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The Times of London: Old Transplant Drug May Have A Fringe Benefit

An article in the New York Times discusses research surrounding a potential new hair loss treatment. The NY Times’ article “Old Transplant Drug May Have A Fringe Benefit” states that an immunosuppressant used to prevent organ rejection in those having liver, kidney or heart transplants also stimulated hair growth.

First prescribed in the 1980’s it is now used for the treatment of many diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Nathan Hawkshaw, at the University of Manchester found that cyclosporine A stops the production of a protein that inhibits the growth of some tissues, one of them being hair follicles.

Old Transplant Drug May Have A Fringe Benefit

What was important to the first patients who took cyclosporine A was that it made their bone-marrow transplants work; few reported the increased luster of their hair. Now scientists think the drug may hold the key to an effective treatment for baldness.

Patients began using cyclosporine A in the Eighties and it is now prescribed for dozens of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Like all immunosuppressants it has serious side-effects, so hirsutism (increased body hair) was never considered a big downside. And neither was it seriously considered an upside.

Increasing your vulnerability to infection to reverse hair loss is not a risk many would take. But a team at the University of Manchester think they have found a way to mimic the hair promoting effects without the serious consequences.

Nathan Hawkshaw, then a PhD student, found that the drug decreased production of the protein SFRPI, which acts as a brake on the growth of some tissues, among them hair follicles. He and his colleagues then learned that another compound already existed that was designed to target SFRPI – and not do much else.

In a paper in Plos Biology they wrote that the compound enhanced follicle growth better than cyclosporine A, and Dr. Hawkshaw believes that this could work as a topical hair treatment. However, since the test follicles were healthy, it is not known whether actual balding could be reversed.

If the compound turns out to be safe and effective, it will still take several years to make it onto the market.

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Dr. Bernstein Featured in Huffington Post on Hair Loss Genetics

Dr. Bernstein contributed to an article on hair loss genetics published in Huffington Post. In the article, “Sorry, You Can’t Just Blame Your Mother’s Father for Your Thinning Hair” Dr. Bernstein addresses the common myth that hair loss is inherited exclusively from the mother’s side of the family – and, more specifically, from your mother’s father. While your mother’s (or maternal grandfather’s) genes can be the culprit, the characteristics of your hair are influenced by many different genes that may come from either or both sides of your family.

The confusion stems from the fact that men inherit their X chromosome from their mother and a key gene involved in hair loss is found on the X chromosome.

Dr. Bernstein explains:

The androgen receptor gene is an X-linked gene, so there’s a slightly greater incidence of it following the mother’s side of the family than the father’s side, but genetic hair loss is polygenetic and the expressivity is very variable, so both sides can contribute to someone’s hair loss.

Dr. Christopher Cunniff, a clinical geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, added a comment that the genes most clearly identified as having influence on hair texture or color have not been found to be located on the X chromosome.

The article discusses hair loss genetics and a range of factors affecting the characteristics of one’s hair.

Image c/o: Ruigsantos via Getty Images

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What is your Opinion of Nutrafol?

Q: What’s your honest take on Nutrafol? It is a product my dermatologist has recommended for my hair loss. — N.S. ~ New York, N.Y.

A: The traditional thinking is that that male pattern alopecia (androgenetic alopecia) is due to follicular sensitivity to DHT causing miniaturization and eventual loss of hair. The premise of Nutrafol is that hair loss is multi-factorial with an important inflammatory component and that it is important to address the inflammation as well as the DHT sensitivity.

This is a relatively new and important concept (I would like to stress this point!). However, the big leap is their conclusion: Since hair loss is multi-factorial, then broad, rather than targeted treatments would be most beneficial, and since naturally occurring “phytochemicals” are broader in action than targeted, FDA approved drugs (like finasteride and minoxidil), they should offer benefit in the treatment of hair loss and Nutrafol is the elixir that can accomplish this.

