• Revivogen Scalp Therapy, Shampoo and Conditioner for Hair Loss

    Revivogen Kit

    Revivogen hair loss treatment is a "3 in 1" all inclusive product that comes with scalp therapy, one eyedropper, one shampoo and one conditioner.

    This topical scalp therapy treatment, equally effective for both men and women, claims to be very successful at inhibiting the 5-alpha reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone). The makers of Revivogen claim that it is even more effective than Propecia in reducing DHT in the scalp without the unwanted side effects. It's also potentially the most potent topical antiandrogen on the market. Antiandrogen hair loss treatments like Revivogen inhibit the production of the male hormone DHT. The makers of Revivogen claim that it is even more effective than Propecia in reducing DHT in the scalp without the unwanted side effects.  This product however, has not been approved for hair loss by the FDA.

    Revivogen all natural medicated shampoo is one of the few shampoos that includes ingredients scientifically supported to help inhibit the production of DHT and its binding to hair follicles. A 12oz bottle should last just under 2 months.

    Revivogen shampoo has ingredients that complement the Scalp Therapy solution, increases scalp circulation, opens pores, and produces a cooling and refreshing menthol feeling on the scalp.

    Revivogen Thickening Conditioner revives limp and thinning hair in men and women by moisturizing and strengthening the hair shaft. Natural proteins add natural volume, shine and create the appearance of thicker and fuller hair. For best use, we recommend using this conditioner with Revivogen Shampoo. Or, get the discounted Revivogen Shampoo and Conditioner combination instead to save money.

    We strongly recommend using Nizoral shampoo every 2 or 3 days in conjunction with these treatments. Its active ingredient ketoconazolehas proven to be a moderate DHT inhibitor and has growth properties approximately as effective as Rogaine 2%.

    How It Works:

    Revivogen contains scientifically backed ingredients including Azelaic Acid, Vitamin B6, Zinc, Saw Palmetto, GLA and ALA which are fatty acids proven to inhibit the production of DHT. Reducing the amount of DHT in the body and scalp reduces the risk of vulnerable hair follicles dying and falling out.

    For proper treatment, Revivogen should be applied at least once a day to the scalp's affected areas as well as the surrounding areas.  Once you've used the medication, you should not wash your hair for at least three hours.  This allows the active ingredients to be absorbed into your scalp  The effects of Revivogen may take some time to work.  Most users claim to experience their desired results after about 6 months of use.

    Revivogen contains no reported side effects.

    Developing Realistic Expectations:

    Men and women sometimes suffer from hair loss for different reasons. Thus, diagnosing its cause is necessary to facilitate and promote proper treatment. Revivogen is not clinically proven or approved by the FDA.

    Revivogen and other antiandrogens (such as Propecia, Crinagen, Nizoral, Revita, etc.) may provide marginal benefit to men and women trying to maintain existing hair due to androgenic alopecia. Propecia by far is the most effective and only proven antiandrogen. For the best chance at regrowing hair non-surgically, adding a hair growth stimulant such as Rogaineor Tricomin is crucial.

    Don't expect immediate results. It's recommended to use Revivogen for at least 6 to 12 months before determining its effectiveness. Documenting your progress with bi-monthly photos can help you determine whether or not Revivogen has been successful in helping you maintain existing hair.

    To date, only surgical hair restoration is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas. You are invited to have a free virtual consultation with one of our prescreened hair restoration physicians.

  • Procerin for Hair Loss: Product Review

    Procerin

    Procerin is one of the top selling “all natural” hair loss products on the market today and is often an attractive alternative to drugs like Propecia (finasteride)and Rogaine (minoxidil). Procerin comes in both a tablet and topical form that can be ordered together or separately depending on your hair restoration goals.

