Embarrassing Problem? Back to Medical Specialists®…

The Channel 4 program Embarrassing Bodies has highlighted many obvious health problems that bring a great deal of distress to those suffering with them, but in the present day and age there are still thousands of people that are reluctant to go and speak to their doctor regarding genuine health issues that could be considered to be ‘embarrassing’.

A recent survey looked at around 61 million Google UK searches related to ‘embarrassing’ conditions, and discovered that the most embarrassing problems include anxiety, chlamydia and thrush.

However, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy helps thousands of patients around the world with countless other health concerns, problems that people are simply too reluctant to see their doctor about for treatment. With all prescription medications obtained from Medical Specialists®, the patient has to answer a series of medical questions (a consultation), and one of the GMC-registered doctors will assess and determine if that patient is suitable for the particular treatment. Basically, the patient doesn’t have to deal with any potential ‘embarrassing’ face-to-face contact.

Here, we run through the most common ‘embarrassing’ problems that Medical Specialists® patients have come to them seeking treatment for:

Acne

Acne usually starts in puberty, but it affects adults too. Around 80% of teenagers get some form of acne, and there are many myths about what causes it. Here are facts and details of acne treatments and products.

Acne consists of spots and painful bumps on the skin. It’s most noticeable on the face, but can also appear on the back, shoulders and buttocks. Severe acne can cause scarring.

The most common cause is when the skin reacts to hormonal changes. Skin contains sebaceous glands that naturally release sebum, an oily substance that helps protect it.

Adult acne is caused by raised levels of the hormone testosterone, which can cause too much sebum to be produced. It’s the sebum that can block hair follicles.

When dead skin cells mix with the blockage, it can lead to the formation of spots. Bacteria in the skin multiply, which can cause pain and swelling (inflammation) beneath the blockages.

There are different kinds of spots:

. Blackheads – small, blocked pores.
. Whiteheads – small, hard bumps with a white centre.
. Pustules – spots with a lot of pus visible.
. Nodules – hard, painful lumps under the skin.

Inflammatory acne is when the skin is also red and swollen. This needs to be treated early to prevent scarring.

Try not to pick or squeeze spots as this can cause inflammation and lead to scarring. Spots will eventually go away on their own, but they might leave redness in the skin for some weeks or months afterwards.

Medical Specialists® provide an extensive range of acne treatments, which include Aknemycin, Differin Cream, Differin Gel, Duac, Epiduo Gel, Minocin, and many more.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK. It’s a bacterial infection, which is found in semen and vaginal fluids. Chlamydia is usually passed from one person to another during vaginal, oral or anal sex, or by sharing sex toys.

Half of men and the majority of women do not notice any symptoms. However, symptoms and complications may develop if it is left untreated. Usually symptoms appear between one and three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. In some cases, the symptoms occur many months later, or not until the infection has spread. In women, Chlamydial infection usually affects the cervix and uterus (the womb). In men, it usually affects the urethra in the penis. Chlamydia sometimes causes infection of the eye, throat, and lungs. If not treated, Chlamydia can cause pelvic pain, infertility and blocked fallopian tubes in females. In males, testicular problems and reduced fertility can occur.

Sexually active people should test every year and when they have a new partner. If you think you might have Chlamydia, it’s important to get tested quickly. You can get tested whether or not you have symptoms. The Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kit from Medical Specialists® is everything you need for a confidential test at home, avoiding embarrassing visits to your doctor or GP. Just place your order and we will post the test kit to you, which you can use to check yourself. Take a quick urine sample and post the sample to the laboratory in the envelope provided, and the result is posted or emailed back to you by the laboratory a few days later.

For those diagnosed with chlamydia, Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, used to treat a number of infections caused by bacteria, including the sexually transmitted infections Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. Moreover, Doxycycline is an alternative antibiotic treatment for treating Chlamydia. Doxycycline is equally as effective as Azithromycin, but the treatment needs to be taken twice daily for 7 days.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction (ED), also known as male impotence is a very common condition affecting about 4 in 10 men over 40. Erection problems may have considerable effects on a man’s self-esteem and may create stress that can damage his health and relationship with his partner. Erectile Dysfunction therapy is very effective and the three initial prescribed medications were Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.

Since July 2013 Sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) is now available in a generic form. We also now stock the 2nd generation erectile dysfunction medication Spedra.
For men who find it difficult to swallow tablets Levitra Orodispersible is a new dissolvable version of the oral impotence treatment Levitra. They dissolve on your tongue within seconds, allowing you to take it discreetly whenever you need to.

Hair Loss

Almost a third of UK women (30%) and around two-thirds of men (66%) suffer thinning hair or baldness, according to the research.

Despite the fact hair loss is very common – approximately 80% of men experience some sort of hair loss at some time in their life – it seems two in five men would prefer to suffer alone in silence than seek help and one in ten women are doing the same.

There is no reason to suffer alone though, millions of people in Britain alone are battling hair loss and Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are here to help. With our extensive range of hair loss treatments for men and women, you can act now to halt the progression of hair loss, and even possibly see regrowth of hair.

Medical Specialists® can provide the prescription-only medication Propecia (finasteride), which is used to treat male pattern baldness and works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which thought to cause hair loss.  It is obtainable following a quick and easy 4-step process, which includes an online consultation with one of the Medical Specialists’® in-house doctors.

Other options that can be used in conjunction to Propecia include Regaine Foam or Regaine Lotion, as featured in numerous television adverts. Obtainable from Medical Specialists Pharmacy, Regaine products contain the active ingredient Minoxidil; clinically proven to help prevent further hereditary hair loss. Minoxidil works by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles, helping to strengthen existing hair and stimulate secondary hair growth.

Women can also take minoxidil, contained within Regaine for Women, and have the option of the over-the-counter treatment Florisene® – strongly recommended as an addition to any female hair loss treatment. Florisene® is especially recommended for women who have reduced hair volume (compared with several years ago) or who have recently noticed hair shedding as seen by more hairs in the brush, comb or when shampooing.

Obesity

In the USA and the UK, people with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 30 are categorised as overweight, and those with an index above 30 are categorised as obese. Obesity is a chronic condition characterised by an excess of body fat. It is a risk factor for several chronic diseases, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease; sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, and some cancers. About 280,000 deaths a year are attributable to obesity.

Obesity treatments include Xenical, Orlistat and Alli. All work within the digestive system in the small intestine as a fat absorber. Orlistat (the active ingredient in all 3 treatments) works to blocks out some of the fat in food eaten in the patient’s diet. If the fat is not digested, it cannot be stored, and passes naturally out of your body through your stool.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common and frustrating sexual problems that a man can suffer from, and is something they find difficult to discuss with their own doctor. Men with this problem climax (come) before penetration or in less than two minutes after penetration.

