly visit their doctor for health advice, she said, but men could be missing out on the healthy living message.

“Men don’t do that, so we need to think more creatively about the delivery of health messages to them.”

And it might not be such a bad idea, considering hair and health are closely related. Hair loss or any changes in hair growth patterns for instance, can be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as thyroid disorders, nutritional deficiencies or diabetes.

“When Labour was in power in Croydon we provided training to pharmacists and gave them information on these health issues which they could pass on to their customers,” Cr Mansell said.

“I am not suggesting we train barbers in the same way or allow them to return to their traditional role as surgeons.

“I do, however, believe using them in an information role is something that could be developed.”

Belgravia are currently in the early stages of planning an educational campaign for hairdressers and barbers around the country, to raise awareness about the effective treatments available for hair loss. Jonny Harris, Managing Director of The Belgravia Centre says, “who better to offer advice to somebody with hair loss than their hairdresser! With a bit of education they could be helping a client that might otherwise have been bald a year or two down the line.”

In the meantime, if you’re worried about the state of your health or need some advice, conatct your GP and arrange a standard check-up. If a thinning crown or receding hairline is your concern, contact The Belgravia Centre and find out what’s causing it and what you can do to stop the hair loss.

To arrange a free consultation, call 020 7730 6666 or message the centre for more information. If you don’t have time or can’t make it to the London centre, an online consultation facility is available. Fill in the form as accurately as possible and a hair loss specialist will conduct a thorough analysis and contact you shortly to discuss your condition and treatment options.

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Hair Loss Success Stories

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In a real Erin Brockovich style of events, residents of a coastal town in Australia’s state of Tasmania have been suffering hair loss, headaches, weight loss, and nerve damage because they’ve been poisoned by contaminated mine water, an accusation disputed by the mine.

The poly-metallic mine in the small town of Rosebery produces zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold, and locals say heavy metals have been seeping onto their properties.  Toxic levels of heavy metal exposure can cause major health problems such as neuromuscular disorders, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, schizophrenia and strokes, and hair loss is a common sign of poisoning.

Lithium and selenium toxicity is known to cause hair loss but lead, cadmium, mercury, iron, aluminum, copper, and other heavy metals can also affect hair growth. The toxins have a negative interfere with hormones, strip the body of nutrients, and can even damage the actual hair follicle, resulting in excessive hair shedding and impaired hair growth.

Heavy metals accumulate in the joints, bone, liver and other organs and glands but they don’t usually appear in blood tests unless there is extreme poisoning. However, the hair and nails can be indicative of heavy metal exposure, and slow, long term exposure to the metals can lead to thinning hair, particularly if there is a genetic predisposition to hair loss.

When heavy metal poisoning is suspected, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. The treatment for most heavy metal poisoning is chelation therapy, which is given either orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously, but it cannot reverse any neurological damage already sustained, it can only prevent further effects of the poisoning.

Many of the town’s 1500 residents are now looking for compensation from the mine which turned over a $73 million profit in 2008, despite the global financial crisis.

Peter Long from law firm Slater and Gordon believes there is “no doubt” locals are being poisoned.

“There is absolutely no doubt that these people are suffering heavy metal poisoning; the strong inference is that it comes from the mine, but that is going to require some more investigation,” Long said.

The owners of the mine will test the town for evidence of heavy metals in the environment, but general manager John Lamb says at this stage, there is no proof the mine is responsible for the poisonings.

“That will involve testing in excess of 100 sites, they’ll be taking soil samples, they take dust from roof cavities, and also any water that might be standing in yards. And that’s then subjected to a laboratory analysis for a suite of 10 metal toxicants,” Lamb said.

“I’m always concerned to hear that people in the town believe that they’re ill and believe that they might be ill from living in that town [but] the fact of the matter is that I don’t believe that’s obvious at this point.”

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Hair Loss in Women
The Most Effective Treatments for Hair Loss

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If “prevention is better than a cure”, when is a cure deemed appropriate? Hair transplants were previously thought to be the only “cure” for baldness, but preventative hair loss treatments are now preferred by most specialists and surgery is considered a last resort. Health campaigns conducted under that same mantra aim to prevent life-threatening conditions, but surgeons are beginning to deny the severely obese their last chance to overcome their weight problem.

Patients currently have a legal right, under the NHS Constitution, to be assessed for weight loss surgery if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is 40 or over, but some surgeons will only consider operating on patients with a BMI of 50 or more, sparking concern that people will eat more and put more weight on in order to get the stomach-reducing ops.

Surgeon Professor Mike Larvin said it’s a cost-cutting scheme by the NHS.

“In many regions the criteria are being raised to save money,” he said.

“Patients are being denied life-saving and cost-effective treatments and effectively encouraged to eat more in order to gain a more risky operation down the line.”

Chair of the National Obesity Forum Dr David Haslam agrees.

“Even the most cynical taxpayer should support (weight loss) surgery, alongside clinicians, opposing the unethical and immoral barriers to surgery imposed by NHS purse-string holders.”

It’s estimated that around 240,000 people want the weight loss operation and some professionals say that the £10,000 operation, which results in patients losing 70% of their excess weight within 18 months of surgery, is cheap compared to the long-term bill for treating medical complications of obesity.

But like the many hair loss specialists that advise addressing the underlying cause and recommend alternate treatment before resorting to hair transplants, the Department of Health said surgery should only be used as a last resort once diet and lifestyle changes had failed, and many agree.

Sue comments on Sky News that it’s not the NHS’s responsibility to provide the obese with a quick fix.

“As an obese person myself,” posts on their website, “I have to agree [that] losing weight is damned hard work, but it can be done. What does surgery do? It is a quick fix, and costly to an NHS that is cash strapped already. It teaches people nothing.”

For more information about hair loss treatment and prevention, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or send a message.

More Information:
Hair Loss in Men
Hair Loss in Women
Before and During Treatment Photos

Interesting Articles:
Preventing Baldness
Receding Hairline Regrowth
Woman’s Hair Loss Video Diary

Please scroll through our seven information videos below, each covering a different topic related to hair loss.

Worried about hair loss? View Belgravia’s recently launched information videos. They cover a number of different topics and treatments for men and women, and they should provide you with everything you need to know to get started on successfully clearing up your hair loss.

The Belgravia Centre – The UK’s Leading Hair Loss Clinic

Welcome to The Belgravia Centre - view our large and vibrant clinic and find out what makes us the most renowned single hair loss clinic in the whole of Europe.

Hair Loss Treatments and Products – A Guide

Watch our hair loss treatments video to learn about the only treatments that are proven to prevent and reverse hair loss and how to obtain optimum regrowth results from them. The video will also give you an insight into how to tell if a product might not be so effective.

Baldness and How To Prevent It

Find out about all of the options available for every stage of hair loss from mild thinning to total baldness. The video covers preventative treatments, surgical hair restoration and non-surgical hair replacement.

Hair Loss in Women and Preventing Female Hair Loss

Hair loss amongst women is a common condition. Find out about what might be causing female hair loss and what can be done about it.

Minoxidil – Information on Minoxidil Hair Loss Treatment

Details of minoxidil - One of only two treatments proven to prevent hair loss in men, and the only such treatment for the prevention of female hair loss or thinning hair.

Propecia – Information on Propecia Hair Loss Treatment

Details of Propecia – one of only two hair loss treatments proven to prevent and reverse hair loss in men.

Alopecia Areata – Information on the Condition and Treatments

Alopecia is a condition that presents itself as sudden patches of baldness and can in a small amount of cases result in total baldness of the scalp or the whole body. Find out about alopecia areata and what can be done about the condition.