Snippet from the non-hair-loss-related article:

“Faking it” has long been associated with bad sex for some women, but a new study provides a pleasant twist on that phrase. According to a paper released today in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the placebo effect may increase sex drive for women suffering from sexual dysfunction.

“It may be that their behavior changed as part of getting treatment, even if the treatment itself was an inert tablet,” said Andrea Bradford, lead study author.

It was a small study: 200 women who had been diagnosed with female sexual arousal disorder – difficulty becoming aroused or maintaining sexual activity – participated in a study to find out whether a popular male erectile dysfunction drug – Cialis – could also treat female sexual dysfunction. The women agreed to engage in sex acts over the course of 12 weeks and keep a diary. Fifty women were chosen at random to receive a placebo rather than the investigational drug.

Read the full story at CNN — Fake pill improved sex drive in women

Ah yes…. the power of suggestion. We’ve written about this phenomena before, usually in relation to Propecia side effects. This, however, is early research into a female libido booster and a third of those women given sugar pills noted a higher sex drive after taking what they believed to be medication.

Hi Doctor,

I was in a physical fight last night and the girl who attacked me grabbed my hair out of my head and I can actually see my scalp. Right now, it is still red and hurts when I press my head. I have two bald spots but will my hair eventually grow back or are my folicles too damaged?

Thanks

You should give it about a year (at most) to regrow. In most cases the hair will regrow, but to be honest, only time will tell. Your scalp suffered an injury, so I’m not surprised that it hurts in the area when you press on it.

From the US Dept. of Labor site:

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

And looking at my calendar, that day is now. In other words, it’s a good excuse for a BBQ and a 3-day weekend.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more posts! Have a happy labor day!

Snippet from the article:

In a move that could spell disaster for the lollipop industry, scientists have reported progress in designing pain-free vaccines that people might be able to use at home. Someday that might mean fewer jabs at the doctor’s office — and fewer crying kids needing a sweet to comfort them.

The Band-Aid-like patches, coated with microscopic needles, generally don’t hurt. Moreover, they may actually work better at delivering vaccines and some medications, according to recent research.

Read the rest of the story at LA Times — Microneedles could replace the syringe

While not hair loss related, I wonder if these could eventually be used at the start of a hair transplant to remove any and all pain from the initial injections. Regardless, even as a new way for delivering vaccines, it’s worth reporting here.

Snippet from the article:

Researchers working at the forefront of stem cell technology may also unexpectedly have come up with a cure for baldness.

They almost miraculously changed one cell type into a completely different one, but in the process ended up with skin cells complete with working hair follicles.

A treatment for baldness was not the goal when they started tinkering with cells from the thymus, a small but critical organ that helps run the body’s immune system to fight disease.

Rather, they wanted to see how stem cells from the thymus would perform if transplanted into growing skin as a way to help burns victims.

Read the full story at IrishTimes.com — Stem cell researchers may have found baldness cure

The title of the article might make for a good attention-grabbing headline, but it’s pretty misleading. This was an experiment on lab rats… and the hair lasted “as long as a year“. Granted, it is an interesting experiment, but I wouldn’t put too much hope into it.

Lots of research like this happens and ultimately doesn’t go much further. Could this be different and get a further look? Sure, but that remains to be seen. The researchers weren’t trying to grow hair, so I doubt they’re going to divert their attention to a completely new goal.

A similar article with further information can be found at ScienceDaily. Hat tip to the readers that sent me the link.

The following post is by UK-based physician Dr. Bessam Farjo:

Written by: Dr Bessam Farjo United Kingdom

The internet is a wealth of knowledge where literally anyone can have their say. Whether it’s a blog, tweet, or status update, men and women have the ability to get their views across to a global audience. This is a fantastic way to find out important information on a wide variety of subjects; however a lack of regulation means that often the information is widely inaccurate.

The other day, for example, I followed a tweet titled “Justifying the Cost of Modern Hair Implant Techniques“. The link led me to a blog discussing hair loss in women which naturally, bearing in mind the subject matter, I was interested to read.

Sadly, my interest soon changed to infuriation – the author was either severely uneducated on the subject or blatantly and significantly economical with the truth; either way I was unsettled by that fact that this misinformation was visible to potentially millions of people.

The author referring to the strip method of donor harvesting stated that: “A number of hair clinics will promote older, less good hair implant methods in order to keep costs down“. Nothing about the aforementioned sentence is correct; not even the grammar, nevermind the scientific information written especially since implying that FUE is the donor harvest method of choice in women.

This reiterated to me how important it is for potential patients to seek advice from trusted authorities on the subject, as it is all too easy for advertisers and novices to pose as educators on the net.

Another promotion from a relatively new provider of one technique only, claimed they are THE LEADING clinic in Europe, that they produce no scars, actually pioneered the procedure and pretty much saved the British public from the dire services of the existing providers (including ourselves!)

For the above reasons, especially when considering surgery, it is crucial that men and women acquire knowledge from reputable sources, such as the Institute of Trichologists, International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, British Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons, Hair Transplant Network and International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgery. I would also suggest looking for scientific research with proven reproducible clinical data, as well as case studies when considering any kind of medical or surgical treatment.

So, even with cutting edge technology, the old age saying is true; be it on paper or online, don’t believe everything you read!

—

Learn more about the author of this article, Dr. Bessam Farjo, on his BaldingBlog profile or at his website.

Hello,
I recently shaved (for the first time) and am experiencing pseudofolliculitis barbae. I was wondering if these razor bumps will somehow inhibit my hair growth or cause hair loss in the prospective future?

I thank you in advance for your generous time.

I doubt a bad shave will inhibit hair growth and your pseudofolliculitis barbae should resolve with time. Wait until it heals before you tackle it again. With the second shave of your life, be a bit more gentle and read up on proper shaving techniques.