Re-Grow Your Hair with Saw Palmetto

In England there was a hair growing competition over the course of a year (no, I’m not kidding), the winner was a fella who had been taking freeze dried saw palmetto berries every day. Apparently he had pretty good hair re-growth.

Judging by hair loss forums and chat rooms saw palmetto appears to be one of the most popular “natural” hair loss remedies. Freeze dried saw palmetto berries are one option, another is to buy the extracted form in pills from your local health store. But before you rush out and stock up let me introduce you to…

…Saw Palmetto’s Big Brother, Beta Sitosterol

The main active ingredient in saw palmetto that is thought to stop hair loss is beta sitosterol (beta sitosterol hair loss article here which also explains the mechanisms how both substances work). And then consider that a typical serving of beta sitosterol has more active ingredient than 3000 capsules of dried saw palmetto berries…

One capsule of beta sitosterol usually contains 300 mg of pure beta-sitosterol. You would have to eat 2 lbs. of saw palmetto to get the same amount of beta-sitosterol one 300 mg capsule. This is 3000 times more potent than saw palmetto.

So Should I Forget About Saw Palmetto?

The logical solution seems to supplement with beta sitosterol rather than saw palmetto. There are substances in saw palmetto other than beta sitosterol including stigmasterol and campesterol, but nearly every beta sitosterol supplement I’ve seen also includes these anyway.

But, (there’s always a “but” isn’t there!) some people actually report good results with saw palmetto – and hey, if it works, it works. Saw palmetto might be strong enough to have the desired hair saving effect for certain people. On the other hand beta sitosterol might be too strong, with some people their scalp becomes unbearably oily and itchy. Again saw palmetto may be good enough in cases like this.

Also there may be other ingredients in saw palmetto that may also be beneficial for hair loss, that aren’t in a beta sitosterol supplement. It’s really a case of suck it and see. Some people like to combine the two, which might not be a bad idea. A study reported the results of men suffering from hair loss after using 50mg of beta sitosterol and 200mg of saw palmetto berry extract (standardized 85% to 95% liposterolic content) — sixty percent of them reported new hair growth with the rest reporting that hair loss had at least ceased. Whilst the placebo group many of them had continual hair loss.

If you do decide to try saw palmetto then read the label carefully, just because it says 200mg doesn’t mean there that’s much in there, you need to check the “standardized” percentage. If it’s standardized 1% then you can be sure your not getting very much.

Personally I’m giving saw palmetto a miss for a while as I’ve just started supplementing with beta sitosterol and want to see how that goes for a few months. I may well chuck it into the mix a bit later though. If you’ve tried saw palmetto, what have been your experiences…? Post a comment below. Go on!

Responses to This Article

Jo said on December 6, 2006
Some great articles there, esp my respect to WindowsPeak.
I’m a 40+ male with very noticeable thinning top and crown areas and very receeded hairline.
My regimen so far:
300mg 85-95% Saw Palmetto extract (2 months) eve.
120mg Beta Sitosterol (1 month) morn.
Nioxin Cleanser type 1 shampoo daily (since 3 months).
Nioxin Cytonutrient Actives leave-on foam daily (3 months).
The last two contain S(Laureth)S and propylene glycol respectively. I’m a bit concerned about these kind of products, and might give “grunge” a shot. Thought about using Nizoral shampoo as it got good reviews against MPB but it also has SLS!
I’ve had good results so far, can see little @2mm hairs, also vellous hair, among the normal growth on top. My hair is growing faster and stronger, people have noticed.
Any comments? Thanks!
Tony said on December 11, 2006
I tried Saw Palmetto but it killed my libido. How much Beta Sis should I use per day?
Chris said on December 12, 2006
Jo — Your regime looks good, well done on sprouting some new hair.

Tony — I take 350mg beta-sis a day.
Jo said on December 12, 2006
Thanks Chris and how is it going? I’m going to up my beta-sis intake to around 350mg and continue with morn and eve supplementation so that intake is evenly distibuted over 24hrs. Also i’m going for less shampoo, to about once or twice a week. I was using it daily, leaving it on for about 5mins, although i can’t complain about the condition of my scalp with Nioxin as it’s impeccable. However i’m considering opting for Revivogen shampoo and topical as they seem more specific.
The more i’m reading about hair loss the more i am convinced the problem should be tackled on different levels for effectiveness, namely, DHT inhibitors, hair stimulants (growth), SOD’s, anti-androgens, and anti-inflammatories. I’m sure there are products which can fit into more than one category… any suggestions for a natural all-rounder package?
My diet is vegetarian and i take multivitamins religiously, i’m trying to be as natural as possible. I also believe in cycling most supplements, 25 days on, 5 days off. Forgot to mention, since around 1 month i’ve been taking 200mg Gerovital GH3 (Procaine HCL). I’m not sure if this has had an effect on hair growth. Cheers.
Bletsu said on January 12, 2008
Before mankind, before the coming of the light, there was COSTCO. And in COSTCO there was TRUNATURE Saw PALMETTO. 85-95% fatty acids with active sterols.

I have had multiple hair transplants and scalp reductions. The reductions worked because moving entire scalp around is less invasive than one hair at a time transplantation, and, although the reductions worked, supplemental 3500 plugs was unfortunately, taking a hike at the rate of 100-150 hairs per day. That’s a lot when you start with 50% left to begin with. Not to mention the 18 grand it set me back.

Rogaine and Propecia did nothing. I then happened upon internet folklore about Saw Palmetto, and six pills morning and evening, and my hair just quit falling out. In three days it quit falling out. Stopped. Nada. Zilch.

Now, no new hairs came in but, funny thing, since 20% hairs are “always” at rest, if you aren’t losing the 20% those hairs are supposed to replace, in about two year, voila, you have 20% MORE hair. I stop taking the pills, five days later hair starts to fall out, so cycling the regimen for me won’t work.

I wish I’d known about this eons ago. And yeah, I am going to try a dual course with the concentrated derivative, and see if that “gooses” any dormant hair.

By the way, don’t believe overly frequent washing doesn’t make you lose hair. It does. They can transplant now, merely by PULLING the donor hair from the site. What killing do you might think is going on, when you tug away at wet chemically weakened hair with combs and such? That’s right, you are literally killing off hairs by tugging them out of your scalp.

I follow my shampoo with simple detanglers, like Johnson’s baby shampoo, and hold the hair while detangling so as not to pull on the root.

That’s intelligent procedure to me.
Alex said on February 2, 2008
Hi!

Just wondering if the Saw Palmetto at vitacost.com is good enough?

http://www.vitacost.com/productResults.aspx?ss=1&previousText=apple&Ntk=products&Ntt=saw%20palmetto

The thing is, they have two kinds of Saw Palmetto. One is the Saw Palmetto 540mg, taken once a day, the other is the Saw Palmetto EXTRACT, 160mg taken twice a day. This also has pumpkin seed oil, 160mg. What is the difference between EXTRACT and non-extract?

Also, have you guys heard of Rene Furterer’s Vitalfan pills? They claim that the pumpkin seed oil in their pills can inhibit DHT.

I’m currently using the Hairmax lasercomb. Definitely thickened my hairs, grew some new hairs (but not enough even after 7 months), and it’s not stopping my hair loss. Either that or it needs a full year to kick in..? Ha. But I’m also taking Vimax, which contains Saw Palmetto, concentration unknown. I needed Vimax after Propecia killed my libido (and strength of ejaculation). And truth is, Vimax DOES help. I’ve stopped taking Propecia.

Thanks!
Smith said on February 27, 2009
okay so ive been taking provillus and its says that it has 1000mg of saw palmetto per capsul. ive also read that they water down ecrything and its a scam. is this true. any information on this?
will said on June 4, 2009
How much essential oils (saw palmetto / black pepper oil) to add to standard size shampoo (i will use Faith in nature seaweed type)??

Will use a hair tonic of pressed olive oil and Vit E

and take those beta pills!
Matt said on July 1, 2009
I am only 18 and unfortunately loosing hair is hareditary, so I decided to do something about it.
I use:

Avalon Thickening Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner
5000 mg biotin 2x daily
silica supplement 70mg 2x daily
1000mg MSM 2x daily
500mg Lysine 500mg 2x daily
MSM cream before bed
multivitamin
and will start Saw Palmetto Extract and Beta-Sis soon 2x daily in ~300mg doses

before ordering all this Iwas just taking the berry not the erxtract and actually have about 2 inch baby hairs starting which is good news as the extract is more potent
this is really giving me hope and even though I still look a little thin if I miss a hair washing, my hair looks good after drying, I have naturally oily hair anyway. MSM gives you more energy and bloodflow so I’m also a more awake teenage! hard to find I know!
Matt said on July 1, 2009
onyl taking the silica and biotin supplement and conditioner for about a month and already loose less than ~10 hairs per washing which is normal
Kelly said on July 19, 2009
Less than 10 hairs per washing is extremely ABnormal. The average human loses 100 hairs a day, give or take 25. Next time you take a shower, plug up the shower drain, let the bathtub fill while you’re taking a shower…I have a feeling you’ll find more than 10 hairs.

But you have a good point about biotin and silica. There’s a great liquid silica supplement called Biosil, that works great…much better than pills.

Anyway Matt…hope you don’t think I’m calling you a liar, just very surprised that anyone only loses 10 hairs a day. I’m going to up my dose of Saw Palmetto after reading these posts, and hopefully I can come back with the same statement.
Javier said on July 30, 2009
I’ve been taking saw palmetto 2,500mg once a day for three to four months now and the results have been great! hair loss has stopped and I have seen new hair growth. existing hair is much thicker and the hair that was thinning is now becoming thick as well. My scalp was itching, so I tired DR. Hotting thickening shampoo and conditioner and then applied Softee herbal gro formula Maximum strength. this petroleum base application with natural herbs has helped a lot with the dry and itchy scalp. I will post again in about six months from now and let you know if I have more hair growth. Chao’
Chris said on July 30, 2009
Hey Javier, glad to hear the SP is working for you

I look forward to hearing your 6 month update!
Eric said on August 5, 2009
Ive been using saw palmetto and biohair capsule its good and my hair less hairfall and now im using biohair soluiton with minoxidil and biotin i laso taking jason biotin shampoo
Eric said on August 5, 2009
my Daily Regimen
biotin capsule 5000 mcg
Saw palmeto 520 mg
Jason biotin shampoo
Biohair solution topical lotion minoxidil and biotin ingredients
try myezshop.mall u see biohair product
Sunny said on August 19, 2009
I have already started using saw palmetto since last week and also plan to incorporate beta sitosterol from this week.
E-man said on August 28, 2009
I’ve been taking 500mg saw palmetto berry powder (tablet form) and beta sitosterol 450mg daily and noticed my libido went down (guessing 25%) and erections are less stronger. However, my hair is growing faster. No new sign of growth yet; I might take a break from these to see if libido increases.
E-man said on August 28, 2009
I’ve been taking these for about 2 months. Remember guys, not that it will happen, but if you see any side effects, consider your most precious gift (penis) over anything else body-wise.
Chris said on August 29, 2009
E-man – I’ve eard of a few people suffering from lack of labido taking high levels of saw palmetto. Try laying off the saw palmetto for a while but stick with the beta-sis and see what happens.
nick said on September 10, 2009
the thing about Saw Palmetto is that it reduces Testosterone levels, thus preventing the hormones that are responsible for hair loss, acne and prostate cancer from developing. However, please go to a doctor and get your Testosterone levels checked before taking Saw Palmetto because if your Testosterone is already low, Saw Palmetto will only bring more harm! Because hair falls out in both cases, when your testosterone is TOO LOW and when your testosterone is TOO HIGH!!! If you go to a doctor and find out that your testosterone is normal, DO NOT take Saw Palmetto. There are other factors as to why your hair may be falling out. Try more research. Besides, there are so many other natural herbs and vitamins you can take .
Joe said on September 24, 2009
Hi

Im using:

Minoxodil 5% solution day and before bed
Saw Palmetto tablets
Revivogen shampoo and Conditioner
Revivogen lotion in evening

After 3 moonths hair is very thick, the revivogen definatly gave the minoxidil a big boost as I have been using minoxidol for nearly 2 years and I was starting to loose hair again, so added revivogen, it started making a difference within the first momth of use.

Regards
kieth said on October 8, 2009
Hi Joe,

I’m very interested in your formula for the hair loss treatment. I have been using Minoxodil 5% solution for about 10%. It does help to slow down the hair loss. But, the hair growth is very slow lately. I can only see very fine tiny hair growth. Does Revivogen help to boost the benefit of Minoxodil? I’m not sure about your condition. For your case, is your hair growth has become thicker and more dense? You mentioned that you apply Revivogen lotion in the evening. Then, you apply Minoxodil 5% before sleep, right?

thanks and regards.
Patrick Taylor said on November 16, 2009
Ive been taking:

Procerin which contains 1500mg of Saw Palmetto
1000μg of Biotin x2
100mg of B6 x1
Iron (14mg) and Vitamin C (60mg) x1
Choline & Inositol (500mg) x2

Nisim Shampoo & Condition daily wash.
Nisim Extract twice a day

Ive notice hair thicker and change in texture. But as of late, ive noticed a vast amount of shedding. This morning i lost 40 hairs, while doing my hair, which worries me alittle, when i shower, i barely lose anything. Not to sure if..

“Shedding” of the hair after taking a hair loss preventive product such as PROCERIN, CAN happen. It can happen with any hair loss preventative product and this is why; Hair grows in three phases, with obviously the third being a “fall-out” or release (Telogen) stage. With only 1/3 of the follicles growing hair at any given time the process must recycle itself to allow growth to previously dormant follicles. When you take a product such as PROCERIN and your hair starts to fall out faster that is NOT necessarily a bad sign. That means in some studies that I actually came across and looked into, that the hair that was SUPPOSED to fall out at the end of it’s cycle in the first place falls out at an accelerated rate. This is the scalp’s response to the product in order to stimulate “dormant” follicles. Many men discontinue their hair loss prevention products when this starts happening to them when this sign MAY actually be a good thing. I urge you to look into this study. “Shedding” has happened to people using Propecia, Minoxidil, Saw Palmetto and Ginseng scalp cleansing agents (Shampoos/Serums), AND orally taken internal DHT inhibiting supplements ASA “hair vitamins” which is the category that PROCERIN falls into. Why this happens is because again at any given time you are in one of the hair’s three phases (Anagen, Catagen, Telogen). Those in the third stage who start taking a DHT inhibitor or using a cleanser are more likely to notice an accelerated loss rate for up to 4 weeks (1 cycle). I again urge anyone interested to look this up for themselves. “
Hair man said on November 23, 2009
Stop taking everything and go with the flow!!!..Shave that head make it clean…
Ed said on November 29, 2009
I took Propecia for 5 years. It worked for stopping hair loss, but it eventually started giving me the feeling of having crossed wires in my head. So, I got off of it like 6 months ago and my brain feels fine again. I did lose hair once I got off of it so now I am looking for more natural hair loss prevention methods.
Norwich_Tiger said on January 1, 2010
A very informing site and article. Perhaps a recommended supplers / product page. I myself have since been looking at using Saw Palmetto but no suppliers (at least in the UK) seem to be stating what the standardized percentages are, which means I would have to go lucky dip as to their efficacy.
Jose said on February 2, 2010
so what’s the correct dosis for was palmetto to use daily?
DB said on February 9, 2010
Saw Palmetto users…how long were you using it before you noticed any positive results? Thanks!
Hmmm about saw palmetto said on February 10, 2010
I tried the liquid form of saw palmetto and did not notice any difference! I guess I have to try the pill form, also I have been taking MSM in powder form and noticed little hairs growing back and now they are thick and long and wow MSM works there is also a MSM shampoo that is in health food stores and I sweat it works too and it has all natural stuff none of the bad things, I also use a shower filter, I never notice anyone using a shower filter! THIS IS GOOD TO DO! And I take biotin pills but the MSM powder(tastes nasty!) and shampoo is what got hair growing back for me!
saw said on February 16, 2010
I used saw palmetto for 6 months. have been off for 11 months. side effects are very serious. I have completely lost my sex drive and have become impotent. Not only that I have got many other serious health issues and fighting for my life. Please use saw palmetto with great caution. Naturatl does not mean safe.
Joe said on February 16, 2010
Okay

to clarify,

I use the minoxidil extra strength lotion in the morning first thing and before bed.
I use the Revivogen Lotion in the afternoon, say 6 pm, after the gym (as I work out during the week after work), leave it in for at least 3 hours, preferably more, wash it out and apply minoxidil before bed.
( also sometimes i do they other way and apply minoxodil after the gym and revivogen at night before bed, it doesnt really matter which way, as long as you use both products and wash the scalp before each one)
I use Revivogen shampoo, but im sure any good DHT blocking shampoo is good as long as it has saw palmetto, dont use a normal shampoo, use a good hair loss one . I think they work better with minoxidil, gives it a boost.
I take saw palmetto tablets morning and lunch, ones from chemist or healthshop, the ones they advertise for prostate, nothing special, but i noticed they work well
I also use a scalp scrub shampoo at least twice a week, i notice this works really well to help clean the scalp and open up the pores, which helps minoxidil to penertrate the follicles, then apply minoxidl, youll feel the minoxidil working when you do this, as i noticed that if your scalp is not cleaned properly the monoxidl will be less effective, i think this may have been one of the causes that resulted in the minoxidil being less effective for me, so use the scalp scrub, it will clean the build up.
I think combining an FDA approved product with a DHT blocking herbal product is the best thing you can do.
I may consider a laser comb later if i need to, as they are supposed to work well with minoxidil as it increases absorption.

My hair is thick and you cant see through it at all, the revivogen work really well and quickly, but that also could be due to the saw palmetto tablets, not sure as i started both at the same time. I also started the process early as soon as i noticed hair loss 2-3 years ago, i panicked and started with the FDA option which worked well for about 2 years, then went onto herbal which worked even better, but i did catch it early on.

regards
Joe said on February 16, 2010
yes I also agree that shedding is a normal phase

so dont panic it grows back, stick to the program
Martin said on February 18, 2010
hi i wanted to know where i can get beta and saw palmetto in one pill? or can someone link me to the saw palmetto and beta pills theya re using (either one in one pill or separate)?
Rob said on February 23, 2010
How much saw palmetto should you use when you start? I’ve seen people say they take anywhere from 160mg a day to 2,500mg a day.
Rob1 said on March 7, 2010
i used saw palmetto for about 4 months it was in my multi vitamins it wasnt much mgs any way my hair loss slowed alot i was losing over 150 hairs a day but it lowered to about maybe 50 hairs a day then i ran out about 5 days later my hair fell out more than maybe 200 hairs a day so i started on a new regimen it has saw palmetto beta sitosterol pumpkin seed and some other stuff i got it at the health food store go to one and you can find these pills there for prostate health but prostate and hair loss are linked. oh and my hair is falling out less every day
Rob1 said on March 9, 2010
i also read that an unhealthy liver will cause hair loss look into milk thistle its a herb i read no more than 450 is good for liver function to help it and also look for a dht blocker to get rid of excess dht ill post soon after i try the milk thistle because i have been using dht blockers and so far i notice just one hair regrowth but shedding is still happening but not as much
Palomino said on March 10, 2010
I have been taking a combination of Saw Palmetto and beta sitosterol for over 2 months. Not only have I seen no improvement, I have actually had increased shedding. Before I had a receding hair line but now I am thin all over. Is this typical? I’ve heard regrowth sometimes follows shedding. Also, if I decide to stop now and call it quits will the additional hair that I shed grow back?
Rob1 said on March 12, 2010
palomino, i took saw palmetto for months i didnt notice a difference in my hair but when i stopped taking it my hair was falling out like crazy so i went back to it and apparantly theres a 4 week shedding part after that theyl grow back so they say i dont know im currently 2 weeks into it again ill let you know soon but i have noticed some new hair in my temple area but still shedding alot dont give up man
Ryan said on March 14, 2010
Ive been using Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol for 3 months now and the results are fantastic. Within 2 weeks new hairs started growing around my hairline. And now the middle of my hair is filling in nicely. I have also been putting 100% Aloe gel in my hair after i shower every day. It made a huge difference and boosted the thickness and look of my hair. I recommend it for anyone.
andrew said on March 16, 2010
hey so ive been using saw palmetto around 1000mg a day with a multivitamin and omega 3 fish oil which i take 3 times a day of 1000mg. i am 17 years old and caught my hairloss early when i noticed receding and slgiht thinning through out scalp. after seeing this website i am definitely going to try beta sistosterol to aid my combatance of hair loss. hair loss definitely is not fun at the age of 17 lol, but i am glad to see my hair becoming thicker while using my regimen. also, i stopped my regimen for about 2 months and i noticed hair started to become a lot thinner. saw palmetto, fish oil, and a multivitamin definitely work and now i will start beta sis and a dandruff fighting shampoo to cleanse my scalp and i may start using rogaine with that. ill post back in a few months to state my progression.
Rob1 said on March 18, 2010
sounds good guys ya im 23 i started receeding at 19 but im glad to say saw palmetto and beta sis is working for me growing in new hair and i also put 100 percent aloe gel in my hair after i shower it does work and itl fight with dandruff
Rob1 said on March 23, 2010
so im almost at my one month mark with saw palmetto and beta sis mixture still shedding alot im going to add more to my regimen saw palmeto extract oil ill apply this over night after i apply aloe gel after my shower and after it dries im also gonna start up on silica, msm, and milk thistle(for your liver) to help get rid of toxins in my body also 35 grams of whey protein in a glass of milk with 2 tblsp of flax seed and 1 tbsp of pygium fibre and once a month do an egg mask for my hair ill post back in another month possibly the end of april also im starting on a multi vitamin oh and some shen min i heard thats good stuff too if any one got questions dont be afraid to ask.
Ken said on March 31, 2010
Palomino, i have also been taking saw pal and beta sis for the past 3 months, and have noticed increased shedding like you since i have been on these pills, now i have stopped as my hair has thinned out alot at the left frontal area and have had low libido, and some mild acne on my face which i never had before.
i too would also like to know if my hair will be growing back in my frontal as it was before i was even on this regime.
i have read on forums that shedding is a sign that treatment is working, in my case i did notice slight improvement in the thickness of hair on my right side but was terrible for my left side, but im thinking now if stuck with the regime another 2 or 3 months those shed hairs would grow back thicker, but didnt want to risk it as this was making me balder at a faster rate (and due to the low libido side effect)so stopped it a couple of days ago.

Now i dont know if those hairs will grow back or not, but from what i have gathered they most likely should grow back to how it was before as what saw p and beta sis has done is increased the natrual shed/growth cycle like propecia does in the first couple of months of taking them.
i have come to the conclusion that the hairs will grow back after 2 or 3 months once my natrual shed/growth cycle is restored.

But i have this doubt in the back of my mind that i have just increased/aggrevated my mpb by taking saw p and beta sis???!!! (if thats even possible) i wish i had never started taking these pills, i was starting this regime as i noticed only slight resession on my left temple area(which wasnt too bothersome for me ) and was being pro active to prevent it from getting worser!!!
For all i know that would have been the only baldness to hit me for the next 4 or 5 years (who knows now??!)

does anyone think my hair will go back to the way it was before i started taking these pills? once my natrual growth/shed cyle is restored, would be gratefull for the input.
Rob1 said on April 1, 2010
hey ken ya man ur hair will grow back my hair shedded alot when i first started saw pamletto and slowly it grows back thicker too so dont worry man that sucks how it gave u low libido in my case it made it high i say stick to it dont let it get u down my hair sometimes sheds alot too but returns to normal also look up emu oil for hair loss and aloe vera
Ken said on April 1, 2010
hey, ive stopped taking the pills now, i just hope the hair grows back asap as my frontal are is pretty diffuse. in about 2/3 months, it should grow back as it was before i started the pills.
andrew said on April 11, 2010
can taking this Beta Sitosterol cause hair loss in the beginning? because ive been taking it for around a week now and i noticed for some reason my hair line on my right temple is improving tremendously but my left hasnt much; and my frontal hairline has thinned a bit more. my libido has actually gotten even better though then what it all ready was. i was just wondering if at first use of beta sitosterol this happens and then it gets better. is this true? or is it actually causeing me to lse my hair?
Rob1 said on April 11, 2010
andrew yes ive heard that starting a hair loss remedy will cause a hair shed/fall out but after a couple of weeks to maybe even 3 months itl all grow back stronger and possibly regrowth what it does is all the hair that is in the dormant fase will all fall out due to the hair loss remedy same with saw palmetto and even those over the counter drugs they do the same i also experianced a huge hair shed when i started taking beta sis and saw palmeto also look into emu oil ive been using it for about 3 weeks and ive noticed alot of peach fuss on my hair line and no more flakes and multi vitamins once i ran out of my multi vits my hair shed like crazy after 5 days hang in there man i feel ur pain im 23 my head looks like an M lol. but yeah look into emu oil trust me its expensive 22 bucks for a small bottle but it works do a google search take care!
andrew said on April 14, 2010
hey man thank you! i mean im 17 years old lol and unfortuantely balding is just part of my genetics as all of my brothers and my father all started losing hair around 18. i was just wondering because ive been taking saw palmetoo consistently for round 3 months and it seems as if i go through a phase where a lot of hair falls out and then it grows back in a lot thicker and it amazes me. so now that i am supplementing saw palmetto with the beta sis i noticed an even greater increase in hair shed during these first two weeks about. but as with saw palmetto that ive noticed it does grow back stronger and since they are both phytosterols (plant sterols) and both basically do the same thing with a few minor exceptions i expect my hair to be even thicker when it grows back versus before when i was only using saw palmetto. so my regimen is around 1000 mg of saw plametto with around 500 mg of beta sis a day spread through out the day evenly and also a multi vitamin and omega 3 fish oil, 2000mg a day. i was wondering do you think my beta sis dosage is too much/too little or just right. thank you!
ricky said on April 16, 2010
hi, just been reading your comments.very interesting. i started losing my hair about 10 yrs ago,i used minoxidil for 1st two years and it worked a treat.then due to lifestyle i didnt bother and used it now and again for about another 3 years, then i discovered finasteride and have used it more or less constent to the present day but not always religiously, it worked really well at the start but during periods where i didnt use it hair loss kicked in.its shaved short now but still has hope i hope as my head still has hair but its just fading away but still covered. mostly !the propecia is holding on but not getting any growth gains, anyway i have been thinking and researching and i am sure that finasteride is bound to have ill effcts long term and its served me well but i reckon that saw palmetto and beta sis i worth a go. any sugestions or advice would be much appricated, thanks
Tony from Melb said on April 17, 2010
Too bad in Australia there isn’t much Saw Palmetto product let alone Beta-sis…maybe it’s just i haven’t looked for them hard enough. So when it comes to dosage, I might need to chop the tablets into parts …since it says this

“Each capsule contains:
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) extract,
equiv. to dry fruit 1.6 (1600mg),
standardised to contains fatty acids 144mg.”

So when u guys talking abt the dosage in mg, are u referring to dry fruit or the fatty acids ?
work4me said on April 23, 2010
Go to vitamin world guys you’ll find sawpalmetto and beta sistosterol just use as directed no more no less … and use biotin shampoo dht inhibitor. . I use nexxus biotin shampoo from Amazon.com
sawpalmetto sufferer said on May 11, 2010
use saw palmetto with caution. I used only for 6 months and now regret for the rest of my life. I have completely destroyed my life.
1-100% impotent
2-sever depression
3-sever ulcer
4-low to nil apetite, lost 20 – 25 lbs
5-got very bad gyno (male boobs)
6- very bad fatigue.
7-poor eye sight.

Even after stopping after 13 months I have same conditions, no improvements.
Rob1 said on May 13, 2010
ok so i am doing an update im on my third month using saw palmetto beta sis and pumkin seed oil twice a day and on multi vitamins the last 2 months its been nothing but shedding so i cut my hair off but now its back to an inch long and ino more hair fall out i also massage emu oil mixed with saw palmetto extract in my scalp every night before bed i have alot of tiny hairs on my receding hairline some have colour (black) and most are translucent any questions just ask !!
andrew said on May 13, 2010
Now a month into beta sitosterol use i am noticing a lot of shedding still but more hair growth along my hair line (a lot of blonde vellous hairs!). i am definitely excited about this stuff and i hope this continues and i never have to worry about hair loss again. however, the shedding kind of sucks as of now but i assume that will continue to happen. I dont care though considering i cut my hair short anyway.
Ken said on May 17, 2010
any sides for you guys?
andrew said on May 17, 2010
well libido sure as hell would not be a problem for me considering im 17 lol. But i have not noticed any side effects at all and i take around 1000 mg of both beta sitosterol and saw palmetto extract daily along with about 2000 mg of omega 3 fish oil and a daily multivitamin. i have been using saw palmetto for about 3 months but it didnt seem to do much alone although it seemed to halt excessive hair loss. but now that i am taking all of these other supplements as well i noticed in the last month a tremendous amount of hair shed which i was skeptical about. Now a month into taking beta sitosterol i am still noticing hair shed but a lot more growth along only my right temple but my left temple receded actually a little bit more which seems kind of odd, but now seems to be growing back. from what i hear hair shed for around the first 3 months maybe even longer is normal due to the growth cycle of hair. so i am pretty pumped because i noticed my hair loss early. I can definitely see an improvement on my hair line. so no side effects or anything bad except a little bit of increased shedding the first few months which seems to be normal even with propecia.
andrew said on May 19, 2010
posting again. for some reason my right side on my temple is becoming much thicker in the last couple of months as it was receded a lot farther back then my left side. now my left side is further receded than my right and increased hair shed throughout my scalp has been happening for the past month and a half. this stuff must work though considering my right temple has almost completely come back to where it was just a year before i was losing my hair. so i have a feeling within a couple of months my left temple will come back as well after experiencing tremendous hair shed the first month and a half. i am going to stick with this stuff for atleast a year and i jsut hope htis shit works because im 17 and just recently starting losing my hair it practically came out of nowhere but i know its in my genetics so i hope this stuff slows it down or stops it or maybe even regrow some lost hair.i will keep posting monthly.
Ken said on May 21, 2010
andrew, is your hair loss diffuse at the front? also how short/long is your hair?
andrew said on May 21, 2010
my hair loss is pretty much diffuse throughout my scalp. my hair line has receded about a half an inch or so. my hair is fairly short probably about an inch long. i noticed my hairloss about 10 months ago and let it go on for about 6 months before doing anything about it. i fell victim to some of those stupid oil myths claiming to grow back hair if i rub them in…btw i rubbed rosemary,lavender,tea tree, and henna oil into my scalp for about 6 months and it did absolutely nothing. both of my brothers are balding, one is 24 the other is 28. so i have diffuse hairloss throught my scalp and slight recession of my hairline. i just dont want to waste more time on stupid shit that doesnt work so im going to stick with my regimen for about 6 months to a year depending on what results i see and if i see positive results i wont ever stop, but i just wish there was some clinical evidence of this stuff working(beta sitosterol and saw palmetto) as i take both daily with doses of 1000mg of saw palmetto and 600 mg of beta sitosterol. i mean ive definitely noticed my hairline on the right side start to thicken but my left temple hasnt improved and no sign of improvement on the top of my scalp.
rob 1 said on May 21, 2010
no sides for me well increased libido and andrew hang in there i sheded for 3 months on these things ul be ok by 3.5 4 months i also added saw palmetto extract to my shampoo sls free btw
work4me said on May 22, 2010
Andrew your doing a good job updating. . You make most of us excited about your result. … I been on saw palmetto and beta sis for month and half and i really see improvement guys lots of little hair coming out. I believe this is working but it will take some time for the ones been minitured or gone for a very long time. ..I’ll try to keep you guys updated see what’s up
andrew said on May 23, 2010
Yeah i mean for i am 17 years old so not too many of my hairs have been fully miniaturized. but my hair line has receded only slightly. i have been on this stuff for about a month and a half and it seems to work great; but im still seeing a lot of shedding a lot more than before i was on this stuff so im pretty sure thats a sign of this working because from what i understand propecia which is a DHT blocker works the same way this stuff is. i believe in this stuff and wont give up fo a very long time seeing that this is the only option i really have at my young age. im just a little worried about this shedding phase because in the past month i have shed a lot and its quite thin along my hairline and on the top of my head.
Ken said on May 24, 2010
andrew, how was your hair before you started saw pal and beta? what norwood were you?
Andrew Suarez said on May 24, 2010
i was at the beginnings of norwood stage 2. and recently with the regimen ive been using i noticed incraesed shedding but hair growth in those areasas well. my hair is diffuse throughout my scalp but very thick on back and sides. thank you wish me luck over the next few months
Pat said on May 24, 2010
Very interesting read guys!
Im 23 and started loosing my hair at the age of 17. Ive just gotten onto saw palmetto capsules (540mg) as ive herd of the great things this stuff can do. Im hoping to trial it and see how it works, however im getting more and more concerned about libido problems that this stuff can create.
Im only on day two of my trial but how many people experience a decreased libido??
Is there any tests i should do first to find out what effect saw palmetto will have on my libido?
Ken said on May 25, 2010
hope it works out for you, have you noticed diffuse hair loss in the frontal area? just behind the hairline area? i was hoping to hear from people who stopped sp/bs after a 2/3 months due to inccreased sheds and whether they regrew the hair that was lost after stopping?
andrew said on May 25, 2010
umm i mean i dont really know anything about stopping and then hair regrowing but i can tell you that honestly this about a week away from my second month and honestly i have lost more hair in these two months then i ever have and my hairline and frontal area has receded more in the past two months more than ever. this hasnt discourage me though because those are normal things to happen in the first couple of months and my older who started using an approved moethod for hair loss ( for some reason my post is considered spam if i use the actual treatmeant but it begins with a P so i think you know what it is) about two years ago had lost alot of hair initially from the start but ive all ready noticed a bunch of little blonde hairs that have never been there before since ive started losing my hair a bout a year ago. honestly i would reall suggest just keep using that stuff and if you have lost a tremendous amount of hair than thats even better because it shows this treatment is really working on you. honestly whats better stopping this and not knowing what it could potentially bring. or….continuing it and finding out if it brings what everyone is claiming and in the beginning dealing with a little more hair loss that would inevitably come anyway. i have chosen the second one because first of all hair loss isnt as rapid as losing most of your hair in 2 months so that is a sign that is working because in the 3 months following your 3 month shed you should experience thicker hairs as result. now no one,even including the scientists who made propecia, knows if the hair shed and then thicker regrowth is a cycle or a one time thing. for my brother his hair shed and then thicker regrowth was a cycle so do not be discouraged by that. i know it is working for me as i see more blonde hairs each week, and then some hair shed but then thicker regrowth. it is all a process good luck and i hope you choose to go back on some type of oral regimen for your hair loss as these are some of the most effective ways to combat hair loss
work4me said on May 27, 2010
I agree with Andrew .. think them sheds are the weak hair. .I believe the root get stronger. And wanted to grow new strong thick shaft hair pushes the weak thin hair out. All I know my hair is getting thick and I worry less and less. The little hairs ive seen before now are inch long and getting thicker.
andrew said on May 27, 2010
yeah i mean my hair hasnt gotten much thicker but yet again im only about to start my second month using this stuff and i still am seeing very tiny hairs growing in new places
work4me said on May 27, 2010
Those new tiny little hairs you see I believe was ones long and healthy when you was probably 14 …. 16 years old!!!you are getting your full hair back. !!
Brandon said on May 28, 2010
would just taking saw palmetto help block the DHT? or would it be good to take the other stuff too?
Ken said on May 28, 2010
brandon, combination of beta sis and saw palmetto would be a pretty potent dht blocker, although saw pal alone would be ok as well.

I stopped because i couldnt handle the sheds as i was losing lots and lots of hair while i was shedding and my scalp was becoming visible i only started for minor temporal recession and now it pretty diffuse on the left side and can see my scalp and temples have receded more, although i FULLY believe that had i carried on treatment those hairs would grow back thicker.
Another reason why i stopped was i had some sides, and thought to myself, i cant live with these sides forever lol!

its been nearly 2 months off sp/bs and i can see tiny hairs on my right temple growing back, although nothing has happened in my diffuse area yet, it will most probaly take another few months for it grow back there, i just hope it grows back to how it was before i started, cause it wasnt that bad at all, was hoping to see if anyone stopped halfway through, to see what thier experience was? whether the hair grew back, and after how long.

but good look to you guys, will come back and post an update on my situation.
work4me said on May 28, 2010
It should grow back. Im pretty positive
andrew said on May 28, 2010
i just want to know how long these shedding phases can last because i have been shedding for a month and a half and its not that bad because my hair is thick naturally and i can hide it to some degree and i usually shave my head in the sumemr so its no big deal. i just want to know when the shedding stops and my hair starts to regrow consistently and get back into its normal routine
Richie said on May 28, 2010
Hi guys have been reading this thread with considerable interest. Am 24 and started balding at 19. Tried rogaine a couple of years ago but gave up on it as the itch was out of this world. Anyway I lost a considerable amount of hair (mainly on my crown) and about a year ago I decided to start using saw palmetto. While I havent noticed any hair regrowth I can genuinely say that my hair hasn’t receded any further. My big regret is that I didnt start using this stuff sooner, although better late than never I guess. Also just wanted to say that have experienced absolutely no side affects whatsoever
Ken said on June 7, 2010
andrew, you were on saw palmetto at the beginning right? did the saw palmetto only contain saw palmetto and not other ingredients? and how much of it were you taking daily?
andrew said on June 7, 2010
i was taking softgel extracted saw palmetto caps for about a month or two and than added Beta sitosterol. but yes my saw palmetto pills only contained saw palmetto.for the first two months of saw palmetto i noticd no more thinning but no regrowth i also did not experience a shedding phase. for the first 3 weeks about on beta sitosterol plus saw palmtto i noticed no shedding phase and slight regrowth along temples.but for the past two months my hair has thinned drastically and i am getting a little discourage because my hairline receded a little bit more and the hair on top of my head thinned out a little bit more. for the last two months it has been nothing but shedding and i am going to give it a few more months and than stop if the shedding doesnt stop because its killing me
Ken said on June 8, 2010
i see, when you first ever started saw palmetto did you notice after a 2/3 weeks the hair felt as if it was much more stronger by the roots? also how much of saw pal did you start off with? what mg?
andrew said on June 9, 2010
i started off taking around 1000mg of saw palmetto and after about one month i noticed the hair was stronger at the roots. It continued for the next month while i was just on Saw Palmetto at 1000mg to stay strong at the roots. than after the second month i started taking beta sitosterol at about 1500 mg but i cut down Saw Palmetto intake to about 500mg and about 3 weeks after adding beta sitosterol to my regimen i started to notice increased shedding all over my head even the sides and back, but especially my scalp. now ive been experiencing this shedding for almost 2 months
Ken said on June 9, 2010
this exactly what i noticed as well, i was on saw pal at first and i pretty much instantly noticed my hair was much stronger at the roots id say about 2 weeks taking saw palmetto. i dont think i expereineced any sort of shed when i was on saw palmetto, but as soon as introduced beta sisterol with red yeast rice i noticed massive amounts of hair loss.

when i bought my beta sis, it had other ingredients in it like red yeast rice, this is similar to a statin drig for lowering choleterol and this CAUSES hair loss!!! i didnt know of this until last week! but anyhow the beta sis/red yeast rice definetely caused a shed, cause i was thinning in my hair line as weel as the frontal area.

ive been off both sp and beta just over 2 months now, and ive noticed smal tiny hairs growing back on my temples but its still abit diffuse i reckon it will take some time for it to grow back out again.

im just thinking whether i should start sp again?, cause i defintely noticed an instant effect when i took saw pal, it stopped my shedding to virtually zero when i FIRST took it. i think the beta sis is to powerful and saw pal gradually gets rid of the dht where as beta sis is much like propeica and gets rid of dht pretty instantaneoulsy inducing a shed.

have you noticed any acne? incresed sex drive, scalp pimples, oily face?
andrew said on June 10, 2010
i have noticed slight increase in oil on my scalp and face a little bit of acne that i really never had some scalp pimples have showed up and increased sex drive. i know though that ill definitely keep taking Saw Palmetto and i am goign to give Beta sitosterol a few more months because this stuff seems to work amazing and if i have to suffer a shed here and there ill deal with it. however my Beta sitosterol does not have any other ingredients except for the phytosterol blend and no Red yeast rice in it. also i have noticed alot of tiny hairs growing along my temples more than i ever had so it seems to working just like propecua would except maybe a little less. i think you had sucha sever reaction to it because you probably do not have as much DHT in your body as i do honestly my father lost his hair practically all gone by the age of 24 as well as both of my brothers and in fact my one brother was almost completely bald before starting propecia at age 26. so beta sitosterol may be too strong for you but the dosage i am taking of about 1.5 grams which is 1500 mg works fine for me
Ken said on June 11, 2010
if you are suffering increased sex drive, facial oil/acne then you should look up reflex hyperandrogenicity in google, i think this combined with the red yeast rice caused me to lose hair.
i didnt relise red yeast would have such an impact on my hair and at the time it was the only high dose beta sis i could find so bought it and stuck with it.
anyway hopefully my hair will get back to normal in a coupld of months. im thinking of startin inneov homme anti hair loss pillls, but im not sure yet. ive got my hair loss under control and not losing much hair these past 2 weeks, im on MSM and biotin.
but one this for ssure when i started saw palmetto, i did not experience a shed and pretty much within 2/3 weeks my hair felt stronger, this leads me to belive that starting off at a low dose and then gradully working your way up will be much more beneficial. i dont know why as soon as i started beta sis i started losing hair at my temples.
keep us updated anyway mate.
andrew said on June 11, 2010
yeah man beta sitosterol has initially cause my temples to recede as well but now ive been noticing pleanty of new hairs growing in so ill stick with it and keep you posted
HateHairloss said on June 13, 2010
Hi guys,
I am thinking about starting Biotin and MSM powder. Just wondering does MSM cause hair shed too? Thanks
Ken said on June 14, 2010
no msm, biotin do not cause sheds they may cause hair to grow faster.
Qs said on June 15, 2010
Hi,
Does everybody experience shedding with Saw Palmetto? I am thinking about starting it.
tks in advance
Nathan said on June 15, 2010
Hi I’ve read all of these posts and am getting a lot of hope from you guys. I will be starting taking sp today, not sure what dosage, I haven’t gone to the store yet. I have a receding hair line and recently noticed some thinning on my scalp, but the sides and back are thick. I have dreadlocks and am worried that If I shed a lot of hair some
may detatch. I really don’t want to cut them
off, I’ve only had them for 10 months.

Right now my regimine is a multivitamin and 5000 mcg biotin. I had been on 600
mg of Alfalfa as I read it promotes hair growth and overall general health. I have noticed small blonde hairs starting to grow ony temples, but they stay at about 1
cm.
andrew said on June 15, 2010
yeah i had extremely thick curly hair that when it was long i had an afro and my hair thinned out to the point where my hair became a lot straighter and thinner where i can see my scalp and my temples receded about 1 inch. now that ive been on saw palmetto for almost 4 months and beta sitosterol for almost 3 months ive been noticing more blonde hairs along my temples that stay around 1cm as well. i am hoping over the next 3 months those blonde hairs become thicker ill keep eevryone posted
rob1 said on June 17, 2010
i have been on sawpalmetto and beta sis for about 4 months the first 3 months was a bad shed then in the middle of the third month it stopped then i only shed tiny hairs i am now on my 4th month and am noticing regrowth at temples and the back of my head is thicker than ever all i have to say is stay on ur regimen and be patient the first 2.5 months were hell for me i was depressed and crying but as soon and the shed stopped i was happy again also i put sawpalmetto in my natural shampoo i will not be writing here anymore because i have found success my hair is slowly growing back especially my tempals and frontal hair line it used to be so thin where you can see through but not anymore week by week i see new hairs my hair started off with peach fuss then grew thicker i also take a multi vit with herbs in them im sure you can find it in ur helth food store. good luck to all i hope we all beat this bald curse. ps look up emu oil and apple cider vinager good luck everyone
Andrew Suarez said on June 17, 2010
it has been 2.5 months for and still shedding i have noticed the shedding slightly decreasing though. i really hope by the end of the month my hair starts growing back fully again because like Rob1 said it has been helll for me!
rob1 said on June 17, 2010
oh believe me andrew my hair never looked worse before my shed but now its pretty thick i still shed 1 cm hairs but not too many and my hair is mostly 1.5 inches long im a nw 3 but my left temple is fixing up pretty good slowly but surely my left temple would br nw 2 and my right nw 3 and while i shed the crown of my head looked very thin but its ok now just stick with it trust me
Ken said on June 18, 2010
rob1, did you notice an increase in libido, acne, facial oil at all?
Andrew said on June 19, 2010
yeah man im sitcking with it. also what should help me is the fact that im 17 and i caught my hairloss within the first year of it but i was all ready about to be a norwood 2. since starting beta sis and saw palmetto over a 2.5 months period i went from norwood 1-2 to a norwood 3 practically. but now i see a bunch of little hairs growing along my hairline.
JazzyJay said on June 20, 2010
I’m wondering if any of you noticed any changes in body hair after starting saw palmetto? Either more or less body hair?
facebones said on June 21, 2010
I’m another 40sumthin guy who was losing hair in typical fashion.
Being somewhat experimental I decided to create a regimen to see what would happen.First,I made an infusion of saw palmetto berries with nettle and rosemary.
I kept this herbal beverage in a big jar in my fridge.Every morning,before I went to work,I would chug a big glass of this stuff mixed with 100% pure cranberry juice.
Results were favorable.I felt better,had more energy,could think clearer,and it stopped my hair loss.I even had more energy to start lifting weights again.
I really felt like my quality of life really improved.I stopped for awhile but I think I’m gonna start again.Hooray!
facebones said on June 21, 2010
O yea,I also keep some in a shampoo bottle in my bathroom and use it as a toner/scalp conditioner.First,I foam up a Few Drops of shampoo in a cup under the shower head,massage lightly,thoroughly into scalp,brush through,then apply herbal toner.Rinse with cool water.Sometimes I apply pure Aloe Vera gel to moisturize.
I still got hair,my 2 younger brothers are completely bald.(Ha Ha).
Good Luck All!
Jim F said on June 21, 2010
I started Saw Palmetto about 2 weeks ago and I am already noticing a huge difference. My hair seems thicker and more robust that before. I have noticed small hairs starting to grow in the frontal area also. I also added in MSM to my daily regimen to see how that goes as well. Very pleased with the results so far.
Ken said on June 22, 2010
jim f how much saw palmetto do you take? did you start msm as the same time as saw pal?
Jim F said on June 23, 2010
I am taking 160 mg extract twice a day. I started the MSM about a week into the saw palmetto because I was immediately able to tell the difference in how my hair felt after starting the saw palmetto. I think as hair loss goes I was in the early stages of it. I still have most of the hair on top of my head it is just thinning a lot. After starting the saw palmetto, It started feeling more thick and full when I would run my hand through it. No shed when drying after a shower. Stuff like that. I need more time to see if the thinning fills in, so I will post again after I have had enough time to evaluate.
andrew said on June 23, 2010
jim f it will atleast be 4 to 5 or maybe 6 months for you to really be able to evaluate the effects. i have been on saw palmetto and beta sitosterol for almost 3 months now and i take very high doses. i take around 1000 mg of saw palmetto and around 2000 mg of beta sitosterol and i went through i tremendous shed meaning my hair thinned out in the past two and a half months more than it ever has. now i am starting to notice less of a shed and more tiny hari growth along my temples. this stuff really works i was so skeptical and still sort of am because i almost cant believe it but ill still need more time to really notice if it fully turns my hair loss around. btw i am 17 years old and was between a norwood 2-3 so i was on my way to three. except my hair loss wasnt the typical bald spot in the back and receding hairline. mine was receding hairline with overall hair loss throught my scalp.
Sam said on June 27, 2010
I have been experiencing hairloss for quite some time now. Intending to take Saw Palmetto pills…. http://www.gnc.com.sg/product/00900930.aspx?category_id=
Can some 1 tell me if dis saw palmetto supplement is good for hair regrowth…
Thx
andrew said on June 28, 2010
no one can really say you jsut have to try out different things i am taking beta sitosterol soft gel capsules from the vitaminshoppe and they work great but i am sure GNC brand is very credible
mojo said on July 5, 2010
Hi, bit of advise required from you folkes. I have been using Saw Palmetto (320g, standardised extract) for approximately 3 months, shedding had stabalised and I even saw regrowth. Then I heard some wonderful news about Beta-sitosterol. So, in addition I started taking 392g per day (the capsule also contained campesterol (200mg) and stigmasterol (144mg). I noticed lots of shedding, which freaked me out. Therefore, I quit taking Saw Palmetto, but continued with Beta-sitosterol (consumed for approx 1 month). Now I am contemplating on whether to restart Saw Palmetto along side Beta-sitosterol. Any suggestions?
Ken said on July 5, 2010
how old are you?
if saw palmetto was working and shedding had stabilised why did you not just drop the beta sis instead of dropping saw palmetto?

this happened to me also, as soon as i added beta sis, and a whole bunch of other sterols, stigmasyterol including, my hair shed bad. but while i was on saw palmetto my hair stopped shedding within 3 weeks of starting it.
Ken said on July 5, 2010
have you still been shedding while still on the beta sis/stigmatsterol etc?
hmm said on July 5, 2010
Hi guys,
I am starting Saw Palmetto (Std Extract) from tomorrow. I am thinking about taking 160 mg twice daily. Currently i am on biotin and B complex but havent seen much improvement. I have been suffering from hair loss for about 10 yrs now. thinning on my crown is very noticeble now. I hope SP can help stop the hairloss and regrow some iof my hair. I will keep you guys posted.
I
mojo said on July 6, 2010
I am 30 years old. I dropped Saw Palmetto because there were numerous rewiews about Beta-sitosterol and how it performs better than Saw Palmetto.
With Beta-sitosterol I still shed hair, I would say I was probably shedding approx 100-120 hairs per day. I am now waiting to see a reduction in shedding. On a positive aspect I’m trying to be optimistic in thinking that Beta-sitosterol is speeding up the shedding process in order to push out the unhealthy, weaker one’s and regrow new hair.

