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As part of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery’s (ISHRS) Operation Restore program, renowned hair loss expert Alan J. Bauman, M.D. is offering a pro bono hair transplant to a woman who has experienced hair loss of the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes as the result of an accident, trauma or surgery.

“There are many types of injuries and illnesses that can lead to permanent hair loss,” said Dr. Bauman, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon and member of the ISHRS. “These include burns or accidents; long-term use of hair weaves and extensions--including eyelash extensions or even plastic surgery; etc. Restoring hair to a scarred area is a critical part of the psychological healing after this kind of injury because our hair is such an important part of how we feel about ourselves each day.”

As a participating physician in the ISHRS’ charitable Operation Restore program, Dr. Alan Bauman is currently seeking female candidates who meet these parameters to receive a pro-bono (free) microsurgical hair transplant.

Categories: Hair Transplant

Justin Bieber’s hair is pretty much as famous as he is and he has a lot of it, so most would say that he can’t really have an opinion on hair loss.

Yet, he took the opportunity to question why Prince William hadn’t done something about his thinning hair.

Kate Middleton doesn’t seem to have a problem with Prince William’s vanishing hair and it appears that most women don’t either.

In a recent poll, WatchMyWallet.co.uk found that 84 per cent of women wouldn’t find a man less attractive if he started to lose his hair.

It seems like hair loss is something of a big worry for men as 71 per cent said they were worried about losing their hair.

In Justin’s interview with Rollacoaster he said about Prince William, “I don't know why he doesn't just get those things, those products. You just take Propecia and your hair grows back. Have you not got it over here?”

Well, Justin, it seems that we do as almost all of the 23 per cent of men already doing something about their hair loss use either Regain or Propecia.

Over half of men suffering from hair loss and not treating said that the reason for not taking hair replacement supplements or protection was because of the cost.

Categories: Baldness

Chemical hair relaxers and extensions have found widespread use among women because of the desire to look beautiful, be socially acceptable and because of the convenience and ease of managing such hair. Experts warn, however, that these beautification processes, are not without their hazards to the users, reports Sade Oguntola.

Hair loss is an epidemic among Nigerian women. It is a significant problem for women of all ages, especially now that hairstyles and braids are done on relaxed hair. Hairstyles like braids and extensions onto the hair put pressure on the relaxed hair, which results in hair breaking or falling out.

Dr Bola Ogunbiyi, a consultant dermatologist, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, said “loss of hair along the hairline as a result of pulling hair into a tight pony tail, braids and weaves, is the commonest hair loss in women.”

Dr Ogunbiyi, while stating that not all cases of hair loss are due to hair care practices, declared that some hair loss begins in the centre of the scalp and spreads out.

“Our hair care practices are something that we should begin to look at. What we do to our hair, all the things that we apply to our hair can all contribute to hair loss,” she stated.

Categories: Hair Care

With regard to the surgical treatment of androgenetic alopecia, strip harvesting and follicular unit extraction (FUE) techniques can work very well, but each technique must be used appropriately and for the appropriate patients to ensure optimal outcomes, says Walter Unger, M.D.

Dr. Unger, a hair transplant specialist with offices in Toronto and New York and clinical professor in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, says that hair transplant techniques and the instrumentation used have evolved, but neither strip harvesting nor FUE are optimal for the harvesting of donor hair for the treatment of male pattern baldness (MPB) or female pattern hair loss (FPHL).

Moreover, Dr. Unger stresses that a tempered enthusiasm is warranted with regard to new and medical therapeutic approaches for these conditions.

"Stem cell research has been on the verge of success for at least 10 years, and although we have a better knowledge of various proteins and genes that have recently been found to have an effect on androgenic alopecia — all of which may lead to improved medical treatment of MPB and FPHL — none of them really have something solid that we can adopt right now. Moreover, it may be many years before any of them might prove itself clinically useful," Dr. Unger says.

Categories: Alopecia

Dandruff is one of the most common hair problems affecting both men and women these days. Apart from being a social embarrassment, it can also be a pre-cursor to bigger problems like hair loss, acne and scalp infections.

