From a laser comb to rubbing coffee on your head, the His and Hers guide to hair loss cures

Around ten million men and eight million women in the UK suffer from hair loss. According to a new study, the prospect of going bald upsets the average male more than the idea of going bankrupt or never finding a partner.

Even Prince William is said to be worried by his thinning hair, with recent reports claiming he is trying laser therapy to thicken his locks for his wedding day.

The causes of hair loss vary. Men often suffer from the hereditary condition male pattern baldness, while in women the cause is commonly hormonal imbalances caused by the menopause or having a baby.

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Worried you're going bald? Eat nuts and have a fried breakfast

The good news for men is that scientists have discovered a cause of baldness — the failure of hair-producing cells to develop properly.

The bad news is that effective treatment could be a decade away. While your genes play a major role in hair loss, what many men don’t realise is that their everyday habits could be exacerbating the problem.

Here, Britain’s leading hair experts reveal the simple steps to help minimise it:

DON'T BRUSH TOO HARD

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Can You Reverse Hair Loss with a Laser?

Hair loss treatment with low level laser light therapy can be traced back to 1964 when Professor Andre Mester of Budapest conducted an experiment using low level laser light rays to heal the wounds of laboratory mice. He discovered that the laser rays stimulated blood circulation and caused hair located in the area of the wound to grow thicker and longer.

Low level laser light therapy is now widely used around the world as a treatment for hair loss. Laser light rays are applied directly to the scalp and penetrate deeply to activate blood circulation around the hair follicles, halting hair loss and stimulating new growth.

Until recently, this treatment was only available under medical supervision in clinics and was very costly, but the miniaturisation of the technology and stringent, international safety and quality requirements have led to the exciting development of affordable hand-held hair loss treatment lasers for personal use at home.

What Type Of Hair Laser Will Be Most Effective?

Currently there are many different types of hair laser available on the market but how do you choose which is going to be the most effective in treating your hair loss?

Each different laser light used in hair loss treatment lasers has a specific treatment and penetration depth into the scalp. The blood capillaries in direct contact with the dermal papillae lie in the hypodermis, the deepest inner layer among 3 layers of skin (scalp) tissue. The dermal papillae nourish the hair follicles and play a pivotal role in the cycle of hair formation and growth.

Does the Wavelength of the Lasers Matter?

Lasers around the 650nm / 670nm wavelength are the most commonly used in hair loss treatment lasers since their light is a clear, bright red which is immediately visible to the naked eye. It is easily observed to be working in treatment and in fact, it actually does have a beneficial therapeutic effect. They are also cheaper to use in manufacture than longer wavelength, infrared lasers. However, light at this wavelength mainly treats the surface of the scalp and does not penetrate deeply enough so, used alone, is not sufficient for effective hair loss treatment.

The more expensive infrared (invisible light) lasers which use 780nm wavelength are able to penetrate and energise deeper within the skin tissue and are more effective in treatment, although substances within the skin tissue such as melanin, water and haemoglobin absorb and weaken the energy of the laser light. Due to their cost, these lasers are rarely used by manufacturers of hair loss treatment lasers.

Laser light at 830nm wavelength is the least absorbed by the melanin, water and haemoglobin in the skin tissue and therefore able to retain more of its beneficial power to energise the hair follicles and so more light energy can be absorbed into the blood cells. This increases blood circulation and the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles.

Multi Wavelength Hair Loss Treatment Lasers

The most effective hair loss treatment lasers use a combination of 670nm, 780nm and 830nm lasers, such as the Wellay Personal Hair Laser which uses 21 low power multi-wavelength lasers, in 7 groups of 3 lasers at 670nm, 780nm and 830nm. The 3 different wavelengths irradiate the same area of the scalp simultaneously, each working at different layers of the tissue, maximising the benefit and proving a more effective hair growth treatment.

