Here are just
a few of the many products that have been advertised in newspapers,
magazines, Television, and Cable TV over the years:
New Generation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (shampoo and scalp treatment)
NU-Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (shampoo
and scalp treatment)
Young Hair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (shampoo and
scalp treatment)
Hair Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . (shampoo and
scalp treatment)
Hair 2-U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (shampoo
and scalp treatment)
Farm Hair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (shampoo
and scalp treatment)
AidooAid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (shampoo and
scalp treatment)
COUVRE' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (hair enhancement
cream)
Fast Flock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (aerosol spray-on
cover-up)
Hair Geneses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (topical hair
stimulant)
Rogaine® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (topical
hair stimulant drug)
PROPICA® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (oral hair
stimulant pill)
Advodart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (topical hair
stimulant drug)
Toppik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (spray-on
hair-building fibers)
Bosley Medical Treatments . . . . . . . . . (hair transplant
surgery)
When demonstrated
on television, these products appear to work very well. However,
to date and according to most medical and scientific studies,
these products (with limited exception to Rogaine®) do not
fulfill their advertised claims. In most cases very little results
are experienced by those whom have purchased these products.
Most lotions
and potions are nothing more then exotic topical creams and liquids,
or shampoos and conditioners that are proclaimed to regenerated
hair growth simply by using or applying them daily to the bald
or balding areas of your scalp. There are always new products
being introduced to the marketplace and hopefully, one day, one
of them will be really work. To date, there are no products that
can be recommended that will actually regenerate hair growth
within a reasonable time period. Some men claim to have had good
results from certain products, however, when viewed up close
-- the results are far from satisfactory. Most of the men are
not satisfied with the result received and eventually they stop
using the product or products.
According to
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) there are no lotions,
potions, or shampoos that do regenerate or stimulate hair regrowth
to the persons original natural state. If products were available
that did regenerate hair growth, every bald or balding man and
woman would probably be using them. And, for sure, Drug Stores
throughout the world would be selling them to their customers.
Naturally, the reason stores decline selling most hair restoration
products is obvious: They are aware of the facts and they do
not wish to loose their customers because of non-valid product
claims. With approximately 1.5 BILLION balding or bald men throughout
the world, if any hair restoration product really did work as
advertised -- it would be in such great demand that it would
be likely that supply could not keep up with its demand.
Aerosol hair
spray cover-ups are very convincing when demonstrated on television.
However, they are merely colored powders or fibers that simply
color the scalp and thicken thinning hair in order to make everything
look to be natural in appearance.
Aerosol hair
spray cover-ups when demonstrated on TV seems to make baldness
vanish instantly right before your eyes. Some aerosol sprays
are better than others, however, the results you see on TV are
not always what you get! From a distance the sprayed scalp and
hair may appear normal, but when viewed close-up it may be noticeable.
The bottom line is: Aerosol sprays do not add hair to a bald
or thinning scalp, they are only a cover-up!
Minoxidil Rogaine®
Report
Rogaine®
is topical alcohol mixture consisting of a drug called Minoxidil.
The manufacturer, Upjohn, proclaims that Rogaine® does regenerate
hair growth in bald or balding areas of the scalp. This product
is currently being sold in drug stores under the brand name Rogaine®.
However, before you try it carefully read the following facts
and truths.
Rogaine®
was approved by the FDA for use by men and women in 1988. It
is recommended to be applied topically twice daily to the scalp;
once in the morning and again before bedtime. Rogaine® must
remain on the scalp for up to 4 hours to insure sufficient scalp
penetration. Should an application be missed -- continued regular
use is recommended.
Originally, a
doctor's prescription was required to purchase Rogaine®,
however, since 1996, it is now available over-the-counter without
a prescription. Originally, the cost for a 1-month supply of
Rogaine®, was around $100.00, however, now it is available
at approximately $30.00 for a 1-month supply.
Manufacturers
test results of Rogaine® disclosed that it did very little,
if anything at all, for the majority of its users. Rogaine®
has been on the market since 1988, however, continued use of
this drug spurred only "meaningful" hair growth result
with just a few of the men tested. Meaningful hair growth was
defined as: "New individual hairs covering some or all of
the thinning areas, but were not as closely spaced as hairs on
the rest of head. The larger percentage of users saw minimal
hair growth, some new hairs were seen, but not sufficient to
cover thinning areas on scalp."
Tests showed
that younger patients had faster and better results virus older
patients and results varied greatly with each person tested.
Rogaine® has not been tested on anyone under the age 18 and
it is not recommended for use by anyone under 18 years of age.
Testing results disclosed: "Meaningful results can take
up to four months of continuous daily use. When discontinued,
any results obtained are quickly lost and any degree prior baldness
is quickly reestablished. Rogaine® should not be used by
anyone who has experienced sudden hair loss or other abnormal
medical symptoms."
As a result of
using Rogaine® -- 7% of patients had 1 or more of the following
side effects: allergic contact dermatitis, bronchitis, upper
respiratory infection, sinusitis, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,
headache, dizziness, faintness, fractures, back pain, tendinitis,
edema, weight gain, conjunctivitis, ear infections, vertigo,
chest pain, blood pressure increases/decreases, palpitations,
pulse rate increases/decreases, allergic reactions, hives, rhinitis,
facial swelling, urinary tract infections, arthritis, prostatitis,
sexual dysfunction, and alopecia (increased hair loss).
