23Is Kalo Hair Growth Inhibitor Better Than Shaving My Legs?
Submitted by Beauty Brains Blog
Linda longs to learn: Do you know anything about Kalo Hair Growth Inhibitor? I don’t think it is FDA approved yet (like Vaniqua is.) I am wondering if it is safe and actually as effective as inhibiting hair growth permanantly as some of the reviews claim.
The Left Brain responds: 
Technically, products that claim to alter a physiological property of the body, like hair growth, are drugs. So when you see the FDA stamp of approval on a product like Vaniqua, you know it’s the real thing. But cosmetic products like Kalo can be a bit sketchy. Here’s what I found about this hair growth inhibitor:
Careful about Kalo
According to Kalo’s website, it contains natural sulphur reducers that prevent hair from regenerating. That’s not a mechanism that I’ve heard of and so I’m skeptical. I’ll have to do some research to find out if sulfur reducers are a legitimate way to interrupt hair production.
Suspicious study summary
But, based on the clinical data presented on Kalo’s website, I’m really suspicious. They conducted a study at the I. M. Sechenov Clinic, Moscow in October of 2000. The study observed 17 women aged from 33-58 years old who were suffering from excessive hair growth. First the panelists were waxed to remove their hair and then they were treated with Kalo Hair Inhibitor in 3 applications with 15 minute intervals on the first day. Kalo was applied 3 times the following day with the same intervals. The results showed a significant decrease in the frequency of epilation from one time in 2 weeks to 1 time in 5-6 weeks. They claim that these results confirm that Kalo slows down hair growth.
The first thing I noticed is that the test was done by applying the Kalo product after the panelists had hair removed by waxing. Then the rate of hair growth was assessed compared to the panelists initial hair growth. In other words, there was some baseline time, then they waxed and applied product, waited until hair growth was heavy, rewaxed and reapplied, waited until hair growth was heavy and repeated this through 6 cycles. As they went through each cycle of waxing and Kalo application, the time it took for the hair to grow back increased. Where it initially took only 2 weeks for hair to need waxing, after 6 cycles it took 5 to 6 weeks for hair to grow back. They take this as proof that their product reduces hair growth.
It’s well known that waxing can slow the time it take for hair to regrow, we’ve blogged before about how waxing lasts longer than shaving. (It’s because of the atrophy of the follicle that produces the hair). So, it seems to me that the reduced hair growth is likely an effect of the waxing, not Kalo.
Unfortunately, they do not have the proper scientific control in this study which would be a group of women who waxed their legs and did NOT use the product and maybe even a group who used the product but did not wax. This would have given a true comparison. Without proper controls, this data is suspect.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Given that Kalo’s clinical trials seem to be lacking appropriate controls, I’m concerned that their claims are bogus. However, I recognize that they may have conducted additional studies that substantiate their claims. Until I see additional data I’ll skip spending money on their product.
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