Ejaculating too soon is embarrassing and unsatisfying for both partners. It is particularly common in younger men however many middle-aged men also have this problem. It often occurs early in relationships when excitement, some anxiety and over stimulation are common features.

It is also more common in younger men who are finding out about sexual activity and sexual relationships, and men of all ages after a long period without sex. Premature ejaculation is rarely caused by any underlying disease, structural or physical problems.

There are different proven techniques to prevent premature ejaculation such as self-distraction (taking a deep breath and thinking about something boring), stop and start method (stopping and starting sexual stimulation and changing intercourse positions), and squeeze method (squeezing below the tip of your penis for 10 to 20 seconds when you feel the climax is imminent).

There are also creams and sprays used to desensitise the end of the penis. They act like a local or topical anaesthetic. Some condoms have special Benzocaine cream inside the teat end of the condom to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking. Oral tablets or pills are now available to help prevent premature ejaculation, but unfortunately not via the NHS.

Thrush

Thrush is a fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. The most common symptoms in women are itching, soreness and redness around the vagina, vulva and anus, unusual vaginal discharge which may be thin, thick and look like cottage cheese or pain on passing urine or during sex.

Thrush infections are relatively common in men as well. The most common symptoms in men are irritation, burning or itching under the foreskin or at the tip of the penis, redness or red patches on the penis or under the foreskin, a thick or thin discharge, like cottage cheese, under the foreskin or discomfort when passing urine.

All these symptoms can be embarrassing while some people don’t have any signs or symptoms, and may not be aware they have thrush. Sometimes thrush symptoms will be noticed during a vaginal examination for a cervical screening test.

Canesten Oral and Cream Duo is an oral capsule and soothing cream to treat thrush. Each capsule contains 150 mg of the active ingredient Fluconazole. This treatment is suitable for men and women. Diflucan (Fluconazole) is an anti-fungal medicine prescribed as a single dose for vaginal thrush. You can take it at any time of day, either before or after a meal. This treatment is for women only.

Is the increasing struggle to see GPs driving patients to the Internet?

What would we do without the internet? You can buy all of your Christmas presents online and even order your weekly food shop to be delivered straight to your door. Moreover, in the present day, many of us choose to ‘Google’ our illness or health problem, its symptoms and relevant treatment(s).

The internet is a blessing in some ways, especially with the news this week that actually being able to see a GP in England is getting more and more difficult to achieve, according to the official patient survey.

The fact so many of us now struggle to actually speak to the receptionist at a doctor’s surgery, let alone arrange a visit to speak to someone about a health problem, could logically drive more people towards the internet.

Here people can undergo online consultations for a wide range of conditions like acne, hair loss, male impotence, etc, and see their medication delivered to their door the very next day. Yes, Medical Specialists™, the UK’s leading one-stop online pharmacy and doctors, can take all of the worry and stress out of trying to see your GP and then onto a pharmacy to go and collect your medications.

A poll comprising of around 900,000 patients discovered that in the last two years, there was a 6% increase in the number of people who reported difficulties getting through to try and arrange an appointment to see a GP, rising from 18% to 24%.

After they did finally manage to get through, 11% of them were not even able to actually book an appointment, the Ipsos MORI poll for NHS England revealed.

However, 75% did claim that they had a good experience of booking their appointment, and 86% said their overall experience was good when they did manage to see a doctor, or in some cases a practice nurse.

Unfortunately though the fact remains that long waits to see a GP about an ailment will become something of the norm.

Only last week the British Medical Association (BMA) said how patients could expect to be waiting longer to see a GP in the future due to funding cuts and a shortage of doctors.

BMA GP leader, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, spoke at the BMA’s annual conference, warning how waits of one or two weeks would “become the norm”.

Although waiting times were not measured for the survey, it does appear to be that a growing number of people are having difficulty with being able to see GP.

Mental Health Awareness Week highlights Britain’s anxiety woes

Monday saw the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week which will run until the 18 May. Ran by the British charitable organisation Mental Health Foundation, this year’s specific theme is a problem that is spiralling all over the UK; anxiety.

Anxiety is a problem has that has got progressively worse over the last few decades and is recognised as one of the leading causes behind mental ill-health all around the world. With this week it is hoped more awareness is raised about anxiety, the leading causes of the condition and what steps you can take to live more easily with it.

The majority of us will experience some form of anxiety during the course of our lives. The stresses at work, or raising a family, trying to ride through the recession, or preparing for a job interview will all result in some degree of anxiety.

In addition, Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy have spoken to thousands of patients who are suffering with severe anxiety caused by health issues that have a huge detriment to their confidence and self-esteem. Problems such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, hair loss, acne, obesity and much more can all result in long-term anxiety without the necessary treatment(s), which can all be obtained from Medical Specialists™.

When anxiety becomes excessive, persistent and overwhelming, this is when it becomes so problematic that your daily life is effected and is also the primary symptom of a number of conditions, including phobias, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

According the Mental Health Foundation, levels of anxiety are on the rise. Currently around one in five in the UK feels anxious most or all of the time. A survey carried out by the charity also found nearly half of Brits now feel more anxiety than they did in the past. The survey defined anxious as “generally feeling worried, nervous, or uneasy”.

An estimated three-fifths of the 2,330 British adults questioned by YouGov admitted they feel anxious on a daily basis and 7% would not hesitate to see a GP due to their feelings of anxiety. Just one in 20 say they never feel anxious.

So what exactly is on the nation’s mind and causing us sleepless nights? Well, perhaps unsurprisingly given the state of the economy, money problems were cited as the main cause of anxiety.

Of those polled, 45% said money/finance/debt was the main cause, 36% said the welfare of their children and loved ones, whilst 27% said work problems – i.e. long hours – were causing the most anxiety.

Older people were found to be less worried about finance, but women and older people were more concerned for loved ones. Even though there are a large number of people battling anxiety, almost a fifth of respondents admitted to doing nothing to deal with it.

“Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in the UK and it is increasing, yet it remains under-reported, under-diagnosed and under-treated,” said Jenny Edwards, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.

“A good ability to cope with anxiety is key to our resilience in the face of whatever life throws at us. However, experiencing it too much or too often means we risk becoming overwhelmed. Anxiety at this level can have a truly distressing and debilitating impact on our lives and impact on our physical as well as mental health. As individuals and as a society we need to be more anxiety aware. If we truly recognised the cost anxiety has on society, as well as the mounting distress it causes to individuals, communities and employers, we would act now.”

