Before we get totally overexcited and all rush out to buy a tube of canesten, it's probably worth looking at the 'science' behind these claims...
The active ingredient in all these ointments and creams is an anti fungal treatment called miconazole nitrate - or in America it is anyway! It is an FDA approved ingredient found in over the counter medicenes for yeast infections and is therefore considered low risk to use, but how, if indeed it does, can it help with hairloss?
Well first, it depends on the type of hairloss! In male and female pattern baldness, a hormone called dihydrotestosterone is responsible for rendering the hair follicles inactive and killing off the hair. Miconazole and other anti-fungal treatments like ketoconazole have properties which help block the hormone dihydrotestosterone; in fact, according to an article in the Huffington Post, several studies have found that ketoconazole in particular is an 'anti-androgen' which specifically combats the hormone. It is believed that this similarity between miconazole and ketoconazole could make the over-the-counter thrush treatments partially successful in helping with female and male pattern baldness.
Now, before all our readers dash out and buy a tube of the otherwise embarrassing cream, it is important to note that these findings have not actually been verified and there are no scientific studies available which verify this link! What's more it hasn't actually been tested for use on the scalp and possible side-effects are unknown! I for one am probably going to give trying this one a miss, but if anyone does take a punt, please let us know how it pans out!
Victoria x
www.prettybald.co.uk
Twitter: @PrettyBald
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