Balding men and women considering any hair loss treatment should take caution to believe the many magnificent claims made by today’s advertising. Far too often, a lot of time and money is wasted on questionable treatments with little or no proof of success.
Nourkrin hair nutrient claims to promote hair growth and strengthen thinning hair in 80% of men and women suffering from almost any hair loss condition other than the self-inflicted trichotillomania (hair pulling) or traction alopecia. Below we evaluate Nourkrin, the "clinical study", and its ingredients to find out whether or not this hair loss treatment lives up to its promises.

What is Nourkrin?

Nourkrin recommends using their complete regime of products for at least 6 months for the best results. This includes extra strength, Man, and Maintain oral tablets, a shampoo, a conditioner, and a scalp lotion.  Nourkrin claims their products can promote hair growth in men and women suffering from androgenic alopecia (genetic baldness), alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, and telogen effluvium. This is a very bold claim considering each balding condition occurs for varying reasons.

Ingredients

The active ingredients in the extra strength tablet include shark cartilage and shellfish extract containing glucosamine.  Other active ingredients include silica kieselguhr (a natural form of silica), horsetail extract, acerola cherry extract with vitamin C, microscyrstaline cellulose, immunogloblin G protein, and fatty acids. In addition to the above, the Man product contains Omega 3 fatty acids and Fenugreek designed to improve scalp circulation. Maintain includes additional marine life proteins, minerals, silica, and vitamin C. The scalp lotion contains marine life protein extract compounds and aloe vera.

Nourkrin claims that the primary active ingredient glucosamine can rebuild and grow new tissue, including dormant hair follicles - suggesting successful hair regrowth. Though clinical studies prove that glucosamine might be effective in reducing joint pain, increasing joint lubrication, preserving joint space, protecting cartilage breakdown by inhibiting specific enzymes, stimulating cartilage matrix repair, and other anti-inflammatory actions, we couldn't find any evidence to support claims that it can stop hair loss or promote hair regrowth.

Clinical Study

Nourkrin conducted a clinical study of 60 people who took their products for 12 months. All subjects were over 18 years of age and suffered from at least some form of hair loss for at least one year prior to the study. During a 6 month double blind clinical study, 30 subjects took Nourkrin while the other 30 took a placebo. After 6 months, the 30 participants taking Nourkrin continued taking it for another 6 months while the 30 on the placebo were switched to Nourkrin for 12 months.

In the first 6 months, Nourkrin reports that 77% taking their hair loss treatment experienced an increase in hair growth and shaft thickness. After 12 months, 75% reported a decrease in overall thinning hair. 90% of women in the study reported overall hair improvement after 12 months. The hair counting method showed an average increase in hair count of 45 percent during the clinical study.

Though the above study sounds impressive, we don't know a lot about the participants nor can we be certain of the reliability of the study. All participants suffered from some form of thinning, but its cause for each patient hasn’t been disclosed.  Additionally, clinical studies are considered more credible when they've been conducted or verified by third parties not interested in its financial success.

Another problem is that none of the active ingredients in Nourkrin are proven to stop hair loss. Therefore, their study is the only one balding men and women have to support such claims.

Possible Side Effects

Anyone allergic to shellfish should avoid using Nourkrin. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding should not use Nourkrin hair loss products. Consulting with a doctor before using this treatment is advisable.

Dosage

Nourkrin recommends taking 2 tablets daily for at least 6 months. Men and women over 176 lbs or those who smoke are advised to take 3 tablets daily. After 6 months, dosage can be cut down to one a day. Nourkrin also recommends using the shampoo, conditioner, and scalp lotion daily. The scalp lotion may be best applied in the evening and left on overnight.

Cost

60 tablets of the extra strength tablet costs about $75, the Man $65, the shampoo and scalp cleanser $12, the conditioner $13, and the scalp lotion $30. All in all, the Nourkrin Hair Recovery Program can get pricey after 6 months. FDA approved products like Rogaine (minoxidil)only runs approximately $15 a month or less and male treatment Propecia (finasteride)costs approximately $60 per month, not as expensive as Nourkrin.

Conclusions

Nourkrin boasts a big game, claiming high rates of success in reversing hair loss in men and women caused by varying conditions. Their clinical study also confirms its success rate however; the reliability of this study has not been verified by third parties uninterested in its financial success. Additionally, no clinical proof exists that any of the ingredients found in Nourkrin work to treat baldness.

Whether or not Nourkrin is the "real deal" is hard to determine with little evidence to support its claims. Therefore, those considering this treatment should proceed with caution and may want to consider exhausting proven treatments like Propecia and Rogaine first.

The Ultimate in fullness and naturalness in one surgery session.

We’ve all seen the “pluggy” hair transplants of the past. But we don’t see today’s state of the art hair transplants because they go unnoticed.

