The Belgravia Centre Blog

There are many products that claim to cure hair loss but the simple fact is that the vast majority of them have little evidence to back up these claims.

There are only two treatments that have been proven to work in clinical trials. Minoxidil (for men and women) and Propecia are the only products that have been licensed by the MHRA and ‘FDA-approved’ for the treatment of hair loss in the UK and USA respectively. Below is a summary of how they work to combat hair loss.

Minoxidil

Approved by the FDA in 1988, Minoxidil is topical solution or cream that is applied directly to the scalp. The exact process by which Minoxidil works is not fully understood however some experts believe it opens the potassium channels in cells which in turn is believed to encourage hair growth.

In controlled clinical studies of women aged 18-45, two out of three women with moderate level genetic hair loss reported re-growth after using 2% Minoxidil.

Two studies of the effects of Minoxidil 5% solution in treating male-pattern hair loss found:

• The 5% solution was very effective in 15.9% of patients, effective in 47.8%, moderately effective in 20.6% and ineffective in 15.7%
• Hair loss areas of the scalp became smaller in 67.3% of the men, unchanged by 31.9% and larger by 0.8%

As results vary for individuals, it is important to use the correct strength of Minoxidil. The Belgravia Centre prepares Minoxidil in a 4% or 5% solution or an extra-strength 12.5% cream. Hair specialists at the Belgravia Centre can advise on which is best for an individual.

Propecia
 
Proecia has an active ingredient called Finasteride which was first used to prevent Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH). Finasteride was shown to inhibit the formation of the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is known to help in the formation of Prostate Cancer. Dihydrotestosterone is also known to be the cause of genetic hair loss, so Propecia was developed to as a treatment.

In a two year study, Merck Pharmaceuticals tested Propecia on 1,553 men between ages 18 and 41 with mild to moderate thinning hair. After 2 years of treatment, over 83% of the 1,553 men had maintained or increased their haircount.

In a five year clinical study of 279 men, 9 out of 10 achieved visible results: 48% experienced hair regrowth and 42% stopped losing their hair. Nearly 70% of 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.

Getting the Most of Treatment

For men, combining Minoxidil with Propecia is usually the quickest way to seeing the best results. There are a range of hair growth boosters that can supplement a treatment programme and help tailor it to the individual.

For women, Minoxidil can be combined with hair growth boosters such as Hair Vitalics, a nutritional supplement. Hair Vitalics is not a stand alone hair loss treatment but helps to address underlying causes of female hair loss such as nutritional deficiency, which is common in women.

The Belgravia Centre offers clients a free consultation with a hair specialist. To book an appointment, please call 020 7730 6666 or message the clinic. Alternatively, complete the online diagnostic form and a treatment advisor will be in touch.

More Information:
Hair Loss in Men
Hair Loss in Women
Hair Loss Success Stories

Interesting Articles:
Tom Cruise Using Minoxidil for Thinning Hair
How to Get the Best Results from Hair Loss Treatments
What are Hair Growth Boosters?