For several years, I have thought about writing a post on Botox and hair growth. A few sources have in the past suggested that the Botulinum toxin (which is what Botox is made from) can grow hair.
After all, Botox is a multifaceted magic-like poison with numerous potential approved uses as of 2019. It is no longer solely a product to reduce wrinkles.
We should also remember that there is some scientific evidence that surprising procedures such as mechanotherapy and scalp exercises can benefit hair growth; as can dermarolling and microneedling; as can the ill advised, but likely effective ligature of arteries.
Botulinum Toxin for Hair Loss
However, both research and evidence to date on this subject of Botox and hair growth have been scant. Yesterday, reader “Alek” posted an interesting new article from South Korea regarding the testing of botulinum toxin Nabota brand for hair loss on male patients with androgenetic alopecia. This brand is manufactured by Daewoong Pharmaceutical.
The Phase II-b trial will entail 180 units of the toxin delivered via 6 injections to the scalp once per month. It will be led by Dr. Park Byung-cheol, a professor of dermatology at Dangook University Hospital. Note that the less costly Nabota only hit the US market in 2019, and is facing a lawsuit from Botox manufacturer Allergan.
Botox vs Botulinum vs Botulism
It should be noted that the capitalized BOTOX® is a brand name (or trade name) for Botulinum toxin. The latter is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. “BOTOX®” is a trademark of Allergen (Ireland). Botulism is a serious, albeit rare, paralytic food poison illness caused by the Botulinum toxin.
Botox is classified as Botulinum Toxin Type A (BTX-A), the most popular variety. Botulinum Type B (BTX-B) received FDA approval for treatment of cervical dystonia in the US in December 2000. The main Botox Type B product sold in the US is Myobloc (known as NeuroBloc in the EU). The scientific name for Myobloc is rimabotulinumtoxinB.
Botox and Hair Growth
In 2010, an interesting study from Canada found Botox injection to the scalp to be successful in growing new hair in 40 test patients. The authors postulated an interesting theory as to why BTX-A succeeded so well in growing hair. The Botox injections induce scalp muscle paralysis, which in turn:
“Enhances blood flow to the scalp by reducing the tension on the scalp skin. Because the conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is enhanced in a low-oxygen environment, oxygenated blood reduces this conversion and increases conversion to estradiol.”
In 2017, an article in Vogue magazine had an encouraging quote from dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman:
“Preliminary studies for Botox in the scalp are showing that 50 percent of patients are growing new hair.”
Also in 2017, a study from India found that 8 of 10 male patients with androgenetic alopecia who were treated with Botox injections ended up with good to excellent results. The before and after image on the right is of one of the excellent responders to the Botox treatment.
Other Brands of BTX-A
Besides Allergen, other companies also product their version of Botulinum.
- Companies in Western Europe produce the well known brands Dysport and Xeomin.
- In South Korea, BTX-A is produced under the names Botulax, Innotox, Meditoxin (Neuronox) and Nabota.
- In Russia, Botulinum toxin is sold as Relatox.
- China also produces various strains of BTX-A.
Botox is technically known as onabotulinumtoxinA; Dysport is known as abobotulinumtoxinA; and Xeomin is known as incobotulinumtoxinA.
6 injections to the scalp per month!
Seriously do we need to go this far?
No offense admin but it seems like there are no news from “trustworthy”, “eligible” companies so far so we back to the early 00s “breakthrough” discoveries like this one.
Read the new Korean article I bolded in there. First proper trial.
I see this as trifling news. The impact factor of the journal the study is published in reinforces my opinion. The Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery ranks 115 in Dermatology journal rankings.
https://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php?category=2708&order=h&ord=desc&page=3&total_size=142
Any research given to latanoprost which causes eyelashes to grow longer and thicker?
What you’re saying makes sense, but you’re looking at this the wrong way.
Think of hair loss (or any medical mystery) as a puzzle. Each piece of the puzzle gives you a slightly better picture of the overall problem. The problem may still be daunting, but it becomes a bit more clear with every piece joined together.
