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.
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.”
Read how clients felt about visiting The Belgravia Centre for their tricho-check. Here are some of last week’s comments emailed by clients following their free consultation. Each comment is from a different client…
“Both of the advisors I met with were very professional and helpful”
“I found both Vaida and Pam very helpful. They did not just try to sell me the most expensive products, which one of your “competitors” had tried to do! They were very honest and fair and Pam particularly had very good customer relation skills. There was no pressure to puchase any products which was pleasing. I haven’t yet bought anything but would expect to do so soon.”
“Edyta was very nice. She explained everything and made me feel much better about my worries. She was very imformative and caring. Pam was also lovely. She answered all my questions and made me feel very happy that I chose to come to the centre. Everybody at the centre were very welcoming. I’m glad I chose Belgravia, and will keep coming back for my treatment. Thank you for being so nice and helpful. I was so worried before but now I’m looking forward to the results I’ll hopefully see in the future.”
“I can confirm that my initial consultation with Vaida was friendly and informative as was the follow up with Gayzen who efficiently explained one or two of my concerns. It was a welcome change not to be pressurised there and then to sign up for treatment and Gayzen understood that as a pensioner I needed to discuss the financial aspect with my husband. I subsequently telephoned her the next day of my decision and have since made an appointment to start my treatment today.”
“The examination with Loida was very informative and she explained concisely as to what condition I have and how it can be treated. She told me exactly how the treatment works and made me feel comfortable while carrying out her examination and answering any questions I had. Cherie was nice and friendly and outlined the course of treatment and the relative costs leaving me with very few questions to ask. It was good to talk to her as she was very helpful and and reassuring. Overall service was really good.”
“I was pleased with the service and I am hopeful with the proposed treatments. Loida Cadiogan was very professional and knowledgable about her subject, and I enjoyed talking with her. Cherie Ridding was also very professional and took me through the ordering process so that I was happy with what I have paid for. Cherie added in a check up consultation into the package and I look forward to coming back in 6 months to see if there is any progress.”
Baldness is often associated with a mans virility but a thinning pate can also be the butt of many jokes. If you thought a man’s hair loss was related to his testosterone levels, you’d be right. But perhaps not in the way you had assumed.
Some believe testosterone is the primary cause of hair loss, and a few men can handle it by falling back on the belief that it also means they’re more masculine, or that the extra testosterone provides extra ammunition in the bedroom. Now there’s nothing wrong with thinning gracefully, but you may be interested in knowing how testosterone truly relates to baldness so you can understand how hair loss treatments work.
Testosterone itself does not cause hair loss, although it is indirectly one of the main reasons why women don’t have such problems nearly as often as men. It is the transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that can have a negative effect on hair growth, not testosterone itself.
The 5-alpha reductase (5AR) enzyme is responsible for the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which acts to miniaturise the hair follicle by binding to receptor sites at cell level. This in turn shortens the hair lifecycle leading to regular shedding and reproduction of thinner strands. In time, hair growth could cease altogether.
Unfortunately for men, receding hairlines are not necessarily indicative of surging hormones and baldness is not a scientifically recognised sign of virility. Like testosterone, the 5AR enzyme is present in women as well as men and hence DHT, which can lead to thinning hair in both sexes. But men and women with high testosterone levels are not necessarily placed at a higher risk of hair loss. The negative effects of DHT tend to only present in those with a genetic sensitivity to that chemical bi-product.
Genetics and hormones - and indirectly, testosterone - are by no means the only reasons for hair loss in men and women, but they do play a major part in most cases. To find what can be done to prevent and reverse hair loss, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or send an email for more information. Alternatively, fill in an online diagnostic form to find out what’s contributing to your hair thinning.
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.
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.
Make a decision. As soon as you realise you’re losing your hair, you need to decide if you want to stop it or not because hair loss treatment works best for those who act sooner rather than later.
Two thirds of men will experience some degree of baldness and some will take it in their stride, but if you think it could be an issue for yourself, don’t wait to let it consume you to the point where you start having problems with self-esteem or your overall outlook on life. You can always stop the treatment and let nature take its course. But as for your hair, once it’s gone – it’s gone.
Many men start receding in their teens or early 20s and there’s a fine line between hairline maturisation and the early stages of hair loss. If you’re unsure where you fall, the Norwood Scale is a good place to start. Grade II is considered a normal amount of temporal recession but Grade III is generally considered fairly indicative of further hair loss. Still unsure if there’s any cause for concern? Consult a hair loss specialist.
