Why I Regret Giving Hair Loss Advice And A Major Breakthrough

[Travis]

Nice find. The author actually suggests that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) plays an important role in androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

CONCLUSION:
This study suggests an important role for VDR in the pathogenesis of AA and AGA through documenting lower serum and tissue VDR levels in AA and AGA patients in comparison with controls.

 

[Peater Piper]

And apparently there was a study done using topical calcipotriol to treat androgenic alopecia, with some promising results.

Vitamin D Council | New study finds derivative of activated vitamin D helps manage hair loss

The researchers wanted to determine how the use of the calcipotriol lotion affected severity of AA, including the quantity of hair loss. To do this, the researchers assessed regrowth of hair at 4, 8 and 12 weeks.

After 12 weeks of treatment, hair regrowth occurred in 59% (13/22) of the patients. On average, it took 4.2 weeks before hair regrowth began to occur in the patients. The researchers also found that those who began the study with low vitamin D levels experienced a bigger improvement in AA severity.

How to correct the VDR expression deficiency though? It could be a systemic issue, causing harm beyond hair loss (atherosclerosis, heart disease?).

 

[whit]

And apparently there was a study done using topical calcipotriol to treat androgenic alopecia, with some promising results.

Vitamin D Council | New study finds derivative of activated vitamin D helps manage hair loss


How to correct the VDR expression deficiency though? It could be a systemic issue, causing harm beyond hair loss (atherosclerosis, heart disease?).

Cool study.
I wonder why the dosage was so low though. ( .005 calciprotriol)

 

[TubZy]

This does not seem to me to be an adequate explanation,

" First, Polysorbate, a known cleanser, emulsifier, and surfactant, helps rid the hair follices of the hormone, dihydrotestosterone or DHT. DHT is the testosterone fraction that is believed to trigger male pattern baldness in men."

• This belief that DHT causes hair loss in men is highly questionable. If it were true all old men would have full heads of hair and young men would be bald as they have the highest level of DHT.
• There might be an argument to say that removing localised DHT in the scalp would help for hair loss but that argument is weak and with little evidence IMO. Also if it were the case that its properties as an emulsifier and surfactant are what help remove the DHT and prevent hair loss, than why wouldn't regular shampoo ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) do the same thing?

"Second, Polysorbate is known to trigger histamine release, which increases blood flow and nutrition to the hair follicles."

• There is evidence to suggest that excess histamine release is the LAST thing you want if you have a balding scalp. There are studies showing that histamine is elevated in scalps of balding men. Danny Roddy has a very well researched article on this, "Anti-Histamines for Pattern Hair Loss".
• Not saying you want zero histamine as it is part of the hair growth cycle however I think there is more evidence that those with balding scalps have too much histamine rather than not enough.

The Itchy scalp - scratching for an explanation
The dreaded scalp itch which is often associated with balding has been documented to be elevated in the presence of high levels of histamine.
From the study linked above, "suggested an association between the subjective perception of itch in the scalp of seborrheic dermatitis patients and the level of histamine in the skin. They reported also that the scalp histamine level in subjects with seborrheic dermatitis was more than twice that in those without it."

"treatment with a commercial potentiated zinc pyrithione shampoo led to a reduction in histamine in subjects with dandruff to a level that was statistically indistinguishable from those who did not have dandruff. This reduction in histamine was accompanied by a highly significant reduction in the perception of itch intensity"

I hope that Polysorbate 80 can aid in hair growth and I am very open to being convinced but the article you linked explaining it does not present enough evidence to me and the part about the elevation of histamine is of particular concern as I think there is evidence to show that this increases hair loss.

Yeah, I agree. I heard of polysorb 80 in the past, but no real results from it from anyone and the science seems sketchy.

 

[Travis]

Here's an interesting table I found. This study only compares about 60 subjects to 60 controls, but it's the only one I found so far.

Greater than the difference in testosterone is the difference in cortisol. The difference in estradiol is greater than the total difference in testosterone (ΔT + ΔFT). And paradoxically, follicle-stimulating hormone was higher in the hairloss group.

The difference in estradiol is about 28% and the difference in cortisol is about 25%. The difference in free testosterone is only 6.44%.

 

[DaveFoster]

Most modern american white men, maybe.
Many asian and black men keep their hair pretty well, and many mexican/hispanic/native american men have excellent hairlines forever.

I've always wondered why so many American Indians keep great hair into old age. Many black men shave their heads, so it's hard to tell if they shave because they're bald, or bald because they shave.

Do you have any ideas into the disparities? It's interesting to note that Asians (and Native Americans) rarely have full beards compared to Northern Europeans. Women also don't have beard.

So if we let x represent Asians and NA populations, and we let y equal women. Since both x and y equal the absence of beards, we may then conclude that Asians and NA populations are women. See below for mathematical proof:

xA = no beards
xNA = no beards
yW = no beards

... xA = xNA = yW

 

[sladerunner69]

I've always wondered why so many American Indians keep great hair into old age. Many black men shave their heads, so it's hard to tell if they shave because they're bald, or bald because they shave.

Do you have any ideas into the disparities? It's interesting to note that Asians (and Native Americans) rarely have full beards compared to Northern Europeans. Women also don't have beard.

