Displaying items by tag: News

Reverse Baldness By Blocking Enzymes

With all of the scientific advances that the medical community has been making lately, it is somewhat surprising that there hasn't been much of a focus on one of the most common issues for men and women—hair loss. For many people, hair loss can be devastating. It can affect everything from work prospects to romantic self-confidence. Finally, however, it seems like science is catching on and doing some research about how to prevent this problem.

Some exciting new discoveries have been made when it comes to hair loss, and although the experiments have only been done with mice, the results are extremely promising. Researchers from the University of Columbia set out to discover what happens when the JAK enzyme is blocked with a drug. When applied to the mice's skin, they were surprised to see that the drug caused rapid hair growth, even reawakening old follicles that were thought to be out of service.

So, what's the implication for human beings? Well, researchers are still working on that. They've tested human hair follicles and so far it appears as though the mechanism does function in the same manner for human hair. In a laboratory setting, the human hair follicles reached the same way. Whether or not this will work outside of a lab setting remains to be seen, but the results are extremely promising. Although a practical drug—that blocks the JAK enzyme to treat hair loss—may be off in the distance, it seems as though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration might take into account some other JAK-blocking drugs it has already approved. For instance, Tofacitinib (an arthritis drug) and Ruxolitinib (a blood disease drug) both block JAK and are already on the market.

Still, more tests need to take place in order to determine whether or not such a drug would work for people in the real world. But for the millions of people across the world who suffer from hair loss, these findings provide something that many of them haven't had for years—the hope that they can abandon more artificial fixes and that their natural hair will grow back.

There are a number of treatments available for men and women with thinning hair, ranging from Rogaine to hair replacement. One of the most exciting new treatments is Laser Phototherapy. A new study is testing an over-the-counter laser helmet on men with thinning hair. 

What Is Laser Phototherapy?
Laser hair therapy treats hair loss by stimulating the hair follicles. When laser light is applied to the scalp, it treats the base of the hair follicle and activates the part of the hair cell that produces energy. This process creates new hair growth, minimizes shedding and increases the thickness of existing hair. 

For many years, this technology was only found in hair loss clinics and dermatology offices. That is no longer the case. Theradome has released an over-the-control helmet called the Theradome LH80 PRO. This device can be used at home, and provides laser hair therapy in an efficient and comfortable fashion. 

What Is the New Study Testing?
Previously, the Theradome LH80 PRO had only been approved for use on women. The new study is testing the device on a group of men between the ages of 18 and 50 who have male pattern baldness. These men will undergo a 26 week trial examining the effects of the Theradome LH80 PRO on their androgenetic alopecia. 

The study is being overseen by Dr. Ken Washenik MD, Ph.D., a noted researcher in the field of hair loss. The study will be sham controlled, meaning that the Theradome LH80 PRO will be tested against a fake device in order to gauge its effectiveness.

How Is the Theradome LH80 PRO Used?
It is recommended that people with a Theradome LH80 PRO use it twice a week for 20 minutes at a time. The efficiency of the product is a big selling point for users, and the product is operated with the click of a button. When the Theradome LH80 PRO is used consistently, many users see a decrease in hair loss in the first 18 weeks. Once hair loss is minimized, the laser begins to reverse the miniaturization process, which leads to thicker hair. This generally happens within 18 and 26 weeks of consistent use. After the 26 week mark, new hair growth begins to appear. Even after users have restored their hair to its former luster, the Theradome LH80 PRO needs to be used consistently to ensure that the hair and scalp stay healthy.