FACT SHEET

Individuality, is a fundamental biological principle which must be observed at all times. The hair, like every other part of our organism (for example our Finger Prints) is different from one individual to another.

Nature has given each of us the biological potential of having a full head of hair until the day we die.

Each follicle, the duct from where the hair is born and grows, has the potential of growing twenty to twenty five hairs. Each hair, although it does vary from person to person, has an average life span of five years and using simple arithmetic we can calculate that in theory there is enough hair life to see us through at least 1 00 years.

Both internal and external factors can affect the life of the hair. either killing it outright or dramatically reducing its life span.

These factors are numerous nervous influences, genetic conditions. nutritional problems, hormonal imbalances, drug intake or illness etc.

So hair loss or Alopecia, can be the result of one or many contributing factors and it is therefore essential to precisely determine the cause before prescribing a course of treatment.

To assess the problem extensive knowledge and experience are obviously indispensable but are not totally conclusive. The Institute of Biosthetics and its members, the Biostheticians possess both experience and knowledge and are also backed by the latest and exclusive microscopic analytic techniques for hair investigation.

At specific times of the year, particularly towards autumn, many people notice unusual hair loss. This is not simply coincidental with the failing of the leaves but is a chronobiological fact about hair.

Hair, unlike our fingernails, does not grow constantly but grows in specific cycles and there are particular times of year where hair growth slows down,

autumn being one.

Therefore hair problems which are not normally evident, become more noticeable during these periods of slow growth.

It is not uncommon for women to experience hair loss after giving birth. The reasons for this can be hormonal or nervous but most likely is a trace-element or vitamin deficiency.

This condition was discovered and has been studied by Biostheticiansfor the past twenty years. Often confused with seborrhea, today it affects up to 70% of people.

Worrying, over work or stress cause the excessive production of lactic acid which is found in perspiration. An excess of lactic acid can destroy the hairs keratin, damaging its structure and interfering with hair growth.

Fine and limp hair, which looks greasy near the scalp but dry on the ends. is without doubt HYPERHYDROSIS.

produced by a gonad, testosterone is the principle hor mone responsible for the stimulation, from puberty, of the hair metabolism and the activity of the sebaceous glands. This hormone has always been accused of inducing hair loss, the most cornmon form being androgenctic alopecia, simply known as male pattern baldness (MPB).

Androgenetic alopecia (MPB) is mainly a human con-iplaint, developing in both men and women, but it also exists among certain primates (orangutangs and chimpanzies). It affects most human races, and is most prevalent in caucasians - the white population. Male pattern baldness develops in males from the late teens and it is not uncommon for subjects to loose several hundred hairs a day. Women with this condition will develop hair loss later in life, around the time of menopause-. Androgenetic alopecia is deemed, in part, to be an inherited condition, there-fore only people with a specific factor are affected.

From the age of 9 - 10 the sex glands (testicles and ()varies) begin to produce testosterone, (a male hormone) which influences the metabolic process of the pilosebaceous complex. testosterone is the more active of the androgen and is produced in both men and women, although women produce only 1/10th of that of men.

Also, from puberty, another gland, the adrenal cortex, also produces an androgen (D.H.A.) which is capable of producing testosterone inside the sebaceous glands - this explains why sebaceous activities increase from puberty.

The hormone testosterone is a metabolise, this is to say a stimlulant for the hair, sebaceous glands and epidermic cellular reproductive process, but it can only become active with the intervention of several specific enzymes -3 Beta Oldeshydrogenase, 17 Alpha Oldeshydrogenase and the l-nost important 5 Alpha Reductase.

5 Alpha Reductase is capableof transfomiing testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, a super charged metabolite 8 to 10 times stronger than testosterone.

In the blood the androgen produced by the adrenal cortex (DHA) circulates freely and enters the target cells i.e. hair and sebaceous cells.

Testosterone does not circulate in a free form and in fact 99% is bound by a plasmatic protein carrier, the TEB.G (Testosterone Estrodial Binding Glolbulin). Only the 1% remaining is available to the target cells.

The ratio between the free (activc-) and bound testosterone can vary in favour of one or the other depending on several factors, i.e. the levels of oestrogen, hormones produced by the thyroid etc.

This is important because some subjects can have a higherlevel of testosterone which obviously influences the life of the hair. But would the higher levels of testosterone alone induce androgenetic alopecia? The answer here is definitely NO, in fact this particular condition, which must be differentiated from androgenetic alopecia is called androgenic alopecia. Subjects affected by androgenic alopecia ( an excess level of testosterone) will have a full and healthy head of hair for most of their life and will only develop alopecia from their late 50's to early 60's.

Subjects affected by androgenetic alopecia will develop hair loss from the early twenties.

The key factors in this case are the combination of a genetic coding and the enzyme 5 Alpha Reductase.

Besides hair transplants, there are preparations which are used topically and have preventative effects towards androgenetic alopecia.

These preparations contain a specific synergy of natural elements which limit the action of the 5 Alpha Reductase by intervening upon its cellular receptor preventing it entering the cells. There are a number products available which prolong the anagen phase of the hair, thus being invaluable help in androgenic and androgenetic conditions because they cause a shortening of the anagen phase of growth.

One last and essential point 1 world like to make when treating androgenetic alopecia is that time is an important factor, the sooner we intervene the better, assuming that we have recognised the condition with absolute certainty. Having a family member, either from the father or mothers side with NTB, and your losing hair as a young person, does not necessanly mean you have androgenetic alopecia, the reasons for hair loss can affect people of all ages.

Trichology is the science which deals with all non-pathological aspects of hair and scalp conditions.

Understanding the biology of hair, its reproductive processes and all the numerous factors which have an influence upon its life and condition is the purpose of trichological science.

Dealing with hair loss or abnormal scalp conditions requires an individualistic approach, so it is essential to find out, with as much precision, all the relevant facts and information.

In the same way that there are no magical pills that can cure all human illnesses, the same applies to hair loss or other forms of alopecia. During the last thirty years, scientific research and biological discoveries have allowed extraordinary steps forward in the understanding and treating of all different hair and scalp problems.

Whether your problem is hereditary, stress related or of any other origin, modern trichology can, prevent, normalise and oftern restore hair loss in certain alopecia and scalp conditions.

In fact, medicine and trichology are often a compliment to each other and many trichologists are directly involved as consultants for the medical profession.