Hair Loss (Updated March, 2002)

I wrote an article for Muscle Media on hair loss a few years ago and said that I would be writing a book on what I had learned. Since that time I have had several hundred inquiries about when the book will be done. Well, working 70 hours a week made it difficult to complete the work on our HIV/steroids book, Built To Survive.

Anyway, after completion of this complex writing project I am taking a long break from writing books. So it may be a few years before I tackle writing a book again, if I do.

The best simple, quick tip I can offer anyone with hair loss problems is to get information about the products made by Dr. Peter Proctor of Houston, Texas. He has several products that can work very well.

Among them are NANO shampoo and NANO conditioner, and a prescription salve called Proxiphen. Proxifen is the most effective, but the shampoo and conditioner should be considered.

Call Dr. Proctor's office at (713) 960-1616 or go to his web site highlighted above, and ask for their information package. You will need your own doctor's prescription for the salve, but it should be easy to get. If you call the office, you will reach Mrs. Proctor, who runs the office. She is a gem and very helpful.

For those of you who remember my recommendation for Nizoral shampoo in Muscle Media, I still recommend it. It should probably be used 2 or 3 times per week after initially using it every day for a week or two. Using it too often after the initial week or two may cause tiny red bumps to appear on the scalp, so be moderate with it.

There are a number of other products and compounds that can be quite effective at reducing, stopping or reversing hair loss, but I don't have time to detail them here now. I'd suggest doing an internet search to explore the possibilities. A world of knowledge is at your fingertips.

One study showed that applying oils of thyme, rosemary, lavender and
cedarwood improved hair growth. There are numerous sources of essential oils, so
these oils are easy to get. Also, a company called Avalon Organic Botanicals makes
shampoos with thyme and lavendar.

Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata.
rch Dermatol 1998 Nov;134(11):1349-52 (ISSN: 0003-987X)
Hay IC; Jamieson M; Ormerod AD. ad.ormerod@abdn.ac.uk.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of aromatherapy in the treatment of
patients with alopecia areata.

DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of 7 months' duration,
with follow-up at 3 and 7 months.

SETTING: Dermatology outpatient department.

PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-six patients diagnosed as having alopecia areata.

INTERVENTION: Eighty-six patients were randomized into 2 groups. The active
group massaged essential oils (thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood) in
a mixture of carrier oils (jojoba and grapeseed) into their scalp daily. The
control group used only carrier oils for their massage, also daily.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment success was evaluated on sequential
photographs by 2 dermatologists (I.C.H. and A.D.O.) independently.
Similarly, the degree of improvement was measured by 2 methods: a 6-point
scale and computerized analysis of traced areas of alopecia.

RESULTS: Nineteen (44%) of 43 patients in the active group showed
improvement compared with 6 (15%) of 41 patients in the control group (P =
.008). An alopecia scale was applied by blinded observers on sequential
photographs and was shown to be reproducible with good interobserver
agreement (kappa = 0.84). The degree of improvement on photographic
assessment was significant (P = .05). Demographic analysis showed that the 2
groups were well matched for prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The results
show aromatherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata.
Treatment with these essential oils was significantly more effective than
treatment with the carrier oil alone (P = .008 for the primary outcome
measure). We also successfully applied an evidence-based method to an
alternative therapy.

Update: Hair Loss and Insulin Resistance (October, 2000)

Hair loss is associated with insulin resistance in a new study. Read more at: http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/22/baldness_insulin.htm

Read how to reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity in "Complementary Treatments for Lipodystrophy."

Also go to: http://www.michaelmooney.net/nu6.html (June, 2005)