How I Cured My Hair Loss
When I first began losing my hair I went through, what can only be described in retrospect as, the five stages of grief. Initially, I was in denial. Then I became angry. By the time I was ready to bargain I was more than willing to give up vital body parts to get my hair to grow back. Eventually, I went through the stages of depression and acceptance and then upped the ante to more precious body parts should that make any difference in the bargaining process that I recycled in the hopes that that would make any bit of difference. My grieving process was anything but linear. This was how hard I took my hair loss.
At some point, however, I decided that something had to be done. I simply could not accept the fact that nothing could be done for male pattern baldness. Consequently, I spent countless hours on the internet frantically searching for a cure. I read articles, watched YouTube videos, and scoured scientific journals. It turns out that the only two remedies prescribed by the medical community for hair loss are minoxidil and finasteride. Unfortunately, I was not keen on incorporating either.
Minoxidil works by shortening the resting phase of hair and causing the hair to cycle into the growth phase. The problem with this of course is that accelerating to the growth phase causes severe shedding in some individuals. Many people on the internet simply accept this and suggest that you continue to power through and be consistent with minoxidil treatment even though it is making what little is left of your hair fall out. What are you nuts? This is purely anecdotal, but I knew a guy in college who used minoxidil religiously in a desperate attempt to stave off premature balding. He eventually went through the minoxidil-induced shedding phase, but unfortunately, he never grew his hair back. No thank you.
Finasteride is quite effective for many, but the potential side effects are horrific and, for a not insignificant few, they can be long-term at best, permanent at worst. The side effects can include erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, lower sperm count and color blindness. I made that last one up. But, admit it, for a second you thought that color blindness might actually be a side effect of finasteride. This is a function of just how many side effects are currently associated with this drug and just how widespread and frightening the anecdotal stories of finasteride’s side effects are. Nightmares abound on the internet. Countless stories of individuals suffering from long-term side effects are out there – everything from depression, breast enlargement, fatigue, testicular pain and bloody urine. Frankly, if these are the risks I would rather be bald.
I decided to look at alternative remedies for hair loss. After a lot of research, trial and error, and by God’s good grace, my hair grew back. What I detail in this post will not work for everyone. I am not entirely sure this will work for anyone. It is not lost on me that hair loss is genetics dependent. Thus, this is not a recommendation nor is this a cure. I am not a doctor or a dermatologist. Please refer to the website’s legal disclaimers and terms and conditions. With that out of the way, here’s what worked for me.
The Ruthless Elimination of Soft Drinks
There is no scientific evidence to prove that soft drinks cause hair loss. But, I am convinced that they did for me. I drank up to four cans of diet soda every single day. My plain water consumption on a daily basis was virtually nonexistent. The more soda I consumed, the thinner my hair became – to the point where you could see more of my scalp than my actual hair.
I once saw an interview with Elon Musk where he told the interviewer that he used to drink up to four bottles of Coke Zero a day. He said that something in the drink’s formula made it so that he never got tired of drinking it. Preaching to the choir. Elon Musk lost his hair. That was enough to convince me for some reason.
I eliminated my soft drink intake and replaced that daily liquid consumption with plain water almost exclusively. Because my hair grew back and because I attribute much of that gain to my consumption of water, I now only drink plain water. To this day, when I relapse and drink a soft drink of any variety my hair becomes noticeably thinner. At present, I consume copious amounts of water on a daily basis and I believe the switch from soft drinks to plain water has made a world of difference in the look and feel of my hair.
A Healthy Diet
I used to eat a diet that leaned heavily into ultra-processed foods. Frozen pizzas, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cookies, bologna, spam and frozen meals of all different varieties. I also ate fast food on a regular basis. In my effort to lose weight (my weight loss journey is documented in the two blog posts entitled, “How I Lost Weight Without Ozempic or Wegovy and How I Kept It Off”) I radically altered my diet. I began to incorporate more whole foods, fruits and vegetables into my diet and I experienced a great deal of fat loss, but I also noticed that my hair grew back.
Today, I eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis and I limit my intake of ultra-processed foods. I have also limited how much fast food I consume on a weekly basis. I also make sure to take vitamin supplements to ensure that I do not suffer from any mineral or nutrient deficiencies.
I am simple enough to believe that a healthy body is much more likely to produce healthy hair than the alternative.
Getting Blood Flow to the Scalp
A researcher at the University of Southern California found that plucking 200 hairs in a specific pattern and density induced hair growth in a mouse. One theory as to why suggests that micro-injury to the scalp causes increased blood flow to the region which ultimately promotes hair growth.
