Is this hair loss treatment effective?

Extreme Hair Therapy (EXT) for thinning hair is a 5 "step" hair loss treatment solution created by Hair Club that claims not only to rejuvenate your hair, but "rejuvenate your life".  Making claims to be FDA approved, EXT claims to stimulate hair regrowth in thinning areas by keeping hair in the anagen (hair growth) phase longer.

Balding men and women seeking hair loss solutions should be careful to do their due diligence in researching all products they are considering.   Is this one of the hair loss products that really works to treat baldness?  Can Extreme Hair Therapy really deliver what it promises?

Below we take a look at each of the 5 “steps” and separate treatments and analyze whether or not EXT can remedy alopecia in men and women.

What is the 5 Step Process of Extreme Hair Therapy?

Step One: Moisturizing or Revitalizing Cleanser
This moisturizing shampoo is rich with vitamins and works to cleanse the scalp. Though it claims to revitalize and strengthen thinning hair, the ingredients are not listed on their website. Many hair rejuvenators and thickening agents (commonly referred to as volumizing shampoos) help to make hair appear thicker as they take on hydration and swell. Unfortunately, these thickening agents do nothing to stop the progression of male pattern baldness, even if it temporarily makes the hair shaft appear fatter.

Step Two: Enzyme Scalp Cleanser
Claiming to be a “new breakthrough”, this organic formula removes sebum oils that can sometimes hinder hair growth. Though sebum buildup, excessive dandruff, and scalp dermatitis are sometimes responsible for certain non-genetic types of balding such as diffuse alopecia or telogen effluvium, it does not promote androgenic alopecia (hereditary male or female hair loss).

Step Three: Energizing Conditioner
Adding nutrients such as proteins and wheat amino acids, this conditioner helps to promote a healthy scalp and hair growth. It should be noted that nothing in this step claims to stop hair loss or stimulate hair regrowth.

Step Four: Hair Revitalizing Complex
This dietary supplement containing Vitamins B3, D, and E, Biotin, saw palmetto and nettle root is taken twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. Some of these ingredients can also be found in several other hair loss products such as Provillus, Procerin, and Avacor.

Though some of these ingredients work to treat benign prostatic hyperplasis (BPH) in men by inhibiting DHT (the hormone responsible for female and male pattern baldness), no formal clinical studies have been performed on successful hair loss treatment. It should be noted that tocotrienol molecules in Vitamin E may effectively treat alopecia but its counterpart tocopherol (commonly found in alternative herbal hair loss treatments such as HairMax MD), is not supported.  Additionally, because there are no regulations on herbal medications in the United States, the daily recommended value and dosage in Extreme Hair Therapy is based on something other than FDA regulation.

Step Five: Minoxidil (2% or 5%)
Minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine and Xandrox) is an FDA approved hair regrowth formula and is used by many balding men and women with great success. Because Extreme Hair Therapy includes this, they are legally allowed to claim it to be FDA approved.

Costs:

Unfortunately, this information is not available on the Hair Club website. Upon calling the toll free number for this information, we are told that we must schedule a consultation with a Hair Club specialist. Customer service representatives are apparently not provided with this information.

Side Effects and Warnings:

No EXT side effects are reported on the Hair Club website however, Minoxidil may cause scalp irritation or redness, chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, faintness, swelling of the hands and/or feet, and unwanted facial hair growth.  Be sure to discuss the use of herbal medication with your physician before taking them. Saw Palmetto should be avoided by pregnant women with hair loss.

Conclusions:

The only FDA proven ingredient in Hair Club’s Extreme Hair Therapy hair loss treatment is Minoxidil.  Though Saw Palmettoand nettle root may be effective in treating men with an enlarged prostate by inhibiting DHT, no formal tests have been performed on them.

Truly "Personal Care Luxury?"

Of all the types of concealers available today, one of the longest lasting may be the "spray on," color-matching aerosol topical. Although many brands and differing types of spray on concealers currently exist, ProTHIK is considered by many to be one of the most trusted. What makes this product so popular in the hair loss community? How does ProTHIK work to conceal hair loss? Is ProTHIK truly a "personal care luxury for men" like their website indicates?

ProTHIK: What is it, and how does it Work?

ProTHIK belongs to the popular "aerosol" variety of spray applications. It is applied properly by spraying an appropriate amount of the aerosolized solution onto balding areas of the scalp. Due to its resin technology and variety of natural color choices, spraying ProTHIK onto areas of the balding scalp or thinning hair eliminates unsightly "bald spots" and reportedly leaves the patient with a realistic looking and undetectable appearance. But what does ProTHIK offer that similar hair loss products do not?

The Benefits of ProTHIK

According to the manufacturers, ProTHIK is superior to similar products for a number of important reasons.

First, ProTHIK allegedly possesses superior rub-resistance, a single component formulation (meaning multiple applications during one sitting is not necessary), superior water resistance, and a greater overall durability.

Second, when applied to the scalp, ProTHIK supposedly creates a natural, undetectable appearance (to both visual and physical inspection) that is resistant to excessive amounts of sweat. What’s more, ProTHIK is proposed to last overnight or between showers, and washes off easily with basic shampoo.

