60 replies to this topic

[GoodFellas]

What would the best supplements to prevent hair loss be?

So far I'm taking Biotin & 1000mg of Vitamin E.

I'm also considering Biosil & Saw Palmetto.

[JLL]

If you're considering saw palmetto, why not go with finasteride?

[rwac]

Tocotrienols are reported to help with hair regrowth.

[1kgcoffee]

You could try large amounts of phytosterols, and I hear that astaxanthin (and related carotenoids) posses DHT lowering properties.

Your best bet is to just go on finasteride.

[rwac]

Your best bet is to just go on finasteride.

http://en.wikipedia....de#Side_effects

[JLL]

Your best bet is to just go on finasteride.

http://en.wikipedia....de#Side_effects

Well yes, but saw palmetto will likely have the same side effects, and it's less effective. The mechanism through which it is said to work is the same as with finasteride.

[rwac]

JLL, you were trying tocotrienols.
Any news on that, how did it work out ?

[kenj]

Your best bet is to just go on finasteride.

http://en.wikipedia....de#Side_effects

Well yes, but saw palmetto will likely have the same side effects, and it's less effective. The mechanism through which it is said to work is the same as with finasteride.

I REALLY don't think so. Saw palmetto is not as strong.

[JLL]

JLL, you were trying tocotrienols.
Any news on that, how did it work out ?

Here's the tocotrienol experiment conclusion.

[JLL]

Your best bet is to just go on finasteride.

http://en.wikipedia....de#Side_effects

Well yes, but saw palmetto will likely have the same side effects, and it's less effective. The mechanism through which it is said to work is the same as with finasteride.

I REALLY don't think so. Saw palmetto is not as strong.

You're right, I should've said similar side effects.

But then, even very small doses of finasteride seem pretty effective, so unless there's something else in saw palmetto that counters the side effects from DHT reduction, I don't see why it wouldn't have a similar effect as finasteride.

[kurt9]

Dutasteride works better than finasteride in blocking the conversion of Testosterone to DHT. The generic versions of Dutasteride are becoming cheaper.

[Logan]

Cayenne pepper, preferrably capsules with 80,000 units.

Gotu Kola may help as it may increase collagen production, which should help with hair growth.

[hamishm00]

Biosil should help too.

I still think topical applications such as Nisim hair shampoo and Nisim extract, combined with Nizoral, and also Minoxidil, are also a good bet.

[stephen_b]

I've heard that biotin makes the hair grow faster. I don't know if that's true or if it translates into less hair loss.

[shaggy]

I use Daktarin Gold cream which is actually for athlete's foot on my hairline, leave it on overnight, regrowth is quite noticeable where it was starting to thin a bit....It actually is 2% Ketoconazole so it's no surprise really!

[adamh]

I've heard rosemary is supposed to help with that. I haven't used it enough to be able to make a report but its been used for a long time.

[JLL]

I use Daktarin Gold cream which is actually for athlete's foot on my hairline, leave it on overnight, regrowth is quite noticeable where it was starting to thin a bit....It actually is 2% Ketoconazole so it's no surprise really!

Interesting, I've been thinking of doing a ketoconazole experiment like that. Have you noticed any side effects (i.e. systemic absorption)?

[GoodFellas]

What about Beta Sitosterol?

http://www.ehow.com/...-hair-loss.html

[shaggy]

I use Daktarin Gold cream which is actually for athlete's foot on my hairline, leave it on overnight, regrowth is quite noticeable where it was starting to thin a bit....It actually is 2% Ketoconazole so it's no surprise really!

Interesting, I've been thinking of doing a ketoconazole experiment like that. Have you noticed any side effects (i.e. systemic absorption)?

Haven't had my T levels checked, but from my performance in the gym and bedroom I would postulate that there has been no change. Still get the morning wood too.

I have don't suffer from significant MPB though just a bit of thinning and very slow receding of the frontal hairline. The cream has stabilised and slightly improved the thickness and now I've added ECGC cream I'm hoping not to loose anymore hair in the long term.

Edited by shaggy, 28 February 2010 - 01:48 PM.

[Hedrock]

I'm also considering Biosil & Saw Palmetto.

After starting to take saw palmetto I had a sudden hear loss.

I could reverse it by taking magnesium and piracetam in megadoses.

Magnesium treatment for sudden hearing loss.

Sudden hearing loss. Treatment with piracetam

With fenugreek I did not have any problems so this would be the better choice for me! Fenugreek is not only good for hair growth. It is an underestimated anti-aging supplement at all.

Fenugreek must be the activated form. Not activated fenugreek is useless.

[nameless]

I use Daktarin Gold cream which is actually for athlete's foot on my hairline, leave it on overnight, regrowth is quite noticeable where it was starting to thin a bit....It actually is 2% Ketoconazole so it's no surprise really!

Interesting, I've been thinking of doing a ketoconazole experiment like that. Have you noticed any side effects (i.e. systemic absorption)?

Although more expensive and prescription, Extina foam may be a little more cosmetically appealing compared to athlete's foot creme. If you do the experiment, I think you'd like the foam better.

I have gotten Extina for seborrhea, and it absorbs into the skin pretty fast. I think they use the same foam technology as in rogaine foam? I only have slight receding, which isn't really noticeable (unless I get my hair cut pretty short) so haven't considered trying it on my scalp for hair loss.

I'd be a little concerned over systematic absorption, but if you take no other drugs that could interact, I guess you could get a testosterone test before and after experiment, to be safe. Just be warned though, without insurance the foam is insanely expensive.