Maybe this trial proves that highly oxygenated blood defeats DHT. Botox injections are a pain, but perhaps a new pill will be developed that increases oxygenated blood flow to the scalp, no injections required.
If you believe in this approach, you need not wait for a pill. Oxygenated blood will increase in an area where heat is applied. Buy a heat pack or put a pack of rice in the microwave for 2 minutes then put it on your head regularly.
The thing with botox and micro-needling, if their supposed results are due to the idea of enhanced circulation to the scalp being good for hair then this would explain their failure.
As part of my training I do a handstand for a minute, 3 times, every day plus other stuff. My head goes very red, I now have varicose veins in my temples, no extra hair or thickening of existing hair.
Other athletes I have trained with like Damien Walters started tumble-training before he could tie his shoelaces and spent more time upside-down than a bat. He went completely bald in his twenties.
The most extreme case is that of the Shaolin monks who as part of their training will have their head rammed into a big sand bag for an hour, every day for months to increase the strength of the head. All that extra circulation and they still go bald.
My bet would be that if it works, it is via reducing the impact of DHT. Fin/Min/Niz all seem to have some antiandrogenic properties. Why not Botox too!?
related to the botox mechanism: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639964/
If this has been known by the big pharma companies like allergen, then have they not started a trial. They would make bank! Instead they trial latisse and seti that never showed any growth like the pics above. The whole thing is weird. I bet it really works and we have been sitting on a great treatment the whole time.
Botox is not some isolated compound in a secret lab. It is a widely used treatment. If you believe there is something in it, give it a try.
I wouldn’t be surprised to know that the solution to our problem has always been under our nose, we’ll see who will put an end to this damn baldness. I like to believe that 2020 will be the right year;) I like to believe that the administrator of this blog is aware of hidden truths that he has never revealed to us … the illuminati of baldness
Delusion, convince yourself!
Hi Admin,
Histogen phase 1b trials to take place later this year.
https://www.histogen.com/news/histogen-advances-new-product-candidates-towards-clinical-trials/
Histogen sucks. Don’t get your hopes up. They’ll complete two trials then go into delays again for 6 years and then lie about am upcoming phase 3…then they will claim to enhance their new formula and start at phase 1 lol time frame 2027. Lol
I am suspicious when companies have such a diversification. It’s like that small time businessman who projects himself as a man with a finger in every pie, but he never gets rich.
They suck…unless they actually come out and are effective. :-) I’m not saying they will but if so, we’d all change our tunes pretty fast!
SAD.
@ Admin … I asked that before without answer but let me ask again. What is this Histogen CCM Cosmetics with Allergan? It Shows Marketed and we know Cosmetics are a thing now and will come quicker to market as OTC product. … So whats your answer? Or guess?
Have not looked into it, but am very disappointed with Histogen based on their past declarations.
Hi Admin … yes its quite disappointing with Histogen for years now. Also we had delays and bad news and/or no news at all from Allergan. Anyway Allergan works hard to get a big Player in Hair Loss Treatments. And now it looks Histogen has a marketed product and Allergan uses it for a Treatment. This obviously will be a OTC functional cosmetics which we know is quicker and will be the main Story the next months I guess. …
Maybe worth a look at Cosmetic Business with Allergan/Histogen, GE/Avalon, Medipost/Celino, Giuliani and SCM Lifesciences … ???
Histogen is for rookies to get excited about. They will soon see that they aren’t serious…I wouodnt mind trying alternating botox and prp for a few months. Now I just need to get wealthy so I can try it.
Botox is basically a permanent muscle killer. That’s such a scary concept to me. Anyway, could work, but proceed with caution!
If you try botox on your scalp and it doesn’t work at least your head would be wrinkle free, smooth as a baby’s behind! Yoda is always looking for a pony under a pile of crap! :-) Seriously, this notion of Botox for hair loss has been floating around for a few years. I think we would have heard more about it if it worked but hope springs eternal.