So if we let x represent Asians and NA populations, and we let y equal women. Since both x and y equal the absence of beards, we may then conclude that Asians and NA populations are women. See below for mathematical proof:

xA = no beards
xNA = no beards
yW = no beards

... xA = xNA = yW

Maybe the missing variable here is genetics... Some people just have better mitochondria in their hair follicle cells, that's what I always surmised.

 

[Peater Piper]

Here's an interesting table I found. This study only compares about 60 subjects to 60 controls, but it's the only one I found so far.
View attachment 6166
Greater than the difference in testosterone is the difference in cortisol. The difference in estradiol is greater than the total difference in testosterone (ΔT + ΔFT). And paradoxically, follicle-stimulating hormone was higher in the hairloss group.

The difference in estradiol is about 28% and the difference in cortisol is about 25%. The difference in free testosterone is only 6.44%.

Haidut thinks cortisol is involved as well.

Hypothyroidism (Cortisol, Prolactin And Adrenal Hyperactivity) Causes Balding

 

[Arnold Grape]

It *has* to be: How else would you explain (dude in my office) super-overweight people with perfect hair?

 

[ddjd]

also have abnormally high blood lipids

do you mean high ldl and cholesterol etc?

 

[Raincoast]

My thoughts,

Native Americans, haplogroup x, does not suffer from hereditary hair loss, only torsion baldness from tying hair back tightly. Which basicslly proves a genetic component.
By lipids, total cholesterol is what I meant.
Despite having major hairloss in my family, and having high total cholesterol, as well as oily skin and hair (which I believe are linked perhaps), I have all my hair.
The only environmental factor that I have consistently maintained for 20 + years is saw palmetto, proscar, and for the last 4 years preg and prog and thyroid. All related to progesterone. Just to shortlist my speculation...

 

[brix]

My thoughts,

Native Americans, haplogroup x, does not suffer from hereditary hair loss, only torsion baldness from tying hair back tightly. Which basicslly proves a genetic component.
By lipids, total cholesterol is what I meant.
Despite having major hairloss in my family, and having high total cholesterol, as well as oily skin and hair (which I believe are linked perhaps), I have all my hair.
The only environmental factor that I have consistently maintained for 20 + years is saw palmetto, proscar, and for the last 4 years preg and prog and thyroid. All related to progesterone. Just to shortlist my speculation...

so you take finasteride?

 

[Raincoast]

No, but I did for a few years. I took saw palmetto and proscar, one or the other, from about 20-37 years old. Luckily the only issue I could maybe attribute to it being reduced volume of ejac.
I have no issues with 5 drops of progest e (with thyroid).

 

[johnwester130]

I do believe DHT causes baldness in unhealthy people.

If your sebum is composed of soybean oil, corn oil and fish oil, when it is expressed through the skin it will clog it.

Saturated fat will not do this.

 

[johnwester130]

what brand have you used john? Any negative reactions to speak of so far?

any brand will work

it took me two weeks of daily use to get a dry scalp

If it turns white when you apply it to the scalp then the sebum is being removed.

 

[Scenes]

any brand will work

it took me two weeks of daily use to get a dry scalp

If it turns white when you apply it to the scalp then the sebum is being removed.

Have you tried it anywhere else to see if the same reaction on skin occurs? Like on your arm where hair still grows or on your forehead where oil often accumulates? Just curious...

 

[johnwester130]

Have you tried it anywhere else to see if the same reaction on skin occurs? Like on your arm where hair still grows or on your forehead where oil often accumulates? Just curious...

Yes.

I rubbed some into my arm hair, and I saw the white foamy sebum thing for literally one thing and it disappeared again.

The same thing happened on my leg. I rubbed it in, the oil turns white, and then disappears.

When I rub it into my scalp, the oil turns white with sebum and does not disappear, and there is much more sebum.

So I conclude I have much more sebum in my scalp than my arm and leg hair

 

[tfcjesse]

Yes.

I rubbed some into my arm hair, and I saw the white foamy sebum thing for literally one thing and it disappeared again.

The same thing happened on my leg. I rubbed it in, the oil turns white, and then disappears.

When I rub it into my scalp, the oil turns white with sebum and does not disappear, and there is much more sebum.

So I conclude I have much more sebum in my scalp than my arm and leg hair

Where did you get your Polysorbate 80? I picked up a small bottle off amazon and it’s not producing any white foamy stuff anywhere. It seems to strip the hair of other oils though, and has a cleansing effect when rinsed out. Might be best to order from a chemical supply company?

 

[johnwester130]

Where did you get your Polysorbate 80? I picked up a small bottle off amazon and it’s not producing any white foamy stuff anywhere. It seems to strip the hair of other oils though, and has a cleansing effect when rinsed out. Might be best to order from a chemical supply company?

from ebay

Maybe you don't have that much sebum in your scalp.

When you wash it out, does the water look soapy ?

 

[stressucks]

Been using Red Light on scalp. Completely got rid of my dandruff and my scalp/hair is no longer oily, even without washing. I've tried nopoo before but my hair was really oily on that even after a year. Now, it's fine.

But, I haven't tried polysorbate to break up what's already in there. I think I will.

Recommended brands?