Edited by nameless, 28 February 2010 - 09:00 PM.

[JLL]

Extina seems to be prescription only, whereas Daktarin is not (plus it's pretty cheap).

[shaggy]

Although more expensive and prescription, Extina foam may be a little more cosmetically appealing compared to athlete's foot creme. If you do the experiment, I think you'd like the foam better.

Hahaha... I only leave it on overnight, I don't use it as hair gel!

[pycnogenol]

Does anyone here take L-Cysteine and is it helping hair loss?

[sentrysnipe]

Does anyone here take L-Cysteine and is it helping hair loss?

it really most probably depends on the type of hair loss. if it's cysteine deficiency (doubt it) then it would work.
i think we need to qualify what kind of hair loss this is. Telogen effluvium, iron deficiency, hypothyroidism, Male Pattern Baldness, Alopecia Areata, post-pregnancy, Diffused Unpatterned alopcia, Alopecia Universalis.

Lysine + Iron + GSE + Collagens I & III would work best for TE.

L'Oreal has a patent on GSE + Taurine to treat hair loss after 6 mos. of usage.

The most comprehensive accdg. to my research is Procyanidin B2 from GSE/Apple Extract. For temple baldness / receding hairline, Dr. Khadavi of Revivogen says once you have reached beyond a year since the inception of baldness, it may no longer be reversed. I guess if you still have cosmetically invisible hair on the temple area, you can push it out and thicken with these supplements.

The reason why Saw Palmetto works is because of Beta Sitosterol and Linolenic Acid along with other PUFAs/MUFAs. You would experience the same side-effects as finasteride administration, since both are 5-ar type i/ii inhibitors.

THe MOA of follica is egfr inhibition which is still confusing to me since if Gefitinib is administered orally, the patient experiences scarring alopecia, but when topically applied, it causes regrowth - only after wounding, however, which probably answers my own confusion.

*EDIT* Re: Ketoconazole will most likely NOT regrow your hair. It may STOP hair loss / shedding since it is a 5-ar inhibitor, but will not most likely cause any new growth. 5-ar inhibitors are only part of a big hair growth protocol.

Edited by sentrysnipe, 04 March 2010 - 07:39 AM.

[JLL]

The most comprehensive accdg. to my research is Procyanidin B2 from GSE/Apple Extract. For temple baldness / receding hairline, Dr. Khadavi of Revivogen says once you have reached beyond a year since the inception of baldness, it may no longer be reversed. I guess if you still have cosmetically invisible hair on the temple area, you can push it out and thicken with these supplements.

I see this stated often but I've never found any evidence proving it. I don't believe it's true.

[JLL]

*EDIT* Re: Ketoconazole will most likely NOT regrow your hair. It may STOP hair loss / shedding since it is a 5-ar inhibitor, but will not most likely cause any new growth. 5-ar inhibitors are only part of a big hair growth protocol.

I disagree; we don't know all the mechanisms through which ketoconazole works, but for example in mouse experiments in does seem to grow new hairs:

The results demonstrated that 2% KCZ had a macroscopically significant stimulatory effect compared with the vehicle group. Repeated experiments showed similar effects, confirming the efficacy of KCZ as a hair growth stimulant.

In humans, it improves the anagen/telogen ratio and increases thickness of individual hairs:

In men with hair loss, using 2% Nizoral shampoo 2-4 per week significantly improved measures of vertex hairs in anagen phase and hair diameter during the course of a 21-month study. At 15 months, the increase in the hair growth score was close to 50%. A slight decrease in hair growth scores was seen in those using normal shampoo.

And, although the mechanism is different, ketoconazole increases hair density similar to minoxidil:

After 6 months of using the treatments, the hair density of the Nizoral group went from 250 to 296 hairs per square centimeter; an increase of of 18%. In the minoxidil group, the increase was 11%, from 276 to 306 hairs. Both ketoconazole and minoxidil increased hair shaft diameter by 7%. Even though the sample size in this second experiment was very small, this looks like a very promising result.

The mean sebaceous gland area of the Nizoral group decreased by 19.4%. However, in the minoxidil group, the area increased by 5.3%. This means that even though both ketoconazole and minoxidil stimulated hair growth, they did it through different mechanisms.

And then there are the anecdotal reports of women using ketoconazole creams and seeing increased hair growth. Thus, my suspicion is that ketoconazole is both a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor AND a hair growth stimulant.

[Logan]

Anyone know where I can get a cream with ketoconazole in it? I know someone mentioned Daktarin Gold but I have no idea where I could find that. Maybe on the internet? I will do a search I guess.

I have started to put some Nizoral on my hairline at night but I don't know if this is a good idea since Nizoral is a shampoo, not a cream, and is not made to be put on skin for a long period of time.

[GoodFellas]

Does anyone here take L-Cysteine and is it helping hair loss?

The reason why Saw Palmetto works is because of Beta Sitosterol and Linolenic Acid along with other PUFAs/MUFAs. You would experience the same side-effects as finasteride administration, since both are 5-ar type i/ii inhibitors.

Are Beta Sitosterol and Linolenic Acid safe to use? If so where can I get them?

[steelsky]

Cayenne pepper, preferrably capsules with 80,000 units.

Gotu Kola may help as it may increase collagen production, which should help with hair growth.

Can anyone back up the Cayenne pepper suggestion? I haven't seen any articles.