Discussion About Reversing Thinning and Receding Hairline

[Lady Esquire]

My hair line is receding at an alarming rate. It is now in an M shape. While I was pregnant, I was afraid to use the aids I was using prior, such as Boundless Tresses, because it has sulfur. But now that I am 4 months postnatal, I am ready to dive back into treating this because it is really bad.

I had cortizone shots once, before I got pregnant so I never had the chance to monitor its progress. I will return to that soon.

I am gonna pick up some Rogaine for Women.

I have been reading about DHT Blockers, which are said to reverse this loss process. Saw Palmetto is said to be a major DHT Blocker. I saw a bottle at Wal-Mart, and I'll pick some up.

Beta Sitosterols is said to be another major DHT Blocker. I may try that.

I'm gonna meet with my dermatologist soon and run these past her.

Ladies, please share your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions.

This has me stressed and worried.

Discuss.

 

[Blessed_Angel]

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through this...I hope you get this fixed soon.

 

[Amerie123]

im sorry to hear that. only thing that i can suggest are the growth aids. now that u are not preggo anymore. and when u come from ur dermatologist, please share what they've told you as well for some who may also be having this problem.

 

[Lady Esquire]

bumping

 

[gymfreak336]

Going to a derm is the best thing you can do right now in conjuction with trying to find your own treatments.

Do people in your family have the same problem?

 

[vnaps]

hey lady esquire.......i've done a bit of reading about my receding hairline as well...not nearly as in depth as you though.

the one thing that i got is to increase the blood circulation to the scalp.

you could try increasing the blood circulation to that area....i have been doing the cayenne peeper and oil thing.....only difference is i just massage the oil (not the pepper itself) on my scalp ONLY.

or maybe just massage that area regularly....anything to stimulate circulation of blood.

good luck!!!

 

[dlewis]

My hair line was receding also, there is an old thread I posted in about it started my Melodee. While it hasn't receded anymore I still haven't been able to grow the hair I lost back.

I just tonight, while doing my weekly tweezing, decided to tweeze the two stands of hair left from where the hairline use to start.

I use to have a fotki album on this but deleted it because it was to depressing.

Let me see if I can find some pictures.

 

[ravenmerlita]

Seeing your dermatologist is a great first step. I dealt with this before and took a three-part approach that worked for me -- 1) using a specialized shampoo to clean the DHT from the scalp/hair roots, 2) taking supplements that decrease the formation of DHT and 3) stimulating the scalp to encourage regrowth.

I tried a bunch of different shampoos -- Nioxin, Therapro Bioclenz, Nizoral 2%, Kerastase Bain Prevention. Except for the Kerastase, I found them all pretty harsh on the hair even though they are great for the scalp. Now I use the Nizoral once a month or so and the Kerastase about once a week.

For supplements, I tried Saw Palmetto alone and also a bunch of other vitamins that are supposed to help. My two favorites were Therapro Hairgain and Kerastase Densitive.

For stimulating the scalp, there are lots of different products for scalp massage. A few drops of rosemary oil mixed in olive or coconut or jojoba oil worked well for me. So did MTG. Also, there is Saw Palmetto in the Ojon Restorative Treatment.

Be sure to do your research on the Rogaine for Women (minoxidil). It seems to be a a good option if all else fails but it requires ongoing use. The hair that grows from the Rogaine is minoxidil-dependent and it will fall out once you stop using it.

Best of luck.

 

[grnidmonster]

I have had lupus alopecia since I was in my twenties. I re-grew rapidily in my twenties but, now in my late 30's, it is slow growin' in the alopecia spots. I have been using nioxin for thin/fine hair to remove the DHT, MT/OCT for the hair regrowth and massage with tea tree, peppermint and jojoba to increase blood flow. It seems to be coming along nicely.

on e-bay, if you search for Mega Tek, there is a regimen offered that contains Mega Tek and some other suppliments to remove DHT. I have been meaning to ask if any one has done any research on it or tried it.

 

[Lady Esquire]

Going to a derm is the best thing you can do right now in conjuction with trying to find your own treatments.

Do people in your family have the same problem?

Its hard to say.
All 3 of my sisters have thick heads of hair.

My mom has major issues, but she has been a heavy weave-wearer since the early 80s, so who's to say that its not the strain from the weaves.

 

[Lady Esquire]

Seeing your dermatologist is a great first step. I dealt with this before and took a three-part approach that worked for me -- 1) using a specialized shampoo to clean the DHT from the scalp/hair roots, 2) taking supplements that decrease the formation of DHT and 3) stimulating the scalp to encourage regrowth.

I tried a bunch of different shampoos -- Nioxin, Therapro Bioclenz, Nizoral 2%, Kerastase Bain Prevention. Except for the Kerastase, I found them all pretty harsh on the hair even though they are great for the scalp. Now I use the Nizoral once a month or so and the Kerastase about once a week.

For supplements, I tried Saw Palmetto alone and also a bunch of other vitamins that are supposed to help. My two favorites were Therapro Hairgain and Kerastase Densitive.

For stimulating the scalp, there are lots of different products for scalp massage. A few drops of rosemary oil mixed in olive or coconut or jojoba oil worked well for me. So did MTG. Also, there is Saw Palmetto in the Ojon Restorative Treatment.

Be sure to do your research on the Rogaine for Women (minoxidil). It seems to be a a good option if all else fails but it requires ongoing use. The hair that grows from the Rogaine is minoxidil-dependent and it will fall out once you stop using it.

