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.

A Viable Alternative to Propecia in Treating Hair Loss?

Folexen S-equol , produced by Australian manufacturer Eclipse Nutraceuticals is considered an "all natural" hair loss treatment that boasts an impressive 87% success rate for preventing and reversing the effects of male pattern baldness with virtually no side effects.  Folexen S-equol has also been a hot topic of discussion on our popular hair loss forum. But, does this self-described "nutraceutical" live up to its hair growth hype?  Is Folexen a viable alternative to Propecia for treating the effects of male pattern baldness?

What is Folexen S-equol?

According to the FAQ on Folexen's website, the active ingredient S-equol is "a metabolite of a natural isoflavone called daidzein, which occurs in soybeans and some other food products".

Isoflavones are an organic compound produced almost exclusively by various bean types. In populations that consume large quantities of soy protein, studies have shown a lower incidence of breast cancer and other common cancers because of its role in influencing sex hormone metabolism and biological activity.

As a metabolite, S-equol is the product that remains after the isoflavone is broken down or "metabolized" by the body.

In addition to its active ingredient, Folexen contains the following GRAS (generally recognized as safe) inactive ingredients: starch, maltodextrin, allantoin, propionic acid. It may also contain hypromellose (vegetarian capsule).

But is there any evidence that S-equol  works to treat hair loss?

How Folexen S-equol Allegedly Works to Treat Baldness

In the body, testosterone is converted to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) via the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase (5AR). It's widely known that androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss) results when genetically vulnerable hair follicles are exposed to DHT which then binds to the receptor sites of these follicles causing them to weaken and shrink over time. This shrinking process is known as miniaturization.

The recognized leader in the battle against the balding effects of DHT is the clinically proven and FDA approved drug Propecia (finasteride). Propecia works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to DHT, potentially slowing or even reversing the effects of androgenic alopecia. However, approximately 2% of males who take Propecia experience debilitating sexual side effects.

Unlike finasteride, Folexen's rumored ability to suppress hair loss and potentially regrow hair is based on the theory that S-equol can bind strongly to free DHT molecules, prohibiting them from binding to the hair follicles' receptor sites. Because Folexen does not suppress the conversion of testosterone to DHT, there is no resulting increase of testosterone in the body and therefore, no sexual side effects. But are there any clinical studies supporting that S-equol can truly prevent DHT from binding to hair follicle receptor sites and prevent hair loss?

Clinical Studies

Folexen's website references four articles in peer reviewed journals. Two of these studies center on S-equol's effect on prostate health while the other two don't appear to reference S-equol at all.

At this time, there appears to be no scientific data presented supporting Folexen's efficacy as a hair loss treatment.

Side Effects

The company claims that the product is virtually side effect free: specifically noting that it does not cause gynecomastia (enlarged breasts), erectile dysfunction or any of the other side effects that are experienced with some other treatments.

Some users however, did report mild diarrhea that dissipated within one week of commencing treatment.

What is the Recommended Dosage?

The recommended dosage of Folexen is 4 capsules per day (two every 12 hours), totaling 10mg of the active ingredient. Eclipse claims that the product has been tested safe at much higher concentrations (up to hundreds of milligrams) and there is some speculation based on available data that it may, in fact, require a dose as high as 100mg to match the Propecia's hair growth results.

Where to Buy Folexen S-equol

Folexen is only available by mail order from Australia. A bottle of 100 2.5mg capsules (25 day supply) costs approximately $40 USD + shipping but there is a discount for purchases exceeding 4 bottles and again for 9+ bottles. However, it's easy to see that even in bulk this treatment is several times more expensive than purchasing generic 5mg finasteride and quartering the tablet, as many finasteride users do.

As a natural product and not a drug, there are no shipping restrictions. Estimated delivery time is two weeks.

Conclusion

Time will tell if Folexen S-equol proves to be an effective weapon in the fight against androgenic alopecia or simply another product in a long line of expensive disappointments.

If you are going bald you should seriously consider hair loss medication treatments to halt or even reverse your hair loss. While there is no “Hair Loss Cure”, hair loss drugs like finasteride (Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart) can often stop or even reverse alopecia areata in most people.