Sometimes hair loss is only temporary and the damage can easily be rectified. Medical problems, hormone imbalances, and stress are common causes for hair loss but once identified are easily addressed. If thinning hair or excessive shedding is the result of an external factor, such as those mentioned, lifestyle amendments or simple medical treatment that address the problem is normally enough to rectify the hair loss.
Most cases of male hair loss tend to be genetic, though. And while it can be controlled, reversed and prevented with specific treatments, their degree of success is reliant upon early action and correct synchronisation and administration of proven hair loss treatments. Acceptance is of course one way to deal with hair loss but these days, with the availability of treatments that make baldness a choice rather than an inevitable fate, it’s rarely a first choice and more likely to be a last resort for some.
Previously a lot of men took baldness in their stride; a symbol of maturity and virility. But it’s a hard thing to accept in a society where your appearance counts and youth is valued. The Belgravia Centre is the UK’s leading hair loss clinic, specialising in unique combinations of clinically proven hair loss treatments that have been approved and licensed by medical regulatory bodies. If you’d like more information about hair loss and what you can do to rectify or prevent further hair loss, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or send an email. Or you could simply fill in the online diagnostic form for personalised medical advice and access to superior treatment combinations form anywhere in the world.
A veteran movie maker is onto a golden winner in hair thickening awards. Michael Winner isn’t akin to male pattern baldness and while others his age are scratching their heads over his glorious mane, the 74-year-old film director is soaking his locks in beer.
Winner said the thickening ale is his secret weapon.
“It gives my hair body. I can use any lager beer but my hair prefers Heineken,” Winner said.
“You will be startled by the reaction you get afterwards from the opposite sex - and sometimes from your own sex!”
While applying alcohol topically may temporarily help thicken existing hair, it will not prevent hair loss or stop it from thinning. But Shane MacGowan from The Pogues believes otherwise.
“There is only one way to cure baldness - you pour Guinness over your head, collect it in a bucket, and drink it in the morning,” MacGowan said.
There are actually two products that have been clinically proven and even licensed for the treatment of hair loss, but Guinness, or beer in general, is not one of them.
If you’d like to know more about hair loss, including the causes and treatments available, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or message the centre. Alternatively, you could simply fill in an online diagnostic form to find out what you can do to wind back or prevent the follicular clock from ticking.
Men have labelled the President of Hair Club a liar following the release of results from a survey commissioned by the hair loss company that implies men are more worried about their locks than sport and sexy women.
According to a survey that attempted to gauge how important hair loss is, 65% of men said they’d prefer to be guaranteed they’d never have to worry about baldness than to cuddle up to Gisele Bundchen every night.
Writers and commentators of an American sports blog have asked what man wouldn’t mind having a shiny cue-ball top if it meant he could marry the Brazilian supermodel.
“Who needs hair when a supermodel is willing to bang you?” Barstool Sports writers ask. “That’s like asking would you be bald if you could be a professional athlete.”
Avid sports fans turn your heads, because this next revelation may surprise some. The American hair loss company’s survey found that apparently more than 80% of men would not go bald, even for just a year, to guarantee their preferred team would win the Super Bowl.
Hair Club CEO Steven Barthsaid said he was “shocked and surprised” by the poll results but that he understands them.
“Men are very motivated to look their best – even if it means the loss of a beautiful woman.”
Opinions remain divided about the poll results, but of course men have a choice when it comes to their hair and it’s as simple as asking yourself do want to keep it, or are you not too phased? There are treatments available that have been proven and licensed for the specific purpose of stabilising and preventing hair loss, but it’s a personal choice.
If you want to find out more about the choices men have today with regards to hair loss, contact The Belgravia Centre on 020 7730 6666 or send a message. Or you could simply fill in an online diagnostic form to receive a free analysis and personal recommendations without ever having to leave your house.
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.
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 
Some believe testosterone is the primary cause of 
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.
Two thirds of men will experience some degree of 
A veteran movie maker is onto a golden winner in hair thickening awards. Michael Winner isn’t akin to 
Men have labelled the President of Hair Club a liar following the release of results from a survey commissioned by the hair loss company that implies men are more worried about their locks than sport and sexy women.
Hair Club CEO Steven Barthsaid said he was “shocked and surprised” by the poll results but that he understands them.
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