To help people understand anxiety in greater depth, the charity has compiled a new guide titled Are You Anxiety Aware?, which explains the different types of anxiety, the main reasons that can result in feelings of anxiety, in addition to the physical signs that could occur with anxiety (fast breathing, sweating, rapid and/or irregular heartbeat, etc.).

Would you get a head tattoo to cover baldness?

Male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in men, afflicting an estimated 6.5 million men in the UK and for many it is noticeable by the time they reach the age of 35.

In recent times there has been countless celebrity hair loss stories in the media. For instance, we have seen celebrities such as Wayne Rooney and Calum Best opt for expensive hair transplants, and even pop superstar Justin Bieber has come out and said that Prince William needs to take hair loss medication Propecia.

Other effective and proven hair loss treatments for men include Regaine Foam, Regaine Lotion and Alpecin caffeine shampoo. However, how about covering up your diminishing hair with a tattoo?

Yes, you read that correctly, a tattoo! British men are now able to benefit from a procedure which involves tattooing tiny dots on their scalp, helping to mask receding hairlines and hair loss.

The new technique will set men back quite a hefty amount however, between £500 – £3,000, providing them with what will seem like a full head of hair – all in just a couple of hours. Men will end up with a ‘buzzcut’, which may or may not be to everyone’s liking, but has been made popular in the last decade by celebrities such as Wentworth Miller and David Beckham.

A hair expert will apply differing shades of specifically blended pigments into the patient’s scalp, mimicking the size, shape and density of micro hairs, creating the buzzcut appearance.

The idea was formulated by Ian Watson, 42, founder of HIS (Hair-Ink-Skin) Hair. Mr Watson was in his mid-twenties when he suffered with alopecia, brought on by the loss of his brother to cancer.
In an attempt to cover the hair loss, Mr Watson asked his brother’s widow to use a fine ink pen and draw tiny black dots onto his scalp. Although the ink washed off in the shower, the whole premise got Mr Watson thinking and his idea gathered pace from there.

The treatment is suitable for varying types of hair loss, whether it be alopecia, cancer, and baldness. No anaesthetics, incisions or adhesives are used during the procedure, leaving the patient without any scars on their head. Adjustments can also be made in the future if there is further hair loss suffered, or style preference is changed.

The downside is the price as not many people in the current financial climate can afford to pay between £500 and £3000 for treatment, plus no actual hair is regrown or prevented from being further lost, as opposed to the previously mentioned Propecia.

Medical Specialists Pharmacy are able to offer the prescription-only medication Propecia (finasteride) to suitable males, which works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, responsible for hair loss.  It is obtainable following a quick and easy 4-step process which includes an online consultation with one of our in-house GMC-registered doctors, priced from as little as £47.58 per month.

More men fear hair loss than impotence

Hair loss and suffering with impotence are probably amongst men’s biggest worries and the cause for a great deal of anxiety.

However, a new study suggests that hair loss could actually surprisingly be a bigger concern to men than their performance in the bedroom. It could be that hair loss degrades confidence to the extent that many men feel this will affect their ability to find a partner in the first place.

The survey of 2,000 males found that an incredible 94% feared going bald, compared to 89% who feared about experiencing erectile dysfunction and losing their ability to perform in the bedroom.
Other things that caused fear for the men survey included going grey, feared by 75% of the men (although becoming a ‘silver fox’ never did George Clooney any harm!), whilst 64% were concerned about putting weight on. This is perhaps unsurprising when health experts have stated that by 2050 obesity is predicted to affect 60% of adult men, 50% of adult women and 25% of children.

In addition, 61% were terrified of losing their teeth, 45% had a fear of needing to wear glasses at some point, 31% were worried about losing their hearing and suffering with bad breath was feared by 24% – although the revolutionary and massively popular CB12 mouthwash has now helped with this problem for both men and women.

None of these fears compared to hair loss however. Psychotherapist Toni Mackenzie was not shocked by the survey’s findings.

She said: “Hair loss can be genuinely distressing for men. It can’t be easily disguised and people think its fair game for jokes, unlike things like putting on weight or going grey. Men who lose their hair are expected to take insults with good humour. The pressure this causes can have a huge effect on men’s self-confidence, which has knock-on effects on their physical and mental wellbeing.”

Ian Watson, of HIS Hair Clinics, commented: “Going bald is just too personal to be funny. I lost my hair in my 20s. I’ve had countless people rub my head like a lucky Buddha and been called everything from baldilocks to Fester. It soon becomes downright upsetting.”

The findings back up other surveys carried out this year, such as one recently commissioned by pharmaceutical and cosmetics company Alpecin, producers of the hugely popular Alpecin caffeine shampoo for hair loss. Their survey discovered that losing hair is an increasingly bigger concern for 21-30 year old men. There are countless studies, articles, and media stories that portray attractiveness as being a key factor in success and for many people hair is associated with attractiveness.

The fact that there are an estimated 6 million men in the UK suffering from hair loss, this equates to a huge amount of stress and fear. However, Medical Specialists Pharmacy are able to offer the prescription-only medication Propecia (finasteride), which is commonly used to treat male pattern baldness and works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which thought to cause hair loss.  It is obtainable following a quick and easy 4 step process which includes an online consultation with one of our in-house doctors. Propecia is priced from as little as £47.58 per month.

Other options in addition to Propecia include Regaine Foam and Regaine Lotion, as featured in numerous television adverts. Obtainable from Medical Specialists Pharmacy from as little as £49.95 and £59.95 respectively, Regaine products contain the active ingredient Minoxidil which is clinically proven to help prevent further hereditary hair loss, showing success in 4 out of 5 men. It works by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles which helps to strengthen existing hair and stimulate secondary hair growth.

Certain signs of aging could be a predictor for heart disease

A person’s risk of heart disease could be estimated by examining signs of aging such as hair loss or bags around the eyes, claim researchers in from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. They say such things can be used to determine the true biological age of a person as well as simply a numerical age.

The researchers say that if you have three to four signs of aging such as a receding hairline, baldness (particularly around the crown), earlobe crease or yellow fatty deposits around the eyelid, then you could have a 57% increased risk of a heart attack and a 39% increased risk of heart disease.
They further state that deposits of cholesterol beneath the skin named ‘xanthelasmata’ are one of the biggest signs that can predict the risk for both a heart attack and heart disease. These deposits usually appear as slightly yellow or skin-coloured lumps on the hands or ankles, and are an early sign of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).