However, just like any other drug, Propecia is accompanied by a list of potential side effects, some of which have been more recently reported as potentially long term.  You can read more about this in the "What About Side Effects" section further down this page.

Studies have shown that 80% of men using Propecia stopped or even reversed their hair loss to some degree. Preliminary clinical trials for Avodart appear even more effective than Propecia.

However, neither Propecia nor Avodart has been proven to restore hair in the frontal areas. For reasons yet unknown these drugs, along with Rogaine, only generally work in regrowing thinning hair in crown area of the scalp. Only hair transplant surgery has been successful in restoring hair in the frontal hairline area once it has been lost.

Propecia and Avodart are also less effective in growing hair in older men. These hair loss drugs work best for men who have been balding for less than five years.

Women must NOT USE Propecia

Both Propecia and Avodart are not recommended for use by women or children.

It’s been found that these drugs can cause birth defects. More specifically, these birth defects may occur when large amounts of the drug are absorbed into the body during the period of foetal development.

Physicians advise pregnant women to not handle Propecia tablets, as this may harm male foetuses. But as of yet, there has not been a single reported case of birth defects caused by handling these tablets.

Furthermore, there’s also no evidence that pregnant women exposed to the semen of Propecia or Avodart patients will risk any birth defects.

Propecia and Avodart are also not advisable for men with liver disease or prostate cancer.

Get a Prescription for Propecia or Avodart.

Often our member physicians will prescribe Propecia or Avodart to halt a patient’s hair loss and then restore the hair already lost with hair transplant surgery. These treatments in combination can work synergistically. The drugs work to halt the hair loss, while hair restoration surgery restores what was lost.

To get a prescription for Propecia or Avodart schedule a free no obligation consultation with any of our quality hair restoration physicians. Find a physician in your area.

Propecia and Avodart should be taken once a day. It has been found that after two years of treatment, Propecia effectively grows hair in about 66% of patients. Also, about 83% of the subjects receiving this treatment continue to maintain their existing hair after two years.

Propecia (Finasteride) was originally a drug called Proscar, which was used to treat and reduce men's prostate conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Its parent company, Merck & Co., soon realized that the drug had a unique side effect - it grew hair on bald men's heads.

In December 22, 1997 the FDA approved Propecia as a hair loss pill. Merck & Co. then marketed the drug as a hair loss treatment under the trade name of Propecia.

More recently Dutasteride, sold as Avodart, has generated interest as a promising new hair loss medication. Like finasteride (Propecia) it inhibits the creation of DHT and was originally developed as a treatment for men’s prostate condition.

However, unlike Propecia, Avodart inhibits the creation of both type one and type two 5 alpha reductase enzymes. Dutasteride has been shown to decrease levels of DHT by 90% after only two weeks, making it a more powerful and faster acting weapon against hair loss than Propecia (Finasteride).

Dutasteride is not yet FDA approved for the treatment of hair loss. However, some hair restoration physicians also prescribe it for the treatment of hair loss. Like Propecia, Avodart is not safe for women and children.

Sticking with the program to see results

Losing your hair took time. So too will regrowing your hair using Propecia or Avodart. These drugs require patients to take the drug daily for at least three months before any obvious changes will be noticeable. Most physicians advise taking these drugs for a year before evaluating their effectiveness.

At this time, Propecia and Avodart are only available by prescription. Our member physicians are available to discuss these hair loss drugs with you and prescribe them if appropriate. To find a quality hair restoration physician in your area.

Other DHT Blockers

Aside from Propecia and Dutasteride, there are other treatment options (all topical) that may or may not work to block the effects of DHT on vulnerable hair follicles. These include Revivogen, Crinagen, Progesterone Creams, and Xandrox (a type of minoxidil). Other DHT Blockers

To learn more about these treatments, as well as all other topical options, visit our Topical Hair Loss Products and Treatments section.

How hair loss drugs inhibit DHT and Alopecia Areata

Baldness is largely the result of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) interacting with those hair follicles that are genetically vulnerable to their effects.

DHT is essentially the active ingredient or catalyst for the hair loss process. DHT binds with the receptor sites of genetically vulnerable follicles and gradually degrades the follicles ability to produce healthy hair. This eventually results in baldness in the affected areas.