It would be so ironic if botox was the cure. My hair surgeon was previously a plastic surgeon. Apparently, botox put a lot of plastic surgeons out of a job. Imagine if it then put the same people, now hair surgeons, out of a job.
Funny … a film about baldness and is not the first one!
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=27&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjtuqX55vrkAhXDxaYKHRVUBQs4FBCpAgg4KAAwBg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fscroll.in%2Freel%2F939103%2Fujda-chaman-trailer-another-balding-heros-saga-of-finding-love&usg=AOvVaw1oUBzIl8taJ-Nv6A55Ylln
You just ordered methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM Gel /
Is it useful in hair growth and non-hair loss?
Hi Admin,
I posted about my interest and search for a surgeon to carry out Botox treatment for my scalp in an unrelated blog post a few weeks ago. I wanted to update you:
The first clinic I consulted was more interested in pushing me towards PRP, and only had a vague interest in the Botox treatment. The second clinic was much more interesting. Both are cosmetic clinics but provided one treatment or another for hair loss. The doctor of the second clinic was extremely interested in the treatment, the theory behind it and spent an extra 40 minutes discussing it with me and reading the studies then and there (knowingly blowing through his next appointment) notably the 2017 one linked in your post above. This doctor has 20 years experience in preforming Botox injections, and was critiquing the amount of Botox used in the study. He noted it was a small amount being diluted and would prefer to increase the amount Botox units used. He was so interested in fact that he will preform the treatment for free, and also gave me the better part of £200 in Viviscal Professional supplements – for free – to try first prior to treatment.
The Viviscal tablets actually have very compelling evidence behind them (check their website for their studies, there are a surprising number of them for both men and women). He wanted me to try them for 3 months first. I have contacted them back to ask to do the Botox treatment first, and they have given me an appointment slot for this Friday. I’m excited but nervous, although the practice has clinics in numerous locations (Essex, Cambridge, London and so on) and the doctor is extremely experienced with injecting Botox. I feel like this will be something special.
I would like to document the changes and will be taking photos throughout the process.
Thanks and best of luck. I would be a bit wary and first consult with one of the doctors mentioned in these studies. At the very least, please make sure this is safe and legit Botox, and the doctor is present at all times!
Keep us updated!
I’ve been taking Viviscal ever since I noticed crown hair loss in 2016. I don’t think any hair grew back but it has not gotten worse either. The thinning area is 3 inches in diameter and still has plenty of viable hairs, though significantly miniaturized. Toppik basically makes it look like I have a full head of hair.
I will probably continue to take it after I address the more root causes of hair loss to accelerate the regrowth. Please share this doctor’s name with us if you can. I’m going to start hunting for a willing doctor next week.
I’m back!
Procedure took between 10-15 minutes. They had 20-30 small syringes which they injected 200 units of botox across my scalp (from my frontal hairline, around the top and then to the back). Pain was very manageable and not as bad as I was expecting. My doctor was Dr. Patterson of the Woodford Medical clinic and he was clearly very, very skillful. I didn’t realise he had also been a tutor for 12 years instructing how to properly perform botox injections.
He asked I cut my hair short to make it easier to take progress photos buit I assured him I would take proper photos myself (I have a DSLR, a suitable lens and softboxes to setup a consistent environment). I asked if I should refrain from exercise but he didn’t think it was necessary, perhaps 4 hours tops if I was overly concerned.
So far I’ve experienced no discomfort beyond very slight prickly feelings on my scalp for a few minutes after the procedure. I’ll meet up with the team around february to discuss my results and see if I want to continue performing the treatment (at which point it will be roughly £500 per treatment).
Very happy with things so far. We’ll see how it goes with combining the Viviscal tablets (which he said he was happy with me combining with the treatment).
Forgot to mention they applied some sort of cream to avoid injections in my hair prior to injecting.
Thanks and good luck! I made the edit for you.
Great, keep us updated man. Fingers crossed for you!
Hi man,
Could you please provide us with a month 1 update ?
Thanks :)