Where are the ****ing treatments?

[x4342]

Unfortunately though, it seems that most people with the hair loss industry are in fact hair transplant surgeons and all they seem to be interested in doing are more and more hair transplants and not innovate in any way, shape, or form (unless it is some derivative of a hair transplant).

Yes, that's true. I don't believe in the conspiracy theories but I do believe that there is problem in that "hair loss" is too connected to the "hair transplant" industry when in reality the greatest progress doesn't lie in that industry. It's similar to the problem with dentistry and the general lack of progress in the field. Regenerative medicine holds the key to future dentistry. Crudely put, dentists aren't going to change the game. Left to themselves the "innovations" are simply new artistic techniques for extracting, drilling, gum grafting etc. Regrowing teeth isn't going to come from dentists, but rather those involved in regenerative medicine.

The same thing is true with hair. A great hair transplant surgeon is a skilled artist but they are hardly innovating when it comes to hair restoration. It's depressing to see a conference of hair "experts" (transplant surgeons) where they sit around and discuss different transplant techniques. You are working with a very low ceiling if you are focusing on transplants. Look at acell. Now people are using it for transplants and even for some general regrowth without a transplant. Transplant surgeons are using it, but did they have anything to do with its development? No, it's a product of regenerative medicine and wasn't even designed with hair loss in mind.

That's why I have far more interest in someone like Gail Naughton than someone like William Rassman. Even if she fails miserably she's trying to truly advance the field. Rassman will continue to move hair around and offer tattoos that resemble hair.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

It's a conspiracy I tell ya. Research and progress stifled by the hair transplant industry. Think of it, a bona fide sure treatment to regrow a full mop would no doubt put them out of business. haha!

Seriously, I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it is ridiculous that we have absolutely nothing new in the way of treatments. I guess I will just have to put all my faith into fin for the time being.

Unfortunately though, it seems that most people with the hair loss industry are in fact hair transplant surgeons and all they seem to be interested in doing are more and more hair transplants and not innovate in any way, shape, or form (unless it is some derivative of a hair transplant).

[itsmyhairs]

It's a conspiracy I tell ya. Research and progress stifled by the hair transplant industry. Think of it, a bona fide sure treatment to regrow a full mop would no doubt put them out of business. haha!

Seriously, I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it is ridiculous that we have absolutely nothing new in the way of treatments. I guess I will just have to put all my faith into fin for the time being.

The HT industry does not have the pulling power to influence the pharma companies, if those guys want to make a cure, they'll make it and the little independents moving follicles around will be out of business.

[StuckInARut]

It's a conspiracy I tell ya. Research and progress stifled by the hair transplant industry. Think of it, a bona fide sure treatment to regrow a full mop would no doubt put them out of business. haha!

Seriously, I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it is ridiculous that we have absolutely nothing new in the way of treatments. I guess I will just have to put all my faith into fin for the time being.

[x4342]

It's depressing seeing old forum posts from the early 00's with people saying there will be a cure or much better treatment options available in the next ten years. Well, it is the next ten years. I know a lot of people would fork over a good percentage of their net worth for a new effective treatment. It's crazy. You'd figure capitalism would of sorted this out by now. Considering the amazing developments modern science has created it's perplexing that there are only a handful of options in 2013 for hairloss.

I agree. I'm hardly in the hardcore pessimist camp, but I agree that there's nothing more depressing than seeing how hopeful people were 10+ years ago. There were countless people who were convinced that they were going to essentially move on from the entire issue in a couple of years and the archaic transplant industry would be completely gone in the near future.
That's why I advise every early sufferer to try and maintain if at all possible rather than living on hope. I recognize that not everyone will be able to maintain for various reasons (side effects, highly aggressive loss, etc.) but you don't want to be one of those guys that lets hope influence their decisions.

Let's look at a classic example:



"Washenik and Unger (and eventually others) could give us back a very good head of hair if cell therapy works as they say it will. This will mean the end of transplants for everyone accept those who need hair to grow in scar tissue. Cell therapy will not grow hair in scar tissue, but it will rejuvinate your existing follicles to produce healthy hair once again. The dermal papilla (DP) cells are the magic bullet in this treatment. I can not understate the importance of what is upon us. It is very likely that we, for the first time in mankind's history, will be able to get most of our hair back in the foreseeable future. Doctors like Ken Washenik and Walter Unger are true pioneers approaching the new frontier on our behalf. I for one am hopping on their bandwagon. Go west, young man...and don't forget your comb, you're going to need it! "


When was that post written? Five years ago? Nope. Back in 2001. The sad thing is that there appears to have been a debate between the optimists who thought they were getting their hair back in the next year or two and the "pessimists" who thought they were going to have wait five years.
The reality is that nothing worked out and countless people are still padding their bank accounts by simply moving hair from one part of the scalp to the other.