Hair loss drugs like Propecia or Avodart work by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). By reducing the amount of DHT present in the scalp the hair loss process is slowed and in some cases even reversed.

What about side effects?

Up until a couple of years ago, side effects when taking Propecia or Avodart were only considered temporary. However, over the last several years, many me have reported ongoing side effects from Propecia even after stopping treatment.  This more permanent condition has become known as "Post Finasteride Syndrome" or (PFS). Side effects included but aren't limited to reduced semen production, a reduced libido and softer erections.

As a result, in April of 2012, the FDA mandated labeling changes to finasteride related products.  Labeling changes to Propecia include "libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, and orgasm disorders that continued after discontinuation of the drug".  Labeling changes to Proscar include "decreased libido that continued after discontinuation of the drug".  Labeling changes to both Propecia and Proscar include "reports of male infertility and/or poor semen quality that normalized or improved after drug discontinuation".

While most men don't experience any side effects at all, it should be known that a small percentage of men may experience persistent side effects even after stopping treatment.  Most men who experience side effects however, only experience them temporarily and stopping treatment makes them go away.

For a list of potential side effects and more information on Post Finasteride Syndrome", visit http://www.pfsfoundation.org/.

The most important decision in restoring your hair is the physician you choose. The skill, talent, and experience of hair restoration physicians vary widely, as do the end results. Who you choose will determine how natural and full your new hair will be for the rest of your life.

Since performing follicular unit hair transplantation is very demanding upon a clinic’s physician and staff only a minority of hair restoration clinics perform it successfully. Unfortunately, many clinics are still unwilling or unable to dedicate the time and resources required to master and perform this procedure successfully.

Therefore, those seeking only the most natural results need to be very selective. Keep in mind that in the United States any licensed physician can perform hair restoration surgery without any special certification or training. If you do not find an excellent hair restoration surgeon in your local area seriously consider traveling out of state to get your hair restored properly. After all, the results will last a lifetime.

Evaluating a potential hair restoration physician and clinic

• How many years has the physician been dedicated to doing hair restoration?

• How many hair restoration procedures does the surgeon perform in one day? Ideally the physician will be dedicated to working on you all day if you are doing a large mega session procedure.

• Does the physician perform hair restoration surgery full time or predominantly? If not, the clinic may not have a staff that is experienced enough to successfully perform large sessions of all microscopically prepared Follicular Unit (FU) grafts.

• What is the hair restoration surgeon's reputation among his or her peers?

• Does the physician take a holistic approach to hair loss treatment and also offer advice or Rogaine?

• What procedure does the clinic perform? Is it truly state of the art?

• Does the physician use microscopes for the dissection of the donor tissue into 1, 2, 3, and 4 hair Follicular Unit (FU) grafts?

• Large sessions of all microscopically prepared grafts are a team effort. But how "hands on" will your hair restoration surgeon be? Will he or she be making all the incisions in the graft recipient area, thus determining the design and hair direction of your transplanted hair? How involved will your surgeon be in the placing of the actual grafts?

• Trust but Verify – Review Patient Results

• Can the surgeon provide a list of names and phone numbers of patients willing to discuss their personal experiences? Patient testimonials will say a lot.

• Can the surgeon provide at least one dozen sets of clinical "before" and "after" case photos for your review? Be sure the photos offer good clarity and detail and include "before" views as well as "after" views that allow for critical evaluation.

• Verify claims by visiting online discussion forums and searching for previous posts regarding a hair transplant physician you are considering.

Consider our Quality Physicians

Our member physicians are carefully reviewed and granted membership in the Coalition based on their high level of ethics, skill, and the quality of their patient results.

Learn more about our network of quality prescreened physicians.

To date, the only two FDA approved hair loss treatments include Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil). However, a number of alternative oral and topical products are marketed daily as effective hair regrowth solutions.  Though there is no question that marketing often over-reaches in order to sell a product, the real question balding men and women ask is, is there any proof that these products are effective in treating baldness?  What is the chance of regrowing hair?

Topical Hair Loss Products, Treatments and Cover Ups (Concealers)

For centuries men and women have been rubbing hair loss products including solutions, ointments, treatments and concoctions on their thinning hair in the hope of stimulating hair regrowth. In ancient Egypt it was popular to rub the fats of various animals, including lions, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, ibex, serpents and geese, onto the scalp as a hair loss cure.

