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Stress-blocking drug restores hair in bald mice

21.02.2011 in HAIR LOSS SCIENCE

US researchers studying the effects of stress on the gut may have stumbled on a chemical compound that stimulates hair growth.

Reuters, Monday 21 Feb 2011

US researchers studying the effects of stress on the digestive system may have stumbled on a chemical compound that stimulates hair growth.

By blocking a stress-related hormone linked with hair loss, mutant mice that made too much of the hormone were able to re-grow hair they had lost, the team reported on Wednesday in the online journal, Public Library of Science (PLoS) One.

The team injected these mice with a stress-blocking chemical compound called astressin-B, which blocks the action of the stress hormone CRF.

The mutant mice got a daily injection of the compound over 5 days, then the team measured the effects of this drug on their colons.

3 months later, their hair had all grown back. They were not distinguishable from their littermates, who were not genetically-altered.

So far, astressin-B has only been tested in genetically-altered mice to express a lot of stress hormone, and it is not clear if it would have any effect on humans.

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Scientists accidentally discover possible cure for hair loss

21.02.2011 in HAIR LOSS HEALTH NEWS

 

UCLA scientists may have found a possible solution to an age-old problem – hair loss.

The researchers, along with the Veterans Administration that was investigating how stress affects gastrointestinal function may have found a chemical compound that induces hair growth by blocking a stress-related hormone associated with hair loss.

“Our findings show that a short-duration treatment with this compound causes an astounding long-term hair regrowth in chronically stressed mutant mice,” said Million Mulugeta, an adjunct professor of medicine in the division of digestive diseases.

“This could open new venues to treat hair loss in humans through the modulation of the stress hormone receptors, particularly hair loss related to chronic stress and aging,” he added.

With age, mice produced a stress hormone called corticotrophin-releasing factor, or CRF that is associated with hair loss. The Salk Institute researchers had developed the chemical compound, a peptide called astressin-B, and described its ability to block the action of CRF.

About three months later, the investigators found that they had regrown hair on their previously bald backs.

“When we analyzed the identification number of the mice that had grown hair we found that, indeed, the astressin-B peptide was responsible for the remarkable hair growth in the bald mice,” Mulugeta said.

Just one shot per day for five consecutive days maintained the effects for up to four months.

The team added that only further studies would tell if the effect would be seen in humans too.

The find is published in the online journal PLoS One. (ANI)

All About: Washington, Veterans Administration, UCLA, Salk Institute

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Early hair loss doubles prostate cancer risk

21.02.2011 in MALE HAIR LOSS

Men who begin going bald at 20 have twice the risk of prostate cancer in later life, according to research.

The link could help identify those most in danger of developing the disease the most common cancer among men in the UK and enable them to be targeted for screening.

A study of 388 prostate cancer patients and 281 healthy volunteers found those with the disease were twice as likely to have started going bald when they were 20. But for those who lost their hair later, when they were 30 or 40, there was no difference in their risk compared to the control group.

Until now there has been conflicting evidence about the relationship between hair loss and cancer.

Baldness is caused by DHT, a chemical produced by the male hormone testosterone. Studies have also linked testosterone to cancer tumour growth.

But the French research, published in the journal Annals of Oncology, is the first to suggest going bald early is a bad sign.

Professor Philippe Giraud, of Paris Descartes University, said: “Balding at 20 may be one of these easily identifiable risk factors and more work needs to be done now to confirm this.”

Dr Kate Holmes, of the Prostate Cancer Charity, said many other factors, such as diet and lifestyle, also affected the risk of prostate cancer. – Daily Mail

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Now you can keep the hair you have

21.02.2011 in HAIR LOSS PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS

We offer hair loss treatments without a trip to the Doctors.


Act early: seek help before hair loss becomes significant

Male-pattern baldness affects 6.5 million men in the UK and by the age of 50, half of all men have experienced hair loss. Reactions differ but for some it can dent self-confidence or even trigger depression. If you’re unhappy with your hair loss, it pays to act sooner rather than later. It’s easier to maintain existing hair than to regrow it: if a hair follicle stops working, it usually cannot be revived.

Male-pattern baldness is the reason for hair loss in 95 per cent of men. It’s caused by oversensitive follicles reacting to a testosterone by-product, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), by shrinking and stopping working. It usually starts with a receding hairline, the hair of the crown and temples thins next, eventually leaving a horseshoe shape of hair around the back and sides of the head. In some cases, all the hair goes.

There are treatments that treat male-pattern baldness, and you can find out more about them as part of a face-to-face consultation at The Hair Centre. There’s also an online service that gives you direct access to these treatments without the need for a GP visit. Used daily, this reduces the level of DHT in the scalp.

You begin by filling in a questionnaire which will assess your suitability for treatment just email us at info@thewestminsterpractice.com for a questionaire.

In studies, nine out of 10 men kept their hair while using this treatment, and two out of three men who stayed on the programme longer experienced hair regrowth.

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Device may limit chemotherapy side-effects

09.02.2011 in HAIR LOSS HEALTH NEWS

Scientists have developed a micro device that could be used to limit the side-effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Chemotherapy is used to treat cancerous tumours

Edinburgh University has created the unit, which triggers reactions in cells, enabling cancer drugs to be activated at the site of a tumour.

Scientists believe it could protect cancer patients from hair loss, sickness and weakened immune systems.

The device uses tiny amounts of the metal palladium to trigger reactions.

The metal particles are covered in a coating to allow it to penetrate the cells without causing damage.

Experiments have shown specific cell functions could be activated without any impact on normal cell activity such as producing proteins.

It is hoped further work will see the technique used to activate cancer drugs at the site of the tumour.

Research leaders stressed the work, carried out with the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, is at an early stage.

Professor Mark Bradley of Edinburgh University’s school of chemistry, who led the research, said: “This technique potentially gives us the ability to deliver drugs to exactly where they are needed, for example in targeting cancerous tumours.”

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