> Date: Mon, 16 Oct 95 08:54:11
> From: <erwan.leroy at cipcinsa.insa-lyon.fr>
> Subject: MINOXIDIL
> To: mx%"diagnost at net.bio.net"
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> To: diagnost at net.bio.net> Subject: MINOXIDIL
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> From: Erwan Le Roy <Erwan.LeRoy at cipcinsa.insa-lyon.fr>
> Date: 15 Oct 1995 09:36:28 GMT
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>> I am loosing my hair.
> COuld somebody help me. Is minoxidil good what is it?
>>>>Minoxidil is a product from the Upjohn Co.; it is licensed, at least
in the UK (where it is called Regaine), for male pattern baldness,
ie natural baldness.
Trials have shown some limited success against alopecia areata, the patchy
kind of hair loss, but not for the totalis/universalis kind where all
hair drops out. It is expensive, particularly if you buy supplies
from a private hair care clinic as opposed to a pharmacy; it is a
long term treatment, months or years, and if successful, may need to
be continued indefinitely or newly - grown hair may drop out again.
There is no certain cure for alopecia; some people respond to
certain treatments better than others, others do not respond at all,
others get spontaneously better. Perhaps before rushing out to buy
minoxidil you should try and get your hands on a drug called
diphencyprone (DPC). It is made by the Kodak photographic company - it was
never intended as a drug, but photographic workers who came into
contact with it found that they sprouted hair in unwanted places.
I suggest you try and get an appointment with the Dermatology clinic
at your local hospital and ask if they can arrange a course of
treatment with DPC. It is applied topically to the patchy areas.
In the UK it is only available experimentally
through clinics, as far as I am aware. DPC is possibly more
effective than minoxidil, but this is anecdotal.
If you cannot get hold of DPC, try a herbalist for some Primula
obconica; this is supposed to work in the same way as DPC, by
inducing a localised (maybe even systemic) allergic reaction to
counteract the auto - immune response which causes alopecia.
I wish you success with this distressing condition. I should add
that I am not a qualified physician, but I have an interest in auto -
immune disorders; needless to say any action you take on the above
is at your own risk.
Dr Rob Harling
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College)/
University of Edinburgh
West Mains Road
Edinburgh EH9 3JG
Scotland, UK
tel: +44 (0)131 535 4000
fax: +44 (0)131 667 2601
e mail: esa009 at ed.sac.ac.uk
