Does Azelaic Acid Work as a Hair Loss Treatment?

Azelaic Acid as a Hair Loss Treatment  

There are a number of  herbal supplements out there that claim to work as a treatment for hair loss.   Whereas there is no question that marketing is over-reaching at best in order to sell a product, the real question that any hair loss sufferer asks is: will this product help combat hair loss or is there any chance that it will  regrow hair?   To date however, it is important to understand that there is no hair loss cure, therefore  realistic expectations must be kept when considering any hair restoration product.

Below I decided to take a look at an herbal supplement that is said to combat hair loss.   This product is an “active” ingredient in a few hair loss remedies such as Xandrox and Provillus.   Azelaic Acid  is also sold as a stand alone product  in nutritional stores.  

Azelaic Acid 5%

Azelaic Acid is a naturally occuring substance found in wholegrains that has mild antibioticthat properties to help “clean” the skin.   Many prescription medications for acne contain this as an active ingredient.   Azelaic Acid is not FDA approved as a treatment for hair loss.   However it is said to be a potent inhibitor of 5-Alpha-Reductase in human skin.   The theory of its efficacy  therefore is that if there is less of the enzyme 5-Alpha-Reductase in the body, less Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) will be created.   If DHT is minimized, the susceptible hairs won’t be as exposed and therefore hair loss will be minimized or eliminated.  

Azelaic Acid is typically applied topically to the scalp.

DHT is formed from the combination of the hormone testosterone and the enzyme 5-Alpha-reductase in the body.   Learn more about hereditary hair loss.

To date however, there has been no research that directly links the use of topical azelaic acid  with hair growth.

Conclusions:

At this time there  have been no clinical evidence  performed on Azelaic Acid as a stand-alone product that reveals any level of efficacy as a hair loss treatment.      Additionally, because there has been no formal clinical studies, dosage is also, at best, conjecture.  

Technorati Tags: Azelaic Acid, Hair Loss Treatment, hair loss, regrow hair, hair loss cure, hair restoration, hair loss remedies, Xandrox, Provillus, Azelaic Acid, 5-Alpha-Reductase, 5-Alpha-Reductase, Dihydrotestosterone, DHT