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Hair loss is completely normal. An average adult of either sex loses about one hundred hairs a day. In most people these are being constantly replaced and the loss of hair occurs evenly over the whole scalp. When a person’s hair loss goes beyond this level, however, the results can become a major problem, both in terms of physical appearance and psychologically too.

We have just seen some very interesting research in the Archives of Dermatology which suggests that the amount of cigarettes that a man smokes can influence the extent to which he will go bald.  Male pattern baldness is influenced by genetic and hormonal factors but some research by scientists in Taiwan has concluded that there was a definitive link between men who were moderately to severely bald and the number of cigarettes that they smoked.

It is not clear how the cigarettes influence baldness but if there is a link then it is likely that it emphasises an already pre-existing predisposition to go bald.  It has been suggested that smoking destroys hair follicles but surely this would be the case with female smokers as well.  Whilst this research is interesting, further work needs to be done to determine if such a link does indeed exist, how it actually operates.

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that could lead to a new drug that is actually able to reverse baldness.  Experiments have taken place with mice that have demonstrated that hair follicles can be reawakened by deliberately activating a protein call Wnt.  Wnt is essential for the formation of hair follicles but it was previously thought to be operational in embryos only. The critical role of Wnt was confirmed in two further studies which inhibited the production of Wnt and the hair regrowth in the mice was much diminished.

A drug which uses this method of hair regrowth may be at least a decade away as the only way that the scientists were able to activate the Wnt was to create a large surface wound on the back of the mice which would be wholly inappropriate for cosmetic use in humans.

There are currently two hair loss treatments available to purchase, both of which have reasonably high rates of success.  Regaine is a topical solution that is applied twice daily to the scalp but most people find this less convenient that the once a day pill, Propecia, which is available on prescription only.  Both of these treatments are available through The Online Clinic.