Hair has always been an important symbol of status throughout history. Whether it signified social, financial, gender, or professional status, hair has come to be considered a sign of success. And this idea appears to go all the way back to the cavemen.

 A few years ago, the frozen body of a man on the Austrian-Italian border was discovered by scientists. Upon examining the clothing and weapons found on the specimen, they were astounded to find that the body was from the Neolithic Age, making him more than 5,000 years old. They had previously thought that the body was only a few years old, based on his trimmed beard and short hairstyle. So even during prehistoric times hair care was in practice.

Even 4,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were searching for a hair loss cure. One “cure” used around 1500 B.C. in Egypt called for reciting a magic spell to the sun god and then swallowing a mixture of onions, iron, red lead, honey and alabaster.

Around 1100 B.C. in ancient Egypt it was popular to rub the fats of various animals onto the scalp, including those of the lions, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, ibex, serpents and geese.

Another recipe for growing hair prepared for the King of Upper and Lower Egypt included toes of a dog, refuse of dates, and a hoof of an ass. Of course, these “cures” failed to re-grow hair.

But with baldness regarded as shameful in ancient Egypt, men and women were willing to put such things on their head in the hope they would work. During these times it was believed that baldness stood for the public announcement of a man’s loss of virility.

The Gospel on hair loss

Yes, hair loss is even mentioned in the Bible. According to this Old Testament passage God does not condone ridiculing the bald.

Kings 2: 23 “From there Elisha went to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said "go on up, you baldhead!" He turned round, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.”

As a hair loss sufferer you can take solace in knowing that today you have treatments for hair loss only dreamed of by the Kings of ancient Egypt and the emperors of Rome.

Hair loss and attempts to stop or reverse it have been around for centuries.

How mankind has treated hair loss over time.

There are several topical treatments like Revivogen, Crinagen, Progesterone Creams, Kevis 8 and Xandrox that claim to minimize or block the amount of dyhydrotestosterone (DHT) present in the scalp.

DHT acts as a catalyst for the hair loss process as it binds with the receptor sites in hair follicles that are genetically vulnerable to hair loss. Over time, this process of DHT acting on the genetically vulnerable hair follicles hurts their ability to grow healthy hair.

The success of these topical treatments in reducing DHT levels in the scalp has not been clinically proven. However, the possibility of reducing DHT only in the scalp region rather than through out the entire body as with Propecia or Avodart is appealing.

Click to learn more about how to stop hair loss with Hair Growth Stimulators

Is it Effective in Treating Baldness?

Hair loss suffering men and women are always seeking new and credible treatments and with good reason. Medical science is still years from producing a true hair loss cure and current treatment options are vastly limited. Women with hair loss have even fewer options than their balding male counterparts when it comes to proven, non-surgical hair loss treatments. Additionally, there is no shortage of cunning charlatans waiting to take advantage of the unwary consumer. Thus, when a new product like Kevis Hair Rejuvenation Formula comes along claiming to be a “permanent” solution and “the most successful and potent hair loss treatment on the planet”, potential customers would be wise to remain skeptical.

Kevis hair loss treatment is not an entirely new solution. In fact, their website states that it has been sold throughout Europe and Asia for over 25 years but has only been available in the United States for 15 years. This is simply the 8th generation of the formula; hence their new name Kevis 8. But how can such an impressive treatment exist for 10 years yet remain virtually unknown to roughly 70 million balding American men and women? What’s even more surprising is that Kevis claims that published clinical studies give this solution for baldness an average success rate of 92%. So why are so many people still seeking viable hair loss treatments today?

Kevis 8 is a drug-free topical lotion developed and manufactured by Italian pharmaceutical company, Farmaka, and distributed by Kevis Rejuvenation Programs in North and South America and by Pfizer in Europe and Asia. As such, it does not come under the regulatory supervision of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is applied directly to the scalp and can be used by both men and women. Ingredients are listed as:

Water, SD Alcohol 40-c+SD Alcohol 3-c, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolized Glycosaminoglycans (Thioglycoran), Panthenol, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben, Hyaluronic Acid (H.U.C.P.), Thurfylnicotinate HCL, Propylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Biotin, Fragrance.

H.U.C.P is a high concentrate of pharmaceutical grade hyaluronic acid which purportedly aids in the breakdown of accumulated DHT in the follicle and creates a binding effect in the follicle's receptor sites preventing further DHT buildup. Kevis also lists the ingredient Tricozyme™. Tricozyme is a protein enzyme that they claim attaches itself to free-floating DHT molecules rendering them “inactive and inoperable”.

Kevis claims that results from using their product are “permanent”. Once hair follicles are protected from the effects of DHT they will remain DHT resistant for life. Thus, their claim is that once the desired result is reached, there is no need to continue using Kevis.  This is a hefty claim considering all other non-surgical balding solutions are required to be used for life in order to experienced continued benefits.