    Men and women suffering from androgenic alopecia (genetic female hair loss / male pattern baldness) have elevated levels of the hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in their body.   Procerin’s claim to fame is that it naturally blocks this DHT without reacting with testosterone like the drugs Propeciaand Avodart (dutasteride).  This allegedly allows Procerin to stop hair loss and stimulate hair regrowth without unwanted sexual side effects.   Procerin is so convinced their product works, that they offer a 90 day money back guarantee if you don’t receive your desired hair growth results.  But how many balding men and women have successfully restored their hair with Procerin?

    In order to fully evaluate the efficacy of this product, we must further explore each ingredient to determine whether or not this hair loss treatment delivers what it promises.  Below you will find a list of ingredients and information that will help you determine whether or not Procerin is right for you.

    Oral Ingredients:

    The Procerin tablet includes a number of alleged “all natural” DHT blockers including saw palmetto for hair loss, zinc sulfate, pyroxidine, magnesium, and a proprietary blend of gotu kola, nettles, pumpkin seed, eleuthero root, muira puma root, and uva ursi.  Many, but not all of these ingredients are also found in the highly popular hair loss treatment Provillus.

    Oral saw palmettoand nettle root extracthave been used as “all natural” alternatives to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or enlarged prostates.  Theories have thus been produced that they might also effectively treat baldness and alopecia.

    Some studies suggest that Zinc when combined with Vitamin B6 may be able to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT in the skin.

    Pumpkin seed oils contain the ingredient delta-7-sterine that has been said to protect the prostate by competing with DHT.  Therefore, it’s suggested that this ingredient might help reduce the risk of genetic hair loss.

    Eleuthero, uva-ursi, muria puma, and horsetail are said to promote healthy hair growth, hair expansion, and a clean scalp.  However, promoting healthy hair growth is not the same as stimulating new hair growth, hair regrowth, nor does it indicate they’re effective hair loss treatments.

    Topical Ingredients

    The Procerin topical solution contains saw palmetto extract, gamma linolenic acid, grape seed extract, azelaic acid, avocado oil, and nettle extract.

    Azelaic acid when applied topically has been conjectured to inhibit DHT.  Some anecdotal evidence suggests oral saw palmettomay inhibit DHT however; no such evidence exists for topical use.  Though nettles are typically consumed orally, some speculate nettle root extract may help fight alopecia areata when applied topically.

    Possible Side Effects

    One false assumption is that “all natural” hair loss products don’t have potential side effects.  Procerin reports directly on their website that reported side effects include mild stomach discomfort and from the topical formula, skin irritation.  Additionally, be sure to research each ingredient carefully as some side effects are possible in larger quantities.

    Dosage

    Currently there are no standards on dosages of herbal medications in the United States.  In addition, no formal clinical studies have been performed on them for treating baldness.  Therefore, the suggested daily value listed on the ingredient package is based on something other than government regulation and scientific study.

    Costs

    The discounted cost of the combined formula for a 1 month supply of Procerin is about $50 and is discounted when you buy in bulk.  It is also cheaper when you buy in bulk.

    Conclusions and Our Opinion

    Though we can appreciate the aspiration for balding men and women to use herbal products as an “all-natural” replacement for Propecia to treat androgenic alopecia, we’ve seen no third party clinical studies that support the ingredients in Procerin can successfully stop hair loss or stimulate hair regrowth.  Due to the lack of compelling evidence in these other conjectured hair loss solutions, it may be more beneficial and cost effective to spend your money on Propecia (finasteride) for men only and Rogaine (minoxidil) that has helped balding men and women worldwide for years.  For men who have experienced sexual side effects with Propecia, Procerin may at the very least, be worth trying as an adjunct treatment to Rogaine.

  • A Hair Transplant - How to do it right.

    A Hair Transplant - How to do it right.

    Today it is a very refined outpatient procedure that can produce full and natural looking results, even after only one hair transplant session.

    When performed correctly not even a hair stylist will detect that a person has had a hair transplant.

    However, to achieve such natural results it is critical that the hair transplant procedure be "performed correctly". To do so requires a hair restoration clinic that can perform a follicular unit hair transplant at the highest levels of skill, experience, and dedication.

    What it takes to create natural results.

