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.

The "Active" Ingredient in Many Popular Hair Loss Treatment Products

Many popular hair loss treatment options today such as Provillus, Procerin, and Avacor contain the “active” ingredient saw palmetto. It can also be purchased as a standalone supplement in most nutritional stores. But the age old question of whether or not it can effectively treat baldness in men and women with alopecia is still heavily debated. By taking a look at the scientific evidence available we are able to draw some conclusions as to its potential benefit for those with thinning hair.

What is Saw Palmetto?

Saw Palmetto berries are a deep red fruit that grow wild on palm trees in warmer climates, typically found in the Southeastern United States. The liposerolic berry extract is typically used as an herbal supplement for the promotion of a healthy prostate.

Saw Palmetto Hair Loss Study:

Similarly to finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia and Proscar), studies have shown that when taken orally, it may be an effective anti-androgen by lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the body by blocking 5 alpha-reductase enzymes. Additionally it is said to block receptor cites on cells which is required for cells to absorb DHT.

Tests have also been performed on its use in the treatment of benign prostatic disease, which similarly to androgenic alopecia, depends on the production of DHT.

It is also noteworthy to state that a small preliminary study in 2002 was performed as reported by The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine(2002;8:143-52) that shows a select group of 19 men between the ages of 23 and 64 taking either (400mg of saw palmetto and 100mg of Beta-sitosterol) or a placebo orally. Those who took the herbal combination had 60% improved hair growth over those who took the placebo. There have been no studies to date indicating the efficacy of saw palmetto applied topically for male pattern baldness, female hair loss, or anything to date.

In our opinion, there are two potential difficulties with this study:

• Many scientists would argue that the control study group was too small to determine any real efficacy and improved hair growth could have happened by chance. A larger study therefore may be necessary to determine any level of real efficacy.
• “Improved hair growth” is not the same thing as newhair growth and hair regrowth, nor should it necessarily imply that it works to stop hair loss
• There are no regulations or suggested daily value as to how much saw palmetto would be required to successfully treat baldness. The appropriate dosage therefore is questionable.
• The above study was only performed on saw palmetto taken orally. Hair loss products that promote topical use for baldness are basing their belief in its efficacy on something other than published clinical evidence.

The Dosage:

But if there are no current standards on dosages of herbal medications in the United States, how do these popular hair loss treatments produce an appropriate dosage?

Clinical studies on Benign Prostrate Hyperplasia (BPH) have used a dosage of 320mg of the berry extract daily (either one 320mg pill or 2 X 160 mg pill). A daily dosage of 480 mg of saw palmetto berry extract was not found to be any more effective in a six-month study. If the entire berry was used, up to 1000mg or 2000mg would be required to reach the same goal.

The theory therefore is that if saw palmetto can successfully treat an enlarged prostate similarly to finasteride, it can effectively treat hair loss with a similar dosage Many popular “baldness cure” products contain approximately 1500mg of the berry which is equivalent to approximately 240-320mg of the berry extract.

Side Effects and Warnings:

One false assumption is that “all natural” treatments don’t have potential side effects. It is stated that use of saw palmetto has not proven to be safe for women with hair loss during pregnancy and lactation. Medical supervision is suggested for women of childbearing age. Similar warnings are listed about Propecia.

Conclusions:

Based on some anecdotal evidence, saw palmetto is said to treat baldness because of its tendency to act like finasteride by helping those suffering from BPH. However, authentic clinical studies have not been performed to date that support this claim. Dosage and how it should be used (orally or topically) therefore is based on conjecture rather that scientific evidence.

Hair loss is a universal condition, affecting all ages, races, genders and nationalities. It’s estimated that “androgenetic alopecia,” or male and female pattern baldness affects 35 million men and 21 million women in the United States alone. This section examines how race, age and gender affect hair loss.

Race and Hair Loss

In physiological terms, human beings are all composed of the same bones, muscles, and everything else down to the cellular level. But there are specific differences.