Plugs Mini Micros Follicular Units

Follicular Evolution - from plugs to micro grafts to ultra refined grafts

Surgical hair restoration has dramatically evolved from the big round “plug” grafts of the 1960 ’s and 70’s, to the “mini micrografts” of the 80’s and early 90’s, to modern hair transplant procedures using entirely follicular unit grafts .

Now hair restoration surgery is going through another important evolution that is improving both the naturalness and fullness that can be achieved from any one surgical hair transplant session.

Ultra Refined Grafting - Smaller Blades, Incisions and Grafts

Today ’s micro surgical blades, like the size of hair grafts, have become ever smaller and now enable hair transplant surgeons to safely make more tiny graft incisions in a given area then ever before. Surgeons are then able to “dense pack” select areas with as many as 40 to 60 follicular unit grafts per square centimeter. This graft density is as much as twice that of the standard follicular unit hair transplant procedure.

Such high densities of transplanted hair typically produce the appearance of fullness even after only one surgical session. Patients also experience rapid healing and no visible skin distortions due to the tiny size of these incisions.

Ultra Refined Follicular Unit Grafting - Hard on the clinic but easy on the patient.

Ultra refined follicular unit grafting raises the bar for physicians and their staff. This delicate and demanding hair transplant procedure requires more skill and careful attention to be performed properly. The smaller and more tightly packed incisions require more closely dissected follicular unit grafts that are carefully trimmed under microscopes. These small and densely packed incisions are also more difficult to place the grafts into.

This procedure also requires more careful patient selection, as “dense packing” of grafts is not appropriate for all patients.

Ultra Refined Follicular Unit Transplantation – the new “Gold Standard”

In the hands of a highly skilled physician and staff the Ultra refined follicular unit hair transplant procedure can achieve excellent new hair growth that is so natural that it is undetectable even under close scrutiny.

While the standard micro “follicular unit” hair transplant does produce natural looking results, its ability to achieve high density in only one surgical session is limited. Thus patients may have to do subsequent surgical sessions in a transplanted area to achieve a full look.

The many patient benefits of this new procedure are significant and include:

• The ability to get excellent hair density in only one surgical session.
• Minimal trauma in the graft recipient area with rapid post surgical healing.
• Little or no visible pitting or distortions in the transplanted areas.
• More natural direction and angulation of the transplanted hair.

All members of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physiciansare required to perform ultra refined grafting with excellent results. Learn more about the membership standards.

One of the more popular hair loss products on the market today for those with thinning hair is Provillus. Available for both men and women, making promises to “re-grow beautiful healthy hair”, this product consists of a topical and oral solution with an FDA approved hair regrowth ingredient and a number of conjectured “all-natural” dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blockers.

Other ingredients that promote a healthy scalp and head of hair are also contained in this product. The theory behind Provillus is to revive the hair follicles with growth stimulators and attack hair loss at its source by blocking DHT.

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 Provillus is right for you.

Topical Ingredients:

Minoxidil (found in Rogaine, Xandrox and other solutions) is an FDA approved hair growth treatment and many balding men and women use it with great success. This particular ingredient is what allows Provillus to advertise their product as FDA approved.

Azelaic acid has been found to clean the skin and potentially inhibit DHT, the hormone responsible for androgenic alopecia.

Combining these two “forces” therefore in theory, may be a more powerful treatment than minoxidil alone. However, no clinical studies have been performed on azelaic acid as a standalone product therefore, whether or not it can stop hair loss is purely conjecture.

Oral Ingredients:

The Provillus oral solution contains a number of supposed DHT blockers including saw palmetto for hair loss, Vitamin B6 and Zinc, pumpkin or cucurbita maxima, and nettle root. Because evidence exists that these ingredients may be an effective treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), theories have been produced that they might also effectively treat baldness. Though we can appreciate the aspiration for balding men and women to use herbal products as an “all-natural” replacement for Propecia (finasteride), the problem we have is that most of them only contain anecdotal if any evidence at all that they can successfully treat baldness.

Provillus oral solution also contains a number of components that are said to promote healthy hair growth and cleanse the scalp. These include eleuthero, uva-ursi, muria puama, horsetail, para-aminobenzoid acid (PABA), and magnesium. Understand however, that promoting a healthy scalp and hair is not the same as stimulating newhair growth and hair regrowth, nor does it signify an effective hair loss treatment.

Possible Side Effects

The only side effect that we could find listed on the Provillus website is an upset stomach. It is reported that taking it with food often stops this. Be sure to follow the links to the ingredients listed above as many of them also have potentially reported side effects. Consulting with a physician before taking any herbal hair loss medication is advised.

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

A one month supply of Provillus topical and oral supplement for men or for women costs about $50 per month. Discounted prices are available when bought in bulk.

