Hair Foundation Blog

Beginning this month, the Hair Foundation will be sending out monthly online newsletters. For this post, we’ve included some timely stories as we slowly approach the end of summer. If you are interested in receiving our online newsletter or have story ideas, please contact us at info@hairfoundation.org.

Sun Care for Your Scalp 

While we all put sunscreen on our bodies to protect it from the sun, it’s also important to put it on your scalp. For those with thinning hair or balding heads, you’re more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer in these overexposed areas than on your body, so protect your head accordingly.

You don’t want to deal with a dry, peeling head after the sun damage is done.

“Remember to always apply sunscreen with at least an SPF15 to the scalp that is exposed to the sun, usually at either the part or the scalp area that is most exposed,” says Paul T. Rose, MD, JD, and Hair Foundation Board Member. “After swimming or sweating, it’s important to reapply frequently as sunscreen easily comes off and leaves the scalp unprotected.”

Here are a few tips:

• Buy new sunscreen every year. It’s tempting to just finish that half-full bottle in your cabinet at the start of another summer, but most sunscreens lose sun protection over time and the product will not protect as needed.
• Look for some of the new dry shampoo, styling and color coverage products that also offer UV protection
• Purchase sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Sunscreens with oxybenzone are toxic and when it soaks into your skin, it is also a contributor to skin cancer
• Always use a product with a SPF. This summer there’s been a trend toward higher SPFs which are now readily available; try to buy the highest coverage possible. SPF 30, will provide protection for most of the day but if you get sunburnt in 10 minutes, SPF 30 will protect you for 300 minutes and with an SPF as low as 15, you’ll be protected from the sun for only 150 minutes
• Just by walking, sitting in a car or a near a window, you are subject to harmful UV rays known as secondary UV exposure
• If you are concerned about your hair looking greasy, try either a light spray sunscreen or a stick version on the exposed skin. Then, use a clarifying shampoo at the end of the day to remove any remaining build-up
• If you get sunburn on your scalp, take an anti-inflammatory like Advil or Aleve and avoid powder-based hair products. Also, try not to wash your hair over the next few days to avoid further dryness and irritation
• Remember, the sun is strongest during the midday between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. so it’s recommended you reduce your exposure during these hours
• Always wear a hat if possible. It will cover your scalp and protect your face and neck

Summer Hair: Dealing with Heat and Frizz

Combating this summer’s heat wave is hard enough but dealing with the effects on hair is sometimes an even greater challenge. Wearing hair in a ponytail or a hair clip are often the go-to remedies but there’s more you can do for this summer time effect. 

Why do when summer hair frizzies happen? This occurs when dry hair sucks up moisture from the humidity and your shafts swell and kink up all over. Many people will have “bigger” hair from humidity. By hydrating your hair, it can help your hair from acting as a sponge in humid weather.

“Ways to combat summer heat and frizz will depend on your hair texture,” said Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, Secretary of the Hair Foundation Board of Trustees. “However, there are a lot of simple at-home things you can do and lots of great products on the market that will help.”

Fine and straight hair? This type tends to go flat so style it by lifting sections and then misting your hair with a dry shampoo or a mist shine spray. Before leaving the house spritz on some heat-protective spray to prevent further damage.

Curly hair? It’s the battle of the frizzies and to combat them, try using mousse through wet hair, then air-dry your hair. For dry hair, put on some anti-frizzing styling cream and glide it over your hair to smooth frizzies. Think about washing your hair at night. Apply a styling product on your hair, and then tie it in a knot or loose ponytail.

Coarse or textured hair? The sun can dry your hair, making it dull. To add some life back in your hair, rub a serum over it to get some for shine. Also use a deep conditioner on your hair.

And for all hair types, use a deep condition on your hair every time you wash it and leave it on for five minutes while showering.

Pool Hair? One last summertime effect on your hair that many people think is a myth: chlorine can turn your hair green. It has this effect on blonde hair.