Hair, in all of its variations, is one area in which human beings display their differences. Hair follicles can widely vary in terms of color, length, shape, thickness, strength and various other factors.

There are many ethnic groups to consider. But we will focus on the special considerations of Asians, Blacks (of African descent) and Caucasians.

Asian Hair Loss Considerations

Asian people typically have very straight hair. Their scalps contain fewer hairs per square centimeter, they actually have a lower hair density than that of Caucasian hair follicles. But because the individual hair follicles of East Asians are thicker, this gives the look and impression of greater hair density.

For these reasons, hair restoration techniques for East Asians, much like other races, must be sensitive to a variety of anatomic and cultural differences. For instance, East Asian females often have an increased likelihood of developing “diffuse alopecia,” or hair that thins evenly over the entire head than Caucasian females.

Even though it’s not a definite requirement, it’s very helpful for Asian patients to seek out doctors with experience in Asian hair.

Another consideration for East Asians considering hair restoration surgery is the increased chance of developing keloid scars. A keloid is a thick, irregularly shaped and elevated scar with uncontrolled growth that results from excess fibrous skin tissue. East Asians typically have a greater likelihood of keloid development than Caucasians, but less than that of people of African descent. Therefore, before undergoing surgery, East Asians may want to consider being medically evaluated for keloids.

African Hair Loss Considerations

People of African descent usually possess naturally curly hair. This curly hair gives the visual impression of increased hair density for a given amount of hair, which is beneficial in hair restoration surgery.

The hair follicles beneath the skin of people of African decent also typically curve more than Caucasians. This can make harvesting the donor hairs, without severing or transecting the hair follicles beneath the scalp, more difficult. A hair restoration physician needs to be very aware of this difference and adjust to its requirements.

As in the case of East Asians, people of African descent possess some unique hair and skin characteristics. Some of these medical conditions are more common in black skin than in white skin. This may increase the risk for post-surgical complications.

Those of African descent have a higher chance of developing keloid scarring when injured. This in turn leads to a greater chance of noticeable donor scars. Keloids aren’t a widespread problem. But those with a history of them are carefully evaluated in regard to their existing scars. The evaluation usually involves a small "test procedure" to determine if there’s a normal healing rate.

Another issue is that of postoperative skin discoloration. With darker skin, there’s often a greater risk of both increased and decreased skin color after injury or surgery. These risks can be determined by the patient’s medical and family history.

Ingrown hairs are also a more common problem in darker skin. If a patient has a history of ingrown hairs or other minor skin infections, this may signal a higher risk for ingrown hairs post-hair restoration surgery. Again, this risk can be determined by a small test procedure.

Caucasian Hair Considerations

Caucasians (white people) may have a wide range of hair and skin types. However, if someone has dense and or coarse hair, as well as skin color similar to their hair color, they will generally achieve the best results for a given amount of restored hair.

Learn more about aging and gender hair loss

The Era of the big Wig

Soon after the Middle Ages wigs became popular for women. Then in the 1600’s the flamboyant and incredibly vain King Louis XIV of France lost his hair from a severe illness and took to wearing gigantic wigs thus setting the fashion for most men of his day.

These enormous creations featured such items as cages with live birds and could weigh up to 20 lbs.!

By the 1700’s England made another contribution to bad hair loss concealers. This was the age of the long, curly, and powered wigs. Even today, English judges and lawyers continue this practice. Thus the expression for those in authority – “Big Wigs.”

The“Snake oil” Years

The early 1800’s is renowned in hair loss circles as the age of the con men. There were hundreds of so-called “hair loss solutions” and many lasted well into the late 1900’s.

These treatments were marketed by fast-talking “doctors,” skilled only in bravery and possessing nerves of steel considering they were conning hardened cowboys and outlaws!

The salesmen hawked their products from the safety of their side shows and “Wild West” spectaculars. They used endless tricks to get people to buy their products, including rubbing grease into their hair to make it look thicker.

