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Alfatradiol as a Treatment for Female Pattern Hair Loss

Balding women seemingly have fewer options when it comes to treating their hair loss condition.  Currently, the only FDA approved hair loss treatment for women is Rogaine 2% (minoxidil).

But are there other treatments for hair loss available to women?

A woman suffering from female pattern baldness recently asked about Alfatradiol, the active ingredient found in a medication called Pantostin on our hair restoration forum.

After doing some research, I found that Alfatradiol 0.025% topical solution has been approved for those suffering from Androgenetic Alopecia (genetic hair loss) as a hair loss medication for both safety and efficacy in Germany along with Rogaine (minoxidil).  Alfatradiol is available without prescription and can be found in German pharmacies.  Alfatradiol is not approved as a hair loss drug nor seemingly available in the United States.

A clinical study performed in Germany seemed to reveal that Alfatradiol may perform well at slowing down or stopping the progression of hair loss whereas minoxidil proved to increase hair density and overall hair shaft thickness.

The study can be found below:

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Comparison of the efficacy and safety of topical minoxidil and topical alfatradiol in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women: 

BACKGROUND:

Two drugs which are approved for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women in Germany were compared with regard to their influence on hair growth.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Technorati Tags: Female Pattern Hair Loss, Balding, FDA approved, hair loss treatment, minoxidil, treatments for hair loss, female pattern baldness, Alfatradiol, Pantostin, Androgenetic Alopecia, hair loss medication, Rogaine, hair loss drug, hair loss, hair density, topical minoxidil, topical alfatradiol

Having attended the annual International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) meetings over the past ten years, while publishing the Hair Transplant Network, I now seem to know or be known by almost all of the prominent hair transplant physicians.

Those who have become famous online for doing outstanding work typically greet me warmly, while others who I have chosen not to recommend often stiffen up and scowl when they encounter me.  One hair restoration physician last week even took me aside in the hallway and threatened to sue me for having his recommendation discontinued.

But, like it or not, most physicians have come to realize that our patient based community and our open forum are here to stay and that we will continue to say when the “emperor has no clothing” even if it may be awkward or embarrassing. As the publisher of this community, I will continue to critique various techniques, treatments and those who perform them, while keeping an eye out for top-notch hair transplant physicians and clinics. I know the active members of this community will also continue to do the same.

In this report I’d like to share highlights from the 15th annual ISHRS scientific meeting that was held in Las Vegas from September 26th to the 30th.

I will focus on what may be of most interest to hair loss sufferers and patients such as presentations on the potential dangers of Dutasteride (Avodart), new advances such as hair multiplication (follicular cell implantation), the effectiveness of low light laser therapy (LLLT) in treating hair loss, the pros and cons of FUE (follicular unit extraction) and other topics.

Technorati Tags: Hair Restoration Surgery, hair transplant, hair restoration physician, hair transplant physicians, hair loss, Dutasteride, Avodart, hair multiplication, follicular cell implantation, low light laser therapy, LLLT, FUE, follicular unit extraction

There are so many hair loss products out there.  How do I know what works and what doesn’t?

If you are looking for a cut and dry answer, I encourage you to read the following Hair Loss Q&A Blog: What works as a hair loss treatment and what doesn’t?

I did, however, want to take the time to present the criteria I use in order to draw a conclusion as to what works and what doesn’t.  Keep in mind that this is not a perfect methodology, but it can act as a guide for you as you are evaluating new treatments.  How do we know which ones are potentially legitimate?  How do we know which ones are “Scams”?

I often make decisions about a product’s effectiveness based on a combination of three things: 

• Personal experience (Products I’ve tried before)
• Scientfic evidence (Is there scientific evidence that the product may be of some benefit to fight against hair loss?)
• Public evidence (visual proof - What are other hair loss sufferers saying?).

I think one must combine these three pieces in order to obtain a well-balanced picture. That doesn’t mean that all three have to exist in order to conclude it works. After all…what works for one might not work for another.

Personal Experience:

Let’s face it…most of us have been duped before and have tried a number of miracle cure products.  Ultimately, we may not be able to conclude for sure if a product works for everyone based on personal experience, but we surely can conclude whether it works for us!

Technorati Tags: hair loss, Hair Loss

There may be hope for a cure for hair loss! 