Are you currently using Saw Palmetto or Beta-sitosterol or both?

So, should I stick to Beta-sitosterol or revert to Saw Palmetto or both?
Ken said on July 6, 2010
read my comments above, i stopped using both beta sis and saw palmetto due to excessive shedding but andrew is using both sp and bs and sounds like he is having good results.
James said on July 10, 2010
Just wanted to comment. I’ve been reading this for a while. 4 months ago i started taking saw palmetto extract, i also started taking beta sistosterol. Saw is 320 a day standardized and beta is 120 every other day. I was scared originally that taking the beta and saw might cause some sides so thats why i went with it every other day.

So far i have had really good results. 4 months in i’m seeing new terminal hair and alot of blond hairs in the hairline area as well. I feel if i keep up with the treatment these will turn as well.

The only thing i have gotten though is occationally i feel some body weakness, overall. Its usually only when i use the beta sis and saw on the same day. I know sometimes sides can happen early on, but with continued use the body adapts. I’m thinking maybe by using every other day, or using the beta slighly inconsistent maybe i’m not allowing the body to adapt like its supposed to.

Just other notes, i weightlift consistently every week, and exercise as well. I also take multivitamins daily which seem to help as well. Overall i’m happy with what it has done. Ohhh i will also add i use nizoral shampoo as well. I figure a good internal and something up top will attack the problem in 2 ways.
andrew said on July 11, 2010
james good post man i must say thatthe body does adapt because i am taking a high dose of about 1.5 grams of beta sitosterol daily and about 1 gram og saw palmetto extract daily. it has been 3 months and one week since i started using beta sitosterol with my saw palmetto. for the first 3 months on beta sitosterol and SP my hair shed was insane probably around 200 hairs a day but than some days i would see very minimal hair shed but than it would go back the next day. my body has definitely been adapting to the high dosage because i felt very weak some days and am now overcoming that and in fact i feel as if i have more testosterone because i am a weightlifter and i noticed that in the time i have been taking this stuff i went from bench pressing 225 pounds 2 times to 10 times and i can feel the extra strength. honestly im not trying to say beta sitosterol is giving me these amazing benefits but i can say i notice regrowth.i shaved my head down to the skin about two weeks ago and along my hairline and throughout my scalp where i was noticing hair loss there are a bunch of blonde hairs growing at the same rate as the rest of my hair, and also smaller blonde hairs along my hairline. ill keep everyone posted as i have been the past 3 months.
GoGuy said on July 13, 2010
Do you guys only do SP and BS or have you tried Prop, Min, Niz (The Big three). Propecia induced sheds and still does for me but the hair seems to come back stronger, plus adding in a few small Hair Transplants and combining it with Nanofibres gives me back my confidence and that is afterall what we are trying to achieve more then anything else, I share your pain especially as you are so young most of you guys Im now nearly 33 years old but I tell you it doesnt matter if you are 17 or 65 Hair Loss affects everyone the same but I do appreciate how hard it must be coming out of college where woman are less understanding and not so open to a partner who is balding whereas women in my age bracket seem to be ok with it in general
Andrew said on July 15, 2010
yeah i mean since i am 17 propecia is not recommended for me but this will do for now because it is working very well for me going on 3 and a half months i have seen a lot of tiny hairs growing but yes i use nizoral once a week like it says
Andrew said on July 23, 2010
sooo i am now on 3rd month and 3rd week of taking beta sitosterol and saw palmetto. i take dosages of around 1.5 g of beta sitosterol and around 1 g of saw palmetto. i have noticed around 2 weeks ago hair was growing great and that lasted a week but than i shed a bunch of hair again. so it seems to me that when taking the herbs hair growth and shed phase is sped up from my observations. it seems that from the start of taking these herbs the growth and shed phase was shortened and sped up tremendously. so now it seems that the longer i go on with this stuff the faster my hair grows but the phases seem to be getting longer. so i assume that with some time well into taking this stuff my hair will be on the same track as it was a year ago when i had hair so thick i could grown an afro and now my hair is straight and has no life at all. ill keep updating
works4me said on July 24, 2010
Im on beta and saw palmetto for 3months and 1week. Now. … so far I like it. ..I think how it works is first day you take it. It works almost immediately stops the shedding. With oily hair, skin. ..after a week then your head starts to itch. Because hairs are growing these are the ones that shed before taking beta and saw palmetto. Just growing back rapidly. …then.somewere.to 2or 2 AND half months you start to shed again i think new and strong shaft are pushing the weak and thin miniature hairs to make way for a new stronger hairs. ….. do you notice when now shedding while your on beta and saw palmetto you only see the thin weak hairs? I do…. i believe it works but it will take sometime to get to the normal thickness of the hair. ..remember this is natural. ..i shed last couple weeks but the ones that grew when i started stayed and getting longer!
Andrew said on July 25, 2010
screw taking 1.5 g of beta sitosterol lol i have noticed that my sperm count decreased tremendously and i dont exactly know if it is from beta sis or not but i am not taking the chance. i am going to reduce the intake to 1 g. ill keep updating
Andrew said on July 26, 2010
yeah i mean i have noticed the cycles start to become more normal such as the growing phase is becoming longer again. i noticed after i shaved my head i noticed my first real regrowth where i could really notice new hairs growing again. it lasted for abotu two weeks and than shed. its been about 3 weeks or so since the last shed and i think i am still in the shed phase.i am sure that after this shed phase my growth phase will be longer than the last one and it will probably continue on that pattern until its normal again. it will probably take up to a year and a half. im on 4 months almost but im happy with my progress
James said on July 27, 2010
Yeah i am def seeing progress as well, new terminal hairs. Some are dark, some are intermediate, and in the right lighting i can see the longer vellus hairs actually growing as well. I’m about four months in taking beta and saw palmetto. I know in an interview with the widows peak guy on here, he said that those vellus hairs showed up, and then about half year later they started turning terminal. So i believe its a great sign.

I think the shedding is good as well, i see alot of small hairs when i shed, alot of them intermediate or vellus. Which tells me that my hair is shedding and then coming back stronger. the weak hairs turning intermediate, then the intermediate turning to very strong hair.

Andrew i think you could have had those side effects cause of the very high doses your taking, but if your body can tolerate it then so be it. I’m just taking 320 of the saw standardized and also 120 of the beta per day. So far things seem great. I’ll truely be able to evaluate how much better prob in another 3-4 months.

Its a process, but its def working. I hope it continues. We will see.
James said on July 30, 2010
I will say that my progress has been good as well. I’m still taking saw everyday 320 standardized extract, and beta sistosterol every other day 120. I think for me the saw was working, so i didn’t wanna overdo it on the beta sistosterol. Thats not to say eventually i may not add it everyday. Actually im kinda of going 2 days on, 1 day off with it. It varies a bit.

However i’m def seeing results. New little hairs popping up everywhere. Some of them are vellus hairs, some of them are intermediate, and some are really thick hairs. Andrew i think your right, that maybe those hairs that you saw, and are now shedding could have been intermediate (between vellus and thick hairs) and once they shed theyll grow even thicker. It all depends on how long the follicle has been sort of dormant. Needless to say though, if theres a vellus hair, the follicle is still active. Those hairs obviously will take the longest to grow back, as they may have to go through a cycle or two, but give it time.

Also andrew some of your side effects could have been due to the fact you were taking very high levels of the stuff. Maybe it was having a negative impact somewhat, but like you said you toned it down a bit, and as long as your body can take it you should be good.

Idk if this combo will work for everyone, but from what i’ve seen its getting alot of positive reviews. Tell you the truth, alot of people will be scared off by it (i almost was as well) and go with the prescription stuff because its been proven to work in clinical studies, where as this stuff has not. And ppl don’t want to waste time when it comes to hair. I can’t say 100 percent whats going to happen in the future, but things have been positive so far in the first four months. The next four should be equally as interesting.
Andrew said on July 30, 2010
yeah i agree that i have had great success so far with this regimen. i hope it continue to work as effectively as it has been because being 17 with hair loss blows haha but i will continue this and hopefully over the next additional four months things should look better. i have been posting on this site for about 6 months or so and at first i was only taking saw palmetto but than stopped because i ddint think it was working( i was only taking it for about 2 months) but than i decided to start taking beta sis and perfectly like a match made in heaven the two together wroked like a charm. i am currently taking dosages of 800 mg of saw palmetto extract and 1 g of beta sis a day. its working great on my hair. ill keep updating
Malcolm said on August 1, 2010
im 21 and my hair has been thining for a while now. at first i was not that concerned but now it has become noticeable and I want to do something to change it!
can anyone reccomend a plan of pills/dietary supplements i can take daily that may give me back my hair?!
Derek said on August 3, 2010
Hey guys i’ve been reading your posts for a months now and it’s nice to know there’s actually people trying this (myself included). I have been taking Saw palmetto for a year and a half. I added nizoral 1% about a year ago, and then Beta Sitosterol about 8 months ago. I took a break from saw palmetto for about a month recently. So here’s the breakdown. My hairline started receding at 17, so i grew it out and ignored it (classic mistake). Once i finally cut it at around age 19, i was pretty pissed off at what i saw. My hairline was receding more, but my hair was still pretty damn thick. Finally at 21, I decided to try SP. Of course i started shedding to the point where it was scary, but then i noticed my hairline recession slowed down. I found out about Nizoral and added that 6 months later. I swear it thickened up the corners of my hairline significantly. I added Beta Sitosterol and got the itchy oily scalp (nizoral actually helped with this). My hairline totally halted. I then began to shed again and thought my hair was thinning and noticed thinning spots on my hairline. A few months later after months and months of shedding, my hair got thick again and i began to finally see scattered terminal hairs growing by my temples and corner of my hairline. Proceding those are vellous hairs (very small), basically outlining where my juvenile hairline was. Right now I am pretty happy with how this is going, especially where its summer and thats when my hair looks the worst. Sorry about the rant i just posted, but I wanted you guys to know i think its great we’re trying this and not surrendering to hair loss companies just yet. I will continue to update how this routine is going, especially where it seems like i have been on this stuff a little longer than most of the guys here. I swear this stuff works, there is no way my hair would look this good right now if it didnt. Any questions feel free to ask.
James said on August 4, 2010
Lately i’ve actually gotten watery semen type thing as well. However that was once i started taking the beta sis everyday along with the saw. Originally i was taking saw everyday, and the beta sis every other day or two days and started to see regrowth. Now idk if it was my body just adjusting to the increase in beta use, but i have gone back to every other day use with it.

I think one of the positives of taking both of these is one can assess their own tolerance. IE if you get side effects you can always go down a notch and mix things up, see what works. The objective is to eliminate the dht or the binding of it, anything more or less could cause side effects. Thats the negative part, you have to experiment a little bit and see what works for you. However what i do know is that its working.

I think it all depends how much testosterone and dht your body produces for each individual. andrew you said your a weightlifter and can do 225 several times. I know for a fact my max isn’t even close. Although i do weightlift several times a week and an physically fit, i’m only like 150 pds, it is my assumption a higher dose would work better for you as your body may produce more testosterone. Although i def could be wrong. Again though its all about testing your tolerance.

Thats why i think some get side effects with the prescription meds, they only come in certain doses, which could be to strong for some, thus the sides, or two weak, thus minimal growth. Again idk if it would work for everyone, and some may not have the patience to test their own tolerance, which i can understand. I even was skeptical, but what i do know is its been working. Now its all about finding the best dose for me. I will continue to experiment with these and see what happens. Early on things are positive. We will see.
andrew said on August 6, 2010
yeah i mean im pretty big for a 17 year i weigh 185 pds of pretty much solid muscle i have a six pack and everything so im not fat lol and i play football. however, i think youre definitely right james. i have been experimenting as well i started off at 500 mg of BS and 1 g of SP and than i upped it to 1g of each and than 1.5 g of BS and 1g of SP. now im sticking around 1 g of BS and 800 mg of SP. i switch off though some days ill take 1.2g of BS and like 1 g of SP and than ill lower it the next. i just hope my hair starts growing back significantly. its been four months now.
andrew said on August 6, 2010
each time i go through a shedding phase my hairline seems to become worse but than the regrowth is tremendous but only lasts for like 2 weeks. than it gets worse again. well its been four months now so im going to give this stuff 4 more months and hopefully it comes around because if not im screwed and ill be bald by the time im fucking 24
Tom said on August 10, 2010
Andrew, it seems that your activities (weight lifting, sports etc) is contributing to your problem since they generate large quantities of free testosterone. This may be difficult for any regime to counter, so one idea is to scale back these activities somewhat, particularly weights.

SP has worked well for me, I have not tried Beta-S and have no intention of doing so since this would be an extremely unnatural quantity of the substance which is sure to have side effects.

My approach is to take quantities and concentrations that are not far off what would be the case if taking the raw substances as food. You wont go far wrong with this method and the result might take a little longer to show, or might not, but they will tend to be more longer lasting and less prone to reversal.
derek said on August 10, 2010
Andrew, I would highly recommend giving it more than 8 months total. As i said above, i’ve been on beta sitosterol for eight months and only now am i starting to see unmistakable results. I just looked at a picture of myself from 4-5 months ago and the difference is noticeable. I would also start using nizoral shampoo if i were you(unless you already are), I believe this played a huge role in stopping my hairloss. If it helps any, i started losing my hair at 17 as well and thought i would be bald by now. I know it seems hopeless but i also know it won’t be as bad as you think. If you read my previous post it explains the steps i took. Again, definatly look into nizoral, i know this stuff helps.
David said on August 10, 2010
Thanks for the info. Best wishes, Dave
andrew said on August 16, 2010
yeah i am all ready using nizoral shampoo, and it works great. however, i cannot halt weightlifting becuase i play football and i am going on to play competitive college football for a D 1 AA program. so weightlifting is a necessity, and i know it creates more free testosterone which does not help. that is why i am taking such a high dose, but i have noticed that for some reason when i started taking this stuff my testosterone levels definitely increased because i get more rageful and agitated easier so i am thinking by the stopping of DHT conversion due to BS and SP my testosterone is increasing because that free testosterone that would be normally converted to DHT is now not converting and there is more free testosterone to be used for weightlifting. which is not causing my hair loss to progress more quickly. it is helping it by using the testosterone in my muscles instead of it being converted to DHT. do you follow me? i am saying by weightlifting i am creating more testosterone which that would normally be converted to DHT but now is not being converted so therefore i have more free testosterone which allows me to lift more but is also a burden because i get rages almost as if i were on steroids.
James said on August 16, 2010
Yes i actually agree with that assessment andrew. Its funny you mention that because while i was looking up this stuff months ago, i stumbled upon a forum that people used when talking about steroid use. Obviously the use of roids increases testosterone, Some of the people said the use of saw P extract took care or at least halted hair loss problem.

Unless you have unreasonably high T levels then i’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem. Again as you said the T levels arent the problem, its how much is converted into DHT, and the process by which it does that. Stopping that process is key. As a matter of fact i see alot of people at the gym whom are huge, some whom are prob on roids, some who aren’t, however they have good hair. I think it may be more about genetics and how much DHT our bodies convert, as opposed to how much T is there. Some people may be more dispositioned to DHT, and by using thing such as this we are helping to stop that conversion.

Also again i like this stuff because you can take whatever your body tolerates. You can test different combinations out and see which one is right for you.
Maverick said on August 19, 2010
Hey guys just read most of your comments, very happy to read about so many success stories, im 25 and i noticed about 12 months ago i started going thin on top, not much mind but enough to make me worry, i think its been my life style up to now i wasnt eating healthy and lost my job so i didnt exercise enough (i hear exercise can reduce DHT) anyways im guna try the saw pametto, revivogen conditioner and also minoxidel daily, im waiting for my products to arrive, i take multivitmens daily now and exercise quite often, dont drink fizzy drinks purely on water, i also hear green tea is very good for hair growth, so any advice or for me before i start these treatments? many thanks in advance!
andrew said on August 20, 2010
yeah heres some advice honestly you must give up shit like soda and energy drinks and even alcohol i mean once in a while its not bad but foreign substance arent good for the body. pleanty of water daily. atleast half your body weight in ounces of water a day for example i drink almost 100 ounces of water a day. and also the multivitamin is good along with getting pleanty of cardiovascular exercise more so than weight lifting. and if you do weightlift like i do you must increase the doasges slightly because that allows more testosterone to bind to the 5 AR enzymes which creat DHT. you can lift all you want and have as much testosterone as you want and not go bald as long as you stay consistent with dosages and take enough based on hair loss and how quickly it has affected you and people in your family. for instance my father went bald extremely early in life and it happened within 6 years from 18 to 24. therefore i take a higher dose and along with the fact i lift weights which creates more testosterone i need an even higher dosage so you have to experiment and this stuff may not work for everyone. but it sure is working for me.
Maverick said on August 21, 2010
Yes im certainly drinking more water and i feel really good for it, i use to drink i would say atleast 30 cups of coffee a day, also smoked easilly 40 ciggaretts a day no messing, as you can tell my life style was really bad, ive quit smoking now and everything made a complete turn around, so you definately recomend the saw pametto?? it will work? thanks andrew
Jim said on August 21, 2010
After reading a number of these posts, I have realized that my results are pretty typical. I am 20yr and had been losing hair for about a year or so and then decided to do something about it. I have been taking SP (300mg 90%/day) for about 3 months while weight training this summer and my hair is growing back! Right now its just been an extension of my hair line slightly and tiny white hairs where the rest used to be. I experienced no shedding phase and didn’t even know that could happen until I read this page. I just ordered some beta sis and will add that to my saw palm. and hope it doesn’t cause me to shed. I think that weight training may be slowing the growth since it increases DHT. I’ll keep you posted how that goes.
James said on August 22, 2010
Good to hear others are having positive results. Again though i’m not so sure its about the weightlifting. Cause then every person i see at the gym would be losing their hair. Its more about genetics, and how much T our body converts into DHT. By using products such as these we are in some way cutting down that converstion. Does the weightlifting make a difference? im not sure either way.

For some saw palmetto may be enough, for others they may take both and see more of a result. Personally take saw everyday at 320 mg extract and beta sis every other day, and its been working for me. To me again its all about finding a balance, to little and you may not grow as much hair, to much and maybe you get some minimal sides. But thats the beauty of this stuff, you can experiment with it a little and see what works for you. Remember every person is different.
Frank said on August 23, 2010
hey…i’ve been following this forum for about 3 weeks now…i have been taking saw palmetto 160mg twice daily for about a month or month in a half…then i decided just to take 160mg once daily because the supplement im using contains about 15mg of zinc which is recommended daily intake and basically by taking 2 pills a day, i figured that’d be to much zinc and that can’t be any good…which i came to find out that it isnt after a little research…my question is, has anybody experienced any shedding while taking saw palmetto and if so for how long?…and also when will the shedding subside?..I definetely am shedding…i dont know if this is normal or not…i would also like to know if anyone has any suggestions that might help…
Derek said on August 25, 2010
Yeah shedding is perfectly normal and should be expected with saw palmetto. I have gone through phases with it where i have shed so much it was scary. You may even get patches that thin (like at the corners of the hairline like I did), but they grow back thicker than ever. The normal shedding period seems to last about a month or two (at least for me). My advice is to just not freak out over it because it is temporary and the end result is positive. I would also start using nizoral 1% shampoo 2-3 times a week because this will attack the problem externally and will also help you keep your hair looking fairly thick during the cycles of shedding. Just my two cents.
Maverick said on August 26, 2010
Do you reckon everyone sheds hair with saw? ive been taking it and not had shedding yet, does everyone shed hair when they start this or is it different for everyone you’s reckon? cheers
Derek said on August 27, 2010
I don’t know 100%, but from what it seems like most people do. This is a big reason why most people stop, because they see the shed, freak out, and say that saw palmetto did nothing but speed up there hair loss. I can say from the standpoint of someone actually using it for over a year that it sheds, grows thicker, sheds, grows in thicker…you get the point. The beta sitosterol and nizoral combo (saw palmetto if you want) will definatly give you thicker hair. For me my problem was mainly receding and thinning hairline and thats where it shed and thickened the most noticably. I know from research that the hairline is the hardest thing to get back so if your problem is only thinning overall you are actually pretty lucky. Again nizoral is a huge help in keeping your hair thick.
andrew said on August 28, 2010
yeah i have been taking beta sitosterol for about 5 months now and i have been taking saw palmetto for around 7 months. i started using nizoral about 2 months ago. to answer a previous question shedding actually does not occur in everyone so wether you do or do not shed it does not matter you still have to follow through and use this stuff for a long time. i shed for about the first two months, and believe me i was shitting my pants because im 17 and sitting in school with a bald spot in the back and my hair receding it sucks. but i have noticed in the past 5 months my hair goes through phases like the guy before me said you shed it come back thicker you shed it comes back thicker and so on. that is the idea with this stuff because my hair is a lot thicker than what it was 8 months ago when i really started noticing my hair was going. but i have been losing hair for a year now, but this stuff has turned it around for me.
Jake said on September 1, 2010
i’m 28 and started to notice i’m getting thin on the top of my head and corners of my forehead. i started taking saw palmetto recently but started off taking only 160 mg at a time to see if any side effects occured. has anyone ever felt dizzy after taking sp?
Derek said on September 3, 2010
The shedding for me seems like it’s finally slowing down alot. It’s been bad all summer, but hopefully in the fall it will have come back. Either way it still looks alot better than it did last winter. Even though I am making good progress I still want to shave my head just because I am sick of thinking about the possibilty of being bald someday (and i’m only a NW2). Hopefully on this stuff thats not the case, but you guys know how much going bald sucks so I don’t think i have to tell you.
Myk said on September 4, 2010
Funny thing is that after taking high dosage of SP my libido went through the roof.Now I jerk off everyday. Perhaps, every individual has different reactions to the supplement. The first time I took it there were thick re-growth of hairs. The 2nd bottle, there were baby hairs but none of the thick ones. I also notice that if I take three 500mg at once I get a pain in the testicles but if I take one tablet every meal (4x a day) no negative side effects whatsoever.
Derek said on September 4, 2010
Funny thing is that after taking high dosage of SP my libido went through the roof.Now I jerk off everyday. Perhaps, every individual has different reactions to the supplement. The first time I took it there were thick re-growth of hairs. The 2nd bottle, there were baby hairs but none of the thick ones. I also notice that if I take three 500mg at once I get a pain in the testicles but if I take one tablet every meal (4x a day) no negative side effects whatsoever.
andrew said on September 7, 2010
this stuff probably won’t work for you if you have significant hairloss. i am 17 and caught it early and now it has slowed down tremendously. new hairs are starting to grow along my hairline and my hair is a lot thicker than what it was just last winter. now i think this stuff will prevent my hairloss and i think i won’t be losing my hair for a long time.
ken said on September 22, 2010
any updates andrew
Jonathan said on September 22, 2010
Will this saw palmetto work for me im having a bald spot appearing on top of my head its just going thin slowly, and if it does work will i have to take saw palmetto for the rest of my life? or once it has fully grown back can i stop the dosage? cheers
daniel said on September 22, 2010
I smoke a lot and dont exercise and eat junk food and also my sleeping pattern is pretty crazy i stay up till 4am somtimes, my life has been pretty depressing to me lately and now ive started to go thin on top im really on a downer, can any1 give me advice on what to do to get my hair growing thicker again? and is my lifestyle the reason im going bald? please help
Paul said on September 23, 2010
Very interesting site. I’ve read as many of the comments as I could. Must say I’m on the fence about starting Beta-Sitosterol. I just started Saw Palmetto. I think I’ll take 450mg of SP twice a day = 900mg total. I also take 5,000 mcg (5 mg) of Biotin once a day. Along with a very potent multi-vit/min pack. Also (and this will sound strange) I’ve heard extra virgin olive oil rubbed into the scalp is effective. Just not sure if I want to become a walking salad. No… croutons are not advised.

Anyway, my concerns with Beta-Sitosterol go back to the article at the beginning. If Saw Palmetto has a reputation for stopping hair loss and/or regrowing hair… how can something that is 3,000 times more potent not be overkill?! I’m thinking that maybe Saw Palmetto works (despite the relatively low levels of Beta-Sitosterol it contains) because of the combination of ingredients in Saw Palmetto. Maybe the supposedly non-active ingredients are actually critical components. Including the fruit itself.

I mean, if all that mattered was Beta-Sitosterol, I would expect to see practically no benefit on SP, and hair like Ronald McDonald on Beta-Sitosterol. It’s the “3,000 times more potent” observation that struck me. Anything that is 3,000 times more potent than something else, should yield MASSIVELY different results. Either negative or positive. Yet I’m not seeing that massive difference in my research online. Anyway, I’ll stick with Saw Palmetto for now, and report back. I’m somewhere between II and III on the Norwood Scale chart. Age 39.
Paul said on September 23, 2010
Far be it for me to comment so soon after joining, but…

Jonathan, I think much like taking Propecia, or using Rogaine, the minute you stop supplementing, you’ll lose any hair your kept and/or grew as a result. I’m planning on supplementing for life. As long as I can avoid taking drugs, it will be worth it. I hate drugs.

Daniel, People lose hair for lots of reasons. Stress being one of them. Hair loss aside, I would respectfully suggest that stopping smoking, along with a good diet and exercise routine, will have HUGE benefits for your health in general. Consider this… YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH.
Paul said on September 23, 2010
Just a suggestion. I suggest everyone invest in a digital camera and document your progress. Much like Andrew, I shaved my head with 1/2″ clippers before starting my program. But I also took digital pictures. Later on down the line, I can shave my head again and document/prove my progress or regress.

I feel like it’s very easy for the mind to play tricks on you when you’re stressed out. Let’s face it, we’re all stressed out over hair loss or you wouldn’t be reading this and I wouldn’t be writing it.

So I think it’s important to take pictures or video. Pictures are impartial, unbiased, and will give you a true measure of your progress. Otherwise, you run the risk of falling into a placebo-type mentality… where you think you see progress, or regress, but it’s really just your mind playing tricks on you. Take your head out of the game (no pun intended) and document your progress.
Paul said on September 26, 2010
ANDREW… a question when you next update. Where are you finding dosages of 1g or 1.5 grms of Beta Sitosterol? Saw Palmetto is easy enough to find. Just 2 pills and I’ve got my 900mgs. But should I decide to combine it with BS. BS is more difficult. There are plenty of supplements listing BS as an ingredient, but the amount is limited to 120mgs, 240mgs, 340mgs of BS. That sort of thing. Then it’s just loaded down with other plant sterols. What BS supplement are you using? Thanks!
MMC said on September 30, 2010
Hi I’m 26 and I’ve noticed a bit thinning upstairs since I entered my 20’s. Baldness doesn’t so much as run in the family but my brother went noticeably bald at 21 + and now he’s fully bald at 27. I’ve still got all my hair with no receding hair line but my hair has defiantly thinned out a bit and I shed like a dog these days when it comes to showers! I have very long curly hair and I wash it about once or twice a week with Nizoral and then condition it. If I don’t wash my hair for a week say, when I do wash it hundreds of hairs will come out and I will literally block the drain in one sitting!! I’m not sure if it’s just because it’s very curly and long so the hairs that fall out daily get tangled in until I condition it, but never the less I’m concerned.

I’ve always supplemented along with a healthy diet and exercise but I’ve recently added a few extras to my day, mainly Beta Sis and Saw Palmetto.

Daily I take (some split across the day)-

3 – 5 grams of (cracked cell wall) Chlorella
x1 Multivitamin
600mg of black current oil
300mg of Alpha lipoic Acid
325mg of Beta Sis
320mg of Co2 extracted Saw Palmetto (Soft Gel)

All of the above has been regular for years since I was in my teens, but Beta Sis and Saw Palmetto are fairly new and I’ve been on them for 3 months. Since using these products in the first few weeks I noticed an increased libido but a few months on this has levelled out.

I have been shedding a hell of a lot more hair since taking these supplements and it has alerted me to the possibility of them affecting my hormonal balance? I have read above that the general vibe is for your hair to shed a lot when first taking these supplements although I cannot see how this would be the case due to the role they play inside the body?
From what I have researched Saw Palmetto doesn’t seem to speed up the hair growth process but works by mildly blocking the receptor binding of DHT up to 40 – 50% (depending on Co2 extraction or hexane), it can take up to 10 months to a year to manifest cosmetically.

Beta Sis and Saw Palmetto are described as long term interventions for hair loss in a number of independent studies, but from what I read these are mostly conducted in test tubes outside of the body’s environment. There long term side effects are worrying.

Has anybody had some real progress with these supplements? Documented hair growth or loss? Has anybody been taking t hem for over a year or suffered any side effects?
I’m losing faith in these herbs with regards to hair loss and it would be a breath of fresh air to be proven wrong.

Thanks Mike
Derek said on September 30, 2010
Yeah Mike I have been on Beta Sitosterol for about 11 months now, and saw palmetto off and on for a year and a half. I also use nizoral. I have had no side effects (or don’t believe I am) from any of these. I really wish I had pictures because my progress has been good. An uncle of mine who pointed out my hair loss a couple years ago just complemented my hair the other day, and he is brutal when it comes to calling out balding guys. My hairline has definetly improved since then.
MMC said on October 1, 2010
Hi Derek thanks for the reply. It’s good to hear that you have progressed with these supplements and had success! Makes me want to press on with them!
I’ve back tracked through the posts to see if I could find the dosage you are taking?
I think I will probably stop taking Saw Palmetto and stick with Beta Sis 325mg a day.
What is your daily routine and do you take beta sis a few hours either side of a meal? I only ask because I read it reduces colesterol when eaten 20 minutes before a meal, and I’m a skinny guy.
Derek said on October 1, 2010
I use Source Naturals Mega Strength Beta Sitosterol (375 MG). My regimen has been weird lately. For the first nine months of being on it i would take one 375mg pill once a day. In the last two months I have been using it twice a day every other day. From doing this and moving to a higher dosage, I have to say i would definatly recommend taking it twice a day everyday (750 MG), which is what I am planning on doing. I also take this about 5-10 minutes or so after a meal. Like I said my regimen is different than most, but it’s working.
MMC said on October 4, 2010
Has anybody heard of a substance produced in the human intestine when consuming Soy, called EQUOL? There’s quite a few studies into Equol and they fairly conclusive that It binds directly to DHT and inhibits it.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5212369_soy-foods-promote-equol-production.html

Equol: A substance produced in the intestine as a metabolite of soybeans and soy foods. Equol is a non-steroidal estrogen that acts as an anti-androgen by blocking the hormone dihydrotestosterone. Some people are able to produce equol while others cannot.

Equol is chemically unique among the isoflavones (a family of phytoestrogens, plant estrogens). It is the major metabolite of the phytoestrogen daidzein, an isoflavone abundant in soybeans and soy foods.

Equol was so named because it was first isolated (1932) from the urine of pregnant mares and later (1982) was identified in the urine of humans consuming soy foods.
Jeff said on October 4, 2010
Hey there everyone, im readying all your comments,i have to say it is very worrying isnt it?? i feel very low self esteem lately and, My hair seems to of thinned out a little on top of my head and stayed the same for over 12 months now? its very confusing, over the last month i have been putting warm oilive oil into the scalp and leaving it there for a good hour, atleast 3 times a week, im also now using herbal shampoo and conditioner, i drink lots more water and try to exercise more to fight this problem, has anybody got any further suggestions for me to help speed my hair regrow? i think since ive took action a little hair has come back, i cant really say a lot but im sure a little, and hair shedding seems to of slown down, the thing is though, i really want to ask this girl out soon, and i do want to have a nice thick head of hair lol so any suggestions would be very appreciated, thanks in advance, Jeff
T.R said on October 7, 2010
Unfortunately Jeff, with hair growth it’s really a tough slough. Either hair will grow, or it won’t!! Now there are things that you can do to encourage it such a giving yourself a daily scalp massage, preferably with a few drops of essential oils-this should stimulate the blow flow to the area, and in theory provide much needed nutrients to the follicle. Also besides Saw, and Beta, I would recommend the use of Zinc, Biotin, and L-argine(maximizes blood flow) to your diet. Just recognize that when it’s all said, and done, you are NOT your hair, and if a girl like you, she will like you regardless!! Good luck!!
andrew said on October 7, 2010
Hey paul there are no doasges in a single pill for what i take. i take vitamin shop brand beta sitosterol with 325 mg pill 4 times a day, and pharmassure saw palmetto 5 times a day 160 mg. its been working but the only problem is i shed a lot but than it regrows very thick. sometimes its almost hard to tell if its working or not lol but im quite sure it is because in the past year my hair has not gotten any worse and ive been taking this stuff for around 6 months now
Jeff said on October 10, 2010
Thanks T.R, i just cant help but feel so insecure about it and also feel so stressed with it, what natural ways are there to regrowing hair with out taking all these drugs? and which kinda olive oil do you put into your hair? any suggestions? cheers all
James said on October 17, 2010
Just curious i have been using both the saw palmetto and the beta sis only 3 days a week. However lately i have experienced some body weakness. I think its possible that im cutting out the dht, but also cutting some testosterone out as well. Is it possible both the saw and beta is overdoing it for me. Should i cut back on the beta (was thinking only half a pill every couple days, just to keep it in my system somewhat.

I think saw by itself could have worked. I also use nizoral shampoo 5 days a week. So im going to cut back a little on the beta. I think everyone is def different, so i’ll see what happens. Ive had pretty good regrowth so i don’t want to ruin anything.
James said on October 18, 2010
Let me clarify. Im using the saw everyday, and the beta sis three times per week. I think though what i was doing was keeping my body in flux. Over the first 5 months i took about 75 beta sis pills while using saw everyday. So from now on im thinking of taking beta sis half everyday, so that my body gets used to it. We’ll see how it works.

Also what i have noticed is that near the sides and toward the back of my head their has been the thickest regrowth. On the top of my head it has thickened up, and now there are more vellus hairs growing in. Im hoping in a couple months time these do exactly what the others do and they grow up. As the top of my head had the most thinning.

the one thing i can’t tell is if i’m going through another shed again though. While the top of my head has thickened up, it still looks slightly thin. Now this is obvious, but i just wanted to make sure i wasn’t going backwards again. Im thinking it might start to become a little more noticable because its a mix of thick terminal hairs, and blond vellus hairs, and once the blond velllus hairs become terminal again things will be fine. If i think about it all the hair isn’t going to come back at once, if i had a full head of hair and it started to thin it would obviuously be noticable. so if hair is going to come back at different times, different thicknesses i would think for a little bit this would be an issue.
tim said on October 19, 2010
i have been using a saw palmetto tincture regularly since 1/1/10. I have dread locks and have been noticing some thinning in the past 2 yrs. Not wanting to lose my mane at 23 i started putting 3-5 drops in my green tea (3 cups a day) and have noticed sufficient slowing of the hair loss since i noticed it, even small hairs re-growing at temples. After reading these comments I now want to go and get another tincture(been lazy the past month) or even research a maybe more potent xtract of the plant. One other major thing i’ve researched is smoking. I still am a smoker, despartly trying to quit, but there has been some studies that link the loss in circulation from smoking to hairloss (makes sense). Hopefully things pan out right. Stay away from those clippers/hats boys!!! take your sp and let it flow
Lee said on October 20, 2010
Read all your comments guys, really all these pills and creams etc are not needed, i was going thin on top and i decided to change my diet, drink water, quit smoking, drink green tea occasionally, exercise more, but the real suprise is garlic!!! i cut up garlic cloves squeez the juices out and rubbed it in my thinning areas, (burns like hell) but after 6 weeks my hair was back to normal!!! obviously i do the scalp messages, but really its not worth taking all these drugs, when you can do it naturally, if anybody has any questions, or has had any success stories that relate to my methods, feel free to message me
Dustin said on October 21, 2010
Hey guys, great posts here. Quick history of my hair loss. At 18 like many of you, I started getting a receding hairline, mainly at the temples. I let it go till I was 24, then went on Propecia for 5 years. I didn’t have any serious sides, but I did develop slight man tits, which went away after discontinuing use (and no they weren’t fat tits, I am very thin). I also had some odd sexual sides such as going soft during sex, never fun! Anyways, I stopped taking Prop 2 years ago. After about half a year, all the hair I regrew with Prop fell out, and now at 31 it’s at about at a Norwood IIIA….extremely thin in the front, but very thick on top and in the back/sides. After reading these posts, I started taking 2.5 to 3.5 grams a day of Saw Palmetto Whole Berry pills (not the extract). A few days ago I got very excited because about 100 small blonde hairs that look brand new (baby hair) filled out my hairline!! Well, they didn’t exactly fill it out, as they’re so small and light colored you can barely see them.
Dustin said on October 21, 2010
My question is, do these hairs eventually become darker and thicker? For those that have experienced this, about how long does this process take if it does at all? I must say, this is extremely exciting and unexpected. This stuff already seems to be working better than Propecia, is 10 times cheaper, and has no sides other than bad breath (so far). Thanks
andrew said on October 21, 2010
hahahahah LEE my man thats good for you but these arent drugs hence we are taking this stuff instead of finasteride which is a drug…. i am probably the healthiest person on this forum i am 17 and workout everyday of the week cardio and weightlifting and i eat extremely healthy i get my daily nutritional values for each food group. its genetics man if your dad is bald youll most likely go bald as is the case with me and my two older brother cause my dad is bald and so are they and i started thinning. taking this stuff now for 7 months i have fought off hairloss and have maintained it for the past 7 months
Lee said on October 22, 2010
Well the programme i started was on a site called curebaldy.info, u may of heard of it, yeah i take saw palmetto for my health and its a bonus it reduces dht, just wanted try save some people some money andrew because there are a few people on here taking a LOT of stuff with serious side effect, excluding the saw palmetto, but yeah if you work at it with the scalp messages etc, its effective, basically to keep your hair you need to be healthy eat healthy and not be a lazy boy lol drink loads of water, exercise etc, think about it, how often do u see a balding athlete? never? lol
Mark said on October 23, 2010
As you can see from the posts above saw also have almost the same (maybe the same) side effects as finasteride. If it really lowers dht levels it causes the same side effects, finasteride side effects are result of the changed hormonal levels, not from the drug circulation in the blood. So if you are so worried about this side effects just go bald and shave your head. Some of you are finding finasteride and saw palmetto expensive?! One high quality hair transplant costs between 10 000 $ and 20 000 $. This drugs will not help us for a very long time (if they manage to help in short term at all). I am 21 and my hair is thinning in nw5a, my father was nw6 at 30 and I know i will be exactly the same. I am taking saw and fina together and also recieved 2500 grafts this summer. I will spend more than 30 – 40 000 $ for hair transplants and I will take lifelong fina/duta + saw palmetto. So if this is too much for you and you are too scared of side effects just shave your head. But if you want to have hair go into the footsteps of those, who succeded. Look the most amazing transformations I have ever found:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/galleryview.cfm?id=london_lad|gallery14.cfm
http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=109
http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=27
Maverick said on October 23, 2010
Hey there, Yeah ive also read about the garlic and onion on your hair, its very effective! my hair is thickening out on top lately with the scalp messages, olive oil and regular garlic in the hair, but i just noticed loads of dead skin on my scalp!! there is loads of it peeling off, it aint sore or anthying, but i read somewhere that somethin on ur scalp thickens as u get older and thats another reason why u go thin on top because the hair cant break throu this thickened skin or something, so im wondering is the dead skin peeling a good thing? is this to be exspected when you hair starts to regrow? my hair looks pretty good now btw, i am getting there and im getting my confidence back, well worth the hard work!!
Baldness Victim said on October 25, 2010
Hi guys!!! Glad to see so many success/caution stories. Even i am one of of you – a victim of receding hairline at an early age. I am a vegetarian so i am listing my regimen below for you guys. please do comment

Height: 5″ 9′
Weight: 170 pounds

BF: Oats with milk and a banana
Lunch: Heaviest meal of the day – trying to take as much as 40-50 gms of protein during lunch.
Dinner: Salads – with green leafy vegetables and carrots

Supplements:
Biotin – 2500 mcg – distributed throughout the day with my meals.
Vitamin B Super Complex – after lunch – this includes B6 heavily – try “Walmart”
Zinc supplement from “Walmart”
Spirulina – before lunch
Aloe Vera and Amla Juice twice daily whenever the stomach is empty.
Alfa Alfa – coriander – lettuce juice around 6pm

Exercise & Massage:
Somersault – also called as Shirsana early in the morning right after bed.
An Onion and garlic massage 1 hour before bath.

I also take lots of water so that the heat in the body is removed and try to eat the food at a regular time and get lots of sleep.

This regimen has been good with me but it looks like i was lacking Saw Palmetto and Beta Sisterol. I was avoiding these 2 as after taking them i was more prone to suffer “Erectile dysfunction” but I am also planning to include the 2 now (after reading the above entries) in a smaller amounts…. (guys i dont want to be impotent – just struggling to get my hairs back)…….

I have been noticing significant change in my baldness (positive ofcourse). Do comment on this regime.
Baldness Victim said on October 25, 2010
Lee – I would like to go natural way. I know the garlic therapy works – serioulsy. even i want to get my lovely hairs back – desperately. Can you email me your food habits and your exercise regimen and all sorts of things you did. I will religiously follow it. Thanking you in advance.
ken said on October 27, 2010
something which i just recently noted – i ate 3 garlic cloves every day just over a week, and i noticed a very drastic resuction on hair shedding! in my opinion this needs to be trailled to see if this is not just the placeabo effect, im think there is something to this, anyone shedding high amounts try it for at least 2 weeks minimium.
Dark Jester said on October 28, 2010
I take 2 x 450mg of SP a day and drink green tea in the moring. I also apply Dabur Amla hair oil to my head at night and then shower it off in morning. I have been on this regime for a month and I can honestly say that my heir shedding has reduced and I notice tiny thin hair on my hair line, whether these grow into normal hair I dont know. Having read through all the posts, I would advise people just to stick with Saw Palmetto and not combine it with Beta Sitosterol! It just makes it too potent and it obvious it leads to increased shedding and you hair might not grow back. Stick to just Saw Palmetto!!
Derek said on October 28, 2010
Not trying to be rude or anything, but that is incorrect (at least for me and many others). It actually wasn’t until adding beta sitosterol that I got undeniable results. Of course this took about 8 months or so, but i was patient through all the shedding and now have much better hair because of it. There is also a kid on youtube using beta and tracking his progress, his hairloss isn’t bad yet, but it is definatly worse than mine. He actually seems to be getting his hair back slowly from beta sitosterol and a few other things. You guys should watch his vids….he goes under the account name Nakutao. I also want to add that I am not saying Saw palmetto doesn’t work, I just believe Beta is more effective(from my own experience). I believe Andrew could probably vouch for that as well. Btw, in a week or so it will be a year ago that I started beta sitosterol. I can’t wait to see what another year of this stuff can do.
Lolito said on October 28, 2010
I am taking Saw Palmetto and I’ll run to the store to get some beta sitosterol.

I’m going to take these for some time so I can stop the hairloss. I’ll look into a FUE hair surgery (diff than Hair Transplant).

Oh, my God! This balding SUCKS!
andrew said on October 28, 2010
yes i can vouch for that derek i have been on it for just about 7 months now and i have noticed it has kept my hair loss at bay. my hairloss has not gotten any worst or better and my family loses their hair at a very early age my dad was bald at 25 as well as both of my brothers who are 28 and 24. they both have very little hair left. i am 17 and when i noticed hair loss last august over a year and two months ago i didnt take action righ away. i let it just be for around 8 months and it got worse and worse until i decided to do research daily and cam across this stuff and i am happy so far and as well as derek i cant wait to see what another year will do for me
Dark Jester said on October 29, 2010
@Andrew – How old are you now and what stage in terms of hair loss are you now?

@Derek – I appreciate that a you and some other people have experienced positve results with the SP/BS combination however I have encountered quite a number on various hair loss forums and in person who have experienced negative effects in terms of severe shedding and the hair that shed not growing back. I just believe that for some people the SP and pur BS combo is just too potent and the safer bet is to just use SP.

I honestly recommend Dabur Amla air oil to people. I started losing my hair at 18 but I maintained it up to the age of 25 by applying this oil onto my hair every night and washing it off in the morning. I stopped using it between the ages of 25-29 and experienced some slow hair loss prompting me to start using it again. Im 31 and still have hair and have halted the receeding hair line. I am looking to grow some of that lost hair back so I have started using Saw Palmetto in combination with Dabur Amla (for nutrients) and green tea.
ken said on October 29, 2010
i did have severe shedding when i combined saw palmetto with beta sis. so i think for some people this can occur by adding beta sis with saw pal. i think the severity of the shedding depends on how far along in the hair loss process you are.
for eg, for someone who has a high percentage(60%>) of weaker hairs on the scalp which have been affected by dht over time the shedding will definetely be pronounced and by taking saw pal and beta together will cause them hairs to shed asap, where as if you slowly build up on the daosage over time this shedding will GRADUALLY occur.
hence, dht attacks the hair line first when you are probaly around 16/17/to 20/21 which is why when you start a treatment you will lose hairs in the hair line first cause those hairs are weak and have been atcked by dht for so long wheeas on the corwn the dht probably starts attacking at 22-24> hence you will not see much a of a significant shed in that area.

dark jestor are you taking saw palmetto berry extract?
Dark Jester said on October 29, 2010
Hi Ken, I take 450mg capsules from Holland&Barrett. I take two a day, 900mg dosage in total.
ken said on October 30, 2010
hi, are you taking the standardised or the berry extract form?
are you getting any sides?
im on standardised saw pal 320mg per day and will gradually build up to 2x320mg per day. but i am contemplating going on the berry extract as i used provillus before and i know its considered a scam but i definteley noticed thicker hairs growing on my hairline while i was on it and my shedding reduced to 2 hairs in the shower! im thinking its because of the saw pal berry extract in the provillus, not sure though.
James said on October 30, 2010
Just quick question. Taking the saw palmetto 320 extract once a day, on occasion it gives me some stomach paint if i don’t take it with food. It got me wondering, would it be best maybe to take 320, but have it split into two doses. I have been taking it for about 7-8 months, along with inconsistenly taking beta. But to me its the saw making most of the difference. I have seen very nice thickening of my hair and i hope it continues.

