The conclusion of this study reported in Scientific America, states

The results of this study suggest that male pattern baldness is not a surrogate measure of an important risk factor” for heart attacks or for atherosclerosis without symptoms

So now that we know that just because we are bald, does not mean that a heart attack is in our future – what other things can we worry about?

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Baldness and Heart Attacks are NOT Linked

Follica Inc,  a company based in Boston, plans to use the money to start a proof of concept study.  With this new funding,  they are planning to generate new hair follicles.

An interesting note on this is that the co-founder on Follica Inc is Dr Rox Anderson, who is credited with advancing the science in laser hair removal.

Just a little ironic, don’t you think?

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Follica Gets $5.5 Million in Funding

Here is what he has to say about baldness:

The causes of baldness are wrong living, improper foods, too many meals, intoxicating drinks, tobacco, strong tea and coffee, late hours, bad air, vicious sensual habits, or anything that lowers the tone of the system. Rectified spirit of petroleum is said to be one of the best remedies for baldness. It should be scented with oil of bergamot, and rubbed in every third night; at the same time bad habits must be corrected, and as little head-covering as possible should be worn.

Modern thinking has come along way, in just over 100 years – wouldn’t you agree?

If you care to read the rest of the article, and learn how to live healthy in the Victorian Age, go here.

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Cure Baldness The Victorian Way

Here are 9 remedies that were published in the American Chronicle (written by Peter Rodrick).  Hope they work for you.

•  Spread castor oil on the scalp and roots (but not on the hair itself), cover with newspaper, tie with a cloth and leave overnight.  Wash in the morning.  Continue this  every 7 – 10 days.  You should notice an improvement after 6 or 7 treatments. – Does anyone else think this would be most uncomfortable, not to mention messy.  I would rather not have newsprint on my head, not to mention my sheets and pillowcases.
• Blanch scented geranium leaves in boiling water, strain, cool, and wash your hair with the concoction. – Actually this one sounds quite nice.  I think I might try this one.
• Boil rosemary leaves in water, strain and keep in a glass bottle, and use it to wash your hair daily.  You can also keep it in a sprayer, and spray your hair instead.  – OK some of these aren’t so bad.  This one also sounds nice.  Actually I already use a shampoo that has rosemary in it (and mint) and it gets rid of bad headaches.
• Henna can heal the hair shaft by fixing and sealing the cuticle, protecting hair against breakage. – I used to use henna, to get my hair really shiny.  It really works for that, I had no idea about the healing properties of henna.  Now that I think about it, it just makes sense.  Shiny Hair = Happy and Healthy Hair.
• Onions- some herbalists believe that massaging your scalp with half and onion before washing your hair supports hair growth.  Its the sulfur that makes it work. – I like having nice smelling hair (even if I don’t have a lot of it).  I don’t think I could do this onion trick.
• Red Pepper – this acts as an irritant to the scalp, and draws blood and nutrients to the scalp. – This is actually a really popular treatment.  My hairdresser, has mentioned the red pepper poultices to me several times before.  I am just too chicken to try them.
• A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice will help with hair regrowth. – Be advised though, that you need to use 1/2 a litre everyday – and that is a lot of juicing!
• The juice of alfalfa, with equal amounts of carrot and lettuce juice will also help with restoration.  Like the above point, this is a lot of juicing – and wouldn’t it be just as good to eat those veggies?
• Pygeum is an herbal remedy which is made from evergreen bark.  It has the same kind of properties as green tea, it comes in pill form, and the recommended dosage is between 60-500mg daily.  Not only can it help with male baldness – but it is rumored to fix prostate problems.  – Perhaps green tea can do the same thing.  It’s at least tasty.

**Picture souce – www.stressdynamics.com
 

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A Last Ditch Effort – 9 Remedies?

Is your hair starting to thin? Perhaps a visit to your dentist, is in order. Researchers in Granada, are now saying that localized alopecia is closely connected to the infections of the teeth.

As reported by the WSCOTV Eyewitness News,

We have found that bald patches caused by tooth infection are not always in the same place. They normally appear on a line projected from the dental infection and can thus can be located on the face at the level of the maxillary teeth, above a line through the lip-angle to the scalp, beard, or even to the eyebrow. Nevertheless, they can also be located far from infection outbreak.

I find this to be a really interesting development. Right after I first was having problems with hair loss (which I attribute to recurring bouts of mono), I had to have a cyst/tumor removed from under the root of a lower molar, and because of it – I also lost the tooth. Are they linked? In my case, probably not. It was really the first time I have ever had any kind of dental problem. In this instance it was a freak thing that happened close to the time of the hair loss.

But I will always be wondering now. And I am going to start paying attention to the warning signs.

Want to know more, go here.