As we age, hair follicles shrink thereby decreasing blood flow to the hair root which in turn causes the hair to thin and eventually fall out. Consequently, there are countless articles on the internet heralding the benefits of scalp massage for hair growth and various other sundry methods for increasing blood flow to the scalp. There are some who go so far as to swear that hanging upside down causes one’s hair to grow. I do not hang upside down nor would I recommend that necessarily. But, I do take certain measures to ensure increased blood flow to the scalp.
First, I have a broad tipped brush hanging in my shower which I use to effectively massage my scalp on a daily basis. I brush my scalp vigorously for a few minutes prior to applying shampoo and conditioner always being careful to never break the skin. Various scalp massagers are also available on the market that can serve to presumably accomplish the same thing.
Second, I use a microneedle on my scalp from time to time. One of the benefits of microneedling, in addition to increased blood flow through micro-injury, is a boost in collagen development. Also, by applying the oils mentioned below after microneedling I am able to compound the benefits in terms of my hair growth.
Third, when I apply shampoo and conditioner (Head and Shoulders with Zinc Pyrithione, Nizoral with Ketoconazole or Pura D’or Shampoo and Conditioner) I make sure to use my nails to vigorously scrape my scalp for a few minutes in the shower. And it is important to note here that when I say “vigorously” I mean to say I go to town. I scrape, massage, and scratch my scalp so thoroughly and completely that it begins to throb when finished. I always make sure, however, to never break the skin.
The tendency when one begins to lose their hair is to be precious with its handling when, in my experience, the precise opposite is what ultimately creates the salutary environment necessary for renewed growth. I used to baby my thinning hair. I never wanted to offend it lest it decide to leave. No more. I beat my scalp into submission and significant hair growth has been the result.
Rosemary Oil and Castor Oil Applied to the Scalp
I vigorously rub a combination of rosemary oil and castor oil into my scalp on a regular basis. Typically, on my days off, I will apply the oils to my scalp in the morning and leave the oils in all day long. Rosemary oil and castor oil are both believed to promote hair growth. Depending on which article you read or which influencer you follow it is believed that rosemary oil promotes hair growth by stimulating blood flow to the scalp while castor oil is believed to promote healthy hair by providing intense moisture to each hair follicle thereby preventing breakage.
I don’t know if any of that is actually true. I just know that it works for me. I have also known women who have used cold-pressed castor oil on their eyelashes to promote hair growth in that particular area. I don’t do that because my eyelashes are fine, but the fact that women are willing to put oil that close to their eyeballs counts for a great deal in my opinion.
Argan Oil Applied to Hair
After I vigorously rub rosemary oil and castor oil into my scalp, I apply a handful of argan oil to my hair. I find that this thickens my hair strands and makes my hair appear fuller and healthier. My favorite product is Agadir Argan Oil Hair Treatment. This particular brand of argan oil moisturizes my hair like nobody’s business and it smells like sunshine.
Biotin Supplement
I take a biotin supplement every day. This probably does nothing. Much of what I have discussed is probably nothing more than a placebo, but placebos do have an effect. This may be my imagination, but when I neglect to take my biotin supplement on a daily basis I do notice a significant difference.
A Word on Styling
My hair styling routine does nothing for hair growth, but it alters the appearance of what hair I do have in order to make it appear as thick and as full as possible. Here is what I do.
First, I apply a volumizing mousse to damp hair. I leave it in and let it set for about 10-20 minutes. Once the mousse is set, I blow dry my hair to add volume.
Second, I apply hair wax. My personal favorite is Tigi Bed Head for Men Matte Separation Wax. For some reason this product adds enormous volume and thickness to my hair. Once applied, I then blow dry on hot to manipulate and style my hair and then I blow dry my hair on cold to set it.
Conclusion
All of what I describe here helps me enormously. But, two points should be made here by way of conclusion.
First, I understand that those who are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness will likely not benefit from anything mentioned here. This is unfortunate. But, I would also hasten to add that I am one who is genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness. Virtually all of the male members on both sides of my family are now bald or getting there.
Second, I am well aware that all of this is just a stall. I know at some point my genetics will catch up to me and all the home remedies in the world will do nothing to curb my hair loss. My hope, shared by most men who struggle with hair loss, is that science will eventually come up with an actual solution to male pattern baldness that will not involve hair shedding, erectile dysfunction, or a trip to an affordable hair transplant clinic in Turkey.
Eventually, science will hit the fairway on hair loss, but until then stalls are all we have.