In an effort to demonstrate its efficacy, Kevis provides complete, downloadable copies of seven clinical studies conducted by various institutions in France and Italy and provides summaries of each. They also offer several before and after photos (including those of company founder and President Brian Reichenberg) and written testimonials. What seem to be conspicuously missing are references to third-party studies and publications in peer reviewed journals. Without these critical components it’s impossible to verify the company’s hair growth claims.

Balding men and women may want to stick with clinically proven and FDA approved medical hair loss treatments.  For men those treatments are Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride). Rogaine is also approved for use by females. However, women should not ingest or even come in contact with finasteride due to the risk of specific birth defects. Men and women who are unable or unwilling to use these drugs can find credible alternatives.

When it comes to purchasing and using hair loss treatments, there is much more at stake than your hard earned money. Dedicating months or years to ineffective treatments may result in the unnecessary loss of valuable and irreplaceable hair follicles.

One product you used to see quite often in advertising is Avacor. According to Response magazine, Avacor was the third best selling product on the Internet in April, 2002. Avacor was originally manufactured by Global Vision Products. After being taken over by new management, it is now being manufactured by Avacor Products LLC.

Like most products that advertise 'Stop Hair Loss and Regrow Hair!', Avacor contains the only FDA approved topical drug minoxidil. Avacor, like other products with similar claims, mixes FDA approved drugs in their generic form with other ingredients in a multiple regimen of products like shampoo, lotion and vitamins.

Avacor historically cost approximately $239 for a two to three month supply and over $1000 for a year’s worth.  New prices are much more reasonable which range from $180 for a 3 month supply to $400 for a year’s supply of the men’s and women’s formula. Note that the ingredients in Avacor can be bought over the counter at your local store at a fraction of the cost for which they are sold in Avacor. However, they do offer 24/7 customer service and a 90 day money back guarantee.

Marketing Practices

Avacor, like other products with similar claims, has taken a lot of slack over the years for their controversial marketing tactics. Avacor has a checkered past and has previously been the focus of lawsuits and investigative reporting by major media like ABC news. Recently however, new management has taken over and claims they are very serious about selling quality products at more reasonable prices, without the hype and controversial marketing strategies. In looking at their website, while Avacor still uses slick marketing language to promote their products, the vast majority of their claims are much more realistic.

Avacor includes 3 distinct products that claim to provide “total hair care”. This includes a 'Scalp Detoxifying Shampoo', a 'Physicians Topical Formulation' and finally a 'Nutricap'. Avacor's Nutricap ingredients consist mainly of common herbs like saw palmetto, gingko biloba, keratin, resveratrol, and bilberry. While conjectured to inhibit the production of DHT, none of these ingredients are FDA approved or proven to stop hair loss. Avacor’s Physician’s Topical Formulation however, does contain 5% of the FDA approved hair regrowth agent minoxidil.

Other than minoxidil, no other ingredient is proven to regrow hair. A number of studies have been done that suggest saw palmetto inhibits the production of DHT, like Propecia. But, unlike Propecia, it has never been proven to stop or reverse hair loss.

Avacor Products

Avacor admits on their website that the only product proven to regrow hair is the Avacor Physician’s formulation which includes the FDA approved ingredient minoxidil (5% for men and 2% for women). The other products claim to provide hair with the essential nutrients for healthy hair growth but are careful not to claim to prevent the progression of male or female pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). Perhaps this is why the Avacor Physician’s formulation can now be purchased separately. Costs of the Physician’s Formulation are still, but only a little more expensive than Rogaine topical hair loss treatment, one of the first and most popular topical minoxidil products.

The Avacor Study

At this time, Avacor’s proof comes in the form of the FDA approved study showing that minoxidil can stop and reverse hair loss.  No other study is provided with their product.  Their website also is much more realistic as to what their product line can accomplish for hair loss suffering consumers.

Confidence in Products and Services

Before you consider spending hundreds of dollars for any product or service, do a review. Legitimate products will have legitimate studies and have been reviewed on many quality websites. Doctors with real talent and satisfied patients will be able to show you dozens of photos and allow you to talk with past patients. Proven physicians will make available their resumes along with their formal education and associations they belong to.

It is always best to review a product or doctor for information on their background before you make a decision for something as important as hair loss and hair restoration.

Conclusion

At the very least, the Avacor Physician’s formulation will be as effective as the Rogaine liquid formula or generic minoxidil. However, to date, both Rogaine and generic minoxidil are more cost effective than Avacor.  The nutricap, shampoo, conditioner and other products may promote healthy hair and provide it with volume, but make no claims of stopping hair loss or regrowing hair.