According to the U.S. distributor, 101 lotions is not a drug. It is an
all natural topical lotion developed by Dr. Zhangguang Zhao in China. The herbal based
lotion is formulated in accordance to Chinese conventional treatment and knowledge about
hair loss. The distributor further adds that the
product "induces hair regrowth and stops hair loss through removing blood stasis,
dilating blood capillary of the scalp, promoting blood circulation...."
Exactly how Fabao works is not known. While there are numerous
claims that the product has been subject to numerous clinical testing and has reported an
overall success rate of over 80%, one should note that all the testings were conducted in
China and the methodologies may be very different from that of the Western world and also
the results may be interpreted differently. In fact, I have never come across any
documentation (in Chinese or English) on the clinical testings that were done for Fabao.
It is unclear how many double- blind testings were conducted, how many participants were
involved and how were the results interpreted. Incidently, many people have reported
having difficulties obtaining clinical reports that substantiated the effectiveness of the
product.
More importantly, I think we should also look at the cause of
baldness in two different cultures. In the western world, baldness is mainly due to
hereditary factors. Specifically, hair follicles that are genetically programmed to be
sensitive to DHT (the hormone that most believe to be the main cause of hair loss) tend to
fall out when exposed to the hormone. As a result, western medicine tend to focus on hair
loss treatments that elimiates the formation of DHT. However, it is unclear if hereditary
factors play as significant a role in baldness among Chinese since the percentage of
Chinese that go bald are substantially lower compared to Westerners. It is possible that
baldness among Chinese may be due to other factors, perhaps due to external irritants,
bacteria, poor hygiene or poor nutrition etc. While these external factors will also
contribute to hair loss among Westerners, they are not as detrimental to hair growth as
the genetic factor - DHT.
Of course, the above is just my theory. But the significance is that
since Fabao was tested on Chinese participants, the success rate derived from the testings
may not be transferrable to Westerners due to differences in cultures, environment,
genetic background and eating habits etc.
The manufacturer provided some reading materials which attempt to
explain how Fabao works. However, the explanation is very difficult to follow for someone
who does not have any knowledge of Chinese medicine theory. The manufacturer's reading
materials talk about "wind-excess", "blood-dryness",
"wind-evil" "state of qi", "dampness" and
"heat evil" etc. To illustrate my point, please click below for an excerpt from
the manufacturer:
The only thing that is clear about Fabao is that it enhances blood
circulation. One of the major ingredients in the formula is Ginseng - a kind of root that
has been used by the Chinese for thousands of years. It has been suggested that Ginseng
can stimulate blood circulation and energize body cells. We all know how important blood
circulation is to hair growth. Also, the product is formulated with all natural herbs and
there are very few known cases of side effects since Fabao's debut more than 10 years ago.
Fabao is still selling very well and is extremely popular in Asia.
The lotions does not contain fragrance and hence carries a
distinctive smell of herbal medicine. You may want to limit its use to night time only. In
addition, the lotions is alcohol based and it may have a drying effect on your scalp.
"101" Lotions have been around for more than 10 years. The
product is not commonly known in the US but is a huge success in Asia especially in China,
Hong Kong and Japan. The product has won numerous international awards for innovativeness
and quality. It was also recently featured in the New York Times and Newsweek. According
to the U.S. distributor, "101" lotions has an overall success rate of over 80%
for most types of hair loss.
When the product was first introduced in the 80's, there was only one
formula called 101. Over the years, variations of the original 101 formula have been
developed and it has become a little confusing when it comes to choosing the right formula
appropriate for your condition. The core formulation is called "101" and
variations of the core formula are labeled as "101A", "101B",
"101C" and "101D". Variations of the original formula are designed for
different types of hair loss. For example, according to a distributor in Hong Kong,
"101A" is formulated for people with excessive dandruff and "101B" is
formulated for people with greasy hair etc. It has been suggested that the original 101
formula is to be used in conjunction with one of 101A, 101B, 101C or 101 D to achieve the
best results depending on your conditions.
For those who live in US and Canada, you can probably find the
product in some herbal stores or drug stores in Chinatown at prices that are about 20%
lower than that offered by the U.S. distributor - Cinuma, Inc.. The only problem is that
they do not come with a money back guarantee and most of the time the herbal stores in
Chinatown only carry the original 101 formula. Very few stores carry the complete line of
101 products, ie: 101, 101A, 101B, 101C and 101D.
Besides the U.S. distributor - Cinuma, Inc., 101 Lotions are also
available by mail order from Chinese Arts & Crafts (HK) Ltd, one of the most reputable
chain department stores in Hong Kong that specializes in products originated from China.
The prices that you get from Chinese Arts & Crafts (HK) may be lower than from the US
distributor. However, there is no money back guarantee.
under construction - to be updated
