Hair Care Tips and Remedies

[JimmyG]

Hi all,

I haven't come across a thread here specifically about general hair mantenance and care, so I thought I'd start one.

From everything I've heard and read about, the following is what I've seen recommended for optimal hair growth, health and appearance.

Whether all of them are effective or useful is up for debate, so I'm just going to lay all the cards on the table and we can go from there. Perhaps some of the Docs would like to chime in too.

EVO (Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)
Apple Cider Vinegar (makes hair shine?)
Iodine (Sea Kelp)
Sodium Ascorbate (alkaline for of Vitamin C)
Calcium
Biotin
Horsetail
MSM (Natural source of sulfur)
Beta-carotene (from green and yellow vegetables)
Magnesium (almonds a good source)
Silica
Zinc
Inositol
Vitamin B6
Jojoba Oil
Saw Palmetto (works as an anti-androgen?)
Folic Acid

-Have regular scalp massages, in a circular motion (with fingertips, not nails)
-Wash and rinse hair in luke-warm to cold water
-Don't overwash your hair - strips the natural oils. It's okay not to wash it every day
-Conditioning is not optional
-Be gentle with hair when it's wet (when it's at its weakest)
-Don't roughly towel dry. Air dry or pat down / squeeze out water
-Be careful when blow-drying not to overdo it and fry the hair
-Harsh treaments like bleaching, colouring and straightening can damage hair
-Don't style your hair in a way that stresses the hair and pulls on the roots.

Fell free to comment and add anything I've missed!

Cheers,

Jim

[Mark Baxa, MD]

Response to JimmyG

Hello Jimmy,

Basically I think one can drive themselves nuts trying to figure out any and all the various options out there for potential hair re-growth.

Bottom line is that there are only TWO FDA approved medications:

~ Rogaine Topical = About 40% effective

~ Finasteride = About 89.9% effective

Other options that appear to have some degree of effectiveness:

~ Biotin

~ Selenium

~ Saw Palmetto

Other then that, in my opinion it is a crap shoot.

I usually only recommend the above for my patients. As I prefer to avoid the confusion and hopefully all the 'hype' about the various alternatives.

I hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Mark D. Baxa, M.D.

[JimmyG]

Thanks Mark.

I started Finasteride 2 weeks ago to slow down/stop loss and hopefully start regrowth and thickening.

I made the list above just as a curiosity for general hair health, maintenance, appearance etc

You see tips like these all over the Internet on Women's beauty sites, and I was curious to see what this community thought about them.