By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

CAN WIDELY ADVERTISED AVACOR GROW NEW HAIR ON READER’S HEAD?

Question: I’ve heard a number of advertisements recently on the radio for a product called Avacor. The ads say that it’s an “all natural” way to grow new hair if you’re going bald. I’m a 57-year-old man whose getting pretty thin on the top. Will Avacor really grow new hair on my balding head?

Answer: There’s an old and true adage: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!” And, when we are talking about treatments for baldness, we should be doubly cautious. The old 19th Century snake oil salesman is alive and well in the hair restoration business.
Despite this warning, the surprising answer to today’s question is that Avacor can help with the re-growth of hair -- but not for the reasons claimed in the ads. Avacor is advertised as an “all natural” product with no known side effects. That’s wrong on both counts. The truth is that -- in addition to some herbs -- Avacor contains minoxidil. It’s the only topical treatment for baldness approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and has the usual unwieldy list of possible side effects.
The “Avacor Hair Care System” -- as they call it -- consists of an herbal preparation taken by mouth, a special shampoo, and a topical solution that is applied to the scalp. This lotion, according to Avacor’s “official Web site,” is made up of “minerals, vitamins, amino acids and ‘known hair growers.’” Among these “known hair growers,” of course, is the FDA-approved minoxidil. That’s a very deceptive way for Avacor to misstate what’s actually in its product. And, the deception doesn’t stop there. If you look on the Avacor label, you’ll not even find the word “minoxidil.” Instead, the label lists the chemical name for this compound -- 2, 4-diamino-6-piperidino-pyrimidine-3-oxide.
Now, the good news: a less expensive product with the same “active ingredient” as Avacor is readily available. Look at the whopping difference in the cost of a year’s supply. For Avacor it’s close to $500; for over-the-counter minoxidil it’s only about $140. Minoxidil is sold under several brand names, including Rogaine.
The FDA has also approved a “hair growth” pill -- finasteride. It’s sold under the brand name Propecia. It was first developed to treat benign enlargement of the prostate gland. It’s not recommended for women of child-bearing age because it may cause birth defects.
It’s important to note that neither of these FDA-approved products “cure” baldness. These treatments will, in some people, re-grow some hair. They must be taken for life, or the new hair will fall out. And, as mentioned, they can have negative side effects.
To find out more about hair re-growth, I recommend the Web site: www.thebaldtruth.com. It has lots of good information, including links to the FDA’s own Web site.

"Family Medicine" is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701. Past columns are available online at http://www.FamilyMedicineNews.org.