    A great hair transplant is the result of using a state of the art surgical procedure and performing it with great skill and artistry. Today the acknowledged "gold standard" in hair transplant surgery is called "Ultra Refined Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation".

    This relatively new hair transplant procedure enables a patient to achieve extremely natural results because it recreates and mimics the way a person's hair grows naturally, hair for hair.

    Recreating Nature Hair for Hair

    To understand this procedure you must first understand how hair grows naturally.

    If you look closely at naturally growing hair using magnification you will see that hair actually grows in groupings of one, two, three, and four hairs.

    These naturally occurring hair groupings grow in irregular patterns on the scalp similar to trees growing in the forest. These groupings are technically referred to as "follicular units".

    By relocating these carefully prepared and isolated follicular units, physicians doing "follicular unit hair transplantation" recreate a natural pattern of hair in the balding areas.

    Follicular Unit Hair Transplant tough on the clinic but easy on the patient.

    To do this properly is a very time consuming process. It requires a team of skilled and meticulous medical technicians working closely with the lead physician.

    All our physician members perform this hair transplant procedure with excellent results. They are granted membership in the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians strictly based on their proven high level of experience, ethics, and skill in successfully performing this patient friendly procedure.

    While the follicular unit procedure is more demanding upon the medical staff, it produces dramatic and life long advantages for the patient such as undetectable naturalness, rapid healing, and optimal use of their limited donor hair.

    The Standard Hair Transplant, easy on the clinic but not on the patient.

    Only a minority of hair transplant surgeons are committed to doing the follicular unit procedure properly. Many physicians continue to dissect grafts without regard to the integrity of the follicular units. Follicular units are often transected and damaged as donor tissue is cut to conform to the size of the recipient holes rather than to maintain the integrity of the follicular units.

    Such common standard hair transplant procedures are quicker and simpler to perform than follicular unit hair transplantation from the hair transplant surgeon's perspective. The standard hair transplant procedure is also often more profitable for the clinic since it requires less staff time, training, resources, and skill. However, the results are generally suboptimal for the patient.

    Respecting the Follicular Unit

    Respecting the Follicular Unit

    Each follicular unit is surrounded by small glands, blood vessels, nerves, and a connective tissue sac making it a tiny self contained unit.

    If these follicular units are damaged during removal or dissection, the hair may grow poorly.

    Therefore it is important to cut only in the loose tissue between the follicular units to keep each follicular unit intact and avoid damaging it.

  • Dr. Felipe Pittella

    Dr. Felipe Pittella
    Dr. Felipe Pittella
    Dr. Felipe Pittella performs ultra-dense mega-session and Giga-session FUE procedures on Norwood 6 and 7 patients with excellent density and coverage. Dr. Pittella combines quality and affordability with coverage and density.
  • Nioxin Shampoo and Conditioner for Men and Women with Thinning Hair

    Nioxin Kit

    Nioxin is an excellent product including both a shampoo and conditioner formulated specifically for men and women with thinning hair."> While neither the shampoo nor conditioner hasn't been proven to have any effects on DHT (the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness); Nioxin's ability to strengthen follicles and energize cellular activity can improve the overall health of your scalp and hair. Nioxin therefore may have the ability to delay the effects of hair loss. For best results, use both the shampoo (refered to as Nioxxin Shampoo Scalp Cleanser) and conditioner (referred to as Nioxin Scalp Therapy) in conjunction with one another.

    Nioxin Scalp Cleanser's cooling properties refreshes and cools the scalp promoting maximum cleanliness and freshness. Because of this, Nioxin shampoo, especially when combined with the conditioner also significantly reduces scalp itchiness and tenderness after hair transplant surgeryin both the recipient and donor areas.

    Nioxin Scalp Therapy is an excellent volumizing scalp and hair conditioner that moisturizes and improves your hairs' natural resilience, while promoting a healthy scalp environment for optimal hair growth. Nioxin Conditioner is the perfect conclusion to the Nioxin Shampoo Scalp Cleanser.

