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The Alopecia Help Collection
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Why Do Hair Follicles Produce Prolactin?
Most of us think of prolactin as the hormone responsible for milk production after childbirth. It hardly seems relevant to hair. So I was surprised to discover that human hair follicles don’t just respond to prolactin. They appear to make it themselves. That immediately raises a question. Why would a hair follicle produce a hormone best known for helping mothers breastfeed? The answer isn’t obvious. In fact, despite more than twenty years of research, scientists still don’t k
Gwen Adey
Jul 304 min read


Does Melatonin Talk to Hair Follicle Stem Cells?
Does melatonin do more than help us sleep? Hair follicles produce their own melatonin, yet scientists are only beginning to understand why. A fascinating new laboratory study suggests melatonin may influence the stem cells responsible for growing new hair, adding another piece to the complex puzzle of androgenetic alopecia.
Gwen Adey
Jul 243 min read


Why a Specialist PRP Clinic Doesn’t Start with PRP
“The most important part of PRP happens long before the first injection.”
“We specialise in PRP. But we don’t start with PRP. We start with you.”
Gwen Adey
Jul 43 min read


What’s it Like to Have an Eyebrow Transplant? A New Study Asked 30 People
One thing that struck me was how much of the discussion wasn’t really about eyebrows at all. It was about confidence. Before their transplants, many of the 30 described spending a lot of mental energy thinking about their eyebrows.
Gwen Adey
Jun 252 min read


Damp scalp application of topical dutasteride more effective than dry scalp?
A new study published online ahead of print has reported that applying a liposomal dutasteride formulation to damp scalp skin resulted in more dutasteride in the hair follicles than with application to dry skin.
Gwen Adey
Jun 212 min read


Why Does Hair Loss Only Affect the Top of the Scalp, Not the Back and Sides?
Why does hair loss usually affect the top of the scalp while the hair at the back and sides often remains thick for decades? Modern research suggests that hair follicles from different parts of the scalp are biologically different and may even carry a “memory” of where they came from. Dr Gwen Adey explores one of the most fascinating mysteries in hair biology: how hair follicles seem to know where they are.
Gwen Adey
Jun 144 min read


Are Some Hair Follicles Running Out Of Battery?
Imagine your phone battery. When it’s brand new, it lasts all day. A few years later, it doesn’t. It still works. Just not as well. A fascinating new study published in 2026 made me wonder whether something similar might happen inside some hair follicles
Gwen Adey
Jun 134 min read


Does Mounjaro Cause Hair Loss?
Does Mounjaro cause hair loss? Dr Gwen Adey explores what the latest research actually shows, why rapid weight loss may be the real culprit, and what she would look for in clinic if a patient developed hair shedding while taking Mounjaro.
Gwen Adey
Jun 74 min read
Welcome to Alopecia Help - a growing library of essays, practical guides and research translations exploring the science, treatment and experience of hair loss.
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