Ukmedix has learnt that a hair loss advert using the famous cricket player Shane Warne from Australia has been found to contravene some of the rules established by the UK advertising industry. The rules specify that celebrities must not be used to promote or endorse prescription medicines and using the famous cricketer for an advertisement which advocates the use of a medicine containing minoxidil is therefore in clear breach of the rules.

The Advertising Standards Authority regularily monitors advertisments and promotion to check that false and misleading claims are not made and that consumers are not duped into buying products that do not live up to their claims. In this case the minoxidil in the treatment is known to be an effective hair loss tonic, however using the celebrity endorsment meant that the advert had to be pulled. The ASA feel that prescription medicines should only be endorsed by doctors.

The company that produced the advert, namely Advanced Hair Studio said that the banning of the advert was unfair as the cricketer was only promoting the hair loss clinic and was not actually promoting the individual laser or minoxidil treatments that the clinic offers. The Advanced Hair Studio said that they would appeal against the ASA ruling and seek to have the ruling overturned.

Minoxidil works by preventing the formation of DHT which attacks hair follicles on the scalp. It is applied directly to the scalp and can be effective for both both men and women. Minoxidil requires the use of a prescription and comes in different strengths. Laser therapy is also used to stop hair loss by stimulating the hair follicles to grow faster and stronger.