Smoke your way to a bald head

I came across several articles that indicate a connection between smoking and hair loss. It seems that smokers tend to lose their hair at an earlier age than non smokers. Maybe it's time to trade in that carton for a six pack.

Below are the links to the articles.

www.dailyvidette.com
www.nzherald.co.nz
www.dailymail.co.uk

Best Wishes

Will Cortes

Is Rogaine (Minoxidil) right for you?

I’m sure you’ve all heard about Rogaine, which is the brand name for the drug Minoxidi. The FDA approved Rogaine which slows the rate of hair loss and reduces the appearance of baldness. You can get Minoxidil over the counter or by prescription. Rogaine is used as a topical ointment that gets rubbed onto your scalp two times a day. Minoxidil has proven effective at regressing or stopping hair loss mainly in the crown of the head. It is not, however, an effective treatment for receding hairlines.


Rogaine can stimulate hair growth of new hair for some users, but any new hair will fall out if Minoxidil use is stopped. Any hair loss shampoo products containing the drug Minoxidil may be able to prevent further hair loss or generate new hair. There are several products on the market that contain Minoxidil. The most effective ones contain a higher concentration of the drug.


Of course there are the side effects like

• increase in size or darkness of fine body hair
• dizziness
• breast tenderness
• rash
• headache
• upset stomach
• vomiting
• acne at the site of application
• burning of scalp
• increased hair loss
• inflammation or soreness at root of hair
• reddened skin

On rare instances you may experience (call your doctor)

• chest pain
• blurred vision or other changes in vision
• decrease in sexual ability or desire*
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• difficulty breathing
• fainting
• light headed
• flushing
• rapid weight gain
• headache
• numbness or tingling of hands, feet, or face
• swelling of face, hands, feet, or lower legs

*According to the Mayo Clinic.

Who should avoid Minoxidil?

Consult your physician if you fall into the following categories and would like to use
Minoxidil.

• If you’re pregnant
• Children should not use Minoxidil
• If you’re older than 65
• If you presently use the following medications

1. Tretinoin (Retin-A)
2. Petrolatum (Vaseline)
3. Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicines)

• If you suffer from medical problems such as

1. Heart Disease
2. High Blood Pressure
3. Kidney Disease

Important Info

Always use the dosage on the prescription. Minoxidil should not be applied to other
parts of the body. Apply only to your scalp. Keep away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
This drug may also cause drowsiness.

If you notice continued itching, redness, or burning of your scalp after you apply Minoxidil, consult your doctor. If the itching, redness, or burning is severe, wash the medicine off and check with your doctor before using it again.

Lunesta: Hair Loss Side Effects

I came across an interesting article on The Beacon News that talks about a drug used for sleeping disorders. The drug is called Lunesta. Below is the Q&A from the an individual using Lunesta.


October 21, 2007

Q: Recently, you advised a reader to try Lunesta for sleep problems. I, too, was prescribed Lunesta and took it for about a year. It worked very well. I got at least five hours of sound sleep and had no morning-after sluggishness. About four months into taking it, I noticed some hair loss but thought it must be fairly normal and forgot about it. Seven months into taking the drug, the hair loss seemed to be more frequent and heavier. I discussed it with my hairdresser, but we decided it was just a cycle and would calm down. At the 10-month mark, I began to lose much more hair with brushing and decided to see my internist. He was shocked to see the change in my hair and promptly referred me to a dermatologist here.

Upon reviewing my physician-prescribed medication, he announced vehemently that I must cease taking Lunesta. It seems he had been seeing several patients complaining of hair loss, and they were all taking Lunesta. I stopped taking Lunesta in November 2006, but it takes at least two months for it to leave your system. During that time, I lost a devastating amount of hair! I was even advised to purchase a wig in case I had any more hair loss because it would be noticeable immediately.

I just had a check-up with my dermatologist, and there are no signs of regrowth; my hairdresser concurs. On Lunesta, I lost at least one-third of my hair, and I didn't have thick hair before. It's truly frightening, since hair loss is not even mentioned as a side effect of Lunesta.

A: Your experience with Lunesta is convincing and provides new information of which I was unaware. I am publishing a shortened version of your letter as a public service.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports "Consumer Tips on Medicine" and "Sleep/Wake Disorders." Other readers who would like copies should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 for each report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

For those of you interested in viewing the site click here.

If you've had similar results with Lunesta please share.

Regards

Will Cortes

www.endbalding.com

Inflammation can lead to hair loss

Does your scalp ever feel tender to the touch? Well it's quite possible that scalp inflammation is contributing to your hair loss. Don't blame Rogaine or topical minoxidil as your source for inflammation. Users refer to it as "minoxidil burn". There is no scientific study which shows that topical minoxidil or Rogaine is the cause of scalp inflammation. Retin-A is also known to be associated with scalp inflammation.

Dr. Razack, a hair specialist in the U.S and author of the book "Conquering Hair Loss", says many researchers have suggested that scalp inflammation is closely related to hair loss. Another reseacher reseacher, Young et al conducted a clinical study in 1991 showing that 96% of the participants in the study who have androgenic alopecia have also demostrated some kind of inflammatory response on their scalps. Another study conducted by Abell et al., inflammation was shown in over 75% of the scalp biopsies obtained from close to 700 patients with androgenic alopecia.

Here are a few shampoos to deal with scalp inflammation:

Neutrogen T-Gel - I think the first thing that everyone should try is Neutrogen T-Gel. It is the least expensive of all treatments, about US $8 a bottle and virtually any drug store sells it as an over-the-counter shampoo. No prescription is required. Although it doesn't work for everyone, some have repoted good results without having to turn to other more expensive alternatives. So I would definitely give T-Gel a try before anything else. However, not everyone responds to T-Gel. In fact, some, like myself, really dislike the shampoo. It dries up my hair and leaves stains on my scalp.

Nizoral Shampoo - If T-Gel fails, the next thing that I recommend is Nizoral shampoo. It is more expensive than T-Gel and a prescription is required for U.S residents. Nizoral costs well over US $30 for one bottle in New York City and I guarantee you can find a much better deal ordering over the internet. The active ingredient in Nizoral is 2% ketoconazole which in addition to being an anti-fungal agent, is also an antiandrogen and immunosupressant. All these attributes are beneficial to hair growth. Nizoral is intended to be used only once or twice a week. So it is important that you alternate Nizoral with another shampoo for hair loss.

Dermovate - If both T-Gel and Nizoral fail, then your last resort is Dermovate, or sometimes called Temovate in North America. It is a topical scalp lotion that is available by prescription only for U.S residents. Dermovate is not cheap. A 50ml bottle costs over US $60 in New York City. However, you are supposed to place only a few drops on affected areas and a 50ml bottle should last you more than two months. The active ingredient in Dermovate is Clobetasol 17-propionate 0.05%, which is a kind of cortisone. Dermovate is extremely effective and it works almost instantaneoulsy. Depending on the severity of your conditions, continuous application for up to six weeks may be required before your scalp is clear of all flakes and crust. Once your conditions have been stablizied, then you use Dermovate only when needed. For those who use Rogaine or topical minoxidil, Dermovate should be applied shortly after you put on Rogaine. Also, for best results, it is highly recommended that you include both Nizoral shampoo and Dermovate in your regimen.

RK19 - RK19 isn't a shampoo. It's a high potency vitamin and anti-inflammatry combination. It's specifically formulated to stop inflammation DHT. Price is under $100 for a 6 month supply.