Letters on hair-related topics

Article Submitted by Sanford Greenberg, S&G Research

What is the Hair Growth Cycle?

Hair growth is no longer a mystery. Doctors have determined that hair grows in three phases: anagen - the two to six year growing phase; catagen - the transitional phase which should last only three weeks; telogen - the resting phase.

In people with normal hair growth, hair that has entered the telogen phase remains dormant in the scalp for two to four months. This hair is then shed when a new hair growing from the same bulb pushes it out. In men and women who are losing more hair than they are growing, the telogen or resting phase can last several years - or the remainder of your life.

Often a hair is growing, but you do not see it easily. These fine, barely pigmented, nearly invisible hairs are called vellus hair. They are found on your face, ears, the tops of your hands and other areas of your body. Before the bulbs on your scalp wither away and are no longer able to produce hair, they replace the thick dark terminal hair that you are used to seeing with skinny, hardly noticeable vellus hair. If you look carefully in a magnifying mirror, you will most likely see some vellus hair emerging from what looks like empty follicles. This is especially true in Male Pattern Baldness, where hair bulbs cycle down - producing terminal hairs when the bulbs are large and powerful, then replacing these normal scalp hairs with vellus hair as the bulb decreases in size over a period of years.

This condition is known as thinning hair, and, while you may look like you have no hair, you really do - it's just too thin to see. In most people, thinning hair lasts for many years before hair bulbs begin to atrophy and are no longer able to manufacture hair at all.

How Do Genes Play a Role in Hair and Hair Loss?

Vitamins aren't the only factor in hair growth. Levels of testosterone derivative - dihydrotestosterone - found within follicle cells also play a role.

Follicles have two kinds of protein molecules on their cell membranes. One group of proteins receives testosterone, while the other group repels it. In this way the follicle can balance the amount of hair growth direction that it receives from the body.

How many of each type of protein receptors a person has seems to be genetically predetermined. Hence, Male Pattern Baldness is a trait passed from generation to generation. Men and women with more testosterone-receptive proteins have an overload of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in their hair producing cells - and are more likely to develop hormone-linked hair loss as they go through life.

In men, these receptor cells seem to be located in certain areas of the scalp, yet are not found in others. This is why most men begin to get thinning hair first on the top of the scalp, then the front, then the sides. In women, receptor proteins are found in follicles throughout the scalp, which explains why hair loss in women is diffuse instead of affecting only certain areas.

Why Do You Lose Your Hair?

How does DHT cause thinning hair and hair loss? When DHT becomes more active, it reacts with sebum and cholesterol found on and within the scalp. This DHT/sebum/cholesterol mix is shed into hair follicles, where it slowly narrows the tiny opening, causing the follicle itself to become shorter and shallower within the scalp. The lifespan of hair growing from this smaller follicle is shortened, making the hair fall out sooner than it normally would. What was once a long terminal hair is soon replaced by a miniaturized version of the original hair. Over the years, miniaturization continues with each new hair, until the cells within affected follicles finally cease to produce hair and close up altogether.

How Do Sulfanates Help Thinning Hair?

Sulfanates clean out the plug of DHT, cholesterol and sebum that causes hair problems, thus revitalizing the follicle to produce a thicker looking, healthier hair once more.

When supplied with high levels of keratin-forming amino acids and natural energizers like niacin, biotin, folic acid, vitamins A, D, E and nucleic acids, hair follicles can be assisted in their production of thicker, healthier looking hair.

Additional Facts About Thinning Hair

Thinning Hair precedes most cases of permanent hair loss by several years.

Thinning Hair can be aggravated by ingredients used in many shampoos and other hair growth products.

Thinning Hair may give the appearance of hair loss when in fact the follicles are just in a stage of miniaturization.

How Do The Endocrine Glands Affect Hair?

Hormones are liquid secretions of the endocrine glands which very much influence our actions and feelings. The glands are small bodies situated all around the body. The Thyroid Gland, Parathyroid Glands, Adrenals, etc, are all endocrine glands. They produce hormones into the blood circulation that circulates throughout the body and play a major role in regulating how we function. An over or under-production of a particular hormone will give rise to an imbalance within the body. Often the signs and symptoms of an imbalance are obvious- such as lack of body growth, excessive fatigue, and great thirst.However, a slight imbalance might only be reflected in the hair-its growth, loss of texture,loss,- and, if caught in this early stage, might save a lot of problems later on.

What is Hypothyroidism?

Can lead to a diffuse loss of scalp hair,eyebrows and other body hair, brittle hair and nails,dry skin, lethargy, slowness of speech, and a gain of weight. Sometimes hypothyroidism is associated with toxemia and excessive weight gain during pregnancy (40-50 pounds),heart problems, sensitivity to the cold and a high cholesterol level in the blood.

What Role Do The Adrenal Bodies Play?

The Adrenal Glands produce hormones that have many functions among which are:Influencing the heart beat, the output of sugar from the liver into the blood stream, and sex physiology. Each adrenal gland has a cortex (the outer part) and a medulla (inner part)The medulla produces the hormone adrenal (epiniphrine) and noradrenaline (norepiniphrine) which help the body combat stressful situations. The adrenal cortex produces several hormones among which are the glucocorticoids. These promote normal metabolism and also help to combat stress. Cortisone is one of the main glucocorticoids the production of which, is controlled by the Adrenocorticotropic Hormone from the pituitary gland. When diffuse hair loss arises as a result of prolonged stress, it is probably the increased production of the adrenal gland hormones that initiates the hair loss.An underactivity of the adrenal glands can give rise to fatigue, loss of weight, marked pigmentation of the skin,anemia,extreme weakness and diffuse hair loss.This problem is known as ADDISON'S DISEASE and can be treated.

Activity and Efficacy of MPC

Bioactive polypeptides (cytokines), stabilized in part of the extracellular matrix of milk, represent the powerful active principle of MPC. Cytokines as messenger molecules detect skin deficiencies, modulate cell functions and control physiological skin balance (homeostasis).

In vitro, the bioactivity of MPC is detectable in skin cell cultures, by measuring specific cell responses (e.g. migration, proliferation) and, moreover, is standardized in every MPC batch.