Best of luck.

Raven, I really like your approach. I am gonna have to model my efforts after yours. I will be writing down all of these and will keep a close eye on how they all work. THANK YOU so much for sharing.

 

[Lady Esquire]

I have had lupus alopecia since I was in my twenties. I re-grew rapidily in my twenties but, now in my late 30's, it is slow growin' in the alopecia spots. I have been using nioxin for thin/fine hair to remove the DHT, MT/OCT for the hair regrowth and massage with tea tree, peppermint and jojoba to increase blood flow. It seems to be coming along nicely.

on e-bay, if you search for Mega Tek, there is a regimen offered that contains Mega Tek and some other suppliments to remove DHT. I have been meaning to ask if any one has done any research on it or tried it.

Removing the DHT will be my first step, after reading a few of these responses, yours included. I read on www.motowngirl.com a few years back of a concoction with rosemary oil, jojoba oil, vitamin e oil, and peppermint oil. I used to use this mix on another area that was broken off, and will retry it for this new M shape that has appeared.

My hair line was receding also, there is an old thread I posted in about it started my Melodee. While it hasn't receded anymore I still haven't been able to grow the hair I lost back.

I just tonight, while doing my weekly tweezing, decided to tweeze the two stands of hair left from where the hairline use to start.

I use to have a fotki album on this but deleted it because it was to depressing.

Let me see if I can find some pictures.

I have been thinking about starting a picture journal to track the growth, to see what works. But my journal would have to be set on private, just for my eyes only, until I actually saw progress. I agree, this is a depressing topic.

hey lady esquire.......i've done a bit of reading about my receding hairline as well...not nearly as in depth as you though.

the one thing that i got is to increase the blood circulation to the scalp.

you could try increasing the blood circulation to that area....i have been doing the cayenne peeper and oil thing.....only difference is i just massage the oil (not the pepper itself) on my scalp ONLY.

or maybe just massage that area regularly....anything to stimulate circulation of blood.

good luck!!!

I have been stimulating with massages, with bt, whenever i remember. thanks girl. cayenne pepper, huh? putting on my list.

 

[Lady Esquire]

Got this online:

You might have seen saw palmetto supplements made especially for women in your local health stores. To start with, saw palmetto is a palm-like tree that grows in some areas in the Americas. It grows berries, the oil extracts of which have been used for various therapeutic uses.
How It Works

The effects of saw palmetto are attributed solely to its ability to suppress the production of dihydrotestosterone or DHT from testosterone. Testosterone is a naturally occurring androgen which is needed by the body, while DHT is a more potent hormone produced from it. Testosterone is converted into DHT through an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase which is inhibited by saw palmetto.

Saw palmetto is primarily used therapeutically for treating enlarged prostate or prostatitis in men. However, they are also seen to provide benefits in women, such that saw palmetto standardized extract Below are the reported potential effects of saw palmetto for women:


Saw Palmetto as a Hair Growth Remedy

One of the predominating causes of hair loss is excess DHT production. More than 98% of DHT is formed at the hair follicle so that as a growth remedy, saw palmetto oil extract should be applied and massaged directly onto the scalp. Saw Palmetto and PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome)

Women with PCOS usually have abnormally higher levels of testosterone than most women. Thus, saw palmetto berries are theorized to work in treating PCOS. Also, saw palmetto reportedly has anti-estrogenic effect to counter high estrogen levels. Similarly, it also helps in alleviating PCOS symptoms such as hirsutism (growth of too much hair at the wrong places)


Saw Palmetto for Acne

Excessive DHT production usually results to acne. By regulating the production of hormones, saw palmetto is a potential cure for acne. However, this positive effect of saw palmetto is yet to be proven scientifically.


Saw Palmetto Blood Pressure

Saw palmetto has been reported to be diuretic in nature as it contains anti-androgen properties to decrease water retention and control blood pressure. It has been used as a natural remedy for relieving high blood pressure or hypertension due to its diuretic effect.


Saw Palmetto Breast Enlargement

Aside from its DHT inhibiting effect, saw palmetto has also been seen to stimulate the production of the female hormone prolactin which promotes breast enlargement as well as milk production and lactation in breastfeeding women.
Saw Palmetto Dosage for Women

Saw palmetto is available in oral capsule, tablet, tea and natural berry forms. There is no fixed dosage that is recommended for all women. Each woman is unique so what is best for you may be too little for another. Generally speaking, a dosage of 160 mg of saw palmetto standardized extract, or a gram of crushed berry daily is enough to produce the mentioned positive benefits.

There are still no scientifically proven uses of saw palmetto for women, but the number of women who attest to its effectivity is somehow convincing enough. If you want to go natural, you can try it out and experience the positive effects for yourself.



bought some today, will take one or two times daily for the next few months.

 

[calmsensual1]

I have a friend who is in medical school in mexico (he's american though) and he's been using this cream on his head called avixis or avicis...I cant remember correctly and I cant find much info on it because its not allowed here in the US for some dumb reason. But my friend uses it...and his hairline is there and very nice...he's 41. Anyways, you might be able to get your hands on some if you look hard enough. Or if you really want...I can try to get some from him.

 

[MWilson569]

Any updates on using saw palmetto??? I want to start taking saw palmetto supplements....what bramd are u ladies using ... thanks