Men with poor
circulation or heart problems were found to suffer mild to serious
side effects as a result from overuse. Side effects were dose
related as with using minoxidil tables for high blood pressure,
therefore, higher dosages caused more side effects. Some patients
reported increased heart rate while resting, increased by more
than 20 beats per minute; rapid weight gain of up to 5 pounds;
breathing problems especially while lying down; worsening angina
pectoris attacks. Patients with known heart problems are advised
to discuss their potential risks with a heart specialist should
they wish to try Rogaine®. People with high blood pressure
are advised to seek medical advise regarding Rogaine®. High
blood pressure should be monitored closely by a doctor and patients
taking blood pressure medicine "guanethidine" should
not use Rogaine®.
Rogaine®
users are advised to make follow-up visits to their doctor 30
days after starting Rogaine® treatment -- with regular visits
every 6 months thereafter. Other drugs, such as corticosteroids,
retinoids, petrolatum should never be used on the scalp to increase
absorption of Rogaine®.
(The information
disclosed in the Bald TALK! REPORT, regarding Rogaine®, was
obtained directly from the Upjohn Company Rogaine® Disclosure.)
Rogaine®
is available at most major Drug Stores.
The latest hair
loss product is called PROPECIA®!
PROPECIA®
(Finasteride) is a pill that you take orally, once a day. The
manufacturer, Merck & Co., Inc., claims that their latest
hair regeneration product does regenerate hair growth on bald
or balding areas of the scalp. This product is currently being
sold in drug stores, by subscription only under the brand name
PROPECIA®. Read the following facts and truths about PROPECIA®
carefully before trying.
Results of clinical
studies: Report issued December 1997.
For 12 months,
doctors studied over 1800 men aged 18 to 41 with mild to moderate
amounts of ongoing hair loss. All men, whether receiving PROPECIA®
or placebo (a pill containing no medication) were given a medicated
shampoo (Neutrogena T/Gel®*** Shampoo). Of these men, approximately
1200 with hair loss at the top of the head were studied for an
additional 12 months. In general, men who took PROPECIA®
maintained or increased the number of visible scalp hairs and
noticed improvement in their hair in the first year, with the
effect maintained in the second year. Hair counts in men who
did not take PROPECIA® continued to decrease.
Patients questioned
on the growth of body hair claim that PROPECIA® did not appear
to affect their hair in places other than the scalp.
How and
when is PROPECIA® taken?
Follow
your doctor's instructions.
Take one tablet by mouth each day.
You may take PROPECIA® with or without food.
When you forget to take a tablet, do not take an extra tablet,
take the next tablet as
usual.
PROPECIA®
does not work faster or better when you take it more than once
a day.
How good
will PROPECIA® work for me?
PROPECIA®
provide some hair growth regeneration for some men, they show
an increased number of scalp hairs in thin or balding areas of
the scalp. Some men noted a slowing of hair loss during their
two years of use. Test results did vary, generally PROPECIA®
did not grow back all lost hair. There is not sufficient evidence
that PROPECIA® works in the treatment of receding hairline
in the temporal area on both sides of the head.
Male pattern
hair loss occurs gradually over time. On average, healthy hair
grows only about half an inch each month. Therefore, it takes
a long time to see any effect. You may need to take PROPECIA®
daily for three months or more before you see any benefits. PROPECIA®
only works over the long term and from continued use. If the
drug has not worked for you in twelve months, further treatment
is unlikely to be of benefit. If you stop taking PROPECIA®,
you will likely lose the hair you have gained within 12 months
of stopping treatment.
What
are the possible side effects of PROPECIA®?
Like all prescription
products, PROPECIA® may cause side effects. In clinical studies,
side effects from PROPECIA® were uncommon and did not affect
most men. A small number of men experienced certain sexual side
effects. These men reported one or more of the following: less
desire for sex; difficulty in achieving an erection; and, a decrease
in the amount of semen.
The active ingredient
in PROPECIA® is also used by older men at a five-times higher
dose to treat enlargement of the prostate. Some of these men
reported other side effects, including problems with ejaculation,
breast swelling and/or tenderness and allergic reactions such
as lip swelling and rash.
PROPECIA®
can effect a blood test called PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen)
for the screening of prostate cancer. If you have a PSA test
done, you should tell your doctor that you are taking PROPECIA®.
Warning
about PROPECIA® and pregnancy:
Women who
are or may potentially be pregnant...
Must
not use PROPECIA®
Should not handle crushed or broken tablets of PROPECIA®.
If a women who
is pregnant with a male baby absorbs the active ingredient in
PROPECIA®, either by swallowing or through the skin, it may
cause abnormalities of a male baby's sex organs. If a woman who
is pregnant comes into contact with the active ingredient in
PROPECIA®, a doctor should be consulted. PROPECIA® tablets
are coated and will prevent contact with the active ingredient
during normal handling, provided that the tablets are not broken
or crushed.
Storage and Handling
Keep PROPECIA®
in the original container and keep the container closed. Store
it in a dry place at room temperature. PROPECIA® tablets
are coated and will prevent contact with the active ingredient
during normal handling, provided that the tablets are not broken
or crushed.
When PROPECIA®
is prescribed for you do not give them to anyone else. Keep PROPECIA®
out of the reach of your children. Read the Newsletter below!
Here's a clipping
taken from USA Weekend Newspaper (August. 13, 2000).
PROPECIA®
was originally used to treat prostate enlargement. It can halt
hair loss, if you are losing hair, but does nothing for already
bald. There are side effects with some men from this drug and
it is available by prescription only.
Do not expect
instant results when using PROPECIA®. Most suffering from
male pattern hair loss say it takes months before there's any
noticeable difference and if taking PROPECIA® is stopped,
any results gained are usually lost.
PROPECIA®
must be taken forever once started. When you stop using PROPECIA®,
everything regresses back to where you were... more hair loss.