In clinical trials, regular treatment with a Wellay Personal Hair Laser stops the progress of hair loss in 85% of users, increases blood supply to the scalp by 54% after only one treatment, stimulates hair follicles to activate re-growth and improves the quality of the hair shaft resulting in a 25% increase in hair volume and shinier and thicker hair. It also gives noticeable hair growth in as little as 12 weeks. With continuing use, the hair will carry on growing and improving in health.

Patented Technology

The Wellay Personal Hair Laser from beauty-lasers uses world-first patented technology and is the only genuine multi-wavelength hair treatment laser for home treatment of hair loss and scalp conditions. It has CE approval, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 13485 and FDA (Korea) approval. It has been designed to the highest international safety and quality standards.

There are many scientific studies for each laser wavelength that show how effective it is in therapeutic treatment - you can read more about the different effects of each wavelength on the website of the Swedish Laser Medical Society.

Losing it: Tamara Beckwith falls victim to the curse of the hair extension.

.. just like Naomi Campbell.

It was a condition first spotted in public when Naomi Campbell stepped out with what seemed like an alarmingly large bald patch on the side of her head.

And now another celebrity appears to be suffering from what experts are calling the curse of the hair extension.

Blonde It Girl and TV presenter Tamara Beckwith, 40, was spotted out shopping last week with her scalp showing clearly on the side of her head.

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Is the Wellay Hair Laser capable of regrowing hair despite the presence of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)?

Both men and women tend to lose hair due to hormonal changes in the body. It is mainly the alterations in the metabolism of androgen in the body that brings about hair loss. Androgen is the male hormone that plays a very important role in both hair loss and hair growth. This metabolism of androgen gets involved with an enzyme, the 5 alpha reductase which tends to combine with the male hormone, testosterone to give DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). This DHT is the natural metabolite of the human body that is the main reason for hair loss.

The most important structure of a hair follicle is the dermal papilla, which is responsible for hair growth. The cell of this dermal papilla divides and differentiates to form a new hair follicle. As this dermal papilla lies in direct contact with blood capillaries of the skin, it is responsible for deriving nutrients for hair follicle growth. This dermal papilla has many receptors for androgens; where men have more androgenic receptors here than women.

It is very important for a person to have proper nutrition to maintain hair. So when DHT reaches the hair follicles and dermal papilla, it tends to prevent proteins, vitamins and minerals from providing the needed nourishment to sustain life in the hair of these follicles. With this, the hair follicles tend to reproduce at a slower rate and this in turn either shortens the growing phase of the hair follicles or lengthens its resting stage.
extract from from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/68082.php

While DHT is the primary contributing factor in male pattern baldness and one of several possible causes for female hair loss, the US FDA has officially approved LLLT, (Low Level Laser) for its effectiveness in treating hair loss.

As you know, hair loss is caused by many different factors, however, the fundamental cause of hair loss is that the follicles are not getting enough nutrients, minerals, vitamins, etc to sustain and grow hairs. It is vital to boost nourishment to the dermal papilla, the most important structure of a hair follicle, which is responsible for hair growth.

Despite the presence of DHT, the Wellay hair laser helps to promote blood flow in the capillary vessels and thus supply nutrients, oxygen, etc to the follicles more effectively, counteracting the effect of DHT blocking the nutrients from getting into follicles.

How do I choose the best and most effective hair loss treatment laser?

Which wavelengths are able to penetrate the skin and be most effective?

The Wellay @home Hair Laser was developed jointly, through clinical research and testing, with the most renowned medical laser research centre in Korea; the Medical Laser and Device Research Center of Dankook University,  which is a leading contributor to the development of high-tech medical equipment, focusing on research in advanced laser treatments for clinical applications. The Wellay @home Hair Laser, using 21 lasers at 670nm, 780nm and 830nm, is patented as the World's first multi-wavelength therapeutic laser for treatment of hair loss.

Each different wavelength used in the Wellay @home Hair Laser has a different treatment and penetration depth into the scalp. The blood capillaries in direct contact with the dermal papilla lie in the hypodermis (the deepest inner layer among 3 layers of skin (scalp) tissue.