The “Modern” Era of Hair Loss Solutions

During the past several decades, superstition, old wives tales, and guess work has gradually been replaced by science.

In 1939, a Japanese dermatologist, Dr. Okuda, published a revolutionary method in a Japanese medical journal that would lay the ground work for modern hair transplantation.

This method involved using hair transplant grafts to correct lost hair from various areas, including the scalp, eyebrow, and moustache areas. However, this study didn’t make an impact in the Western Hemisphere due to the interruption of World War II.

Hair transplants are born.

In the late 50’s one physician in particular, Dr. Norman Orentriech, began to experiment with the idea of relocating or transplanting the hair on the back and sides of the head to the balding areas.

Dr. Orentriech’s experiments showed that when bald resistant hairs from the back and sides of the head were relocated, they maintained their bald resistant genetic characteristic regardless of where they were transplanted.

This principle, known as “Donor Dominance”, established that hair could be transplanted from the bald resistant donor areas to the balding areas and continues to grow for a life time. This laid the foundation for modern hair transplantation.

During the 60’s and 70’s surgical hair restoration grew in popularity. However, the standard procedure used large grafts that were removed by round punches and often contained many hairs.

Completed Result after Multiple Sessions of Large Grafts

This now outdated technique could achieve a full look if a patient completed all planned sessions. However, a patient was typically limited in the manner they could style their hair.

Patients who stopped short of completing all planned sessions were left with hair loss solutions that looked obvious and unnatural.

Such uncompleted hair restoration results are some times referred to as “barbie doll hair” or “corn rows”.

Many who have had these older techniques now refine or complete their hair transplants with today’s very refined techniques to achieve a natural look that they can style in any manner.

From big wigs to surgical hair restoration

The Era of the big Wig

Soon after the Middle Ages wigs became popular for women. Then in the 1600’s the flamboyant and incredibly vain King Louis XIV of France lost his hair from a severe illness and took to wearing gigantic wigs thus setting the fashion for most men of his day.

These enormous creations featured such items as cages with live birds and could weigh up to 20 lbs.!

By the 1700’s England made another contribution to bad hair loss concealers. This was the age of the long, curly, and powered wigs. Even today, English judges and lawyers continue this practice. Thus the expression for those in authority – “Big Wigs.”

The“Snake oil” Years

The early 1800’s is renowned in hair loss circles as the age of the con men. There were hundreds of so-called “hair loss solutions” and many lasted well into the late 1900’s.

These treatments were marketed by fast-talking “doctors,” skilled only in bravery and possessing nerves of steel considering they were conning hardened cowboys and outlaws!

The salesmen hawked their products from the safety of their side shows and “Wild West” spectaculars. They used endless tricks to get people to buy their products, including rubbing grease into their hair to make it look thicker.

The “Modern” Era of Hair Loss Solutions

During the past several decades, superstition, old wives tales, and guess work has gradually been replaced by science.

In 1939, a Japanese dermatologist, Dr. Okuda, published a revolutionary method in a Japanese medical journal that would lay the ground work for modern hair transplantation.

This method involved using hair transplant grafts to correct lost hair from various areas, including the scalp, eyebrow, and moustache areas. However, this study didn’t make an impact in the Western Hemisphere due to the interruption of World War II.

Hair transplants are born.

In the late 50’s one physician in particular, Dr. Norman Orentriech, began to experiment with the idea of relocating or transplanting the hair on the back and sides of the head to the balding areas.

Dr. Orentriech’s experiments showed that when bald resistant hairs from the back and sides of the head were relocated, they maintained their bald resistant genetic characteristic regardless of where they were transplanted.

This principle, known as “Donor Dominance”, established that hair could be transplanted from the bald resistant donor areas to the balding areas and continues to grow for a life time. This laid the foundation for modern hair transplantation.

