trying an herbal experiment

[MarkyGras]

This is my first post, but I've been lurking for about a year (around the time I first started finasteride). I've always been thankful for the information and discussions occurring on this site. I wanted to do a quick post:

First, MSM has done wonders for my hair. It's thickened it considerably! I mix about 2000 mg powdered MSM in with juice once in the morning and once at night.

So tonight I'm trying something new. I recognize that finasteride will inhibit DHT production from the inside, but maybe I should try including some topical DHT blockers as well. I'd never give money to those NuHair/ShenMin people - it just comes across as snake oil. But I still wanted to do something external that would target DHT production up top. So I went down to my local Vitamin Shoppe, and bought liquid herbal extracts of:

-Saw Palmetto
-Nettle Leaf
-Gotu Kola
-Dong Quai

I also bought a empty pipette bottle to mix it all in. So I put a fifth of each of those, as well as a fifth of emu oil (to aid absorption) into the 30 ml bottle, shake it like crazy (since the oil will want to separate), and rub about 5ml onto my head (mainly temples and bald spot at back of head).

I just wanted to give the herbal stuff a try. It's possible that I simply made my own batch of snake oil, but we never know unless we try. I'll keep ya'll updated on any changes. I have a feeling shedding is on the way, but I don't worry too much about that. My only real concern is if the oil will block my skin from absorbing the minoxidil.

 

[anxious1]

i admire u experimenting, but these have all been tried b4 to no avail.

i'd particularlly be careful about topical saw palmetto. it induces heavy shedding on alot of ppl, with no regrowth afterwards.

just a warning.

 

[Hoppi]

Yeah I think the chemicals are probs better. CB-03-01, spironolactone, Eucapil, topical dutasteride, maybe even miconazole or something. The herbal stuff... I'm just not sure if it works >.<

 

[MarkyGras]

Unfortunately, the CB isn't readily available, right? And isn't it close to $1k to actually purchase? And with Dr. Lee's gone, I don't know where I could get topical spironolactone.

However, I am going to play it safe, and remove the saw palmetto from this. The saw palmetto extract was just $10, I don't think I'll have to sell the family farm just yet

If anything, since I get pretty dry hair from the tricomin and nizoral, I was planning on putting emu oil in there anyway. The other extracts can just be "extra" additives anyway....

 

[Primo]

i'd particularlly be careful about topical saw palmetto. it induces heavy shedding on alot of ppl, with no regrowth afterwards.

just a warning.

Oh really? :shakehead: Maybe if these people actually stuck with it for longer than 3months, the way you're supposed to with any treatment, they would've have seen results.

Really never understood the logic of quitting because of a shed. If your hair doesn't shed, how is it supposed to grow back thicker and fuller?? :smack:

I'm not suggesting for a minute that SP is a heavyweight treatment, but it's nonsense for 'these ppl" to say it only produces heavy shedding.

Also SP is like Finasteride it only maintains it doesn't regrow.

Far too many people on this forum jump into treatment regimen's believing that they can get their highschool hairline back, when realisticallly over time the best anyone can hope for is maintainance... unless of course you know a good hair transplant surgeon.

Also MSM sounds similar to Tricomin in the way it prolongs the growth phase, although obviously it's not stopping the root cause of male pattern baldness.

 

[anxious1]

well i took saw palmetto religiously for about 5 yrs, and experienced no regrowth, no maintenance, only shedding. i even progressed to beta sitosterol for 2 yrs, again with no improvement or maintenance.

like all treatments results vary person to person, but i was warning him, based on my experience.

furthermore, i have never heard any good results or maintenance from anyone except people selling saw palmetto products.

and...

finasteride DOES regrow hair for some persons, and it has been proven to do so. granted it comes at a cost but never theless...

anyway wat was ur experience with sp.? did u maintain? regrowth?

i think if it worked to any degree, there would be alot more satisfied ppl by now.

 

[Hoppi]

I think it just blocks ARs. Many things also inhibit the wrong type of 5-alpha reductase (1, not 2). I also don't know if different things inhibit it for different periods of time or anything like that...