The 670nm wavelength laser light mainly treats the surface of the scalp and does not penetrate deeply into the scalp so the 670nm wavelength alone is not enough for effective hair loss treatment.

Longer wavelength (780nm, 830nm) lasers are able to penetrate more deeply into the skin tissue. However, substances within the skin tissue such as melanin, water and haemoglobin all absorb and weaken the laser light.

Light at 830nm wavelength is the least absorbed by those substances, which means it retains more of its beneficial power to energise the hair follicles because more of the light energy is absorbed into the blood cells to increase circulation and the delivery of more nutrients and oxygen to the follicles.

In the cosmetic and therapeutic laser device market, each treatment laser uses different wavelengths. 650nm/670nm are visible (red) light, while 780nm and 830nm are infrared light with more power and stronger penetrating ability and effectiveness.

Lasers around the 650nm wavelength are the most commonly used in cosmetic and therapeutic lasers because the light is a clear, bright red which is visible to the eye so it looks as if it really works for treatment and in fact, it actually does have a therapeutic effect. Also, the 650nm wavelength is the most widely used in the cosmetic laser market and is cheaper to use than longer wavelength lasers.

However, the more expensive infrared lasers which use 780nm and 830nm wavelengths are able to penetrate and stimulate deeper into the skin tissue and so are more effective in treatment although they are rarely used by other manufacturers of cosmetic and therapeutic lasers.

The Wellay @home Hair Laser uses one 670nm, one 780nm and one 830nm laser in each of its 7 laser clusters and is the only hair treatment laser on the market which offers this technology. The 3 different wavelengths irradiate the same area of the scalp simultaneously, each working at different layers and thus maximising the benefit and proving a more effective treatment.

Does the Wellay @home hair laser work for Afro-Caribbean hair?

Yes. The Wellay @home hair laser will treat hair loss for any colour skin and any colour hair - skin and hair colour and hair texture are not relevant to its effectiveness. The Hair Laser uses 21 low power multi-wavelength lasers for maximum effect which penetrate deeply into the scalp, regardless of skin colour, to activate blood circulation around your hair follicles, halting hair loss and stimulating new hair growth.

I had plastic surgery but it was years ago. Can I use the hair laser?

Yes. The Wellay @home hair laser will not have any adverse effects. It's quite safe for you to use.

The only safety consideration (and it is the same with any laser) is that you need to be careful not to look directly at the laser light or directly put the laser on your eyes or eyelids.

Low Level Laser Therapy, which is the technology used in the hair laser, can be widely used for various kinds of skin troubles and for hastening recovery of open wounds, burns etc,  without any side effects. It natually promotes blood circulation in the capillary vessels of your skin and the cell activity, hence actually enhances recovery process after injury.

You can find more detailed information on Low Level Laser Light Therapy at www.laser.nu

Would I be getting the same results from this Hair Laser as I do from the clinic?

I have had laser treatment before from a company which I visited once a week where they used the large laser over the entire head. Will the Wellay Hair Laser give me the same results?

The Wellay @home Hair Laser uses 21 low power multi-wavelength lasers for maximum effect which penetrate deeply into the scalp to activate blood circulation around your hair follicles, halting hair loss and stimulating new hair growth. Regular treatment will stop the progress of hair loss in 85% of users; increase blood supply to the scalp by 54% after only one treatment; stimulate hair follicles to help re-growth; repair and improve the quality of the hair shaft resulting in a 25% increase in hair volume; give noticeable hair growth in as little as 12 weeks with continued use.

In order to see the full hair restoration benefits of the Wellay @home Hair Laser it is important that you use it regularly on the areas where you are suffering hair loss, preferably for at least 10 minutes twice a day. It is to easy to use whenever and wherever you have a few minutes to spare. You just charge it up like your mobile, switch on the lasers and move it slowly over your scalp for 10 minutes (longer, if you wish), whenever you have time.