Although this makes sense in concept, there is no scientific evidence that Nutrafol can actually reverse or/mitigate androgenetic alopecia or any other type of hair loss. We need independent, blinded, controlled studies to show that Nutrafol actually works. Until then, it is very difficult to recommend this product and, more importantly, to recommend it over other treatments known to be effective.

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Bernstein Medical Aids ISHRS’s ‘Operation Restore’ in Honor of Hair Loss Awareness Month

August was declared National Hair Loss Awareness Month by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) in 2001 in order to raise the public’s awareness of hair loss as a common problem affecting millions of men and women. In appreciation of this cause, Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration has launched a fundraiser for the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery‘s (ISHRS) pro bono program, ‘Operation Restore.’ This program provides free hair transplants for those who experience localized hair loss due to trauma or illness.

Raising Awareness of Women’s Hair Loss

Now is the ideal time to bring awareness to women’s hair loss as the stigma of the topic has begun to diminish. Women’s hair loss is now frequently discussed in the media including television programs like the Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors, and in magazines such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, and New York Post.

Background

Androgenetic alopecia (common genetic hair loss) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in both men and women. While some falsely believe that women do not experience hair loss, about 40 million women in the US alone are affected by hair loss, along with about 60 million men.

Other causes of hair loss include surgical and non-surgical trauma, congenital defects, auto-immune disease, and other medical illnesses. Radiation and cytostatic drugs or other forms of chemotherapy used in cancer treatments also causes hair loss. In cases where hair loss is localized, surgical hair restoration may provide benefit.

Our Cause

We understand the emotional toll hair loss can have on the individuals affected, especially when dealing with their other medical problems. Operation Restore and Bernstein Medical aim to help those who may benefit from hair transplant surgery by assisting in this process and covering expenses.

Dr. Bernstein has worked to advance the techniques of hair restoration and have helped tens of thousands of patients around the world. His pioneering work continues to make hair loss and its treatment more socially acceptable.

Click here to donate to Operation Restore! Bernstein Medical will match all donations made during this fundraising campaign. To qualify for the match, please ensure that you list “Bernstein Medical” in the “This Donation is Being Made on Behalf of:” box. Thank you for your support!

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Does Frequent Combing Cause Hair Loss?

Q: Is it ill-advised to comb one’s hair more than twice a day, especially hair that has been transplanted? Will frequent combing induce hair loss? — G.K. ~ Paramus, N.J.

A: Combing or brushing one’s hair does not cause hair loss – no matter how many times a day you do it. However, constant traction with braids or hair extensions can cause hair loss and this loss can be permanent.

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Study Adds Credence to Effectiveness of PRP Treatments

An article in the September/October 2015 issue of Hair Transplant Forum International highlighted results of a 6-month study of platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment in a 23-year-old male diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (common male pattern baldness) ((Kahen, John (ISHRS 2015). “The Use of Platelet Rich Plasma in Treating Hair Loss.” Hair Transplant Forum International. 25 (5): 189)). The study showed a significant increase in hair density and decrease in miniaturized follicles, as well as an apparent darkening of hair pigmentation.

The patient, who was instructed not to use hair loss medications such as Propecia (finasteride) or Rogaine (minoxidil), was given several treatments of PRP solution in a single session. At six months after the treatment, digital densitometry was used to assess any changes to the scalp compared to pre-treatment. He noted fewer follicles in a miniaturized state and an increase in hair density.

Another clinical observation was a change in the patient’s hair color from light brown to dark brown. The author hypothesized that this change in pigmentation may be due to significant numbers of hairs rapidly transitioning to the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle. As a result of this shift, there was an increase in hair shaft diameter and an apparent darkening of the patient’s hair color.

This study has several limitations: it is not a peer-reviewed, controlled study; it is an assessment of only one patient; and no empirical data on the hair growth was recorded. However, this research joins a number of other studies which appear to show that PRP therapy may be an effective, and safe, treatment for androgenetic alopecia.

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