From shampoos promising dandruff-free hair in a single wash to salons offering costly anti-dandruff treatments, there are a plethora of options out there.

However, before you resort to any of these, just ask yourself some questions to understand what might be causing the dandruff in your case.

1. Do you have oily skin?

If your answer is Yes, then you might also have an oily scalp. An oily scalp leads to a great environment for microbes to thrive, leading to infection of the scalp. In order to avoid dandruff, make sure you wash your hair often and well with a mild shampoo.

2. Do you sweat a lot?

If you work out regularly or your job demands you to be out in the hot polluted environment, you might be more susceptible to dandruff. Do wash your hair often with a mild shampoo that is meant for daily use.

Categories: Dandruff

Think “hair replacement” you’ll probably picture a bunch of large, round “plugs” that look worse than any balding head. Unfortunately, until now, hair restoration has left a lot to be desired, says Gregory Pistone, M.D., F.A.A.D., a dermatologist with Advanced Dermatology PC and 20 years experience specializing in hair restoration.

But new techniques mean patients with hair loss—even those who have undergone earlier transplantation surgeries—can have truly natural-looking results.

Roughly 80 million Americans suffer from hair loss. Worldwide, more than 800 million people are seeking professional treatment for the problem, and there are close to 300 million restoration surgeries performed every year. But while the numbers are high, the quality of treatment and its results can be poor.

Surgical hair restoration is essentially unregulated, and any licensed physician can perform it without specialized training or accreditation, Dr. Pistone says. What’s more, there are still plenty of snake oil salesmen out there, eager to sell products and procedures whose outcomes are iffy, at best.

“Hair loss can be traumatic,” Dr. Pistone says, “and people will try almost anything to remedy it.” Many patients can get good results with FDA-approved drugs—Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia)—but these meds don’t work for everyone. And until recently, those patients had two choices: live with the loss or take a big risk on surgery.

Categories: Hair Transplant

Bosley Professional Strength™, the first salon-only, comprehensive hair preservation regimen for both men and women that helps maintain thicker, fuller-looking hair, is pleased to announce their expansion into the world of retail. Customers and fans of the brand can now find the entire collection of Bosley Professional Strength products at ULTA and Beauty Brands stores across the country.

"Hereditary hair loss affects millions of Americans, yet so many let their thinning hair go untreated," said Bosley Professional Strength President Eric McLemore. "With this expansion into the retail market, we are taking the brand one step further and bringing an entire collection of solution oriented products directly into the hands of our consumers."

In 2012, Bosley Professional Strength hair care brand added five new products to its already comprehensive hair preservation regimen for men and women, including Healthy Hair Rebalancing & Finishing Treatment, Hair Thickening Fibers and Non-Aerosol Hairspray & FiberHold Spray.

The Bosley® Professional Strength™ collection, launched in January 2010, includes daily-use thickening products for color-treated and non-color-treated hair, volumizing styling products, and healthy hair treatments, all of which offer an effective solution to create thicker, fuller-looking hair.

Categories: Hair Care

Home treatments for dandruff popularized on the Internet include applying oil — such as olive oil, vegetable oil or baby oil — to the scalp. But olive and vegetable oil may actually worsen the condition, researchers say.

At-home treatments for dandruff, or "cradle cap," as the condition is called when it occurs in infants, typically recommend applying oil to the scalp, leaving it on for somewhere between 15 minutes and overnight, and then combing the scalp to remove the dandruff flakes (sometimes called scales) before shampooing.

Dandruff is typically caused by an excess production of sebum (oil) in the scalp, and has been linked with an overgrowth of yeast, called Malassezia, which naturally occur on the scalp. The oil treatments are generally thought to help to remove the scales, but aren't believed to treat the condition itself.

But oils made from plants, such as olive oil and vegetable oil, are different from mineral oils such as baby oil: plant oils contain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, whereas mineral oils are petroleum-based.

