THE BELGRAVIA CENTRE BLOG

Name:  Jacob

Question:  I’m using one of your treatment courses, the main medications being Propecia and Minoxidil.  At first I had quite a lot of regrowth and since then (3 years) the hair has stayed pretty much the same thickness.  If I stopped using the treatment, at what rate would my hair begin to fall out again?  Would my hair thickness return to how it would have been had I never used treatment?

Answer:  I’m unsure why you’d wish to stop using treatment if you have responded so well up until now, but if you did, the hair would start from where it left off before you used treatment and again begin to fall out at the same, or perhaps a slightly faster or slower rate depending on your age and the age when you started treatment, and whether or not the amount of DHT in your body has increased or reduced.

Name:  Jim

Question:  What should one do when Propecia appears to have stopped working in controlling further hairloss?

Answer:  It is very unusual for this to happen.  As I explained in a recent post, the effects of hair loss treatment can sometimes slow down over time for various reasons but even though this happens, the treatment is still having an effect, and had you not been using the treatment the hair loss would be a lot more extensive.

Sometimes, however, we see people experience a random, and usually temporary, phase of increased hair loss (be it a minimal amount) for unexplained reasons.  My advice to you would be to add Minoxidil + MPG or Azelaic Acid to your treatment regime which would almost certainly improve your treatment response and most likely put an end to the increased hair loss you say you have been experiencing.

Question:  My baby has a round bald spot right at the back of her head - it’s about the size of a golf ball.  Have you any idea what this could be, I’m a little worried!

Answer:  there’s no need to worry - this is a very common occurrence and is most probably due to her head rubbing against the mattress!

Question:  I am a 40 year old female who has been experiencing hair loss problems for the past 2 years. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Nervousa and began treatment with a trichologist using La Biosthetique treatments, this worked initially and my hair growth percentage went from 8% to 69%. However after a year it began to fall out again and after analysis my growth had went down to 59%. I then began using Nourkrin, and initially this also worked, but my hair is still falling out. I am currently still using Nourkrin as I am now unsure about what to do next. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

Answer:  Alopecia Nervousa is an uncommon term but by this I assume you refer to hair loss caused by stress i.e. Diffuse Hair Loss or Telogen Effluvium.

The product that we find most beneficial for most forms of female hair loss is Minoxidil + MPG.  Minoxidil is the only product to be FDA approved for hair loss, meaning there have been vigorous clinical trials carried out to prove its effectiveness and efficacy beyond doubt.  When it comes to hair loss caused by stress, it is also important to try to solve the underlying problem for general health reasons as well as preventing your hair loss.

La Biosthetique products seem to be natural cosmetic products so I am quite surprised that any regrowth at all was experienced.

If you have not already tried Minoxidil I would definitely advise it, and if you have responded well to the two products that you mention then I am confident your response with Minoxidil + MPG will be even more successful.  I would however advise an examination for a definitive diagnosis.

More information on MINOXIDIL + MPG.

Name:  Terry

Question:  I’m 35 years of age and have been bald (on the top of my head) since about the age of 29.  Is there anything I can do to get my hair back?

Answer:  Unfortunately there is not much that can be done in the way of treatment for growing back hair in areas of complete baldness.  Once the skin is smooth and no hair is visible regrowth is very unlikely.  The best option for you would be NON-SURGICAL HAIR REPLACEMENT (click for more information).

A hair transplant may also be possible but when it involves such a large area of baldness the hair from the donor area will usually appear thinner due to a lot of hair being removed to be replaced in the area of baldness.

Question:  I’m 25 years old and have been using Minoxidil for around 5 years. When I first started taking it thickened up my hair quite a lot and has maintained it since then.  Now my hair seems to be beginning to fall out again - not at the rate it was before I was using Minoxidil but slowly but surely the condition seems to be deteriorating.  What would you advise I do?

Answer:  This is quite a common occurrence and there could be a few reasons: As you age throughout your 20’s the DHT can build up and cause hair loss to be more excessive.  Had you not used Minoxidil it is likely you would be almost bald by now, if not in the next couple of years.  But as the hormones causing hair loss build up the hair can start thinning again, even if you are on treatment that previously prevented it. 

Another cause could be stress, which can sometimes cause hair loss due to a condition called Telogen Effluvium or speed up the process of genetic hair loss (male pattern hair loss).

The best option would be to add Propecia to your treatment regime, and perhaps a booster such as LaserComb or a natural supplement (or both).  This will most likely prevent any hair loss for the foreseeable future any could also thicken up your hair further.

 Question:  Is genetic hair loss related to the amount of testosterone in the body?

 Answer: No, people with a high amount of testosterone will not necessarily experience genetic hair loss.  Hair loss is caused by dihydrotestosterne (DHT) which is produced when testosterone is combined with an enzyme in the body called 5-alpha reductase.  Some people produce more DHT than others but this is not directly related to the amount of testosterone in the body.

Name:  Edwin 

Question:  A small bald patch has come up on my beard in like the last day!  Do you have any idea what it could be?  What can be done?

Answer:  This sounds like Alopecia Barbae - Alopecia Areata of the beard.  Alopecia Areata is a condition that causes patchy hair loss and in very few cases spreads to the whole head or body - the patches of hair loss can be found anywhere on the body but are most common on the scalp.  More information on Alopecia Areata.

Question: What kind of treatments would you suggest for hair loss in the back of the head from 3 years of very heavy weaves/extensions turned into dreds (originally done to make my hair fuller and disguise a scar from an earlier accident). I tried men’s rogaine for a few months (thought it would work as it’s stronger than women’s) and it caused facial hair growth in spots that I never had before (like around chin, lower face, and a little bit of neck area).

I also have a long scar on the scalp from a bad car accident 7 yrs ago, the worst part of it being at the front which is about the size of a quarter where there’s no hair. Is there anything I can do this many years later to shrink the scar? Hair can not be transplanted too well to old scar tissue like that right?

Answer: It sounds like the hair loss condition you are experiencing is Traction Alopecia. This is caused by long-term pulling on areas of hair until the follicles shrink and eventually become dysfunctional. Minoxidil should be helpful for this. Facial hair growth is an unlikely side effect but is experienced by some women whilst they are on minoxidil - we do however have an FDA approved cream that counteracts this excessive hair growth once applied to the areas.

With regard to your scars - please see this post - http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/question-can-you-offer-any-hope-of-hair-recovery-from-scarring-alopecia/.

Question:  Hi.  I want to shave my head but my hair dresser told me that some of the thin hairs won’t grow back.  What is your opinion on this?

Answer:  Shaving your head will not prevent thin hairs from growing.  If your hair is thinning then the hairs may stop growing on their own at some point if you are not using treatment, but shaving your head should have no effect on this.