Why does hair turn green? Dr. Matt Leavitt explained, “Oxidized metals in the water binds to the proteins in your hair shaft. They deposit their colors and blonde hair turns a green tint. Regardless of hair type and color, chlorine in swimming pools not only dries out your hair, it can leave hair brittle, especially on colored or highlighted hair.”

To protect your hair from chlorine, wear a swim cap, rinse in non-chlorinated water before and after swimming and use a mild clarifying shampoo and proper conditioner.

Finasteride Task Force

In April, the ISHRS convened the Task Force on Finasteride (Proscar) Adverse Event Controversies to evaluate published data and to inform and update ISHRS members regarding “men with androgenetic alopecia who have claimed to have experienced persistent sexual side effects following the use and subsequent discontinuation of Finasteride.”

At the time, the ISHRS Web site noted that the task force was in the process of gathering information and forming an interdisciplinary panel to discuss the issues. It will keep ISHRS members informed regarding post-marketing adverse events.

Here’s a link to the statement.

According to the May/June Forum newsletter, Hair Foundation Board members, Drs. Ken Washenik, and Dow Stough, have been included on the task force and they have joined a group that is currently evaluating this complex topic.

The newsletter story further notes the task force will consult urology and sexual function experts to evaluate the connection between Finasteride and persistent sexual dysfunc­tion. They will determine if hair restoration specialists need to make changes when counseling and treating patients should a link between the two be found.  

We will continue to update you on this topic.

As we celebrate National Hair Loss Awareness month, there are many reasons for hair loss and its ensuing effect on people. In a 2006 Consumer Survey by the Hair Foundation’s partner, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), here’s a sample of responses to the following hair loss questions:

What is hair loss caused by?

•  Adults (82 percent) correctly identified heredity as a cause of hair loss.
• Nearly six in 10 adults believe stress (58 percent) and medical causes (58 percent) can trigger hair loss.

On Aug. 1, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) released its 2011 ISHRS Practice Census results. The objective of the census is “to gather reliable statistics with regard to the volume of hair restoration procedures performed, patient demographics, surgical techniques, treatments used, and other practice dynamics,” according to ISHRS.

The ISHRS is one of the Hair Foundation’s Allied Organizations Council (AOC) members.

From the survey of 176 responses from ISHRS member doctors, results disclosed that the demand for procedures to correct hair loss proved to be stronger than ever, with the market size for hair restoration surgery increasing 47.9 percent from 2008 to 2010. In addition, the worldwide number of surgical hair restoration procedures performed in 2010 was approximately 279,381, an 11 percent increase from 2008.

The ISHRS further explained that since it began compiling membership data in 2004, the number of procedures performed around the world increased 66 percent with the largest growth seen in the Middle East (454 percent increase) and Asia (345 percent increase).

In a press release distributed by ISHRS, president Jerry Cooley said the following:

“People with hair loss often report that it puts them at a disadvantage in their personal and professional lives,” said Jerry E. Cooley, MD, president of the ISHRS. “Patients appreciate the natural-looking, permanent results of hair restoration surgery, which is why we are seeing a growing trend of more men, and women, around the world turning to hair restoration surgery to look younger and feel more self-confident.”

Additional findings included:

• In 2010, ISHRS members treated more men than women, an average of 85.9 percent of procedures performed on men, versus 14.1 percent performed on women.
• Over half of both male (56.7%) and female patients (54.3%) fell between the ages of 30 to 49 years old. On average, males tended to be slightly younger than females.
• The majority of hair restoration surgical procedures were performed using the hair transplant strip/linear harvesting technique (77.5%) and less than half (49.1%) used trichophytic closure in addition to hair transplant with strip/linear harvesting.
• In 2010, 92.8 percent of hair transplant procedures targeted the scalp area and 7.2 percent of procedures targeted non-scalp areas of the body including eyebrow (4.4%), face/moustache/beard (1.5%) and eyelash (0.6%) areas. The most common “other” target recipient areas (0.5% or less) mentioned were sideburns and/or scar areas.