Picture Source – flickr

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Bad Teeth Linked to Baldness

 I would rather be bald than have to maintain (not to mention carry around) all of this hair.  The women in this picture, are the famed Sutherland Sisters.  The “Seven Wonder Sisters” climbed to great-ish amounts of fame in the late 1800’s when they were singers with the Barnum and Bailey circus.

I really hope their stylist was paid a fortune. If you want to know more about these sisters (including stats about their hair) go here via neatorama (and picture source).

By the way, these women were involved in the making and selling  (perhaps only selling) of a hair tonic.

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I Would Rather Be Bald Than….

Is Rogaine or Propecia not doing what you expect it to? What about hair plugs – are they looking a little unnatural? You may want to consider an actual scalp transplant. That’s right, you read that correctly. I said scalp transplant.

Thanks to successful surgeries such as a face transplant, and immunosuppressant drugs – a scalp transplant may be available in the not too distant future. I believe its being developed for burn victims and similar injuries, however anything can be yours, if enough money is involved.

The Business Shrink raises a really interesting question to this scenario,

What lengths of hair are people willing to go to have a full head of hair again. Does the thought of having a corpses well groomed head of hair give anyone the creeps? The hair that would grow from your hair at any moment would have been groomed, cut and even colored by another person for 20, 30 or even more years. The compliment, “I love your new hair style” would come to mean greater and more bizarre things.

What do you think? If you were guaranteed a great head of hair – that once belonged to someone else, and was attached to your own head in this manner. Would you consider this type of surgery?

I would really like to know what you would do.

**Image Source eatourbrains

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Are You Unsatisfied With Your Current Treatment for Hair Loss?

Last week on Oprah, a very special episode was aired. For the first time in 22 years, the audience was completely comprised of men. I know…unheard of, right. The reason for this was, Dr Mehmet Oz hosted the show entitled 300 Men Ask Dr Oz. One of the subjects discussed on this show was baldness.

According to Dr Oz (from The Oprah Winfrey Show),

Hair loss happens when two hydrogen molecules DHT (dihydrotestosterone) attach to testosterone. This poisons the hair follicles and causes them to change from making normal hair to peach fuzz like material, which is what going bald is all about.

Here is a brief rundown of what was talked else was talked about on the subject.

• MYTH – the baldness gene does not come from only your mother. You have two parents, the gene can come from either side.
• MYTH – if you cut your hair short, it won`t grow back any faster. Hair only grows about half an inch per month.
• Losing hair can be directed by the weather. Springtime, which is when your testosterone levels are at your lowest point, is when you will lose the least amount of hair.
• Home remedies such as baking soda or lemon (or the ashes of chicken dung and lye) do NOT work.
• The only solutions to hair loss are medications that block DHT production – and they will not help you grow new hair – but will only prevent the hair that you do have to stop falling out.

Image Source – Rolfing – Structural Integration

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Baldness and its Myths Are Discussed on Oprah

This is a really interesting interview with Dermatologist Morris Westfried MD, discussing treatments for children with Alopecia. It’s really great news that there are workable treatments available in this country. Although, I am not so sure that if I was a kid with Alopecia, that I would be able to sit still long enough for all of those steroid injections.

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Alopecia in Children

Summer means sun and sun means sunburn… if you’re not careful. Every Bald Man should know that sunscreen is an essential part of the survival kit. Yeah, sure, there’s skin cancer and premature skin aging risks to be sure, but you don’t have to think long-range to get motivated. Just remember how much a sunburn hurts; that should do it for most of us.

But be careful when you select your sunscreen. The Environmental Working Group, a consumer and environmental watchdog in DC, released a report claiming more than 80% of sunscreens don’t live up to their claims. “Only 16% of the products on the market are both safe and effective, blocking both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards.” Among the concerns:

• Unstable ingredients that breakdown rapidly in sunlight, thus reducing their effectiveness
• Unsubstantiated product claims, such as “waterproof,” “all-day protection,” or “blocks all harmful rays”
• Untested and potentially unsafe chemical formulations that may be harmful if absorbed through the skin
• Products that do not protect against both UVA and UVB rays, both of which are associated with sunburn, accelerated skin aging and skin cancer

So, here are some tips gleened from the above MedPage article, an NPR report I heard yesterday on All Things Considered, and my own experience:

• Shop wisely – Look for either “zinc oxide” or “titanium dioxide.” These ingredients are proven safe and effective.
• Apply liberally – The recommendation is one ounce of sunscreen for your entire body. That’s probably enough to overflow your hand.
• Reapply often – You should reapply at least every two hours, more often if you are in the water or sweating a lot. Even the best sunscreens breakdown in sunlight and wash off.
• Buy ingredients not a brand – Zinc oxide is zinc oxide whether it’s in a cheap store brand or a designer label.
• Don’t forget the kids! – Tender skin needs extra protection, so don’t skimp on the SPF.

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Choose Your Sunscreen Wisely: Tips for Summer