News from Australia reaches us that study of a hair loss treatment aimed at women has demonstrated some efficacy.. we look closer.
Female Pattern Hair Loss
Despite the fact that pattern hair loss affects as many women as men the problem receives significantly less attention. It is certainly true that women are far more likely to address the problem, either through creative hair-styling or wigs. In the main, it is not a subject taken on in the media…although 2017 has probably been encouraging in that regard. Women in the public eye have used social media to discuss their own battle with hair loss and their stories were picked up by the national media.
What is sure is that treatment for pattern hair loss is even tougher for women than it is for men, only one of the two FDA approved hair loss treatments is suitable for women. But there might be some hope on the horizon.
Aussie Rules
The Medical Press report that an Australian doctor, Rodney D. Sinclair (pictured), from Melbourne has had some success treating women for pattern baldness. He treated them with a routine of taking 0.25mg of minoxidil and 25mg of spironoclactone. Minoxidil is well known to us as one of the FDA approved hair loss treatments. Spirolactone was a new one however, a quick dip into drugs.com tells us it is a diuretic, something used to treat fluid retention by stopping you absorbing too much sodium and from your potassium levels getting low.
Positive Results
Of the 100 women who took part in the study eight reported side-effects, the majority were mild but two developed urticaria and came off the study.
According to Dr. Sinclair “Most women noticed a reduction in shedding after three months and an increase in hair density at six months.”
HIS Hair Clinic
Because we picked this article up from a medical journal the report on the efficacy of Dr Sinclair’s treatment is a little impenetrable to the untrained eye, which includes ours. See it for yourself here. We are very aware that it only requires a modest improvement in “hairs per inch” for a treatment to be declared a success. Just the same, we applaud the ingenuity of Dr Sinclair – in truth we would love to know what inspired him to mix minoxidil with the diuretic in the first place. We are also delighted to read a report featuring work aimed specifically at helping women through hair loss.
If you would like to discuss your hair loss situation with one of our team of friendly experts simply complete the contact form at the side of this page, or click here to find your nearest clinic.
