March 2008
Monthly Archive
Monthly Archive
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Hi, I’m sure all readers of this blog will the aware of the infamous combover! Well I just had to tell you about this post I found at the CandleBlog Blog site. For, in 1977 an enterprising fella actually patented the method of doing a combover.
The diagram from the actual patent application must really be seen to be believed and as one reader commented it is worthy of being framed :).
Just in case you are wondering the patent (U.S. Patent No. 4,022,227) was held by Frank & Donald Smith of Orlando, Florida and has now expired.
0 comments Saturday 29 Mar 2008 | admin | Baldness
Baldness is not just a concern for the men. Surprisingly, a lot of women are also worried about it, as there have already been several cases in which a woman loses her hair completely. However, complete baldness is not very common for women as compared to men but it still remains as a valid concern to watch out for.
About 60% of women complain of experiencing hair loss at some point in their lives. This may range from simple thinning of hair to total hair loss. The most common types of hair loss are called androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. When not diagnosed and treated timely, hair loss may worsen and reversing the baldness, whether complete or incomplete, would be more difficult.
Although it is not yet strongly supported by studies, estrogen is said to play a role in the growth of hair. Thus, for both topical and oral treatments, estrogens are being prescribed by doctors to women. However, there are certain warnings regarding it. Those which have too much of androgenetic activity must be avoided as the effect may be more adverse than helpful.
Alopecia areata is a disease of the immune system. What happens is that the body attacks its own hair follicles leading to bald patches on the head. In time and with relevant treatment, hair grows back. Anyone can get alopecia areata, with men and women having the same probability of having it.
Androgenetic alopecia, on the other hand, is a type of hair thinning which is hereditary. Just like alopecia areata, it can be cured using various over-the-counter baldness treatments like those with Minoxidil.
Since women are not excused from potential baldness, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as there are observed symptoms.
0 comments Saturday 29 Mar 2008 | admin | Uncategorized
About 50% of men in the US actually experience baldness as soon as they reach the age of 50. This is mainly the reason why companies manufacturing drug treatment for baldness actually earn about $1 billion per year. These types of treatment started to gain popularity in the 80s and remain to be the most-favored option among others.
The development of these drugs, whether taken orally or applied directly on the affected area, sprang from the discovery of the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on baldness in men and women. These drugs aim to inhibit too much production of DHT on the hair follicle or at least stop it from having an influence on various scalp receptors.
Further studies are being done to develop more and more treatments for baldness and this is often provided with generally good funding from government or other sectors of society. It is a common area of interest because of the number of people it can potentially affect.
There are also several products in the market that aim to prevent falling out of hair in the first place. These products are based on the idea that it is always easier to prevent rather than cure an already existing condition. Oftentimes, it takes a while to let hair grow back. In severe cases as well, just like in the case of scarring alopecia, baldness cannot be reversed anymore. Thus, it is always best not to wait for the condition to be there before doing something.
The most commonly heard treatment for baldness is Minoxidil. Originally, it is an oral drug to cure high blood pressure. However, those who have taken it noticed that hair also grows back which were further supported by studies. Thus, from then on, Minoxidil has been added in various formulations to promote hair growth. Around 25% of people who use it can attest that hair really grows back. In general, it is in the form of a topical cream which is applied directly on the scalp. Some shampoos also have Minoxidil and this will be ideal for baldness prevention.
0 comments Sunday 23 Mar 2008 | admin | Uncategorized
Breakthrough discovery that will allow you to regrow new hair and not just save existing hair.
Watch this new video of a report of the discovery of a new cure for baldness by a team at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Centre. They have successfully regenerated new hair follicles using a new technique using a special compound they have developed.
More updates on this cure for baldness to come…
0 comments Saturday 22 Mar 2008 | admin | General
With millions all over the world suffering from or experiencing baldness, you’d think that a cure would have been discovered by now. Unfortunately, it took many years of research in order for some promising solutions to appear. Let’s take a look at some of the new cures for baldness that may just be an important breakthrough in the war against hair loss.
