As medical breakthroughs go, it may not quite rank with discovering the cure for cancer or the common cold. But a team of British and U.S. scientists has reported a significant medical breakthrough that could help alleviate a vexing physical condition that strikes tens of millions of Americans: Baldness.
Researchers with the Columbia Medical Center in New York and the University of Durham in England have found a way to generate new hair follicles that grow human hair. The method, which involved cloning cells from hair follicles and implanting them into human skin grafts, marks the first major step toward a baldness cure and could revolutionize treatments for hair loss, the researchers say.
But Dr. Erika Schwartz, a leading advocate of disease prevention and wellness, tells
Newsmax Health you don't have to wait for medical science to deliver a baldness cure to your local barbershop or salon. A number of available treatments — including Rogaine, topical ointments, and hair transplants — already exist to slow or reverse hair loss, which strikes about 35 million American men and 21 million women.
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Better yet, there are steps you can take right now that have been proven to prevent baldness.
"There are a lot of things
" that can help, says Dr. Schwartz, Dr. Erika’s Healthy Balance newsletter. "And I think the first thing about understanding really what causes baldness is really important."
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She explains that genetics are a key determinant of baldness, adding: "There's very little you can do about genetics. If you are genetically likely to lose your hair, then you're going to most likely lose your hair."
But there are ways to minimize, slow, or even reverse hair loss by being "proactive" and taking care not to hasten or contribute to baldness. Among the tips she recommends:
- Avoid or limit your use of dyes or harsh chemical treatments, which can lead to hair loss.
- Steer clear of hair-straightening agents that can destroy hair.
- Have your hormone levels checked for a possible deficiency or underlying disorder, such as underactive thyroid, which can lead to hair loss, breakage, and thinning. "In menopause and andropause … we all lose our hormones," she explains. "Using bio-identical hormones will help slow down the process."
- Check to be sure you do not have a scalp infection (fungal or bacterial). "Normally you lose 50 to 100 hairs a day … but if you notice clumps of hair or a lot of hair coming out at once, go a physician … to be sure you don’t have a condition that can be treated easily by an antibiotic or an anti-fungal medication."
- Engage in healthy lifestyle habits — eat a nutritious diet, exercise daily, take active steps to manage stress, and get enough sleep (seven to nine hours nightly) — which have been shown to reduce the risk of hair loss.
- Consider taking certain supplements — such as fish oils, B complex, and iron (to prevent anemia) — that may help some people.
Dr. Schwartz also notes the prescription drugs Rogaine and Propecia can help regrow hair in men and women alike.
"While they have been studied and they are prescribed primarily for men, women will also benefit from them," she says.
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