I also use nizoral shampoo. Nizoral is said to possibly be a mild anti androgen, so i figure if the saw can help lower the dht, if some still gets through, maybe the nizoral helps the remaining receptors for binding. Just spectulating. Still things are looking good.

Just wondering though if maybe splitting it into two doses in one day would be better off for me. Opinions?
ken said on October 30, 2010
hi james, you could try taking 160×2 a daywhich could help, but its best to take with food. which saw pal have youbeen taking and how old are you? and what norwood are you?
James said on November 3, 2010
Just wanted to say, i think i know why i all of a sudden was getting some body weakness and stomach pain again. It happened a couple of weeks ago, i didn’t realize it until today, but i started taking vitamins. A regular everyday multivitamin which is fine, but also a b complex vitamin. I have did some research on b vitamins and it shows that if you combine b6, zinc and some others it can lower dht by possibly 90%. Now these aren’t concrete studies, however it does maybe explain some things since it happened right after i added the multivitamin. It has alot of b6 in it, and even though excess vitamins are usually expelled through the urine, a normal everday b6 intake is 2 mg, this one has 100 mg in it, and i was taking 1 sometimes 2 a day for energy.

Im figuring it had to contribute, cause right when i added saw pal and beta sis i got some same weakness, which went away after about a week, then i didn’t have any problems until now.

It is interesting though, if one actually did research and combined different things, there are alot of dht blockers out there, its just about finding which combo works for an individual. Although they don’t have the research or the dose recomendations of the prescription drugs, thats the only negative.
James said on November 5, 2010
Just wanted to ask everyone their thoughts on something. I origianlly thought i got some sides from taking this drug, its possible it did have a small effect, however i don’t think it was anything big. The drug has been working, my hair is growing pretty well and i’m happy about it.

However even before taking the drug, even as a weightlifter i still had problems with what i think was low testosterone. My problem is i led a very stressful life, and from what i’ve read, prolonged stress (a couple years on and off) can be disasterous to testosterone, as it raises cortisol levels, which in turn kill alot of testosterone production.

In the past my best results have come when i have relaxed for weeks at a time and dint’ let stressors get to me, my guess is my T levels went back up. My question to everyone is, i’m going to make the effort ( i already lift weights and it makes a difference) to rid the stress from my life permanenly and raise my T levels, but will this have a detrimental effect on my hair?

from what i’ve read some people beleive it wouldn’t, i know increase of T means increase DHT, but i’d still be blocking the conversion, which could mean even more T levels. My T should go up. I was wondering everyone’s thoughts.
Joe said on November 6, 2010
tried procerin. it helped initially after 2 weeks i think but then started shedding. its been almost 4 months i’m still shedding. before that ive been on minoxidil for the past 2 years. started the procerin cus my hair started thinning despite using minoxidil. I stopped procerin today and replaced it with saw p 320 extract which i started taking today. Any1 ever used procerin ? and how was the effect?
James said on November 8, 2010
Ok everyone just a quick update…. my previous posts i had a couple theories. One was def reducing stress, but weird things with taking both saw and beta daily was i was getting some body weakness.

thing is even before i started taking them i think my T was low. So maybe while on them it affected my hormones somewhat.

I did some reasearch however and about 5-6 days ago, prior to my posts i had started taking zinc, magnesium, b6 supplement known as ZMA. Alot of bodybuilders starting using the stuff because it is shown to increase T levels.

So i read up even more, apparently alot of balding men are defficient in zinc. zinc has alot of functions in the body. One when combined with b6 it actually inhibits DHT. Also zinc itself has been shown to block the conversion of T to estrogen. Thus zinc helps create more free T in the body, which for a guy like me has seemed to help in a number of ways, and i have only been taking it for about a week. Body weakness is almost gone, hair still looks the same, i’m feeling alot better, alot more life. So i’m assuming its having a positive impact. It makes sense to me cause i remember originally when i had some sides when first taking the drug i was taking a multivitamin several times a day, then i stopped for some reason.

Its normal for a man to have some estrogen in the body, but excess estrogen, along with decrease in T ( or to much being converted) can cause an imbalance. things such as zinc and multivitamins at least for me have helped things start to come back into balance for me.

the only thing i worry about is if it could induce more shedding, cause the zinc and b6 again, prevent the conversion of dht and estrogen (from what i’ve read). But i’ll see where it goes from here. I’ll keep you all posted.
Samuel said on November 8, 2010
Hey I have been tracking my hair growth progress on youtube. I go under the username Nakutao on youtube. Anyways I have been taking beta-sitosterol from source naturals and saw palmetto from doctors best for about 3 months now and my hair I feel has much improved. It just doesn’t fall out like it use too! I also noticed that a spot along my hair line which was thinning has definitely improved. I also take other things like 1 tbsp of optimsm powder, fo ti, zinc, and eat a really healthy diet. I drink raw grass-fed milk. I share a lot of this stuff in my videos. I first learned and heard about beta sitosterol and saw palmetto here at this website and the fact that Widows Peak regrew his hair line really amazed me. I can say this though and that is by eating really healthy and taking all these herbs and nutrients I have really slowed down MPB cause my brothers both have it too and my one brother is 4 years older than me and has far less hair.. In fact both my brothers don’t even grow there hair long like I do.. so to me there is proof right there that taking good care of your body and taking these nutrients really does help improve your hair and your whole body/skin. I basically predict that if I keep taking beta sitosterol and saw palmetto everyday for 12 months I should see results like Windows Peak did and the cool thing is I am showing all this in videos and talking about it on You Tube which nobody else is that im aware off.. So i am pretty much being the guinea pig for everyone lol.. I really believe i have slowed down the MPB and i have hope that i can reverse it.. but the thing is guys if i dont at least im trying ya know and the thing is i will have my hair for a really long time cause i am slowing the aging process down by eating really healthy and everything.. i just hope i can encourage all you others out there to not lose hope and really give this a shot and stick to it!! its so important to stick to something and never give up! and im really strongly against taking any drugs cause personally i have never taken any drugs and i dont wanna have sexual side effects and all that garbadge.. id rather go bald then go impotent if u know what i mean.. i just think there is safe natural things we can do to help ourselves without suffering.. we were not meant to suffer and take weird toxic chemicals.. if you guys are interested we could all share our information and help each other out.. just go to my channel and subscribe and stay up to date with my progress. id love to hear from others or any other useful positive things
Zack said on November 8, 2010
andrew, I’m in the same boat as you. I’m 17 and my hair’s thinning noticeably n it freakin sucks. I started taking saw palmetto (4:1 extract…1000mg) twice a day on Sept 22, but today I bought some cuz last night I was reading this and I saw something about Standardized 85-95%, so I found that at Walmart and I’m gonna start taking it tonight, and then once in the morning and once at night.

Since I started on the first SP all I’ve noticed is more hair coming out and hairline moving back. Sucks. So i figured I’d try something else. I’ve also been taking 30mg of zinc and 2500mcg of Biotin. I’m almost out of biotin, so when that happens I’m gonna start using this multivitamin I bought…It only has 300mcg biotin though, so I’m kinda skiddish.

I’m also curious about this Beta Sitosterol but I couldn’t find it at walmart, anyone know where I can? Does it have to be online?

Also, would it be bad for me to take the multivitamin that has 15mg of zinc along with my zinc supplement of 30mg? I heard too much zinc can cause hair loss too
Greg said on November 9, 2010
i use 800mg of saw palmetto astaxanthin complex a day (night). finasteride ~1.25mg a day. (quarted 5mg pills). and i use generic rogane 5%. this works extremely well for me. takes ~3months to notice results. my hair grows like crazy doing this. thicker too. but i make sure i dont take anything else. the main goal here is to block 5ar. prevent testosterone converting into dihydrotestosterone.
Greg said on November 9, 2010
Guys remember, it takes hair a long time to grow. so when trying a new regimen you have to give it time. around 3-4 months to evaluate the results. and also remember the key thing you want to do here is block 5ar. do your research, find out all you can about 5ar and how testosterone is converted into dht. once you understand how this works it will be easier to weed through all the crap out there and save you lots of time and money. learn your 5ar blockers. but know that blocking 5ar also causes low libido. sorry no free lunches. blocking dht on the scalp is not very effective. you need to do it internally. best of luck.
andrew said on November 9, 2010
welll i have noticed like on and off shedding while taking high doses of beta sis and saw palmetto. so i have decided to take it down a notch and start taking beta sitosterol in 600 to 900 mg a day and take around the same amount of saw palmetto which is about 540 mg. my hair has not really gotten any thinner or thicker but instead it fluctuates and goes from thick to thin and back again on and off
Rob said on November 11, 2010
On late Sept to Oct I’m taking 375mg Beta Sitosterol once a day, sometimes half a tablet and didn’t notice any unusual shedding except my scalp was a bit oily and itchy.
Yes there are some short,fine velous hair growing here and there but not really that encouraging type of growth.Then on 25th Oct, I included Saw Palmetto- 2 x 320mg capsules twice daily and after a week notice massive shedding until now. My scalp is not oily like last month altough there is still some mild itch. I understanding from most users that these 2 stuffs can cause shedding for the first 2 mths or so before any real growth can magnifest,but I’m very fearful seeing this type of unusual shed daily. 70% of these are short and fine ones. I have drop beta sitosterol a few days back but still see the shed everyday. Now there is no doubt that these stuffs do work but then the questions are:Is this dosage too strong for my body? 2 x 320 SP and 1 x 375 BS daily? I think alot of us have questions on whether to take BS or SP alone or combine these 2 together and at what dosage.
Should I just take 1 x 320 SP and 1 x 187mg BS daily? Or drop BS and just concentrate on SP only?
Rob said on November 12, 2010
SUCKS! I have decided to stop Saw Palmetto for the time being and continue with Beta Sitosterol 375mg or reduced to half tablet 187mg. When on BS from late Sept to Oct no sheds at all, only a bit of rashes on my abs. Its only when I added SP 3 weeks ago this RIDICULOUS shedding starts.
How about Emu oil? I mean pure Emu certified by AEA. Anyone with positive experience in this?
Zack said on November 14, 2010
Ok so it’s been like a week since I started my new SP (2x150mg a day) and I’ve noticed a lottt more shedding. Like a lot a lot. I hope it’s a good thing.

I haven’t started taking Beta Sitosterol because idk where I can get it…anyone know where? Thanks.
Rob said on November 14, 2010
ZACK, mine is Source naturals 375mg ordered from iherb. For zinc, the 15mg daily is more than enough as too much zinc beyond this can cause hairloss in the long run as it destroys other minerals like iron and copper. My zinc tablet is 15mg +0.5mg copper bought locally. You can check out Jarrows zinc+1mg copper at iherb too.I’m very positive that those vellous hairs (still growing now) are the result of taking Beta Sitosterol since late sept. As for the massive shed from Saw palmetto, I believe I have overdosed and took it without food and empty stomach,definitely too strong for an asian built. I will cut down to 1 x 320mg a day and take with meals and maybe beta sitosterol to half tablet on Dec. I strongly advise everyone to take their supplements with full meals even though the bottle say its okay without meals.You never know what kind of chemical reactions you’ll get. Also I tried out Nizoral 1% last week and so far so good-no irritation or drying at all. For users who have issues from the 2%, the 1% will also the trick.
Ibz said on November 15, 2010
Hi everyone just started taking saw palmetto capsules as ive started to see my hair thin and im only 24. Does saw palmetto really work and what should i have alongside it?
Tom said on November 18, 2010
Hi Guys, Best of luck to everyone here. I have always obsessed about my hair as it started to recede from about the age of 20. Luckily I have lots of hair on top and can hide the temples. About 6 months ago my hair started to get a lot thinner (I’m now 38) and I’ve read every article and blog and researched like crazy to fight this. One guy I read about said he was going to be aggressive with his hair loss and fight it hard. I liked that thought and took to it with all I could. I use minoxidil, finasteride (1.25mg a day), Nizoral (once or twice a week) and a mixture of 3 shampoos (these have no sulphates and are rosemary,saw palmetto with biotin and peppermint). This mixture of shampoos thickens my hair like nothing else and believe me I’ve tried them all. I mix them together and the results are superb. Every other day I take saw palmetto (it is a prostate formula that has stinging nettle and pumpkin seed and zinc and selenium etc). One thing that I do- I do not recommend this- this is what I’ve done and my responsibility- is mix finasteride ie crush 6 pills- 5 mg each into a 60ml bottle of Minoxidil. I also have a scalp derma roller which helps to deliver the mixture into the scalp. So, I’ve been doing this for 2 months exactly and my hair is really thick and I can see hair at the temples starting to grow. I’ve had no sides apart from a few days early on with slight ache in the testicles and more oil on the face. Best of luck to everyone. Ps- I had a candida overgrowth in my gut around 8 months ago then my hairloss started soon after. I regularly take herbs for this and I believe candida is the root cause of a lot of things- lethargy, brain fog and hair loss to name a few. I could go on for hours but nuff said.
James said on November 20, 2010
Most recently i have stopped taking the beta sis, i still take the saw palmetto 320mg standardized extract once per day. I also have added zinc. I take about 50-60 mg zinc a day in the form o ZMA and multivitamin. I do this because even before saw pal i thought i had low T, so i want to balance my hormones more. the thing is, obviously there is no definete study on saw palmetto, but some studies saw it is comparable to some prescription meds that do the same thing. My questioning is, just in my own case, was the beta sis causing some overkill? Maybe i only need the saw pal. Hair on the saw pal for 9 months looks better than it did in years. However i have had some sides like body weakness and such using both the saw pal and betat sis. I originally saw results the first month i took saw pal by itself, but then added teh beta sis every other day.

My understanding is that by eliminating dht its possible for the body to start converting T to estrogen more than one would like. thats kind of the problem with some of these pills, i personally think they are just as effective as the prescription meds, but each individual is different when it comes to dosage. thats what we need to find out.

Thats why i added zinc, zinc not only supposedly inhibits dht to an extent, but it also blocks the aromatase enzime which converts T to estrogen. So i figured it def should have its benefits similar to the beta sis, but more helpful in the estrogen department. if the body isn’t converting T to DHT and estrogen, that means more free T in the body. Alot of weightlifters aim for the same goals, obviously increased testosterone means better performance at the gym.

So again out of nowhere about a month ago i started having some body weakness all over, i think it partially had to do with my bad eating habits, and also i stopped taking my multivitamin months back. I had still lifted alot. However daily activities can deplete us of essential minerals is what i read. So im back on my multivitamin, zinc and saw pal. I’ve been for 2 weeks and have seen a slight improvement. So i will continue to take these as i realize it could take a while to get my hormones back into balance. Will keep everyone posted.
Andrew said on November 23, 2010
i defintiely overdosed with this stuff. i hvae been using saw palmetto and beta sis for about 8 months now and i realize that too little of DHT is probably being made and that increase estrogen. i am decreasing my doase to 380 mg of saw palmetto extract a day as well as 600 mg of beta sitosterol a day. this should do the trick. my hairloss has been at a stand still because ill notice a massive shedding than regrowth but it always stays the same it never gets better or worse except for when its shedding and regrowing. i have expermiented with doasges over these 8 months and probably the thickest hair ive had was a couple of months around september or so because i varied my doasge like so: I took 900 mg of beta sitosterol a day along with around the same amount of saw palmetto for 1 month, than i lowered it to 600 mg of beta sitosterol and 500 mg of saw plametto a day. I think the high dosages for a while cause hormonal imbalance which also cause hair loss when your hormones rapidly change. so i am going to stick with this lower dosage until something goes wrong but i think this should be just fine for me as of right now until i start lifting again where than ill increase it to 900 mg of beta sitosterol and 760 mg of saw palmetto
Rob said on November 24, 2010
I have also cut down Saw Palmetto to 320mg and beta sitosterol to 190mg day(all taken with meals) That 3 weeks of ridiculous “out of this earth” shedding have reduced greatly overnight. For those who have experience massive shedding with Saw Palmetto, it can also be an overdosed, not necessary your hair growing cycle. No matter how safe or natural, you have to take them with precaution. These are herbal medications-not food! Now is the waiting game-I’ll stick with them,together with Nizoral 2% and Emu oil for another 3 months and see whether those vellous hair will thicken…
matt5 uk said on November 24, 2010
hi fellas, iv started to use saw palmetto this week, holland and barrett stuff, and will take the recommended dose of 1800mg per day (thats four capsules daily – powder, not extract). i hav also started to take holland and barrett mega vitamins for hair (three tablets daily, recommended dose by holland and barrett). i dn’t want to use Beta Sitosterol straight away as i think too many new things at once will shock my body. i don’t have time to put stuff on my head daily, so won’t be using anything else, although I should point out that i do not use supermarket shampoos or gels (or anything with sodium laureth sulfate, sodium chloride, propylene glycol etc) and haven’t for about a couple of years. i also eat alot of fish, brown rice, veg etc, healthy stuff. my dad and grandad hav lost their hair, and my hair has been slowly thinning since around age 21 (i am now 25). My crown has steadily got thinner in the last couple of years, i think my healthy lifestyle has helped slow things down a bit, but now i notice a fair bit of shedding, and my receding hairline has started to kick in (worse on right side). im now fed up with brushing around everyday trying to hide how thin it is! im inspired by andrew to try these herbs, not keen on the idea of using propecia or minioxidil so it seems a good place to start.
il post back every month with updates.
TE said on November 30, 2010
Hi guys, i agree this balding thing sucks. Everyone knows alot about these remedies to block DHT formation but it seems like alot of you are freaking out when a shed occurs soon after trialing something new, this might be a good thing!

You probably all know the hair runs in cycles: Growth [Anagen 2-7 years], Transition [Catagen 2–3 weeks] Rest [Telogen 3-4 months]. Unfortunately the growth stage Anagen is shortened, and the Telogen phase is lengthened by the impact of DHT. But catagen pretty much stays the same and lasts for about 2–3 weeks while a club hair is formed (the little white bulbs at the end of your hair). Once this process is complete, your hair (telogen phase) will sit dormant but secured in the follicle for around 3 months (unless you pull it out or handle hair roughly). Typically the telogen hair is shed when a new anagen hair is pushing it out. That, or you hair follicle will shed the hair and remain in telogen for a longer period of time due to DHT.

If you add all these cycles up, you can only really assess your success at around 3 – 4 months after your started a new regimen.

I’m 26 and have TE (telogen effluvium) at the moment, induced by accutane, coupled with early MPB. I have lost about 60% of scalp hair diffusely, but this will grow back at around 6 – 8 months post stopping treatment i’m told (possible with thinner hair due to DHT). It’s been 3 months since stopping treatment and I’m still shedding. I didn’t start shedding until 4 months into my course. What TE has taught me is that it takes a long time for hair to literally fall out because of the way it cycles.

If your hair falls out today, it stopped growing 3 – 4 months ago.
Patrick said on December 1, 2010
I’ve been using finasteride for many years which halted hair loss. However, ive been living in another country for 5 years where finasteride is available over the counter. Im now back in the UK and it’s prescription only and my supply has run out. To cut a long story short i’ve not been able to get replacements so i decided to use Saw Palmetto which i already knew was rumoured to act in the same way. Ive been taking 450mg of Holland and Barrett Saw Palmetto extract now for 3 weeks and i have to say im worried. Ive already started to notice severe thinning in areas of my scalp that had strong hair. Im quite lucky that although the crown is patchy, the rest of my head can disguise this and only under the brightest lights does it look bad. Since ive started to use Saw Palmetto however, the front sides and middle definitely show signs of thinning and i don’t think im being paranoid.. ………….. so my question [having read some of the references to shedding] is, should i stick by this treatment or should i bust a gut to try and get hold of some propecia/finasterise? Any feedback/help would be most welcome, as after years of stability, seeing my hair start to thin again is a nightmare !!!!!!
patrick said on December 1, 2010
Interesting i wrote an article earlier saying how i’d run out of finasteride tablets and started using saw palmetto 450mg x2 daily. The point of my article was that me hair had started thinning again and the it wasn’t working. However, the article has been deleted……….. This is strange as i asked a question as to time and shedding. All comments should be up for discussion. if saw palmetto is working for others that’s great, but i’ve only been using it for 3 weeks since my finasteride tablets ran out and my crown has already started thinning badly after years of halting it with proscar,……….. worried. All help appreciated !!
Rob said on December 4, 2010
Patrick,this is my personal experience and opinion. I believe those abnormal shedding may partly be an overdosed of Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol. 4 weeks ago I started SP 320mg twice a day on empty stomach and experienced massive shedding. Then I reduced to 320mg and BS to 185 mg a day with full meals and is ok now. You may also try spreading the dosage at 3 x 160mg a daily with full meals.
I may increase back my dosage but only take with full meals.
I will also add Rosemary oil and Fo Ti shou wu next week as there are good evidence on Fo ti is a strong dht blocker and positive feedback on this stuff. For me, I believe in reversing MPB testing/using multiple sources-SP, BS, Fo ti,rosemary oil,emu oil… No fantastic results yet after 2 mths of BS/SP but there are alot of vellous hair growing and some lot really grows longer now but slow. I wish I had known this stuffs ten years ago.
dale said on December 7, 2010
which one is get more dosage
puritanSAW PALMETTO Standardized Extract 320 mg or
puritan Saw Palmetto 4:1 extract .(Serenoa repens) (berry) (*Equivalent to 1,000 milligrams of Saw Palmetto)
Derek said on December 8, 2010
Go with the standardized Extract 320 mg.
Nick said on December 9, 2010
Has anyone heard of the product below?:

http://maxahair.com/ingredients/

Anyway I have been taking it for a week now. I alot more shedding then before. I have most of my hairline and on the crown. I am just getting overall thinning of the top of the head. I have read posts. Hopefully it stops shedding soon and grows hair.
Jay said on December 13, 2010
I really think people should stick with the recommended dosages for saw palmetto. Taking 1000mg of that stuff is absurd and most likely unsafe. I’d stick with taking 160 or 320mg if youre gonna take it. just a word to the wise….
dale said on December 14, 2010
if Beta Sitosterol more likely to cause impotence than Saw Palmetto, many people said they have some side effcet, i wonder if i use the saw palmetto alone will be more safe?
Nick said on December 24, 2010
I have been using the above product for a month now and still notice some shedding. Its hard to tell, but I see a lot more thinner hairs in my scalp. I don’t know if this strong hairs becoming smaller or small hairs becoming stronger. Trying to understand this hair growth cycle a little better.

I did notice that the maxahair product that I mentioned before changed there website as well as the ingredients in the product I bought. Now they have this new product that has completely changed the ingredients as well as not include BS in it anymore.

I am both concerned and angry that I bought the previous version (can now be sold as a single bottle at the bottom of the site). So did they find the old solution not effective? Why did they remove BS?
Daniel said on January 3, 2011
Hi guys,
is it safe to have 1800mg (Serenoa repens)(berries) Powder form of Saw Palmetto daily?
It states that upto 1800mg is recommended dosage by Holland and Barretts but im doubtful.

Cheers and Happy New Yearrs!
Joe K said on January 4, 2011
Hey guys,

I’m 21 turn 22 in one month and I have been experiencing some hairloss for about a year now but I wouldn’t say it’s severe. My hairline has receded around the temples maybe 3 cm but have not experienced much hairloss anywhere else. I have noticed that my hair is not as thick overall tho. I would say I lose anywhere from 20-30 hairs every time I shower, although I only notice around 10-15. I shower twice a day, so I assume I lose anywhere from 60-100 hairs a day (my family Dr told me 200). According to my research on the internet thats what the average human loses a day but that seems a little bogus to me. I’ve asked numerous guys my age and they don’t see more than 5-10 a day. I feel like I am experiencing DHT because the hairs I do lose are thin, short (usually around 1-2 inches and my strong strands are around 3 1/2), almost blonde color strands and I have brown hair. The good thing is that besides myself, the only other people that notice that my hair looks a little bit thinner is my girlfriend of 3 years and my Mom.

I first noticed my hair falling out when I was almost 21, and didn’t think too much of it until now. The past 4 months I have been using NIOXIN shampoo and conditioner twice a day. I do not notice any improvement or acceleration in hairloss. Also The past two months I have been taking biotin. I do not know if this is improving my hair, but I do know I have to cut my nails more often So I assume it’s doing some sort of help. But I want to have a thicker head of hair, and I feel like if I do the right things I can get it back since I am catching this early.

I was prescribed to propeesha (can’t type the real name because it says its spam) but I have not started taking it, due to the fact that it’s a banned drug by the NCAA and I do not want to resort to medication yet. ALthough I do have a script and it would be totally fine for me to take.

I want to give Saw Palmetto a shot, and after reading many of your post maybe BS, but since I haven’t been experiencing MPB that long that it might be overkill.

I’m 6 foot 220 lbs. I eat relatively healthy, maybe a little bit too much red meat, which I plan on cutting back on. I have heard that hormonal treated meat can speed up hair loss. But eat lots of vegetables and fruits. I work out and run 4 times a week. I am a stonger guy so I assume I produce more testosterone than most (bench 330, squat and deadlift over 500 lbs) I play baseball so working out and staying fit is a big part of my life. The season is coming up so I should be slowing down on my lifting. My dad is bald, but my Mom’s brothers all have full heads of hair. hopefully I got that chromosome. Besides that the only other supplements I take are glucosomine, the occasional aleve, and lots of protein.

My question to you guys is how much SP should I take? Should I add BS as well? Should I go ahead and start my Propecia?

Also I have heard that, for lack of better words, pleasuring yourself too much can speed up hairloss? I mean I gotta get mine and keep the lady friend happy, but I can give the right hand a rest if it means my head will stay warm during winter til atleast age 30.

I apologize for such a long post, any responses would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
Joe
francisco said on January 5, 2011
After reading all of these posts I am optimistic that my hair will get thicker. I’m 24 years old and started losing my hair at 18. I just purchased Saw Palmetto and take 100mg a day. I also ordered MSM 1000mg capsules, shampoo, and Beta Sitosterol 350mg. Hopefully I start seeing results soon! However, the shedding part scares me… I will continue to update this.
Marcus said on January 11, 2011
Hi guys,
anyone know from experience or knowledge (not from looking at one website) of the effectiveness of taking evening primrose oil for hair loss and whether it would be ok to take it with saw palmetto at the same time?

Cheerio.
P.S. francisco, good luck with that, though having read the comments above B.S and S.P seem to exacerbate the problem.
Ben said on January 11, 2011
Joe, pleasuring yourself won’t make you lose anymore hair. Also, I would start with just SP to see how it goes. I take 1400mg a day and have lost a lot of weak hairs causing my hairline to go back a little but have noticed tons of new hairs coming back in to replace them. Since you are bigger maybe start out at 900mg or 1000mg and see how that goes. I know the numbers seem high but most bottles I have seen say a serving is usually 900-1400mg. Daniel, i think 1800mg is ok since I use close to the same. Marus, I haven’t had experience with primrose oil but I know essentials oils are very helpful in hair growth and regrowth. Primrose oil does have omega fatty acids which are great for hair health so I think it would help more than hurt. Saw Palmetto plus primrose oil seems like a good combo! I personally use emu oil and saw palmetto. =)
Thierry said on January 11, 2011
Thats all really helpful thanks to everyone for posting your experiences, brilliant forum! I took one pill of the finasteride stuff and felt its effect on my stomach and my body instantly and knew it was bad news for the longer term so Im back to exploring the natural ways… I just wanted to add that one piece of information I got about the hereditory aspect of it is that genetically speaking one inherits the MBP from one’s mother father quite often… Ill try some of the recommendations on here thanks again all!
nick said on January 12, 2011
i have been taking this maxahair for two months now and still mainly see shedding. Hopefully it is working.
John said on January 16, 2011
There doesn’t seem to be anyone on this site who has been on this stuff for a long time (over a year) to tell if they really work, plus the owner has been MIA for a few years now! Could all this have killed him!? I was thinking of using these supplements along with resveratrol and curcumin but all this will cost me a fortune and I would even be sure it is working…
somedude said on January 16, 2011
Hey guys, interesting to read these posts, however I get the creeping feeling that some people are here to discourage the more natural remedies in order to steer you towards the more expensive drugs. Be careful what info you take in.
Okay, so I’m in my early 20s have been slowly balding for about 4 years now, it’s at a point where it maybe be noticable soon. I was previously taking Proscar every day for robably about a year, didn’t really notice any regrowth really, but it did seem to slow down the hair loss. As this was too expensive I quit that and have decided to take just Saw Palmetto. I am taking the same as MattUK above, just started yesterday so I will update every now and again to let you know how it goes.
Derek said on January 17, 2011
John,
I have been on this stuff for 14 months now (beta sitosterol). I truly believed i was getting benefits from it, but now I am second guessing this as I also use Nizoral. It could be a combo of both, i’m not sure. I am also looking thinner on top for the last 3-4 months and I have never had any thinning (besides slightly receding hairline). I now may go to more extensive treatment, but am going to wait another few months before doing so to see if it comes back. All in all it could just be a shedding period (hope to God at least), because I know several other guys on here experience the same thing. Sorry if this doesn’t help much, but if you read my earlier posts you’ll see I was pretty happy with the results….now I’m kinda depressed about them.
Derek said on January 18, 2011
Btw, I will make sure to constantly keep you guys updated on how this is going. Hopefully my hair comes back again and looks better than ever. I wish the best for all of you as well, but in the long run if this doesn’t work hopefully we all just happen to look really cool with shaved heads.
MMC said on January 19, 2011
Hi John,
I’ve been on Saw Palmetto for almost a year (Standardized Extract 320 mg soft gel). I’ve also been on Beta Sis for about four months (Natural Source 375mg).
I generally take Beta Sis on an empty stomach as I’ve read when taken with food its affects for hair are reduced due to its reduction of Omega 3, Vitamin E & C absorption. Essentially Beta Sis is designed to lower cholesterol by inhibiting fat absorption this is why when taken just before a meal it will reduce your fat intake along with other minerals.
I use to take Saw Palmetto 1 hour after a main meal or lunch.

I stopped taking both about two months and a half ago, and my hair hasn’t changed from what I and other people can tell, neither has the shedding changed. I haven’t washed my hair with shampoo for over six months and it’s been the healthiest it’s ever been. I only wash it with water and a boar brush to remove dead hair and spread the oil around.

From my experience I don’t believe Saw Palmetto or Beta Sis to have enough or any effect to reverse or stop MPB. If it does have any affect I think its mild, and pushing higher dosages isn’t recommended. If I could find tests or independent studies then I would change my mind.

I moved onto some more supplements when I came off Saw Palmetto and Beta Sis – I made sure these supplements were chelated vitamins as this extends absorption to 90%. There are a limited amount of receptors in the stomach and vitamins often compete for absorption so taking them all together is pointless.

Biotin – 5mg a day spread out

GLA – 1mg a day

Folic Acid – 1mg a day spread

Vitamin C – 1000mg a day spread

Chlorella – 3mg a day

And of course the most important, a varied healthy diet with plenty of raw veg and fruit along with regular of exercise.
I wish taking a few supplements was enough to halt baldness, but it seems that the balding chromosome is one tough sh@t.
Tim A said on January 19, 2011
Hi,

I am looking for some help/experiences of saw palmetto. I started to notice my hairloss about 2 months ago when I was experiencing a lot of shedding, notably in the shower. I bought a three month supply of Pro P..(You know the stuff) but decided not to touch it due to the medical side effects and the recent bad news it experienced in the UK. The main area I noticed hairloss was on my left temple where the “temple point” was beginning to go.

I opted for a combination of 320mg of standardized extract of Saw Palmetto (85-95% fatty acids and sterols) for the hairloss and a Once a day Ginkgo Bilboa tablet for circulation. I do not think it has caused a reduction in libido although I do worry my manhood is not as strong although this could be in my head. After about two weeks I noticed less shedding which was great and then after three weeks I noticed that I had more tiny dark and light hairs on my hairline. I am unsure whether these are new hairs or short old ones, but I hope they are new. After three weeks I introduced Nizoral 2% which seemed to make my hair wirey and almost greasy when I put wax on it. I did not use this a lot but since using it I have noticed spots in my temple region and little bumps on my head that itch.

From weeks 3.5-5.5 I have noticed an increase in shedding from the head. The shedded hair seem to have white bulbs on the bottom of them which is quite worrying. My hair all over the top of my head (Not back and sides) is thinning so that you can see my scalp and my crown is starting to appear (Something that I have never worried about before). The crown feels very tight, almost like it is sunburnt but I am unsure whether this is the Niz or not.

I am now in two minds:
1: is this not working and causing hair loss which will eventually speed up mpb so badly that it is incredibly recognisable.
2: This will begin to stop now and thicker hair will grow in a similair manner to that of Propecia.

Can anyone help? How long does it take for noticeable differences to take place as I am thinking of ditching my regime due to this hairloss, although I have read reviews that this can happen and then it grows back better and stronger. And then there are reviews of people just shedding for 6 months and leaving it as it ruined their hair making it worse.

Im really looking for some advice as I cant continue to think about it 24/7, inspect every hair that falls and search the internet hourly. It has to stop.

Tim

P.S I have been drinking 3 cups of Darjeeling black tea and taking Wellman Multivitamins daily. SawP and Gingko with breakfast, Multivit with lunch!
Derek said on January 19, 2011
I hate to say it Tim, but nizoral is probably one of the reasons I still have good hair. I use the 1% stuff about 3-4 times a week. I do know that using the 2% more than two or three times a week can cause a serious shed and dry hair. Also when I used saw palmetto, I shed badly after the first month or so. I mean it was scary as hell rubbing my hands through wet hair, looking at them and seeing hair all over. It did stop and regrew thicker, but then I switched to Beta Sitosterol because it was stronger. Eventually I dropped saw palmetto and was getting good results (bad shedding, and then better hair). Recently I went through an unbelievably bad shed, and my hair looks considerably thinner, I am just praying that it comes back (it should). I just buzzed my head to a #6 and now when I use two mirrors my crown looks awful. I never had a noticeable thinning hair problem before, just a slight receding hairline. I have to say man, I sympathize with you…hair loss just sucks and it makes you obsessive. Sometimes I think constantly surfing hair loss sites is part of why we all freak out so badly. It seems like when I am not on them for a couple months I feel much better. Know that if it does get to the point where you can’t bare to lose any more hair you can always use those you know what pills. It sucks, but that is definatly gonna work alot better….I can’t believe i’m even considering it myself. Like I said before though, I am gonna put a few more months into this and see what it gets me. By that time I should be where widowspeak was in seeing results. All in all Tim, definatly don’t quit saw just yet, you should have a regrowth cycle soon, and if you think you may be using nizoral too much, either get the 1% or cut down to 1 time a week. I’ll keep you all posted.
Tim A said on January 20, 2011
Thanks Derek.

So how long does the regrowth take? One thing I am noticing is a sharp pain in my head like a pin prick. When I gently pull the hair in that area it simply comes out with a big White bulb on it. TE possibly?! I’m not used to total thinning and quite worried.

I’m also concerned that the hair on the temples, the fine vellus hair, is not new but potentially thinning/weakening. Hairless expert forums all have people just noticing shedding on SP. Views?!

Tim
MMC said on January 21, 2011
Tim,

The white bulb you are seeing on the end of the hair is very normal and nothing to be concerned about. In the final stages of a hairs life it will detach from the follicle and remain anchored within the scalp were a white bulb will form on the end of the hair.
It generally sits there until a new hair pushes it out.
Feeling a sharp pain is very normal because you pulling it out of your head. Some hairs that you pull out will have a black bulb on the end, this is because they are still fixed to follicle and still growing. Every hair goes through this cycle and all the hairs you will see fall out will 99.9% of the time have a white bulb on the end.

You have to remember though, the hairs that are already detached from the follicle sitting in your head have been like this for a long time, and will not be affected by taking supplements, because essentially they are dead.

If Saw Palmetto or Beta Sis have any effects then generally you won’t find out for a considerable amount of time. Re-strengthening follicles and thickening hair using natural products requires patients as they are mild in comparison to the junk that’s manufactured for quick results.

There are a number of supplements that you can take along side SP/BS to aid in the thickening of hair shafts and preservation of follicles – this doesn’t just apply to your head though.
Tim A said on January 21, 2011
Cheers.

The pain seems to come on and off. Iv definately noticed an over all thinning of my scalp and sides but Im hoping to forget it and hope for regrowth. Its just concerning when your crown begins to show at 23 all of a sudden and this has never been an issue before.

I was hoping it was a short case of TE that should be fixed within 2 months. Its just washing my hair I thought I would count hairs to see if it was this, from one application of shampoo I counted 40 hairs. I get a warm sensation around the crown now with potential loss.

One question I do have is that if Im losing all this hair, how long does it take for the new hair to manifest and grow out of the skin.

Tim
MMC said on January 21, 2011
Tim,

Normally the hair you are losing, provided that you’re not pulling it out or treating it roughly, have been pushed out by new hair that’s are emerging from the scalp. given the rate that new hair grows at (around about 0.5mm a day), you should start to see new hairs emerging fairly frequently and after a couple of months things should return to normal – provided it was a period of unusual shedding.

One thing to you should try to avoid is counting hairs and monitoring quantities when showering. This will just make things feel worse.
I’ve been supplementing and trying to restoring my hair for over year and I wash my hair with water once a week. Every week I end up with a hair ball the size of a ping pong ball. At first I was terrified!
This has been happening every week for over a year and my hair looks no different.
As a note, I have long curly hair, full coverage but it’s a bit thinner than it used to be.
So don’t get caught up in shedding and amounts of hair because it’s a game that plays on your mind and gives you false results.
I noticed my hair thinning a bit when I was 21 and I thought that was it, game over before 25! Now I’m 27 and its all still there… for now.
The genetics of MPB can skip generations by the way. Apparently there is a 50% chance of taking on the MPB chromosome so it doesn’t always follow suit.

MSM, GLA, Biotin, Vitamin E along with a healthy diet and exercise will thicken the hair shaft and cause it to grow strong and fast and improove scalp circulation. MSM is the only supplement I can find tests on that thickened shaft diameter.
Tim A said on January 21, 2011
MMC thank you. As you well know its quite a worrying time so thanks for the advice! Part of me thinks Im becoming a little OCD about all of this and that must stop.

My older brother is ten years ahead of me and he has a good head of hair, the only thing being his sides have gone, i.e. from his side burns up to his head. So I think that is my course which isn’t that bad. Its just this thinning thats worrying.

Thanks for the advice.

Tim
MMC said on January 21, 2011
No worries Tim. It’s very easy to develop OCD over something like this, it’s almost difficult not to. I still get it sometimes.

It sounds like you have nothing to worry about if you brother has all his hair. Everybody loses a bit but generally it levels out.
Derek said on January 22, 2011
Yeah Tim if there’s one thing I can relate to its being OCD about losing hair. It’s funny because if you saw me you would never know, and when i tell people about it they laugh in my face and say I’m crazy. Also, from my experience with shedding it seems to take between 2-4 months (sucks I know) for regrowth. For example, I just had a major….and I mean major shed back in November arouind thanksgiving. My hair has never been thinning, but for the last couple months it’s been noticeable to me. I could easily have topped your 40 hair count in the shower on any given day. I was freaking out mentally and praying to God I would see it come back. Within the last few weeks, I stopped shedding like that. Now I count about 5-10 max in the shower (which is acually considered low). I’m guessing that in the next month my hair should be thick as hell again. Like MMC said, do NOT count hairs if you can help it. He is absolutly right in the fact that it will make you insane, and even make you think your hair looks worse than it does. Honestly Tim I will be shocked if you continue to just lose hair like that. Even in the most rapid cases of MPB that I have seen (two of my friends), it didn’t happen over night. It’s a slow tortureous process 9 times out of 10. Twenty years down the road you may look back and realize you didn’t have a thing to worry about.
Dean said on January 23, 2011
Hi, i though i would share my experience over the past 3 months in stopping my hairloss. I’m 39 have gradually been loosing my hair since 20. Three months ago i decided to have a sauna every 2nd day as my body sweat was oily.
After the 3rd sauna my hairloss has completely stopped and my sweat is usually watery , not oily. Also drink lots of water to cleans my body.

My hair is thicker and healther looking but little regrowth.
I also do situps twice a day and gently massage my scalp , also using ginko and Nizoral 1% twice a week

Unsure about using Saw Palmetto or Beta Sis to regrow my hair as very mixed results. Have heard promising results with stem cell liquid regarding regrowth from a herbalist friend but not much info on the net

Any regrowth suggestions welcome
Tim A said on January 23, 2011
Cheers.

I do worry as it is noticeably thinner which obviously shows in my temple regions. Does anyone know how long Saw palmetto generally takes to kick in and spark regrowth, better coverage?! As I have only been taking it for about 6 weeks now and the hairloss started before that I am unsure if it will help. The one thing I have noticed is I get a sharp pain behind my ears and this is where I can easily take hair from my head without even pulling.
MMC said on January 24, 2011
Derek,

Its funny that you say when you tell people they laugh. This is exactly what i get all the time. I tell my friends my hair looks thin and they call me insane and they cant understand why i think that. I’m sure their wrong, maybe i hide it well.

Dean, that’s interesting with what you mentioned about stem cell liquid. I saw an article the other day where some group in the US had identified that when hair thins out and stops growing the follicle is still alive and can be revived. They were using stem cell liquid to revive them.
Dean said on January 25, 2011
Derek,

Hi, stem cell idea looks promising, costs approx $60 for 2 months supply.

Can update more info in a week of so after catching up with friend who mentioned the idea.
Tim A said on January 25, 2011
I also heard this, US Pensilvania university found hair follicles are still alive just very thinned thus suggesting if the hair can be thickened and growth cycles extend hair could be Regrown. I give it three years for an expensive regrowth treatment to be on the Market.

Tim
Derek said on January 26, 2011
I did see that on the news. I guess from what they said they found that there was no difference in hair follicle count for men with mpb and men with no mpb at all (well besides the general difference anyway). They basically discovered that the follicles had stopped producing and through stem cell research they should be able to regenerate them in the next ten years (which buys us some time!). Hopefully they don’t decide to be pricks and ask a rediculous price for the procedure. It seemed from what I heard that they are trying to stick it to the hairloss companies, which I can’t wait to see the day those people lose all their business that they had obtained only by playing off of our fear. I mean imagine just going in and getting a quick operation or vaccine (covered by insurance) and never worrying about this again! Stuff like P and R (you know) will never sell a single bottle of overpriced garbage for as long as they live. Just think positive guys.
Btw Tim and Dean,
No offense, but I really hope you guys are wrong about it being expensive. (although there is a good chance you are absolutely right!)
Secret Man said on January 29, 2011
Hey, if you guys are having trouble with libido, try adding nettle root (not leaf) to your daily routine, it helps block DHT, increasing free testos.

Going to get that nizoral shampoo stuff taking multi vitamin/mineral, beta sito 225mg day.

Taking beta for DHT mainly taking nettle root for the libido and added benefit as a DHT blocker

Hair is all ok around the sides and back, but into the top where hair has been falling out all over randomly for about a year and half. That’s not really the normal MPB like on the sides e.t.c., but I’m going to give this a go……quit drinking, only eating healthily now too. I might even take half a beta pill a day, I don’t want any hormonal issues, I’ll see how it goes.
Jack said on February 2, 2011
I’m 22 and I’ve been losing my hair for close to 10 months now, although it wasn’t until I started growing my hair long for the first time in, well, ever… that I made the startling discovery that my hair was much thinner on the top than on the sides and back (short hair really creates an illusion). There really is no telling when it started.

So far I have been EXTREMELY hesitant to try anything at all. The dreaded P-word drug has side effects that I just don’t want to risk, and minoxidil is such an expensive treatment that I don’t want to be tied to for the rest of my life. As of now, the only “treatments” I’ve tried is switching to a sulfate-free shampoo, and taking 2500mcg of Biotin every day (I’m only on day two for that). The shampoo change hasn’t really done anything, and it’s way too early to see if biotin had any effect. I’m told it could take around 4-5 weeks.

I would be less reluctant to try every herbal remedy I could, but so far any DHT-blocker out there has that potential risk of killing my libido, which I can’t even fathom happening. So far I’ve only observed that very few of people have succumbed to these side effects, possibly attributed to taking too much of it, or the fact that they had too little testosterone to begin with (which I’m told is an entirely different testosterone-related cause of MPB). I haven’t had a blood test in a long while, so I cannot tell whether my testosterone is too high or low, although I do have an enormous amount of body hair, so that could be a clear way to tell.

I’ve scheduled a blood test to see if I have high, low, or normal testosterone levels, as well as a vitamin check to see if I am deficient in anything. Only then will I start a regiment of saw palmetto or beta-sis.
Derek said on February 2, 2011
Hey have any of you guys tried Nano Shampoo? I am looking into this right now. It is expensive, but from what I have been reading on hair loss sites it has really helped some people. Supposedly this can regrow hair, and at the least stopped it for alot of people. I am planning on adding this to my Beta Sitosterol and Nizoral combo. I also decided I am going to pick up saw palmetto again. Anyone try Nano and get anything? And no, I don’t mean for a month or two, I mean at least 6 months to a year. Thanks.
Secret Man said on February 3, 2011
I tell you this, if i have beta then the next day or even the evening it does effect my libido, even just 1 pill (225mg i think). If I take 2 pills of nettle root (800mg), after about 4 hours it’s the complete opposite.

I don’t know what to do, maybe crush the beta up and put it in my shampoo?

Also on the bottle of nizoral it says only use every 4-5 days ish, so how many days a week do you use it.

Finally, ive noticed if I have sex I loose more hair than if I don’t.

What to do!
Secret Man said on February 3, 2011
Just read this below from an article…I think that’s why a lot of people have increased hair loss on a big scale due to too much beta and too much 5 finger shuffles if you know what I mean. I’m taking too much then, probably go down to a quarter of a pill now spread out morning and evening, which boils down to a nibble lol !!!

One research study tested 26 males aged between 23 and 65 with mild to moderate hair loss. They were given 50 mg. of beta sitosterol a day for four months. At the end of four months, 60% of the subjects were rated as having improved hair growth and none of the men experienced a worsening of hair loss. (Source: Nelson Prager, “Effectiveness of Botanically Derived Inhibitors of 5AR in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia.” Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, Volume 8, Number 2, April 2002))

Read more: How to Regrow Hair Naturally | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5195799_regrow-hair-naturally.html#ixzz1CwPtfvaP
steve smith said on February 6, 2011
Hi im steve im in my 50s have been looseing my hair for years, but still got alot of hair on. ive just started takeing saw palmetto, can anyone tell me which is the best to take, and what dosage,

steve
Jack said on February 6, 2011
Hi there,
lot’s of good stuff here.
Been using 300mg SP and 400mg BS for a month and have noticed some shedding, though the two trials floating around have used either 50mg or 100mg of BS a day with good results. Will cute the dose down.