At some point there is obviously going to be a huge leap forward, but we have to resist the urge to let hope get in the way of reality. Easier said than done, I know...




Source:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=5891&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=&STARTPAGE=3

[burtandernie]

It does seem like all this kind of stuff moves way more slowly then people always claim. When someone says a possible treatment in 5 years you may as well add 10 or more to that for a realistic guess.
Its not very cool that some stuff like RU just never gets finished even though it seems to work. Hopefully CB gets finished through all trials.

[Pentarou]

It's depressing seeing old forum posts from the early 00's with people saying there will be a cure or much better treatment options available in the next ten years. Well, it is the next ten years. I know a lot of people would fork over a good percentage of their net worth for a new effective treatment. It's crazy. You'd figure capitalism would of sorted this out by now. Considering the amazing developments modern science has created it's perplexing that there are only a handful of options in 2013 for hairloss.

Not only is there not a cure, there isn't even any extra treatment options, apart from dutasteride, which still hasn't been given a specific licence for hair loss treatment...

[akai]

It's depressing seeing old forum posts from the early 00's with people saying there will be a cure or much better treatment options available in the next ten years. Well, it is the next ten years. I know a lot of people would fork over a good percentage of their net worth for a new effective treatment. It's crazy. You'd figure capitalism would of sorted this out by now. Considering the amazing developments modern science has created it's perplexing that there are only a handful of options in 2013 for hairloss.

[Pentarou]

I think if BTT is still around in June 2023, the conversations and discussions on most of the forum will be pretty much identical to what goes on now. Yes, even the "does Gho's procedure work or not?" discussions.

[sausage]

it all sucks balls. I have £10,000 + for anyone with a solid baldness cure, come and get your money......

looks like no1 wants my money.

[clandestine]

Truth.

[Conpecia]

Absolutely agree with this. It blows my mind that this is so hard to beat. We aren't even close. Maybe in 15 ****ing years.

All I ****ing need is something that will block scalp DHT without ****ing with my sebum DHT. How is that not available?!?!

People like Clan and I are in the very worst scenario. We still have some hair and we are willing to take finasteride, dut, RU, etc. but WE CAN'T BECAUSE OF SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS. It's the worst sort of hell, to see everyone around you stopping their hairloss and know you can't do shit about it, and to hear these other assholes talking shit as though we're afraid to take propecia. Drives me crazy.

I'm telling you guys, the cure is going to come from donor regeneration or hair multiplication. that will be in a decade. You're just not going to find anything that regrows your original hair, you'll have to get transplants. So it goes.

[clandestine]

I do tend to agree.

[x4342]

Shut the ***** up fin, dut, prp, etc.

What of those who take fin, dut and experience sides. Hint; we're left with very few options. Many of them experimental.

It frustrates me when people describe those who don't take fin as some non-committal person who is simply unwilling.

Trust me, and listen to what I'm saying: there are those of us who have tried, are willing, but have proven unable to take conventional medications. Please respect the distinction.

Oh, and prp has had pretty dismal results thus far.

Cheers.

I'm well aware of that and noted it. That will happen with any medication. I've had bad side effects from other non-hair related medications. Side effects are unfortunate but it sure beats the past when there was literally no option for anyone.
As for PRP, it depends on the expectations. When it's marketed as some sort of space aged "regrowth" option, yeah it's a failure. But if you are strictly using it to maintain or slow hair loss it is a useful although very expensive maintenance tool.

[gsr852]

What is truly frustrating is that there are too many opinions and not enough facts with respect to current treatments.

It is a given that not everyone will respond in the exact same way to any of the solutions out there (the same can be said for any type of medical treatment) BUT when it comes to hair loss it is truly a sad joke.

It would be great if all of the hair loss sites could consolidate, pool their resources and provide hard fact versus blind opinion.

Example: Is generic drug X from company X "real"? There must be a way to get drug X tested and provide an answer for all.

I would suggest that there are enough people suffering with MPB who would love to find one place they could go to get real answers and real unbiased testing data.