Research on Hair Loss, Survey

[rrandolph]

Hey guys, It's my first post here, excited to be part of the community. I've been reading Steve's stuff for a little while now and really like it.

Anyway, I have a theory about why some people lose their hair and how to reverse the process. This survey will help me put together similarities to find the most important factors in hair loss. This research is intended to understand how lifestyle affects hair growth. If you are experiencing hair loss, please take a moment to fill it out. Also, if you have any tips on hair regrowth, feel free to post them. I know this thread had some good info.

Click Here to Take the Survey

Thanks

[Amadeus]

I'm telling you right now that hair loss is genetic, and not environmental. Our ancestors use to be comvered with hair from head to toe, but not anymore because we don't need it.

[WilliamT]

Yes, I remember years ago, Michael Jordan said if there was one thing he would change in his life if he could, it would be his make pattern baldness. If he could not do it, or afford to have someone reverse it for him, no one can. It is genetic. If you are young and want to see you future, look at your mother's father and his hairline.

[Amadeus]

I think Michael Jordon has a lot worse problems than going bald like gambling, adultery on his ex wife, being vain, etc.

[Russjm]

Originally Posted by WilliamT

If you are young and want to see you future, look at your mother's father and his hairline.

It is a myth that people only inherit male pattern baldness, A.K.A androgenetic alopecia, from the mother's side of the family. The fact is that it can be inherited from both the mother's and the father's side of the family.

[WilliamT]

OK, I don't really know for sure. Only basing my original thought on what I have heard over the years and the fact that I can't think of a single person I know personally with M.P.Baldness that has a maternal grandfather with hair. On the other hand, I know several guys with totally bald fathers but have full heads of hair themselves. I know a couple guys losing their hair who have bald fathers, but also bald maternal grandfathers. But my personal acquaintances certainly don't a scientific study make.

So... I looked to Google, but that did not help. I found many "experts" saying it is the mother, but also some saying it is not. Some studies say there are a multitude of genetic factors involved, the maternal grandfather being only one of them. There are also varying degrees of the onset of MPB. Some don't start to lose significant hair until their 40's or 50's, others lose it all by the time they are 30.

So who knows? There still is no "cure" or reversal and the only proven prevention is castration at an early age. :-O

I guess we should be worrying about our diet and lifestyle and not our hairline, but we are all born to be vain to a point.

[WanderingOak]

All I know is that by the time I was 20, I was beginning to resemble a Klingon. Full beard, ponytail, and a highly visible 'dome' on top. My Maternal Grandfather had the same hair pattern, although there may have been environmental factors as well in my case. For about five years when I was a teenager, I did not have regular access to running hot water and showers. Needless to say, I did not wash my hair as often as I should have, back then, so that may have been a contributing factor.

[Bitsy]

Hi. Well...Although male pattern baldness is the topic here, I could add something about losing hair due to other causes, and, if nothing else, a recipe for hair growth. I went through two periods where I was losing my hair due to bad treatment by doctors on a medical diet I had to be on. The reason I lost my hair was not definitively determined either time, but guesses included 1. not enough protein, 2. not enough tyrosine and 3. not enough something else (selenium and/or phenylalanine).

Anyway, during the first period of hair loss (I never lost all my hair either time), I was searching for natural remedies or things that would stop my hair from falling out. I was developing an interest in aromatherapy at the time. I learned of a recipe using flax seeds and rosemary (oil or herb) and I followed the instructions given to me. About 2 weeks after I began using it, my hair stopped falling out and I felt it growing back. I have been using this recipe ever since, for years, and my hair grew back thicker than it has ever been. I still use it and I will always use it.

Rosemary oil, cedarwood oil and ylang ylang oil are proported to cause hair growth. I can vouch from experience for rosemary and ylang ylang - don't put them where you don't want to have hair!

I don't know if these will work for baldness, but it would be interesting to know if someone would try it. If anyone wants the rosemary/flax recipe, I can send it via pm. Note, though, that it must be applied faithfully approximately after every shower (or every other day) and I think a change should be noticeable after 2 weeks or so.

