Baldness

An informative look at recent Holistic Fitness News

DR KAPLAN'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

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Baldness was back in the news this week. I was watching television on Tuesday night, and there was the brilliant comedian (and qualified doctor), Harry Hill, talking to Frank Skinner about baldness. Now Harry, is in politically correct language, 'follicularly challenged' or in simple English - bald.

Frank asked him how he first realised he was losing his hair and Harry said that he just noticed that it was taking longer and longer to wash his face! He 'complimented' Frank on having natural hair that only 'looked' like a toupee. An enjoyable chat ensued. Then Frank brought out the very latest 'cure' for baldness.

It looks like a cyclist's crash helmet. You put it on your head and immediately look like something out of 'Star Trek'. Apparently it emits small amounts of electricity measured in millivolts which apparently encourages hair growth. I suppose you could wear it while you watch television, but don't hold your breath for it to be proved to be a cure for male pattern alopecia .

This helmet is the latest in many frantic attempts to treat this 'serious malady' affects half of the males of our species by the time we hit 50. And some men get really freaked out by it Which of course creates an industry in 'treating' it. In fact every country and culture on the planet has its own special treatment. Few have been exported.

Let's have a look at some of the scientific methods:

1. Minoxidil (Regaine is the trade name here, Rogaine in the States) was initially a tablet for high blood pressure. Then someone taking it noticed his baldness had improved. So of course they made it into a solution to put on your scalp. It ain't cheap, some say it works and some people using it regularly still turn out looking like Harry Hill, who looks fine as far as I'm concerned. In fact I'm 'heading' that way myself. Even if Minoxidil works for you, you still have to use it every day for ever and ever.

2. Finasteride: This is another drug that fights baldness by Finasteride, a specifically inhibiting steroid Type II 5a-reductase, an intracellular enzyme that converts the androgen testosterone into 5a-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Now that's hard for even me to understand. All you have to know is that it's DHT not testosterone that makes you bald. I'm not keen on drugs that affect my hormones, but who knows?

3. Brisk brushing and scalp massage. The idea is good. Increase the blood flow to the scalp and you increase hair growth. Trouble is that there is no proof that it has any effect whatsoever.

4. Hair Transplants: They have been going for at least 25 years and are now 'much improved' if still very expensive. You have to be prepared to:
i) spend a few thousand pounds
ii) have several treatments
iii) be prepared to have your head look a bit like a ploughed field for quite a long time
iv) be the butt of several jokes, only some of which will be repeated in your company.

And what about homeopathy, regular readers will be asking? Well there are recommended remedies there too. Among them are Lycopodium, Thallium metallicum and Lemna minor. Notice that I've not put them in bold because they simply do not work - in my clinical experience

Homeopathic Tip of the Week

DON'T try to treat baldness with homeopathic remedies, natural remedies or any other 'cure'. Listen to me and I will reveal to you the real cure of the 'problem of baldness'.

You will not find the true cure in any trichology clinic. However it's easy to obtain and totally free! This is what you do. Ask a few women what you should do. Actually you don't even have to do that because someone has already done a survey in which thousands of women were asked what advice they would give men who are going bald.

The vast majority said: 'Don't worry about it!'
And the rest said: 'Shave it or cut it short.'
Not even 1% said: 'Grow long strands of hair on one side and comb it over your bald pate'. (remember the young Neil Kinnock, Arthur Scargill and Sir Leon Britten)
Hardly any women recommended hair transplants. So there is the cure for the problem of baldness! It isn't a problem after all.

How can we be so stupid guys? The girls don't mind baldness. They even think it's sexy and that bald men have high libidos. Something to do with high testosterone levels. That unfortunately isn't true. But we can still get away with the myth! Shhhhhhhhh.

Dr Kaplan's personal website is: www.drkaplan.co.uk and his practice website is www.140harleystreet.co.uk and he can be contacted on (020) 7487 3416