Male Pattern Baldness - Treatments

Alkaloids

 Allantoin (applied topically) is claimed to facilitate Hair growth in Male Pattern Baldness patients. 

Amino Acids

 Arginine (applied topically to the Scalp) is claimed (in a patent) to facilitate Hair regrowth in Male Pattern Baldness patients by improving Blood Circulation to the Scalp. 

 Carnitine may facilitate Hair growth in Male Pattern Baldness patients.  ^[1]

 Cysteine (1,000 -2,000 mg per day) may accelerate Hair Growth in some persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness: 

 N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) may help to prevent the progression of Male Pattern Baldness (by functioning as a precursor for Glutathione).  Glutathione exerts Antioxidant effects that protect Hair Follicles from Free Radicals damage (inactive Hair Follicles (that occur during the progression of Male Pattern Baldness) tend to be deficient in Glutathione).  ^[2]

 A combination of Cysteine, Cystine and Methionine (applied topically) may retard Hair Loss in persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness:

 In one study a cream containing Biotin and Vitamin B3 applied topically at night and used in conjunction with a Shampoo containing Cystine, Cysteine and Methionine caused hair regrowth in 75% of Male Pattern Baldness subjects.

 Lysine (500 - 1,500 mg per day) is claimed to enhance the effectiveness of other treatments for Male Pattern Baldness.  ^[3]

 Taurine may help to prevent/treat Male Pattern Baldness (by inhibiting the process of Fibrosis in the sheath that surrounds Hair Follicles (known as perifollicular Fibrosis)).  ^[4]

Carbohydrates

 Lentinan (cream applied topically) may alleviate Male Pattern Baldness. 

 Versican may facilitate Hair growth in Male Pattern Baldness sufferers.  ^[5]

Enzymes

 Exogenous Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) (applied topically) is underinvestigation for the treatment of Male Pattern Baldness.  ^[6]

Growth Factors

 Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) may facilitate Hair Growth.  Preserving VEGF production in Hair Follicles may be useful for the treatment of Male Pattern Baldness.  VEGF is known to be present in Hair Follicles and may stimulate the growth of Blood Vessels that supply nutrients to the Hair Follicles.  ^[7]

Hair Improvers

 Copper Peptides (SOD Mimetics) have been patented for the treatment of Male Pattern Baldness (they may counteract Superoxide Free Radicals that are implicated in Male Pattern Baldness):  ^[8]

 Iamin may possess the capability to stimulate Hair regrowth in persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness - in a similar manner to Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) - by dismutating Superoxide Free Radicals.  ^[9]

 Tricomin (applied topically) may help to prevent and possibly reverse Male Pattern Baldness.  ^[10]

            Studies conducted on mice have demonstrated that a single injection of Tricomin during the active Hair growth (anagen) phase prolonged the normal Hair growth cycle by 21 days, caused a significant increase in the size and depth of Hair Follicles, increased the length of the Hair and increased the thickness of the subcutaneous Adipose Tissue layer.

 Minoxidil (applied topically to the Scalp - usually as a component of the Hair Growing Drug Rogaine) may stimulate the regrowth of some Hair in some persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness (by stimulating Hair Follicle cells and by dilating the Blood Vessels in the Scalp) - it appears that Minoxidil mimics the actions of Nitric Oxide:  ^[11]

 Minoxidil generally causes some Hair regrowth in 31% of MPB patients and dense regrowth in approximately 8% of MPB subjects.

 The best results with Minoxidil (Rogaine) occurs on the crown of the head in younger MPB patients.

 60% of MPB patients using Rogaine containing 2% Minoxidil report no noticeable improvement in Hair Growth.

 When MPB patients cease using Minoxidil (Rogaine), Hair Loss almost always recurs within 3 months of cessation.

 NANO (applied topically to the Scalp) may facilitate Hair growth in Male Pattern Baldness patients (it “works” in a similar manner to Minoxidil, by stimulating the production of Nitric Oxide in Hair Follicles).  ^[12]

 Viviscal (an extract of Polysaccharides derived from the Cartilage of deep sea Fish combined with Silicon) is claimed (by its producers) to be an effective treatment for Male Pattern Baldness:  ^[13]

 Studies conducted by the producers of Viviscal claim that 20 young Male Pattern Baldness subjects using 2 tablets of Viviscal per day for 12 months experienced a mean increase in Vellus Hair of 38% and that 95% of subjects showed a clinical and histological cure of their Male Pattern Baldness.

 Other studies, also conducted by the producers of Viviscal claim that Hair Loss ceases within two months of commencing Viviscal treatment and that after eight months of treatment, 93% of subjects using Viviscal experience complete or significant regrowth of Hair.

 It is claimed that Viviscal “works” by nourishing the Hair Follicles.

Hormones

 Topical application of exogenous Androgens blocks Dihydrotestosterone production:

 Testosterone (Testosterone Cypionate form applied topically to the Scalp) may retard further Hair Loss in persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness.  ^[14]

            Caution:  this treatment can lead to Acne of the Scalp.  Excessive endogenous production of Testosterone is also speculated to be a CAUSE of Male Pattern Baldness.

 Estrogens (applied topically to the Scalp) may retard further Hair Loss in some persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness:  ^[15]

 Caution:  this treatment causes Scalp fragility and tenderness:

 The Estradiol Cypionate or Estradiol Dipropionate forms of Estradiol (applied topically to the Scalp) may retard further Hair Loss in some persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness (caution:  this treatment can lead to Scalp fragility and Scalp tenderness).  ^[16]

 It is speculated that Human Growth Hormone (hGH) may cause some regrowth of Hair in persons afflicted with Male Pattern Baldness (according to anecdotal reports).