Do the latest hair-loss treatments deliver? We test the treatments that claim to make a difference
Ouronyx looks more like a gallery than a beauty clinic. Italian stone covers the 8,500sq ft interior, works by British artist Dominic Harris hang on the walls, and iPad-wielding staff lead clients down to underground treatment rooms. Where better to tackle the hairy question of female hair loss?
Despite the fact that 50 per cent of women are thought to experience hair loss on at least one occasion in their lifetime, treatments for thinning hair have historically focused on men. This has begun to change, as conversation about hormonal shifts in puberty and during the menopause have broadened our understanding of the condition, and with it a rise in the treatment options available to women. Among the key players are a number of biotech companies: We Are Paradoxx is heralded for its Growth Advanced Scalp Serum – which the results of an independent user trial suggest can improve thickness by as much as 75 per cent and lead to the growth of 47 per cent more new hairs – while clean science brand The Nue Co has launched the Supa_Thick Topical Scalp Supplement. The latter claims to increase hair health by balancing the scalp’s microbiome.
The causes of hair loss are as varied as the treatment options. It could be female pattern hair loss, very often owing to genetics; hormonal changes that occur pre- or post-pregnancy; or skin conditions such as psoriasis. Styling choices can also be a factor: Dr Sharon Wong, a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss, formerly ran a practice in Hackney and saw a huge amount of traction alopecia (caused by heat, braids, weaves, chemicals and pulling at the hair root) in her Afro-Caribbean clients. If stopped early enough, she says, traction alopecia can be reversed, but in more advanced cases it might be helped by anti-inflammatories and topical medicines.
Other developments in hair loss range from the medical procedures to non-invasive “tweakments”, the latest of which – autologous micrografting technology (AMT) – is now available at Ouronyx. The 45-minute treatment involves taking small skin grafts from the hairline, extracting the follicles’ stem cells and injecting them back into the scalp where the hair is thinning. AMT (£2,850 per session) can’t stimulate growth where there isn’t any, but it can thicken hair by up to 40 per cent. Ouronyx recommends a top-up treatment every 18 months.
Even with the online treatments out there, results can be hugely varied. “It’s an incredibly emotive subject,” says Wong, who believes that the psychological impact of female hair loss is grossly underestimated. When only surgical intervention is able to restore the hair, Wong sends her clients to Dr Greg Williams at London’s Farjo Hair Institute, who offers transplants to men and women. “The marketing for hair loss is much more aimed at men,” says Wong. “But a good hair transplant can be just as effective for women.”
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Fiona Golfar