    Nioxin Scalp Therapy's minty fresh cooling sensation literally refreshes and cools the scalp promoting maximum cleanliness and freshness. Because of this, Nioxin also significantly reduces scalp itchiness and tenderness after hair transplant surgery in both the recipient and donor areas.

    We strongly recommend using Nizoral shampooevery 2 or 3 days in conjunction with Nioxin. Its active ingredient ketoconazoleat 2% concentration has proven to be a moderate DHT inhibitor and has growth properties approximately as effective as Rogaine2%.

    Developing Realistic Expectations:

    Men and women sometimes suffer from hair loss for different reasons. Thus, diagnosing its cause is necessary to facilitate and promote proper treatment.

    The Nioxin product line is an excellent scalp and hair cleansing shampoo and conditioning therapy but is not proven to stop hair loss. Thus, we strongly recommend using Nioxin in conjunction with the "Big 3" (Propecia, Rogaine, and Nizoral.

    To date, only surgical hair restoration is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas. You are invited to have a

    free virtual consultation 
    Consult Now
    with one of our prescreened hair restoration physicians.

    Ingredients (Full List)

    Nioxin Shampoo Scalp Cleanser: AQUA/EAU/WATER, TEA-LAURYL SULFATE, SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM HONEY, COCAMIDE MEA, PEG-150 DISTEARATE, PANTHENOL, GLYCOPROTEINS, POLY-SORBATE-60, POLYSORBATE-80, CYSTINE BIS-PG-PROPYL SILANETRIOL, HYDROLYZED KERATIN, ACETAMIDE MEA, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, ETHOXYDIGLYCOL, DIMETHYL ISOSORBIDE, COENZYME A, PANTOTHENIC ACID, PYRIDOXINE, CYANOCOBALAMIN, BIOTIN, FOLIC ACID, NIACIN, THIAMINE HCl, UBIQUINONE, ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS, CAMELLIA SINENSIS, CITRUS GRANDIS, EQUISETUM ARVENSE, HUMULUS LUPULUS, MELISSA OFFICINALIS, MENTHA PIPERITA, PRUNUS AFRICANA, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS, SALVIA OFFICINALIS, SERENOA SERRULATA, SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE, TARAXACUM OFFICINALE, THYMUS VULGARIS, URTICA DIOICA, SACCHAROMYCES LYSATE EXTRACT, PHOSPHOLIPIDS, SACCHAROMYCES/COPPER FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/IRON FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/MAGNESIUM FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/SILICON FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/ZINC FERMENT, PEG-23M, MELANIN, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CHLORIDE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, DISODIUM EDTA-COPPER, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, CI 42090/BLUE 1, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE.
    Nioxin Scalp Therapy: AQUA/EAU/WATER, CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, CETYL ALCOHOL, DICETYLDIMONIUM CHLORIDE, AMODI-METHICONE, TRIDECETH-12, LAURAMINE OXIDE, GLYCOPROTEINS, DIMETHICONE, SODIUM PCA, CYSTINE BIS-PG-PROPYL SILANETRIOL, PANTHENOL, POLYQUATERNIUM-11, ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS, ARCTIUM MAJUS, CALEN-DULA OFFICINALIS, CAMELLIA SINENSIS, EQUISETUM ARVENSE, FRANGULA ALNUS, GERANIUM MACULATUM, HUMULUSLUPULUS, JUGLANS REGIA, LARREA DIVARICATA, MELISSA OFFICINALIS, MENTHA PIPERITA, PRUNUS AFRICANA, QUASSIA AMARA, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS, SALVIA OFFICINALIS, SERENOA SERRULATA, SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE, TARAXACUM OFFICINALE, THYMUS VULGARIS, URTICA DIOICA, YUCCA FILAMENTOSA, PHOSPHOLIPIDS, DIMETHYL ISOSORBIDE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, ETHOXYDIGLYCOL, CETEARETH-20, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, SACCHAROMYCES LYSATE EXTRACT, COENZYME A, PANTOTHENIC ACID, PYRIDOXINE, CYANOCOBALAMIN, BIOTIN, FOLIC ACID, NIACIN, THIAMINE HCl, UBIQUINONE, SACCHAROMYCES/COPPER FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/IRON FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/MAGNESIUM FERMENT, SACCHARO-MYCES/SILICON FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/ZINC FERMENT, MELANIN, TRIETHANOLAMINE, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, CI 42090/BLUE 1, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE.

