Natural Alternatives

Natural alternatives Para-aminobenzoic acid PABA, or para-aminobenzoic acid, is one of the nutrients the body uses to make the anti-stress B vitamins, especially vitamin B5, which has, in turn, been linked with slowing down the rate of both greying and … Continue reading

Greying

Fifty per cent of the population is grey by 50. More women are going grey because of pernicious anemia often linked to dieting, hormone treatments often linked to the pill, and stressful lives. Hair also gets coarser and dry. Hair … Continue reading

Dandruff

A combination of flaking skin cells caused by a yeast called pitrosporum ovale and over activity by the sebacious glands. Tends to die out as you get older. It can often be stress-related. Dandruff may be a symptom of Vitamin … Continue reading

Transplants

Micrograft hair transplants using a laser are usually performed on the front and temples to give more coverage but needs to be done by an expert. Useful web sites: www.stophairlossnow.co.uk www.hairtransplantnetwork.com www.hairtransplantmedical.com www.hairscientists.org

Drugs

Drug treatments These are mainly used for genetic hair loss caused by hormones and are applied topically. A prescription lotion – minoxidile marketed as Regaine – helps in 60% of female cases to stop further loss but very few report … Continue reading

Supplements

In clinical trials hair-loss patients taking 18,000 international units of vitamin A in the form of retinol, along with 70mg of L-cysteine and 700mg of gelatin, were thought to suffer less hair loss.The B vitamins are important for healthy hair … Continue reading

Natural Remedies

Recent clinical trials proved the effectiveness of a non-drug, DHT-inhibiting treatment for androgenic baldness (hereditary male pattern baldness). The formula contained saw palmetto berry, plant sterols and other botanicals and was shown to be a viable natural alternative to prescription … Continue reading

Vitamin C ester

This is a combination of Vitamin C with palmitic acid (a fatty acid derived from palm oil) which is more easily absorbed by the skin. It is a powerful antioxident which can help skin heal, particularly skin which has been … Continue reading

Vitamin C

An antioxident which is applied to the skin to neutralise free radicals. Topical Vitamin C encourages collagen production and repair. But can burn and irritate the skin as well as loosing its potency when exposed to the air.

A Derivatives

Deritivatives of Vitamin A such as retinyl palmitate and retinly linoleate have gained popularity with manufacturers becausethey are thought to work like Retin A but with less irritation.

Tea

Green and black tea both contain polyphenolic acid which fights free radicals and is increasingly used in skin care.

Tazarotene

A retinoid used in the treatment of psoriasis and acne. It works by keeping the pores clear, lessening redness and reducing the size of the affected area.

Retinova

Contains a derivative of Vitamin A. It is manufactured in a cosmetic base under the trade name Renova by US Ortho Pharmaceuticals. It has found to be less irritating than Retin A. Both should be used sparingly.

Pycnogenol

Extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine contains antioxidents which neutralise free radicals and assist in stopping the breakdown of two main elements in the skin – elastin and collagen.

Proanthocyanidins

These are made from plant extracts – bilberry, pine bark, grapeseed – and are antioxidents which can be applied to the skin in creams to combat free radicals.

Lycopene

A free-radical scavenger found in some red fruit and vegetables including tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, red guava and red grapes.