[WanderingOak]

Originally Posted by Bitsy

Hi. Well...Although male pattern baldness is the topic here, I could add something about losing hair due to other causes, and, if nothing else, a recipe for hair growth. I went through two periods where I was losing my hair due to bad treatment by doctors on a medical diet I had to be on. The reason I lost my hair was not definitively determined either time, but guesses included 1. not enough protein, 2. not enough tyrosine and 3. not enough something else.

Anyway, during the first period of hair loss (I never lost all my hair either time), I was searching for natural remedies or things that would stop my hair from falling out. I was developing an interest in aromatherapy at the time. I learned of a recipe using flax seeds and rosemary (oil or herb) and I followed the instructions given to me. About 2 weeks after I began using it, my hair stopped falling out and I felt it growing back. I have been using this recipe ever since, for years, and my hair grew back thicker than it has ever been. I still use it and I will always use it.

Rosemary oil, cedar oil and ylang ylang oil are proported to cause hair growth. I can vouch from experience for rosemary and ylang ylang - don't put them where you don't want to have hair!

I don't know if these will work for baldness, but it would be interesting to know if someone would try it. If anyone wants the rosemary/flax recipe, I can send it via pm. Note, though, that it must be applied faithfully approximately after every shower (or every other day) and I think a change should be noticeable after 2 weeks or so.

I've also heard that Saw Palmetto helps in reversing hair loss. I've never tried it though...

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by WanderingOak

I've also heard that Saw Palmetto helps in reversing hair loss. I've never tried it though...

It's possible. Plants have lots of uses that people find answers for in marketed chemical products.

By the way, it is cedarwood oil, not cedar, sorry.

Note about the rosemary mixture I use - my hair did and does grow much thicker now, but I noticed the strands are thinner than they were before I used it, but that's nice, because my hair is softer than before.

[Russjm]

Originally Posted by WilliamT

OK, I don't really know for sure. Only basing my original thought on what I have heard over the years and the fact that I can't think of a single person I know personally with M.P.Baldness that has a maternal grandfather with hair. On the other hand, I know several guys with totally bald fathers but have full heads of hair themselves. I know a couple guys losing their hair who have bald fathers, but also bald maternal grandfathers. But my personal acquaintances certainly don't a scientific study make.

So... I looked to Google, but that did not help. I found many "experts" saying it is the mother, but also some saying it is not. Some studies say there are a multitude of genetic factors involved, the maternal grandfather being only one of them. There are also varying degrees of the onset of MPB. Some don't start to lose significant hair until their 40's or 50's, others lose it all by the time they are 30.

So who knows? There still is no "cure" or reversal and the only proven prevention is castration at an early age. :-O

I guess we should be worrying about our diet and lifestyle and not our hairline, but we are all born to be vain to a point.

Here are some links: American Osteopathic Association

While genetics does play a role in male pattern hair loss, Dr. Ginsberg notes that the gene can come from either parent, not just the mother.

Male Hair Loss and Pattern Baldness (Alopecia) in Men

In summary, male pattern hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia) is an inherited condition manifested when androgens are present in normal amounts. The gene can be inherited from the mother or father’s side.

Medical Mystery: Male Pattern Baldness

I dont mean to come across as argumentative or anything, but im just surprised that there were people who still believed in the myth about baldness being inherited only from the mother's side. It's been debunked for quite some time now.

[martin]

Castor oil massaged on the scalp has been said to work also.

[rrandolph]

Well, in a nutshell my theory is this:

"I believe hair loss is a genetic susceptibility that tells the body to lower circulation & hair growth at the top of the scalp when the body’s health is comprised."

If we can change our lifestyle so that our health is not compromised, then the genetic susceptibility will not be triggered and no hair will be lost.

This is what I believe, though I don't know it for sure yet. I think I have finally stopped my hair loss and began regrowing but its still a little too soon to tell.

I have found so many areas in my life that have been highly neglected which is why I was doing this survey, to see if others had similar bad habits.

[Spirittap]

Brush your scalp with a boar bristle hair brush. My hair is growing back in places it fell out. My great grandfather also did this and got a full head of hair back.