Hair Restoration Blog

Q:

Does Ovation Cell Therapy really work?

A:

I have been asked many questions regarding hair loss products in this blog. The truth is, most hair loss products that claim to help hair growth or prevent baldness do not offer significant information to their consumers about the active ingredients in their solutions and shampoos.  I do research on many hair loss product related questions every month in both my hair restoration clinic and on the site.  Although, in most cases, the more I search for detailed formulas or the specific names of active ingredients within those products the less I can find them.

Sometimes though the list of ingredients is available, you cannot find anything among them that is scientifically proven to help hair loss.  Ovation Cell Therapy is claimed to have essential amino acids.  The website of the company claims that the formula dramatically accelerates hair growth, reduces breakage and hair loss, as well as creates visibly thicker, fuller and longer hair.  However, there is no evidence based proof that shows topical amino acids can be absorbed through skin to help the hair follicles grow stronger hair.

We will be waiting for the producers of these hair loss products to show us better proof of the effectiveness of their products before we begin recommending their use.

Q:

Dear Dr. Mohebi,

I hope all is well with you and the family. I wanted to see your opinion about something. Along with proscar, I use Murad shampoo (i dont know if you have heard of it) but it supposedly strengthens your hair and brings nourishment to the hair, therefore promoting hair regrowth. Remember how short my hair was when we first met, well now its relatively longer. Do you think i should keep it short for several reasons: easier to clean my scalp, exposure to vitamin d (sunlight). When my hair is long, I can see it shed, but when its really short it doesn’t seem that way. However, the downside to cutting my hair that short is that it will become pretty apparent that im experiencing hair loss. Thanks doc! take care!

A:

I hope you are doing well. Last time we met, we decided that you wait on doing a hair transplant procedure until your pattern of hair loss becomes more obvious. Here are the answer to your questions in the order you asked them:

• Murad shampoo has following active ingredients: Pomegranate extract, artemia extract, alpha hydroxy acids, phytantriol and Saw Palmetto. From all these only the last one or Saw Palmetto is proven for its anti hair loss properties through blocking DHT. However, the rate of penetration of this ingredient on deeper layers of skin where follicles reside is not completely clear. I don‚Äôt think it hurts to use it in general, but for someone like you who takes systemic form of DHT blockers (finasteride), I am not sure it can add anything in slowing your hair loss process.
• On whether or not keeping your hair short, it is up to you, you have to try them both and decide, long hair should not create any problem with cleaning hair. Do whatever you are more comfortable with. Neither of the two can affect the speed of your hair loss. If I wanted to choose, I would kept my hair long so layering can help covering the thin areas.
• Vitamin D could be absorbed from everywhere, especially in the sunny State of California.

Again, thanks for good questions,

Good Luck and have a great weekend
Dr. Mohebi