Medicine and Female Hair Loss

" Hello and welcome to our web cast I'm Lisa Clark. And we have all seen the commercials for the hair club for men. Ads for prescription medications for male hair loss and even men's spray on hair. But rarely do we see advertisements addressing women's hair loss issues. But surprisingly. Hair loss in women is a common occurrence and affects more than thirty million women in the United States alone. Although hair loss can -- permanent condition and devastating to many women. There is hope and there are treatment that they're for women even if you never do see the -- Here to discuss some of those solutions for women's hair loss -- two experts in the field doctor Marty so why an adjunct professor at the University of Miami school of medicine. And doctor Michael -- assistant professor of clinical dermatology. At the new York university school of medicine and also in private practice here in Manhattan welcome to you both. Now the first treatment we want to talk about is not Fidel known by the brand name a broad game. Refresh my memory how long has this product been available for -- Since 19881988. -- or twelve years later and now it is finally being discussed as a treatment option for women what took so long."

" Well it takes a lot of years of research and development and clinical trial testing and it was approved as a prescription product in 1988 for men and then later released a few years later for women as a prescription product. Now it's over the counter you can buy it at your local your drugstore food chain store. I'll freely on your town and the cost has really come down also. And 2% blogging for men and women and there's also an extra strength 5% formulation for men only."

" When you're patients come in how do you advise them to use broking and in what sorts of results do can they expect to see. Well the usual procedure. Is to use it that the strength that they need for their particular degree of careless. It's a person who's never been treated their relatively my income loss is discarding them they construct the lower strength 2%. When they apply one milliliter -- calibrated. -- I thought they can put a dropper for their head. I they have that -- believe me crusty affected area. That I can really rub it in but they massage and spread in their fingertips and gets absorbed into the scalp. They did it twice today. But it does sometimes people have trouble diminished place and even things they like -- blistering tell us but if that's the case we'll have them -- higher strength. Women can use the 5% you know let's not get an FDA approval is perfectly legal and advisable and -- necessary in a lot of that would that careless views that bond 5% again it's supposed to be used twice today -- some people get away. -- What's the formulation like is that water area that creamy it's clear it's colorless but hasn't oily feel to -- present system like Oprah opening glycol which is there an -- percent concentration in the higher. And higher strength. And that can be only lead and can be irritating in the 2% it's it's rather like water like Al -- disappears into the."

" we'll talk about that the medical side effects that for a cosmetic front effective this formulation may get. Difficult for women to want to use because the cosmetic appearance may not be."

" I usually in the low restraint not understand though some if you will complain that it feels little William their hair and I -- people with with. With the inherent in order to be fluff stuff they don't want to be. Meta data on her head from."

" Doctor so why let's discuss some of the medical side effects to using Rogaine. There are some physical effects that patients might experience."

" With regards to the vehicles -- sometimes they may experience from dryness to the scalp mild burning in and tingling. And that's usually again due to the vehicle not the drug itself so lot of times I have patients put on a moisturizer afterwards. And then wash it out in the morning and again some people can -- pilot using it won today. I will tell patients had about twice the amount on an evening if -- can't put it on the morning but does do apply on a daily basis. Preferably twice today. And if you are having any burning and itching for the mile moisturizer on that can alleviate some of the dryness and pitching he may also have some waking and that's really the residue of the Madison. On the scouts that's really not you have dinner this is the residue of the medication such sampling Daley again as well we work. Also recommend for most patients so they can have a very good cosmetic effect of having a -- a full scale without having. The dryness of that and the actual drug on the -- but that's bothering them. Ironically they may lose some -- in the initial phase of the treatments writes it's possible not all patients well complain of that but again it's because we're starting a new hair cycle. You're stimulating those little miniaturized follicles to start up to wake up again so that they can start a new cycles they may see some initial shedding in the beginning. But again you have to really -- each patient stick stick with that for three to six months and start noticing the subtle positive signs such as. Part that haired on the center of the scout. Notice if that part with is getting better and better through the months of abuse at this is getting to be a tighter part. That's a very very positive sign."

