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The Hormonally Vulnerable Woman
by Geoffrey Redmond, MD

Relief at last for PMS, mood swings, fatigue, hair loss, adult acne, unwanted hair, female pain, migraine, weight gain, ... all the problems of perimenopause

 

COMPLICATIONS FROM THE
NON-PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OF MEDICINE

Consumer References
Doing a research paper? Like to know a little more about the myths and realities associated with permanent and temporary hair removal? Just curious?

You've come to the right place! The International Hair Route "Consumer Reference" section has something for everyone. You'll find comparisons between temporary and permanent hair removal, descriptions of the various methods, and answers to frequently asked questions!

Laser Hair Removal Devices
No laser device has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to claim "permanent hair removal." Laser hair removal device manufacturers have also been restricted from claiming that the laser hair removal procedure is "painless" or that the results are "long term."

"Manufacturers should be aware that receiving an FDA clearance for general permission to market their devices does not permit them to advertise the lasers for either hair removal or wrinkle treatment, even though hair removal or wrinkle treatment may be a by-product of any cleared laser procedure. Further, manufacturers may not claim that laser hair removal is either painless or permanent unless the FDA determines that there are sufficient data to demonstrate such results. Several manufacturers received FDA permission to claim, "permanent reduction," NOT "permanent removal" for their lasers. This means that although laser treatments with these devices will permanently reduce the total number of body hairs, they will not result in a permanent removal of all hair. The specific claim granted is "intended to effect stable, long-term, or permanent reduction" through selective targeting of melanin in hair follicles. Permanent hair reduction is defined as the long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing after a treatment regime, which may include several sessions. The number of hairs regrowing must be stable over time greater than the duration of the complete growth cycle of hair follicles, which varies from four to twelve months according to body location. Permanent hair reduction does not necessarily imply the elimination of all hairs in the treatment area."

The complete FDA "Laser Facts" statement can be read on their web site.  Click here

Electric Tweezer and Home Hair Removal Devices
ABSTRACT
The actual electrical conductivity of human hair is a factor that has been the subject of some controversy in the field of permanent hair removal. Some proponents of electric tweezer and home hair removal devices rely on the assertion that hair is a conductor or semiconductor, allowing small DC (direct) currents to pass into the follicle, producing effects similar to needle-type Electrolysis. Critics state that hair is essentially an insulator and therefore cannot conduct usable electrical currents.

To provide some insight into this issue, R.A. Fischer Company has performed in-house testing of human hair conductivity under controlled conditions to determine what levels of direct current flow can be measured.

To review the complete Hair Conductivity Tests by the R.A. Fischer Company  Click here
 

Hair Growth As A Side Effect Of Medication
Before an electrologist can begin treatments on a new client, a client case-history form has to be completed. The more comprehensive this document is, the better, because the practitioner must be aware of everything that might point to the underlying cause of the client’s hair growth problem. Is the cause genetic? Or is it due to a health disorder? Is it what the medical profession calls idiopathic hirsutism (“cause unknown”), or does it originate with a medication that has been prescribed by the client’s physician for a different health problem? Whatever the case, as much background information as possible has to be ascertained before the electrologist can provide proper treatment. Understanding the cause of the hirsutism is an important part of the cure.

One of the most important entries in the case history record (more important perhaps than many electrologists realize), is the question that determines what prescription drugs, if any, the client is taking for nonhair-related disorders.

Excessive hair growth that can be directly attributed to medical drug therapy is called “iatric hirsutism” (iatric being a Greek word pertaining to medicine or to a physician). And those drugs in the pharmaceutical directory that officially include “excessive hair growth” (or similar) in the list of possible side effects, are certainly of serious interest to electrologists.

Research by International Hair Route magazine to produce a complete and authoritative account of all the proprietary drugs that can cause iatric hirsutism has resulted in a list of almost 1,000 brand name drugs.   Click here