hi dr. Rassman,
i would like to know your opinion on Eastern Medicine regarding hairloss, particularly this product which i’ve heard over an asian website recently http://www.101international.com/created by Dr Zhao Zhangguang. Do you think this is a scam? thank you
I do not know much of eastern medicine nor of Dr. Zhangguang so it would be unfair for me to comment on it. There could be value here, but no one knows. There have been many products and treatments for hair loss since the beginning of time. To date, I only know of two products for treating hair loss that have been scientifically proven and approved by the FDA to work — Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride). Even Rogaine and Propecia have limitations and neither are a miracle cure. Remember that the power of suggestion and the placebo effect (sugar pills) can also work for some.
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
Western people think differently comparing with the counterpart of the eastern people, which is normal, like comparing Buddha with God. FDA approval is the base for evaluation in the eyes of the western people, however, the Chinese traditional herbal medical practice, cannot be evaluated using the FDA approaches. The Chinese traditional herbal medicine has been used by the eastern people for thousands of years, which is already part of the eastern culture and civilization. I personally am willing to trust that for hair loss treatment. This website, which I bought my supplies from, lists each ingredient and their functionalities in the hair loss treatment in details, in English:http://101hairusa.com
After buying several bottles myself, and doing much research about the product, I’ve concluded that the only active ingredient in zhang guang 101 (fabao) is capsaicin. While the company won’t actively admit that their entire line of products are based on one simple molecule found in hot chili peppers, I’m almost certain of it. Capsaicin was found to increase the release of substance P from dermal papilla cells, and this, in turn, promotes the release of IGF-1, which is crucial for hair growth. The effectiveness and long term effects of capsaicin use are not known.