Will A DHT Blocker Help A Smelly, Oily Scalp and Hair Loss?'

Name: Lisa

Question: Very oily smelly scalp with hair loss… how do i treat this problem as I’ve being using nioxin shampoo and it doesn’t help along with other medicated shampoo that don’t work. My dermatologist said it was androgenic alopecia, will I go bald? I hope not. Thanks. Will a DHT blocker help to control the sebum and reduce hair fall.

Answer: Hi, Lisa. The two issues you mention, regarding your scalp and your hair loss, will need to be treated differently.

Daily shampooing can sometimes help to keep an oily scalp under control, especially when using selsun or ketoconazole based shampoo. Additionally, controlling your dietary intake of oily foods can be good way to further control oil or sebum production.

When it comes to DHT inhibitors, there is no evidence to suggest these do anything to prevent an oily scalp but, one can only try as it they can help to prevent female pattern hair loss.

The most common DHT blocker is called finasteride 1mg and is only prescribed for men. There are alternatives for women of which recommendations can be discussed, alongside shampoos for an oily scalp, by a specialist as part of a comprehensive women's hair loss treatment course consultation.

Belgravia's exclusive one-a-day hair growth supplement Hair Vitalics for Women contains the soy isoflavones, genistein and daidzein. These phytoestrogens are derived from plants and have been shown in studies to reduce DHT levels in the blood.

As DHT leads to gradually thinning hair in women with a genetic predisposition to pattern hair loss, reducing this, especially when combined with recommended formulations of high strength minoxidil to promote hair growth, is often an effective way of treating hair loss.

For personalised advice on which hair loss treatments are likely to be best for your level and pattern of shedding as well as your medical profile, please arrange a free consultation with one of our specialists.