I’m more interested in not shampooing (often) and essential oils. Here’s a list I’ve developed:
Essential: Lavender, Peppermint, Sage, Ylang ylang, Cedarwood, thyme
Carrier: Jojoba, Evening primrose, Coconut, Rosehip, Grapeseed
(this may be overkill).
If using the oils every day, how would you degrease without shampooing?
I’m also a keen advocate of apple cider vinegar, and have heard that this can break down grease (and grow hair), so that may work as a rinse, though I’m dubious.
Will let you know how it turns out, and good luck!
Derek said on February 7, 2011
Hey I just wanted to let you guys know that after my last shed (about 3 months back), my hair is getting thicker! I had posted a month ago or so complaining of thinning hair which was something I’m not used to (just receding). Going on 15 months of beta sitosterol, I decided to stick with it for a while longer. The shed that I experienced from Beta and Nizoral was shocking. I could literally shake my hair over the sink and watch it drop. The scariest part was all the mpb areas (crown, above temples, etc.) took the most damage. This made me think I was just losing hair and not just shedding. Unless my eyes are deceiving me, my hair truly is coming back thicker. One thing that really helped bring it in was olive/coconut oil; something I had always heard of, but never tried. I am also adding revita shampoo to my list rather than nano because nano seems to have to many chemicals. I am a little nervous though because while revita seems to help in the long run, it causes an awful shed in the beginning. All in all, in three months I will be at where widowspeak was when he saw noticable improvement. I continue to let you guys know where this takes me.
Derek said on February 7, 2011
Btw, I wanted to know if you had any progress Andrew. You seem to have disappeared and I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad haha. I’m pretty sure out of anyone on this forum you and I have been on this stuff the longest. Has anyone else been using beta for over 15 months? Any results?
Glenn said on February 7, 2011
I am 48 y.o. – I read recently Saw Palmetto works for the type of male pattern baldness where there is hair loss on the top of the scalp. I have a fairly good head of hair for my age despite the patch and started the Saw Palmetto Berry extract – I read the other types had little or no effectiveness. I will up the green tea drinking, be more vigilant about a multivitamin and hold off on the beta sis for now. I will try the Nizoral. A woman I know says egg is good for the hair, so I may try that. I tend to over shampoo – daily, so may cut that back dramatically and permanently once my shampoo is near gone, in case someone else needs to use it. I don’t really want to smell like vinegar or garlic, women are turned off by men who smell stronger than an Italian restaurant that puts on strong garlic. Any advice is greatly appreciated…
Glenn said on February 8, 2011
Added note – last August I cut my hair very short. Since then it has grown back and is a bit thicker than before. It is noticeable to me. I have been taking 3 turmeric and 3 ginger capsules daily since about then for joint pain and it has helped that a lot too. Also I started taking 3 Omega 3 capsules daily too. Either (or both) the ginger and turmeric have helped to begin to reverse things a bit. I still have a noticeable patch on the top back but it is a bit better too. I looked up these supplements and ginger is supposed to help – and it may ease nausea too from taking too many of these supplements. Just some things that have helped me so far…
Jack said on February 8, 2011
Derek,
are you solely taking the BS 750mg or with SP?
BTW, from what others have said that seems like a huge dose. The research uses 50mg – 100mg of BS per day. Others have mentioned a high dose may be too strong and inhibit regrowth (?) – though do they know what they’re talking about?
Olive oil is good – it opens the pores on the scalp. Coconut is nutritative. Alma is apparently also very good.
Though, again, people use alma nightly and wash their hair the next day with results, though other say don’t wash your hair at all.
Humpf.
Derek said on February 9, 2011
That is actually a very good point Jack. I was kind of wondering the same thing. From what I see Beta and Nizoral helped keep things under control, but I seem to go through frequent sheds. It seems like right when everything grows back and looks awesome, I shed like crazy again a month or so later. I take 1 pill (375 mg) beta sitosterol and do not use saw palmetto anymore (although I am considering using it again soon in cycles). I think I will try cutting the beta pills and seeing where I get. The shampoo/no shampoo thing is driving me crazy as well. I do however, have a hard time believing that leaving dirt and grease on your scalp is good for male pattern baldness haha. One thing I will say though is if you do decide to go that route (wish I had the balls to stick with it), use baking soda and water followed up with apple cider vinegar 1-2 times a week to degrease somewhat. I actually did this for a week and it helped, but I still couldn’t stand not feeling fully “clean” after showering, and gave up. It would be interesting if you tried it for a while and posted the results….it’s pretty much one of those things that’s like “take one for the team” unfortunatly. I have read that it gets alot easier after a few weeks (hair adjusts to it), but I couldn’t make it that far. Good luck man.
Derek said on February 9, 2011
Btw everyone,
They discovered a new cure for hair loss that I read about:

JUST SHAVE YOUR HEAD!! IT WILL LOOK GREAT AND YOU’LL NEVER WORRY ABOUT YOUR HAIR AGAIN!

Sorry, I had to. Is anyone else on here friggan sick and tired of hearing that?
Tim A said on February 10, 2011
Hi all,

Just wanted to update really. I have cut the Nizoral as it made may head feel strange and opted for Nizorelle. After just two uses I can tell its not as drying on the scalp. However, I have developed some red lumps on my crown that seem to burn on and off, anyone else get this?

After two months of Saw Palmetto I am not sure if it is working or not really. I have a lot of blonde hair growing in my temple region but whether this will ever become Terminal I do not know, intact, it appears that the terminal hair in the temple region that leads up to the top of the head (giving us the little jetty) is thinning out.

I currently use 320mg saw palmetto in the morning with Gingko Bilboa once a day tablets and en I have a multi vitamin and use Metatone Tonic to give my system a boost, althoughIll be coming off this.

Has anyone used Saw Palmetto alone and got good result? How long?

My advice is to stop worrying or at least try. We worry because we don’t think we are going to look as good before, less appealing to the opposite sex, poor first impressions etc. This is silly, yeah we may not look as great as if we had a full head of hair but I think a lot of things are all about confidence and personality. Many a time have I been on dates with stunning girls that just have no personality what so ever and it really puts me off them. Dig in, try anything to keep your hair but don’t become obsessive as there were a few weeks when it really got me down and I don’t think anyone deserves or needs to. Just think, in five years time we WILL have a cure, I’m quite confident of that, so slow/stop MPB till then and I’m sure things will be fine, and in the mean time, you’ve developed a strong confident personality, so teamed up with your new good hair you’ll take on the world.

Any views/advice on the hairloss bit above my rant on self esteem would be greatly appreciated.

Tim
steve smith said on February 10, 2011
can anybody tell me what dosage of saw palmetto to use im useing stnardardized extract 320mg 1 a day but ive been useing the other 450 mg 3 times a day sereno repens which is th best

ive been looseing my hair for some years now tried everything on the market, but in
sayeing that ive still got alot of my hair left just going at the temples and on the crown, so could anyone let me no the best dosage of sp to take and the brand

will keep you posted

steve
Glenn said on February 12, 2011
I started Nizoral 2% with a prescription from my dermatologist due to a possibility of a little dermatitis on the scalp. He OK’ed daily useage. A woman I know in her sixties had some patchy hair loss and a while back I asked how she got her hair to regrow and she said egg was good, but she used MAYONNAISE as a treatment of all things! It’s very greasy but women have different hair loss issues than men really. Perhaps it works on the same level as something like olive oil by opening the pores in the scalp. I will try the nettle root too and get some of that. I think it is sort of a myth that having sex will cause hair loss, some men who have plenty of sex don’t have it, others have hair loss issues at a very young age. Personally I can’t afford a transplant or other alternative like that at this point in my life, that is always a solution if one has the money. There are so many supplements and it is likely they do help if one doesn’t have a rapid loss of hair. Does GNC have a hair supplement – if they do has anyone tried it with some noticeable results?
Derek said on February 14, 2011
Just started using revita shampoo about a week ago and damn does that stuff make your hair look good. It has things like ketoconazole, caffeine, msm, emu oil, copper peptides, etc……just basically a full combonation of stuff that is awesome for your hair. The B vitamins and amino acids help alot too I bet. It says in the booklet it may actually make you lose hair for the first two weeks. I have not experienced this yet, but this is likely due to the fact that my scalp is already used to ketoconazole (nizoral). I am very satisfied so far and will definatly need to give this 6 months to a year to tell if it does anything permanent. The first day I used it my hair was instantly easier to style, less dried out, and thicker looking. Some of you guys who are using nizoral should give this stuff a go.
Derek said on February 14, 2011
I apologize in advance because I have been posting all the time lately. I wanted to say that Beta sitosterol/nizoral really grew back some temple/corner hair. This was the part I watched closely. It’s as if my hairline went from “holy crap i’m into balding territory” to what I consider a respectable widow’s peak. It doesn’t even bother me anymore! Another reason I know it has definatly improved is because I spend way less time trying to make it look less receded when styling my hair. I know I probably sound obsessive (kinda true actually haha), but the results are there. The only strange thing is my crown seems thin. I am wondering if either I didn’t notice this before, or I am really losing it. In all fairness, I only see it in a bathroom mirror with a bright 3-bulb fixture right above it. I keep my hair under an inch, but when it gets between 1 1/2 to 2 inches no crown is visable whatsoever. Do any of you notice what looks like bad crown thinning under bright light when hair is short? I think I have a bad combination of an extreme swirl, dark hair, white scalp, and hair that sticks up spiked naturally (no i’m not kidding I naturally have spikey hair, it’s weird). When my hair is longer it relaxes a little more and looks way thicker. Just wondering if any of you guys had similar issues, but all in all if you are on beta…stay on it. I can at least say my hairline looks awesome and much stronger too. Now if I can just thicken the crown a little (or prevent future loss on it…i’ll be all set.
Tim A said on February 15, 2011
Hi,

Just want to update you all. Im now exactly two months in and I am shedding quite harsh. Every time I put my thumb and finger together on my head I can easily part softly with hair and alot is coming out. My crown is a lot more visable and its thin all over, even in temple areas.

Im still on Saw Palmetto 320mg in the morning with Wellman Multi vitamin and Gingko Bilboa. My concern is whether this is just going to get worse as many people report or whether it will thicken up eventually!

Has anyone experienced a shed phase with Saw palmetto and if so how long did it last?

Tim
Derek said on February 15, 2011
Tim I think I told you this before but the shedding can last a month or more. Usually it seems like a few BAD weeks followed by another month of bad days here and there. I remember when I first started it. A month or so in when I rubbed my hands through my wet hair and looked at them I would be in shock. It took a couple months (at least) after the shedding slowed to start regrowing. It wasn’t until 3-4 month mark that my hair was looking thicker again. Hopefully you get more responses Tim because this was just my situation. Look into Revita as well (my above posts). It’s only been a week but so far I have been thrilled with it. I will let you know if it continues to help thicken my hair or if it is just temporary. If it keeps doing what it is doing then you should definatly buy this stuff if you want thicker hair. Right now I’m afraid the effects are cosmetic because it leaves my hair in mint condition, but if you honestly research the ingrediants in this stuff you’ll know why some people have had good results over time. I’d say once the typical shedding BS is over, Revita and Saw palmetto (or beta sis) should at least help significantly slow hair loss.
Glenn said on February 16, 2011
I started the Saw Palmetto this week with the BERRY EXTRACT, it is supposed to work where the regular Saw Palmetto does not. My hair is thicker than 7 or 8 months ago. I started Turmeric and Ginger Root and they may have helped. I still have a patch on the back, hopefully the Saw Palmetto will bring it back. How often does one use olive oil on the scalp? I did it the other night and it was a greasy mess, but seemed to moisturize the hair for a day or so. It was a hassle. I have yet to give in and start the Beta Sis, I will give Saw Palmetto a try. Chelated multi-vitamins may become a must at least since they absorb so much better though are quite expensive. Nettle root is not available in my local stores, just nettle – so I have to order it on-line. I have traditional male pattern baldness (the patch on the crown and thinning on top), started about ten years ago or so noticeably but is not too severe, all cousins on both sides have less hair than me. I will let everyone know if the Saw Palmetto seems to help or not…
steve said on February 16, 2011
Hi every body, can anyone tell me what is the best saw pallmetto to take, as at the moment im takeing the SAW PALMETTO : Standardized Extract : 320 mg ive been looseing my hair for some years now ang geeting thin on top of my head, allso at the crown and temples and my hair line allso ues nizorol shampoo.

so can sombody let me know please, as ive tryed everything on the market with no results
steve
Glenn said on February 16, 2011
Added note – I checked the bottle of Saw Palmetto Berry Extract and it says beta sis is an ingredient, though not how much is in there. One cousin does have more hair – he is fourteen years younger than me and has a different paternal grandfather than me. Out of the rest of us – on both sides with the men – I have the most hair, so can’t complain. One cousin just shaves what little is there off he has no hair at all, ran into him last year, so I guess I can’t complain much and it does look like some things are starting to slowly restore my hair…
sam said on February 23, 2011
Hi All

Guys using saw palmetto is playing with fire. I used it for 3+2 months with one month break. I got severe sides after first 3 months. indigestion, fatigue, poor health, black circle under eyes etc and watery semen resulted. stopped it and got well for one month. thinking all was in my head started it again, got the same sides and completely impotent this time. stopped it but never got well. suffered severe weight loss(lost 30-25 lbs in 2 months after stopping it, I was very muscular naturally.) extremely weak, 100% impotent.
Now 2 years after stopping this crap life has become a burden, just dragging myself every day. No interest in any thing at all.I look like 70 year old, white beard, white head, poor eye sight, loose teeth etc. Had gone through 100 of tests, you name it. MRI, CAT scan , BMD test, count less blood tests etc etc.
tried TRT but did not work.
Just be careful for some people Saw palmetto is a keller.

sp
Glenn said on February 24, 2011
Hi Sam, it sounds like you have something wrong. I am hearing what you are saying, but I have heard no such reports about this ever. If it was the Saw Palmetto men would have not been taking it for years without problems, and it is a fantastic preventive drug for prostate cancer. I have noticed occasional indigestion, I take ginger capsules or tabs to counteract this. Headaches too, but I had migraines before this. You don’t say if you’re 60 or 65, just that you look 70, some people age due to stress or overworking. Not everyone responds to meds or herbal remedies the same way. Thanks for your input so we can all be cautious, but the meds that are used as urinary problem drugs that have similar properties to Saw Palmetto have MANY more side effects. Most doctors don’t believe in this stuff either having been through medical training that basically ignores health remedies of any sort be they vitamins, herbs, etc. I hope you feel better and get tested for EVERYTHING.
Glenn said on February 24, 2011
Hi Sam, you could have a panoply of possible illnesses. There is chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia just for starters and those can’t be diagnosed by a blood test. I am not a doctor, but many illnesses come on due to our health and stress or like with me, because I have been on pharmaceutical meds for long-term issues. I used to be a nurse – before that a U.S. Air Force medic so I have pretty much seen it all. I wish you the best. Good luck in the future…
Paul said on February 24, 2011
Propecia works really well along with nizoral
Derek said on February 24, 2011
He used the “P” word! Dude……come on. Not here.
Paul said on February 26, 2011
Well it’s proven to work along with minixodil the only two proven to work FACT better then wasting time and money on natural rubbish that isn’t proven to work.
Derek said on February 26, 2011
I realize that, and have considered it many times. If it wasn’t for the results I am getting with natural supplements, diet, ketoconozol, copper peps, etc. then I would be using it. Until that awful day comes that I finally decide to risk my sex drive for hair, I’ll keep on going with my routine. It’s funny because people go natural for a few months to a year and decide it doesn’t work. It takes persistance to keep using something that isn’t FDA approved. If you read about anyone who has actually had progress with the natural route, they will specifically say it took years. People like Widowspeak and Hanginthere from hair loss talk forums come to mind. I know as a fact I would be noticeably balding right now if it wasn’t for my regimen, because I had a worse hairline at 19 than I do at 23. I’m pretty sure it’s working for me. Not trying to say your wrong about proven meds….you’re actually right, but saying the natural route is rubbish is a load of sh*t. Also, please do not come on here to post about FDA approved treatments and how we’re wrong for trying something else. This is one of the last few places to post about stuff like SP and Beta Sis and not have people shoving Fin and Minox down your throat. Not trying to offend you personally, but if you want to do that then go somewhere else. You won’t have trouble finding places to talk about those treatments and people who bash going natural.
Glenn said on February 27, 2011
The natural stuff is working for me. The Nizoral adds volume to hair, I’ve only been on it a short time. There probably won’t be Saw Palmetto or anything else natural proven anytime soon to grow hair, because the pharmaceutical industry can’t make money off of natural supplements. A friend I haven’t talked to in years did say Minoxidil did stop hair loss, but really didn’t help him grow any. If anyone wants to become a monk they can take the ‘Pr——’ – I don’t have a girlfriend now and haven’t for some time, yet won’t go on pills that kill one’s sex drive. The Saw Palmetto has increased mine I’d say, different effects on different people. I was on Turmeric and also Ginger for the past six months and my hair is noticeably thicker… those herbs may help too…
Jack said on February 27, 2011
A few people have mentioned revita.
Looks interesting, however, the amazon.com forum abounds with recfent reviews stating that the quality of the product has worsened dramatically over the last 6 months – it is now quite watery (They outsourced part of the production).
Has anyone had experience of this?

Anyone used fenugreek hair masks? It’s amazing stuff. So thick and adherent. No idea if it works.
I read a teaspoon apple cider vinegar daily helps regrowth (and as a diluted rinse).
Finally, and unfortuntalely, it appears excess ejaculation contributes to hair loss (Interesting site called actionlove, I believe). For a 20-30 year old you shouldn’t be ejaculating more than 5-7 times a week, if I remember correctly. It revolves around excess stimulation of particular nervous systems.

(BTW I’m a doctor, and need quite a lot to convince me of a products erfficacy.)
Anish said on February 28, 2011
hi,

i have ordered saw palmetto now and will try it for few monthsi tried monoxodil and propecia and it worked very well for me and got a gud hair regrowth in 5 months,noticebly i went from bald to fill hairs . i left it due to side effects.i have androgenetic alopecia,i then went on to homeopaethic medicine in which i got arnica and jaborandi which stopped hair fall and with this silica tablets and graphites for healthy skin and i hav small hairs growing on my head now which are noticeable

has anyone tried saw palmetto for androgenetic alopecia and how many days does it takes to see off the result. i have thick hairs at the corner and less hairs at the top of my head.

Any one who has some sort of infection on the head can try neem powder which is made from neem leaves and is easiy available in any indian store,its the best anti septic found in the market, i have tried it and it has wonderful results
Derek said on February 28, 2011
Yeah the Revita I just ordered from amazon works amazingly. I got it from the same seller everyone was complaining about and do not understand why it is considered “watery” . People were crying that it made them “go bald” which is bull. This product has been nothing but quality from day one. Unless I all of a sudden start losing hair at an accelerated rate, I’m sticking to it. Even if it was just for the way it leaves my hair after one use, I would still pay for it. This product rocks.
Tim A said on February 28, 2011
Hi everyone. Just wondering As my hair sheds a lot from the crown if it could be saw p. Been on for 2.5 months now. When ever I gently clench the back of my head by the crown hair comes out. Hairs are a variety of normal thick hairs and some thin hairs. Iv also noticed blonde hairs coming through on my brown hair on the sides of my head. Tim
Andrew said on February 28, 2011
Hey guys its Andrew im back lol i dont remember what my last post was but I can tell you for the last year, at is a year that i started taking beta sitosterol and saw palmetto, I am generally pleased with the results most of the time. I notice here and there cycles of shedding and regrowth and some months my hair is thicker than other but I have been messing around with the dosage for the past year and, for me, I take 540 mg of saw palmetto extract and 600 mg of beta sitosterol for a month. and than for another month I will take only 360 mg of saw palmetto extract and increase beta sitosterol to 900 mg a day. this seems to trick my body into regrowing my hair quicker for whatever reason but my hair grows extremely fast and sheds very little when i go through shading phases and regrows nicely. overall I would say that from the beginning of last april to this april I have maintained 96 % of my hair.I have lost very little and my hairline is the same and my crown has lost a little bit but I am very happy with the results and like derek said previously i will use this stuff until it is clear it doesnt work. however right now it seems to be working pretty well.
April said on March 1, 2011
Hi! I’ve been taking Saw Palmetto for about 1 year. My hair quit falling out within a couple months, and has since thickened.
Derek said on March 1, 2011
Thanks for posting Andrew, I was looking forward to an update because you have more experience with this stuff than anyone here (pretty sure at least). I like how you almost “cycle” Beta sis and saw. That is something I recently started trying as well. I remember before you said you lift, and I think that gives you an advantage with taking supplements over other people (no offense of course to anyone who doesn’t). People who bodybuild/supplement know more about how their body responds to vitamins, amino acids/protein, workouts, etc. In a way, changing up your routine here and there will hopefully shock your system into producing more. If one was to hit the gym with the same routine for a year, he wouldn’t get very far because the body/muscles constantly need to be “tricked”. When it comes to hair loss, I believe this same rule applies. People can even loose their respondance to fin (sorry) after 5-7 years or so. It is also a good idea to rotate shampoos. Either way Andrew keep us all posted whenever you can. Thanks!
Glenn said on March 4, 2011
Hi all, Personally I would not recommend not ejaculating if you need to do it or have a girlfriend and are young. I have read somewhere or heard it said they think one of the risk factors for prostate cancer later in life is NOT enough ejaculating when one is say, in their twenties. I am 48 and yes, one’s sex drive does diminish but not that much – it varies from person to person. Oftentimes men with baldness have a very high testosterone level I’ve heard. Mine is normal, not high or low. I had a vasectomy a few years ago, no difference with the hair, it may have very slightly increased my sex drive I believe…
Tim A said on March 7, 2011
Hi All,

Just wanted to give an update.

Currently on week 6-7 of saw palmetto 85-95% fatty acids at 320mg concentration with a once a day Gingkgo Bilboa tablet and multivitamins.

Personally I feel like mpb has sped up as my hair feels and looks noticeably thinner in the temples and front of the sides of the head and the crown is thinning.

I can easily take hairs out of my head especially the back and sides without even pulling. Smaller thinner blonde hairs are surfacing in my brown hair that makes it look like it’s thinning.

I am in two minds. Continue treatment even though it may just keep shedding and promoting mpb or hope that it is shedding thin poor hairs and these are cooing to grow back. Personally I’m starting to feel that this is just wishful thinking now and maybe I should see a doctor. Excessive shedding and thinning cannot be natural hairloss even with mpb surely!

Views/experience please.

Tim
Ben said on March 10, 2011
Hey Tim, I had a pretty decent shed when I started SP. Sadly for me none of the hair came back but at the same time it made my temples look less patchy and made it all look more even. The hair I didn’t lose actually sprouted new hairs and thickened up. I would definitely see a doctor just to check up on things, but it could be a good shed.
Nick said on March 11, 2011
Hi all,

I was just looking at these posts and it seems to me that most are just guessing the dose they should take thinking the more administered the better. Also I am finding it strange that many people use multiple products and substances at one go.

What I think is that substances such as Saw Palmetto should be taken at low doses at first allowing sufficient time to learn about your response to it and if required increased later. For me, based on what I read on many sites 300mg of SP should do the job if it had to make any good.

I just started taking Saw Pallmetto 260mg once daily. My hair is in the early stages of thinning and I am loosing quite a few hairs now at the age of 32. I hope SP will be a solution for me.

I will be updating you with my experience every now and then. Thanks for all of you who choose to share your experience with others.

Nick
Glenn said on March 14, 2011
The hair on my sides is noticeably thicker as I have let it grow out the last seven months or so since I got a crew cut. The supplements I’m on are helping, albeit it slowly and there is a slight REVERSE in hair loss, which is the first step. I have had no shedding on anything, Saw Palmetto, etc. Remember, some people lose hair very rapidly and can go completely bald in a matter of months, while at age 48 it has been a slower process for me starting mainly around age 33. I still have a decent head of hair for my age,though I would like to completely reverse the loss and gain some hair back. A few multivitamin pills a day have got to have some good effect – one extra in case some nutrients aren’t absorbed by one pill. Some of us are also fighting genetics, my dad is bald (most of the loss in his 60s) and my mom’s dad had little hair when in his 60s. I think all of us on here are on the first, correct steps to at least maintaining how much hair we do have…
Tim A said on March 15, 2011
Ben did you stop taking it? So it never grew back?! I have had a blood test and blood count, thyroid etc fine. He would not do hormone levels as he said this is a cosmetic test and not health related. Whats the average shower hair loss?

Tim
Glenn said on March 18, 2011
Hi – I am 48 and am having a problem with the Saw Palmetto Berry extract. I am starting to have breast swelling – mainly tenderness, so I am likely just to take the pills that are not extract, as in time the Berry extract does make one not desire any sex at all for extended periods of time. The problem is not bad yet, but I for one don’t want it getting any worse. As one ages they start developing this issue – maybe from 45 to 65 – but not severe enough to be noticed really unless one is very overweight they will even have it as a young person. (I am not overweight). I looked on the Internet and likely treatments are things that are likely to up the testosterone level, which in turn would likely make more hair fall out. I hope if there is a cure in a few years there is not this unwelcome side effect. Any suggestions would help, I have been taking the Berry extract over a month now…
Glenn said on March 18, 2011
In above paragraph – the problem being the breast tenderness and slight swelling. The sex issue is probably related though with the Saw Palmetto Berry extract too…
Ben said on March 18, 2011
Hey Tim, the hair on my sides never came back but I’m still taking SP because my shedding greatly decreased so I think it’s helping keep the rest of my hair haha. I realized my post made it sound like I lost hair all over but I meant to say I lost a lot of hair around my temples. I have seen hair grow back on the top of my head though which is nice.
shocker said on March 20, 2011
Hi ppl, ive been a victim of hairloss since i was 17 i did not take any action untill my scalp was visible and cpuld no longer style my hair. i went to the doc and he told me to use monoxidil 5% this stuff is great if you wanna stick to it for the rest of your life. and expensive. i needed something simple so after using the minox for a year i stopped since this january. i lost all the hair that i had grew with minoxidil. after doing my research on the net i came to this site. And by all the positive results from saw palmetto ive read on here gave me another chance to fight my hair loss.
Ive bought saw palmetto (8:1) extract 125 mg , it also has some pumpkin seed oil in it. ill take these 3 times a day and will keep everyone posted.
thank you.
Aj said on March 21, 2011
Guys,

need a little help. I have MPB issue…getting worse.. what is the difference between saw palmetto and Beta Sitosterols ??

i used standardised 95% saw palmetto…is that not enough?

and where can i get the Beta Sitosterols from? a good quality..

many thanks
Nick said on March 24, 2011
Hey,
I was wondering if any of you guys have some knowledge on the Revivogen bio-cleansing shampoo..
Ive been using it for 4 months and since then I have had accelerated hairloss(shedding) at the front of my head.
Is that an expected phase?

Cheers!
anish said on March 25, 2011
hi Everyone,

I am suffered from male pattern Baldness and i used propecia for around 5 months and saw a tremendous growth in hair regrowth.

i left it due to side effect and lost all hairs,
i am now taking medicine containing saw palmetto,stinging nettle and green tea extract and this has a wonderful effect in one month,hair fall is gone and hair growth is good,i can feel tiny hairs on my head.

i will start using extract for much better results soon
Thomas said on March 29, 2011
I’ll try one more time. Saw pametto is a complete fraud and is totally useless in regrowing hair. Topicals don’t work and vitamins are also useless. This has been proven by experts in this field and it’s hard to believe that people are wasting good money on this garbage. Do some research and you’ll find the truth. I mentioned my source for my comments but the post was deleted as spam. Good luck.
Derek said on March 30, 2011
Oh yeah you’re right Thomas. That’s why I’ve grown hair back…..for absolutley no reason. And I bet protein and vitamin b-12 has no effect on muscle recovery too right?
Glenn said on March 31, 2011
@ those who don’t believe in alternative treatments – the doctors are not going to make money off of any vitamins or supplements that work, so there is not going to be good research done on this. I used to be a nurse and have some medical knowledge. Don’t believe everything you hear or read. I have been taking Turmeric and Ginger for over six months, a Multivitamin, C, D, B complex when I remember, now E, Potassium and Magnesium in low doses, and am restarting Chromium. My hair has noticeably thickened in the last year. I have more hair than most men who will be 49 this year. I can’t take the Berry Extract of Saw Palmetto long-term because of some unwanted side effects but will just take the plain Saw Palmetto that does improve one’s sex drive. One should see a homeopathic doctor – a medical one – and you will likely be given a long list of supplements to take to regrow hair… my insurance does not cover such doctors though so I don’t have the most up-to-date list but the Internet is a good start…
Glenn said on March 31, 2011
I should have said the pharmaceutical industry is not going to make lots of money off of supplements that work…
Padraig said on March 31, 2011
I’m only 14 and have been diagnosed as having early male pattern baldness by a consultant skin specialist. Waited 4 months for the appointment to be told that all he can recommend is to take vitamins and try Rogaine. I have been using Rogaine for the past 5 months but have no signs of improvement. I had a very dense crop of hair before my teens but my hair is now thin throughout my crown – no receeding hair line yet.
The specialist advised me not to take Propecia as the side effects may have lasting consequences on my development.
I take zinc and multivitimens daily, train 5 days a week am not overweight and am otherwise as healthy as can be.
Does anyone know if I am too young to try some herbal remedies such as saw palmetto or should I just stick with the Rogaine and suffer on?
steve said on April 4, 2011
Hi everybody. ive been looseing my hair for a very long time now, im takeing the saw palmetto, 320mg softgel once per day, could anyone tell me if im useing the right dosage, ang the right type of saw palmetto, ive been takeing this for two months now, and my hair as thickened, on the top and crown.
somedude said on April 4, 2011
Hey guys, just an update. I’ve been using SP for around 3 months now, I can say it’s definately slowed hair loss down, although I couldnt say if it’s helped regrow anything.
Also using alpecin now which works quite nicely
Derek said on April 5, 2011
My routine:

Beta Siosterol (375 mg)
Nizoral Shampoo 1%
Revita Shampoo (5 times a week)
Men’s Multi Vitamin
Omega 3′s 6′s and 9′s (DHA)
Zinc (30 mg)
Olive oil massage (once a week for 30 min.)

It works!!! I have awesome hair because of it. Shedding periods can be brutal, but the regrowth is so worth it.
Alex said on April 12, 2011
Hi, I’m 20 years old. I have noticed male
Pattern boldness kick in the last 6 months dramatically. I have read saw palmetto is good but beta sis is better. So I have bought nizoral shampoo and 200mg tablets of beta sis. I’m taking a multi vitamin, fish oil and biotin. I also shower using olive oil soap on my hair and apply olive oil and massage a little leaving it on for 4 hours a night.I am now on a no-dairy diet and drink soy milk and white tea like water. Would beta sis be enough or
Is saw palmetto better? I only started beta sis and nizoral today. I want to see If it will work with the way I’m doing things as mentioned above??

Thank you!
Asim said on April 13, 2011
Guys, Does any of these work? and if so what potency and howmuch per day? Im almost bald, 27 and suffer huge confidence issues because of my hair:S thinking of hair transplant.

please help
Tim A said on April 13, 2011
Just to be clear, has anyone ever grew back some hair or filled in a bit of temple/crown loss with Saw Palmetto?!

I have been monitoring my hairloss for a while now and I dont seem to see much difference. I do go through stages where I think its worsening, or thinning on the sides or on top but from photos I have no conclusive evidence.

My routine is currently Wellman Multivit for Breakfast (for nutrients etc and B12). Saw Palmetto (320mg from 85-95% Fatty Acids) and Gingkgo Bilboa (Once a Day) at 10:30 with Breakfast/Snack. Nizorelle (Not harsher Nizoral) three times a week.

Has anyone noticed regrowth as there are no sites with examples of growth.

Tim
Derek said on April 13, 2011
I don’t get it. Maybe I need to post pictures or something. No matter how many times I say I have a regimen that works, there are still a ton of the same people asking if anyone has had good results. If you want to keep your hair, read my earlier post and follow it. It works very well for early stages of hair loss. I’m not just talking about thickening my hair, I am saying that I have actually regrown hair at the temples/corners and my crown seems thicker as well. It’s not astronomical, but my hair isn’t going anywhere just yet. I have bad shedding here and there, but never any permanently lost hair (anymore). Been on Beta Sitosterol for 17 months now.
Marik said on April 14, 2011
@ ALEX

Im doing EXACTLY what you are doing and in the first month i have seen only 50 hairs shed a day, sometimes even less or more but no more than 100. Your approach i think is the best. Olive oil and olive oil soap are great, they work miracles! And if you incorporate 5% minoxodil into your routine you will see near instant regrowth!
I have taken before pictures. Have not seen re-growth yet as such but hair appears much thicker due to the olive oil and the nizoral. What you should do is also take a zinc suppliment at nights before sleep as apart of your routine.

GOOD LUCK!
Asim said on April 14, 2011
Thanks Derek, Do you take BS before the meals or after the meals? I have seen some posts about the affects of it before… just wanted to check your routine.

thanks,
Derek said on April 14, 2011
Asim,
I actually take them after meals most of the time. I also began cutting the pills in half(starting a few months ago), that way I am taking beta at diffferent times of the day. Part of me thinks it is more effective this way because it is more spread out rather than all at once. If your body takes in too much of a supplement (say vitamin B), it will get rid of the excess automatically. I think that spreading it out over the course of the day helps to make sure this doesn’t happen as much. As far as side effects go, I haven’t noticed a whole lot besides the occasional anxiety that people talk about. I have yet to prove this as fact thought. One other thing that has really been a deciding factor in keeping my hair (assuming you battle hair loss), is revita and nizoral shampoo. I cannot tell you the difference these two have made. In fact, I will go as far as to say they are necessary, because the fight baldness externally while Beta Sis fights it internally. If you truly want to keep your hair, a Ketoconazol shampoo is a must (revita or nizoral or both). Hope that helps Asim. If I am missing the point let me know hahaha. Good luck
Derek said on April 14, 2011
Btw Asim,
You said before that you are nearly bald. How bad would you say it is on the norwood scale? I don’t think my regimen would be valid for NW4 and beyond. Not to be a downer, but I just don’t want you to waste your time with my routine if you need something more effective.
Asim said on April 15, 2011
Cheers Derek,

That sounds good. Nearly bald.. on NW scale going from scale 3 to 4.. but for a guy who used to be in fashion industry, that is complete bald:S I have decided to shave my head off for next 2-4 months every week so..

I recieved my stuff yesterday.

BS 375mg tabs (instructions are 3 a day)
Saw palmeto (standardised 85%, stinks:P)
Multivitamin (ultra man from Holland and Barrett)
Revita shampoo
Nissim conditioner
DNS-L minoxidil 5% solution
Nissim extract
and Saaf oil (mixture of 10-15 oils including Olive)

I plan to follow your instructions, on the shampoo side im going to use it twice a day 2-3 minutes each, extract in the morning and Minoxidil in the night..

hope this will yield some results..

thanks Derek.
steve said on April 15, 2011
Hi derek, i allways look at what you say in your post. and i like to hear what you say.
could you tell me a what programe, i should go on i mean ive been useing saw palmmetto for 4 months now, and nizoral for a bout 6 weeks, useing saw palmetto standardized 320mg soft gel type and washing my hair twice a week nizoral.ive got alot of hair on, but need to get my hair line back,could you tell me derek, what i could do to get results, ive allso been useing garlic cloves for 3 weeks, but my wife is now conplaineing about the smell. so derek could you give me some info, on how to get my hairline back,
would be very happy if you could help,
and will keep you posted
cheers steve
Derek said on April 16, 2011
Asim,

You sound like you have a solid plan right there. I hear very good things about the DSL minox. If this doesn’t at least stop your hair loss completely I will be shocked. Btw I know what you mean about a NW3-4 being considered bald when you have a harsh opinion of your looks. I’m probably the most self critical guy around haha. Don’t let that bother you though because you still have a chance to correct it. When you were saying nearly bald I thought you meant a NW5-6. My uncle receded to a NW-3.5ish(sorry) in his late 20′s through his early 40′s and then never lost more hair. It actually looks cool as hell. He is in his mid 50′s now and is considered to have a great head of hair for his age. All I’m saying is you never know for sure if you’ll be bald completely. It ALWAYS looks worse to yourself. Most guys who go completely bald lose almost all of it before they are 30. I have friends in their early 20′s who are like NW6 (no joke). With the routine your on you should have a very good chance at getting hair back (or at least stabalizing). You will have periods of losing hair and being depressed and it sucks, but it does grow back. So many people experience a shed and quit (I almost did once, and am so glad i didn’t). Just keep your regimin up no matter what. It’s way more impressive than mine and I got results. You will have success, it just takes persistence. Hope that helps a little. Good luck!
Derek said on April 16, 2011
Steve,

I have gotten some of my hairline back, but it took about 2 years. What works for me may not work for you. I hope it does, but if you read my routine it requires a little extra time out of your day. If you need it again I can repost it. Is your hairline that bad or more just “mature”? I know with my routine I went through phases of it getting worse on one side, and then better (and vise versa). I suggest trying Saw Palmetto or Beta Sitosterol for a year to two years with nizoral and revita shampoo rotated weekly. Multivitamins can only help. Any questions let me know. If I can I will try to put pictures up showing the difference in my hair because you guys shouldn’t just take my word for it. It is minimal yes, but enough to make me stay on my regimin. And at the least I am not showing further recession. You just have to try things for at least a year and see what you think. Eventually I found a routine that worked and I’m sure some day I will find a new one that is even better (mainly because they all lose some effectiveness over time). At least their is always HT’s or Pro…..(you know) if you get desperate later down the road. Even after that their are stronger alternatives. Just don’t get too down about it. The more you worry the worse it becomes to you. Again let me know if you need more info.
steve said on April 17, 2011
Hi derek, yes my hair line goes back about an inch on each side, ill tell you what i use saw palmetto standardized extract 320mg softgels, ive just bought a hair laser comb been useing it since feb,and as improved my hair i use this once aday, allso at night i use clairs hair treament, in which i put on and leave it in all night, and wash it out in the morning, ive been useing this stuff since christmas. and i was my hair with baby shampoo, ant twice aweek i use nizoral. ive been looseing my hair for many years now,and like you used many of different products whats cost me a fortune.

yeah derek if you can give me a programe, in which i can try, ill follow it and give it my best shot, but its my hairline im really worried about, and for two weeks now ive also been useing garlic cloves rubbed on to my scalp, but the smell is getting me down,

so yeah derek if you can help mate, i would be very greatfull.
will keep you posted
cheers steve
Derek said on April 17, 2011
Your regimen actually sounds pretty good Steve. The only things I will strongly suggest you add are a multivitamin which will help supply biotin/zinc/vitamin b-complex. These won’t do anything drastic on their own, but they will boost hair growth along with saw palmetto. Another big one for me is Beta Sitosterol. It is more potent than saw palmetto so I would recommend lower doses at first (while still using saw). Source Naturals is the brand I use. Try cutting the tabs in half and see where you get. Another awesome product as I mentioned before is Revita shampoo. This has no added chemicals (such as Sodium Laurel Sulfate) and is only made up of ingrediants that fight inflammation, boost hair growth, and promote good scalp health. It has things like emu oil, biotin, msm (methylsulfonylmethane), caffeine, and even ketoconazol 1%. It is not nearly as harsh as nizoral and leaves hair in awesome condition after one use. Some people attack this product because it made them lose hair at first (it says this in the booklet), but I can tell you after a couple months of use it has been incredible (at least for myself). There are many other ingrediants in it as well that fight hair loss. I’ve only mentioned a few. The only problem is that it’s a shampoo and not a topical, which means less time to absorb. The way I see it, why not get it all in one and not suffer the inconvenience of applying creams and such to your head all day? If it doesn’t work for you, I am sorry to mislead, but I can say I am very glad I gave this one a shot despite certain critisism on the product. One last thing that has helped is olive oil massages. I absolutely hate doing this every week but it has definatly helped the overall condition of my hair. I do have to say my hairloss isn’t bad at all either way….kind of looks like Ewan Mcgregors recession wise and texture wise (mine is just darker). But I’m also 23 and he’s in his forties I believe. It just reinforces my point in saying that fighting hairloss is more about stopping it while you still have hair. It’s much easier to do that than to regrow an entire scalp worth. Look at it this way Steve, even James Dean had a receding hairline. It looks natural on us guys. Trust me when I say that it is the thinning that you have to watch out/closely for.
steve said on April 17, 2011
Cheers Derek, about the thinning part, yes its thinning out on the top as well, but this as been going on for years, will give your advice ago, and see what i come up with but i forgot to tell you about the thinning.

cheers mate.
will keep you posted steve
Asim said on April 18, 2011
Cheers Derek,

I have done some more research.. and been advised to use revita+nissim (especially nissim) twice a day… which I am..

will keep you posted on the progress.

Btw- Testosterone conversion is an issue with most of the thining part, and in my research I have come across some blogs talking about testosterone usage in muscle building, in effect one should do alot of exercise to put them to good use so they done end up as DHT…

Professional wise, if put to test such a theory, alot of desk bound professionals go bald… can this be that are not using their testosterone to build?

cheers,
Derek said on April 19, 2011
I actually almost used Nissim before trying Revita. You found it is more effective with both? I might have to give that a try. I have heard mixed reviews about Nissim, but have also heard the same for Revita. Revita ended up being a great product. I do understand what you are saying about testosterone and muscle building. It actually makes a lot of sense if you think about it. The funny thing is when I got into weight lifting and general training (boxing, running, etc.) It seemed like I started losing my hair (17 or 18). Most likely it would have happened anyway. My dad is like a NW5 and most of his brothers are headed there except for one.
Anff82 said on April 19, 2011
Hi guys, can someone please tell me what is the difference between normal saw palmetto and the saw palmetto extract? is the extract have better ingredience?
Asim said on April 20, 2011
@ Derek,

actually Nissim is quite good.. and expensive (extract costs around 45GBP) but if it works, then its worth it…

I know wot u mean, but i guess the issue is when we initially start weight training (most of us) start taking creatine or compounds which increase our testosterone levels… where as we should be using existing testosterones to build muscles..

thats my view of it.. i am no expert.

and it seems like its genetic on your side… for me nones bald on my paternal side and only one uncle had hair issues on maternal..

:S i think its down to the lifestyle more than genetics for me..

but hopefully ill be reversing this loss soon.
Derek said on April 20, 2011
Good luck Asim! You are so lucky to not have genetics working against you. It is possible to get it anyway, but hopefully it is just your lifestyle (stress, diet, etc.) that’s doing it. You should have a much easier time stopping loss/regrowing if this is the case.
Derek said on April 20, 2011
BTW Anff82,

The standardized extract is the only one that will have a chance of working.
Anff82 said on April 21, 2011
@ Derek – So i should make sure its got the Saw palmeto berry extract one. Do you know any websites that post internationally…im in Sydney.
cortex said on April 21, 2011
what can i do to get cured ?,but what assurance can i get from you that there wont be aside effects after buying your products.secondary how can i access them since am in Uganda and my box number is not active? tel me even the means of payments
thank you so much because it really bring dis comfort to me at this early age.
hoping for your response.
Khan said on April 22, 2011
Hey guys, I have been meaning to write here for a while.
I am 26 and started thinning a few year back. It got to a point where it wasn’t noticable, unless inspected closely or with wet hair it looks terrible.
16 months back I started using Spectral DNC. It took about 6months to see results, which were decent, my hair grew thicker, but I was still thinning. Its like the DNC didn’t stop the hairloss but just made my hair healthier with some regrowth.
7months back I added 320mg Saw Palmetto Extract with 250mg Nettle Root Extract and 1000mg Pumpkin Seed Oil.
I honestly feel the natural stuff has made a difference to the hairloss. Combined with the DNC it seems to be working together. Have I halted the loss?..I don’t know!! I can only tell with time. All I can say is that after adding the natural stuff my hair don’t seem any worse than they did 7 months ago. Which is a relief, but lets see how thing go 2-3 months down. If its downhill I will consider finesteride.
My advice to those considering Saw Palmetto, is to create a synergy by adding Stinging Nettle, Pumpkin Seed Oil or other natural blockers. People on other forums bash Saw Palmetto for not being comparable to Finesteride, without realizing its an unfair comparision, since Finesteride is produced in a lab, and is a prescriptin only medication.
I haven’t had any side effects from Saw Palmetto, except an occasional headache if I take it on an empty stomach. The DNC did lead to some weight gain and a puffy face, but its nothing drastic and barely noticable.
All the best!
Alex said on April 22, 2011
UPDATE!

Been on beta for 2 weeks now and im seeing a few things happening on my scalp.
It becomes very oily and itchy, there are small little pimples developing on my temple areas (which is where all the hair loss is) im also getting itches and pimples on the areas of my temple where there is no hair and small little faint dark hairs appearing.

Mabe its not the beta thats doing this, it could be the combination of my diet as well. I have also recently started using a scalp roller twice a day for 2-4 minues, it helps irriatate my scalp and temple balding areas and can feel blood flow there. I am not using minox the only products that i troppicaly apply to my scalp is olive oil once a week overnight and nizoral shampoo every second day. I have started using oilve oil soap as shampoo on the days i dont use nizoral.

I will update as soon as i get further developments!
Khan said on April 23, 2011
I had posted here earlier but for some reason it got deleted.
Anyways, to make thing short (my previous post was along one). I have been using Saw Palmetto, Pumpkin Seed Oil and Nettle root extract for 7 months with good result. I had intially been using DNC for 8 months with decent results before adding the above. 7 months down, I look the same which means I am holding ground. I think this combo has worked well for me. Or atleast I hope it has.
Best of luck
Derek said on April 26, 2011
Anff82,
I’m sorry to say I really don’t know. In the U.S. I have absolutely no trouble finding it. Can you order from Amazon.com or sites that are similar (Ebay?)? My advice is research the quality first before ordering online. It is better to pay a little more for something that actually works. Sorry if that doesn’t help a whole lot.

-Try Amazon.com and type in “Source Naturals Saw Palmetto Extract” That is the one I would recommend.

Good luck.
matt5 uk said on April 29, 2011
hi fellas, i wrote on here back on November 24th 2010 (scroll up for my previous post) – thought i would give some feedback after the last four months of trying hair loss approaches. i never got round to writing on here every month my bad! but i do have sum feedback i’d like to share. So going back to November 24th 2010 when i started taking 3 holland + barrett tablets each day as well as 4-a-day saw palmetto capsules , i found after a few days i had to slow down – the increase in vitamins must have proved a bit too much for my body and i started to get a few large red spots on my forehead (haven’t seen spots like it since teenage years), also my urine was suddenly luminous yellow, so i slowed to 1 h&b and 2 saw P’s a day. I up’d the dose of saw P to four a day in mid December, but kept to one a day h&b. Spots completely cleared by then, and I gathered from the way my body reacted initially that adapting to having extra supplements running through the body should likely be gradual to allow the body to start absorbing them properly. By new year 2010/11 i decided to increase the dose of saw P to six a day (h&b still at one a day – reason for this was my urine still seemed yellowy (same colour as tablets) despite drinking a lot of water so I kept the dose low). Wot i started to notice during January (having started to take 6-a-day saw P) was my libido seemed to suffer, best way i can describe it is although i knew sex/masturbating gave me a great feeling, i somehow became disconnected with the need to experience this pleasure. I just wasn’t that asked, and throughout January (whilst taking 6-a-day saw P) I masturbated only once/twice a week and it wasn’t that great when I did. Sperm count definitely decreased. Early February I thought this was worrying and probably damaging my body somehow, not to mention i really didn’t feel good in myself. Hair not really any different, still shedding a fair bit, but not excessively, and I know you need to be patient for results, but this was the problem, no way did i want to continue living like this. I’ve read that the side effects of propecia can result with quality of life declining so much you feel its just no use having a bit more hair when you feel so bad in yourself. Not at all saying that my large intake of saw P would make me feel as bad as those who suffered propeica side affects, but I couldn’t help wondering if i was encountering some sort of watered down version. I dropped the dose of saw P to three a day in mid-feb 2011. I started to notice increased shedding throughout march 2011, no idea if its to do with saw P, or just my hair doing its usual thing – could be a delayed reaction of my excessive saw P consumption throughout Jan/Feb, im not sure. I reduced saw P to one a day in mid-march, i am aware folk on here have said i should stick with it and the benefits will follow, but to be honest I felt like I did not want to continue taking saw P as it really did affect my libido over the period i took it, and i felt more depressed. I took one a day saw P from mid-march til about a week ago (22/23 april) My saw P capsules have run out now, libido is pretty much back to normal, I’m still taking one a day h&b. I’ve not given up on hair loss, but I’ve started a different approach. I’m doing the scalp exercise that I’ve found on this website: http://www.hairloss-reversible.com i’m not sure I believe everything I’ve read on the site, but have a good look under the “my approach” section (eighth & ninth link down) – the idea of increased long term hair growth from more blood pumping around your scalp by moving the galea with the occipital muscles seems quite credible. Combine it with a healthy lifestyle (plenty of protein and veg, and anaerobic exercise) and there may be something there.. I’ve been doing it for three weeks now, and iv finally got control of the occipital muscles – took some perseverance. My hair shedding btw seems totally normal once again, no more saw P for me I don’t see the point, the only thing it seemed to do was kill my libido. My hair seems the same as it did in November 2010, thinning, but obviously its grown a bit longer. I do understand i probably didn’t give saw P long enough, but all things considered, the scalp exercise seems a mentally and physically healthier approach. Not only are you doing something about it that feels physically direct – by this i mean i can feel the occipital muscles working and blood pumping at the back of my head – but I’m also starting to feel in greater control over my balding, and not desperate or negative anymore as I try to figure out correct quantities of herbs that I’ve read no concrete proof do anything significant. Also, no need anymore to shove capsules into my pockets for the day ahead! I think it might be a while before i see any benefits of the scalp exercise, but this feels a whole lot more positive to me than using saw P ever did.

