ETG/CTG for hair loss - pls read

hopeless · 03-13-2004, 11:14 PM

I recently signed out a book from the library called "Hair Savers for Women". It mentioned ElectroTrichoGenesis as an option to androgenetic alopecia. Basically, you go to the clinic once (or twice) a week for about 12 minutes and sit under what looks like a salon hood dryer. (like for perms) The electrodes don't touch you, they're about 5cm from your scalp. The hood delievers low intensity electrostatic pulses to your scalp. Supposedly it helps stop hair loss, and help hair regrow. It turns out that the offices are here in BC. I'm seriously considering this.

It costs $25-50 per session, and you have to continue it to maintain growth. I think that at $1300 a year, it might be worth it for my sanity. I know it's a lot, but I know I can sacrifice other things to afford this. Has anyone else tried this or even heard of it? There have been studies done by the University of British Columbia, as well as a couple other studies. Here's the site:

http://www.etgtreatment.com/etg/index.html

Please, if you've had this, or heard anything else about it.... please reply. This is actually an option that might be feasible for me.

Pippa62 · 03-14-2004, 12:31 PM

I would be very interested in learning more about it...it does seem like a low cost option for those of us with thinning hair, and I am expecting to move to B.C. in another couple of months, so to re-iterate what hopeless said, if anyone has any information on it please post.

Thanks hopeless for bringing it to the boards...

LaurieAnne83 · 03-14-2004, 11:52 PM

I've never heard of this but I looked at the link..this sorta reminds me of some expensive home gizmo I heard of recently called a laser comb for hair loss. Does anyone know how this works?? Interesting..but its not in the USA>.but hey if it really really worked I'd go to canada!

hopeless · 03-16-2004, 05:00 PM

I've heard that the laser comb doesn't work, and it's pretty expensive ($900 or so). The comb doesn't have any research, as far as I know....

phouka · 03-16-2004, 09:35 PM

I did some searching online, and I wasn't able to find much either to credit or discredit ETG.

Current Technologies Corporation is a publicly traded company - point in their favor. A member of their medical and scientific advisory board will be interviewed in the April 2004 issue of Popular Mechanics - another point in their favor.

However, their homesite does not link to any of their studies, and while they have patents in the US, anyone can patent just about anything, and they've announced that they won't seek approval to market ETG in the US. I found no mention of Current Technology Corporation or ETG Therapy on the homepages for the FDA, FTC, or CDC, but that may not mean much. It does worry me that with a multi-billion dollar market out there for people who aren't happy about their hairloss, they aren't pursuing the American market. After all, who else has more people with more money to throw at their hair? It does make me wonder if there's anything to ETG.

They mention they've done independent studies, but not who with. They mention they've been published in peer-reviewed journals, but not which ones. I just can't help but think that if I'd figured out some way to keep people from losing hair, I'd be trumpeting it from the rooftops and handing it out in Happy Meals.

I don't know enough about electromagnetism to assess whether putting someone's head inside an electrostatic field will stimulate follicle growth.

If you've got the money to throw at it, I don't think it could hurt. Your other choice is to wait a bit longer and see if it shows up in the news for good or bad reasons.

hopeless · 03-17-2004, 02:17 AM

Yes, I agree. I haven't found much to push my decision either way. I don't have the money to throw around, but if I had evidence that it was the real deal I could probably afford to do it.

I'm planning to get a hold of the International Journal of Dermatology issue that they say they're published in. I'd like to see it in print, not just typed out on a web-site. However, the study done with UBC is sponsored by Current Technologies. I also tried to search the FDA but found nothing. However, I don't know if the FDA publishes anything on products that they have not yet approved/disapproved.

Well...if anyone else has any more insights....please, speak up!

hopeless · 03-19-2004, 04:58 PM

Ok, I bought a copy of the Popular Mechanics. Here's the jist of what they've said:

-Arthur Pilla (doctorate in electrochemistry, professor of Orthopaedics at Mount Sinait's School of Medicine, former director of the school's bio-electrochemistry lab) and his co-workers discovered that the "presence of a small amount of energy imparted by an electromagnetic field instructed cells to release more growth hormones"

-electromagnetic stimulation is used around the world to treat fractures, improve blood flow in diabetics and reduce the amount of chemo needed for cancer treatment

-St. Mark's Breast Center in Auckland, New Zealand, Dr. Timothy Meaking did a study of 13 women undergoing chemo. during their 24 week treatment, they used ETG and all but one kept their hair and some had hair growth

-Pilla theorizes that the electromagnetic field is strong enough to affect the production of the protein calmodulin (which relays signals to various enzymes, inon channels and other proteins....including "growth hormones that stimulate sufficient hair growth to compensate for losses caused by chemotherapy drugs")

-then it basically mentions Current Technology Corp, and says that they've begun marketing ETG, and that it's based on Pilla's work (they also point out that it isn't a cure, but a treatment)

-it doesn't discuss any of the research done by Dr Stuar Maddin

So, all in all....I still don't know what to do. I would really like to have my hair back...but I also don't want to be ripped off. I'd like to take this article, as well as the International Journal of Dermatology to my doctor and ask her what she thinks....but I kinda feel like she's sick and tired of me asking hair stuff. Oh well....