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Rajput Cyclical nutritional therapy clinical trial

as was observed to happen in the present study at the had the time for all the treated patients to achieve very
end of 1 year. good improvements.

Improvement in hair density and calibre were found Having self-assessment scores was a unique feature
to begin early within 2 months in men and women in of our study. Patients appreciated the fact that they
the treatment groups having nutritional supplements. were allowed to express their concern and rate
Minoxidil stimulates hair growth and the addition of their results in the form of a score. The system also
nutrients provides building blocks to ensure the sudden encouraged interaction of the patients with their friend,
rapid cell division required at the initiation of anagen. family and hair stylist who approved and agreed of
Antioxidants provide a toxin free cellular environment noticeable changes in the hair. Thus the improvement
which favours hair growth [24,25,72-74] . Use of different was not only subjective.
nutrients on different days prevents inter nutrient
interactions and improves efficiency [75,76] . It also Side effects
allows the use of wide variety of nutrients without the Irritation from minoxidil 2% solution causing burning,
possibility of over dose or hyper vitaminosis [24,25,49,71,73] redness or itching after application was seen in 8%
as the hair care is required to continue for a long time patients. This is mainly due to the propylene glycol
to sustain good results. and not due to minoxidil. Dryness of scalp after

minoxidil 2% application was seen in 26% patients [76] .
In the control groups the hair growth started after 4-6 Use of moisturizers on the scalp helped in these
months which is the standard time frame required cases. Sexual side effects were reported by 4% of
for the effect of finasteride and minoxidil [37-39,75] . The patients in the control group after the initial 2 months
benefit with finasteride and minoxidil alone was slow of therapy and 9% patients after 4 months of the
and the maximum growth achieved in the control therapy. These men had a loss of libido, decreased
groups was below 50% of the improvement achieved seminal volume and softer erections. Feeling gloomy,
in the treatment group. The results are similar to long lack of enthusiasm, taking longer to complete the work
term studies on the use of finasteride which have at hand and being disinterested in meeting friends
reported 48-59% improvement with 41-52% non- was reported by 7% patients. All these were patients
responders [35,37] at the end of 1 year and 17% patients having 1mg finasteride every day. Similar side effects
having deteriorated with hair loss more than the initial which can be persistent, were reported by Irwig [38] and
status after one year [35] .
by Traish et al. [39]
Villus hair counts in our study initially reduced but were
later found to rise. The initial reduction was because The nutritional supplements caused gastric irritation,
the villus hair had converted to terminal hair while the constipation, feeling of heaviness in the stomach,
later rise was due to new hair growth induced with the nausea or feeling of acidity in 7% women and 3% men.
treatment cycle and the counts finally stabilize as per the Though supplements were in low dose and spread over
individual hair cycle and the individual turnover of hair a 3 day cycle, 2 women doubted they had marginal
[70]
[70]
fall and hair growth. Rizer et al. reported improvement weight gain due to the program. Rizer et al. in their
in thickness of villus hair in 60% patients in their marine study of marine protein supplement reported 3 patients
protein supplement study. Nicholas et al. [71] reported in treatment group and three patients in the placebo
5.9% improvement of villus hair to terminal hair in 6 group complaining of bloating and stomach discomfort.
[15]
months of their study. The initial conversion of villus Lengg et al. in their study on nutritional therapy in
hair to terminal hair in our study was found to be higher, telogen effluvium, reported gastric discomfort and
[77]
however, more villus hair were generated as new hair weight gain. Sarris et al. in an individual study of
growth was induced. We could not establish a direct multivitamins also reported of gastric discomfort in their
predictable correlation between reduction of villus hair study group. In the present study, it was noted that,
counts and a proportionate improvement in hair growth. the days when calcium and iron were included caused
the most gastric problems. Avoiding supplements
Our study has noted early improvement in global on empty stomach, dividing the supplements into 2
photography evaluation within 2 months and reached separate doses 1 supplement after breakfast or lunch
higher grades of improvement over the period of and second supplement after dinner helped to ease
completing the study. Similar evaluation was reported the gastric symptoms.
by Nicholas et al. [71] with overall improvement of
80% on global photography out of which 40% were Beneficial effects
regarded as moderate and 10% excellent improvement Patients reported improved wellness on the low
in a period of 6 months. Our study being for 1 year, dose vitamin therapy. A female patient who preferred
170 Plastic and Aesthetic Research ¦ Volume 4 ¦ September 30, 2017