Third, ProTHIK is designed to provide adequate coverage in a variety of hair loss scenarios. For example, ProTHIK is reportedly able to conceal scalp regions with only 10 to 15% remaining hair and "bald patches" as large as 3-4 centimeters in diameter.

ProTHIK Product Reviews

Like other aerosol products, ProTHIK is only recommended for areas of hair loss 1.5 - 1 inches posterior to the frontal hairline however, it's considered especially effective in the vertex (crown) region.  Despite the more specific application, ProTHIK remains popular with many consumers because of its overall effective nature, natural appearance, and lasting durability.  On the flip side, some ProTHIK users have expressed concerns about messy application and clogging.

Unlike similar products, ProTHIK reports that it requires fewer applications and its resin technology does not create a shiny, thickened, or "sticky" appearance when applied to areas of balding scalp.

Additionally, manufacturers of ProTHIK report that it remains effective in hair thinned up to 85 – 90% of its original density and bald patches as large as 3-4 centimetres in diameter. For these, and many other reasons, ProTHIK remains a popular, trusted choice for individuals seeking a quality aerosol concealer.

What Real Hair Loss Sufferers are Saying About ProTHIK

To learn what hair loss suffering men and women who've used ProTHIK are saying, visit our popular hair loss forum and social community.

As patients, we know that the physician you choose is the most critical decision in restoring your hair is the physician you choose. Hair restoration physicians' skills, experience, and talent vary widely, as do the end results, vary widely.

You must research and choose your physician wisely. After all, who you choose will determine how natural and complete, your new hair will be for the rest of your life. The surgeons selected and approved by our community have been scouted and vetted by the forum's highly esteemed senior valued contributors of the Hair Restoration Network. Our valued contributors have all spent years researching hair transplantation, and they have all had hair transplants. To ensure there is no conflict of interest, none of our valued contributors receive any compensation. They are volunteers who have shared their experiences and contributed for years to our community. Each surgeon has been approved based on their ethics, surgical techniques, results, and reviews. To support the costs of operating and promoting our community, the approved physician contributes a monthly fee to sponsor our community.

Their recommendation is continued as long as they continue to show evidence of excellent patient results and satisfaction. If a patient expresses concerns, physicians are expected to resolve their concerns. We ask that patients first contact a physician with any concerns so that they can resolve them before publicly posting.

Note - The hair restoration physicians recommended on this site are not a definitive list of all excellent hair transplant doctors. Nor do we warrant or guarantee the results of any of the physicians presented on this site. As always, we encourage you to do your due diligence in evaluating these and all hair loss physicians.

We offer the following suggestions for researching a hair restoration physician:

• Does the physician take a holistic approach to hair restoration? Your physician should help you evaluate all your options, surgical and non-surgical.
• Have they invested time and resources in large micro follicular unit hair transplantation sessions? Outstanding work requires a staff dedicated to and trained to use high-powered magnification to produce more than 2,000 carefully trimmed grafts per surgical session.
• Choose a hair restoration clinic that is patient-focused rather than commercially focused. Some clinics emphasize revenue, speed, and volume rather than dedicating the time and individual care needed to produce optimal results. These commercial operations typically rely on heavy advertising rather than satisfied patient or doctor referrals.
• Is hair restoration the primary focus of their practice? Outstanding results require a physician and staff to perform hair restoration surgery regularly. Doing hair restoration as a sideline and other cosmetic procedures may hinder their ability to do large sessions of highly refined follicular unit transplantation.
• How many patients has this physician produced excellent results for? Like any skill, experience over time is critical to acquiring the skill and judgment required to produce excellent results.
• Can the physician provide detailed patient before and after photographs? Do they also have patients who are willing to speak with you and meet with you in person?

What do their hair transplant patients think?

Ultimately, the most critical measure of a hair transplant surgeon's work is their patient's level of satisfaction. Find out what patients think of their physician's work by visiting our discussion forum or viewing hair loss blogs created by patients. View our standards for recommending hair transplant surgeons.

Find an excellent hair restoration physician in your area.

Send a Virtual Consult

This online feature enables you to fill out a hair loss questionnaire and email it to any of the quality hair loss doctors recommended on this site. You can even attach your photos. They will then respond to your questions and concerns.

Click here, to send a Virtual Consult.

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We are always interested in learning about outstanding hair restoration physicians. Click below to suggest an outstanding physician for recommendation on this site.
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Excessive DHT in the hair follicle causes specific immune responses. These responses cause the cells to release a substance known as Superoxide. This substance combats against any viruses, cells, or foreign tissues. SOD's claim to fight hair loss by reducing the presence of Superoxide.

As a result, the body is less prone to reject any offending hair follicles, which helps to ward off hair loss. SOD's actually treat hair loss in more than one way. Besides reducing Superoxide, they also stimulate growth and they have anti-inflammatory properties. SOD’s are topical, as well. They include Tricomin, Proxiphen, Proxiphen-N and Folligen.

Click to learn more about Anti Inflammatories