The yeast organisms that trigger most cases of dandruff feed on saturated fatty acids — in fact, researchers who use these yeast in experiments grow them in lab dishes with olive oil, according to authors Dr. Elaine Siegfried and Dr. Erica Glenn, of St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri.

Categories: Dandruff

Since nearly 75,000 global viewers tuned in last month to watch his live hair transplant, Kevin Rolston has become Palm Beach County's most famous hair restoration patient. Now, the lead on-air personality of WILD 95.5’s "Kevin, Virginia, Jason" morning show, and nationally recognized hair transplant surgeon, Dr. Alan Bauman are reteaming for a first-of-its-kind media event, and offering the public a chance to get to meet Kevin in his first public reveal since meeting Dr. Bauman in the surgical operatory on July 11th, where Kevin was initiated into Dr. Bauman's "Follicle Fan Club."

During the rare, one-time only taping, Kevin and Dr. Bauman, will walk, talk and laugh their way through Kevin’s hair transplant procedure, and reveal for the first time, to both a live Internet audience and radio listeners, what it was like to undergo the advanced hair transplant procedure and how his hairline will change! In addition to unveiling of Kevin’s post-op hairline, they’ll show clips from the procedure, take questions from the live studio audience and talk with listeners about Kevin’s public journey with hair loss.

“This whole journey has been great fun, not just for me, but for all the listeners, viewers and fellow hair loss sufferers who joined us,” Rolston said. “And the best part is, the journey isn’t over, this is yet another opportunity for us to engage and educate our audience about the incredible breakthroughs in hair restoration treatments and technology that, in the hands of a qualified hair restoration expert like Dr. Bauman, can turn back the clock on our hair.”

Categories: Hair Transplant

A lotion that cures male-pattern baldness could be for sale in as little as two years. University of Pennsylvania dermatologist George Cotsarelis says the lotion works by inhibiting a single enzyme, prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), which he says is the "major" enzyme connected to hair loss.

And the cure would also extend to men of all ages who have already lost their hair.

"We really do think if you remove the inhibition, you get longer hair," Cotsarelis told the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Cotsarelis and his team of researchers first applied the lotion to mice and found that it was effective in both stopping hair loss and in regenerating follicles that had already ceased to produce longer hairs.

"During normal follicle cycling in mice, Ptgds and PGD2 levels increase immediately preceding the regression phase, suggesting an inhibitory effect on hair growth," the study reads. "We show that PGD2 inhibits hair growth in explanted human hair follicles and when applied topically to mice."

Categories: Baldness

Background

Finasteride (1 mg) has been shown to increase vertex hair growth in men aged 18 to 60 years with male pattern hair loss and to increase frontal scalp hair growth in subjects aged 18 to 41 years.

Objective

A secondary efficacy analysis was conducted to determine effects of finasteride (1 mg) on scalp hair growth in the 4 distinct scalp regions affected by male pattern hair loss.

Methods

Multicenter, double-blind studies randomized patients with vertex hair loss (men aged 18-41 and 41-60 years) to finasteride (1 mg/d) or placebo. Efficacy was evaluated by review of standardized clinical photographs (global photographic assessment) of the vertex, anterior/mid scalp regions, and frontal and temporal hairlines over 24 months relative to baseline.

Categories: Dutasteride

Hair Club in partnership with the Children’s Alopecia Project, served as a title sponsor for the 4th annual Alopeciapalooza event. Held August 9-12 at North Topsail Beach in North Carolina, the weekend event brought together hundreds of children and adults who suffer from alopecia, an incurable hair loss condition.

North America’s largest provider of all proven hair restoration services, Hair Club has helped more than 500,000 men and women of all ages suffering from hair loss over the past 35 years.

During that time, the company has offered support to a number of non-profits working to help those experiencing hair losses as a result of diseases such as alopecia, including The Children’s Alopecia Project, American Cancer Society, Sloan Kettering Hospital and Trichotillomania Learning Center.

As part of these efforts, Hair Club founded Hair Club for Kids (http://www.hairclub.com/hc-for-kids.php), a charitable arm of the company that provides complimentary hair restoration services for children aged 6-17 experiencing hair loss due to a range of diseases and disorders, including cancer, trichotillomania, and alopecia.

