Caffeine based hair loss treatment hits the UK

Alpecin, a Switzerland-based company, has released the products in professional hair salons across the country, claiming that the caffeine-based ingredient combination is one of the more effective ways in which to protect the consumer against premature hair loss. Alpecin is being launched at a time where there is a gap in the market for products that target hair re-growth. A study by Euromonitor concluded that the male hair category is an undeveloped area of the market. The analyst forecasts that opportunities in the segment go beyond styling agents, extending to hair loss treatments and colourants to cover grey. Alpecin claims that incorporating caffeine into the products extends the hair shaft's growth phase longer than genetically predisposed. The company claims the caffeine additive protects against testosterone on the hair particle. Testosterone shortens the growth phase and the hair roots lifespan, Alpecin claims. The range consists of shampoos, treatments and tonics, Alpecin is being targeted at the lower end market with prices ranging between £9.95 and £12.95. The Alpecin range is also available on the Internet, with the manufacturers not only tapping into a gap for hair-loss treatment, but also capitalising on the booming consumer trend for Internet shopping. Euromonitor stated that by educating men to the specific needs of the hair, manufacturers could 'unlock' sales in the shampoo and conditioner segment, a relatively novel area in the market. The caffeine hair care is therefore targeting consumers who want to both stem the effects of hair-loss, but in a more traditional, less threatening shampoo product range. A study by research scientists at Vancouver General Hospital found that 60 to 70 per cent of males have patterned baldness, and 40 per cent of women.