  • Menopause and Female Hair Loss

    Many cases of female hair lossare caused by hormonal fluctuations or changes in the body including those who have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), birth control pillside effects, a recent pregnancy,postmenopausal trauma, or menopause. Women with hair loss experience varying balding patterns These patterns can help determine the type of alopecia you have along with a thorough examination by a physician.

    Because of an imbalance between estrogen and testosterone due to declining estrogen levels, thinning hair and accelerated hair loss is common in women during menopause. Hair on certain areas of the head that is more sensitive to androgen hormones like DHT(associated with male pattern baldness) may thin or fall out. Similarly, declining estrogen levels may result in unwanted facial hair growth.

    In some cases, polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS), may accompany menopause and hair loss.

    Be sure to speak with your doctor on the most effective ways to cope with menopause and minimize hair loss during this transitional time.

  • Dr. Ratchathorn Panchaprateep

    Dr. Panchaprateep
    Dr. Ratchathorn platinum follicle award
    Dr. Ratchathorn in Thailand performs high-density FUE, and she is involved in every step of the procedure. She provides patients with top-notch quality at an affordable rate.
  • Dr. Tsvetalin Zarev

    Dr. Tsvetalin Zarev
    Dr. Zarev
    Dr. Zarev performs gigasession hair transplant surgery with an extremely high yield and density. He can restore extreme cases of baldness with density and coverage.
  • How hair loss medication can inhibit DHT and Alopecia Areata

    Propecia or Avodart

    If you are going bald you should seriously consider hair loss medication treatments to halt or even reverse your hair loss. While there is no “Hair Loss Cure”, hair loss drugs like finasteride (Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart) can often stop or even reverse alopecia areata in most people.

    However, just like any other drug, Propecia is accompanied by a list of potential side effects, some of which have been more recently reported as potentially long term.  You can read more about this in the "What About Side Effects" section further down this page.

    Studies have shown that 80% of men using Propecia stopped or even reversed their hair loss to some degree. Preliminary clinical trials for Avodart appear even more effective than Propecia.

    However, neither Propecia nor Avodart has been proven to restore hair in the frontal areas. For reasons yet unknown these drugs, along with Rogaine, only generally work in regrowing thinning hair in crown area of the scalp. Only hair transplant surgery has been successful in restoring hair in the frontal hairline area once it has been lost.

    Propecia and Avodart are also less effective in growing hair in older men. These hair loss drugs work best for men who have been balding for less than five years.

    Women must NOT USE Propecia

    Both Propecia and Avodart are not recommended for use by women or children.

    It’s been found that these drugs can cause birth defects. More specifically, these birth defects may occur when large amounts of the drug are absorbed into the body during the period of foetal development.

    Physicians advise pregnant women to not handle Propecia tablets, as this may harm male foetuses. But as of yet, there has not been a single reported case of birth defects caused by handling these tablets.

    Furthermore, there’s also no evidence that pregnant women exposed to the semen of Propecia or Avodart patients will risk any birth defects.

    Propecia and Avodart are also not advisable for men with liver disease or prostate cancer.

    Get a Prescription for Propecia or Avodart.

    Often our member physicians will prescribe Propecia or Avodart to halt a patient’s hair loss and then restore the hair already lost with hair transplant surgery. These treatments in combination can work synergistically. The drugs work to halt the hair loss, while hair restoration surgery restores what was lost.

    To get a prescription for Propecia or Avodart schedule a free no obligation consultation with any of our quality hair restoration physicians. Find a physician in your area.