Hair Club for Kids this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, having allotted more than $500,000 to help more than 10,000 children over the years.

Categories: Alopecia

For most men, balding is a nightmare that they know they will eventually need to face. For women, this is beyond imaginable and yet, hair fall is a problem most women face.

It results in reckless shopping for hair products, manic over-use of these products and an increase in stress levels. But what is at the root of this hair loss problem? For instance, does hair fall only when you are stressed out? We dive into this abyss of hair loss and retrieve unknown answers to what really causes balding in women.

Hereditary

If balding runs in the family, you might be in trouble. If generations of women in your family have a history of scant hair, you will most probably have thinning hair as well. In such a scenario, no over-the-counter drugs can come to your rescue. Failing medical treatment, a good stylist is what you need.

Hormonal imbalance

Change in the levels of hormones also causes hair fall. Hair starts to fall especially if the levels of androgen increases. This is a common phase during menopause. However, several younger women might also suffer from this condition prematurely. Consult a doctor and find out if your hair loss issues are hormone-related. If they are, then a simple course of hormone-balancing medication and lifestyle changes can work wonders.

Categories: Baldness

A new survey carried out by Bioxsine Ireland has revealed that Irish women find grey haired men much more attractive than blokes who use too much gel... Now there's something to think about.

A survey carried out by the herbal anti hair loss remedy ‘Bioxsine’ reveals that a third of Irish women surveyed rate a man having attractive hair in the top three categories when it comes to attractiveness. So at least all that time spent in front of the mirror tweaking and pruning your locks wasn’t in vain.

Surprisingly, 40 per cent of the women surveyed found that hair gel on a man was a huge turn off. So this might be a bit disappointing for blokes who tend to slap on half a tub of gel before a night out. You know who you are.

As for going grey, not one of the women said that having a ‘silver fox’ for a man was a problem.

As for the Patrick Stewarts of Ireland, a large percentage of the 38 women surveyed revealed it would bother them if their man was losing his hair, while over half of the men surveyed confessed they would shave their head as a way of coping with hair loss, while the rest would seek out anti hair loss products.

Categories: Grey Hair

Despite Justin Bieber's recent plea for Prince William to pop Propecia, the perilous hair-loss drug is losing market share at a double-digit pace—while gaining furious customers at a triple-digit clip.

According to Merck's quarterly report (SEC Form 10-Q) for the period ended June 30, 2012, Propecia sales totaled $100 million, compared to $112 million for the same period in 2011. That makes for a decline of about 10.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against the pharmaceutical giant, alleging "that they have experienced persistent sexual side effects following cessation of treatment with Propecia and/or Proscar [the same drug, finasteride, in a higher dose, to treat enlarged prostate]" has risen significantly.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2012, Merck reported "approximately 80 lawsuits involving a total of approximately 175 plaintiffs." And for the quarter ended June 31, 2012, the total number of lawsuits escalated to 200, while total plaintiffs jumped to 325.

That's a 150-percent rise in the number of lawsuits, and an 86-percent rise in plaintiffs.

Categories: Propecia

As the summer comes to a close, men no longer need to worry about going shirtless at the pool or beach. But what happens when your problem area is located in one of the “top” visible places, the tip of your head?

Whether blaming genetics, stress, diet or other external factors, it doesn’t change the mere fact that more and more men and women are experiencing thinning hair.

Most recently, even celebrities like Justin Bieber have vocalized opinions on hair loss, publicly criticizing Prince William for not taking action to prevent his receding hairline.

And with August as National Hair Loss Month, it is a topic we just can’t ignore.

According to the American Hair Loss Association, by the age of 35 two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of appreciable hair loss, and by the age of 50 approximately 85 percent of men have significantly thinning hair.

It’s no wonder that the hair restoration industry is rapidly growing. However, with numerous procedures and products on the market, how do you determine what’s best and how do you restore your hairline to ‘bring sexy back’?