This is just my experience btw, it by no means intends to pass judgement or discredit anyone else’s posts about their theories/experiences. Good luck with whatever you choose to try.
Anff82 said on April 30, 2011
I wander sometime why do the most effective hairloss treatments approved by FDA or Herbal capsules…Why does treating hair loss and the side effects always affect your BALLS OR PENIS OR SEX DRIVE. Is it just me or is that just not fair. Who’s with me fellas…
Derek said on May 2, 2011
Anff82,
I’m with you bro! It is such a load of crap that you have to get on that stuff just to have hair. Part of me believes that “they” know natural treatments can work for you, but they make too much money to allow that info to be made public. Think about it….who the hell would buy pills that screw up your hormones if they didn’t have to? Another reason people use drugs for hairloss is because they are just plain impatient. It takes years to get natural results, where it takes 6 or so months to get results with drugs. Yes, I just spent $50 dollars for another bottle of revita shampoo (the bigger size), but it will last me about half a year minimum….and it friggan works! All natural ingredients, sls free, and no side effects. I refuse to apply creams on my head twice a day and take pills that ruin my sex drive just to have hair. These companies know that people WILL do it because we live in such a looks focused society. They drain the average hairloss sufferer of nearly $200 a month! Go on hair loss sites and get advice from professionals…..they will laugh in your face if you try to tell them stuff like beta sitosterol and saw palmetto work. Know why that is? Because they aren’t making money!
Anff82 said on May 3, 2011
Derek,
I understand completely that money is the factor. Unfortunately when has the medical field cured anything these days, its all about taking pills constantly throughout your life which make you pay for it constantly. I really don’t believe there will for a 100% cure for baldness anytime soon from my reading on hair loss treatments and talking to dermatologist, from what Ive learn there will be great hope for better treatments for treating hair loss then the rubbish they have these days.
I’ve just started this new regime on saw pal and multi vitamins to see how it goes.
BTW im a 28yr old with early to moderate hairloss.
Derek said on May 4, 2011
Just a couple of things I want to say:

To anyone using Revita….buy the 1 liter version! After going through my first bottle of the 180ml revita, I just received the bigger one a week ago. I have to say that there is a pretty big difference in product consistency (the 1 lt. is much much thicker and redder). At first, I didn’t get why people said the bottles seemed “watered down”, but now after ordering this one….I see what they mean. Don’t get me wrong, I still got great results from the 180ml. , but the 1 lt. is clearly way more effective. I have to apologize because I was pushing this product so much on this forum, only to realize I was using the wrong version. Even cost wise, the 1 lt. bottle is far more worth it financially. It seems like it will last a minimum of 6 months…a year even. Again sorry for being misleading.

Anff82,
If you are 28 and only have early hairloss…you are one lucky son of a b****! I highly doubt you even risk going fully bald someday. I have early hairloss, but I’m 23….at least I’m doing something about it though. I’ve always heard that if your going to be bald…you’ll know it by your late 20′s. I wouldn’t consider a little thinning to be straight up balding.
jack said on May 5, 2011
i’m about to give saw palmetto a shot.hope i’ll work
Anff82 said on May 8, 2011
@Derek – Lucky son of a bitch hahaha I dont think so. Im far from that. I hope they find a better solution to treat hair loss before we all get full bald.
Jphn said on May 12, 2011
Hi everyone. Iv been on saw palmetto for 5 months now. I think mob in the temple may have worsened. I take 320mg of 85-95% and a multivit. How long would you all give it?! I’m not sure if my crowns got worse as when showering the hair Flo seems to come from there.

Any advice or success stories would be appreciated.

John
JohnDoe said on May 13, 2011
2morrow i’m going for a SP treatment (+5000mg Biotin ED). what do u say about this one?

http://www.puritan.com/saw-palmetto-077/saw-palmetto-1000-mg-001594

Should i take it daily or EOD? it’s to much to take?

I’ve been using nizoral for 6 months now(good results), minoxidil for a year(great results esp in temples – i use it only there now with retin-a once a day) and propecia (5 months – the worst of all – no so much gain as for urination and libido problem and depresion+brain fog). For 2 months i’m using accutane (20mg/1st week, 10mg/2nd week – i think it’s very good for itching and for thickness – no regrowth. still to early to tell)
Nick said on May 16, 2011
Have been on it for two and a half months and I think I also experienced a worstening effect.
I have not yet decided if to stop it or give it some more time.

I have also been using Alpecin C1 for a month

Any feedback will be appreciated

Regards
Nick
Anff82 said on May 20, 2011
@Nick – 2 1/2 months on using it maybe it was just naturally losing it for the long and the saw palmetto didnt do anything or hasn’t stated to work.

PS LOSING HAIR HAS F**KED MY LIFE COMPLETELY!
Nick said on May 23, 2011
@ Anff82

Yes, not excluding that possibility, however I think something may have kicked in as I am seeing some red pores on the scalp. On a closer look I saw some short hair that looks like new but it is very difficult to tell. Also it is impossible to tell if it is thanks to SP or not given I have been using it for just a short period of time. I red that if it had to grow any hair this will be very thin at the beginning and certainly not dark. Anyone can confirm this?

Also, a message of courage for all… loosing hair will not be the end of the world. Obviously I am not letting it go without a good fight! but in the end whatever will be will be!!!

Nick
Selector said on May 24, 2011
This is my first post in here, after following this thread for a month. I must tell you that what you are doing here is great and I urge you all to keep posting.

I am 24 and my hair is still intact, not even NW 1. However both my male grandparents have lost most of their hair when they were 40 years old, and my father started losing his when he was 27. He is now NW VI. (That’s not a good prospect for me, at all)

I started looking for ways to maintain my hair about 2 months ago when I realized that at the front the scalp was starting to be seen a little through my hair. I think that this happened because I was passing through some particularly stressful days. So I started worrying that I was going to start experiencing MPB.

My current regimen is:

Nizoral Shampoo (3 days every week)
2 Provillus capsules everyday (Only pills, no Minoxidil)
1 capsule Apple Polyphenols everyday (125mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 pill multivitamin everyday (Centrum Performance)
Omega 3 Fatty Acids everyday (1000mg)

After I shower and my hair has dried a little, I apply 4 drops of refining oil (brand is Angel Professional)
I also try to incorporate Extra Virgin Olive Oil in my food whenever I can. I never massage it in my hair though.

I started this regimen 2 months ago, although I didn’t start everything at once, you know how you start finding things out gradually… I’d say that I’ve been following this regime in its entirety for 1 month, though I’ve been taking Provillus for 2 months.

What I experienced whilst on this regimen was some shedding, particularly after I started using Nizoral shampoo. When I showered I used to see 5 or 10 hairs maximum whilst I shampooed my hair, but after starting Nizoral, I’m seeing about 30 or 50 hairs coming out every time I shampoo my hair. This shedding may be due to Provillus as well. I was a bit concerned at first, but I’m not particularly worried now because it didn’t affect the way my hair looks. After 2 months, I don’t even see any of my scalp anymore through my hair, but maybe that is because I’m not that much stressed anymore.

Some further information: About a week ago I started taking 1 capsule Resveratrol each day (100mg, brand is Swanson) as well. I’ve read that it contributes to a decrease in the rate of ageing, although there are still many things we don’t know about it, so it is something I’m experimenting with. I drink some 8 cups of non-sugared green tea every other day. I’m also an ovo-lacto vegetarian. That means that I don’t eat meat, but I eat dairy products, mainly milk, cheeses, eggs, and chocolate. I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts each day and try to minimize the consumption of white bread and candy as much as possible. I’ve been a vegetarian since last January, and I intend to keep this diet for the rest of my life, or at least that is what I’m planning right now. I don’t exercise much, however I do some push ups every week (My body type is slim/athletic without me having to strain myself too much).

I have some questions:

Why is Provillus considered a scam? It contains 1000mg of Saw Palmetto. It also contains other ingredients like Stinging Nettle, Pumpkin, Eleuthero Root and a couple of others. Provillus is my source of Saw Palmetto.

Why do people suggest that you reduce the consumption of dairy products? Is it because of hormones given to the cattle/poultry ?

Why do people suggest that you decrease the intake of sugar and candy? What does it have to do with hair loss?

I want to know what you guys think. Next week I’ll be making some slight adjustments to my regimen, so I’ll keep you posted.
Ben said on May 28, 2011
Hey selector, I wouldn’t necessarily call Provillus a scam. At the same time it offers different herbs and things in one capsule for a ridiculously high price. You can buy capsule form of Saw Palmetto and some of those other ingredients for a significantly lower price. That’s why it is important to research, so you don’t buy something that can be bought for less. Websites like vitacost sell Saw Palmetto and you can still take your 1000mg. I perosnally take about 1500mg a day for pretty cheap.
JohnDoe said on June 1, 2011
I’m officially off SP. This thing gives me man boobs. In just 3 weeks i’ve got very puffy nipples. I’m going for a Turmeric & L-Carnitine cure to get rid of them. For hair i will continue to use Minoxidil with 2 pills of propecia dissolved in it. For me it has no sides effects. You guys can try it too if anything else doesn’t work.
Selector said on June 3, 2011
Thanks Ben, will shop around. I don’t get the Provillus capsules from the company’s website though… so I get them about half the price. But I’ll check if I can get the same ingredients for cheaper.

Last week I started using Revita. That’s my last addition to my regimen. The texture of the shampoo was quite thick and the bottle was sealed, so I know I got the real deal. This is an 180ml bottle. Next time I’ll buy the 1 litre version. Need to do some fundraising first though…

Regarding this man boobs issue, anybody else got this nasty side-effect from Saw Palmetto?

I just read that it is quite common that Saw Palmetto enlarges male breasts.

JohnDoe, how do you know that Turmeric and L-Carnitine will reduce your breasts? Did you find any webpages that give these tips?
Ben said on June 3, 2011
Anytime Selector. I’ve been on Saw Palmetto for a year now and have had zero side effects. I haven’t heard of John Doe’s problem either. The best way to tell is to stop taking it and see if they go away then take it again and see if they come back. Otherwise, it could be a number of different things.
Anff82 said on June 14, 2011
Where has everyone gone? Any new updates guys!
Derek said on June 15, 2011
Going through another shed. This one is pretty bad. From what I hear, it is the ketoconazole in Revita. I have been using it twice a day for 6 days a week. I think I am a little more sensitive to it than I thought. From what I know, this will either be a very good thing or a very bad thing. My hair looks nearly twice as thin as it did a month ago and my scalp is completely visable at short lengths in bright light (especially the crown, which now looks terrible). If anyone who has been through mpb before saw my crown in direct sunlight, they would think i was clearly balding. I went through this about 5 months ago and it thickened up alot after a few months. It has to be the revita working because their is no way this is a normal shed….it’s too soon/too much. All I can say is I am sticking to it and I’ll keep you all posted.

Btw, someone with a similar story contacted a woman from DS laboratories and she said to stay on it. She said the shed might be bad, but that he should keep using it and it would come back. I guess if he stopped use, he would be sending two different commands to his hair follicles (using it one week and not the next). This is why I have chosen to bite the bullet for another couple months or so. Just warning anybody using this product to not abuse it! Ketoconazole is known to cause a shed if it is abused, but the hair will return to normal.
Anff82 said on June 16, 2011
Derek –> You shouldn’t wash your hair. A dermatologist told me you should only wash your hair 3-4 times a week and if your in a dirty job like construction work etc than you can get away with it more.
Derek said on June 16, 2011
Anff82,

I agree with you on that one to some extent. It’s a catch 22 because if you wash your hair you are stripping it, but if you don’t then dht/sebum will build up on your scalp. The thing is that I don’t use any shampoo with sls in it, not one. My hair gets greasy within a day so it would look like crap if I didn’t wash it everyday. I appreciate the advice and have actually tried it before (last summer actually), but it was a no go. At this point I’m just working against my dads genetics.
Selector said on June 16, 2011
You might be interested in reading about Nizoral greed: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/135193-nizoral-shedding.html

The problem is that Revita contains 1% Ketoconazole (like Nizoral), and we are using it 5 times a week. I don’t know whether this is a good thing.

Today I also heard that men who are battling hair loss should not eat any cheese or drink milk that comes from animals. Here is the source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed_C7VAphQM&feature=related

I’m going to stop drinking animal milk (I’ll replace it with soya milk and almond milk), however I’m still going to eat a little cheese every now and then… I love cheese and I always eat it with fried eggs and fried omelets. I don’t really know how I’m going to find a replacement for cheese that comes from animal milk. I’ll research a little bit and will try to solve this problem.
Anff82 said on June 17, 2011
Hi guys im just would like to know has there been any new drugs or treatments been reported in the news or medical website. Im asking this because these usually updated news on hair loss treatment in news sometimes and that but lately i havent heard anything about anything lately especially in Australia. is the FDA checking out new treatments or anything??????

The last news was on the england soccer player with surgery on his head which look good funny enough but that shit cost 30 thousand dollars.
Derek said on June 18, 2011
Just added Procerin, MaxiHair, and Nioxin system 2 to my arsenal. Nioxin is awesome. I don’t even care if it doesn’t help hair loss in the end…it cleans the hell out of your scalp and adds moisture/density at the same time. Still on Beta Sitosterol and Revita as well. I stopped Beta for 2 weeks because Revita was working so well, but it could have been a big mistake. They say when you stop taking Fin, you will watch your hair miniaturize almost instantly. I have narrowed my recent shedding/thinning down to two things. One is that the revita is causing a good shed and it will be back. Two is that Beta Sitosterol was really working miraculously for my hair and stopping use (even for a short time) let DHT overtake my hair follicles. Either way I’m pressing on for this forum and for myself. I have no idea what the outcome will be, but I should have a pretty good idea in 3-6 months. Hair loss is such an inconvenience.
Evan said on June 19, 2011
Selector,
That is not good news about the dairy products. All I drink is milk. I go through a gallon in about 3 days average….no lie and I love cheese and eat alot of greek yoguart since I workout alot and its a good source of protein. Maybe this creating issues for my hairloss. Thanks for the post….though I cant imagine changing my intake of dairy.
Evan said on June 19, 2011
Derek,
I used maxihair for 6 months. I bought the six month supply but now I am off it. Decided to try something cheaper…so right now I am just on SP. I probably will go back and try maxihair again. I did notice some shedding right away but it seemed to possibly slow it down. Its hard to say since I was only on it for 6 months. Let me know how it works for you.
Selector said on June 20, 2011
Evan,
I would suggest that you try and replace the milk you drink with soya or almond milk. They are a very good source of protein, contain no cholesterol, and their taste is not bad at all. From my experience, not all soya milks have a great taste so you might need to shop around until you find the best tasting soya milk. The best brand of soya milk I’ve found is Vive Soy. They have a selection of flavours as well. The chocolate soya milk tastes very good.

With regard to cheese, you can try and reduce your intake. For alternative protein sources there are red kidney beans (which I’ve found taste quite good when bought canned), a variety of nuts and eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein and vitamins, and contrary to some claims, they pose no danger to cholesterol levels since they do not elevate the blood levels of cholesterol. You can eat 3 eggs a day safely. You can also eat eggs raw since that way many of the protein will not be denatured by heat. However be careful to eat the whole eggs, since eating only the raw white of an egg alone will decrease the levels of biotin. The raw white part of an egg contains a protein called avidin which binds to biotin, and therefore the biotin will not be absorbed by your system. The yolk has a lot of biotin in it, so you will not be affected by avidin if you take the raw egg whole. When you cook an egg, the avidin will be denatured so that it will not bind to biotin any more. Biotin is important in your diet since it helps hair growth. If you are going to eat raw egg whites alone, be sure that after about 6 hours you take a supplement of biotin, which will not be inhibited by the avidin, since the egg whites would have been already digested.

When eating raw eggs, you do not need to worry much about salmonella because the percentage of eggs which are infected with salmonella is minimal. However you should check that the yolk is not very runny and that it can stand like a semi-ball when you crack the egg. Also, a healthy egg should not have an egg-white which has the consistency of water. It has to be runny, but not to the point where it’s like complete water. You should never eat an egg if you bought it with the shell already cracked because it can easily be infected with salmonella or other malevolent bacteria. If you are concerned about salmonella you can read this: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/salmonella.htm

I am not telling you that you have to eat your eggs raw, I’m putting this information here for anyone who would like to eat raw eggs from time to time, since they contain protein which has not been denatured by cooking.

To enjoy a tasty fried egg without using cheese, you can sprinkle some pepper on it, and squirt some tomato ketchup on it (preferably Heinz ketchup since it is rich in lycopene which has antioxidant properties). You can read about the possible benefits of lycopene here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycopene#Antioxidant_properties_and_potential_health_benefits

I also found about cheeses which are not made from animal sources. These can be found from vegetarian/vegan food stores. I haven’t bought these particular cheeses yet, but I intend to so that I will be able to minimize the cheese I eat which is made from animal sources.
Evan said on June 20, 2011
Selector,
Thanks for the advice. I will have to take a closer look at my dairy intake. Its worth a shot if there it might be a chance it is causing the hairloss
karlos said on June 23, 2011
I went to see one of the top three hair surgeons in the world. He said it would be pointless giving me a transplant as my donor area was poor quality. He kept recommending saw palmetto. So i took it thinking nothing would happen. For the first three months nothing then i noticed some regrowth on my temples. I then switched to saw palmetto standardized extract and the new growth rate increased. A further four months later i added beta sisterol and the new growth rate has increase even more i.e. back, sides and front of scalp have fine hair, stuble and fully developed new hairs.

I only noticed a tiny bit of shedding. I think its because i gradated treatment strength e.g saw palmetto then later beta sisterol was added. I NEVER thought saw palmetto or beta sisterol would work but it has and i believe in say three years ill have a thick head of hair again. Im overjoyed. Spread the good news guys!!! But remember patience and faith are a key ingredient, also.
Selector said on June 24, 2011
karlos,
it is encouraging to read posts like yours, but I am still a little sceptical about whether saw palmetto and beta sitosterol work as well as you are stating. However, I will have faith in them because as such they are our only hope. A hair transplant is too much of a hassle and costs to much money.

To those interested,
In an earlier post I promoted the consumption of soya milk as a replacement to cow’s milk. Here is an article which shows the benefits soy products can have: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3607815.stm

To increase soy intake, you can incorporate these into your diet:
http://www.ehow.com/how_12772_add-soy-based.html

As for the effectiveness of the isoflavones contained in soy products, you need to have some specific bacteria in your gut. Unfortunately only about 30% or 50% of people have these bacteria. These bacteria metabolize Daidzein (which is a type of isoflavones) into equol. Equol functions as a DHT blocker. Source: http://www.biolreprod.org/content/70/4/1188.full

I guess it’s worth it to include soy products in your diet. Take a chance. The only side effect possible is that you end up healthier (unless you’re allergic to soy).
Derek said on June 24, 2011
That is awesome Karlos! Gives me even more hope than I already had for these treatments. I just wanted to give an update and say that Nioxin system 2 is awesome for hair. It makes hair super clean and also has made a considerable difference in appearance in the last week. It has been especially good for me because of my recent shed…which was horrifying. I had such good progress and then in a matter of weeks it was gone. The shedding is however, slowing down alot. I believe it was revita doing its job. I believe these hairs will grow back thicker and healthier than before. Like I said, Nioxin system 2 is really helping in the meantime (makes my hair look great even in its thinner state). Procerin, Maxihair, Beta Sitosterol, and MSM should stop dht/support regrowth internally. I have a solid routine for fighting hairloss. I guarantee my mpb is getting more aggressive with age, but I am putting up one hell of a fight. If I had done nothing 2 years ago I would most likely be very noticeably balding right now. Instead I still get compliments on my hair. A customer I had at work the other day came in to ask me questions about a product and just goes “wow, you have such a great head of thick dark hair!” He made my freakin’ day!
barcelona's fan said on June 25, 2011
i used saw palmetto 4month now i can see my shedding is slowing down and i can see new baby hair is coming in my hairlines hairtemples. i also used pure aloe vera gel every day before going to sleep. for me the combination of saw pal n aloe vera is very2 effective. gud luck guys!! just dont give up!!
Selector said on June 27, 2011
Derek,
are you still using Revita? If you are, how frequently are you using it?

I’m still using Revita about 4 times a week, and only once each day when I use it.
I’m going to use Nizoral only once in two weeks. I don’t want to start shedding like crazy.

I wish you the best, barcelona’s fan. It would be great if you continue updating us about how it’s working for you, every month. I just finished my 3rd month on Saw Palmetto. I can’t say much for now. I’ll comment next month about Saw Palmetto use.
Derek said on June 27, 2011
Selector,
I am still using Revita about 5 times a week. I follow up with nioxin after washing revita out. I also have taken a break from nizoral where revita already has ketoconazole in it. How’s revita working for you?
Selector said on June 27, 2011
I found Revita to be quite good, Derek. It doesn’t make my hair tough like Nizoral does, and it gives my hair a feeling of cleanliness and health. It smells good as well. However these could all be superficial/cosmetic effects. I stopped shedding too much when I started using Revita about a little more than a month ago. I don’t know whether the shedding stopped coincidentally at that time or whether Revita stopped it. I still cannot say whether it helps to stop hair loss and makes one regrow hair. I am not losing my hair as such. I’m doing this to maintain my hair, because I fear I’ll lose my hair if I don’t start doing something early. So I cannot really judge whether a product regrows hair. However I might be able to, to a certain extent, since I’ve experienced some shedding in the second month after starting Saw Palmetto, and therefore I think in the coming months I’ll be able to tell whether my hair increased again or not.

I wish you success in fighting hair loss, Derek. You’ve been a great help to people following this thread.
Derek said on June 28, 2011
Thanks Selector!

I am using revita for the same reasons. To prevent hairloss. I am not expecting massive regrowth or anything like that. I appreciate that you think I have helped in some way. I am basically just experimenting with different things and researching once a week to see what’s new. I usually try to post on here as often as I can. The thing with fighting hair loss is that you don’t want to get obsessed. I used to be on hair loss sites almost everyday trying to find anything I could. I realized it was just making me more worried and stressed. I realize I post on here quite often, but it’s like five minutes out of my day. All I can say is that I will keep experimenting with different products and regimens and see what works best for early hairloss. I think if you are fully bald then just let it go. It’s over (unless you have thousands of dollars for HT’s). It just seems like most of us on here are in the early stages and still have a fighting chance. Keep fighting guys!
Matt said on June 28, 2011
Hi guys

Barcelona’s fan, i was wondering what your current dose of saw palmetto is?
Thanks ahead
barcelona's fan said on July 3, 2011
Matt,
my current dose is one capsule (1600mg) every morning and night. and also im using pure aloevera ( i massage it on my head every night before sleep ) i have plenty of it at my house backyard.
dont give up guys!!!!
Derek said on July 3, 2011
Felt I would post my current regimen for everyone.

Beta Sitosterol
Procerin (contains saw palmetto)
MSM
MaxiHair
Multivitamin
Revita
Nioxin system 2

-Took a short break from Nizoral, but will be using again soon.
Derek said on July 3, 2011
BTW,
My regimen is very convenient and somewhat inexpensive. Pretty much takes place before I leave for work in the morning. There is no way in hell I will ever be putting rogaine on my scalp twice a day to have hair. I would rather be bald. This list I have going right now may seem lengthy, but takes no more than 15 minutes a day max, and that is because half of it is used in a daily shower. Easy as can be.
sufferer said on July 7, 2011
i been using saw palmetto 160mg twice a day for almost 4 months now. I have a question , does the saw palmetto have to be soft gel? recently i had started talking the following but they are not softgel, they are tablet that been standardize to have 144 fatty acid. I am wondering if that will work. thanks
http://www.swisse.com/products/men/swisse-ultiboost-prostate
Derek said on July 7, 2011
It should work fine. The only problem is that it most likely will not be enough by itself to stop your hair loss (assuming you have hair loss). Try adding Beta Sitosterol or Procerin (which contains SP). This should help reduce DHT even further.
Mike said on July 9, 2011
hi everyone
i used spectral DNC once per day for 5 months. then bought another weird brand for minoxidil for 4 months..then came back to spectral DNC once/day ..hair loss never stopped .i get more than 20 hairs per shower. so i decided to use spectral DNC twice per day..but still nothing happened. i got NISIM shampoo and used it daily for a month but nothing happened. does NISIM shampoo really has saw palmitto :S it doesnt show that on the supplements facts :S I am FREAKING out..what should i do to stop hairloss? should i get saw procerin or provillus or what ?
thanks for ur help..i really appreciate it
sufferer said on July 10, 2011
Hi Derek , yes I have hair loss. my scalp is very itchy and thin especially the temple and the crown. I wondering if I should start minoxidl ??? .. does it have shedding as well? . I am really concern. I don’t mind eating saw palmetto for the rest of my life but applying minoxidl ??. can I stop minoxidle say .. after 5 months? . will my saw palmetto keep the hair gained from minoxidle ? .
Matt said on July 11, 2011
Cheers, barcelona’s fan.

Derek, I’ve a question for you too, mate.

I recently bought plant sterol containing 500mg of beta-sis per tablet (60 altogether). I’m wondering what dose should I start with per day?
Derek said on July 11, 2011
Mike,
I would try procerin. I don’t have anything against minox, but I personally won’t use it. If you do keep going with it, try procerin (or another dht blocker) internally. Just minox alone won’t help stop hair loss. It seems to work more in terms of regrowth once hair loss has stabelized. With any treatment, you need to be on it consistently for 6 months to a year to even know if it is working or not.

Sufferer,
If you are going to use the benefits of minoxidle, it is a life long thing. Either way, it should be used in conjunction with nizoral or revita (a keto shampoo) and a dht blocker of some sort. Saw palmetto and Beta Sitosterol are examples. To answer your other question, Yes you will shed if a treatment is working. A lot of people shed from minox. In the long run, I have heard it described as a “chemical wig”. It seems once the treatment is stopped, the hair regained miniaturizes almost instantly. To me, it isn’t worth it to have hair.

Matt,
I would cut the pills in half. I have been using 375mg for over a year and a half and I think it is too much sometimes. Everybody is different, but I would try it at half dose first. I hope it works out for you.

Good luck guys!
Mike said on July 12, 2011
hey Derek. thanks for ur help.
Iam will buy revita in an effort to make spectral DNC (minox) more effective. But i noticed that lots of people complained from never ending sheddings and thinning. 1)what do u think is the reason of their sheds? is it that they are overusing revita?
2)Since ur using revita, i heard also of a bad batch of revita. how could i know if the revita i will buy is the good batch?
3)under the revita box their is usually the expire date and a number.this is the batch number.if ur sure u have a good batch,can u please post the numbers so that i make sure i buy the good batch.
4)how many times per week do u use revita?

I really appreciate ur help Derek. and i hope ur hair is getting thicker and fuller
Derek said on July 12, 2011
No problem Mike!

I think the reason for the sheds is the ketoconzole. I will not use revita as directed because of this. I actually only use it 3-4 times a week now and only apply it once (box says twice) per use. I let it sit for about 3 or 4 minutes tops. I know that over-using ketoconazole can have negative effects on the scalp. Some people may be able to handle using it five times a week, but I can’t. Part of the shedding is a good thing though. When a product is working to thicken the hair shaft, it will force out the thinner existing hair to replace it with a thicker one. A never ending shed on the other hand is a bad sign. Mine shed badly for a few weeks, but has since stabalized once I cut down a bit. The lot number on mine is 005411. The expiration is 07/13. I will be posting picks in a few months once my shed hair regrows. It is already looking pretty good and it is only going to get better. I guarantee that around September or October I will have much thicker hair. This will be because of the Procerin, Revita, Nioxin, and MaxiHair all working to boost growth over several months, as well as my regrown hair that I lost during my last shed. I’ll keep you and everyone posted. Good luck man!

BTW everyone,

Please understand that I am still testing all this stuff out. While I have had good results so far, it is still too early to know for sure about the end result. I don’t want anyone on here to get the impression that I am a hair loss expert or anything. I have done extensive research and a lot of testing on products from personal use, but my soul reason for posting on this forum is to help people know what they are getting into. If I encounter absurd shedding from a product, I will let you guys know. If I regrow more of my hairline and thicken my hair, I will let you guys know. Just hang in there guys!
Derek said on July 12, 2011
Another thing I meant to add is in terms of my hairline. My regimen seems to have more “strenthened” my hairline rather than completely regrow it. Only time will tell how far my regrowth will go, but it has been good so far. The hairs are darker and thicker and no longer look like they are on the virge of falling out completely. That is good enough for me as long as it stays that way. Again, I am only like a NW2 with some very slight thinning in MPB areas, but that is why I still have a fighting chance. I am very excited to see what will happen in a few months. For now I just have to wait.
Mike said on July 14, 2011
hey guys
If i want to use Procerin (which has saw palmetto) 2 pill/day at the beginning, will i experience any sheds. My hair is shedding already, i dont want to boost it. Will a small amount of saw palmetto have some benefits? At least will it decrease DHT just alittle?
Derek said on July 14, 2011
Yeah it will decrease DHT. I haven’t noticed any big time shedding yet from it, but I also just went through a shedding cycle recently anyway (before even ordering procerin). Either way the shedding is worth it if the results are good in the long run.
Pete said on July 14, 2011
Hey peeps,

I am currently on Life Extension – Saw palmetto w/ Beta sisterol which is shown to be the most pure form of them both.

It has been 2 weeks so far and my sheds have come to a absolute halt (I wasnt shedding any longer, but just looking to decrease my DHT) and my hair feels and looks much more “boofier” when i wash it.

I will give everyone updates because i think in the past when i did use this, i reacted very well to it.

I do think, however it is a estrogenic herb. If your reduce DHT, it allows to elevate estrogen. Lower estrogen, it allows to elevate DHT. Estrogen is good for hair because it helps blocks or prevent DHT from being high…but we all need a balance!!
Adam said on July 15, 2011
Started a Saw Palmetto Regimen after reading this article and independent research on Saw Palmetto.

I am 27, about a NORWOOD 2-3 and have had a 900 graft FUE when i was 23. Propecia and Avodart with Nizoral 1% did not stop my hairloss ( just slightly slowed it ) I’m hoping the following regimen will finally stop this curse that is MPB.

Revita Shampoo
Saw Palemtto Ex ( Natures Answer Brand ) 1 capsule- 360mg Morning/Evening
Super Phytosterols ( The Vitamin Shoppe) 1 capsule 900 mg: half capsule Morn/Eve

Beta-sitoserol 685 mg
Beta-sitostanol 145 mg
Campesterol 60mg
Campestanol 10mg

Can anyone comment if this seems acceptable? Anything crucial I’m missing?
Mike said on July 17, 2011
what is the difference between procerin and provillus ? which one is better?
Mike said on July 18, 2011
hey guys
i have a question concerning revita users.. i got recently one which expiry date is 2/13. the stuff in it is an orange color and not white at all. is this the good batch? i was told that DS labs released a watery revita which never worked for anyone. so iam worried about my batch.
Derek and everyone else can u please tell me how ur revita liquid looks like? is it like white cream or just an orange oily looking stuff ?
thank you everyone
Derek said on July 18, 2011
Mike,
My latest (the 1 liter) is thick orange/reddish substance. Almost resembles conditioner more than shampoo. The first one I got when I first tried Revita was much more “liquid”. To answer your other question, I don’t think there is much difference between procerin and provillus. I hear procerin is better, but who knows. Procerinreviews.org is a good place to read about it.
Derek said on July 18, 2011
Adam,
I think your regimin looks good. I am doing something similar. Just try it for 6 months or so and if you don’t see improvement then either drop it for a new one or build upon it. Just my two cents.
Mike said on July 20, 2011
Derek,
i have read too many reviews about revita being watery(not thick at all). everyone said it didnt work at all and made hair sticky and left some weird substance on hair. I dont live in the US so the bottle i purchased is the old bottle(watery one) with the expiry date 2/13. You think they changed the formula back to the thick reddish one? This formula (the thick one) worked like magic for many people. Did it make your hair thicker?
Did you expirence lots of hairloss while on your old revita( the liquid one)?
Derek said on July 23, 2011
No Mike It’s funny because the more watery version seemed okay and didn’t make me shed. When I ordered (and used) the 1 liter, I began shedding alot more. This could be a good thing though. Both seemed to make my existing hair thicker, but I won’t know the full results for a few months (until I regrow from my last big shed). It is honestly kind of difficult for me to give anyone on here a full evaluation on the products I have been using until more time has passed. Sorry if this doesn’t help.
Dat said on July 23, 2011
Holy shedding! I read and noticed that a lot of you agree shedding is a process that’s require for new, full growth to occur. I’ve been using Multi-Vitamins and Beta Sitosterol for about a month or so but I used 160mg Saw Palmetto along with those today and I shredded like crazy in the shower; especially the back of my head. You guys encountered my situation before? Should I stop or continue? Because we all know it’s painful to loose the few hair we’re trying to protect.
Zack said on July 24, 2011
Hay Lads, been reading post after post and im guessing alot of you are from USA, reason im thinking this is because in the UK there is nothing about standardise mg % on Saw Palmetto bottles. I recently began taking saw palmetto capsule form from Holland and Barrets Link is here

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=135&prodid=572&sid=0

is says recommended daily allowance is 4 capsules a day 1,800mg (Serenoa repens) (berries) check out the link see ingredients. is this to much i been taking 2 capsules a day with meals and noticed I have no longer loss anymore hair so if I take the 4 capsules will that regrow hair or just make it worse ?? Thanks keep up the good work
Selector said on July 26, 2011
As I promised one month ago, I will give an update about my situation.

I cannot observe definite positive results. My hair was okay (not even a NW1) when I started Saw palmetto and Nizoral. However after a month I started shedding and my hairline receded slightly, maybe 1 cm. It is not very visible that my hairline has receded, so it doesn’t bother me at all.

Now, after 4 months into my daily regimen of capsules, tablets, and hair-washing with specific shampoos (you can scroll up and see my regimen in a post dated 24th May 2011), I’m expecting that what I shed about 3 months ago will grow back. It didn’t so far. So I will report again next month.

In the mean time, I’ll post an update of my current regimen:

Nizoral Shampoo (once every 2 weeks)
Revita Shampoo (twice every week)
Vichy Anti-Dandruff Treatment Shampoo (once everyday when not using Nizoral or Revita)
2 Saw Palmetto capsules everyday (540mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 capsule Nettle Root everyday (500mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 capsule Grapeseed Extract everyday (100mg, Brand is Doctor’s A-Z)
1 capsule Green Tea everyday (500mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 pill multivitamin everyday (Centrum Performance)
1 or 2 capsules Omega 3 Fatty Acids everyday (1000mg, Providing EPA 180mg and DHA 120mg each capsule. Brand is Select Healthy)
1 tablet MSM everyday (1000mg, Brand is OnLineVits)
Once a week, I massage Jojoba oil into my hair and scalp for 15 minutes and leave it in for about 1 or 2 hours before I shower.
Every time after I shower and my hair has dried a little, I apply 5 drops of refining oil (brand is Angel Professional)

I’ve been taking about 1000mg Saw Palmetto daily from the first week of April 2011. That means I am finishing my 4th month. I don’t experience shedding anymore. The shedding started when I finished my first month and stopped when I finished my second month.

Some further information: This week I’ve started taking Melatonin (10mg, Brand is Puritan’s Pride). It helps me sleep early and it reduces overall stress. I stopped taking apple polyphenols and Resveratrol, since their benefits are questionable and I didn’t want to squander any money. I drink some 3 cups of non-sugared green tea every other day. I’m also an ovo-lacto vegetarian. That means that I don’t eat meat, but I eat dairy products, mainly cheeses (which I’ve reduced lately), eggs, and chocolate. I don’t drink animal milk any more, instead I’m drinking soya milk. I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts each day and try to minimize the consumption of white bread and candy as much as possible. I’ve been a vegetarian since last January, and I intend to keep this diet for the rest of my life, or at least that is what I’m planning right now. I don’t exercise much, however I walk a lot everyday and I do some push ups every week.
Derek said on July 29, 2011
Cut my hair. Buzzed it down to #7 on top and #2 on the back and sides. Hair is looking better already and I haven’t even fully regrown from my last shed. Certain thinning spots that I watched very closely are looking a lot darker/thicker/stronger. My crown especially seems to have improved. Usually when I buzz my hair it is kinda depressing because the thinning spots are more visable. This time it looks pretty good. I am excited to see what is in store. The procerin isn’t even supposed to show results for 6 months minimum so I can only imagine where I will be by Christmas. Keep in mind I am still going bald either way. I am just slowing/reversing the process for as long as I can. It feels good to put up a fight. I have always been that way about everything. When life deals you a bad hand, either fold immediatly or play till the end. In other words, if you are going to put up a fight at all, then make it a damn good one.
Samuel said on August 1, 2011
Hey Guys,
Just wanted to let you know that I have a youtube channel where I talk a lot about male pattern baldness. It is http://www.youtube.com/user/adkpinecone I talk a lot about nutrition/health on my channel. I got into it all when I was like 15 years old. I am 25 now. I have had really good results in slowing male pattern baldness down with using Saw Palmetto Super-critical C02 Extract from Gaia Herbs. It is very important you get the super-critical c02 extract as that is what is most effective. The other saw palmettos out on the market are mostly junk and are not as effective. Mercola made a video about saw palmetto that you should really check out if you want to understand more about saw palmetto. You guys should also check out http://www.hairloss-research.org/updates.html There is really great information on that website! Also dairy products are not good for male pattern baldness. Milk contains dihydrotestosterone (DHT) precursors, including 5a-pregnanedione and 5a-androstanedione. For both acne and hair loss DHT is bad news. DHT also stimulates the production of more sebum, which is a direct indication of localized 5AR activity, a classic trademark of both acne and MPB. Also milk contains a ton of hormones! Stick to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and essential fats (omega 3 and 6). This diet is the most conducive to hair health and growth. Also lots of water to help your kidneys and taking He Shou Wu is very beneficial for hair. I get mine from Dragon Herbs. All these things have really helped my hair. Take care and check out my channel if your interested!
kurt said on August 2, 2011
Hi guys, especially Derek with his ever strong regime.

i just purchase 3 bottles of S.P with B.S, as i’m very concern with the libido thingy..
instead of taking 3 capsule each day, i intend to go for just 2 capsule.

still have a huge supply of propercia.. however, i stop and the hair really fall like mad..

been using minxodil for years, nothing to shout about.. at least it did what it could to slow down the rate..only lately, the scalp become very oily and itch.. i guess it’s the DHT growth.. or probably the wearness of propercia decreasing..

also start using nizoral, along with this shampoo call polytar, it really clean well and suitable for daily use.

give me the strength, guys.. i know if contridictary.. the other hand saving the hair while the other, my sex drive..
hope with the low dose of S.P & B.S, i could really strike a balance of 2 world….
Samuel said on August 2, 2011
@Kurt

Kurt I would not recommend you take Beta-Sitosterol. It is much better to take Saw Palmetto Extract and get your beta sitosterol from food like avocado. One large avocado contains approx 75mg of beta sitosterol. It is much more effective if you do it that way. I use to take beta sitosterol and it really reduced sex drive. Saw Palmetto actually increases sex drive because it increases available testosterone. You should also consider taking a male libido formula and grape seed extract. All of these things will help your male pattern baldness.
Derek said on August 2, 2011
Samuel I’m glad you’re back! I remember following your channel and then one day it was deleted all of a sudden if I’m not mistaken. You seem very dedicated to fighting mpb and keeping a good diet (which is very respectable). You helped me continue my regimen when I was thinking about giving up, and I’m glad you did! Have you tried Nioxin or Revita? If so what did you think? Also, have you done any research on procerin?
Derek said on August 2, 2011
BTW,

Any of you guys ever get sunburned on the scalp when being out in the sun all day long? My hair is buzzed to less than an inch right now, but it still pisses me off. My hair doesn’t look in any way “thin” except under extremely harsh light. It just concerns me a little. I was also in a pool all day and my hair was wet which makes it look way worse. Either way my hair is still thicker than it was last summer, and my hair line looks better/stronger. Again, I will have pictures in a few months provided I don’t have some massive shed anytime soon.
Derek said on August 2, 2011
I have to apologize for the chain of posts. I just decided to upload pictures anyways. The left is one year later after starting my regimen. The one on the right is before.
http://s1202.photobucket.com/home/Drock427

-Clearly my hair is in better shape than it was. The “after” picture (the first one) is right before starting Revita and was taken about 6 months ago or less. Hope this helps a little.
kurt said on August 2, 2011
@ samuel

that sux.. i already bought 3 x bottles of S.P with B.S.. no choice, i have to finish it somehow or other, instead of taking the recommended dose, 3 cap.
i should take 2 instead?
3 capsules consist:
saw palmetto 4:1 extract, 450mg
Beta sitosterol, 300mg
Quercetin 300mg
Pygeum bark extract 120mg
Zinc 60mg
yesterday night, i also crush 2 tablet of finasteride, 1mg into my minoxidil.
hopefully, with this duo, it could do some miracle on my pathetic roof..
Derek said on August 3, 2011
That is pretty intense Kurt. I can’t see how DHT could possibly even be formed in your system never mind reach your hair follicles.
kurt said on August 4, 2011
it’s a test and error process, derek.. however i read somewhere some guys actually did that.. thus it worth the try.

i’m thinking of rubbing garlic on the scalp.. lately, my scalp itch badly and even has tiny pimple like.. for sure, it’s dirty for some reason..
Selector said on August 4, 2011
Derek, I’m happy that you seem to have benefited from your regimen.

Kurt, if your scalp is itchy, try using an anti-dandruff shampoo. I use Vichy Anti-Dandruff Treatment Shampoo, Revita and sometimes even Nizoral. Try to change your shampoos from day to day, but make sure you are using anti-dandruff or scalp-soothing shampoos.
Selector said on August 5, 2011
Has anyone considered using Revivogen and/or Tricomin ?

If someone did, I’d be glad to read about his/her experience with the product(s)
Evan said on August 9, 2011
Derek,
I dont know what you are worried about. In both your pictures you have alot of hair.
Derek said on August 10, 2011
Hey thanks Evan! I realize my hair loss isn’t bad yet. I have said before it isn’t noticeable to most people. If I could find pictures of my hairline before hair loss, you would see what I mean. My dad is a nw5 or more and I definatly got his genes. Some of my friends even think I’m crazy, but others see how I have lost some hair (usually the ones who are balding themselves). Certain areas with miniturization tell me it’s definatly mpb and not just a “mature hairline”. I don’t want anyone to think that just because I have almost a full head of hair means that my regimen is not working for me. My hair loss was worse before starting it. My hairline is stronger and my hair is getting thicker in certain areas. The fact that my hair is still on my head should be testament that something is working! The rate that I was losing hair was shocking, but I immediatly took action. This is why I still have hair. It is so difficult to regrow hair it’s insane. That is why it is key to prevent it before it gets worse. Keep in mind also Evan that I am only 23. Hairloss can accelerate pretty quickly as you age and that’s what scares me.
Samuel said on August 10, 2011
@kurt.. Yeah I would just take 2 caps instead of the 3. You don’t want to completely elimated DHT in your body because it does serve a purpose. You just don’t want an over abundance of DHT when your suffering from Male Pattern Baldness as that will just worsen the condition.

@Derek.. Thanks for the compliments! I have never tried revita or nioxin. Procerin seems to be a more natural product than Propecia so that makes it better right of the bat. I wouldn’t pay the price for Procerin though as most of the ingredients you can get for far cheaper on vitacost or iherb. Also taking single ingredients like Saw Palmetto Extract, Ginkgo Biloba, etc is far more effective because of a larger dose. So your actually getting better results if you buy all these ingredients seperately and take them throughout the day. I have never used chemicals or anything like that on my head. Most of it will just make your hair loss worse and dry out the scalp. I just eat a healthy diet and take my supplements. I use Saw Palmetto Biotin Thickening Shampoo from Avalon Organics. That shampoo really does a awesome job at making the hair appear thicker. It has over 1,000 positive reviews now on iHerb.

Also I just wanted to mention that you guys should consider eating sardines. Sardines are extremely nutritious food and have Nucleic Acids (RNA/DNA). Check out these two sources below about what that is. They have a powerful anti aging effect on the body. Many have reported that it makes there skin younger, there hair thicker, vision better, and many other health benefits. I personally eat 1 tin of King Oscar sardines a day. You can buy them at Walmart. I get them with just the extra virgin olive oil.

http://www.naturalnews.com/022197.html

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:FbYgP9UAGYAJ:www.larucheimports.com/downloads/health_article.pdf+sardine+anti+aging&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgn-Pa68jJJyc9Qr_JN-7sd67GwBGsLeNMDIFOzB-8v7otjpXwPUBZBa51VHVdI80sp37jk8PWe8XeCD4vmy2f7hnQm4yS_RVmPj7pXZgpgeYsh5h0H-lFhth6CWNhpMi1DyyQ1&sig=AHIEtbRsi2LeRbE9kLCdRPwwqkpOSM2a5Q&pli=1

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:ju57NUKJTV8J:www.naturalnews.com/SpecialReports/ToddOvokaitys.pdf+nucleic+acids&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjEMlHAKKp8LjHtLyZPU0P3ifnvxS-orcSJMy1KiusLsJNcyWlYUy4hUeyqiSp9xrEY2dZh6sowKSGR-FfzEv-B5deLYQXWt2BuZ04JyaseCmqZuMY0wbyUGB3L1-EQUdA650Dv&sig=AHIEtbQJk0nbIIkgNNlsqJQMNAmKT–r8g
Josh said on August 15, 2011
Hey everybody,
I wanted to know if there is anyone that has used Saw Palmetto and didn’t have any shedding period? I’m not even sure if that is even possible, but that is the question I would need answered before I started using this supplement. I’ve read through a lot of these and they have been helpful, but I feel like I haven’t seen one that has confirmed that they have clearly not had a shedding period. I’m probably pretty close to an NW1, but I want to be preemptive about this. My hair is thinning a little on the crown of my head and isn’t very noticeable expect on close inspection. My major problem is that I’m an actor and I can’t afford to go through a shedding period. Also, my hair is a little longer and curly, so it would be very noticeable if I were to have that large initial hair loss. I’m not sure if the dosage would be a factor in the shedding process as well. Like if I were to take a smaller dosage, maybe like one capsule which would be around 160 mgs or something. Any advice you guys may have or even opinions on this would be much appreciated and helpful. Thanks
Selector said on August 17, 2011
Hi Josh,
I cannot guarantee that you will not pass through a little shedding phase after starting taking Saw Palmetto capsules. I do not know whether you will have the shedding or not if you take only a small dose of Saw Palmetto. I started taking a dose of 1000mg daily and I had a shedding period which began a month after starting Saw Palmetto. This shedding period lasted for a month. However I didn’t lose much hair. My hair was not thinning when I started the Saw Palmetto. It receded slightly, negligibly I would say, after going through the shedding phase. My shedding was not really noticeable, and since I told no one about my taking of Saw Palmetto, no one noticed that anything changed about my hair.