Stem cells
Stem cells are still controversial but they seem to offer a new cure for baldness. Stem cells were transplanted to bald spots in mice and later grown to become hair follicles. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania believe it could be the beginning of a very promising future for the problem of hair loss. Further research is being proposed to help identify certain genes that trigger new hair growth in humans.
Allowing the body to regenerate on its own
This method is not for the queasy but the recent discovery from a study at the School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania is showing proof that hair is capable of regenerating itself.
The study involved mice that had deep wounds on the skin, all of which were introduced by the researchers. Wounds of a certain size allowed new hairs to form. According to the scientists, this imitated some of the changes that appeared in the embryonic development of hair follicles.
The results of the study showed that wounds reactivate the genes that are responsible for development of the hair. The method is rather crude and still in its early stages but it seems to present a new cure for baldness that, interestingly enough, had been proposed but rejected about 50 years ago.
0 comments Tuesday 18 Mar 2008 | admin | , ,
When males go bald, male pattern baldness is usually the underlying case that explains the balding. However, the case of female pattern baldness, though as common, is not so well-known. Female pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, is a condition in which the hair starts thinning out of one’s scalp. This progressive disorder is also thought to be genetic. There is no cure for androgenic alopecia, although research is underway in order to find better medications and treatments.
One such common treatment is the use of a chemical called minoxidil. Commonly marketed under the brand name Rogaine, minoxidil can be rubbed onto the scalp directly, and will be available as an over the counter drug. Moreover, minoxidil will work best for patches of hair loss that are located at the back of the scalp, or at the top, and usually where there are still some strands of hair remaining. Another medication, finasteride, which is commonly marketed as Propecia, is more suitable for men. Also available as treatments are steroid injections as well as hair transplantations, which may be more expensive but are more reliable.
These are only a few facts about female pattern baldness. If you believe that you have female pattern baldness, or if female pattern baldness runs in your family, then you may want to talk to your doctor about treatment and therapy options. There is still more research ongoing into the condition, so as research progresses, you may be able to find more therapies to choose from that are suited to your case of female pattern baldness.
0 comments Saturday 15 Mar 2008 | admin | , ,
If it’s scary for some men to go bald, the fear in women is probably ten times worse.
Female baldness is a physical state that most – if not all – women live in dread of, but nevertheless it does happen. In fact, it’s a part of life as 1 out of 4 women will experience hair loss, and possibly baldness, at one point in their lives.
Female baldness, also known as female-patterned baldness or androgenic alopecia, generally occurs when a woman reaches menopausal stage. This usually takes place when she’s in her forties or fifties. A few unlucky ones, however, experience female baldness as early as their twenties.
The most probable cause for female baldness is the excessive amount of DHT. It is a byproduct of testosterone – a type of androgen that both men and women possess. The presence of DHT in the body can prevent hair follicles from functioning normally and thus leads to female baldness.
In some cases, an underlying medical condition is to blame for female baldness. Undergoing chemotherapy for treating cancer, for instance, has female baldness as one of its side effects. But when cancer cells have been successfully destroyed and chemotherapy can be safely brought to a halt, hair follicles will have the ability to grow once more.
Even if a woman has been diagnosed of having androgenic alopecia, there could still be a medical condition hiding behind it. The best way to detect underlying causes is to schedule for a scalp biopsy, blood tests, and any other diagnostic procedure suggested by your physician.
0 comments Thursday 13 Mar 2008 | admin | , , ,
Since early times, people have been so conscious of their hair. We can grow weary of simple hair loss what more of baldness? It has been rumored that Queen Victoria once drank a silver birch wine just to stop her baldness. Although there are a few people who can live without hair, there are still a quite number who would prefer not to be bald. If you are one of those who want thicker hair, here are some suggestions on how to cure your baldness:
Diet and lifestyle is one determinable causes of baldness. An increase in caloric or fat intake and a decrease in exercise have been seen to affect the male baldness in Japan during the world war era. A good diet accompanied by regular exercise can really be an effective treatment for baldness.