For the cost of Provillus, one can purchase generic finasteride and generic minoxidil which are FDA approved hair loss treatments for safety and efficacy.

Conclusions and Our Opinion

Given that Provillus topical treatment contains FDA approved hair regrowth ingredient minoxidil; we can at least agree that it may have some marginal benefit for men and women suffering from androgenic alopecia. However, 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.

It was Hippocrates, the “Father of Modern Medicine”, who first recognized a connection between hair loss and the sexual organs. Hippocrates’ studies of eunuchs (men castrated before puberty) observed that these men did not suffer from hair loss.

We know today that this is due to the absence of testosterone, which is normally converted into dyhydrotestosterone or DHT – the active ingredient in baldness. In March 1995, Duke University researchers came to the conclusion that " . . . while castration may be a cure, it is not commercially acceptable."

Hippocrates had a personal interest in finding a cure for baldness as he suffered from hair loss. He developed a number of different treatments including a mixture of horseradish, cumin, pigeon droppings, and nettles to the scalp. This and other treatments failed to work and he lost the rest of his hair. The area of permanent hair on the back and sides of the head (from which donor hair is taken for hair transplants) is also known as the “Hippocratic wreath.”

Ancient Rome and Hair Loss

Moving from Greece to the Roman Empire, we find that Julius Caesar employed a variety of methods to hide his thinning hair. In addition to the laurel wreath that he wore, he first grew his hair long in the back, and then combed it forward over his bald spot. Yes, the “Comb Over” is ancient.
Learn how man has treated hair loss up to modern times.
Being a Eunuch – the sure way to stop baldness

In the 1940’s, the studies of Hippocrates and Aristotle were continued. Both men had concluded that eunuchs always kept all their hair.

This finding was backed up by the work of Dr. James Hamilton.

He discovered that certain male hormones (missing in eunuchs) were critical to the development of male pattern baldness.

Alopecia areata (sometimes referred to as“spot baldness”) is a medical condition that typically results in patchy hairloss or bald spots on the scalp, beard, arms and legs. Though the exact cause of alopecia areata is unknown, it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder causing the body’s immune system to attack its own hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.

Roughly 2% of the world’s population suffers from alopecia areata and approximately 5% of these have a family history of "alopecia", the medical term for hair loss.

Diagnosing Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is normally diagnosed through the observation of symptoms. However, occasionally a scalp biopsy or blood tests may be performed.

Treating Alopecia Areata

There is no cure for alopecia areata and current treatments, while sometimes effective, offer limited success.  Current treatments for alopecia areata include; steroid injections, topical corticosteroids (steroid hormonesnaturally produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates), topical immunotherapy, Rogaine(minoxidil) and ultraviolet light therapy.

Although permanent hair loss is a possibility, the course of the disease is unpredictable and varies from patient to patient. The good news is that, even without treatment and after many years,the hair follicles do remain viable and ready to resume normal hair production if and when they receive the appropriate signal. Hair regrowth may, and often does, occur in time.

Are Alopecia Areata Patients Good Candidates for Hair Transplantation?

Patients suffering from alopecia areata are rarely considered good candidates for hair transplant surgery because donor hair grafts harvested from the “safe” zone at the rear and sides of the scalp are still vulnerable to the effects of the body’s immune system once transplanted to the recipient sites. However, if the affected area is small, has remained unchanged for an extended period of time and if there is no sign of inflammation below the scalp, hair transplantation may be an option. This would require a thorough consultation with a skilled and experienced hair restoration surgeon and the patient would need to fully understand and accept the risks of such a procedure.

Adapting to and Living with Alopecia Areata

Depending upon the severity of the condition, hair loss concealers like Toppik, Nanogen and DermMatch may help disguise bald patches. In more severe cases, a hair replacement system or full wig may be necessary.

Aswith all forms of hair loss, patients suffering from alopecia areata may experience emotional and psychological trauma. It’s important to reach out to family and friends, join an alopecia support group and/or seek the services of a mental health professional if you are experiencing intense, prolonged and overwhelming psychological effects.

In women with PCOS(polycystic ovarian syndrome), high levels of androgens (male hormones) in the body may cause hair loss. DHT (dihydrotestosterone), more abundant in men, is created from a combination of testosterone and5-alpha-reductase enzymes. DHT can bind to hair follicle sites, accelerate the natural hair growth cycle, and cause hair to go into resting (catagen) sooner causing thinning hair with each cycle.

Women with PCOS are more susceptible to androgenic alopecia, more commonly referred to as male pattern baldness or genetic female hair loss. Androgenic alopecia is also the number one cause of hair loss and thinning hair in the world.Women with androgenic alopecia typically lose hair in a pattern similar to the ludwig scale,and less commonly the norwood scale.

If you suspect you have PCOS, you should consult with a physician and get tested for it. Only a physician can diagnose you and recommend a proper treatment.