Hippocrates had a personal interest in finding a treatment for baldness as he suffered from hair loss. He developed a number of different treatments, including a mixture of horseradish, cumin, pigeon droppings, and nettles to the scalp. These concoctions failed miserably and he became prominently bald. These and other treatments failures have continued to disappoint balding men and women.

Today’s Topicals - Snake Oils or Legitimate Hair Loss Products?

Today topical hair loss products such as special shampoos, conditioners, Rogaine, various scalp treatments, and cover up products can offer a potentially helpful adjunct to more effective and proven treatments such as Propecia (finasteride), Avodart (dutasteride), and or surgical hair restoration. However, many of the claims made by these topical treatments are unproven and even false.

What About Oral Hair Loss Treatments – Do They Work?

In addition to a multitude of topical hair loss treatments available, there’s an abundance of oral supplements that are conjectured to treat baldness.  Most oral solutions include ingredients that attempt to stop hair loss by inhibiting the production of DHT, the hormone responsible for androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness).  However, much like topical treatments, very little proof exists for the majority of these claims.

Many products such as Provillus, Procerin, and Extreme Hair Therapy include both an oral and topical solution that attempt to stop hair loss at its source while working to stimulate hair follicles.  But how effective are these topical, oral and all-in-one solutions?

To learn more about various Topical Hair Loss Products, click below

DHT Blockers– These topical such as Revivogen, Crinagen, Progesterone Creams, and Xandrox claim to minimize the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) present in the balding scalp. They are applied directly to the scalp.

Growth Stimulators- These topical solutions claim to work by stimulating hair growth. They include Rogaine, Tricomin, Folligen, Proxiphen (along with Prox-N and Nano Shampoo) and Retin-A.

Azelaic Acid– An active ingredient found in popular topical hair loss treatments such as Xandrox and Provillus conjectured to inhibit the production of DHT.

Superoxide Dismutase– These topicals such as Tricomin, Proxiphen, Proxiphen-N and Folligen, claim to stop hair loss by reducing Super Oxide and also stimulating hair growth and reducing tissue inflammation.

Anti-Inflammatories- These anti-inflammatory treatments claim to reduce itching, flaking, redness, and inflammation that may increase hair loss. These topical treatment options include Tricomin, Folligen, Proxiphen and Proxiphen-N, Betadine and T-Gel and Nizoral Shampoo.

Cover Ups / Concealers- Topically applied scalp/hair cover ups like Toppik, Prothik, and Couvré can do a surprisingly good job of masking and minimizing a person’s appearance of being bald. These topical concealers and “cover ups” act by reducing the contrast between a hair loss sufferer’s thinning hair and balding scalp, while increasing the volume and fullness of the thinning hair.

Rogaine (Minoxidil)) – Applied twice daily to the balding areas, this treatment has only been shown to work in the crown (back of the head). It is the only topical treatment for hair loss that is FDA approved.

Propecia (Finasteride)– An FDA approved oral hair loss solution proven to inhibit the production of DHT, the hormone responsible for genetic male pattern baldness (MPB).

Provillus– A popular oral and topical solution containing FDA approved hair regrowth solution minoxidil and a number of all-natural ingredients that supposedly inhibit the production of DHT

Saw Palmetto– A popular herbal treatment contained in many marketed hair loss products including but not limited to Provillus, Procerin, and Extreme Hair Therapy (EXT)

Extreme Hair Therapy (EXT) – A nonsurgical 5 step hair loss treatment process provided by Hair Club

Xandrox– Topical hair loss solution containing azelaic acid and FDA approved hair regrowth solution minoxidil

Revivogen– Topical hair loss solution containing a number of all natural ingredients said to inhibit the production of DHT

Crinagen – A topical spray containing ingredients said to inhibit the production of DHT

Progesterone– A synthetic form of the female hormone progesterone that has been used to treat female hair loss

TRX2- TRX2 is marketed to hair loss suffering men and women and claims to help promote and sustain healthy hair growth through potassium channels.

To learn more about these and other treatments, see what real patients are saying about them on our hair loss forum.