You can also take medicines that can stop your hair from thinning. Medical doctors are careful to note however that all medicines have limitations. Seeking the best medicine that will work for you can also entail diagnosis from a physician. Some of these medicines are Minoxidil which is a topical liquid solution carrying a brand name Regaine. Another drug is the Finasteride which is an oral tablet; this is also known as Propecia. Dutasteride is another drug known to cure baldness; this is released by GlaxoSmithKline just last 2001 to sustain hair growth. These medicines are not usually sold without a prescription from your physician.
If all these medicines fail, you can also try to undergo hair replacement graft. By hair graft, a surgery is performed and the hair from the back of the person’s scalp is taken and transplanted on the bald patch of the head. This is just a minor operation and the hair will look like as natural as it first appears.
Baldness is not a permanent problem so you do not have to worry anymore. There are readily available over-the-counter medicines and operation that can solve your hair problems. Just a word of caution, consult your physician first before having remedies for your baldness; after all, they are the most experienced and skilled individuals to help you.
0 comments Monday 10 Mar 2008 | admin | , , ,
Baldness can be a difficult trait to live with, especially if it happens gradually and as one grows older. However, there are many different therapies available for baldness depending on the cause of the baldness. For instance, if the baldness is caused by a poor diet, then the cure would be to supplement the diet with whatever was missing that caused the hair loss. This may mean adding proteins or drinking iron supplements.
Baldness may be caused by fungal infections, so taking prescribed drugs or applying antifungal medication can help alleviate the baldness. A special kind of baldness called alopecia areata requires injections of triamcinolone, or other appropriate steroids, early on. For more extreme cases, hair transplantation is often carried out, where healthy hair from one part of the scalp is harvested and then placed into the parts of the scalp that are suffering hair loss.
Pattern baldness is a genetic trait, and as of the moment, there is no tried-and-tested cure that will immediately return the hair to one’s head. However, if you are experiencing pattern baldness, then your doctor may recommend certain medications that you can apply to your scalp, or that you can avail of if you go to a baldness therapy clinic. One such therapeutic is Propecia, or finasteride, which is prescribed only for male pattern baldness. On the other hand, Rogaine, or minoxidil, works for both male and female pattern baldness.
These are only a few possible therapeutics and cures for the different kinds of baldness. As research advances in the field, and as more and more scientists understand the mechanisms underlying baldness, then better cures may emerge one day.
0 comments Thursday 06 Mar 2008 | admin | , , ,
You have to accept it—you can’t possibly hinder the occurrence of baldness. You age as time goes by, your hormonal changes can create an impact, your genes pose a severe influence, and a lot other factors contribute to the chances of going bald. Needless to say, as you may not stop this one fact of human life, there is the wide availability of baldness remedies around that are all ready and up for grabs.
Here is a list of the most possible baldness remedies that you may get to turn to as you confront this taunting situation.
Massage. It is said that the regular massaging of your scalp for a few minutes per day provides the catalyst for blood flow towards the hair follicles and thereby generate minor hair growth. Electric scalp massagers are sold in the market these days.
Aromatherapy. A combination of the bay and lavender essential oils with four ounces of soybean, almond, or the sesame oil for the base can stimulate a rejuvenating effect onto the scalp. You must do this for about twenty minutes.
Saw Palmetto Extract. Studies show that Saw Palmetto is effective in reducing the DHT levels which can terribly cause the so-called androgenetic alopecia.
Nettle Root extract. Nettles are actually effective for baldness. They generate lipids and other essential minerals which are good for the hair.
Aloe Vera. This heals the scalp and then balances its pH level as it cleans the pores.
Henna. It repairs the hair cuticle so that it can regenerate its shine and protect it from breakage.
Polysorbate-80. It is recognized as a baldness remedy since it relieves you of the DHT deposits and the cholesterol from your scalp.
These are just among the well-known baldness remedies that you can take note of. Remember that you don’t have to suffer for long. The remedy is just within your reach!
0 comments Monday 03 Mar 2008 | admin | , , , ,