If you are unfamiliar with this term, it is a genetic defect that affects roughly 1 in every 500 of the population and causes them immediately from birth to be lacking in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors, which get rid of cholesterol from our blood. Because these people have high cholesterol from the moment they are born, they are at great risk from vascular diseases and hardening of the arteries, much earlier than normal. For anybody unfortunately who has FH, usually the most effective treatment is through statin therapy (e.g. Lipitor or Crestor). These medications decrease the production of LDL cholesterol by the liver, which in turn decreases LDL cholesterol blood levels by around 50%. There are around 120,000 sufferers in the UK and only 15% actually know they have the condition. Medical Specialists would advise everybody to visit their doctor who is able to perform a simple cholesterol check. If your cholesterol is abnormally high then they can suggest ways to best manage this, such as through statin medication.

For the recent study analysing heart risks, the Danish researchers looked at 10,885 people over 40 years of age. It was noted that 7,537 had fronto-parietal baldness - where the hairline is receding at the temples. Furthermore, 3,938 were suffering with crown top baldness. In addition, they also found that 3,405 had earlobe creases and 678 people had fatty deposits around their eyes.

A follow-up period was then carried out, spanning an incredible 35 years. The researchers, led by Professor Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen, found that 3,401 people had developed heart disease and 1,708 had suffered from a heart attack.

In the study – presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2012 – researchers explained how the quantity of greying hair, presence of wrinkles, the type and severity of baldness, and presence of earlobe crease and eyelid deposits were linked to a possible increased risk of heart problems.

Professor Tybjaerg-Hansen, said: “Checking these visible aging signs should be a routine part of every doctor’s physical examination. The visible signs of aging reflect physiologic or biological age, not chronological age, and are independent of chronological age.”

Revealed: the everyday pills that could cause you to suffer hair loss!

The reasons behind hair loss can be many and varied. They range from genetic predispositions to hair loss, hormones, nutrition, physical activity, chemicals and stress. However, now according to a report by scientists at the University of Melbourne, drugs for blood pressure, acne, depression and even common painkillers can contribute towards hair loss. On top of this they claim other drugs can turn a brunette into a redhead, or make straight hair curly.

Many medications can result in premature hair loss and most of them list it as a side effect. Chemotherapy is the most obvious medical treatment that causes temporary premature hair loss, but others, such as antidepressants and those used for mood disorders and seizures can also affect hair growth.

Professor Sam Shuster, Emeritus Professor of Dermatology at Newcastle University said, “The cause of hair loss or change is often unknown, but you must always consider the effects of drugs, when drugs do affect the hair.”

In many cases, medications are thought to affect hair by interfering with its growth cycle, which has three distinct stages. In the growing period which lasts between three and five years on the scalp, hair grows by around 1cm a month. That’s followed by a shorter two week stage, known as the intermediate phase, where the hair follicle is prepared for releasing the hair.

In the final three month phase the telogen phase or resting phase, the hair stops growing and eventually falls out. After three months, the follicle starts to grow a new hair. Fortunately this happens randomly all over the scalp, if it didn’t, the hair would be shed in clumps.

Some drugs used for epilepsy and other disorders such as migraines have been linked to hair loss and they may even make hair curly.One of the drugs, sodium valproate, has been reported in various studies to cause hair loss in between 3 and 10 per cent of patients. In one of the latest studies, which involved more than 200 patients at Razi Hospital in Iran, 3.5 per cent of patients given sodium valproate experienced hair loss or curling. Another study found hair loss in 7 per cent of patients receiving divalproex, a combination of sodium valproate and valproic acid.

These drugs can trigger hair to fall out prematurely in the resting phase of the hair growth cycle. This normally lasts three months, with the hair naturally shedding at the end of this time, but for some reason antidepressants seem to make hair fall out at the beginning of this phase instead. Fluoxetine better known as Prozac is the most commonly reported antidepressant to cause hair loss.

Increased hair loss occurs up to one year after the start of medication and stops when therapy ends. Tricyclic antidepressants, which include imipramine, amitriptyline and doxepin, may occasionally cause hair loss, found the Australian study, which is due to be published in the journal Dermatologic Clinics. However, according to Professor Shuster, “Patients with this problem should not panic; this type of hair loss is reversible.”

Hair loss has been reported among women who stop taking the Pill after long term use. One theory is that this is because some oral contraceptives, particularly progesterone based pills, contain compounds called anti-androgens. These lower levels of testosterone and thus lower the risk of hair loss in women, who may be susceptible. But when these women stop taking the Pill, the protection ends.

When asked, leading UK Trichologist David Bailey said, “Women with hair loss who wish to take the pill, should try Dianette as it contains an anti-androgen which can stop this. If they do not wish to take the pill, spironolactone is often prescribed. Women who are already on Dianette should be careful if they wish to come off it. They could switch to Marvelon or Yasmin, or spironolactone it they do not wish to take a hormone based therapy. Either way, they should really discuss it with someone who knows all about hair and these types of treatments.

High blood pressure drugs have also been linked to hair thinning. The Melbourne researchers say two particular beta blockers, metoprolol and propranolol; have been shown to lead to reversible hair loss. Another group of drugs used for blood pressure, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, may also be associated with hair loss. The drugs seem to cause the hair to shed prematurely in the resting phase.

Small studies have linked painkillers to hair loss. A recent report from the New Zealand government described hair loss as a possible complication, affecting less than one in 100 users. A small U.S. study based on a sample of 21 people using ibuprofen found that 15 patients reported thinning or loss of hair. Once the medication is discontinued, hair loss reduces over eight to nine months.

However, Professor Shuster cautions that, “Patients should never stop taking the drugs without consulting their GP. They can be switched to other drugs, if appropriate, or the dose can be reduced. In other cases, patients can be reassured the effects are unlikely to be permanent.”

Professor Shuster said, “When drugs do affect the hair, the change is usually mild and reverses when the drug is stopped. So you may want to tolerate the change, because of the important effect the drug is having in restoring your health.”

So it seems that many everyday pills we take can contribute in some small way to hair loss, however as has already been stated the benefits these drugs offer us often far outweigh the possible side effects. Prescribed medicines should never be stopped without first consulting your GP. Also worth bearing in mind is that the side effects can often be temporary and reversible.

However there are effective treatments available to treat female hair loss such as Dianette, spironolactone, or even Regain lotion for women, and Regaine (minoxidil) foam and lotion and Propecia (finasteride) both of which are clinically proven to treat male hair loss. These can be obtained from Medical Specialists Pharmacy, after an online consultation with one of our doctors.

Hey Jude, don’t make it bald!

After wearing a beanie for nearly three months solid, Jude Law finally chose to remove his headgear, revealing dramatic hair loss. Photographed in Paris whilst attending the Parisian premiere of Sherlock Holmes, Game of Shadows, fans were stunned to see just how far his hairline had receded since it was last seen back in October.