According to scientists studying mice, it may be possible to grow new hair follicles.  Recent research findings by scientists such as George Cotsarelis, MD and Mayumi Ito, PHD (both doctors associated with the University of Pennsylvania) demonstrate that mice can grow new hair follicles during their wound healing process.   During this healing process, mice release a protein called wnts.  These wnts proteins when added to mature skin cells, gave rise to new hair follicles as if they were acting like embryonic skin cells.

Further experimentation was performed by introducing additional wnt proteins to the wounds.  The introduction of additional wnt proteins caused the skin to regenerate and increase the number of hair follicles in the area.  Alternatively blocking wnt proteins stopped the production of new hair follicles.

Doctors studying wnts state that it’s possible that wnts protein may not only be able to grow new hair follicles, but revolutionize the healing of skin and significantly reduce scarring.

We must remember, however, that although wnt proteins may facilitate growth of new hair follicles, these follicles will have the same genetic characteristics of the follicles in the area in which they were generated.  This means, that these follicles, may also be susceptible to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and therefore also be at risk for hair loss.

More research is clearly needed about wnts before we can conclude this will actually work in people.  Furthermore, since these new hair follicles produced are also at risk of being lost, scientists will need to consider this when coming up with hair loss treatment solutions.

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair follicles, wnts, wnts protein, Dihydrotestosterone, DHT, hair loss treatment

Recent scientific experiments using mice have shown that new hair follicles can be induced to grow in new skin when the wound healing process is altered using a wnt protein. This protein caused mature skin cells to behave like embryonic skin cells and form new hair follicles.

The research into this potential hair loss treatment is in the early stages and it remains to be seen if the new hair follicles stimulated to grow in the balding areas could be made to be resistant to balding.

To learn more about this topic, visit our discussion forum by clicking here.

Technorati Tags: hair follicles, wnt protein, new hair follicles, hair loss treatment

How effective are laser treatments in restoring the health and fullness of
existing hair follicles?

You ask a very topical question. Low Light Laser Therapy (LLLT) is being increasingly promoted on and offline by both the manufactures and those who make this hair loss treatment  available in either clinics or salons. Of course the big questions is - “Does it really work?”.

Over the past few years the “HairMax LaserComb” has been promoted heavily online by Lexington International, the makers of this product. Some users of this Laser Comb product have reported their experience on our hair restoration discussion forum. Generally the comments are relatively negative and the users feel the $500 plus that they paid was a waste. Some think the Laser Comb may be about as effective as using Rogaine in both growing new hair and thickening the diameter of current hairs.

LLLT is provided in two ways, either with a hand held laser comb devise or with a hooded device (that looks much like a salon hair dryer). The hooded device delivers a more intense treatment. However, with the hooded device patients have to travel to a salon or clinic each time they want a treatment. The weaker hand held device is typically used at home.

The basic concept for how LLLT works is that the low intensity laser energy is absorbed into the skin where it then stimulates cellular activity and presumably hair growth. LLLT has been used over the years in other applications such as healing wounds. Therefore there appears to be validity to the underlying science.

Technorati Tags: Low Light Laser Therapy, hair loss treatment, HairMax LaserComb, Laser Comb, LLLT, hair growth

Pfizer recently released Rogaine Foam, a hair loss treatment that features the active ingredient minoxidil. Rogaine Foam has a 5% minoxidil concentration like traditional Rogaine Extra Strength, so it is currently only available for use by men. A women’s formula is expected to hit shelves in the near future. Rogaine Foam comes in an aerosol spray can and has the consistency of traditional aerosol shaving creams such as Barbasol.

Minoxidil has been proven time and again to be an effective hair growth stimulator that can both maintain and increase scalp hair counts.

But if the existing lotion formula is effective, then why did Pfizer release a foam version of Rogaine? Well any existing Rogaine user can answer that question pretty easily.

The directions suggest that the traditional Rogaine lotion be applied twice a day for optimal results. These application times should be at least four hours apart. Common sense tells the hair loss sufferer that the best times to apply their Rogaine would be right after their morning shower and a little while before bed at night. However common sense probably never had to deal with that infamously greasy “Rogaine head.”

Technorati Tags: Rogaine Foam, hair loss treatment, minoxidil, Rogaine, Pfizer