To read about more findings, please review the census.

With Father’s Day just two weeks ago, it’s time to start thinking about a gift for Dad. In this post from Bosley’s Battle Against Bald (Hair Foundation’s Vice Chair Ken Washenik is Bosley’s Medical Director), they present some interesting ideas for the dad with hair challenges and a sense of humor.

Famous bald father, David Beckham - photo by menwomenhairstyles.com

• 4HeadWear Hats– These hats are specially designed with the needs of balding men in mind, such as advanced moisture wicking and UV protection.
• Give your dad a full head of spikey hair, anytime he wants it with Flair Hair visors.
• It’s not only Father’s Day, it’s BBQ Season. If your dad likes grilling up tasty food for the family, the “A Few Great Heads” BBQ apron is a must-have.
• Help your dad bring awareness to the plight of the balding man with this “Struggling Hair Farmer” t-shirt.
• Mix a little attitude in with that caffeine. Get your dad a “With a Body Like Mine Who Needs Hair?” Coffee Mug.

This spring, the Hair Foundation’s doctors served as experts and helped film a nine-part video series for public use. They cover a variety of hair

Photo by hopefulfarm.com

topics and viewers will find many of their common questions answered.

Drs. Matt Leavitt, Dow Stough,E. Antonio Mangubat and Ken Washenik discussed the following video topics:

• Types of Hair Loss
• Understanding and Living with Hair Loss
• Men and Hair Loss
• Women and Hair Loss
• Children and Hair Loss
• Hair Loss and Self-Esteem
• Combating Hair Loss: Diagnosis and Medical Treatments
• Hair Care and Maintenance before Hair Loss Occurs
• Hair Disease and Treatments

These free videos run between two to four minutes in length and they include patients, real world examples and visuals.

Look for their availability soon on the HF website, YouTube and partners’ websites.

LATISSE®, Allergan’s prescription product originally manufactured for glaucoma treatment, has the well-known side effect of making eyelashes longer and fuller, may now have additional benefits.

Dermatologists have been prescribing it for eyebrow and hair loss when conventional methods have failed.

The article describes how a 27-year-old woman, Dana Gaiser, used Latisse on her thin eyebrows before her wedding and was very pleased with the results after six weeks.

Is this the beginning of seeing LATISSE utilized for more than eyelash treatments?

In February, Allergan began a month-long trial on a hair growth treatment for men with moderate male-pattern baldness and women with hair loss. Members from the Hair Foundation’s board were independently involved in the study.

And now, according an Allergan spokesperson, the company will begin “testing the safety and effectiveness of Latisse for hair loss on the scalp and the brow in June.

Here’s a link to the ABC story.

On Thursday, medical devices company Restoration Robotics announced that they received FDA approval for their new hair loss treatment using the ARTAS™ System. This system’s  technology harvests hair follicles from the scalp in men diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) with black or brown straight hair.

According to the company’s press release, the ARTAS™ System

is a physician-controlled, state-of-the-art, interactive, computer-assisted system that enables harvesting of hair follicles during hair restoration procedures. It combines several features including an image-guided robotic arm, special imaging technologies, small dermal punches, and a computer interface. The ARTAS™ System is capable of identifying and harvesting individual follicular units to implement the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique.

 The release further explains that this hair restoration procedure is an office-based procedure

and the implanted hairs develop their own blood supply, begin to grow and new hairs are seen a few months after the procedure. New hair continues to grow over the course of a full year, making the change in the patient’s appearance gradually noticeable to others.

Several leading hair restoration physicians worked with Restoration Robotics to develop the ARTAS™ System and the Hair Foundation’s trustee Dr. Paul T. Rose is a medical advisor to the company.

To learn more about this, here’s a link to the press release.