Before I discuss with you the problem of excessive hair-loss, I need to mention a few important features of our skin. It is not merely the outer cover for our body, as such. On the contrary, the skin gererally is a very active organ having to perform numerous important and different functions. There are several skin layers. The immediate skin surface is the epidermis. The hairs, together with the oil and sweat glands, are part of this. The epidermis renews itself continuously throughout the individual's life. Epidermal mother cells multiply and form daughter cells. These newly-formed daughter cells push the older mother cells outwards, and daughter cells themselves gradually approach the skin surface. During all this cell traffic, the wandering cells change both in appearance and in nature, until their life finally terminates with the formulation of dead horny scales. The scales ultimately disintegrate, to be replaced by new ones. While the epidermis protects the body, its own cells are doomed to die by forming scales. Our hair has a somewhat related life history, passing through several stages of growth. The so-called root of the hair is imbedded in the follicle. The hair grows through cell multiplication within the follicle, meaning each newly formed hair produces daughter cells. These, in turn, produce cells of their own again, and so on. As the hair matures and reaches the end of its growth cycle, the cells change in appearance. As long as nothing interferes with this growth process, the matured hair will be pushed out of the follicle by a new hair, having an identical growth cycle to the previous one. Under normal conditions, this hair exchange cycle continues more or less uninterruptedly as long as this complex hair-exchange process is not being disturbed.

Excerpts From:

"A report is given about clinical trials to demonstrate by direct quantitative means that stimulation of hair follicle growth is possible, at least under certain circumstances with a given topically applied hair preparation. Observations were made on a series of 167 adult male volunteers suffering from excesive hair-loss or more advanced male pattern baldness. These subjects were selected from among more than 350 volunteers, and had been screened with the utmost care to avoid later criticism..."

"A histological examination of biopsy specimens removed simultaneously from several (two, three or nine) different areas of the scalp with a hand punch 4.0mm in diameter. On every occasion biopsies (one or three) were also taken from the fully haired occipital (back) region of the scalp. According to clinical experience, it is in the occipital zone that hair growth persists longest in males. Thus, every test subject served as his own reference, and so the technique strengthens the significance of the results. In males, hair growth is in principle synchronized and not mosaic as claimed before and this is important because hair growth under normal conditions represents a continuous, long-term, though rhythmically alternating process - in the assessment of this and related problems, it is imperative to examine numerous biopsy specimens simultaneously removed from several different scalp regions, and on several successive occasions."

"When applied to the cutaneous (skin) surface, the preparation rapidly penetrates the epidermis proper and enters the area surrounding the hair follicles. A high rate of cell division is induced both in the epidermis and in the hair follicle."

"As among its other properties, the preparation exerts detergent effects, remnants of keratin and dust particles are removed from the follicular mouths. The preparation also decreases the viscosity (thickness) of the intercellular fluids in the dermis, thus stimulating the circulation of blood and lymph."

"Earlier it was believed that male sex hormones (androgens, testosterone) are produced exclusively in the testes. Now, however, it is known that the human skin, with its sebaceous glands and hair follicles, is itself an important site for the biosynthesis of androgens. Thus, Cholesterol - when synthesized in the human skin - is metabolized in the scalp to angrogens; consequently if androgens are responsible for male pattern baldness (sometimes even termed 'andgrogenous baldness'), the cholesterol formed in the skin must also be responsible for the condition."

"If it is agreed that the hair follicle cycle and certain derangements in it - particularly those of the male pettern baldness type - are under the control of androgens (i.e., testosterone by-products), then in several respects cholesterol, the precursor of all steroid hormones, occupies a key position in the development of male pattern baldness. Perhaps one of the most important observations is that the preparation removes any excess of cholesterol and other oily compounds present at the cutaneous surface."

"On the basis of earlier data it was also concluded that the more frequently the scalp is exposed to the effects of the hair preparation, the stronger is the response in terms of hair follicle growth."

Letter From Dr Kai Setala © 1979 CosVetic & Head Start ®

Strong, healthy hair begins in the tiny follicles beneath your scalp where the nutritional needs are immense.

To properly condition your hair you must get to the root of the matter, your hair follicles.

Head Start ® utilizes folate; biotin; and niacin (nicotinic acid / vitamin B3), a natural peripheral vasodilator which, like minoxidil, serves to deliver more nutrients to your problem hair, allowing it to grow and develop as strong and healthy as your own body's metabolism will allow.

The cause of your hair loss may not be genetic,
hair loss from other factors may actually be something you can stop ---

Are you experiencing excessive HairLoss from:
Stress? ... Bad Diet? ... Surgery? ... Drug Interaction? ... Chemotherapy? ... Radiation Therapy? ... Hormonal Imbalance? ... Pregnancy? ... Cigarettes? ... Alopecia? ... Poor Blood Circulation? ... Advancing Age? ...

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