In December, Jude Law famously refused to remove his beanie hat whilst being interviewed on the set of the Graham Norton show. Despite being goaded by Graham Norton, his Sherlock Holmes co star Robert Downey Jr, and the audience, Law kept his hat firmly in place saying, “I’ve been scalped for my new film and I’ve got the most heinous hair cut you have ever seen.” He then went on to say, “You’ll see it in a cinema next year.”

And so it was that a few months later that people did indeed get to see Jude Law without his hat, but rather than a savage haircut, they saw that his receding hairline had worsened dramatically.

Despite the marked loss of hair now visible, Jude Law could have stopped, and potentially reversed, his receding hairline many years ago before it became quite so obvious. With careful use of medications such as Propecia or Regaine, he could quite easily have prevented his hairline from becoming a media story and avoided the need for wearing a procession of strange hats.

Hair loss specialists are all agreed that proactive treatment is the best way to deal with hair loss, and that the earlier expert advice is sought, the better the chances of correcting a receding hairline before it becomes noticeable. Early treatment has the added advantage of being significantly cheaper than the extreme techniques, such as hair transplants.

When asked for his opinion, leading UK Trichologist David Bailey said, “Jude’s frontal hair line has been shrinking over the last five years. I cannot believe that he has not tried some sort of treatment given that he is an actor and in the public limelight. If he hasn’t, then he definitely should think about it. Unfortunately for Jude, this is a sad song, and I don’t think he can make it better.”

New genetic baldness treatment offers hope

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania lead by Dr George Costarelis believe they may have found the reason why we go bald. Dr Costarelis and his dermatological team have discovered the enzyme Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) that is responsible for preventing hair follicles from maturing. The link between genetics and baldness has long been common knowledge but the cause has not.

When the team analysed the scalps of balding men, they found levels of PDG2 to be three times higher in areas in which the hair was thinning. The research suggests that PGD2 prevents the follicle cells from maturing, so blocking PGD2 would allow the hair to grow again.  Dr Costarelis found that bald men have cells capable of making hair, which adds weight to the argument that PGD2 is responsible for stopping otherwise healthy, capable cells of producing hair.

Back in March 2012 the journal Science Translational Medicine reported that in tests on mice the compound PGD2 stunted hair growth. Drugs that block this protein are already on the market as they are used to treat asthma and allergies, and that is good news according to Dr Costarelis: “The nice thing about dermatology and hair loss in general is that you can take compounds that maybe are being used as a pill, and put them into a topical formulation.”

Dr Costarelis went on to add: “We certainly think it would be good at preventing hair loss but we don’t know for sure that it would regrow”. Dr Costarelis has also announced this week that he is in talks with several pharmaceutical companies about developing a treatment that he says: “could be available in two years”.

Lab tests suggest the treatment may also help women who are losing their hair. Female hair loss carries an even greater stigma than the male condition, but is not as uncommon as many people believe. About 40 per cent of women suffer from some form of hair loss as a result of hormone changes during menopause.

For men this number is significantly higher, by the age of 50 nearly half of all men have some degree of male pattern baldness, a number which rockets to 70 per cent by the age of 70. It also seems that being famous or even royal doesn’t protect you from baldness. As we reported back in July 2012 Wayne Rooney and Louis Walsh have both undergone hair transplant procedures and in the news today Doctor Asim Shahmalak has predicted Prince William will be bald by the time he is 40.

While celebrities have undergone hair transplant procedures, these remain out of reach for most people due to their high price. In the meantime before this PGD2 blocker is released onto the market, there are licensed products on the market such as Propecia (Finasteride) and Regaine (Minoxydil) that have both been clinically proven to help with male hair loss.

Justin Bieber says Prince William should use Propecia to fight his hair loss

Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber is perhaps not famously renowned for his medical knowledge or hair loss expertise. Despite this, it has not stopped the teen icon from offering his words of wisdom on the rapidly diminishing mane of Prince William and urging him to use the effective hair restoration medication, Propecia.

The 18-year-old ‘Boyfriend’ singer made his jibes about the balding 30-year-old Prince when  speaking to Rollercoaster magazine during a recent promotional trip to the UK in support of his ‘Believe’ album.

Bieber first emerged into the global spotlight back in 2008 after being discovered via his uploaded home videos on YouTube. Part of Bieber’s popularity was somewhat due to his baby-faced good looks, and luxurious flowing locks which he initially had stylised into a bowl-shaped cut upon his breakthrough. However, for the previous two years Bieber has sported a much shorter spiked-up quiff after causing a massive media sensation in 2010 when he decided to get rid of his longer hair.

Whereas Bieber can grow his hair back should he wish to do so, Prince William has been losing his hair an alarming rate in recent years and where hair is concerned, he has evidently taken after his father Prince Charles and uncle Prince Edward who are both suffering with male pattern baldness (MPB).

For the interview in Rollercoaster Magazine, Bieber was quizzed about what he would do if he started to lose his locks to MPB and his hair started to thin like the young Prince’s. Justin said, “I mean, there are things to prevent that nowadays, like Propecia. I don’t know why he doesn’t just get those things, those products. You just take Propecia and your hair grows back. Have you not got it over here?”

In reply to Justin’s question; yes we do have Propecia ‘over here’ and it is obtainable today from Medical Specialists Pharmacy working out from as little as £47.58 per month. The medication Propecia (finasteride) is commonly used to treat male pattern baldness and works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to an androgen thought to cause hair loss. Its effectiveness and popularity are obvious when even a teenage pop star with a full head of hair is aware of its existence!

With Male pattern baldness affecting 6.5 million men in the UK alone, Medical Specialists are committed to doing everything we can to help. Other options as well as Propecia, include Regaine Foam, as seen on television adverts. Obtainable from Medical Specialists Pharmacy from as little as £46.45, this product contains the active ingredient Minoxidil which is clinically proven to help prevent further hereditary hair loss, showing success in 4 out of 5 men. It works by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles which helps to strengthen existing hair and stimulate secondary hair growth.

There are also emerging over the counter products that have been released in recent times. Alpecin Caffeine C1 Shampoo stimulates hair growth directly at the roots, strengthens weakened hair roots and prevents hereditary hair loss. In just in 2 minutes, the active ingredient travels along the hair shaft directly into the hair follicles. If the shampoo is left on for longer, the caffeine will also penetrate into the scalp.

When leading Trichologist David Bailey was asked about Bieber comments, he said, “Well it would seem obvious from his comments that he knows all about Male Pattern Hair Loss! How does he know whether the Prince is already taking Propecia or not? As the manufacturer clearly states, it works in the majority of men, but not all. Also, not everybody can take Propecia, they have to have it prescribed by a Doctor after a consultation.”

