Reduce Hair Loss Research Articles

Hair loss with chemotherapy: at a loss over its management?

Alopecia is a common side effect of chemotherapy treatments for cancer; for some individuals this results in complete hair loss. The extent of this depends on many factors including the type or combination of drugs administered, and their doses. Further, it can in some cases be lessened through use of scalp cooling techniques. This method of reducing hair loss has been available since the 1970s. However, previous evidence suggests that nurses are apathetic about its use, which in turn might mean that patients are not always offered this intervention. This small exploratory study investigated perceptions held by nurses administering chemotherapy towards alopecia and its management through scalp cooling. It entailed completion of a survey questionnaire by 13 nurses that regularly administered intravenous chemotherapy. These data were then augmented by those attained from follow-up, semi-structured interviews that were conducted with three of the sample. It determined that perceptions of scalp cooling were influenced by individuals' subjective notions of its efficacy constructed from their experiences of having administered scalp cooling. Furthermore, attempts to prevent hair loss were mediated by their cognitions of the experience of hair loss itself. This study determined that views held about scalp cooling varied considerably, and that it was unlikely to be offered to all suitable patients or administered in a systematic manner. Such variation in provision has implications both for patients wishing to access this treatment and for nurses wishing to audit its use and efficacy.

Pulsed electrostatic fields (ETG) to reduce hair loss in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast carcinoma: a pilot study.

To determine whether specific pulsed electrostatic fields, or electrotrichogenesis (ETG), could potentially prevent or reduce hair loss in patients undergoing adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) chemotherapy for breast cancer. Thirteen women were followed during their adjuvant ETG and chemotherapy treatment to determine the efficacy of ETG. All patients were treated for 12 min, twice weekly with a pulsed electrostatic field. Quantitative hair loss was measured by photographic assessment, and manual hair count. Quality of life assessment was conducted at the end of the study. Twelve out of 13 participants had good hair retention throughout the chemotherapy period and afterwards. There were no reported side effects attributable to ETG. This study shows encouraging results in an area where no other appropriate treatment is available Reducing alopecia, secondary to chemotherapy has the potential to increase CMF treatment compliance, enhance patient self-esteem, and improve overall quality of life during this stressful period.

Prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia in rats by CDK inhibitors.

Most traditional cytotoxic anticancer agents ablate the rapidly dividing epithelium of the hair follicle and induce alopecia (hair loss). Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), a positive regulator of eukaryotic cell cycle progression, may represent a therapeutic strategy for prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) by arresting the cell cycle and reducing the sensitivity of the epithelium to many cell cycle-active antitumor agents. Potent small-molecule inhibitors of CDK2 were developed using structure-based methods. Topical application of these compounds in a neonatal rat model of CIA reduced hair loss at the site of application in 33 to 50% of the animals. Thus, inhibition of CDK2 represents a potentially useful approach for the prevention of CIA in cancer patients.

Hair-raising research leads to new approach to therapy

Using liposome-based technology, it may soon be possible to reduce hair loss in patients with cancer who are receiving antineoplastic therapy. It appears that a recently discovered liposome delivery method can accurately target hair matrix cells, and possibly follicle stem cells. It is possible to encapsulate drugs or genes inside these liposomes for direct delivery to the hair cells. The good tolerability profile of this approach is one of its key advantages over other gene delivery methods. Now, researchers need to test relevant drugs with this new technique to establish its efficacy against various types of alopecia.