When fighting hair-loss, I think that there are about 4 types of classes under which products can be classified. These are 1) DHT Inhibitors, 2) Growth Stimulants, 3) Antiandrogens, 4) Anti-Inflammatories. There is yet another class, but it is not a treatment in itself: 5) Concealers.

I will explain these terms:

1) DHT Inhibitors – These work to reduce levels of DHT, by inhibiting its creation. The result is less DHT in your scalp, and relief for your follicles from the damaging effects it can bring. DHT inhibitors are found in products like P_ropecia, and Revivogen. DHT inhibitors are equated with “stopping the cause of hair loss”, and are the foundational component to treating it.

Some DHT Inhibiting Treatments would be: P_ropecia, Generic Finasteride, Revivogen

2) Growth Stimulants – These include products like R_ogaine Foam and Tricomin. There is a good side and a bad side to growth stimulants. While they create new hair growth, they do nothing to stop the cause, or further progression. Using only a growth stimulant can be an uphill battle. Two steps forward, one step back. Many guys combine DHT inhibitors with growth stimulants for a beautifully synergistic effect. Both stopping the cause, and stimulating new growth.

Some Growth Stimulant Treatments would be: R_ogaine Foam, R_ogaine Liquid, Tricomin, Crinagen, Folligen

3) Antiandrogens – The king of antiandrogens is Topical Spironolactone Lotion, or S5 Cream. Whereas DHT inhibitors eliminate DHT, Antiandrogens like Topical Spi block DHT from reaching the follicle. This enables men to avoid systemic side effects of lowered DHT levels, and it is a phenomenally effective way of stopping the whole “hormonal” process from another angle. If you really want to go crazy, you can combine a DHT inhibitor, a growth stimulant, and an Antiandrogen for a complete, multifaceted approach.

The effective topical antiandrogen available today would be: Topical Spironolactone S5 Cream

4) Anti-Inflammatories – These treatments work to reduce inflammation, itching, redness, and flaking caused by the hormonal and immune system reactions going on in your scalp. Without an anti-inflammatory, your treatments will not work. We strongly believe that the best Anti-inflammatory on the market today is Nizoral Shampoo, and should be included in every regimen. Use once every 3 days, allow to soak for the duration of your shower, and rotate with any other shampoo of choice

Some Anti-Inflammatory Treatments would be: Nizoral Shampoo, Tricomin, Folligen

5) Concealers – This isn’t a treatment, per se. It is used to conceal hair-loss. The best concealer product out there is Toppik and Couvre which use advanced technology to give you upwards of 50% improvement in density. (Maybe you can use this, Josh, if you are concerned about shedding)

Now Josh, it depends on whether you want to treat your hair-loss with “natural” products or with FDA approved treatments. The downside with FDA approved treatments is that they can cause some highly undesired side-effects. I chose not to risk these side effects so I went for the “natural” treatment. I also can afford experimenting with the “natural” treatment since I’m not really balding, I just want to maintain my hair.

I would consider Saw Palmetto to fall under the DHT Inhibitors. Therefore I think that it will not regrow your hair; it will just slow or maybe stop your hair-loss. In order to re-grow hair you must use a Growth Stimulant. If you’d rather go for the “natural” Growth Stimulant treatment, I’d suggest you use Tricomin Therapy Spray. I haven’t used the product myself, but I will in a few months maybe, because I don’t have the money to buy it right now, and I’m not experiencing hair-loss for the moment.

I got most of this information from: http://www.hairlosstalk.com/
You can visit this site and click on a green tab called * Start Here *
Choose the Men’s Guide to Hair Loss Treatment section and read all about what you can do to counter your hair-loss. There are an amount of products listed there which are known to work for countering hair-loss, and there’s also information about these products.

I hope this was helpful
Josh said on August 17, 2011
Thanks very much Selector. That was very informative and helpful. It has given me a lot to think about though, haha. I’ll have to do some serious research before choosing. While I’m deciding my best course of action about this, however, I’m starting to take a supplement I read about called Biotin in addition to my daily vitamins. For those who don’t know, Biotin is basically a vitamin that can’t really be over done and has almost no side effects. It’s water soluble like most vitamins, so any extra pretty much gets evacuated through urine. It’s known to promote healthy hair, skin, and nail growth. It was the only thing I read about that I felt comfortable with going out and getting right away. It might not yield any significant results, but it can’t hurt to throw it into the mix anyway. It aids in good health, which can only help hair growth and healthy living in general. Thanks again and you can probably expect to hear more questions from me once I start deciding which path I’ll take.
Selector said on August 18, 2011
Any time, Josh. You’re welcome.
kurt said on August 21, 2011
@ Selector

hey, mind sharing more about ‘Topical Spironolactone S5 Cream’

first time that come across this product, anyway my order of saw palmetto had arrived.
time to stop my finasteride tablets
Selector said on August 22, 2011
kurt, I have never used the product myself. In the future I will surely try the product since I’m getting the idea that it is very useful in blocking DHT from reaching hair follicles. Here I will try and give you some information I collected about the product. (Note that I had to put some under_scores in certain names in order to avoid being considered as spam)

This is from Wikipedia:

S_pironolactone (also m_arketed under the t_rade n_ames A_ldactone, N_ovo-S_piroton, A_ldactazide, S_piractin, S_pirotone, V_erospiron or B_erlactone) is a diuretic and is used as an antiandrogen.

It is a synthetic 17-lactone drug that is a renal competitive aldosterone antagonist in a class of pharmaceuticals called potassium-sparing diuretics, used primarily to treat heart failure, ascites in patients with liver disease, low-renin hypertension, hypokalemia, secondary hyperaldosteronism (such as occurs with hepatic cirrhosis), and Conn’s syndrome (primary hyperaldosteronism). On its own, s_pironolactone is only a weak diuretic because its effects target the distal nephron (collecting tubule), where urine volume can only be slightly modified; but it can be combined with other diuretics to increase efficacy. About one person in one hundred with hypertension has elevated levels of aldosterone; in these persons, the antihypertensive effect of s_pironolactone may exceed that of complex combined regimens of other antihypertensives.

Due to its antiandrogen effect, it can also be used to treat hirsutism. It is also used for treating hair loss and acne in women, and can be used as a topical medication for treatment of male baldness. It is commonly used to treat symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) such as excess facial hair and acne. It can also be used as part of sex reassignment therapy by trans women.

S_pironolactone can cause gynecomastia in males and, unless regularly monitored, should not be given with potassium supplementation for fear of development of hyperkalemia. [1]

S_pironolactone has anti-androgen activity by binding to the androgen receptor and preventing it from interacting with dihydrotestosterone. [2]

This is from an other website:

Recently there are studies (Berardesca E, Gabba P, Ucci G, Borroni G, Rabbiosi G.) which suggest that topical s_pironolactone can act as an antiandrogen in human sebaceous glands, competing with DHT receptors and producing a decrease of labeled DHT. This means that topical s_pironolactone may slow down or stop hairloss by working as a DHT receptors blocker. Despite the fact that most doctors caution male patients against using S_pironolactone orally for hairloss for fear of adverse reactions such as loss in sex drive, impotence, breast development., some have been experimenting with low dose S_pironolactone with some success. However, we do not have hard core data or studies to substantiate that. [3]

This is from hairlosstalk.com :

Safe alternative to P_rope_cia. T_opical S_pironolactone has some serious science backing it. The owner of this site uses it daily to maintain his own hair. Benefits of P_ropecia (long term maintenance) without the side effects. [4]

References:

(seems like I cannot put links to websites since they are being considered as spam. I will try later on)
Selector said on August 22, 2011
References:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spironolactone
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2972662
Selector said on August 22, 2011
References:

[3] http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss-info/anti-androgen-spironolactone.htm
[4] http://www.hairlosstalk.com/hair-loss-treatments/product-comparisons.php
kurt said on August 22, 2011
@ selector, thanks mate.

i did a search on S5, it seem pretty positive when you use it conjunction with minoxidil and nizoral. sometime back, i bought a couple of shampoo from this make : Groganics that proclaim to be some DHT blocker, i guess it works like revivogo (similiar).
Back to S5, there’s no cream form in our region. guess i have to import from states. pretty pricy for a small tub, $30 excluding postage.
but i might going to hit it.. all for my roof..

appreciate if there’s any reviews on S5
Selector said on August 22, 2011
Yes, kurt. I am in the same situation since many of these hair products and supplements are not available in my country. I usually use websites like ebay.

Good luck mate
harry said on August 24, 2011
hi i have been using saw palmetto berry extract tincture for atobout a mont
th as a topical solution twice daily. i have noticed some thin hairs around my hairljne. am happy with results but it is a tough battle with my forehead
Josh said on August 24, 2011
So, I’ve decided to at least start using the Nizoral Shampoo as a first step into starting my hair regimen. It’s probably one of the less invasive parts of the system, and although I want to start doing something about this, I want to start off slowly and see what works for me. Just in case there are some not so positive side effects from these treatments. Anyway, I’ve heard there is some sort of shortage of this shampoo while Johnson & Johnson change manufacturing plants for this product or something along those lines. Possibly due to this, I’m having trouble finding this product at a reasonable price online and was wondering if anybody knows a trusted website that still has Nizoral Shampoo in stock at a reasonable price?? (the non-perscription 1% version that is)
Selector said on August 25, 2011
Josh, try ebay. If you find high prices on ebay.com, maybe you should try ebay.co.uk

I don’t know if this solves the problem of high prices. I buy it from local shops for 8 euro (I live in Europe).
Zack said on August 25, 2011
Hey all,
Im a student in university Liverpool and I began losing my hair 2 years ago around my temples, Im already a scientific journal research freak and I been trying to find the best way to keep my hair. I started a diary/pictures of my hairline since May 14th 2011. I started on saw palmetto 120mg and steadily up the does to its strongest now 320mg standardised extract 95% capsule form. I will stick at that dosage now without any further increase. I will carry on taking pictures from each month and hopefully after a year or 2 we can finally has some sort of bases weather saw palmetto does play a role in hairloss. My diet is considered healthy Im a footballer eating 5 fruit and vegetables daily ill keep you posted.

My question is has anyone else done a similar picture diary? I wish to compare diet and results. Preferably male using only saw palmetto capsule form not shampoo as that has an oxidation reaction with the extract.
Thank you good lucky everyone
Selector said on August 25, 2011
Hi Zack, It’s good to have a scientific journal research freak on board.

Can you give us more information about the oxidation reaction you’ve mentioned?

Do you consider shampoos which contain Saw Palmetto, bad?

If you encounter something interesting during your scientific research I’d be glad if you share it with us.

Cheers
Dave J. said on August 25, 2011
Hey guys.

I’m 25 and thinning at a ridiculously high rate. I know some of it is due to stress, as I am studying for a major exam. But even with that said, I want to try something for this. I read up on P.ropecia, and decided against it because of all the sexual side effects. I’m young, have a gf, and don’t want to have that in my life right now. I’m more interested in using Saw Palmetto, apparently its a milder DHT inhibitor than P.ropecia….any suggestions on what dosage (for starters like me)?

Also, I am a 3rd year medical student. I would suggest use of websites like PubMed (as mentioned earlier in the blog) over no-name websites. Just be careful with what you read, that is all.
Dave J. said on August 25, 2011
Also guys….this is a very common misconception….MPB is NOTTTT maternally inherited. It is an autosomal trait. Meaning it is a trait originating in the chromosomes 1-22, and not on either the X or Y genes, according to the latest research publications.

As a matter of fact, there are only few things that are strictly maternally inherited, and those are very rare, and most of them are enzyme deficiency disorders pertaining to metabolic processes in our body.
kurt said on August 26, 2011
@ Josh,

in my country, there’s plentiful of nizoral, 1% which cost around 20USD. i even heard in malaysia, there’s a generic which is much cheaper yet content is the same at 1%.

for the sum of 20USD, i rather stick with the original.

my daily regime is a switch of polytar and another shampoo call stieprox. lastly, twice a week with nizoral.

let me know if you need my help
Zack said on August 26, 2011
Hi Selector,
Scientifically many plants lose key nutrients 45%-50% when frayed from there natural source ( being the plant itself) so to put things into perspective when saw palmetto is taken from its body over period becomes in contact with air for example; oxidise ( like a banana left in your fruit bowl turns brown) so the reason why shops sell Saw palmetto Extract capsule form is due to the removal of fatty acids and sterols in the plant using (Carbon dioxide) and then sealed in a hydrophobic gel ( non water liking substance) that way you get the most nutrients from the planet making more expensive.

BUT don’t get me wrong weather that plays a role in shampoo products using saw palmetto I would take years of experimenting. The area I am concentrating on is capsule form and at a high dose. Being my own experiment will hopefully help with the whole saw palmetto issue.

How is your regime going??
Selector said on August 26, 2011
This is brilliant: another nerd joined the forum

Welcome Dave J. I’m delighted to have a medical student posting about hair loss research. You can start Saw Palmetto at a low dose below 500mg and then increase the dosage up to 1000mg over a period of 2 months. Try to get hold of a good standardised Saw Palmetto extract. Saw Palmetto will increase your libido, so this is going to be fun. However you might experience a short period of shedding which seems unavoidable. You can use a shampoo like Revita or Vichy Anti-Dandruff Treatment Shampoo to reduce shedding.

I need your informed opinion on something, Dave J.
A few months back I read about Soy products being beneficial in reducing/stopping baldness. Here is the article from BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3607815.stm

As for the effectiveness of the isoflavones contained in soy products, I read that you need to have some specific bacteria in your gut. Unfortunately only about 30% or 50% of people have these bacteria. These bacteria metabolize Daidzein (which is a type of isoflavones) into equol. Equol functions as a DHT blocker. Source: http://www.biolreprod.org/content/70/4/1188.full

However, lately I’ve also read that if one does not have these specific bacteria in one’s gut, if he keeps consuming soy products over a period of time these bacteria will somehow start growing in his gut.

What do you think about all this, Dave J. ?

Zack, so what we get in these capsules are only the fatty acids and the sterols from Saw Palmetto, right?

My current regimen basically consists of 1080mg of Saw Palmetto daily (2 capsules of 540 mg each), and some other capsules and tablets. If you’re interested in reading about my whole regimen you can see it further up in this blog. I have 2 posts, one dated 24th May 2011, and another dated 26th July 2011.

I haven’t changed much from my regimen during this last month (from the 26th of July), and I didn’t experience any changes in my hair, so I won’t write a detailed update this month. I will write one at the end of September 2011.
Jimmy said on August 30, 2011
Hey everyone,

Has anyone tried DIM for their hair loss??

There are many, many studies done for it being a strong anti-androgen (good for AGA) and has been proven in humans to reduce DHT and increase “good” estrogens for hair, strong bones and many other benefits.

I am taking DIM & Saw palmetto w/ Beta Sisterol and when i added the DIM my hair is actually less oily. My hair used to get oily pretty much the next day after i washed it and now im taking DIM, wow. It takes like 4-5 days.

Has anyone tried DIM?
Dave J. said on August 31, 2011
Hey Selector,

Well thanks for those two links. I haven’t heard of equol being effective in the treatment of baldness as an DHT inhibitor. One thing about medicine is that they don’t teach about alternative medicine, and I only found out about Saw Palmetto thru the internet and blogs such as this…

With that being said, it looks like equol’s effect on BPH and MPB is in the very early stages of research, AT BEST. So take it for what it’s worth. I personally wouldn’t recommend trying out new things because of the lack of research. That goes for anything, not just this soy theory.

I researched the theory just now and it looks like the soy may be beneficial in treating alopecia, which is NOT the same as male patterned baldness and thinning, which is the majority of the complaints on this blog: thinning hair.

Alopecia is an entirely different condition than normal male baldness. Alopecia is also transient and can be treated with steroid injections. You basically lose patches of hair, not a receding hair line and a crown.

Name of article: from PubMed.
Dietary soy oil content and soy-derived phytoestrogen genistein increase resistance to alopecia areata onset in C3H/HeJ mice
Peter said on September 5, 2011
Gents,
First, thank you for all your valuable tips on this forum. From them I am taking saw palmetto and zinc twice daily. I also bought Phytosterols(Ebay) which blended rather well in olive oil as opposite to water. I am using a toothbrush to apply this blend of olive oil onto the crown of my head before going to bed and one hour each before taking a shower. I also have stopped using shampoo and replaced it with a store brand (London Drug) hair conditioner with pectin.
And here is what I have found after 2 weeks:

Oliver oil absorbed into the scalp readily overnight.
Hair conditioner cleaned hair just as well as shampoo but without the harsh dryness.
I no longer picked out fallout hair off my lips in the shower.
There are so many fuzz hair growing on my head that I have not seen before. My guess is that the oil once absorbed into the scalp guards these tiny little hair from being washed out. Quite pleasant experimentation I must say.
Derek said on September 19, 2011
My hair is definetely growing back. I cut my hair again and noticed a difference in density at the corners of my hairline. I know some of you who saw my pics don’t believe I am or ever was losing my hair (and trust me I appreciate that!), but I do have mpb for sure. Where it is now, it doesn’t look like I am or ever was balding. The shedding I suffered from Revita and Beta sitosterol was so worth it. I have kept close watch on all thinning areas and recession. They are almost completely filled in! I had an area on the left corner of my hairline that was thinner than the rest of my hair. It extended from the hairline to about 2 inches back in a triangular patch. I figured this was a bad omen for where my hairline would have receded to. This is “almost” back to where it was before mpb. It was probably the thing about my hair that bothered me the most and also took the brunt of the shedding. It was pretty noticeable about a year ago and was at it’s worst back in June when I went through a rediculous shed. I now have undeniable proof (to myself at least) that you’re hair WILL come back stronger and thicker if you stick to revita (or any ketoconazole product). My advice to everyone is to tough it out and stick with it! I understand how self esteem can plummet during bad sheds, but keep going! I am not a doctor or anything. I am not all about posting info from other research. My advice is from my own experience. I am going through mild mpb, fighting it, and hopefully retaining almost all of my hair for the rest of my life. The awesome thing is it’s working so far! I will post newer and better quality pictures soon. Keep going guys. You can beat this BS curse.
Derek said on September 19, 2011
One other thing. Stay away from surfing hair loss sites every day. I used to do this and it was ruining my life. Now the only place I go is here to post every once in a while. Stay on your regimin and keep fighting, but enjoy life! Becoming obsessive about hair loss makes you feel like a prisoner. Don’t let it own you!
joe said on September 20, 2011
hi was wondering if you could tell me the best place to get beta sisterol from please,thanks a lot
tryingSP said on September 23, 2011
Is the generic ketoconazole just as good as nizoral? And does anyone have experience with both 1% and 2% and know which one is better?

Thanks
Brad said on September 28, 2011
I’m so glad I found this thread! I’ve been researching different hair loss products religiously for a few months now and have finally found some answers to my questions. Let me start by saying that I first starting noticing thinning/loss of hair a few months ago. While my hair loss isn’t terribly noticeable, it’s been a constant source of torture for me. I’ve been taking Saw Palmetto for a few weeks now and just ordered some Beta Sis. I also want to buy a Ketoconazole product and have narrowed it down to either Revita or Regenpure. If anyone has used either, or both could you advise me as to which is the better? I’m 26 years old and am hoping that since I’m fighting hair loss early, I’ll be able to tackle it before it gets worse. I thank you all for your abundance of experience and information and especially Derek whose insight has really helped me.
Selector said on September 28, 2011
It seems I have started a habit of giving a monthly update of my situation. So here is this month’s update.

My hair is not falling out. I cannot report any negative changes since my last update dated 26th July 2011, however I don’t think my hairline has improved. My hair was intact (NW 0, if there is such a thing) when I started Saw palmetto and Nizoral. However after a month I started shedding and my hairline receded slightly, maybe 1 cm. It is not very visible that my hairline has receded, so it doesn’t bother me at all.

It has been six months since I started my regimen of capsules, tablets and shampoos. I’ll post an update of my current regimen, because I have stopped taking a lot of the supplements I was taking and only kept taking what seemed to be the most relevant:

Nizoral Shampoo (once every 2 weeks)
Vichy Anti-Dandruff Treatment Shampoo (once everyday when not using Nizoral or other shampoos)
Pantene PRO-V Classic Care Shampoo and Conditioner (once everyday when not using Nizoral or other shampoos)
BIOPOINT Frequent use conditioner (once everyday after using shampoo)
2 Saw Palmetto capsules everyday (540mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 capsule Nettle Root once every week (500mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 pill multivitamin everyday (Centrum Performance)
2 capsules Omega 3 Fatty Acids everyday (1000mg, Providing EPA 180mg and DHA 120mg each capsule. Brand is Select Healthy)

Every time after I shower and my hair has dried a little, I apply 5 drops of refining oil (brand is Angel Professional).

I’ve been taking about 1000mg Saw Palmetto daily from the first week of April 2011. That means I am finishing my 6th month. I don’t experience shedding anymore. The shedding started when I finished my first month and stopped when I finished my second month.

Some further information: I am now leaving my hair to grow a bit long. I haven’t had a haircut since 2 months ago. I have been eating meat for the last 2 weeks, but I had been following an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet since last January. That means that I don’t eat meat, but I eat dairy products, mainly cheeses (which I’ve reduced lately), eggs, and chocolate. I don’t drink animal milk any more, instead I’m drinking soya milk. I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts each day and try to minimize the consumption of white bread and candy as much as possible. I’ve been a vegetarian since last January, and I intend to revert back to this diet again since I think it is a healthier diet. I don’t exercise much, however I walk a lot everyday and I do some push ups every week.
Believe N said on October 6, 2011
Hi Guys,

I’ve been following this website for a little while now and decided to make my first post to update on my progress. I like that the group is actually keeping everyone updated and all the positive energy and support for each other.

I am a 26 year old male who started seeing hairloss (hairline receded slightly in 2007 after college, entered University right after) in 2008 due to severe stress, post-traumatic stress to be more specific, which then developed into chronic stress for about 2&1/2 years after onset. That brings us to today, I would say things look a bit like a norwood 2 maybe a mild 3 because of the temples but the pointy front of the hairline is still present. Earlier this year I started to see rapid shedding and finally decided to start treating it with SP, I take two pills daily (85-95% standardized fatty acids in pumpkin seed oil). I’ve been using it for 4months & 7 days, from weeks 11-17 I had massive shedding. I do however have a lot of growth now along the hairline especially at the corners of the temples, there is also a lot of fuzz that wasn’t there before. The top was a little thin after the shed but now looks somewhat thicker after a shower and towel drying. I read that most people who get results see this kind of shedding before you see regrowth. It’s reasonable to say that you may see 1or2 (maybe 3) cycles of shedding as the hair growth cycle resets.

Essentially what is happening, is the resetting of the growth cycle of all the hair on your head.

I am starting to see favorable results from using SP within a relatively quick timeframe.
I think it’s important also to not use too many different things at the same time, even if you think it may be synergistic, because it is a shock to the body….it could actually harm you…biopharm student…know a thing or two about pharmacogenetics and synergy.

I also use a mild shampoo and conditioner with no sls.
I’m also starting olive oil treatment on the scalp overnight…tonight.
I am seeing progress now.

I know my post is kind of rambling, but I just wanted to introduce myself and contribute to this conversation.

I’ll post again in a week or so with more clarity and details about my progress.
Anyways, thanks to all who continue to post…I’m looking forward to our successful regrowth.

Cheers!
Reeda said on October 9, 2011
If I buy Saw Palmetto at Costco it comes in 160mg. How many tablets should I take daily?
Also can I find beta-sis at Costco?
Thanks
Reeda
Believe N said on October 12, 2011
Hi Reeda,

The dosage is usually on the side of the bottle.
You should probably take two pills daily.

Start with one type of pill and see how that works for you. For some people beta-sitosterol might be too strong and will have the opposite effect than the one desired.

Don’t know anything about costco.
Peter said on October 12, 2011
Hi guys,

Week 5 my experimentation with olive oil blend. I found no extra benefit in leaving the oil in my hair overnight, besides the occasional insomnia. I will continue however with its application 1 hour before the shower and will continue ditching the shampoo for the conditioner. It guards small hair from being washed out so far. Hope will have significant progress to report.

Thanks
Ash said on October 13, 2011
Hi guys

I have just purchased Saw Palmetto 500 mg standardised tablets. The bottle says to take 2 tablets daily (1000mg), I’m just wondering, should i take both tablets at the same time or have one in the morning and one before bed?

Thanks
Daniel said on October 13, 2011
Few questions guys. I purchased 450mg Saw Palmetto but unfortunately it wasn’t the berry extract. I have read it does not work as well. I plan on buying the berry extract. I also have read that best results come from the Saw Palmetto that contains 85-95% fatty acids and sterols. So if i buy Saw Palmetto from the berry extract (and make sure it has 85-95%), then what would be the best dosage?
Jay said on October 20, 2011
I’m a 27 yo male, and have been using SP Berry 450mg once a day for almost 2 years now. I wear my hair in a short, square cut style so I can definitely notice any recession if it happens. Thankfully my hair is still intact and I’m still able to pull off that squared off cut that I like.

My temples are still squared and not that “round” shape typical of MPB. I’m not sure if changing up my dose will give different results, better or worse. But so far I’m very satisfied. At my age hair loss is a pretty common thing that starts showing, but I’ve been fortunate enough to hang in there and have virtually the same hair I’ve always had.

I am watching my hairline to see if it’s slowly moving up though!
Poltergeist said on October 20, 2011
Believe N I like your commitment and openness.
And will continue reading these comments in the future.

For my part I am taking 1 tablett standardized extract 320mg saw palmetto/day.
Together with 1 tablet each of omega 3, silica x4 tablets (they are small) and a multivitamin.

Every 2-3 days i wash my head with Nizoral 2%

And in the nights before bed I use Emu oil (100%) pure on my scalp.

This should be good one may think. And it probably is, but what worries me is
– the washing every day of the hair ( i use a good shampoo, and then a conditioner that repairs hair (it claims) Scwartzkopt (something).
– that the emu oil contains vitamin E (for freshness it says).
- That the saw palmetto 320 mg is taken ONe time only when DHT stuff probably is active all day.

Any commenst would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Poltergeist
Brad said on October 24, 2011
Hey all,
It’s been a little over a month since I started taking Saw Palmetto (160 mg 2x daily) with Beta Sis (375 mg 1x daily) and using Revita Shampoo 5x a week. I’m going through a really bad shed right now, which I know is supposed to be a good thing but is still pretty painful. I’m noticing a lot more thinning on my crown and am worried it’s becoming more visible. I’ve also noticed that the Beta Sis is too strong for me and am going to start taking 1/2 pill every other day. I’ve also seen a dramatic decrease in my libido, which really makes me question these supplements all together. I’m starting to lean towards buying Rogaine Foam, keeping the shampoo, and taking Saw Pal in smaller doses. If anyone can give me some advice, or reaffirm my perspective regimen, I’d be very grateful.
Selector said on October 30, 2011
Here’s my monthly update of my hair situation.

Basically I kept taking the same supplements I was taking a month ago (see my previous update)

I’ve been taking about 1000mg Saw Palmetto daily from the first week of April 2011. That means I am finishing my 7th month. I don’t experience shedding anymore. The shedding started when I finished my first month and stopped when I finished my second month.

Some further information: I am now leaving my hair to grow a bit long. I haven’t had a haircut since 3 months ago. I have been eating meat for the last month, so I can’t consider myself a vegetarian any more. I don’t drink animal milk, instead I’m drinking soya milk. I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts each day and try to minimize the consumption of white bread as much as possible. I don’t exercise much, however I walk a lot everyday and I do some push ups every week.

My hair looks good. I’m not balding. For those who are asking about the recommended dosage of Saw Palmetto, you can have a look at my posts throughout the months in order to get an idea.
Samuel said on October 30, 2011
I would try using Dr. Bronners Peppermint or Lavender bar soaps to wash your hair with. That is what I have been using because its all organic and whole ingredients. Also peppermint is a anti-androgen, dht inhibitor, and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor so it will be beneficial for people who are balding. Check my video out I made about this. I also have many videos on hair loss. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwg-gcuPLsc&feature=channel_video_title

I would also suggest watching this video I made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPsmnJTAQjc&feature=channel_video_title
Romeo said on October 31, 2011
Hey guys,i have a few questions,im 21 years old my hairline has receded about an inch both sides or prob more,an my top scoulp has been havin hair fall out for a few years,please help me ive never tryed anythin to help with baldin cause i see that both sides of my fam went thru it,i was plannin on usin saw palmetto oil extract,i dont know whether the pills are better den the oil can sum1 please tell me,also i was plannin on usin that with L-lysine since i heard it boost the dht blockin on any other product u use it with,can i get these at a walgreens pharmacy?an if you guys have any advice on any combination that has work for ya please tell me :/
Daniel said on November 5, 2011
Guys I started a regimen on Octover 15th.
-Rogaine Foam 5% in the morning and at night(I’ve been on this for about 11 months now actually but the following supplements are new additions)
-Saw Palmetto(85-95%) BERRY EXTRACT 160mg x2 daily.
-Beta Sitosterol(120mg daily)
-Zinc (25mg daily)
-Magnesium(300mg daily)
-Pantothenic Acid (100mg)
-Niacin (50mg)
-Inositol (650mg)
-Raw Thymus Gladular (500 mg)
-Biotin (2000mg at least. Sometimes 300omg if I remember. I’m trying to up my way up to 5000mg eventually)
-Vitamin C (500mg daily)
-Calcium +Vitamind (400IU of Vitamin D daily and 600mg of Calcium daily)
-Pyrodixine Hydrochloride (50mg daily) BECAUSE MY B-COMPLEX DIDN”T HAVE IT!!!
-B Complex (Standard serving size daily)
-Vitamin E (400IU daily)
Daniel said on November 5, 2011
I had recently purchased generic finasteride online as I said in my earlier post but if you missed it I will state my results again. I really didn’t take it long enough to know if it was helping my hair loss After only the 10th day, my libido was reduced to an almost nonexistent level. I went days without an erection and when I did experience one, it was more painful than pleasurable. I got a little scared when I read so many disastrous experiences people had on the drug. I’m not sure if the side effects it had on me would have gone away after a few weeks but I was too afraid to risk it if they did not. So I discontinued my Propecia use and I’m trying this alternative out. I’ve been on this regimen of supplements 3 weeks today. I haven’t experienced a noticeable drop in libido, maybe a very miniscule drop, but nothing I’m really worried about. I feel like my hair isn’t necessarily more abundant now( although it seems like it), but stronger. When I run my hands through my hair it feels more resilient and not so flimsy. I keep my hair very sort, buzzed in fact. I really feel like this regimen has brought me some hari regrowth.

Any recommendations to my regimen, or questions would be greatly appreciated. I’ll keep you guys posted too.
Derek said on November 6, 2011
More regrowth coming in. The outline of my hairline and about an inch behind it is much stronger and thicker. These last few weeks I have really seen an improvement. I have been watching my progress very very carefully and I know I have regrowth! It’s because my follicles weren’t dead to begin with. I am suspecting that procerin has been helping and that all these shedding cycles I have been experiencing for the last year have been worth it. My scalp has been so unbelievably itchy these last few weeks, and it’s because of new hair coming in. Some will say the opposite, but all I have to do is look in a mirror with harsh lighting to know I have made progress. Not only have I seemed to have stopped hairloss for now, but I have actually begun to reverse it. I’m not kidding. I am only a NW2 (maybe) with some thinning (not anymore!) so I have definatly had good ground to fight on. If someone asked me if my regimin would work for them, I would have to see how bad their situation was. If they were like a NW4-5 I would say to just save your money for a future transplant if you really can’t deal with being bald someday. If you haven’t progressed beyond a NW3 I would say my regimin would cut it (with a lot of time and patience). Either way know that you can stop and reverse hair loss, it is just a combination of time, persistence, and how much hair you have left to begin with. Hope this makes sense and sorry for once again taking up the entire page haha. Good luck everyone.
divad said on November 8, 2011
Hey all this is my first post but I have been following since about February. Im 28 and noticed earlier this year that my hair was thinning and falling out easily. It could be from my thyroid disease but since mpb runs in some of my family I did not want to take any chances.

After reading the posts on here I think I have come up with a pretty solid regimen that I feel has done a good job at maintaining what I have and strengthening my hair

Feel free to ask me for more specifics:

Shampoo:
-nioxin system #2- 3 to 4 times a week
-revita and nizoral – 1 to 2 times a week (rotating)
-Avalon organics biotin shampoo- 1 to 2 times a week

Supplements:
-Shen min dht blocker – 1 pill daily
-saw palmetto 160 Mg – 1 daily
-nettle root extract 250 Mg – 1 to 2 times a week
-omega 3 fish oil- 1 daily
-multi vitamin – 1 daily
-he shou wu – 500 mg- 1 to 2 times a week
- vitamin b complex – 1 to 2 times a week

Other things I use:
-green, black, nettle, or horse tail tea- 5-6 times a week
-emu oil – leave in treatment-a few times a month
-coconut oil

I buy most of my stuff online from Swanson and Amazon
Daniel said on November 8, 2011
I have experienced a drop in sex drive since taking the combination of Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol. Nothing too bad but I want to find it if it’d being caused by just one or the other. I am going to stop using beta Sitosterol for 10 days. If my libido returns to a normal level, then I’ll assume it was the BS. If it does not, then I will go back onto the BS and stop the SP. If my libido bounces back, then I’ll stay off the saw palmetto. From what I have read it sounds like it is different for everybody
Paul said on November 9, 2011
Derek, I love you man. Please keep posting your results am updating us. I am 22 right now and have been losing my hair for the past 3 years. Slight receding in my hairline but it’s mostly from thinning

I took sp about a year ago, but stopped 3-4 months in cus i freaked out due to shedding…if only I’ve read this forum sooner…I am starting it again probably with beta too. I really really hope I can get most of my hair back.

Just curious, is anyone Asian in here who has tried this? I, myself, am Asian, so I’m just wondering since different races have different texture to their hair and such.

Anyways thanks a lot man. Foreal.
sufferer said on November 11, 2011
I been using 160mg saw palmetto twice a day for 10 months.

should I increase it to 320mg + 160mg ???
320mg , morning
160mg , night

please comment , thanks
procerin taker said on November 13, 2011
i been taking procerin for about 5 month now and i am regrowing alot of hair.. but in the last month i noticed a decrease in my labido.. i havent stopped taking procerin yet but i quit smoking cigarettes about 2 weeks ago and my labido is back to normal.. just a question is any body who has had the labido problems a smoker and takes procerin?? just wonderin
Derek said on November 13, 2011
No problem Paul! I’ll continue to try and post at least once a week. Don’t give up just yet. Shedding sucks, but you won’t get anywhere without it. I can’t help but think of all the times I came so close to shaving my head and saying screw it. I felt that because I had the beginnings of mpb it meant I was toast. Everything that happens has a reason. MPB is not some untreatable disease that just infects you and screws you for life. There is a scientific reason behind why it is happening. Block that reason and work against it (could be dht, hormone imbalance, etc.). Some body building supps actually include saw palmetto to work against dht. I personally believe SP and BS work against mild hair loss. If I am wrong, then Revita is one hell of a product by itself! It’s not like I halted hair loss and started regrowing over night. It took me over 2 years to get to where I wanted. Regrowing a NW1 from a 2 or 3 is not going to be easy, and highly unlikely. I can’t stress enough how important it is to KEEP what you already have. If you stay on a solid convenient regimen, you can do that. There is some experimentation involved. My way will not work for everyone. You will shed on several different occasions and your hair will look like crap at one point. This is going to happen! I’m sure I will have another major shed at some point. In fact, I expect it. So in summary Paul, you have a good chance if your hair is just slightly thinning in front. Just work on strenthening what is already there and keeping it where it is. For all you know it isn’t even mpb. If you still have a good amount of hair at 22, I don’t think you have to worry about ever being horseshoe bald. Either way man it can’t hurt to take action early. I’ll repost my most current regimen again if you want it.

-Procerin for men (has saw palmetto)
-Source Naturals Beta Sitosterol (375 mg)
-MaxiHair Vitamin (has biotin, MSM, all the good stuff)
-Daily multivitamin
-Revita Shampoo
-Nioxin system 2

This is suprisingly convenient and inexpensive. After that I just try to forget about my hair for the rest of the day haha. Best of luck Paul!
chris said on November 14, 2011
hi guys before i rant on i just wanna say how helpful this page has been and its great to have all the feedback.im 27 and started receding approx 5 years ago.id be between a norwood one and 2 so i still have quite alot of hair left.i started taking saw palmetto,zinc,biotin and a good multi vit approx 4 months ago and have been using nisim shampoo.i can def see small hairs sprouting up on my hairline which is great news however my hair is getting thinner on my right side at the temple area.i dont seem to shed any hair anywhere else apart from this area and its driving me mad and really worrying me.before i started this regime this side was always the thinner side but it just seems that in that last month or so it has dramatically changed.has anyone else experienced this on one side?is this a good sign in that my body is pushing out the hairs to regrow new thicker ones?help please
Believe N said on November 17, 2011
Hi guys,

I’ll try and post more often after this.
It’s about a month since a last posted. I continue to see hair growth along my hairline, it is starting to expand back on both temples. The top is thin in some parts, but this is to be expected, like I said; you will go through a few cycles of shedding…but not to worry, it’s totally worth it. I can see baby hairs along the top where it was thin before, it is getting thicker.
All in all, I can definitely say that I’m having healthy hair growth.
I might add Nizoral once a week, as I understand some of you are seeing some shedding with its use.
The olive oil treatment overnight really moisturizes my scalp, so I will continue to use it, it’s not doing any harm.

@Poltergiest…I’m not sure if you’re taking all those pills at once, but you might want to take them at separate times of the day to increase absorption.

Take care all,
Believe N
Evan said on November 18, 2011
I have been on a product called maxahair for 3 months now. It contains BS and SP along with other stuff. I took it while back for 4 months and decided to get off it. I decided to try it again. When I first started taking during this recent 3 month period I did notice shedding right away. After that it seemed to get better and noticed small hairs or hairs that were basically fuzz starting to grow.
However just recently I am getting another shedding period to the point that it seems worse. A lot of the hairs falling out seem to be my last thick hairs. There are a bunch of small hairs still growing which I guess is a good sign. I did notice that some of the hairs looked liked like they started to grow really thin and then seemed to increase in thickness as they growed. Has anyone noticed that? I usually examine the hairs that fall out to see what the thickness is. I have seen some start out thick and at the root they seemed to thin. I seen this more recently but not often.
I started working out again recently, lifting heavy weight. I play basketball at least once a week so I get some cardio in as well. I take flax seed and soy protein everyday. I stopped taking whey protein and am trying to cut back on dairy and red meat. I am a huge milk drinker so it was tough but I have reduced greatly.
Speaking of milk, has anyone tried organic. I heard it’s the hormones and antibiotics that might affect hairloss. But if it is true organic wouldn’t that eliminate that.
I am taking soy protein and flaxseed because I read that it can naturally lower dht. Has anyone heard this as well?
Anyway this last shed has scared me. Luckily my hairline is somewhat still there so I am happy with that. It’s the top of the head in general that is starting to scare me. I also noticed in the crown possibly some thining there. I just got my haircut and it seems like it is thinner then it was a month ago when I got my last haircut. This is probably the same time this last shedding started. I am at the point like I feel my only choice is the p word.
I must say though Dereks talk of sticking with it for two years and dealing with multiple sheddings followed by good results is encouraging. I have not been to a doctor yet but thinking of at least going. I went a couple years back to a doctor who was already taking propecia. He said he didn’t think it worked that well and was down to half a pill a day since he was having the sexual side effects. He also said he thought the percentage was higher side affects compared to the statistics when dealing with patients.
Believe N said on November 18, 2011
@ Evan

Hey Evan, you will go through several sheds before the growth cycle resets itself, you’ll go thin at different spots each time. Thick hairs will fall out too, they have to as everything resets itself.
I have seen that my new hairs start out thin and then get thick as well, this will usually look like the hair is tapered at the tip, which it good.

I haven’t had the the other thing that you’ve mentioned, where the hair starts thick and then gets thin…I don’t think your hair started thick, it’s probably an old hair that’s shedding. It’s not the worst thing, it’s most likely that those follicles are now resetting, different people will experience all of these events slightly different from each other.

I also work out 5-6 days a week, and I noticed since 2007 when I started, that’s when I started noticing some hair loss…this was likely due to all the testosterone in the body going unused at the time because I didn’t work out as often. It’s important to use all the testosterone available in your body so that it doesn’t breakdown into DHT. Exercise and ejaculation are important to use the testosterone in your body.

I also drink a lot of milk and I don’t plan on stopping, because it is actually important for your health, and yes even healthy hair growth. As for the comment about the antibiotics in milk, I live in Canada, so we have less of all that stuff in our milk because it’s not allowed. I’m not a big fan of the soy products, but I do take flax in my oatmeal every morning. Flax contains Omega 3, which is useful for hair growth.
Soy is high in plant estrogen…which could lead to other male reproductive problems later if you use too much. Everything in moderation is good though.

Ummm, what’s the p word?

Not to worry about the shed, let in happen and get it out of the way, it has to.
Expect some more cycles of shedding. Yes it is encouraging for me too to hear Derek’s two year journey, when I have been responding to my treatment at only 5 months.

@ Derek
I want to ask you about Procerin, I haven’t heard of it and just looked it up. I see pills and a foam. Which do you use? I’m thinking if I try it, it will just be the foam.
I don’t want to add too much stuff to my treatment, what I’m using is working for me, but I’m curious to ask anyways.
Has anyone here had a bad experience with Procerin?

Anyways guys, bottom line is; don’t freak out every time there is a shed, they have to happen for new hairs to grow. At some points, like Derek said, your hair will look like crap, but that’s ok, it’ll come back healthier if you stay healthy.

Regimen:
-Weber Naturals Saw Palmetto 160mg x2/ day
-Overnight olive oil treatment
-Mild shampoo with no sls, parabens etc. etc.
-Head & Shoulders 1 or 2 times a week
Considering:
-once a week nizoral
-Procerin foam

Cheers all,
Believe N
Evan said on November 19, 2011
I appreciate the detailed response Believe N. Good to know others are dealing with what I am. I have read here about people having shedding but havent really heard much about great results from it except you and Derek. But you guys give me hope so I will continue on with it. Good to know about the soy as well. I currently only do one serving a day of that with the flaxseed but I understand what you are saying.

Evan
Evan said on November 19, 2011
oh the P word is Propecia. lol
Evan said on November 19, 2011
Here is photos I took this morning. As you can see the hairloss has started. The back of the head pic I have always had a really bad cowlick on the back of my head so maybe it looks worse than it really is but it is definitely thinner than it use to be. This was taken after my second bad shed.

http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l490/hairloss1978/
Abe said on November 23, 2011
Evan

Your hair doesn’t look bad at all. Yes, there are signs of hairloss but you’ve caught it, and become aware of it, early.

NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! PRVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

You can include into your diet some very beneficial teas:

1: Green Tea
2: Nettle Tea

Tea is a good way to go as it will be part of your daily diet and doesn’t involve pills. But if you are interested in pills/vitamins then I recommend:

1: Pumpkin Seed Oil (Cold Pressed)
2: Stinging Nettle (this time in pill form)
3: Green Tea (you can get this in pill form too)
4: Grape Seed Extract (this will enhance the benefits)
5: Saw Palmetto (standardised – some report a loss in libido – but everyone is different. By all meas try it)
6: Pygeum
7: Ginkgo Biloba (Good for circulation)

Basically, what’s good for your Prostate is good for tackling Male Pattern Baldness. Many of these herbs and vitamins come together as they compliment each other. It’s also good to take a good quality all round vitamin too.

Then there’s the shampoos and topical treatments:

Rosemary and lavender in shampoos are very good and is healthy for your hair. They improve circulation to the scalp. You can get shampoos with them in already or add a few drops of essential oils into the shampoo you use already (but don’t put essentials oils onto your head neat).

I have found a regiment that’s good for me. You find what works for you. you might need a little trial and error.

Hope this was helpful. Wishing you all the best. Let me know how it goes.
Abe said on November 23, 2011
P.s.

Evan. I wouldn’t take propecia or minoxidil or the like. These things are too unnatural. First of all the benefits will quickly be undone if you stop using them and secondly it’s not healthy. Stick to the natural stuff
Evan said on November 24, 2011
Abe,
Thanks for the positive feedback. I don’t know if you read my previous post but I am currently taking a form of saw palmetto. It is called maxahair and have been taking it for almost 4 months now which includes SP and BS along with some of the other things you mentioned. I do have a lot of the thin hairs along with the thick ones. As for the thin hairs, some are short and some have grown really long. Not sure if that is good or bad. I do notice that a lot of them at the tip looks very skinny and weak and seemed to strength down the shaft so I am assuming that is a good thing.
However ass mentioned before, lately I did notice some of the shafts to be thick at the end and at the root it seems to be skinnier. So I wasn’t sure if this was do working out since I started back up lifting somewhat heavy again and have been playing basketball regularly. Don’t know with all this hormonal balance stuff.
Anyway here is the maxahair ingredients:
Various Vitamins
Biotin
Ginkgo Biloba
Saw Palmetto 100 mg
Beta-Sitosterol 150 mg
Green Tea (40% extract) 50 mg
Grape Seed (5:1 extract) 100 mg
Soy Isoflavones 10 mg
Licorice (1%) 50 mg
Red Clover (1%) 133 mg
Mexican Wild Yam (12.5% extract) 5 mg
Stinging nettle 25 mg
Sarsaparilla root 100 mg
I will take a look at the other things you have suggested.
@ Belive N: I am confused as I read that excercising and ejaculating increases testosterone in the body and thus increases the chance for the whole dht thing with the hair. I cant find anywhere that says these activities absorb testorone making it help prevent hairloss. Not saying your wrong but just haven’t seen that anywhere.
Also you mention you use a organic chemical free shampoo. Do you have a recommendation for that? I just ordered Avalon Biotin B organic shampoo and conditioner. It has SP in it, but can SP be absorbed through shampoo. I am guessing no and it is just a gimmick. I noticed Avalon has other shampoos where one is a lavender and one is a rosmary shampoo. Don’t know why they cant combine into one shampoo. Anyway I don’t think it will combat hairloss directly but I am hoping it will give me a cleaner scalp and help growth somehow. I was using American crew hair recovery shampoo for a little while.
Thanks and have a Happy Thanksgiving
Abe said on November 25, 2011
Hi Evan,

I hadn’t read all your last posts only the most recent. Was my first time on this particular topic and didn’t have time to go through all of them. But I have now and I see i’m not speaking to a novice I thought you were new here too. I haven’t heard of maxahair and not sure if it’s available in high street in the UK. Where do you live? I take a few vitamin/herb pills but each one on it’s own. So I take a pumpkin seed oil capsule, green tea capsule, nettle capsule etc. I prefer it like this as i’m getting quality and quantity in one. Each one is dedicated to the highest quality and because it’s a single pill you get the quantities one doesn’t get if you take a mix. On the downside it’s probably more expensive and bothersome than a single pill. As far as shampoo goes I use this:

http://www.drorganic.co.uk/lavender-products.asp

The lavender shampoo is very good and it has aloe vera in it too. Also beneficial for good quality hair. Smells very good and you can tell it’s high quality. If you want Rosemary as well then just add a few drops of Rosemary Essential oil into the bottle. Turn bottle upside down and the right way up a few times so it mixes well and there you have a good shampoo. Massage well as this helps with circulation and never blow dry – just pat dry with a towel (gently).

