Botox increases hair by 18%

[Westonci]

http://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Fulltext/2010/11000/Treatment_of_Male_Pattern_Baldness_with_Botulinum.79.aspx?WT.mc_id=HPxADx20100319xMP

Looks interesting and legit.

[gmonasco]

Could be something, but simply citing an increase in hair count without an accompanying analysis of the quality of the additional hair isn't very informative. I doubt many guys would be excited about the prospect of adding 18% more vellus hairs to their head.

[Westonci]

click on the right side bar, and dowload the PDF file (Its free)

Zoom in on the second page, and you'll see a before and after photos.

I was confused at first but the picture is two people with a before and after photo, not 1 person in 4 photos.

[gmonasco]

Zoom in on the second page, and you'll see a before and after photos.

Yes, I saw them. But:

a) Photos can be quite deceiving; that's why you really want to see a qualitative analysis.

b) The pictures represent a mere 4% of the test subjects. Are these results typical, or were they exemplary? How broadly did the results vary across the full spectrum of test subjects?

[Westonci]

I think you mean quantitative.

I think in Table 1 there is some info regarding the numbers. It also said there was a 75% response rate to the treatment.

Heres the info regarding the clinical trials that are now complete, apparently the trial was Phase II

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00965640

[gmonasco]

I think you mean quantitative.

No, I mean qualitative. Information about an increase in hair count is not very informative without knowing something about the quality of those hairs.

I think in Table 1 there is some info regarding the numbers. It also said there was a 75% response rate to the treatment.

Again, those are strictly quantitative results, not qualitative results. They don't tell you, for example, what percentage of the hair count increase consists of hairs that actually have a cosmetically visible effect.

[Westonci]

No, I mean qualitative. Information about an increase in hair count is not very informative without knowing something about the quality of those hairs.



Again, those are strictly quantitative results, not qualitative results. They don't tell you, for example, what percentage of the hair count increase consists of hairs that actually have a cosmetically visible effect.

Fair enough, the only qualitative statements of importance in the article is when it says "Hair regrowth was objectively visible in some subjects (Fig. 1). Secondary outcome measures were also significantly improved. The reduction in hair loss and increase in hair count did not show a statistically significant correlation. This suggested that longer retention of terminal hairs did not account for the increase in hair count."

[gmonasco]

Hair regrowth was objectively visible in some subjects

Which could mean nothing more than that 2 people out of 50 grew enough additional hair for it to be actually visible to some (unspecified) degree.

[Westonci]

If the results are comprabable in efficacy to PRP than I think this is an important breakthrough.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

This is very interesting and the results are great (at least the ones that are shown in the article). I'm going to contact this doctor and find out more about the procedure.