Northwest Online Pharmacy joins forces with American Drugwatch.com

Medical Specialists Pharmacy, the leading online pharmacy with doctors based in the North West, has teamed up with several UK Media Houses and America’s well known Drugwatch.com to produce and bring valuable information about drugs to the online population via its in-house medical news team.

In 1994, Medical Specialists came about because entrepreneur and Managing Director David Bailey had a vision of online medication. The company has progressed since and become the first online clinic in 2001. In 2010, Medical Specialists became the first online Pharmacy with Doctors, meaning you could have an online consultation with one of their in-house Doctors who could then produce a digital prescription, which would be dispensed by one of their in-house Pharmacist, and the medication with you within 24 hours, either at your home, place of work or other nominated delivery point.

This year saw Medical Specialists Pharmacy as one of the first online NHS Pharmacies offering the new EPS2 system, which means your own GP can send paperless digital prescriptions direct to them. Medical Specialists Pharmacy can then dispense your NHS medication via Royal Mail Special Delivery to the patient the very next day, and once again either at your home, place of work or other nominated delivery point. See www.medical-specialists.co.uk for further information.

A News Team was set up to report on new drugs, problem with drugs and medication, or other interesting medical news. The team has grown over the years, and is now producing a number of stories each day for publication on the internet. This has become a great source of interest by the online public and the media, and they have been approached by a number of UK Media Houses and America’s well known Drugwatch.com. The two latest stories, ‘Bladder Cancer Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Drug’ and ‘Brits Risk Eyesight as Survey Reveals Majority in the Dark’ being some of them.

Managing Director David Bailey said, “We are constantly being approached to produce stories regarding certain subjects, and have also been approached by Drugwatch.com to publish certain stories of theirs appertaining to side effects of specific drugs. Also, several UK Media Houses have approached us with a view to publishing stories for their clients. If we feel the stories are suitable, then we are willing to consider publishing them.”

He went on to say, “We have also been approached by a number of small television production companies regarding very specific medical problems such as Erectile Dysfunction and Hair Loss with a view to making programmes, but at this moment are unable to give further information, so…watch this space!”

L’Oreal experts develop new treatment for hair loss

Trichologists from Paris have discovered information that could possible pave the way for new methods of treating baldness. Head of hair biology Dr Bruno Bernard and his team at L’Oreal Paris underwent research and found that some hair follicles can become trapped in their resting or ‘sleeping’ state, which then means new hair is not grown and eventually will fall out. Usually hair strands grow for about four years before the follicles become dormant and the strand will fall out. As the follicles remain dormant, stem cells in the skin should begin to kick-start the procedure of growing new hair. However, this process is interrupted and fails to occur for people who are suffering from baldness.

The researchers however may not be able to completely halt the balding process forever; the hair follicles inevitably lose the ability to make new hair. For people who are looking a little thin on top, the future products the team are developing could come in handy and prevent you from having to do a dreaded ‘comb over’, using embarrassing wigs, or hugely expensive hair transplants. Of course, there are already many products available on the market right now that have been shown to effectively combat hair loss in both men and women, such as Propecia, Regaine, Alpecin caffeine shampoo, and Dianette for women – which can also be used for acne, hirsutism and contraceptive purposes.

Dr Bernard says that the company are exploring a treatment that can either be applied to your scalp in a cream or shampoo which may help in hair regrowth. He spoke out on the current developments and said, “Hair follicles exist in two stable states – either an active state or a dormant state. From time to time, they will jump from one state to another. Some of the follicles are just resting in the dormant state and are waiting for the right signal to make new hair. They are in a latency period. If you can reduce this latency period, you will have more hair. We have identified a compound and we are going to make a formulation of it that can be applied to the scalp to wake the follicle up from its sleeping state to the active state.”

David Bailey, a leading UK Trichologist and now retired said, “I can’t see how this treatment can help. There are basically three stages to the hair cycle: Anagen (growing phase), Catagen (resting phase) which lasts about three months, and Telogen (falling out phase). It would seem that this treatment works on shortening the Catagen phase, which is only three months, and would not stop the hair loss process which reduces the Anagen phase.”

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we are fully aware of the impact both male and female pattern baldness can have on a person. It can be massively detrimental to one’s confidence and self-esteem. Male-pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss, affecting 6.5 million men in the UK and an estimated 35 million in the U.S. In addition, it is believed there are 8 million women just in the UK who suffer from some degree of hair loss. As mentioned earlier, we offer a huge range of prescription and non-prescription treatments that can slow down the process of thinning hair, promote hair growth and help regain your confidence.

22,000 see former footballer Michael Gray‘s hair transplant

Yesterday approximately 22,000 people from around the world tuned in to witness former Premier League and England footballer Michael Gray receive what is thought to be the first ever live streaming of a hair transplant procedure. The seven-hour long intricate operation was performed by medical director of the Institute of Trichologists, Dr Bessam Farjo, and came to a conclusion at 6.50pm after initially getting underway at 10am. Dr Farjo is a hair loss and hair transplant expert and incredibly he is in his 19^th year of performing such procedures like the one seen yesterday on 37 year old Gray, who is currently employed as a football pundit on Talksport.

Viewers were able to see a close-up of Dr Farjo extracting thousands of hair follicles from the back of Gray’s head and implanting them into the receding areas at the front. Gray explained that after seeing other celebrities such as Wayne Rooney have similar procedures, he chose to go under the knife himself after his previous blonde flowing locks began to diminish at around the age of 32. Gray took to his Twitter account throughout the operation to update his followers on the proceedings, and was involved in a question and answer session. In addition, Dr Farjo also answered questions throughout the procedure, which involved a team of two doctors and six nursing technicians.

The ex-England International gave a detailed account into what persuaded him to seek the help from Dr Farjo, “I think it’s more acceptable now and that was one of the reasons that I wanted to go through with it,’ he said before the operation. Cosmetic surgery now is an everyday occurrence. People might be out there and may be worried about the operation and if I’m going to get it done then why not let people see it. There’s a lot of people out there who are worried about it. Here they can see it from start to finish. I’m working in the media at the moment and doing quite a lot of the TV and when I watch myself back I’m conscious about the way I look, so from the confidence side of things I’m hoping that will beat that. People refer to the harrowing experience a woman must go through when losing her hair, however it can be equally upsetting for men, who can suffer from a severe loss of self-esteem. I hope the live broadcast will help us to educate people about hair transplant surgery and open up discussions around the solutions available to those experiencing hair loss.”