I also have another bit of advice and this is what I call Abe’s Hair Tonic. You’ll need a Small stove pot (I use a Turkish coffee pot). Some dried or fresh Rosemary. Dried Lavender and Clary Sage Essential Oil and a spray bottle.

Put in some Rosemary (if fresh rosemary then wash well first with cold water)
Add some dried lavender
And a few drops of Clary Sage Essential Oil

Add this into your pot and then fill with cold water. Mix and heat till it comes to the boil. When it comes to the boil then turn down to simmer. Simmer till it reduces and becomes stronger and more concentrated. Take off heat and allow to cool. Strain (or allow the sediment to settle at the bottom of the pot and pour off) and empty conetnts into the spray bottle. There you have it – a good hair tonic! You can spray this onto your hair an hour before washing and massage it in gently. Or you can leave it on all day.

I think this is very good. Let me know what you think.
Abe said on November 25, 2011
P.s.

Stir often while you’re boiling the hair tonic. The contents should have a dark reddish brown colour then you know it’s done.
Derek said on November 26, 2011
Believe N,

I just take the pills. I found out recently that the recommended is 3 per day. I have to admit that I do not follow it. I have only been using 1 a day. Either way I recommend it highly. Maybe I missed something because I am short on time, but what is your current regimin?

Evan,

I swear to God we have the same hair. It looks great now, but we know what is coming down the road haha. I would say you are better off than I. Seeing that is actually encouraging because it reminds me how critical I am of myself. If I saw you in public, I would honestly never guess you had hairloss. Your hair is pretty thick too and I doubt you would go fully bald even if you did nothing about it. You’re one of the lucky ones believe it or not. Either way, good luck to both of you. Keep the updates coming.
John said on November 28, 2011
Hi everyone – i’ve been reading the comments on this board and not too sure what to do. I have been taking these pills called “Hair Essentials” by Naturalwellbeing which contain Saw Palmetto for about 3.5 months and have not seen any improvement and have had a lot of hairs fall out since August (more than usual). I recently have also been experience testicular pain and haven’t been sleeping well.

Has anyone else experienced this ?
Abe said on November 28, 2011
John

Why haven’t you been to your doctor yet? Sounds like you’re avoiding and you’re waiting for someone to say there’s nothing to worry about. I don’t want you to worry but a visit to the doctor will give you peace of mind and is the best thing to do!

Haven’t heard of Hair Essentials so can’t comment. Got a lot in it many of which are chinese herbs. I just stick to high quality:

Pumkin Seed Oil
Stinging Nettle
Green Tea
Grapeseed
Ginkgo Biloba

plus a good all round multi-vit

Anything else I use is topical (see my post above)

Let me know how you get on.
Evan said on November 29, 2011
Derek: Haha. Yeah the hair does look similar, though you have more of it and yours seems a little more wavy then mine. I have the straightest hair you have ever seen. You definitely have more hair. In fact, based on your pictures I still don’t see any evidence of you loosing any hair. The year later photo does look thicker but that picture also looks like it was taken farther away. So for me its really hard to tell. Plus you are only 23 so I think you are too young to worry about hairloss. Course I was worrying about it back in high school and I am 33 now. Back then I was more worried about the hairline and not the top where now even though my hairline has receded a little bit on the sides I am content with that but would like a thicker top of the head.
As I said, I do still have somewhat of a hairline so I am thankful for that. The hair in my pic can be somewhat deceiving because I have in the past used conditioner and I use some styling paste in the hair. That obvisously helps the thickness. If I don’t use conditioner and no styling paste you can see the thining. There still is decent amount of hairs but a lot are getting thin. So the styling stuff helps stand it up and thicken it.
The good news is I have seen small new hairs just starting at the hairline that look really thick. They are just sprouting so will see how that goes. A lot of the really thin ones look like they started out really weak and have strengthened and more which is a good sign.
Without that I would be really worried as I have shed a drastic amount of hair earlier. I just started the new organic shampoo and conditioner yesterday. It is called Avalon Biotin B Complex. Has SP and biotin in it. Can these be absorbed through the skin? I thought the only effective way is orally. Anyway it is definitely doesn’t leave as much on the shaft of the hair as the other one I used (walmart generic pantene Prov-V). This is why it has been a lot more noticeable of the thin hairs. Like I said in the past I almost 4 months into using the maxahair with the SP and BS in it so I am planning on doing another 4 month order and hopefully this gives me enough evidence that it is working to continue on with it….otherwise I might have to look at the other options.
Good luck to you as well and I will definitely provide updates.
John said on December 1, 2011
Thanks Abe,

The testicular pain has actually gone away (think this was actually do the gym)…but I’d like to know if after 4 months of being on Saw Palmetto I should still be shedding as much as I am ?

Do a lot of people see positive results after 4 months using Saw Palmetto on this board ?
Abe said on December 5, 2011
Glad all is ok John. That’s the most important thing.

I’m no expert. All I can say is everyone is different and by no means is Saw Palmetto best for everyone. But I will suggest a few things:

1. Ditch this “Hair Essentials” and go for a high quality Saw Palmetto tablet. You’ll be getting much more of the herb and it will be standardised. Remember that standardised is ALWAYS better.

2: Saw Palmetto isn’t the only supplement that will hlp with hairloss. Perhaps Saw Palmetto isn’t for everyone. You can try others such as:

Pumpkin Seed Oil (only buy coldpressed and a 1000mg is a good quantity)

And/Or Stinging Nettle.

Again, everyone is different and you’ll have to find out what works for you. You can take all 3 or choose just 1 and try that for a while.

3: Try changing your shampoo for something kinder to your hair and has lavender in it. If you wash your hair everyday then try washing it every other day. If you wash your hair every other day then try everyday. See what works for you. I like the shampoo “Aussie – Miracle Moist shampoo”

http://www.aussiehair.com/uk/buy-now/index.php

And I add in a few drops of essential oils lavender and rosemary.

4: See Abe’s Hair Tonic above – this works for me!!!!!!!

5: Exercise and drinking more water. I’ve taken to walking atleast 4 miles a day and drinking more water (I used to never drink the recommended amount). I’m positive i’m healthier all round and look better.

Hope this is helpful.
Evan said on December 6, 2011
John
I have been using it for exactly 4 months now and i did notice decent amount of shedding within those 4 months….I talking scary type of shedding. Lately i have noticed some thick hairs starting at the hairline area. They seem to be thick and some started out really think and weak at the tip and have since grown with dark and thicker shaft. I am hoping this is a good sign for the hair growth. At least right at my front hairline it looks like it might be starting to grow better. I Just to let you know I still have most of my hairline at the forehead area. It has been the thinning of the top and back i have been concerned. Right now it just started to get thin so we will see how it goes. I would not stop….at least give it some more time. Have you seen any results?

Evan
Robertto said on December 6, 2011
Hi guys! Im taking betasist since 1,5 months ago. For the moment, the period of shedding is being so hard… but Im sure that about feb-march the change it will be amazing!
crissy said on December 6, 2011
the excessive shedding seems to have calmed down alot and there are def thick black hairs comng in.i was using nisim shampoo for about 4 months and stopped iut due to my scalp becoming very dry and my hair was extremely brittle.i stopped this last month in exhange for revita shampoo and its so much better.the stuff is truely awesome so far.ive only been using it every other day as a trial and it seems to be doing the job.anyone else experienced problems with nisim?
erick said on December 10, 2011
i’d been using ultimate hair grower which i bought from watsons six months ago and now i can see slight result, im getting bored with this product but i can say theres an improvement. very thin hair is growing but cannot be noticed. im also using dermaroller to increase the effectiveness of the product. i was about to switch to biohair but while reading some forums, theres more people saying its useless than those whose saying its effective/ im 26 years old.. i wish i have thicker fuller and have more hairs
prince said on December 11, 2011
hi i m also suffer from hair loss since last year i m 26 now. i always miss my long stylish hair . i m under stress. my father is now 55 but he still have long lovely hair just was like me. i thnik to use sp now .
Abe said on December 28, 2011
Hi Guys,

it’s late but I just wanted to share with you a “new” product that i’ve found. Ok so it’s not so new on the market but i’ve recently discovered it.

Weleda: Rosemary Hair Lotion

Nice lotion for your hair and scalp. Apply it after a shower on damp hair – massage gently into scalp and hair and leave in. Has a nice smell to it and it’s very nourishing.

Has essential oils Rosmary and Lavender in it plus other nutrients to give you a healthier scalp and more manageable hair. Encourages hair growth and conditions.

Not a miracle lotion on it’s own but used in conjunction with your daily routine can only help.
Paul said on December 29, 2011
Hey guys, just a little update from me. Been taking saw palmetto extract I got from Walmart starting around November (360mg) and beta sis early December ( just 1 capsule, although the direction says to take 2). I’m also on biotin, msm, and centrum. I think the biotin and msm are makin my hair grow faster but I’m still thinning..:(

I can notice my scalp now through just regular light and it’s making me depress. I really hope the saw palmetto and beta sis kicks in and I get regrowth. Right now I’m just shedding..I dunno if it’s less or more.

Also I’m using perfect image ketoconazole shampoo right now too…I dunno if it’s contributing to my shed or not. Sigh I just want my hair to come back. I hope I can stick through this!

Any updates from you guys?
Lid said on December 29, 2011
Try L-Cystiene, this is said to double hair growth. It is an amino acid.
Selector said on January 1, 2012
Here’s my monthly update about my hair situation.

Basically I kept taking the same supplements I was taking (see my previous updates).

I started using Aussie: Miracle Moist Shampoo. I find it good for my dry hair.
I am also using Nizoral Shampoo once every 2 weeks.
As a conditioner I use Head and Shoulders: Sensitive Care conditioner
And sometimes instead of the Head and Shoulders Conditioner I use Schwarzkopf: Gliss Hair Repair With Liquid Keratin (Ultimate Repair Conditioner).

If had the money I would immediately buy Revita Shampoo, but unfortunately I’m a student and cannot afford to spend about €90 on the 1 litre bottle which I’d like to buy.

I’ve been taking about 1000mg Saw Palmetto daily from the first week of April 2011. That means I am finishing my 9th month. I don’t experience shedding anymore. The shedding started when I finished my first month and stopped when I finished my second month.

Some further information: I am now leaving my hair to grow a bit long. I haven’t had a haircut since 5 months ago. I don’t drink animal milk, instead I’m drinking soya milk. I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts each day. I don’t exercise much, however I walk a lot everyday and I do some push ups every week.
My hair looks good. I’m not balding.

At the end of January 2012 I will post a more detailed update about the supplements I’m currently taking. I wish you all an excellent new year full of growth, both in terms of character and in terms of hair.
Derek said on January 1, 2012
Hey guys sorry I haven’t given any updates lately. I wanted to stress the importance of staying on Beta Sitosterol to those taking it. I shamefully admit I got kinda lazy about it over the last few weeks. This is mostly me stupidly thinking revita and nioxin were “enough”. I was dead wrong. In just a few weeks I feel I have lost ground. I am just happy I didn’t let it slide for too long. It is like they say with Pr_p_c_a (you fill in the blanks). It works while you are on it. When you stop, mpb continues to run its course. Hopefully in the future I will think twice before I let my regimin slide. Sometimes you don’t realize something is working until you stop using it!

BTW Evan,

You have more hair than most of my friends 10 years younger than you. I thought you were my age when I saw your pics. At 33 I would say you are in the clear. Yes hair does thin naturally somewhat as people age, but you made it through the worst part! Usually men who bald fully (NW6-7) will have considerable hair loss by their mid-late twenties. I wouldn’t even consider what you have to be mpb at your age. I hope my hair looks like that in 10 years. Either way, as someone who is equally paranoid about it, please keep the updates coming. They are always appreciated.

-If you don’t mind me asking. How much has your hair changed since you were my age? This has been a very slow process for me (partially because of my regimin). I am very curious about what to expect. Thanks again.
sufferer said on January 3, 2012
been using saw palmetto 160mg x2 , b-complex, fish oil for 1 year and counting.

thinking of adding rogaine foam to the regime … does anyone have any advice on that?

I just come across hairomega? , they are previously known as maxahair
http://hairomega.com/ingredients/

does anyone have any good result using them ?

cheers
Paul said on January 4, 2012
Hey selector,

1000mg of sp, is that too much?? The recommended dose is 2 capsules a day
sufferer said on January 5, 2012
http://hairomega.com/ingredients/

hairomega 3 in 1 or hairomega dht ?
Derek said on January 5, 2012
I am planning on trying it myself sufferer. The DHT one looks better for male pattern baldness. It has higher doses of SP and Beta Sitosterol. It also has other things in it that are in some shen min products. The other thing I wanna try is Perfect Image hair regrowth shampoo. I know it won’t “regrow” hair, but it looks like it may help slow hair loss. It looks very comprable to Revita, but based on reviews it leaves hair with more body after using. Could be worth a shot.
Selector said on January 5, 2012
Hi Paul,

the Saw Palmetto capsules I take are 540mg each. I take 2 daily. That adds up to 1080mg daily. The brand is Swanson. It is not a Saw Palmetto extract. The Supplement Facts label says it is Saw Palmetto Whole Berry. There is no Daily Value percentage established. I also do not take Beta Sitosterol, so I’m counting almost completely on this Saw Palmetto. The other supplements I take are Omega 3 fish oil, and sometimes I take a capsule of Nettle Root 500mg. Sometimes I also take a multivitamin, but I don’t take them daily any more like I used too.

Maybe Derek can comment on my usage of this type of Saw Palmetto, since he seems to be the most experienced in here.
Divad said on January 9, 2012
@Selector

Hey man, you want to take a SP that is produced using CO2 extraction. The brand I personally use is Swanson.

Also Samuel (who posts from time to time) seems to know a heck of a lot about this stuff and is always posting new vids on youtube about good supplements to take for MBP and hairloss in general. Most of the supplements I take are becuase of his advice and knowledge and I’ve had great success over the past year at maintaining my hair.

Here is is youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/adkpinecone?feature=g-u
Abe said on January 10, 2012
UPDATE

Hi All,

Here is a bit of an update. I’ve decided that i’m fed up of swallowing pills (honestly, I was turning into a vitamin pill junky) and think i’m going to take the all round healthier approach. Tell me what you think… I’ve come up with an idea of smoothies for hair loss. All these vitamins have small amounts of actual vitamins/herbs etc and the rest is filler (not mentioning the capsule). Taking one is ok but when you start to take many I think it’s unhealthy as you’re putting into your body all this rubbish that comes with it. Cannot be healthy. Besides ofr the sheer quantity of pills that one needs to take it’s also not healthy for your stomach. So back to my idea of smoothies… Just bought myself a smoothie machine (arriving in the next few days) and going to buy pure unadulterated Saw Palmetto powder, pumpkin seeds and the like. Then i’m going to make them into a delicious smoothie with vitamins from fresh fruit and perhaps a base of green tea etc. This will be healthier imho. Tell me what you think and any ideas for recipes would be very welcome.
Selector said on January 11, 2012
Hi Divad,

Thanks for your reply. I use Swanson as well, however it looks like you use a Saw Palmetto extract whereas I use Saw Palmetto whole berry. I will try the extract after I finish all these capsules I currently have.

Samuel talks a lot about this stuff, however I prefer reading Medical Journals about research on these supplements. I would suggest to Samuel that he posts links to Medical Journals so that people can read the original research, and that way his ideas will be backed up by professional research.
Selector said on January 11, 2012
Hi Abe,

Why do you think there is rubbish in a capsule? If the capsules you buy come from a serious company which has a good reputation among customers and scientists, you can have your mind at rest that there is no rubbish in there. We are not talking about street drugs here.

I consider Ray Kurzweil the freakiest health freak on this planet, and he takes about 150 supplement capsules each day. Some years ago he used to take 250 pills. Therefore I think this is ample evidence that supplements in themselves aren’t harmful to health. Maybe one could take some of the supplements with some soya milk, so that the capsules will be gentler on the stomach, but over all I think their is nothing to worry about if one follows the instruction on how to take the supplements.

However, if you are really fed up of swallowing capsules and tablets, you can do as you are saying, and mix the supplement powder into smoothies. I don’t know how the smoothies will taste. As a suggestion I think you should puree some avocados and add them to your smoothies, since they are very high in beta-Sitosterol.

Enjoy and keep us updated on your experiments, Abe
Abe said on January 12, 2012
Hi Selector,

Thanks for that. Avocados it is. Good way to eat them as I can never seem to buy the ones perfectly ready to eat. And they normally go bad before they get soft enough.

WOW and I thought swallowing 4-5 a day was bad. LOL
Reading the side of the bottle and seeing all the “filler” they put in each one just got me thinking. How good are all these fillers?

Well my smoothie machine has just arrived and i’ll try it over the weekend. Will let you know.
Evan said on January 12, 2012
I use maxahair or hairomega.

I started using maxahair about a year ago. I did it for 4 months and then stopped. 5 months ago i started on maxahair again. I just got my next 4 month supply but it is the hairomega. I am on the second bottle of that.

It is hard to say if it is working. I did notice a lot of shedding for months. On the other hand I have noticed at least in the front new strong hairs growing…some lower on the hairline then the rest. I think only time will tell. I have also noticed my eyebrows seem to be thicker and more hair near my eyebrows growing.

I also take flaxseed each day with soy protein in the morning. I use Avalon organic shampoo that doesnt have alot of the chemicals and claims to have S, biotin and whey protein in it. I dont know how much of that actually gets absorbed by the body. I do it mainly for the chemical free. So far it has been a decent shampoo
Evan said on January 12, 2012
Derek,
Thanks for the encouraging words. I admit that I still some hair left. As for what I look like when i was 23…..well its hard to remember. I should try and dig up some old pics. When I was 23 I do remember i was never concerned about the crown or top of the head, that was always covered with hair. I was worried about the temples and those receding. They have slowly recedeed over the years and I have seemed to be content with that. However with the top of the head starting to thin it looks like they have accelerated alittle bit as well. I am hoping it is from the shedding. Only time will tell.

I look back now and at what i was worrying about and I think i was overreacting, at least back then when i look at where i am now. Probably like how I think you are overreacting….this is based on your pics you have posted.

I know i have some hair left but i have noticed some hairs have been getting thinner. I have always had really thick hair so i think the thick hairs help make my head look fuller. Well good luck and keep me posted…i will do the same
Believe N said on January 21, 2012
Hey guys,

I was busy for the holiday season, I’m going to read what you guys have written for the past couple of months and post my update as well…It’s a Positive one!!
Selector said on January 21, 2012
I’m going to incorporate beta-Sitosterol into my daily regimen. Until now I was only taking Saw Palmetto and other basic supplements like Omega 3 and a multi-vitamin.

Can anyone tell me whether this is a good product?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mega-Strength-Beta-Sitosterol-375-mg-120-Tablets-/220774349491?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D395263673854487185#ht_797wt_952

Thank you
Divad said on January 21, 2012
I’ve never taken Beta S. pills but there are some reviews for that product on the swanson site:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SN101/ItemDetail

Since I love avacados/guacamole I prefer to get my Beta S. from that and other sources like nuts and fava beans.
Selector said on January 22, 2012
How do you usually eat avocados, Divad? Raw? with pasta? with salads? In what form?

Thanks
Derek said on January 22, 2012
I appreciate the feedback Evan and I will keep you posted! I will try to chill out about hair loss for a while haha. Two things I wanted to say on here:

1. To anyone looking for a good thickening shampoo try Fuller Thicker revitalizing shampoo. It isn’t really for mpb, but it is awesome for finer hair (anyone else notice when you begin to lose hair, you start noticing why women are so selective on shampoos? haha)

2. Don’t give up on natural remedies just yet. The FDA (food and death administration) allows a lot of awful things to pass. The side effects FDA approved products cause are numerous. Ever hear of aspartame? It is in diet sodas and low calorie sweetners. It decreases brain tissue, may actually cause hair loss, and the list goes on. My point is the FDA approves it! I eat mostly organic foods because of the genetically modified crap that is in everything else. No wonder men are going bald earlier these days! Although FDA approved drugs may work, the side effects they carry are not worth it to me. I would rather be completely bald.
Divad said on January 23, 2012
Avacodo’s are expenisve where I live (Northeast, U.S.A) so I usually eat them about once a week.

I love guacamole – just peel the avacado, remove the pit, and mash it up with some cilantro and onions and your good to go. That is basic but you can find tons of recipes online. I like this best with tortilla chips or in a burrito. Also works well on a burger (or veggie burger if you don’t eat meat)

I do eat it raw sometimes and find that sprinkling a little sugar on tastes best to me.

Hope that helps
Selector said on January 24, 2012
Hi Derek,

I’m not very convinced of the alleged negative effects of aspartame on health.

Have a look at this wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

I’m not so much convinced that Genetically Modified Food is bad health-wise. However I am a bit concerned about the effects of GMOs on the environment and the farming industry.

Have a look at these articles:

1. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9921-introduction-gm-organisms.html?full=true

2. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3874-gm-food-safety-fear-based-on-distortion.html
Selector said on January 24, 2012
Thanks for telling me about ways to eat avocados, Divad. I will try make some guacamole soon
Abe said on January 25, 2012
Hi Derek and Divad,

I’ve just read what you’ve both written on Aspartame. Wherevr I can I avoid artificial sweetner.

I use Zylitol instead. All natural, healthier than sugar and good for your teeth.

Check it out.
Abe said on January 25, 2012
Try as I might I never choose good avocados. When I eat them visitng other peoples houses invited out to eat they always have delicious avocados. But when it comes to buying them I have the worse luck. If I buy them hard they go off before they ripen. If I buy them soft then they always happen to be too stringy and don’t taste too good. I’ve given up.
Abe said on January 25, 2012
P.s. sorry my comment on Aspartame is for SELECTOR as well
Selector said on January 25, 2012
You’re talking about this, right Abe?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol

I might give it a try, but I don’t really need to reduce the sugar intake from my diet. I’m skinny. Do you use Xylitol in order to reduce calories from your diet?
Abe said on January 25, 2012
That’s the one Selector.

I am using it not only as part of a calorie controlled diet but also as part of a healthier diet. I think it’s good even if you don’t need to lose weight as we really don’t need the amount of sugar we consume on a dialy basis. I think society as a whole eats too much sugar. I also think that artificial sweetners aren’t good either. Xylitol is naturally occuring in fruit and our bodies even make it. Less calories, totally natural and actually promotes healthy teeth. The ONLY contraindication is – if eaten in large quantities it may have a laxative effect. But as I only use it in coffee that’s ok. I use these brands which I get in the UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Sweet-225-Pack/dp/B004FQYYNE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327498711&sr=8-1 Or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Xylitol-Natural-Sweetener-1Kg-6x1Kg/dp/B004BNSCFM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1327498739&sr=8-5

Both are derived from Birch.
Selector said on January 27, 2012
Divad, I just made some guacamole and ate it with water crackers as a dip. It is a very appetizing way to get avocados into your system
Selector said on January 27, 2012
I am going to buy beta-Sitosterol supplements. I found this article:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5030818_beta-sitosterol-side-effects.html

Has any one of you experienced any of these side effects? I have heard some people in here have experienced a loss of sex-drive. Did anyone have any other side effects?
Divad said on January 28, 2012
Glad you liked it Selector, Avacodo’s are a great superfood. Keep us updated on the Beta Sis pills. I have yet to try them but will consider it.

@Abe – yeah its pretty annoying trying to buy good ones. I usually buy them before they are ripe (hard) and let them sit on the counter for a few days. You want them to be soft when you squeeze but not too soft. Here is a good tip to follow:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4451103_tell-avocado-ripe.html
Selector said on January 29, 2012
Cheers for the info about avocados Divad.

Derek, yesterday I was talking to a friend who has several university degrees in chemistry and biology. He told me that aspartame has carcinogenic properties when consumed excessively. I am not 100% sure about the truth of this claim, however it seems like we better avoid aspartame altogether.
Abe said on January 31, 2012
Divad

Thanks for that. Good tip! I’m going to buy some and try that. Any good recipes for guacamole? Don’t like it too lemony tho.

Selector

Many vitmains (especially the B ones) have artificial sweetner as they can be bitter. When I buy vitamins I try to go for the best ones in the purest forms.
Selector said on January 31, 2012
Abe,

Can you list some of the vitamins you take and their brand?

I just noticed that the ketchup I use contains aspartame. It is listed as E951. Since I live in Europe, food additives are named by E-numbers on labels.

Check this out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enumbers
Abe said on January 31, 2012
I will do Selector. Just packing up form work and on my way home. Will write more later.

Be careful of E-numbers. Get to know which ones are good and bad. And stay well away from the bad ones. Companies fool people by writing e numbers knowing very well that most people won’t know what they’re reading.
Abe said on January 31, 2012
Selector

First of all here are the topical things I use.

1: Dr.Organic – Lavender Shampoo.
2: While hair is still damp I then apply – Weleda: Rosemary Hair Lotion

Lavender and Rosemary – Two of the best things you can apply to your hair and scalp.

Vitamins and herbs:

1: Day-vit probio – Unique Multivitamin & mineral Formulation with probiotics and CoQ10.
2: Bional – Prostanol. A blend of plant extracts, minerals & vitamin E for prostate health. Has pumpkin seed oil, stinging nettle, pine extract, Java tea extract and Saw Palmetto.

These are good but i’m permanently on the look out to see if there is anything better out there and if it can be improved on. I like to take a good all round prostate formula that has everything in it. I’m not saying Bional – Prostanol is the BEST but it’s what i’m on at the moment. If I see anything better then i’ll switch to that.

3: Holland and Barretts – Saw Palemtto herb. Comes in capsule form. Pure Saw Palemetto and nothing else. I open them up and add the herb to smoothies.

(I do take other things like vitamin C and Milk Thistle but these aren’t for hair loss)

I buy pumpkin seeds (not the salted ones with the hard white shell but the small green ones) and either have them as a snack and/or sprinkle them onto porridge or soup. Don’t eat too much of them as they are fattening.

Other then that:

1: Eat well
2: Sleep well
3: Exercise well
Abe said on January 31, 2012
P.s.

apply the rosemary hair lostion after your shower and keep on till the next shower.
Selector said on January 31, 2012
Thank you Abe. That was of great help. When I have some spare time on my hands I’ll write down the list of supplements I’m taking, as I had promised a month ago.
Selector said on February 1, 2012
As I promised one month ago, I will give a detailed update of my situation.

I cannot observe definite positive results. My hair was okay (not even a NW1) when I started Saw Palmetto and Nizoral. However after a month I started shedding and my hairline receded slightly, maybe 1 cm. This month I can say that it has receded just a little bit more, from the sides. I’m hoping that this is just a temporary shedding period. I think I can say that now I’m a NW1.

My current regimen:
Nizoral Shampoo (once every 2 weeks)
Aussie: Miracle Moist Shampoo (once everyday)
As a conditioner I use Head and Shoulders: Sensitive Care conditioner
And sometimes instead of the Head and Shoulders Conditioner I use Schwarzkopf: Gliss Hair Repair With Liquid Keratin (Ultimate Repair Conditioner).

2 Saw Palmetto capsules everyday (540mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 capsule Nettle Root everyday (500mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 capsule Grapeseed Extract everyday (100mg, Brand is Doctor’s A-Z)
1 capsule Green Tea everyday (500mg, Brand is Swanson)
1 pill multivitamin everyday (Centrum Performance)
1 or 2 capsules Omega 3 Fatty Acids everyday (1000mg, Providing EPA 180mg and DHA 120mg each capsule. Brand is Select Healthy)
1 tablet MSM everyday (1000mg, Brand is OnLineVits)

Every time after I shower and my hair has dried a little, I apply 6 drops of refining oil (brand is Angel Professional)

Some further information: I also take Melatonin (10mg, Brand is Puritan’s Pride). It helps me sleep early and it reduces overall stress.
To boost my mood a little, I take St John’s Wort Herbal Complex (Brand is Vega).

I have become an ovo-lacto vegetarian again in 9th January 2012 (after eating meat from September 2011 onwards). When I drink milk I always drink soya-milk, not animal milk.

I’ve been taking about 1000mg Saw Palmetto daily from the first week of April 2011. That means I am finishing my 10th month. I am now leaving my hair to grow a bit long. I haven’t had a haircut since 6 months ago.

I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts each day. I don’t exercise much, however I walk a lot everyday and I do some push ups every week. I intend to start going to a gym in a couple of weeks to tone my body and add some lean muscle, since I have a slim body which would benefit from some work outs.

My hair looks good. It doesn’t look like I’m balding. In the coming month I will receive some new supplements I ordered (one of them is beta-Sitosterol), so I’ll keep you updated about my developing regimen.
Abe said on February 1, 2012
Hi Selector

You’ve got a good thing going there. Doing everything right, tho I wouldn’t use the Head and Shoulders but that’s just my personal opinion. Head and Shoulders, however much it’s for sensitive hair and scalp, will be harsher than other shampoos. Unless you suffer from bad dandruff then I wouldn’t use it. Gliss hair repair is good! If you’re happy with the stuff then stick to it. You can always add a few drops of Lavender and Rosemary essential oils to your Shampoo (tho I wouldn’t add any to the nizoral).

Was going to suggest that if you like drinking hot drinks then you can also buy herbal teas such as Nettle and Green tea. But I see you take the capsules already. Still it won’t harm you if you supplement those and drink healthy teas too.

You keep in good shape and that’s good too. And a healthy diet. Keep up the good work.

You sound as if you’ve started treatment very early and that’s a good sign too. Prevention is better than cure. I ignored mine till it was much further along and is proving quite difficult. It’s definitely not advanced further and i’ve seen some slight hair regrowth.

Keep us informed how you’re doing.
Abe said on February 1, 2012
P.s. Go easy on the Soya milk. Soya has estrogen like hormones and men should limit their intake. Have you tried Almond milk?
Daniel said on February 1, 2012
I’m back guys. I have to let you know first off that I have stopped taking BS and SP all together because they both killed my libido. However, I did develop a regimen without them that has been working very well. To be completely honest, I think I might have a thick head of hair by summer. Here is what I do on the daily on this regimen:

-When I wake up, I give myself a scalpal massage for 15 minutes on my target areas (which for me is the entire top of my head)

-Then I wash my hair using a DHT blocking shampoo I bought. It was cheap, only like 10 dollars. I’m not sure if that is really helping all that much but it contains saw palmetto, so that’s good enough for me.

-Apply minoxidil. (Rogaine Foam 5% is what I use)

-Throughout the day I take an assortment of supplements. I checked daily recommended dosages and made sure I wasn’t putting myself in danger. I take them in pairs throughout the day in intervals of 1 hour to try to improve absorption. I usually pair them up this way:

1. Vitamin C (5oomg) with Biotin (5000mcg)

2. Calcium 600 +D (600mg of Calcium with 400 IU of Vitamin D with
Magnesium (300mg)

3. Vitamin E (400IU) with Niacin (50mg)

4. Inositol (650mg) with Zinc (25mg)

5. Raw Thymus Glandular (500mg) with Vitamin B-6 aka Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
(50mg)

6. Pantothenic Acid (100mg) with a B-Complex
***NOTE: I noticed by B-Complex didn’t have any pantothenic acid in it and had
very miniscule amounts of B-6 and Niacin in it, so I later implemented those
two into my regimen. Be careful and make sure you don’t take too much of
these three or it can be unhealthy.***

-EXERCISE DAILY. This is what really made the biggest difference for me. I’ve only recently started working out again while doing all these other steps I have been doing but it has made a tremendous difference. Whether it’s cardio’ or just an intense weight lifting session, exercise really does help. Make sure you really break a sweat.

-I give myself another scalp massage for 15 minutes.

-Wash hair with the same shampoo as before.

-Apply minoxidil (Rogaine foam 5%)

As far as my hair loss, I’m was thinning out on my vertex and crown before I started. My hair line had never really been a problem.
I’m not guaranteeing that this will work for anyone, but it has been working for me very well. I’m sure the fact that I am only 20 has been helping my body bounce back from alopecia, seeing as I have only been suffering from it for about a year. I began using rogaine new years day of 2011. I added the shampoo and supplements around september of 2011. But like I said, the game changer for me has been the exercise in accordance to the shampoo, scalpal massages, and supplements. I hope this helps some people that are in my situation and couldn’t use the BS or SP without adverse side-effects.

P.S. The shampoo I used, i bought online. It’s called “My Secret Correctives Hair Enhancing Shampooo with DHT Blocker System”.
Selector said on February 3, 2012
Thanks for your feedback, Abe. The Head and Shoulders I use is a conditioner, not a shampoo as such. The good thing about it is that it doesn’t have SLS. My dandruff is not very bad. I think I can do without the head and shoulders, I’ll see how it goes if I skip it. I’ll try and experiment with lavander and rosemary essential oils in the coming months.

Sometimes I drink herbal teas and green tea, though not as much as I used to last summer, where sometimes I was drinking about 9 cups each day. I always order a green tea when I’m in a coffee shop tough.

I’m reading an article about the dangers of soya milk (it’s pretty long). You can read it here http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/soys-negative-effects#axzz1lKWFs86k

I’m not experiencing any of the negative effects for now. I’ll stop when I start developing man boobs and whining like a wuss.

I bought almond milk once, but although it tasted excellent, it was a bit more expensive than the soya milk. I don’t think I can afford buying almond milk every 3 days, like I do with soya milk. Maybe I’ll buy a carton once every week. Almonds are always welcome
Abe said on February 6, 2012
Selector

You made me laugh “I’ll stop when I start developing man boobs and whining like a wuss”.

Daniel

I’ve never heard of that shampoo. Going to check it out. You got a good regimen going there. And i’m very interested in hearing your results. Keep us informed. How about a before and after photo? Anyways, off to check that shampoo. Will write more later in the week. It’s Monday morning and decided to get into work early and start off the week on the right foot. But everything has gone wrong. Dropped my lunch in the elevator and cracked the container the soup was in so i’m eating my lunch for breakfast. Catch ya later.
Believe N said on February 7, 2012
UPDATE

Hi guys,

I’ve been so busy I haven’t updated in a while.

Anyways, I feel very fortunate because I’ve had a lot of progress in growth.
I’ve been using Saw Palmetto (160mgx2) daily since June of last year, so it’ll be about 8 months at the end of February. I’ve also been using Omega-3 fish oil pills and taking centrum multi vitamin sporadically.
I work out daily again (there were a couple of months that I didn’t; stress etc).
I’ve been single, so that’s been a source of stress, I’m also starting my own business, so haven’t had much time to socialize.
I drink milk, don’t eat red meat. I eat fruits, including avocado’s (is it a fruit?), nuts and all the healthy stuff. Occasionally some junk food. I’m a little underweight, but gaining muscle mass.
I’m currently 26 and will be 27 this year.

In the first six months of using SP I had a lot of shedding, but now that seems to have stabilized, although one should expect some additional shedding now and then.
In the past couple of months however, I have noticed, as well as my family, a lot of growth along the hairline. The deep m-shape recession that I had is now filling up with hair, which at first was very thin, but now is thickening up a lot, the top of my head is thicker now too. Before, it was thin and you could see my scalp, now it’s a lot less thin and you have to look harder to see my scalp. I can definitely see a lot of growth and feel very lucky for it, I will continue to do what I’m doing because it’s giving me great results.

I use Head & Shoulders sporadically, I use an olive oil treatment nightly when I go to sleep. The shampoo and conditioner I use daily is “live clean” apple cider shampoo, check it out because it doesn’t have any of the bad stuff and doesn’t strip your hair.

@Evan
I saw the photos you’ve posted, that’s what the back of my head looks like, which is normal from what I understand, because of the hair whorl. In the front I had a deep m shape recession, which is now slowly filling in. I hope to have a full head of hair again this year.
At your age Evan, you should expect a little bit of hairloss, we all should. Since we’re all being proactive though, we shouldn’t have to worry too much.

Lol @ the man boobs. That’s not something that’s typical for the younger users of SP.

@Daniel, it’s true, the exercise does help. I said so before and I’ll say it again. Try and get at least 20 mins a day, I do about 45mins to an hour.
I’ll update monthly from now on.

Happy New Year Again Guys,
Wishing us all a lot of growth
Believe N
Selector said on February 12, 2012
I just took my first tablet of beta-Sitosterol. The brand is Source Naturals. On the bottle there’s written Mega Strength Beta Sitosterol. It contains 120 tablets and each tablet provides 375 MG.

It has calcium 60mg
beta-Sitosterol 375mg
Campesterol 187mg
Stigmasterol 131mg

I took it on empty stomach with a glass of water, after 2 hours of waking up. I will not take any other supplements today so that I can judge the effect beta-Sitosterol will have on my mood, if any. Saw Palmetto, Nettle Root, Green Tea capsules and Fish Oil affect my mood, so that the times of the day I take them in are influenced by the sort of activities I do after I take these supplements.

Saw Palmetto makes me a little bit more agitated and more prone to get aggressive.
Fish Oil enhances my thinking depth and usually elevates my mood.
Nettle Root has the same affects of Saw Palmetto, it somehow gives me more endurance.
I have two types of Green Tea capsules. Ones that do not affect my mood at all, and others that give me a sort of caffeine high. They make me more passionate and alert.

If you have similar experiences with your supplements, it would be great if you wrote them down so that everybody can compare his experiences and learn from each other.
Derek said on February 13, 2012
Added a few more pics. They are all taken outside. My hair clearly isn’t going anywhere for quite a while. In my opinion, they aren’t very flattering. My hair does not look this thin to me when I look in the mirror. I also just had a haircut before these were taken so keep in mind my hair is very short. Still lookin’ good either way!

http://s1202.photobucket.com/profile/Drock427
Selector said on February 19, 2012
I’m glad your regimen is working Derek. Keep it up.

Yes, Believe N: Avocado is a fruit. A large berry to be exact. Your life style seems to be optimal for hair growth, apart from the stress you’ve mentioned, which sometimes is unavoidable when you have an ambitious mind

Abe, sorry to hear about your elevator incident. What kind of soup do you eat ? Once a week I make a soup from boiled vegetables (broccoli, couple of carrots, potatoes, cabbage). Put these boiled vegetables in a blender and then add some cream. It tastes good and is healthy.
DANNOUK said on February 20, 2012
Hi there, just started taking SP 450 mg capsules two twice a day. So a general intake of 1800mg. I am concerned these do not say standard extract on them though. Does it matter? Am I Taking the right type?
Also using Nizoral 2% every other day .

Thanks guys
Paul said on February 22, 2012
hey guys,

a lil update…i’m a little stressed out and depressed right now. I’m losing a lot of hair as of late. I started beta sisterol along with saw palmetto in mid december or so and I haven’t seen much regrowth. Maybe a little on my temple area, but the top is thinning out so much.

Did you guys have that? a lot of thinning at the crown? also i’m itching a lot lately with dandruff (i never had dandruff problems either)…but ever since beta-sis, my scalp’s been itchy.

I’m really sad right now…I wish my hair would stop thinning. You can see holes in spots of my head now.
Selector said on February 23, 2012
This is a link to a site I just discovered

http://stemcellbaldnesscures.com/

I suggest that you do not buy anything from this site and use it for information purposes only. I do not really know if this site is selling something. Furthermore, what I suggest is that those of you who still have a full head of hair and are here to maintain it, should start saving money for possible future treatments which are worth it and very effective. If I had a stable job, I would open a bank account and put money in it which I would save in case any effective treatments emerge.
Selector said on February 25, 2012
Take a look at this:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/cure-male-pattern-baldness-10-years/story?id=12555095&page=2#.T0jDz1yvhlc
selva said on February 26, 2012
HI my name is selva from India. After reading some good reviews on this blog, i’m taking saw palmetto for about a month. So far i can’t really say anything about saw palmetto. Sometimes i can see heavy shedding and sometimes small, right now my baldness is getting worse tan before taking it, i don’t know what to do?. Please can someone tell me whether i should continue with saw palmetto or not.I also want to know whether shedding is bound to happen while taking saw palmetto.

My Current regimen
Saw palmetto 160 X 2 daily
fish oil cod
multivitamin
biotin

I’m 27yrs old.
Sultan said on February 27, 2012
I used saw palmetto 160 mg 60 tablets for one months and another formula saw palmetto with lower dose ((i forget dose )) for prostatitis (abacterial) with prostatic congesion normal libido i masturbate every day with normal sex drive sometimes 3 times aday , no side effects observed i will marry after 3 months. Does saw affect my sexual health , i puit saw palmetto since 3 months …… I have stiff erection with normal testicular size (( i am asking because i have obssessed compulive disorder and im thinking about all the about the extract )) please help me as soon as possible ……… Send me on my e mail dr.sultan2009@hotmail.com
Selector said on February 28, 2012
Sultan, Usually Saw Palmetto increases libido and sex drive. It is normal that you will want to masturbate more than usual.

Saw Palmetto should affect your sexual health positively.

Selva, and others who are depressed with extreme hair loss: Saw Palmetto is not going to grow your hair immediately. And nobody is sure that it works 100%. Usually it is used to maintain the hair you already have, not to grow new hair.

If you are very depressed and want to grow hair, I suggest Minoxidil. However you should be aware that once you start Minoxidil, you cannot stop it, because you will lose all the hair that you will have grown. Minoxidil will have to be used throughout your life if you want to maintain what you grow. It is not very cheap.
bob said on February 29, 2012
Users of saw palmetto and other androgen blockers should understand that dht can not become estrogen but testosterone can. If you aggressively use androgen blockers, it can cause the testoserone to convert to estrogen.
Weight lifters learned this the hard way.
How much this happens depends on how many aromatase enzymes you have in your system.
That estrogen will grow hair but it may cause ED and man boobs.
If you are taking high doses of anti androgens like S.P. and B.S. then it is a good idea to take an aromataze blocker like zinc.
The constant shedding is due to hormone imbalances.
I have been taking 160 S.P. twice daily with zinc for nearly a year and have had no shedding.
Stephen said on March 10, 2012
@Derek- ive read all your post and im glad that your results are positive. im just wondering what exactly is your regimen?
Derek said on March 12, 2012
Bob is right about zinc. I always under-estimated how important it is. It does seem to balance out shedding plus the hair growing in seems healthier. Zinc is very crucial to hair growth. Supposedly it must be balanced out with copper so usually a strong mulitvitamin for hair does the trick. I am getting Hair Omega DHT in a few days through Amazon. I am also going to begin taking an L arginine supplement to counter sexual side effects and for the general boost in energy. I am also eating fish 3 times a week (haddock and salmon) and I feel this has helped a lot with strengthening my hair follicles. Black tea is another good dht blocker when consumed regularly. I have 1 or 2 cups a day. Get the good stuff though.
Derek said on March 12, 2012
Out of curiousity (if anyone reads this or gives a crap), do you guys who are older/have more advanced hair loss think I will lose a lot of hair judging by my pics? I don’t mind honest answers because I have already accepted hair loss as something I will live with forever. How bad off am I? Keep in mind I am only 24 years old (in about a month I will be). The only reason I feel I won’t be horseshoe bald is because my loss has been very slow. I am also fighting and winning so far, but who knows. I have heard hair loss can accelerate every few years and then slow down. In other words….