    Propecia and Avodart should be taken once a day. It has been found that after two years of treatment, Propecia effectively grows hair in about 66% of patients. Also, about 83% of the subjects receiving this treatment continue to maintain their existing hair after two years.

    Propecia (Finasteride) was originally a drug called Proscar, which was used to treat and reduce men's prostate conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

    Its parent company, Merck & Co., soon realized that the drug had a unique side effect - it grew hair on bald men's heads.

    In December 22, 1997 the FDA approved Propecia as a hair loss pill. Merck & Co. then marketed the drug as a hair loss treatment under the trade name of Propecia.

    More recently Dutasteride, sold as Avodart, has generated interest as a promising new hair loss medication. Like finasteride (Propecia) it inhibits the creation of DHT and was originally developed as a treatment for men’s prostate condition.

    However, unlike Propecia, Avodart inhibits the creation of both type one and type two 5 alpha reductase enzymes. Dutasteride has been shown to decrease levels of DHT by 90% after only two weeks, making it a more powerful and faster acting weapon against hair loss than Propecia (Finasteride).

    Dutasteride is not yet FDA approved for the treatment of hair loss. However, some hair restoration physicians also prescribe it for the treatment of hair loss. Like Propecia, Avodart is not safe for women and children.

    Sticking with the program to see results

    Losing your hair took time. So too will regrowing your hair using Propecia or Avodart. These drugs require patients to take the drug daily for at least three months before any obvious changes will be noticeable. Most physicians advise taking these drugs for a year before evaluating their effectiveness.

    At this time, Propecia and Avodart are only available by prescription. Our member physicians are available to discuss these hair loss drugs with you and prescribe them if appropriate. To find a quality hair restoration physician in your area.

    Other DHT Blockers

    Aside from Propecia and Dutasteride, there are other treatment options (all topical) that may or may not work to block the effects of DHT on vulnerable hair follicles. These include Revivogen, Crinagen, Progesterone Creams, and Xandrox (a type of minoxidil). Other DHT Blockers

    To learn more about these treatments, as well as all other topical options, visit our Topical Hair Loss Products and Treatments section.

    How hair loss drugs inhibit DHT and Alopecia Areata

    Baldness is largely the result of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) interacting with those hair follicles that are genetically vulnerable to their effects.

    DHT is essentially the active ingredient or catalyst for the hair loss process. DHT binds with the receptor sites of genetically vulnerable follicles and gradually degrades the follicles ability to produce healthy hair. This eventually results in baldness in the affected areas.

    Hair loss drugs like Propecia or Avodart work by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). By reducing the amount of DHT present in the scalp the hair loss process is slowed and in some cases even reversed.

    What about side effects?

    Up until a couple of years ago, side effects when taking Propecia or Avodart were only considered temporary. However, over the last several years, many me have reported ongoing side effects from Propecia even after stopping treatment.  This more permanent condition has become known as "Post Finasteride Syndrome" or (PFS). Side effects included but aren't limited to reduced semen production, a reduced libido and softer erections.

    As a result, in April of 2012, the FDA mandated labeling changes to finasteride related products.  Labeling changes to Propecia include "libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, and orgasm disorders that continued after discontinuation of the drug".  Labeling changes to Proscar include "decreased libido that continued after discontinuation of the drug".  Labeling changes to both Propecia and Proscar include "reports of male infertility and/or poor semen quality that normalized or improved after drug discontinuation".

    While most men don't experience any side effects at all, it should be known that a small percentage of men may experience persistent side effects even after stopping treatment.  Most men who experience side effects however, only experience them temporarily and stopping treatment makes them go away.

    For a list of potential side effects and more information on Post Finasteride Syndrome", visit http://www.pfsfoundation.org/.

  • Thomas Chung Wai Nakatsui, MD

    Dr. Thomas Nakatsui
    Dr. Thomas Nakatsui
    Dr. Nakatsui performs large sessions of ultra refined follicular units using the lateral slit technique with extremely natural results.