" Are there any special issues and it especially for women especially those that might be related to childbearing issues in using common occidental --"

" Well I think since we never test drugs on women were pregnant. Or may become pregnant do we have to be little circumspect and generally speaking when a woman becomes pregnant -- rose better than any an optical preparation would do. -- for -- I suggest I don't tell people to stop that -- trying to become pregnant Potomac that they believe they become prey in the big company that just stop and then they can start after the pregnancy."

" Let's talk about a couple of other drugs which can be used to combat hair loss for women and these are not topical solutions their oral medications."

" Styron elect told her own elect -- and a lifetime. Described how that works what this is -- and -- old drive that we take from the PDR and used for another indication. And this and what we save an anti antigen is working against -- testosterone by blocking every sector so. It has a lot of effects on the body. But they're hoping to use it in this instance where it can health -- lost. They found and some studies in the literature that is not as helpful and -- loss on the scalp as that is for helping women who have accessed the pair broke on the body. You have to use high doses of this medication and it does have side effects and is not a drug either that you'd wanna take if you had any potential risk of becoming pregnant. So it's not a drug that I would use and that's not one that I actually do use and and considering patients with this kind of problem but it has been used by many doctors for a long time because our treatments were so limited in women thinking you have to understand this is not a drug that's easy it to prescribe. You have to watch and monitor patients that you had high doses so women can have side effects felony mangle another medical name his her. Finished their -- and restaurant restaurant Propecia Propecia is really for men only in the reason is because -- young women who may potentially become pregnant carrying a male fetus may have terrorist. Forming small genitalia and that -- male fetus so again it's called high close radius and it's a common anomaly is hate to burst out of a hundred. So they don't want the drug being blamed on this common anomaly that can happen to women even when it's normal pregnancy. So again it's Everest to the male fetus -- young woman who happens to become pregnant so their fourth -- indicator for women who may potentially become pregnant."

" Women who were having these treatments whether they're about oral medications or the topical preparations. Did they need to be concerned about. They're in general cosmetic. Interactions with that that. Saying -- or gels or anything to that have to be. Especially concerned about how they treat their hair when their undergoing these treatments."

" I told them they can do all their normal cosmetic. You know activities. I tell them. Of which which I would tell you know. Almost anybody I could -- lost not he would do things get -- here that's gonna pull out. No no. I'll court ruling a rating note high rollers -- excessive rushing and pulling on the hair. Must be avoided but they -- color their hair they permanent hair they forced to hear -- wear their hair. You know just gentle here care what's been here on a daily basis. And may be beneficial to get rid of actual oil in the scalp them would have extra hormone and -- but I don't put any real restrictions on the --"

" Actually were patients using an -- because that is an alcohol vehicles trying to the hair fiber and sometimes I will recommend if there are going to color their hair to stop using the -- a day or so before and they're so after just because there has been some some patients estate little bit of hair -- so because it is a bit drying on the hair fiber or we'll recommend may be stopped. Using per day or so before a day after two and."

" What can we didn't get to his visit and within -- stretch of an -- built. -- is funny stuff from their Ford and temples that they really don't like Kelly really. That's temporary goes away from him but they can't removal at the -- to remember waxed. Say something to be really something to be aware of especially in the -- strengths -- because then nobody wants him the wrong place just north costs."

" Final thoughts on that and the advances that have finally come for women with hair loss it must be and a good time to have a a patient coming to you now. When you have these things that you can offer her that's true it's better than it was ten years ago so we have treatments at hand that weakens the start using today and women and I think from what studies have recently shown as the early start treatment the better -- you're going to be person if you wait around for a long long time years. You're never going to catch up to what you could have had if he started better earlier stage -- It's a very hopeful time period to recommend treatments and have -- follow through and have a very good positive outcome. Good to know -- like to thank both of you for being here to answer questions again. Doctor Marty so -- and doctor Michael reads thank you very much spanky and thank you for joining us for our webcast I'm Lisa Clark."