To all the older guys on here, what is my fate?
Am I to be bald, and full of hate?
My hair follicles shrink into despair
As my hairline is exposed in the blowing air
Will I have a respectable widow’s peak?
Or shall my scalp be shiny and sleek?
I will resist all FDA approved drugs
Concealers, toupes, and plugs
Oh tell me, what is my fate?
Derek said on March 12, 2012
Yeah so I apparently decided to write a poem while I was commenting. I hope you all have a sense of humor.
Derek said on March 14, 2012
My new regimen:

-HairOmega DHT (contains Saw Palmetto, Beta Sitosterol, and many more)
-Men’s multivitamin
-Revita Shampoo
-Nioxin system 2
-Thicker fuller hair (a good shampoo that improves texture and appearance of hair)

With hairomega I am getting many vitamins, herbs, mushrooms, and extracts in the form of one pill. With the amount of Beta and Saw, I am ditching the single capsules of each that I used to take. I feel like it’s overkill, and I don’t want to induce another shed just yet.
Evan said on March 16, 2012
Thanks Believe N. I understand i will lose some as I get older but seems like more than what I want to accept. I use to be concerned with my hairline but even though the sides are receding I feel content with that right now. The front has maintained the same for a while. It’s the overall thining on top I am concerned about.
I have been using the maxahair (now hairomega) for almost 8 months. To be honest I haven’t seen much progress. It looks like there maybe was some there for a while but not sure. Still think I have a way to go for any improvement.
Otherwise all I am taking is pumpkin seed oil, flax seed and soy protein besides my regular food
I am using a organic shampoo with saw, wheat protein, biotin and lavender. Not sure if that is helping either.
I will let you know if things change.
Daniel said on March 18, 2012
Just checkin back in to tell you guys my regimen seems to be helping me actually regrow hair. I know I should post pictures for before and after but my digital camera is broken and so was my phone so I’m using an ancient one without a camera lol. So you guys are just going to have to take my word for it. Also, on a side note, i read on one of the threads on here that ejaculation more than once every two days can actually accelerate hair loss. Apparently semen carries lots of nutirents essential for hair growth. Can anyone validate that statement or is it just bs?
Dave said on March 22, 2012
Derek & Evan seen the pics – neither of you has male pattern baldness, stop taking all manner of pills and get on with your lives. Obssesive compulsive disorder maybe, mpb, no. Two non-bald men arguing with each other who has the most hair, it’s ridiculous.
Derek said on March 22, 2012
Dave,

LOL!! I am sorry if you weren’t kidding, but it was just funny. I have to agree about Evan, but I most definatly have mpb. If you saw my hairline (at 24) pulled back when wet, you would agree. I know I am not “that bad off”, but I inhereted it from my dad for sure. Either way I appreciate that you think I am not going bald. It made my day!
Evan said on March 23, 2012
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/cure-baldness-researchers-identify-scalp-chemical-stops-hair-143906562.html
Evan said on March 23, 2012
i disagree…..my hair is getting worse. lol
Evan said on March 23, 2012
oh and Derek has more hair
ken said on March 26, 2012
hi, i wanted to ask if any of you had acne in your teenage years?
selva said on March 29, 2012
HI guys, i want to know one thing, please tell me the truth, is saw palmetto really helping you guys?. I’m shedding really bad and its even worse now a days. Please tell me whether should i stop it or is it just me who is exaggerating. I feel like i had almost 5years of hair fall, with in this 2 months of saw palmetto regimen.
ken said on April 1, 2012
selva, this is normal, after another 2 months you will see those hairs come back thicker, what norwood are you?
Evan said on April 3, 2012
Selector,
I just read that article on soy…thanks for posting that. I think I am starting maybe see some symptoms….i did notice senstivity with my breasts and i think they there might be man boobs starting up….the libio is so so. I wasnt sure if it was this or the hairomega I have been taking.
selva said on April 3, 2012
HI ken thanks for your reply, hope you are right. Are you taking sp?
selva said on April 4, 2012
did anyone experienced man boobs, while taking sawpalmetto?
Evan said on April 6, 2012
i am starting to see what looks like it could be starting…..but I was intaking soy protein as well….so was planning on stopping that immediately. I did notice however before taking soy and after taking the saw that my breasts seemed to be more sensitive
matt said on April 6, 2012
HI guys, i’m new to this blog. After following this blog for a month, i started to take saw palmetto. It’s been two months, day by day i ask to myself, did i made a mistake by coming to this blog and taking this saw palmetto ?. I think Yes. Although some people here claim that saw palmetto helped them, but it doesn’t seem that they are following it now. I lost almost 1 inch of my frontal hair in two months, i feel like ‘ god what was i thinking? ‘. Even if i had severe MPB problem, it could have taken time to loose this much of hair may be 5 months to 1 year, but this thing really messed up my life, i’m totally down now. please my personal request to everyone do not post anything if your not sure, i also know that nobody here ordered me to take this sp, but we all are searching for solutions to our problems in our life, and please do not help others with your bizarre claims. My another personal request, do not ever recommend anyone using this saw palmetto thing, i feel like even propecia or finasteride or whatever pills out there are better than this. some said i should wait for another 2 months, well i’m not going loose my full head. Hope someone wish to take saw palmetto can know the pain i’m going through. This product in any form is shit, pardon my language. I personally wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Please do some yoga, don’t mausterbate, go for jogging, have biotin and zinc vitamins tablets, i think these can help anyone for may be 1 or 2years. saw palmetto sucks!
Derek said on April 9, 2012
Matt,

2 months is not long enough to judge. I wasn’t even through shedding at that point. It took me years to find the right regimen and thicken my hair. As I have said before, Beta Sitosterol/Saw Palmetto have helped halt my hairloss. This is with other hairloss shampoos such as nizoral, revita, and nioxin. I also take hair related vitamins which is probably a huge factor as to why my hair is improving. Most on here don’t think I have MPB anyway, but that’s because part of my hairline is covered partially and it’s hard to see from just pictures. Believe me, I have better hair now than I did a few years ago. People who know me (my girlfriend and friends specifically) have noticed how thick my hair is looking lately. Either way you look at it, just halting hair loss is a victory in itself. Something that works for me, may not work for you. Quit Saw if you want, but just know 2 months won’t show you any improvement. It could take a year or two. For now I highly recommend Nizoral or Revita. I just ordered this stuff called Perfecthair (hair loss shampoo). It’s got a lot of ingredients Revita has, but got better reviews and doesn’t seem to cause as much shedding. Well, I hope you read this man. Any advice I have is from experience. I can only tell you what has worked for ME. Good luck bro. If you have any questions let me know.
Derek said on April 9, 2012
BTW Matt,

If you read my earlier posts back in August of 2010, You will see that I had bad shedding experiences. I toughed through it on several occasions and I am so glad I did. Read my earlier stuff if you want to know what you should (maybe) expect. Andrew also experienced the same thing, but he doesn’t post here anymore. Hopefully he grew all his hair back, met a nice girl and got on with his life lol.
matt said on April 11, 2012
Please derek, get a life. You can say whatever you want, you can even experiment with yourself, but not with others by giving fake promises. First check you own messages and talk, bcoz you yourself confused in between your regimen, and changed it. So how can you then give promises to other people when you are not sure. Ask yourself did you got any results ?, the answer would be no. Ya andrew might have been pissed off with your fake suggestions and thank god he is not here anymore, may god bless him. If he had gotten any results he would have excited and posted his success, by the way he is not and so i think there is no point in talking about andrew here. My personal request to everyone, please do not use saw palmetto, i don’t speak for a company here. I tried it with myself, and i lost more hair even i would have imagined. Its not only about hair fall, it will also affect your health severely. I was taking saw palmetto for around 2/12 months, i felt really weak, i had a stomach problem and ache, of course some say SP is not finasteride or propecia, so that it wont affect your sexual health. Please don’t mistake me it affects your overall sexual health, you can check this by masturbating or even you can ask your partner on this matter and of course talk about man boobs, SP has been prescribed for women as a female chest enhancer, i was pissed off when i came to know from my female colleague, she is been using it for years . I don know why Mr derek is defending saw palmetto which has so many side effects. We all know how this Onbehalf trend used in the internet from the beginning to exploit people, and i feel sad that i became an victim because of that. Please Find a doctor which you feel he’s worth for every penny, ask him to take a vitamin deficiency test, ask him about what is MPB and get a knowledge about it and please do confirm whether you have this problem or not, Do exercise or even meditation or yoga on this matter. Our problem cannot have single solutions, if anybody has then they are lying purely, I don know about derek as a person and am not here to judge anyone, but at the same time, if i know something that is not good for mankind i wont suggest it. SP is not good for anyone. Please wake up and change your lifestyle, internet is not the best hair solution. It is full of scam not only by products but also by people. Derek solution is a JOke, if you are gonna trust it, be my guest.
Selector said on April 11, 2012
matt, if you tried Saw Palmetto for only 2 months and experienced shedding, that does not mean that Saw Palmetto makes you lose hair. Effects differ from person to person, however, and this is experimental stuff, nothing is guaranteed. I am a skeptic when it comes to Saw Palmetto and other ‘natural’ remedies. However I gave this staff a go.

I have been using Saw Palmetto for a year now, and didn’t experience much hair loss. Just a month of shedding, but that is all. My sex drive was enhanced by Saw Palmetto and I got back the virility I had when I was 16 years old (that is very high). I have not experiences any nasty side-effects, at least up till now.

Not only did Saw Palmetto elevate my sexual desire, but it also gave me more endurance whilst doing physical exercise. If this stuff didn’t help in maintaining hair, I’d still use it to maintain a healthy sex life and endurance.

However if it works for me, it doesn’t mean that it is going to work for you. This is clear in this thread. Some people in here got off Saw Palmetto because they experienced some nasty side-effects. If you are not benefiting from Saw Palmetto, just get off it.

You are welcome to recount your bad experiences in here, but you have no right to speak in an arrogant manner. We are here to share our experiences, good or bad, but no one should patronise other people and tell them what they should do over and over like a broken record. Everyone should decide what is best for him/her by reading through the honest experiences shared on this thread.

I hope you find other solutions for your hair loss, since you are clearly disappointed with Saw Palmetto. Best of luck.
ken said on April 11, 2012
Guys, saw palmetto works to an extent but DHT blocking is not the right way to go!

DHT is not the true cause of baldness! I know you wont believe me about this, but the reason why saw palmetto works…
(matt it works, but you are going through a very very bad shedding period because you upregulated androgens which are causing a knock on effect and incresing the true cause of baldness — i bet you had a very very bad oily scalp and itch right?)
…is because of its anti inflammotry properties, it contains fatty acids and the phytosterols block DHT, BUT not on the follicle itself, it blocks DHT on another part of the follicle!
matt said on April 12, 2012
Wow mr.selector, you must be a good friend to someone who is leading people in a wrong way. Can you Explain me on which manner did i speak arrogantly, any words if you can ?. If yo are an administrator or moderator of this thread, you can tell me what i should speak, or what suggestions should i post here. See i didn’t tell people to take drugs or some sort of wicked things for balding, i’ve suggested people in a clear manner to do exercise, yoga or meditation and not to surrender themselves in these kind of medication. In what world are these suggestions are arrogant and are not good for the people. Please you also get a life and try not experimenting with this bad stuffs. Go to your mom and dad and ask where they got a healthy life, ask them whether they got it from from pills or living a healthy way of good life by eating vegetables or by exercising and of course being happy and making others happy ,i’m sure they will tell you this and even i want you to follow what your dad and mom says. See you may not experience some bad things now, but in future, when you age more, you may experience some sad sides that is cleared now by a doctor now , if you want proof go a head and search some of the forum in ‘Google’ that talks about Sp side effects. And please wake up Mr.selector i did not preach here but iam warning some people here so that they can be saved. Go and recount your messages and see who is preaching here. Please people, try to get a good life by eating good food and being in a good environment and exercising and of course being happy. These pills and medication in no way is going to help you. Like MR.selector said i spoke arogantly, if i hurted anyone my sincere apologize to you guys, i’m here to get people out where i had been.
matt said on April 12, 2012
Ken, I know saw palmetto can cause some bad shedding, even i posted early that i Have taken SP after observing this thread for over a month. See shedding can happen by any hair medication and i know how the process works, but this thing really messed up my hair. I’ve lost almost 1 inch of my frontal hair, even i lost some of them on top even on my two sides and nobody knows that it’ll grow back. I think if anyone is in my place and after see this kind of a result within a short period, i think they a will stop using SP and they’ll be in damage control mode. Yeah some of here can easily say that it can work for me and not for others, and they will tell this only some people report about their problems and how is that ? anyway thanks ken for your suggestions and i hope you will also get out from these pills and will try living by good source. This would my last post here, I’m going mad whenever i see this thread, I’m requesting here every one here to get out from SP, if you think i’m saying weird things here that’s because i don’t want to be with my friends with a man boobs.If they want to try it, i hope god help them and they will not loose more more hair like me, i would be happy if they have a good experience with any kind of medication for balding, because balding sucks in any form.
Selector said on April 12, 2012
Hi matt, in your posts you are ranting whilst also using a patronising tone. You told Derek and myself to get a life: that is arrogant.

I cannot take your posts seriously. They are full of emotion and lack in rationality.

I hope you find solutions for your hair loss somewhere else.
Selector said on April 12, 2012
Hey Ken, cheers for sharing that information. Do you have any sources, say a website or article?
selva said on April 12, 2012
HI guys this is selva, i want to know that whether mausterbating on this time of SP regimen will increase my hairfall or not. Right now i’m closing in third month still no improvement and of course lots of shedding happening.
Selector said on April 13, 2012
Selva, I have not found any serious articles or scientific journals that link masturbation or sexual intercourse with hair loss. Therefore, the choice is in your hands (hehehe)
selva said on April 13, 2012
Thanks for your reply selector, i don’t remember the blog, but i remember one doctor saying that masturbation can lead to increase in DHT and thus increase in shedding. Anyway as you said everything is in our hands. Within two weeks i will reach my 3month mark, hope this shedding will end soon and regrow happen, coz my head looks terrible. Sever shedding is happening all over my head.
Divad said on April 13, 2012
@MATT

You not only are you arrogant, but from reading your posts, you are ignorant as well.

Before you go off ranting on Saw Palmetto and Derek (who has been kind enough to share his PERSONEL experiences and regimens) you should really post more details about your own regimen. Like how about: what kind of saw palmetto you take, what dosage you take, your height and weight, etc. because you could be taking too high of a dose or a crappy brand of saw palmetto.

I personally take no more than 320 mg/day and it is crucial you are taking a brand that is made using supercritical c02 extract. I have experienced some minor shedding if none at all from my regimen

The reason most, if not all of us are on this site is because we are looking for natural alternative ways and would never put a drug like finasteride or minoxidil into/on our bodies. I don’t think anyone on here has made the claim that saw p. will magically regrow your hair alone and most of us take it along with many other natural things (like he shu wu, nettle root, msm, biotin, zinc, etc.)

Saw P. is even prescribed to men to help with enlarged prostates. So even if saw p. doesn’t benefit hairloss, it is still helping to keep a healthy prostate.

I personally believe it helps me from doing my own research and my personel results, NOT regrowing my hair, but helping to maintain it and prevent hair fall. Saw p. is even in a natural shampoo that I use and has over 2000 positive reviews on iherb.com. Don’t believe me Matt? here is the link:

http://www.iherb.com/Avalon-Organics-Biotin-B-Complex-Therapy-Thickening-Shampoo-14-fl-oz-414-ml/3477

It is my suspicion that you were taking too high of a dose and shocked your system…just remember that EVERYTHING is toxic, the dose determines the risk…

I’m sure Matt you will rip my post apart, but I could care less. We come on here to share our honest experiences and learn/help others, not to deceive them.
selva said on April 13, 2012
HI divad, i’m also experiencing more shedding like matt here, i thought may be switching brands will help me. Please can you tell me which SP that you experienced will be the best one.

My new regimen

Saw palmetto 160 X 2(Zenith Nutrition)
Biotin 5mg
Fish cod oil
riconia multi vitamin
limcee vitamin c 500mg

To note about SP, i dont know what form of extract i’m using because there is no specifications there and it says at the back of my bottle (whole berries).

I appreciate anyones view and suggestions, please guys i’m loosing my hair in clumps.
Divad said on April 13, 2012
Hi Selva,

I’m not sure which brand you are using, but if you are using one with whole berries, I would get off that asap and switch to a formula that uses the Supercritical CO2 Saw Palmetto Extract.

The brand I personally like and use is Swanson. There are better ones like from gaia herbs but it is more expensive.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SWH102/ItemDetail

Also, you can check out this vid from Samuel who posts on here from time to time. He has a lot more experience and knowledge than me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r_9iqiSEV0

Cheers, and good luck!
Divad said on April 13, 2012
Also, your diet can play a huge role in the state of your hair and skin. Processed food, dairy, white bread, white rice, soy etc, and meat that isn’t hormone free or grass fed, can be bad for your hair.

I pretty much cut back my dairy in take by like 90% and substituted it with almond and cocanut milk for my calcium. I also cut down on the amount of meat I consume and eat much more whole fruits and vegtables. Not only has it helped my hair and skin but my body feels so much better too!
Divad said on April 13, 2012
@Selva

Looks like my post before my last one got deleted by the moderator. Just wanted to say that if you are taking a whole berry one, I would switch asap to a brand that uses the Supercritical CO2 Saw Palmetto Extract.

The brand I personally use and like is swanson. There a better ones like from gaia herbs, but they are more expensive:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SWH102/ItemDetail
selva said on April 14, 2012
HI guys, i want to know this, right now i’m taking saw palmetto whole berry in capsule, please tell me whether i’m taking the right one for my hair fall. Sorry to ask this stupid questions, because everyone will not get the same results, but i’m little curious to know this, i would appreciate some comment on this topic.
Divad said on April 14, 2012
You can check out this link for more info on the CO2 process. There is even a video that you can watch

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/products/new-organic-palmetto-pure-for-prostate-health.html
Divad said on April 16, 2012
Selva – The CO2 extract is the highest quality, most potent, and best absorbed by the body.

The whole berry is going to do nothing for your hairloss…
Divad said on April 16, 2012
well i shouldnt say nothing, but it is far less effective
Derek said on April 16, 2012
Look Matt,

I have no idea why you are blaming me for this. I wish I had read it sooner, but I was too busy out having a “life”. I do not intend to start a fight on here because it seems like every internet forum has plenty of that. I would prefer you just leave and go take your problems out on someone else. A few things I do want to say though…

-You are just mad because something I use that worked for me didn’t work for you.

-Saying I changed my regimen is true because I like to rotate products/supplements to find out what is most effective. All generally revolve around the same ingredients most of the time, but I am not “confused” as you put it.

-It took me years of shedding off and on to finally begin maintaining healthy hair growth. For some reason you think I don’t understand what you are going through.

-I do in fact have a life. I have a girlfriend who I am planning on marrying soon. I play in and manage a band. I work full time and run a small side business doing masonry/carpentry repair and painting. I have a group of friends I see regularly. My life isn’t hair loss. Hair loss is a small inconvenience that I am trying to get rid of. If I was using rogaine, laser comb, propecia, and giving myself 2 hour massages every day, then you would be correct. Instead I take a few natural supps and wash my hair like any other human being.

-Lastly, try not to criticize a group of guys who are going through the same thing you are. You came on here asking about something and we told you what we knew. Don’t flip out on us because you are angry about balding. We all have to deal with this for the rest of our lives, not just you.
Derek said on April 16, 2012
To Everyone:

MY REGIMEN IS WHAT WORKS FOR ME. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN. DO NOT TAKE SAW PALMETTO, BETA SITOSTEROL OR USE ANY KETOCONAZOLE PRODUCTS IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO GO THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR. I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL CURE HAIR LOSS FOR YOU.

BTW Selector and Divad,

I appreciate the support and thank you guys for understanding this. I would write more, but I need to start thinking of new ways to scam people into using products I don’t make lol.
Derek said on April 16, 2012
PerfectHair (supposed “regrowth” shampoo) is awesome so far. Especially if you have finer hair. It used to be called Perfect Image hair regrowth shampoo. This guy “hairlossfromsteroids” uses it. You can google that name or find him on youtube. He does a review of Revita and other shampoos as well as compares them. He has had unbelievable results with his regimen and had several youtube vids discussing hair loss. Sorry for the triple posts, but I felt like some of you would be interested. Hopefully no one gets pissed at me this time for throwing in my two cents.
Paul said on April 17, 2012
Hey guys,

I’m on my 4th/5th month of saw palmetto right now and experiencing a really awful shed. Is it around this time that you guys had it to?? =(
NONAME said on April 17, 2012
This is for selva.

You want to stop going bald and regrow your hair? Stop masturbating. I’m living proof it works!
OK I don’t exactly know what’s going on here, but I’d been studying hairloss for years, and there were all sorts of differing theories as to what causes it. I was reading about how the anti-hairloss drug Propecia prevents testosterone being converted into dihydrotestosterone — the supposed hormone responsible for causing male pattern baldness. This hormone is also apparently related to the male sex drive.

So I started to recall during my teens and onwards how high my sex drive was; I’d masturbate constantly, and that’s when my hairline began to recede. So, I decided to give up masturbating to see if this would make any difference, and did this for several months, then, one day when I looked in the mirror, I noticed small blonde hairs starting to grow back! Over time these hairs became darker and thicker, then even more small blonde hairs started to grow back, and, again, they grew thicker and darker.

Body chemistry CANNOT change in 1 day or 1 week or 1 month. Even if it does by some strange luck, you still need to keep in mind that it requires some 3 months for your scalp to exit Telogen phase as in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telogen#Telogen_phase. So the primary challenge is to not masturbate for at least 3 months. Still 3 months may not be enough. In that case, i will extend it to 2 years… and try drink black tea… Black Tea Reduces DHT by 72%!
Selector said on April 17, 2012
Don’t worry Derek. Thanks for your suggestion to check out “hairlossfromsteroids”
Derek said on April 17, 2012
Paul,

Mine was after a month or two. Then again a few months after if I remember correctly. I started Beta after that and for a while things were good, but then I shed big time. Some of the shedding was most likely over-use of ketoconazole, or just a combonation of both. Either way I went through several over the course of 2 years or so and still occasionally have weeks where it starts up again, but not nearly as bad as before. Hope that helps a little.
selva said on April 18, 2012
@noname

Than you very much for your thoughts on that. It really opened my eye, hope everybody here will look into your suggestions. I have a question though, At what age did you stop masturbating and saw results? . Because i’m 28 now so that’s why i’m asking you this, i’m thinking may be its too late for me to stop and see result as you seen .
Divad said on April 23, 2012
Thanks for the tip Derek.

I checked that guy out on youtube and he has some good info and reviews on shampoo’s. I am deff going to pick up the regenpure for sure after my revita runs out (could be another 6 months to a yr though lol) since it contains ketoconazole along with saw p. and does not contain sls.
selva said on April 23, 2012
is there any replacement for SP?, because i think SP giving me man boobs. I noticed only after my mom pointed out that my chest looks different. Haie loss is giving me man boobs lol.
Selector said on April 25, 2012
Hi selva, try taking beta-Sitosterol daily instead of Saw Palmetto. You can take one capsule Saw Palmetto each week until all your capsules are finished in order not to just throw them away. I also suggest you do about 10 or 20 push ups each day for a whole year, in order to strengthen your chest. If you are consuming any soy products, stop consuming them immediately. All this should do the trick. Goodluck
selva said on April 26, 2012
Hey selector thanks man, really appreciate your suggestions. But i Stopped Sp two days back, because i had a possible drug interactions. Right now i’m taking medication for my foot corn, and man i got to warn people about SP. If anyone on this forum taking SP please do not take any other medication with it, even if you do please consult a doctor first and discuss about possible drug interactions. After taking some of the pills suddenly i felt irritation around my face and within an hour i started to loose my hair in clumps. Now I had to stop Sp, i was hoping to cross 5month mark, but my bad luck i stopped it 3months. Please guys i need your help, tell me whether stopping SP will cause shedding, because before stoping Sp i googled about others reaction about stopping it, the reviews were not that good, some people experienced shed and some severe shedding, so i’m hoping it wont happen for me, so if someone experienced this kind of situation before share it here, and i would appreciate any suggestions, Feel free to share it. ON a last note, do not stop taking SP on seeing my messages here, because some people are lucky but some may not.
selva said on April 26, 2012
sorry i forgot to say that, i’m experiencing sever shedding right now.
Selector said on April 26, 2012
Hey selva, your situation is not as simple as I imagined it to be. In your case I would suggest you go see a doctor and take his/her professional suggestion(s).

I would advise you not to take beta-Sitosterol or any other supplement, in your case, before talking with a doctor.

Yes, these supplements are experimental stuff, so anyone taking them is taking them at his/her own risk. Not everyone has positive results.

selva, usually people report normal progression to Male Pattern Baldness, after stopping Saw Palmetto or other such supplements/medicine. However, extreme shedding is not normal, so I suggest you see a doctor immediately.
Zack said on April 26, 2012
Ok so i last posted on “Zack said on August 25, 2011″ and cause i keep this page in my bookmarks i remembered to reply! I have still been on this SP since may june 2011 and i been taking monthly pictures on the progression so next question is how do you post these pictures? and i would like feedback of how it looks cause im having trouble seeing if there is a diffrence
Selector said on April 28, 2012
I guess this is the solution we were all looking for. It is still in trial stages, however I’m quite hopeful that this will be a great solution for hair loss. Obviously, one needs a lot of money for this procedure, so I think that a lot of people will not be able to afford it for a couple of decades more.

Watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2oQYjppOPJM
Believe N said on April 29, 2012
Hi Guys,

It’s time for my monthly update.

Regimen:
-Saw Palmetto (standardized 85-95%) in a base of pumpkin seed oil (x2 160mg/day)
-nightly olive oil treatment
-Head & Shoulders a one two times a week, otherwise use live clean shampoo & conditioner

I have nothing but good news to report, all of the vellus hairs along my hairline have shed and come back thicker; with more new vellus hairs extending my hairline forward…in effect the reverse of a receding hairline. I do have to say though, that right now I may be undergoing a shedding cycle on the top and back of my head where I haven’t really seen any action until now. I do see a lot of hair with tapered ends, which means those are all new hairs. As we all have noted, shedding is a part of the process, deal with it. I do use a concealer called caboki now and then, I don’t need a lot of it…and knock on wood I won’t need to use a lot of it.
I do see a lot of improvement in my hair. In one more month it’ll be a year of taking SP, it’s a long process, but hey, I’m getting results.

@NoName
Thanks for the black suggestion, I’ll give it a shot, I currently drink green tea sporadically. As for the masturbation, there’s lots of talk since I brought it up (ejaculation rather), if you do it compulsively you will have a problem, but if you condition your body to grow hair only when you don’t ejaculate you’re going to have another problem…which you don’t want. For men, ejaculation is a normal and necessary part of life and relationships, so if you want to give the 3 month thing a try go for it…but don’t worry if you slip and end up jerkin the gerkin once or twice, it relieves stress which is also good for hair growth. The key is finding balance. Eat healthy, exercise and keep your mind healthy.

@Selva
It sounds as though you’ve been having some adverse side effects, which aren’t common for most, another suggestion for you is to try reducing your dosage. @Selector’s got the right idea. Get some blood tests done.

@Selector & @ Derek
You guys took a lot of flak from what appears to be a troll. Ignore those folks from now on, we’ve got a good thing going here.

@Paul
You’re going to have to expect some shedding, man y cycles of it as a matter of fact, until your body establishes a new equilibrium, it could take a while but try not to worry too much. We’ve all gone through cycles of shedding, it needs to happen before regrowth of hair can occur. Expect it on different parts of your scalp at different times. You’re just reaching your 6month mark now, which is where you’ll start to see the actions of the SP.

Ok guys I’ll make another post soon.

Cheers,
Believe N
selva said on April 30, 2012
Hi Believe N, thank you for your suggestions. I’m happy to hear that Sp is working for you. I was hoping for your results to happen, but unfortunately i had to stop it. I have a question, have you experienced any man boobs while taking SP, if you had what is the solution for it ? This may help me in future.
Believe N said on May 6, 2012
Hi Selva,

No I don’t have man boobs and haven’t experienced any of the symptoms associated with breast growth. This. I think is an indicator that your dosage may be too high.
Try cutting your dosage by half, because nothing will happen overnight anyway.

The best way for you to reduce the breast growth and burn off what’s already there (notice I say burn off, it’s because breasts are mostly fat) is to do pushups, chinups, pullups or any combination thereof. Any physical activity targeting the pectoral muscles will likely help you. You should probably do your exercises everyday to see any improvement or change. I sincerely hope that helps you.

Cheers
Derek said on May 7, 2012
Hey quick question guys,

In your own opinions, at what age did hair loss really seem to accelerate? A lot of people seem to say they lose significant amounts between 23-27 years old. This scares me because I am only 24. While I am doing really well in keeping my hair on my head, I am wondering if I should up my dosage before dht gets the upper hand. I would really prefer to just keep my regimen the same, but who knows what’ll happen. Did any of you guys notice your hair loss increase exponentially as you aged? I am asking the 27+ crowd.
Selector said on May 9, 2012
Good question Derek.

I am 25 years old, and I’m nowhere near losing my hair yet. In fact it looks great, for now. It is for when I am 27 years old that I’m concerned most. At that age, my father started going through MPB.
ken said on May 16, 2012
guys im going to give saw palmetto a bash again.
I will update here often.

I wont be taking it everyday but every other day – mondays/wednesdays/fridays

hopefully i can get these baby hairs to sprout up along my hairline and temple areas.
i have no doubt saw palmetto can do this, as when i was on it before, a few years ago (3 years?) a terminal hair regrew around my hairline and is still growing even though i stopped taking saw palmetto 2 years ago!

im hoping some vellus hairs will turn terminal.
Derek said on May 17, 2012
Yeah Selector I hear you! I have always thought that if I can make it out of my 20′s with a good head of hair then I will never go fully bald. My father was losing his hair in his late teens (just receding). By 25, he had much deeper recession than I do at 24 (he was at least a NW3 and I’m barely a NW2). I remember his hair wasn’t really thinning drastically until his 30′s. I have said it several times before, but I feel like all the “fully bald” guys lose most of it to all of it in their 20′s. My father’s brothers are all like NW4-5 accept for one who is a NW3 (lucky bastard). They all started losing it in or before their early 20′s. They are not fully bald. Just balding.
Jack Forrest said on May 21, 2012
Believe N,
do you use nightly olive oil treatments and wash only 1-2 times a week? Doesn’t that leave a residue if you use quite a bit, or do you wash it out with water in the morning?
I’ve read olive oil is good for cleansing the scalp, whilst almond oil has been shown to grow hair.
I also believe those who say when they haven’t washed with shampoo for a while (water/baking soda etc) then their hair grows.
So how often to wash your hair there’s a quandary- don’t wash your hair for longer periods but use additional oils occasionally leaving your hair pretty oily, or massage a little in every day or two and do a full mask before washing your properly 1-2 times a week?
I use apple cider vinegar as a coniditoner (and drink a thimblefull a day).
Also, rosemary oil is supposed to be good for hair growth.
Also, I read that MSM helps to grow hair (a supplement). What do you think?
Paul said on May 21, 2012
Yo Derek, somehow I sat here and read this whole thread, and you say you have seen good results with this regimen you have been on. I’d say my hair is very similar to how yours was when you started, I’m noticing my crown getting a little thin. When I do my hair, you can’t even see my scalp, but it just feels thin and unhealthy and hard to style. My hair has receded a tiny bit on my temples, not enough to make me insecure but enough for me to want to fight MPB early.

Is this still your regimen or have you changed it? I’m gonna do it.
Beta Siosterol (375 mg)
Nizoral Shampoo 1%
Revita Shampoo (5 times a week)
Men’s Multi Vitamin
Omega 3′s 6′s and 9′s (DHA)
Zinc (30 mg)
Olive oil massage (once a week for 30 min.)
tim said on May 25, 2012
hi guys.

do any of you notice itching when hair you guys experience the shed phase?
Paul said on May 28, 2012
yea i started having a lot of itching after starting beta sis :\ i never had flakes before, and it started flaking
tim said on May 29, 2012
paul i think you should lay off the beta sis, i think saw palmetto works alone.

im going to start saw palmetto 1 x 320mg, standardased extract per day.
i will report back here.

i THINK the beta sis increases baldness temporarily amd saw palmetto is the true gem.
Derek said on May 31, 2012
Hey Paul,

My regimen is now this:

PerfectHair Shampoo- 5 times a week
Revita Shampoo- 2 or 3 times a week (I cut back a little)
Regenepure Shampoo (w/o ketoconazole)

-I rotate these 3 shampoos weekly, I also use an organic clarifying shampoo just for the sake of giving my scalp a break haha.

HairOmega Dht
Men’s multi
Fish Oil (I also eat fish 3 times a week on average)
Maxihair (just another multivitamin basically)

That’s it. Sorry for the change, but I’m always trying to mix it up a little. HairOmega has Beta and Saw, as well as other nutrients. PerfectHair is just basically a better version of Revita in my opinion (so far it seems). Hopefully that helps somewhat. Take care.
tim said on June 6, 2012
guys, the active sonstituents of saw palmetto may not be the beta sis, it could be something else.

id advise any newbies that will be starting saw palmetto just to stick with saw palmetto and then possibly introduce beta sis later on.
Selector said on June 14, 2012
Today I used Revita shampoo again, after not using it for about a whole year. It’s really great to experience the condition in which it leaves your hair, again.

I had stopped using it because my 180ml bottle was finished and I didn’t have the money to buy another one.
tim said on June 14, 2012
any updates from any one on ONLY saw palmetto?
Believe N said on June 26, 2012
@Jack Forrest
I use olive oil every night on my entire scalp and in the morning I use a gentle apple cider vinegar cleanser and conditioner…it doesn’t strip my scalp and dry it out. It leaves the scalp moisturised and feels really good. It’s got no sls or other chemicals.
I’ve heard of the almond oil thing, but it’s better to eat them than spread it on the scalp. The reason I do use the olive oil is because it’s got antibacterial and soothing qualities which are all things you want to avoid a fungal infection, which can lead to itching like Tim has. Not washing your hair will lead to several other problems that may accelerate the rate of hair loss…hair needs to be washed to rid the scalp of DHT sitting on the surface. Not washing hair can also lead to seborrhoeic dermatitis which can cause itchiness, redness and more hair loss and acne. Washing your hair every day with a bad shampoo will also cause problems so you have to find something gentle, and use head & shoulders once or twice a week, it’s not as harsh as nizoral is.
I haven’t heard of MSM, but I will look into it and the baking soda thing.

@Tim
Itching does happen during a shed. The stuff you’re saying about Saw Palmetto and beta-sis are all true…but try telling that to the die hards. Saw Palmetto contains all of the chemicals found in the plant that work in synergy whereas beta-sis contains only beta sis and nothing else, which is why all those guys on beta-sis wonder why they are losing hair. Tim, I am only on SP and I think it’s amazing, if I didn’t have it I don’t think I would have hair. I’m at the one year mark, which is about the point you start to see it in action.

@Derek
There is no truth to the age thing. It can happen at any age, you’re never really safe from it…it can be triggered by a number of environmental and genetic factors. I am 27 this year and I do have a head of hair, now I have seen significant growth in the past year of my hairline and it’s really coming in now. I am going through a bit of a shed on the crown and parts of the scalp are visible in some angles, but upon further inspection I can see a lot of hairs coming in with tapered ends, which means they are new hairs. I can definitely say that I haven’t seen an acceleration in hair loss, rather it’s going in the other way now…I hope I make it. Right now it’s between NW2&3 which hasn’t really changed significantly in a bad way, the pointy part of the M recession is filling up with hair.

I do have a lot of baby hairs as well.

When you have them, it’s likely they will shed before coming back in nice and thick.

Okay guys, till next month!
tim said on June 27, 2012
beliveve N – yes i agree with you too, i think beta sis is too potent and even then the beneficial aspect of saw palmetto may come from the other constituents present in it.

believe N, what brand are you using? the dosage?

also have you noticed your hairline filling in at the 1 year mark?
Selector said on June 30, 2012
Hi Believe N,

what about your eating habits? Do you eat meat or are you a vegetarian?

do you eat candy? how many portions of vegetables do you eat daily on average? Do you eat a lot of fish?

What about physical exercise? Do you jog, run, do any sit ups or press ups?

Cheers for your dedication
Hoping said on July 1, 2012
Hi everyone,

I just started taking saw palmetto about a week ago, but I’d like to know if the one I’m taking is good. I got it from Wal-Mark for about $7. 100 capsules.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Spring-Valley-Herbal-Supplement-Saw-Palmetto-100-ct/10324964

Will this brand help?

Thanks!
Selector said on July 7, 2012
Does anyone know about this product?

http://www.youcangrowhair.com/

(this is not an advert – it’s a genuine question)
tim said on July 8, 2012
@hoping that one should be ok.

although i recom,end this -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctors-Best-Palmetto-Capsules-60-Count/dp/B000NRTWLI

i advise you to take only saw palmetto.
Steve said on July 23, 2012
Its taken me ages to read through this page but I’ve enjoyed reading all the posts from you guys. I am in my early 30′s, fit and active all my life. I’ve always eaten a healthy balanced diet, always taken daily multivitamin’s and minerals, plenty of protein blah, blah, blah. I guess my hair (and hairline) would resemble Evan’s who has uploaded photo’s here before. So not what many would consider bad, or even a problem but I do notice a slight thinning overall. My hairline has been a gradual recession over the last 20 yrs. That said, I am still concerned and eager to slow hairloss or grow back some of what I’ve lost, like a cm at my temple area. Over the last 4 mths I’ve been recording my daily hairloss from what I comb out in the morning/see on my pillow/trap in the shower with a cloth over the plug hole, and get this – I’m losing on average 130 hairs per day! And yes, I do sit and count them all! It’s all I can do see what products work or don’t. I’ll share my experiences so far…
I started using Nizoral 10 years ago (before it was recognised as a DHT inhibitor) for dandruff. I have rotated it often but it did help dandruff, however I still got some little white sebum plugs which are very stubborn to clear and I think are my major problem. I can’t say for sure if Nizoral slowed my hairloss, I didn’t notice anything. I also tried 2% but dried my hair and scalp so I will only use a 1% keto in future.
I took generic Proscar tablets for 6 months and I stopped because I felt it wasn’t doing anything – certainly not for my front hairline.
Then I tried the Bicarbonate of soda, washing every two days followed by ACV rinse for 3 weeks. If you try it actually cleans your hair very well and takes oil away efficiently even if it doesn’t feel right. But it did not cure my scalp condition of build-up and I only recommend this if you have short hair. I think it’s good to do every now and then as a change to the usual shampoo chemicals.
Then I started taking Beta-Sitosterol and Saw Palmetto extract 320mg per day.
I stopped the Beta after 9 months. I saw no improvement. I continue to take SP 320mg per day and although I never recorded my daily hairloss before taking these supplements I can’t see how it could of been much more than 130 hairs per day! So for me at least, I can’t say any of these have done much for me. My hairloss has not increased or declined since dropping Beta-sis. Counting this many hairs is frightening so I will continue to find new things. I’m going to buy one of these super shampoo’s like Revita or something and report back and maybe try washing everyday instead of every 2 days.

@Derick or anyone here, how do you wash your hair? It sounds like a stupid question but do you ‘get stuck in’ with your finger tips? Massage gently? Or use your palms to massage the shampoo in? How long do you do it? I have always been afraid of massaging into my temple area and I usually ‘palm it’ in. But maybe this is where I’m going wrong. Obviously you’re inclined to see more hairs in the shower when you use a vigorous action…
Anyway thanks and keep up your honest testing guys.
tim said on July 30, 2012
any updates guys???
Hoping said on July 31, 2012
So I’ve been taking saw palmetto for almost 2 months and I don’t think I’ve made much progress. My hair doesn’t seem like its improved. If anything I feel like my hairline has receded a bit further.

I have quite of bit of hair falling out. When I run my hands through my hair I always notice a couple strands of hair on my hands. I’m guessing I’m in the shedding phase, but I don’t feel like I’m shedding too much. Not sure if that’s good or bad.

I’ll keep this up and see if my hair improves.

How much saw palmetto should I be taking a day? I’m currently taking 320 mg a day so should I increase the dosage?
ken said on August 4, 2012
@hoping keep at 320mg. which brand are you using?
Hoping said on August 5, 2012
Okay I’ll stay at 320mg. I’m taking Spring Valley saw palmetto. I posted a link about 4 posts above. Is there a reason to why I shouldn’t increase the dose?
ken said on August 6, 2012
there may be side effects at higher dosages, its best to stay at 320mg.
ven said on August 19, 2012
All, it may take few days to read all posts and am left with a confusion. Does taking Hairomega has any sexual side effects?? please let me know. I am 26 and have high hair fall these days. planning to start Hairomega and this is my first product for hair loss.
Selector said on August 22, 2012
Does anyone in here use a laser comb? I’ve been using it from the 31st July 2012.

If anyone tried it in here, I would like to know his/her experience with this product
Samuel said on August 27, 2012
Hey Everyone,
I have the #1 saw palmetto video on youtube as well as many other videos on hair loss, balding, etc.. I have a new video I created today on Saw Palmetto. I just thought I would throw my channel out there because I understand how many people are stressed out about losing there hair. I don’t claim to know all the answers, but I do think that many of you on this website could benefit from my videos. Take care and if any of you have any questions please get in touch with me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/adkpinecone?feature=mhee

Thanks,
Samuel
Divad said on September 10, 2012
Hey all, i’ve had really busy summer and haven’t posted in a while, but I’ll be posting a full update soon.

I would deff check out Samuel’s you tube chanel above if you havent yet, he’s got some great info on hairloss and diff stuff hes used.

Also, the dude hairlossfromsteroids on you tube has great info/reviews on shampoos and other hairloss/shedding/etc info. He does use minoxidil and the ‘P’ pills, but he does know his stuff and offers great conent.

Selector – What kind of comb did u get? I’ve been thinking about picking up a cheap one on amazon for like $20 with low expectations. But I figure for that price its little risk for potentially a gain.

Cheers and hope to hear updates from the rest of you guys soon!
Divad said on September 10, 2012
Just to follow up on my last comment about the laser comb – It looks like the one I was looking at has been removed from amazon. But it can be found on ebay for even less.
Selector said on September 15, 2012
Hey Divad, I bought the laser comb from ebay. It cost me $25 or EUR 19 (I live in Europe).

I think this comb is good because when I use it, after about 30 seconds I can actually feel it. It is the same feeling I get from caffeine, but this feeling is just concentrated on the part of my scalp where I point the laser. I am using the comb regularly, every other day like it says in the instructions manual.

I bought it because there is a clip on youtube about the “follicle five” and the guy who used a laser comb to maintain his hair had good results after one year.

You can watch the clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUeJTjEKHfQ
Selector said on September 15, 2012
Using the laser comb takes about 10 minutes every other day, which I usually do whilst watching an educational clip from TED.com so that I don’t lose any valuable time
Selector said on September 17, 2012
I received a one litre bottle of Revita today. Let’s see for how long this will serve me
Daniel said on October 6, 2012
Back again guys. Felt like my success was slowing recently, so I started looking for more things to add to my regimen. I kinda got lazy and stopped with the daily green tea consumption. But I realized a few days ago that when I took Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol, I quit before using just BS by itself. I experienced libido problems when taking both, so I stopped taking BS (because I read everywhere that it was much stronger than SP). Whle taking SP by itself, my libido problems persisted. Hearing all the horror stories of guys who’s sex drive had never been revived, I got scared and stoppped use of both these. I neer had the chance to test BS by itself. I decided a few days ago that I would take BS (120mg) by itself. So far, I have had no libido problems like before. In fact, I feel as if it has possibly enhanced my sex drive. I’m hanging pretty low down there, more than usual haha. I’ll keep you guys updated on my results.
Tim said on October 10, 2012
Hello. I hope someone can help. I’ve recently decided to give SP and BS as an adjunct treatment.

I recently purchased a pack of Saw Palmetto High Strength, which was advertised as containing 1000mg’s. However, on delivery the packet lists the ingredients as follows: Saw Palmetto PE 50mg’s (20:1) Extract which provides 1000mg’s of whole herb equivalent.

Sorry if this sounds really stupid, but can someone explain what the PE 50mg’s reflects? Am i getting 1000mg’s or 50mg’s per tablet? I just want to follow the recommended treatment to prevent further hair loss.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Tim said on October 14, 2012
I have taken saw palmetto for about a month and i can see some apparent result. i took about 4 capsules a day. two with breakfast and two with dinner. i have high expectation for it.
Hoping said on October 18, 2012
I have been taking saw palmetto for a few months now and havent noticed any improvements. It seems like my had has gotten worse. (MAINLY the temple areas). I’ve taken about 200 capsules total in the past few months.. two pills a day of 160mg standardized extract each. I’m not sure if the SP won’t help or if I just need to give it more time. I would love to get some advice.

Oh and SP is the only thing I’m taking/doing for hair loss.
Joe said on November 13, 2012
I have been using the Saw palmetto tincture from Indigo Herbs and I think it is working (it could be all in the mind) anyhow you can get it here
http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/acatalog/Serenoa_repens.html
Believe N said on February 10, 2013
Hi Guys,

It’s been months since I’ve posted. To answer a few questions that you all asked me. I’m using Weber Naturals.

Yes, at the one year mark I’ve see major improvement along the hairline. There are always cycles of shedding, some light, some heavy – these depend on a number of factors such as stress and sleep as well.

I have honestly seen that the hairline is no longer receding, it is actually regrowing – some parts quicker than others. Now it’s the top of the head’s turn to shed and regrow – and that’s what I’m seeing – so does the woman that cuts my hair.

So, in summary – yes it’s still working for me and it is a work in progress but I have noticed acceleration of growth when I alternate taking 1 pill a day and two pills a day. Shampoo – head and shoulders classic clean & live clean apple cider shampoo – daily wash
nightly olive oil treatment

@Selector – TED is awesome!

Happy growing!
And, Best Wished for the New Year!

Believe N
Selector said on March 6, 2013
Hi Believe N,

What is the name of the product from Webber Naturals that you are using? Is it Saw Palmetto? If it is, what is the dosage? Are you taking 2 pills on Monday and then 1 pill on Tuesday and then keep going like that, changing every other day?

Thank you
Believe N said on March 8, 2013
Hey Selector,

It’s just labelled Saw Palmetto Extract (85-95% fatty acids & Sterols). Here is a link to what it looks like. It’s probably one of the highest quality products you can buy: http://webbernaturals.com/caen/products/3854/saw-palmetto

The dosage is 2 160mg pills a day, but yes I alternate with 2 on one day and one on the next day. Right now my workouts are on every other day…so I take two on the days that I work out.

Let me know if I can offer you any more info.

*And that’s Best Wishes for the New Year!

Best Regards,
Believe N
Selector said on March 10, 2013
Thanks for the information Believe N. That was very helpful. Do you buy it from a store near you? I live in Europe and I’m not sure I will find it in shops in my country. So maybe I will have to buy it online. I found it on ebay for $60 or EUR46. That is very expensive for 60 capsules. I need to find an alternative location from where to buy it. If you have any suggestions I’d be glad to hear them.

Thanks again
Selector said on March 26, 2013
I am not into advertising stuff, however I found out 5 very promising companies which are developing new treatments for hair loss:

1. Aderans
2. Histogen
3. Follica
4. TRX-2
5. Trichoscience

I will be doing research about each one of them in the coming days and will post an update about these companies soon.
AJ said on March 31, 2013
Hey Guys
I’ve been looking at this site for the past year. Basically i noticed that my hair was falling out more than normal around march 2012, even the guy that cuts my hair agreed with me that it looked like it was thinning out. I’m 19 just so you guys know, gonna be 20 in the summer.

Hairloss, especially male pattern balding, doesn’t reaaly happen on my dad’s side. My dad’s hair has been thinning for the past 2 years, he doesn’t have a receding hairline so i’ve been assuming it’s because of his blood pressure medicine. My maternal grandad is bald, nw5-6, i don’t know when he started to bald but he was at where he is in his late thrities early forties. My mum’s brother started balding around 20, was nw4-5 around 27, he still is nw4-5 now at the age of 39. My mum’s other brother only started balding in his forties and he’s now nw3-4 at the age of 51.

My hairloss started when i was living out for uni between 2011-2012. i had a few probelms like not eating properly and stress from friends and the fact the halls i was living in had the hardest water ever, which my have kickstarted the hairloss. My hairline has receded but my right temple is nw2 while my other temple is nw1.5-2. My hairline isn’t too bad, the problem is that my hair is just generally thinning out, like i was losing more than 100 hairs a day and i kinda still am. Also, my side burns have thinned out and my nape has been receding. I also got alot of sebum in my hair and itching.

I’ve been having saw palmetto since september 2012, so for around 9 months, 320mg, twice a day since jan 2013
I’ve been on pumpkin seed oil since jan 2013, 1000mg twice a day
Beta-sitosterol since Feb 2013, 160mg, gonna bump it to 375mg next month
Nizoral 2-3 times a week since Feb 2013

The thing is, i didn’t see a difference when i started taking saw palmetto, i was still shedding hairs, but now and then it would drop or i’d have days where nothing happened. One thing i noticed though was that individual hairs did seem thicker. But my hairline was still receding. So i decided to add pumpkin seed oil and beta sis just to see if there was a difference. The first thing i noticed was that i was shedding more hair for a while, and then it just stopped after a month.

Since the beginning i have noticed small hairs growing where my hairline was but they haven’t really thickened.

Now the shedding’s started up again and i’m worried that it just won’t stop till i’m bald like in a few years. It’s just hard dealing with this especially because i have univeristy exams coming up.

Well one nice thing is that because of nizoral my head isn’t itchy anymore. Also, since i started my body hair’s been thinning out, and my facial hair is softer now, which i personally see as a plus.

Anyway, i just wanna know if you guys experienced the same thing and if you think there’s any hope left?

Seriously if i go bald in my twenties it would be so much harder to get girls.
Selector said on April 6, 2013
Hi AJ,

Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol are only for people who want to maintain their hair. If you’re really losing hope, you should consider Minoxidil 5%. However before opting for Minoxidil you should consider that once you start you can never stop. At least until scientists develop a better treatment or even a cure. I am calculating that a better treatment than minoxidil will be available sometime around the year 2023. Maybe even sooner, but I’d rather give a conservative estimate. As for a cure, I speculate that it will be available in the form of a gene therapy. Gene therapy is still in its infancy despite advancement in the last 10 years.

You have to make an educated choice. This choice is in your hands. Regardless of your choice I suggest you keep an eye on this discussion thread and keep posting your own updates.

Good luck
Selector said on April 8, 2013
A glimpse into the future

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oQYjppOPJM
Selector said on April 15, 2013
This looks really promising:

“By manipulating the key signaling pathways that communicate follicle formation, Dr. Cotsarelis and Dr. Chuong were able to prove what until then had been no more than a theory. There are several pathways and several methods of manipulation that have been discovered. Some companies are using drug compounds in order to wake up sleeping stem cells within the fatty layer of tissue beneath the skin. Follica is taking a different approach. Instead of regeneration, Follica is researching multiple schemes of neogenesis – regenerating hair and skin cells where none exists.”

http://stemcellbaldnesscures.com/stem-cell-hair-regrowth-2/the-shocking-truth-about-follicas-hair-follicle-neogenesis/

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This article was written on May 19, 2006 was posted in these categories DHT Blockers, Hair Nutrition, Hair Products .