With more and more people undergoing hair transplant operations, Dr Farjo links this to the recent increase in celebrities who have paid for the expensive solution to hair loss. Dr Farjo commented, “Obviously 20 years ago people generally had a different attitude or feeling about things like cosmetic surgery and lifestyle issues, it was very much not talked about. It’s a far cry from where we are now.” Dr Farjo is now optimistic that yesterday’s live streaming may pave the way for more men to seek help with their hair loss and added, “Our broadcast is intended to orchestrate a pioneering moment for the hair loss community, as well as the surgical field, giving the nation a first-hand look at the procedure and helping to dispel misconceptions around hair transplant surgery.” Gray can now look forward to hairs beginning to grow in around three months time, with more obvious results visible after between eight and fourteen months.

Future problems for childhood cancer survivors

If you develop cancer during your childhood and survive it, you are more likely to suffer from hair loss and/or disfigurement during your adult years, resulting in possible long-term emotional problems. This is the claims of a new American study published last week in the ‘Journal of Clinical Oncology’.

Karen Kinahan, coordinator of the ‘STAR Survivorship Program at the Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center of Northwestern University in Chicago’ and her team studied data from 14,358 childhood cancer survivors and compared this information against 4,023 of their siblings who were already involved in a separate scientific study.  All 14,358 were survivors who had received their treatment between the years 1970 and 1986 and were given two questionnaires, one in 1992 and another one in 2003.

When compared, it was noted than those who had survived cancer during childhood actually had notably more scarring and disfigurement on their legs, arms and head areas during later years in their life and that adults with these attributes, usually will suffer from more depression and lead a worse quality of life.

Kinahan commented on the results, “I think it showed us these aren’t necessarily life-threatening late effects of cancer, but certainly we need to be more aware of the outcomes these patients are dealing with”.  The study explained that survivors with persistent hair loss had more of a chance of having anxiety, female survivors with persistent hair loss were more likely to display signs of a depressive nature, and survivors who had been left with disfigurements on their body had an increased chance of depression.

Indeed if we further look at the statistics, 14% of survivors had reported that they were going bald, compared to 6% of their siblings. Hair loss was especially associated with depression in the female survivors. In addition, those who reported scars or disfigurements had a 20% higher chance of having depression in comparison to those without such issues. It was shown that overall, ¼ of survivors had a scar or disfigurement later in life, whilst it was just one in twelve for their siblings. Quality of life was shown to be effected in negative ways for those who had survived cancer in such circumstances as mental health, general pain, physical ability and their social interaction skills.

Actor Simon Pegg shows off thicker barnet and thinner face

The British actor Simon Pegg has made appearances at several premieres this week, promoting the fourth installment in the Mission Impossible films. The star who has appeared in many notable films such as Run, Fat Boy, Run, and Hot Fuzz, is clearly now a major player in Hollywood, starring alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

However, it seems the “Hollywood effect” has taken over the highly popular Brit as he is now much slimmer in the face and his once receding and thinning hair appears to have been replaced by a much more fuller head of hair. This follows the comedian Ricky Gervais, who famously posed in a tiny pair of gold shorts prior to him hosting the Golden Globes back in January, showing off the incredible 22lbs he had lost during 2010 from his previous portly frame. Gervais too seemed to shrink simultaneously to his career taking off across the Atlantic.

Pegg’s hair transplant follows X-Factor judge Louis Walsh recently admitting in an interview that he had undergone a similar procedure which set him back roughly £30,000 after jibes from boss Simon Cowell, ‘He came up to me and said: “You know, you’re starting to lose your hair. I said, “I am not! And anyway, you’re going grey!”

‘I could have just left it and got on with things, but with TV today, everything is in high definition, and people notice every little thing’. Even Manchester United striker and footballing superstar Wayne Rooney earlier this year announced the news of his hair transplant after an expensive trip to a Harley Street clinic, tweeting his followers on social networking site Twitter – ‘I was going bald at 25, why not? I’m delighted with the result’.

However if you are you are not feeling flush enough to warrant paying 30k for a hair transplant you could try Propecia instead.

Tennis star Serena Williams spotted with bald patch on dinner date

The tennis ace is widely known for her extravagant fashion preferences, famously donning a black lycra cat suit during the 2002 US Open, and often alters her hair through the use of hair extensions. Unfortunately for Serena, it appears this regular use of extensions has damaged her natural hair and it seems she may be suffering from “traction alopecia”. This type of hair loss is caused primarily by force being applied to the hair, either through hair extensions, braiding, weaving, or even as the result of frequently having your hair in ponytails or pigtails. If caught and treated early, this type of hair loss is reversible. Other celebrities who are rumoured to have suffered hair loss as a result of hair extensions include Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Naomi Campbell.

The former world number 1 women’s tennis star Serena Williams has sparked speculation that she may be going bald. The 30 year old and current world number 14, was on a late night dinner date in Hollywood with her socialite friend Brittny Gastineau.  She was making her way to her car when she went to move her curly locks away from her face, however in doing so exposed a large bald patch.
When asked, leading Trichologist (hair specialist) David Bailey said, “The hair loss seen on Serena Williams appears to the fronto-vertex region and is indicative of damage caused by traction from hair extensions. It may be that she is also or either suffering from Female Pattern Alopecia, which is due to a hormone imbalance. She should also get her Serum Ferritin levels checked also, as low levels of this can also cause hair loss in women.
For women who are experiencing problems with hair loss, at Medical Specialists we can help you. We offer a numerous array of options best suited to your needs.  Available without a prescription, from our Chemist Shop, you can now purchase Regaine for Women. This is specially formulated containing a 20mg/ml of the active ingredient Minoxidil – a clinically proven treatment and is applied direct to the scalp to treat women’s thinning hair.
In addition, with a prescription or via a consultation with one of our Doctors, you can buy Dianette now at even lower prices. Studies have shown that Dianette used for 6-9 months clearly decreases hair loss and hair thinning. Dianette has an ability to block androgen activity at the pilosebaceous unit. Because of this ability, Dianette can successfully be used to treat Androgenetic Alopecia or scalp hair loss in women caused by androgen activity. Dianette has been shown to stop further female pattern hair loss and increase hair thickness within about a year of regular use.

Lady Gaga losing her hair?

According to sources, Lady Gaga has started to apply the popular anti-baldness product Rogaine (known in the UK as Regaine), to her rapidly thinning and damaged locks. This follows years of abuse that she has subjected her hair to, with the flamboyant singer almost as famous for her wacky colourful hair styles and fashion choices as she is for her music.