Categories: Hair Loss

On Friday, August 3rd, LaserCap(TM) physician and New York-based dermatologist, Dr. Doris Day, appeared on ABC's Daytime Emmy® Award winning talk show, The View, presenting the LaserCap(TM) device to millions of television viewers across America. Barbara Walters and Elisabeth Hasselbeck interviewed Dr. Day.

In the segment, Dr. Day discusses the different types of hair loss in women and the ways that they can fight hair loss - from cortisone injections on the scalp to the LaserCap(TM) for home use.

Doris Day, MD, is a board certified dermatologist who specializes in laser, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology on the Upper East Side in New York City. Her private practice includes national and international celebrities.

Dr. Day speaks highly of LaserCap(TM): "What I love about this is that it treats the whole scalp at once in twenty minutes.*"

Categories: Lasercomb

Pop idol Justin Bieber recently sparked controversy when he poked fun at the prince and suggested he should try taking hair loss drug Propecia to stave off baldness, which has blighted the males in his family, but Dr. Asim Shahmalak insists the heir to the throne's receding hairline is no laughing matter.

He suggests Propecia could halt the royal's problem, but it would not restore his lost hair.

Shahmalak, who runs the Crown Clinic in Manchester, England, tells WENN, "He would have to take Propecia for the rest of his life and it would not help him to grow new hair."

And he doesn't think Bieber's idea is a great one: "Around two per cent of patients who take Propecia suffer side effects, such as the loss of libido."

But the hair doctor has urged the prince to do something or risk becoming completely bald on the top of his head by the age of 40.

Categories: Baldness

Justin Bieber has said that Prince William should have treatment over his thinning hair.

The Canadian singer was surprised that the royal had not decided to undergo treatment to help restore his locks.

Bieber told Rollercoaster: "I mean, there are things to prevent that nowadays, like Propecia.

"I don't know why he doesn't just get those things, those products. You just take Propecia and your hair grows back. Have you not got it over here?"

Back in 2010, a spokesperson for hair loss company Rogaine had said they wanted to use Prince William as the face of the brand.

A repesentative from the company said: "We've been watching Prince William's growing bald spot closely for years, and we believe Rogaine can help."

Meanwhile, actress Jennifer Aniston has defended Prince William's hair loss.

Categories: Baldness

Even supermodels have bad hair days, but from the looks of this recent photo, Naomi Campbell appears to be dealing with something far worse.

A photo of the 42-year-old beauty vacationing in Ibiza earlier this week shows what appears to be a receding hairline.

Florida hair surgeon Dr. Alan Bauman, who has not treated Campbell, said the former supermodel appears to be suffering from traction alopecia — hair loss due to extensions.

“Extensions, weaves, anything artificial hanging on hair — no matter whether you attach it with glue, special magnets, tape — it’s going to cause damage over time,” Bauman told ABCNews.com. “And unless you give your hair a break from those extensions, it won’t rebound.”

Categories: Baldness

Young men who took finasteride (Propecia) for hair loss and experienced its sexual side effects also had high rates of depressive symptoms, even after stopping the drug, a retrospective study found.

Among a group of men who developed persistent sexual dysfunction that continued for at least 3 months after finasteride was withdrawn, 75% reported symptoms of depression compared with 10% of controls not taking finasteride (P<0.0001), according to Michael S. Irwig, MD, of George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

The symptoms were moderate-to-severe in 64% of the former finasteride users and in none of the controls, Irwig reported online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Finasteride has been a popular treatment for male-pattern baldness, and sexual side effects identified during clinical trials appeared to resolve on withdrawal of the treatment (the drug is also marketed as Proscar for benign prostatic hyperplasia).

Categories: Propecia

Hair loss is typically thought of as a “man’s disease,” but the truth is that women are almost just as at risk as men. In honor of August’s National Hair Loss Awareness Month campaign, internationally recognized hair transplant surgeon Alan J. Bauman, M.D. is performing the first-ever live webcasted female hair transplant using the minimally-invasive NeoGraft/FUE technique on Wednesday, August 8.

