Early Onset Male Pattern Baldness May Be Linked To Lower Incidence Of Prostate Cancer

According to researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, men who develop early onset male pattern baldness had a significant reduction in the risk of prostate cancer. The researchers studied 2000 men aged 40 to 47.

“At first, the findings were surprising,” said professor Jonathan Wright of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. “But we found that early onset baldness was associated with a 29 percent to 45 percent reduction in their relative risk of prostate cancer.”

Helen Rippon, head of research management at The Prostate Cancer Charity, added: “If these results are correct, they could be useful in providing us with a greater understanding of how testosterone behaves in the body and how it can affect different tissues.”

Read Full Story:
http://www.thebusinessage.com/2010/03/18/hair-loss-reduces-prostate-cancer-risk-in-men/

FDA Issues Warning: CT Scans Reported To Cause Hair Loss and Other Serious Injuries

The Food & Drug Administration said Tuesday that it will be taking steps to regulate the three most potent forms of medical radiation. With that, it will require that manufacturers of certain CT scanning equipment redesign machines to incorporate safeguards aimed at reducing patients’ exposure to radiation.

The decision comes on the heels of several recent alarming reports of accidental overdoses of radiation from miscalibrated CT scanning machines.

Last October, Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles disclosed that more than 200 patients had accidently received extremely high levels of  radiation during CT scans of their brains.  The FDA later stated that patients were exposed to eight times the amount of radiation typically used during the a CT scan, and that accidental exposure to very high amounts of radiation can cause severe injuries, such as burns, radiation induced hair loss, cataracts, and cancer.

[Read more]

And The Survey Says…Hair Loss Sucks!

According to a national survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of the makers of Rogaine, Americans have a “surprising” lack of understanding concerning the prevalence, incidence, causes, and how to effectively treat hair loss. The survey concludes that more than 75 percent of Americans incorrectly cite stress as a leading cause of hair loss, while more than one-third think wearing a hat and over-styling hair can cause common male and female pattern baldness.

So what if obesity is considered one of America’s biggest killers, leading to heart disease, diabetes and strokes? The stats say it all, “40 percent of married Americans would rather their spouse be overweight than bald!”

While we appreciate the effort on the part of Wakefield Research and Rogaine to shed some light on society’s utter lack of knowledge and empathy when it comes to hair loss, we definitely think their time and resources could have been better spent. Hair loss sufferers make up the largest demographic of all human kind, yet in our opinion, the makers of Rogaine still can’t find a way to effectively educate hair loss consumers about a product that actually works. [Read more]

I’m 16 and I’m Going Bald!

Hair loss at any age can be devastating, but to begin the hair loss process as a teenager is beyond the scope of what most teens will ever be forced to cope with. A larger percentage of boys deal with the early onset of male pattern hair loss than most people realize. An estimated 20% of hair loss sufferers begin the process of balding before than age of twenty one, and many begin before they even graduate from high school. What these young hair loss sufferers need to know is that they are not alone and that there is life after hair loss.

It’s important that teens confide in their parents, and  seek the advise of a physician who specializes in hair loss as soon as they notice any change in their hair. Early intervention is always the key to the effective treatment of hair loss, but immediate emotional support can be even more important during this extremely vulnerable time in a young hair loss sufferers life.

Last week a young man posted his story and plea for help on the BaldtruthTalk.com message forums:

“I am a 16 year old boy, and this is my story. For about a year now, I have been losing my hair.”

“Every single day, I dedicated it to finding a cure. But found nothing.. I discovered Hair Restoration on the internet, and went to a hair restoration company.. The lady at the consultation felt bad for me, so she sent me to see a surgeon.. Once I saw him, all he did was prescribe me Propecia, and tell me that my donor area was outstanding (really good). But I couldn’t fill it because they said I had to be 18.. I bought a very expensive wig to cover it up, but it makes me feel faker than ever when I wear it.. I can’t do the activities I wish to do with it on either, or it will just fall off.. I cry a lot because of it.. I don’t go outside anymore because of it.. And it hurts so much emotionally because of my age.. Some nights, I even cry myself to sleep because of it.” “I wish someone could fix this, and make it go away.”

Listen to Spencer Kobren’s audio response to this young man’s post:

[Read more]

$50 Million Awarded to Avacor Victims

In 1989, the FDA banned the marketing of all over-the-counter hair growth products, except those approved under the agency’s New Drug Application process. To date only minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia) have been approved through this process.

Interestingly enough, the ban hasn’t stopped many in the hair loss industry from blatantly violating FDA regulations until now.

[Read more]

PRP Therapy For Hair Loss

Will PRP therapy for hair loss prove to be another effective tool in our limited hair restoration arsenal? We say “yes,” but Is all PRP created equal? Only time will tell.

Long time listener Destin calls the program to discuss his Platelet Rich Plasma therapy experience with PRP pioneer Dr. Joseph Greco.

DermMatch, Toppik or GLH - There’s No Shame In “Painting Your Bald Spot.”

Long time listener “Steve from Brooklyn”  calls  the guys to discuss the old school message boards, and one of the  least talked about options for covering or camouflaging thinning hair; the use of cosmetic hair loss concealers.

Hair Transplant Infomercials - Selling The Dream

It is no secret that the questionable side of the multi-billion dollar hair loss industry actively preys on our feelings of desperation, vulnerability and fears about losing our hair. They are literally banking on the fact that most hair loss sufferers will do and try just about anything in hopes of effectively treating their hair loss.

Recently a forum member of Baldtruthtalk.com voiced his concerns about surgical hair restoration infomericals in a thread titled, “Infomercials on Hair Transplants.” His post presents some thought provoking questions about society’s perception of hair transplant surgery.

Listen to Spencer Kobren’s audio response here, or click onto the forum to read and comment on the thread.

http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1630

Cutting Edge and Future Hair Loss Treatments - Will Regenerative Medicine Change Everything?

Most scientists agree that the future of healing is regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine is based on a relatively simple concept: When we are injured or when or are stricken with disease, our bodies begin a natural defense or healing process. Scientists are working on methods to harness the body’s power to heal and then accelerate it in clinically significant ways.

What if we could make ourselves heal faster or better? What if we could harness the power from within our own bodies to eradicate cancer, or heart disease? What if we could grow organs from our own cells to replace those that can no longer function? Well, this is already happening and it’s beginning to change lives.

In 2006 Dr. Anthony Atala and his colleagues at Wake Forest University in North Carolina dramatically changed the lives of seven children and young teens who were suffering with spina bifida, a congenital birth defect that stunts brain and spinal cord development. The disease can leave patients with bladders that don’t function normally causing a host of issues including incontinence. [Read more]

Spencer Kobren | How Hair Loss Colors Our lives

No matter to what degree we deal with it, hair loss can effect every aspect of our lives.  Those who are lucky enough to escape hair loss will never fully understand its profound effect on the way we’re perceived by others, and the way in which we view ourselves.

Each week The Bald Truth touches on the subjects that other radio talk shows don’t have the courage to broach. [Read more]

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