HRT: Hello there! Today we have with us medical specialist, scientist and founder and CEO of XYON Health, Dr. Simon Pimstone, MD, PhD, FRCPC. Simon, can you tell us a bit about XYON and its mission?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: XYON was founded to offer men and women, the most innovative, effective and safe solutions for optimizing hair health. We’re a high-end brand with our offerings only available at XYON and select partners that share our mission and values.
HRT: Who’s behind XYON and what is their experience with hair loss?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: XYON was founded by myself and Dr. Victor Hasson, a world leading hair restoration surgeon based in Vancouver, Canada. I am a physician trained in internal medicine and cardiology and with a PhD in genetics. I have been fortunate to have founded a number of healthcare businesses developing novel medicines for various health conditions. I lost my hair in my 20’s. When that happened, there were no solutions available to me. Thanks to my experience and that of Dr. Hasson’s, we can make hair loss optional for most people, if identified at the right time and treated in the right manner.
We need to provide customers with the best offerings and the best journey commensurate with the authentic and quality brand we are building.
HRT:What are the hair loss prevention products currently available through XYON?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: XYON provides an e-commerce platform for men (and in the near term, for women also), to be assessed online by a hair and skin specialist to assess the best treatment options for their hair loss. These offerings may be FDA and Health Canada-approved medications such as oral finasteride or minoxidil, but the medical specialists also are able to prescribe unique and innovative topical gel forms to deliver active medicines such as finasteride, dutasteride and minoxidil to the scalp in a manner that limits the absorption of the medication into the body, localizing the active medicine at the hair follicle where it’s needed. These topical forms are unique and not available anywhere else. XYON is also launching non-prescription DHT blocking shampoos and conditioners and expects to launch in the near term, new non-prescription hair health products such as serums, oils and supplements.
HRT: That’s really impressive. So, why does XYON’s physician-prescribed, compounded topical dutasteride and finasteride cost more than other compounded topical gels available by prescription?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: Yes, the subscriptions we offer to customers are somewhat more expensive. But customers know, what we offer is of greater value which when it comes to hair loss, is key. Importantly, assessments are made by dermatologists, skin and hair specialists which is different from many of our competitors. The innovative gels available via compounding are unique and have shown to be highly differentiated from other topicals. The SiloxysSystem™ gel technology, allows medications such as finasteride or dutasteride to be delivered in a far more precise manner, which is how I would want to be treated. Medicines should be delivered where they are needed and kept from where they are not needed. Our topical gel system allows for that where the prescribing doctor feels it’s warranted. Furthermore, our subscription process includes all pharmacy fulfillment costs as well as shipping costs. Customers always have a choice. We offer a more expensive but a very high-quality offering. Men and women can decide what’s best for their hair. It will always be a price vs quality consideration.
HRT: Let’s talk about a few comments we’ve seen online mentioning your hair loss and yet, you’re the CEO of a hair loss prevention company.
Dr. Simon Pimstone: Yes, as mentioned above, I lost my hair in my 20’s. There were no solutions available to me. Thanks to my experience and that of Dr. Hasson’s, we can now make hair loss optional for most people. This brings me great satisfaction.
HRT: Is XYON working on any other products for the near future?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: Yes, many, We will be launching a men’s natural DHT blocking shampoo and conditioner in a matter of weeks. We expect to launch women’s hair assessment’s and prescription offerings in the next month or so. We also have a number of exciting non-prescription and new prescription offerings that will be launched this year. We should end the year with a wonderful suite of highly innovative and beautiful offerings for men and women with hair loss or concerned about future hair loss.
HRT: Let’s talk about the science behind XYON’s SiloxsysSytem™. What makes it unique?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: The SiloxysSystem™ is a unique invention, a patented technology designed to ensure a slow release of a medication into the skin and scalp in a form that keep the medication preferentially in the skin or scalp with limited absorption. With medications where the site of action is the skin and where a doctor would like to limit \systemic side effects such as ED and lower libido, adverse effects observed with dutasteride and finasteride, the SiloxysSystem™ gel technology may be a very attractive option.
The SiloxysSystem™ gel was designed in a manner very different from anything else we are aware of, with a focus on limiting the blood levels of these medicines while retaining the activity at the hair follicle. There is nothing like this technology available.
HRT: What about side effects?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: As discussed above, the SIloxySystem™ gel technology is designed to limit side effects by limiting the absorption or uptake of the medications into the body. In studies we conducted, dutasteride delivered to the skin using this gel system, had very little absorption and very limited effect on DHT in the blood stream. DHT is considered the key hormone that when reduced in the blood, results in sexual side effects. Limiting this effect,-is therefore very important. The SiloxysSystem™ gel was deigned in a manner very different from anything else we are aware of, with a focus on limiting the blood levels of these medicines while retaining the activity at the hair follicle. There is nothing like this technology available.
HRT: Approximately how many patients are currently using Xyon’s topical gels?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: We currently have over 1,000 customers. We only recently launched, so this is impressive growth. I think people are choosing XYON given the scientific foundation of the company and the expertise of the founders and team members. XYON is a very differentiated brand. For us, it’s not about marketing. It’s about great science and innovation. Customers are smart and we let them decide which offerings make the most sense for them. We provide the best of these offerings in our opinion – and by some measure.
HRT: Results are everything. What has been the feedback from your patients?
Dr. Simon Pimstone: We have had fantastic feedback in all areas of our business. Of course, so important, has been the feedback on the activity and the safety customers have experienced with the topical offerings. But equally, the feedback on our customer relations is so important. We need to provide customers with the best offerings and the best journey commensurate with the authentic and quality brand we are building.
Thank you Dr. Pimstone!
Dr. Simon Pimstone’s insights provide valuable information about the use of hair loss treatments including physician prescribed, compounded topical gels containing active medications such as finasteride and dutasteride. This topical SiloxysSystem™ technology is designed to limit side effects by limiting the absorption or uptake of medications into the body, and customer feedback has been very positive. While this interview specifically relates to hair loss treatments, the innovative approach of XYON and their focus on great science and innovation is an example of how companies can strive to provide the best possible offerings and journey for their customers.
We want to thank Dr. Pimstone for his time and we look forward to learning more about XYON’s exciting new offerings! Learn more about XYON Health www.xyonhealth.com