Continue using the Hair Laser as directed to treat your hair loss, even after your hair has started to grow again as it will continue to improve over time, giving you thicker and healthier hair.

Would I be able to use other hair growth products, eg Minoxidil, Propecia, with the hair laser?

Yes. You can continue to use any medication you are taking for hair loss, any hair lotion or other treatments while using the Wellay @home Hair Laser, if you wish. Continue using the Hair Laser as directed to treat your hair loss, even after your hair has started to grow again as it will continue to improve over time, giving you thicker and healthier hair.

If my hair follicles are dead, will the hair laser work to regrow my hair?

There's a lot of snake oil out there in terms of hair regrowth products so I have to say this upfront. The Wellay Hair Loss Treatment Laser was never designed to regrow lost hair from a dead follicle. Nothing will do that and anyone who tells you otherwise has an overactive imagination. But, if your hair is falling out, the Hair Laser can boost the active follicle into getting on with the job of sprouting hair a little more efficiently.

What is a Wellay Hair Loss Treatment Laser?

The Wellay @home Hair Loss Treatment Laser is the World's first multi-wavelength personal laser for home treatment of hair loss and scalp health using safe, advanced and effective low level laser technology for hair regrowth in men and women.

It uses 21 low power multi-wavelength lasers for maximum effect which penetrate deeply into the scalp to activate blood circulation around your hair follicles, halting hair loss and stimulating new hair growth.

Regular treatment with a Hair Laser will

• stop the progress of hair loss in 85% of users
• increase blood supply to the scalp by 54% after only one treatment
• stimulate hair follicles to help re-growth
• repair and improve the quality of the hair shaft resulting in a 25% increase in hair volume
• give noticeable hair growth in as little as 12 weeks with continued use.

How do I choose the best and most effective hair loss treatment laser?

Each different wavelength used in hair loss treatment lasers has a different treatment and penetration depth into the scalp. The blood capillaries in direct contact with the dermal papilla lie in the hypodermis (the deepest inner layer among 3 layers of skin (scalp) tissue.

The 670nm wavelength laser light mainly treats the surface of the scalp and does not penetrate deeply into the scalp so the 670nm wavelength alone is not enough for effective hair loss treatment.

Longer wavelength (780nm, 830nm) lasers are able to penetrate more deeply into the skin tissue. However, substances within the skin tissue such as melanin, water and haemoglobin all absorb and weaken the laser light.

Light at 830nm wavelength is the least absorbed by those substances, which means it retains more of its beneficial power to energise the hair follicles because more of the light energy is absorbed into the blood cells to increase circulation and the delivery of more nutrients and oxygen to the follicles.

In the cosmetic and therapeutic laser device market, each treatment laser uses different wavelengths. 650nm/670nm are visible (red) light, while 780nm and 830nm are infrared light with more power and stronger penetrating ability and effectiveness.

Lasers around the 650nm wavelength are the most commonly used in cosmetic and therapeutic lasers because the light is a clear, bright red which is visible to the eye so it looks as if it really works for treatment and in fact, it actually does have a therapeutic effect.

Also, the 650nm wavelength is the most widely used in the cosmetic laser market and is cheaper to use than longer wavelength lasers.

However, the more expensive infrared lasers which use 780nm and 830nm wavelengths are able to penetrate and stimulate deeper into the skin tissue and so are more effective in treatment although they are rarely used by other manufacturers of cosmetic and therapeutic lasers.

The most effective hair loss treatment lasers are multi-wavelength and use one 670nm, one 780nm and one 830nm laser in each of their 7 laser clusters and are the only hair treatment lasers on the market which offers this technology. The 3 different wavelengths irradiate the same area of the scalp simultaneously, each working at different layers and thus maximising the benefit and proving a more effective treatment.

There are many scientific studies for each laser wavelength that show how effective it is in therapeutic treatment – you can read more here about the different effects of each wavelength - http://www.laser.nu/lllt/Faq1.htm.