“Hair loss is a problem that affects more than 30 million American women,” Dr. Bauman said. “But, unlike male pattern hair loss which is more socially acceptable in our society, female hair loss is less understood and can lead to extreme emotional distress for those women who suffer from it.

My goal with this live broadcast is to pierce the veil of secrecy surrounding women’s hair loss and show women that they’re not alone, and that effective treatment options are available to help. Not all women have to undergo transplants; in many cases early preventative treatments can be used - like Formula 82M Minoxidil, Propecia® (for post-menopausal women), Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) with LaserCap™ and even scalp treatments with Latisse.”

“The bottom line here, is that female pattern hair loss is treatable, and it’s also preventable – women just need to learn about their options,” Bauman said.

Categories: Hair Transplant

If you're looking to donate with style, Locks of Love may be the organization for you. Operating as a not-for-profit organization, Locks of Love accepts hair donations to provide hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged youth, under 21 years old, who suffer long-term medical hair loss.

Locks of Love began as a not-for-profit organization in 1997 by retired cardiac nurse Madonna Coffman in Palm Beach. In her 20s, Coffman was diagnosed with alopecia areata, a medical condition causing hair loss on parts or all of the body. She later recovered, only to find her 4-year-old daughter suffering from the same condition. Understanding the hardship, Coffman put all her efforts into expanding her charity.

While most Locks of Love recipients suffer from alopecia, others may be burn victims or those who have undergone radiation treatment for various skin disorders or cancer.

For many of these children, the hairpieces restore a sense of self and identity. Because many children experience embarrassment due to hair loss, they may stop doing activities they enjoy. The hairpieces help them rebuild confidence, allowing them to participate in regular activities.

Categories: Hair Loss

Approximately 50 percent of men ages 40 to 50 are affected by Male Pattern Hair Loss. And surprisingly, about 50 percent of women experience some form of Female Pattern Hair Loss by the time they are 50.

For those individuals suffering from hair loss, the effects cannot only damage their self-image, but can leave them feeling frustrated, embarrassed and even hopeless.

Fortunately, there are solutions available. But it is important to choose an experienced, reputable doctor.

World-renowned hair transplant Doctors Hasson & Wong are now offering free consultations for hair transplant and hair restoration procedures to people throughout the UK and Europe. Men or women interested in receiving a consultation can fill out a simple online form and can submit a few photos displaying a variety of angles of their head, scalp and hairline. The doctors will evaluate each patient’s information and will determine the appropriate form of treatment for their unique needs.

Categories: Hair Transplant

As she completed a lap of honour after winning Olympic gold, cyclist Joanna Rowsell pulled off her helmet to proudly reveal her bald head.

Having lived with the hair loss condition alopecia since childhood, the 23-year-old, from Cheam in Surrey, has not flinched from speaking about her condition.

Indeed she says her hair loss has helped drive her on to greatness.

And her win in the women's cycling team pursuit at the velodrome on Saturday could not have come at a better time - it fell on International Alopecia Day which seeks to raise awareness of the condition.

She said a fan had contacted her on Twitter to tell her about the special day.

She said: "I thought 'wow, that's a bit spooky that our Olympic final is the same day'.

"I hope I can be an inspiration to other girls with the condition and help raise awareness of it. When I was younger I used to focus really hard on my school work.

"I wasn't really confident on going out and doing the usual teenage things. I didn't have much confidence in my appearance and I became very, very focused on my studies.

"But when cycling came along that was another thing for me to focus on and suddenly it didn't matter what I looked like, it was about how I performed on the bike and that's what I was judged on. That was great.

"When I started winning that was the best feeling ever. I wasn't going to stop; I wasn't going to let it hold me back.

"You only live once, so go for it."

She said she had received messages of support from the public which helped on her way to victory.

"It was amazing because I never really had that response before from the public," she added.

"I've never really seen myself as an inspiration or anything like that.

"It was a bit overwhelming at first and I was a bit shocked, because I don't want to be known as the girl with alopecia; I don't want that to be what defines me.

