Azelaic Acid & Hair Loss

Losing your hair can be one of the biggest heartbreaks a man can face in his life. There is a booming billion dollar industry that caters to men trying to regain their hair. To be honest there is no cure for hair loss, but there are products that are available that can help to stimulate growth.

Azelaic Acid has not been approved by the FDA as a treatment for hair loss.  However there is a school of thought that believes that it is a potent inhibitor of 5-Alpha-Reductase in human skin. It is believed that the less enzyme 5-Alpha-Reductase in the body, less Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) will be created. One the DHT is reduced then the hairs that are prone to hair loss won’t be as exposed and as a result, the hair loss will be minimized or eliminated.

A study was done in 1988 that showed that a mixture of azelaic acid, zinc ion and vitamin B6 resulted in it being a strong type 1 5-alpha reductase (5-AR) inhibitor. It has been show that Type I and II 5-AR enzymes have been known to convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This DHT is prominent for its role in enlarging the prostate, as well as aiding in destroying hair follicles.

Azelaic acid is a popular active ingredient in many hair loss treatments.  Products such as Xandrox and Provillus contain Azelaic Acid and it is also sold on its own as a nutritional supplement to be applied to the scalp.

Does azelaic acid directly help to fight hair loss? There have been no direct studies that have been done to indicate that this is indeed true. Because there are no direct studies to indicate if this claim is true or not, many people chalk the results up to an educated guess.

Some people have started to lose their hair have applied concentrations of around 20% to their scalp. This concentration is very potent and many believe that it works.

Does Azelaic Acid Stop Men From Balding?

There have been mixed reactions when it comes to the effectiveness of azelaic acid in stopping baldness.  The ones who have had success usually have a mixture of the acid at a specific concentration and zinc. Their claim is that once it is applied to the scalp, it will stop the testosterone reaction and in-turn stops the hair loss. Aside from losing hair, the hair you lost will begin to grow back in a short period of time.

The ones who claim it has worked have christened it the miracle compound that is able to fight hair loss, thinning hair and promote hair growth.  

On the other hand you have persons who have used it and had no results.

 There is no proof that it works, however it is a cheap option to try, especially for individuals who are desperate to get their hair growing back.