Folara

What are the normal patterns in hair growth?

We are born with five million hair follicles covering the entire body, about 100,000-150,000 of them are on the scalp. Eyebrow follicles have growth phases of about one year, while scalp follicles have growth phases lasting up to eight years. As we age, our scalp follicles age, too. They shrink in size, produce thinner hair and ultimately retire. The timing and rate of this shift is largely determined by your genetics. Follicles cycle through growth phases that correspond to hair length.There are three phases of growth: anagen, catagen and telogen. Anagen is the phase of active hair growth, lasting from 2 to 6 years, depending on skin region. After anagen is completed, the hair enters catagen. During this short 2 – 3 week phase, the matrix cells gradually stop dividing and eventually keratinize. When full keratinization is achieved, the hair enters the last 3-4 month phase, telogen and then new hair will start to grow and the follicle is back in anagen phase.

What are the current methods to stimulate follicular growth?

Minoxidil – Orally administered minoxidil lowers blood pressure by relaxing vascular smooth muscle through the action of its sulphated metabolite, minoxidil sulphate, as an opener of sarcolemmal KATP channels. There is some evidence that the stimulatory effect of minoxidil on hair growth is also due to the opening of potassium channels by minoxidil sulphate, but this idea has been difficult to clearly demonstration that KATP channels are expressed in the hair follicle.

Propecia – Propecia was developed to treat mild to moderate male pattern hair loss on the vertex (top of head) and anterior mid-scalp area (middle front of head) in men only. If Propecia has not worked within 12 months, further treatment is unlikely to be of benefit. Furthermore, once a successful treatment is stopped there is a rapid hair loss to the prior to treatment state within a 4-month period.

Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) – The exact mechanism of action of LLLT in stimulating cellular growth is unknown and quite controversial. It is hypothesized that the absorbed light Increases ATP production which in term increases cellular metabolism and cellular activity. The most commonly used lasers are diodes and provide a light in the red. It has been purported that low does lasers produce healthier hair, prevents further hair loss, stimulates re-growth of hair.

Topical steroids for Alopecia Areata (AA) – The high spontaneous remission rate makes assessing the true efficacy of a therapy difficult unless appropriate controls with placebo treatment are studied. The treatment of AA traditionally has included drug therapies such as oral, topical or injectional steroids, contact dermatitis induction immunotherapy, topical anthralin, topical or oral minoxidil, topical or systemic psoralins and UV-A, cyclosporine, dapsone and methotrexate.

What is Folara?

Folara® is a hair stimulant available in Alameda and Brentwood from Dr. Rex Moulton-Barrett. For use by both men and women, it can treat post radiation/chemotherapy hair loss as well as in autoimmune hair loss such as alopecia areata. Specifically, the thickening, straightening and increased shine to the hair.

How to Use Folara?

Folara is useful to straighten, thicken and lengthen hair of the scalp. It is usually applied each night before bedtime using the bottle squirt tip followed by gentle finger massage. Folara should be washed from the fingers afterwards and should be kept from the eyes. In the event there is eye contact then immediate eye irrigation with water is indicated. Folara has a use in Alopecia Areola, radiation and or chemotherapy induced hair loss and in female perceived loss of hair on the scalp of an idiopathic ie ( unknown ) nature. Results are often perceived within 2-4 weeks time from initial application.

What to expect during the recovery for Folara®?

There are three phases of growth: anagen, catagen and telogen. Anagen is the phase of active hair growth, lasting from 2 to 6 years, depending on skin region. After anagen is completed, the hair enters catagen. During this short 2 – 3 week phase, the matrix cells gradually stop dividing and eventually keratinize. When full keratinization is achieved, the hair enters the last 3-4 month phase, telogen and then new hair will start to grow and the follicle is back in anagen phase.