During the 60’s and 70’s surgical hair restoration grew in popularity. However, the standard procedure used large grafts that were removed by round punches and often contained many hairs.

Completed Result after Multiple Sessions of Large Grafts

This now outdated technique could achieve a full look if a patient completed all planned sessions. However, a patient was typically limited in the manner they could style their hair.

Patients who stopped short of completing all planned sessions were left with hair loss solutions that looked obvious and unnatural.

Such uncompleted hair restoration results are some times referred to as “barbie doll hair” or “corn rows”.

Many who have had these older techniques now refine or complete their hair transplants with today’s very refined techniques to achieve a natural look that they can style in any manner.

Crinagen is an all natural alcohol-free topical scalp spray clinically backed to reduce the amount of DHT (dehydrotestosterone) in the scalp. It contains no alcohol, and has displayed no side effects. Crinagen is also equally safe for men and women and is most effective in men and women with thinning hair. In addition to blocking scalp DHT, they both are reported nourish the scalp’s hair follicles. Crinagen usually displays its effects on average in five months.

How It Works:

The product's main ingredients are Saw Palmetto, Zinc, and Azelaic Acid. All 3 ingredients are reported to reduce the production of scalp DHT and nourish the scalp's hair follicles.

Developing Realistic Expectations:

Crinagen has not been clinically proven nor approved by the FDA. Thus, like Revivogen and Tricomin, Crinagen should be used only after seriously considering proven treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil).

Don't expect immediate results. It's recommended to use Crinagen for at least 6 to 12 months before determining its effectiveness. Documenting your progress with bi-monthly photos can help you determine whether or not Crinagen is working for you.

Hair shedding is a common symptom the first few months and a sign that the medication may be working for you. It's crucial to push past this stage with continued use for the recommended period of time.

To date, only surgical hair restoration is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas. You are invited to have a free virtual consultation with one of our prescreened hair restoration physicians.

What is Traction Alopecia?

Traction alopecia is a form of hair loss resulting from the repeated yet unintentional pulling, twisting or rubbing of the hair. Traction alopecia can affect both men and women, though it's more commonly seen in women. Though it can be temporary, balding from traction alopecia may become permanent if these traumatic forces are applied to the hair and scalp repeatedly and for prolonged periods, resulting in scarring.

What Causes Traction Alopecia?

Practices that may result in traction alopecia include; wearing tight braids, ponytails or cornrows and extended use of hair extensions.  Due to the popularity of these hairstyles, traction alopecia has become one of the leading causes of hair loss among African America women.

Balding from traction alopecia can also occur from repeatedly wearing tight-fitting hats, helmets or other headgear.This is likely where the popular hair loss myth about hats causing hair loss derived, but it is important to note that, under normal circumstances, wearing a properly fitted hat will not negatively impact hair growth.

Treating Traction Alopecia

The first step in treating traction alopeciais to change the habits leading to the condition. This may mean adopting a new hairstyle or altering your wardrobe. Finally, applying a vaso dilator like Rogaine(minoxidil) to the affected area can increase blood flow to the damaged follicles and effectively speed up new hair growth. Assuming the hair follicles have not been permanently damaged, new hair growth will likely occur though it may take several months.

In cases of severe and permanent tractional opecia, the only effective method of restoring hair to the bald areas is surgical hair restoration. State of the art, ultra-refined follicular unit hair transplantation allows quality surgeons to harvest DHT resistant hair from the donor region at the rear and sides of the head. These hairs are then implanted into the balding areas of the scalp, resulting in a natural and undetectable appearance. To see which physicians we recommend and for a free virtual consult, visit the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

To learn more about how surgical hair restoration can be used to treat traction alopecia hair loss, view the following results from our hair loss forum and social community:

• Dr.Robert Dorin - 1909 Grafts on a Traction Alopecia Patient
• Dr.Victor Hasson / 3560 Grafts / One Session / Traction Alopecia / One Year