Can Drugs Really Prevent Hair Loss?

Hair loss can be a traumatic experience whether is it a natural result of aging, or due to illness or treatment for an illness. Researchers continue to look for treatments for hair loss, and there have been some encouraging findings in recent years. In order to understand how drugs might prevent hair loss, first it is important to understand the normal growth cycle of human hair.

Most healthy adults’ hair is in a constant cycle of growth, dormancy, and shedding. Under normal circumstances, 90 percent of a person’s hair is in a growth state that lasts from two to six years, and 10 percent of his or her hair will be in a state of dormancy for between two to six months. Once that period is over, the hair will fall out. New hair will grow from the follicles of the old hair, and grows at a rate of a half-inch per month. The average person will lose between 50 to 100 hairs per day.

Hair is actually a living organ and is comprised primarily of protein. To ensure healthy hair and a normal growth cycle, it is important for a person to eat a well-balanced diet that includes meat, chicken, eggs, cheese, fish, nuts and grains. While excessive hair loss is the natural result of aging and is not considered to be life threatening, there are other conditions than can also cause hair loss. These conditions include eating disorders, pregnancy, menopause, effects of certain hormonal drugs, thyroid problems and even stress. Additionally, people undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments often experience hair loss. Use of blood thinners and arthritis drugs can also cause hair loss.

Another cause of hair loss is a condition known as Androgentic Alopecia (AGA). This condition causes the hair follicles to shrink, thus shortening the growth cycle of the hair. Eventually, as the life cycle shortens, the hair becomes thinner until finally it stops growing altogether. There is no treatment for this condition.

There are a number of drugs currently available to treat hair loss. The most popular, Minoxidil (commonly known as Rogaine or Loniten) is a clear solution that is applied directly to the scalp thus reinvigorating hair follicles to stimulate growth. Rogaine was introduced to the market in 1988, and initially, was available only by prescription. After eight successful years, the regular strength solution was released for sale over-the-counter in 1996. Another drug that has been successful is stimulating the regrowth of hair in men is Propecia. The drug, which is administered in pill form, blocks the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in a man’s scalp. The level of DHT increases in men with male pattern baldness, and blocking further elevation actually stimulates hair regrowth.

There is also a shampoo being marketed that purports to stimulate the regrowth of hair. This shampoo contains 3-carboxylic acid pyridine n-oxide. For cancer patients and others who undergo chemotherapy treatment, the loss of their hair is something that is more feared than the actual treatment itself. Scientists have been continuing to work on finding a drug that can be used on the scalp prior to the person having chemotherapy, and that might prevent hair loss. One compound, GW 8510, has been successful in lab tests with rats. The process of chemotherapy is intended to attack all cells that grow fast. Hair cells fall under that category. Researchers think that the compound protects the cells that support hair growth from damage during chemotherapy by interfering with the enzyme that causes the cells to reproduce. The chemotherapeutic reaction does not then recognize the cell and it is spared from destruction. Testing will continue with this and other compounds in an attempt to help cancer patients deal with this particularly discouraging side effect of treatment.