With hair loss increasing and more Canadians opting to cut their hair than grow it, a new drug called b12 shampoo has gained traction.
“We’re seeing more and more cases where we see hair loss occurring,” said Dr. Michelle Johnson, a dermatologist at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital.
“This is a good opportunity for people to take control of their hair.”
The drug, called B12 Hair Loss, was approved by Health Canada in 2016 to treat hair loss.
It contains the chemical b12 and it is produced by a company called L.A. Bio, which has its headquarters in New York.
Johnson said that B12 shampoo helps prevent hair loss by preventing excess levels of the protein that causes hair loss from forming.
“This helps with the damage that occurs when we lose hair, so we can prevent it from happening again,” she said.
“It’s also a really good thing for people with sensitive or damaged hair and people with damaged skin and who are not in a condition to be able to maintain a healthy, beautiful look.”
The company says the product works by reducing the amount of water that hair cells secrete, helping prevent hair from growing.
Johnson says that although people who are taking b12 are not necessarily losing their hair, she believes they are not losing their natural hair anymore.
“For the majority of people who use it, it’s a natural, healthy way of reducing their hair loss,” she explained.
“The amount of hair that they’re losing, they’re just using less shampoo.”
The B12 products are available online at various drugstores and pharmacies.
They cost between $12 to $20 for a 10-ounce bottle and $39.99 for a 60-ounce pack.
The company is also working with other health-care professionals to make the product more accessible to those who need it most.
Johnson noted that the company also sells other products that target the symptoms of hair loss such as psoriasis, cystic fibrosis and rosacea.
“That’s an area that we are looking to help people with as well,” she added.
Johnson is hoping to expand its B12 line to other health care professionals, including dermatologists, occupational therapists and pharmacists.