Categories: Alopecia

Beiersdorf has announced the launch of its new Eucerin DermoCapillaire scalp and hair care range, which tackles a number of common scalp problems.

The product line includes offerings that address issues such as thinning hair, dandruff, dryness, persistent itching and hypersensitivity, while also providing cosmetic care for the hair - a key concern for consumers.

Eucerin DermoCapillaire products have been formulated using Licochalcone A, a natural extract from the Chinese liquorice root, which demonstrated a strong anti-inflammatory effect in clinical studies.

They utilise a leave-on effect that allows them to combat the causes of scalp problems more effectively than traditional shampoos, which are generally only in contact with the scalp for around 30 seconds.

Categories: Hair Care

Alopecia Areata is a common autoimmune skin disease that, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), affects over five million people in the United States alone and results in the unpredictable loss of hair in patches on the scalp (and sometimes eyebrows, lashes, and the whole body).

In honor of International Alopecia Day, taking place on August 4, and September's Alopecia Awareness Month, Follea Inc., the leading designer and manufacturer of natural, European wigs and hairpieces, including the renowned Gripper(TM) Alopecia Wig, will give away 10,000 free Alopecia bracelets that bear the phrase, "Someone I love has Alopecia" on the outside.

"We, at Follea, are honored to be a part of the effort to raise awareness of the emotional challenges faced by millions of girls and women of all ages, in the largely unrecognized female Alopecia community. This encompasses both Androgenic Alopecia (female thinning hair and hereditary hair loss) and the auto-immune disorders, Alopecia Areata/ Totalis/ Universalis. Follea understands how difficult it can be for a woman to lose her hair.

Creating wigs and hairpieces that gives back to a woman her best hair day, every day, is our raison d'etre. It makes what we do all the more worthwhile," says President of Follea Michael Leigh. "We are raising awareness of the existence of Alopecia with these bracelets, while giving the loved ones of Alopecia sufferers, an opportunity to show their silent support."

Categories: Alopecia

In conjunction with Hair Loss Awareness Month, Viviscal has released new research that shows that hair loss can strongly affect a woman's overall confidence and her sex life.

According to the recent survey, 96 percent of women suffering from hair loss feel that their hair is connected to their sense of beauty. In addition, 55 percent of women who participated in the survey feel they are negatively judged as a result of their thinning hair.

Study findings indicate that hair loss has other effects on a woman's life, as well.

For example, 39 percent agreed or somewhat agreed that their hair loss negatively affects their sex life and 65 percent of women indicated that noticeable hair loss inhibits them from participating in normal activities, including swimming, going to the hairdresser, or having their spouse or significant other caress or touch their hair. A startling 79 percent of women stated that hair loss makes them less happy than they otherwise could be.

"Our hair defines us and it's understandable that the research findings would show a correlation between a full head of hair and a sense of confidence in the bedroom," said Dr. Laura Berman, LCSW, PhD, the star of In The Bedroom with Dr. Laura Berman on OWN and director of drlauraberman.com. "Women are bombarded with media images of lustrous long locks that are supposedly the key to our beauty and sexiness. As a country, we spend billions of dollars on products and services, coloring, cutting and styling our hair. How can it not have a great impact on our disposition and sense of confidence?"

Categories: Hair Care

Recent genetic insights into the roots of alopecia areata have fostered the development of new therapeutic targets, with clinical trials offering promising results.

The investigational drugs are, for the first time, addressing the underlying disease mechanism, Angela M. Christiano, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology.

Alopecia areata affects roughly 5.3 million Americans of all ages and ethnic groups. The dramatic hair loss exacts an underappreciated, often devastating toll in terms of patient self-esteem and quality of life. To date, treatment has been unsatisfactory, with intralesional injections of glucocorticoids being the mainstay. Wigs are big.

But all of that may be about to change. "Our translational studies offer us the beginning of a therapeutic arsenal," said Dr. Christiano, professor of dermatology and genetics at Columbia University in New York.

She and her colleagues have identified interleukin-15 as a novel and highly promising therapeutic target in alopecia areata.

Categories: Alopecia