Apparently it was during her worldwide “Monster’s Ball” tour that the worrying first began to creep in about the alarming rate of her dwindling locks. It was rumoured that she lost her temper backstage as she began to comb her hair and large chunks of it fell out. An unknown source had this to say “Over the years Lady Gaga has put her locks under a lot of stress. She’s poured so much chemical over them that it’s damaged her follicles. She’s hoping that by using Rogaine, she can repair some of the harm”.

The pop star, famed for her collection of wigs, may have to rely on them in the future more often until her therapy of Rogaine (Regaine) begins to take effect. She has commented on her hair problems in the past “I had to get a chemical haircut because my blonde hair is falling out”.

For women who are experiencing problems with hair loss, at Medical Specialists we can help you.
We offer a numerous array of options best suited to your needs.  Available without a prescription, from our Chemist Shop, you can now purchase Regaine for Women. This is specially formulated containing a 20mg/ml of the active ingredient Minoxidil – a clinically proven treatment and is applied direct to the scalp to treat women’s thinning hair.

In addition, with a prescription or via a consultation with one of our Doctors, you can buy Dianette now at even lower prices. Studies have shown that Dianette used for 6-9 months clearly decreases hair loss and hair thinning. Dianette has an ability to block androgen activity at the pilosebaceous unit. Because of this ability, Dianette can successfully be used to treat Androgenetic Alopecia or scalp hair loss in women caused by androgen activity. Dianette has been shown to stop further female pattern hair loss and increase hair thickness within about a year of regular use.

Was Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant worth the bother?

Evidence suggests that a higher number of young males than ever are requesting follicular unit extraction (FUE), a technique in which a small round punch is used to extract units of hair follicles from an area of dense hair growth to an area of thinning hair. Each unit contains between one and four hairs.

According to truck driver Paul Hawkins, 41 from Grays, Essex – it is worth it. The married father of three underwent a similar procedure to Rooney’s and even remortgaged his house to pay for the three separate operations he underwent, which cost Mr Hawkins £6,000 for each. However, he does warn that Rooney’s probable current elation at his full head of hair, may be replaced by disappointment in the coming weeks.

“The difference straight after the procedure is very noticeable – you can see the little hairs sticking out. But within a couple of weeks they all fall out and you don’t see any more for four months. The hair actually dies and re-grows like baby hair. It takes a year, sometimes 18 months, before it’s fully matured and you see the hair you’ll end up with. It’s such a slow process but definitely worth it in the end.”

Paul started losing his hair at the early age of 17 and had lost half of his hair by the time of his late teens. “One morning I was watching TV and Shaun Williamson, who played Barry in EastEnders, was talking about his own hair transplant. I was really impressed and decided to use the same expert as him – Dr Farjo.” He further added “I had to have it done in three separate procedures. I had the second two years later. And next week I am having the final one. It’s fantastic that someone like Rooney has come out and said he’s had it done”.

Dr Bessam Farjo, the Medical Director at the Institute of Trichologists, has noted a large increase regarding enquires about FUE, from parent’s of boys as young as 16 years old. However, he has warned against having the procedure at such a young age. 

I prefer to operate on someone who is 30 or over and I’d certainly avoid anybody who’s 25 or younger. There are two main reasons. The first is the younger you are, the higher your expectations – you don’t have the maturity to look into the future and think you need to look good when you’re 40 and 50.

The second is that younger men with a strong family history of hair loss are likely to lose a lot more hair, which makes their hair loss much more unpredictable. With younger guys we encourage them to concentrate first on controlling their hair loss by using medication. Low level light therapy may slow down hair loss. There’s also Regaine, an over the counter lotion or foam, which you apply to balding areas.”

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney confirms hair transplant

Follically challenged football superstar Wayne Rooney has joined the growing list of celebrities to undergo a hair transplant operation. After being mercilessly ribbed by his team mates for his Hair loss, he took to Twitter over the weekend to reveal the news. “’Just to confirm to all my followers I have had a hair transplant. I was going bald at 25 why not. I’m delighted with the result”.



Other celebrities to have undergone a hair transplant include actor James Nesbitt, Chef Gordon Ramsey, and Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner.  Rooney later revealed more to his 740,000 Twitter followers, commenting “It’s still a bit bruised and swollen when it dies down u will be first to see it. Anyone recommend any good hair gel. Haha” and “’I had it done in Harley street hair clinic London. Thanks to all the staff who looked after me.”

Not only is the procedure a painful process, as evident in Rooney’s post on the social networking site, but it is a very expensive one too. Dr Maurice Collins, of the Hair Restoration Blackrock clinic outside of Dublin, is the surgeon who performed the two operations on actor James Nesbitt.  Dr Collins charges a staggering £7.60 for each hair follicle he transplants. Therefore the procedure would cost a minimum £7,000 as the average patient would probably require between 1,000 and 4,500 follicles to be transplanted. It is rumoured that fiery Chef Gordon Ramsey, paid £30,000 for his treatment at the Alvi Armani Centre in Beverly Hills.

Dr Collins explains the process – “The hair at the back of your head is immune to the balding process, there’s always a “horseshoe”. We take little strips of skin from there, meticulously dissect each hair follicle and transplant them one by one, using microscopes. I’m pleased to say 98 per cent of the transplanted hairs go on to thrive”

Basically, a patient does not get any “extra hair”. The hair gets transported from an area it won’t be missed to an area that requires it. Usually there are a team of approximately 18 people working on a transplant, which can take roughly eight hours to perform. The technicians, nurses and surgeon need to ensure the hair is kept alive when it is deprived of oxygen outside the body, and it is vital the hair is back inside the patient’s head as quickly as possible.
Professor Andrew Messenger, a consultant dermatologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield and president of the Institute Of Trichologists, clearly backs the procedure – “With a good surgeon, transplants work very well,’ he says. So long as the patient ‘has got good hair density at the back of the scalp — and quite a lot of money’.

Regaine hair loss treatment now in a foam at Medical Specialists Pharmacy

Regaine (Minoxidil) has been around for a while, helping men and women with hair loss keep or even re-grow their hair. This has been in a solution form which has to be sprayed on to the scalp and rubbed in, which has been reported that its leaves a sticky feeling in your hair and scalp.

So now McNeil Healthcare (UK) Limited have release Regaine Foam. McNeil Healthcare  say "the innovative new Regaine Foam contains a 5% concentration of minoxidil."

• Helps prevent further hair loss and regrow hair
• Results may be noticeable in just 8 weeks
• Apply directly to your scalp—twice a day, every day
• Goes on easily and dries quickly
• Is unscented

Medical Specialists Pharmacy are now please to announce that they stock Regaine Foam from as little as £55.99 for the triple pack.

For more information on where to Buy Regaine Foam
please click the highlighted link.