Natural Solutions for Hair Loss: Effective Remedies for Regrowth

I'd like to start by saying how amazing this website is and all of the great information that Ted and all of the members provide. A little background; I started Acctuane July of 2010 and got off it in December of 2011. I took anywhere from 40-80 mg a day. I saw a previous post on Acctuane and hair loss on this forum and I have been following it to a T for the last 4 months will little success. I am 18 years old and had the thickest head of hair before Accutane and I have no family history of baldness on either side of my family. I am 100% sure that I am losing hair due to Accutane. It isn't in the MPB pattern, it is mostly diffusing all over. I have taken so many supplements in attempt to counteract my hair loss, here are some:

Biotin (5mg)

N-acetyl Cysteine (1500mg)

Riboflavin 5- Phosphate (36.5mg)

B Complex (Activated/co-enzymated 3x daily)

Molybdenum Picolinate (1, 000mg)

Phytisone Adrenal Complex (3x daily)

AC Grace Vitamin E (1200 IU)

Glutathione (2x daily)

EPO (1000mg)

Thorne Mediclear (2x daily)

Prescript Assist soil based probiotic (2x daily)

Niacinamide (1, 000 mg)

L-Glutamine (10g)

Copper (2mg)

Zinc (30mg)

Manganese Sulfate (400mg)

Fish oil (2x a day)

L-Lysine (1000mg)

Vitamin C (5000mg)

MSM (3000mg)

Vitamin D (6000 IU)

As you can see, I have experimented with a lot of different supplements and it's quite overwhelming. The hair loss did not start until 2 months after my course was over. I feel like none of these are getting to the source of my problem which I believe to be cell divison. Accutane is a chemotherapy agent and acts by suppressing cell division and proliferation. I have done copious amounts of research over the last 8 months and feel like I am getting so close to the answer.

"Retinoic acid (active form of Accutane) induces differentiation and reduces proliferation of stem and progenitor cells. It works on acne by inducing similar events in basal sebocytes. These same actions also lead to 13-cis-retinoic's (Accutane's) side effects, and these are directed towards proliferating cells in the adult such as in the skin, gut and bone. "

"A wide ranging effect of retinoic acid is to inhibit proliferation in dividing cells, and this accounts for its frequent consideration as an anti-cancer agent."

"Deleting telomere elongation capacity throughout the body would also be life-threatening, because it would mean that our regular, proliferating cells (like those in the skin or the lining of the gut) would suddenly have iron limits on their ability to reproduce themselves and thus replenish tissue. From the moment that we denuded our cells of telomerase, a clock would be ticking. With each division the telomere would shorten by a notch from whatever it had been when we took telomerase out. We would be under the specter of a rather horrible death, as our stem cells went offline one by one under replicative senescence with each failure of a stem cell responsible for supplying key functions, the tissue would fail to be renewed and would slowly degenerate. "(De Grey, 297)

To sum all of this up, the evidence we currently have is that long term treatment with ATRA (all-trans retinoic acid), which is almost chemically identical to Accutane, causes "telomere shortening, growth arrest, and cell death."

Accutane induces cell apoptosis. It down-regulates the telomerase enzyme and shortens the telomere length so the cells can't divide as much anymore.

Numerous factors affect the number and activity of androgen receptors in dermal papilla cells. Retinoic acid (vitamin A derivative), if used for a long time, may reduce the number of androgen receptors by 30 - 40 percent. [29] Vitamin B6 reduces by 35-40% the extent of protein synthesis observed after androgen receptor activation. [30] A polypeptide with molecular weight of 60 kDa, analogous to an intracellular calcium-binding protein called calreticulin, prevents binding of the androgen-receptor complex to DNA and also results in the production of calreticulin.[31]

Drugs producing hair loss:
Drugs may affect hair follicles in anagen in two ways: by stopping mitosis in matrix cells (anagen effluvium) or by inducing transition of hair follicles from anagen to premature telogen (telogen effluvium). Anagen effluvium ensues a few days or weeks after drug administration, [46] and telogen effluvium only after two to four months. In both cases hair loss is reversible. Anagen effluvium can be produced by cytotoxic drugs (alkylating agents, alkaloids) and telogen by: heparin, vitamin A and its derivatives, interferons, angiotensin converting enzyme blockers, beta-blockers (propranolol, metoprolol), the antiepileptic trimethadione, levodopa, nicotinic acid, salts of gold, lithium, cimetidine, amphetamine, isoniazid and antiinflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid).

http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol4num1/original/jankovi.html

I feel as if there was a way to increase cell division that the hair loss could be reversed. It states in the last paragraph that "in both cases hair loss is reversible". I hope that this is the case and that I just have telegon effluvium and not permenant alopecia.

Without having a scientific background it is hard to connect the pieces and come up with a solution. Ted- if you can decipher all of this and make some connection between it, it would mean the world to me and many other Accutane sufferers.

Sorry for the long post, take care EC.

I have had hair loss due to fungus. I read a book on hand reflexology about rapidly rubbing the fingernails across one another (face the 4 fingers toward each other, then rapidly buff against one another, hands going in opposite directions--up & down, or back & forth) to prevent hair loss and cause it to grow back. 5 minutes, 3 times a day. Since I have a delicate condition in my neck and can't handle the jarring, I use a hand massager, and set my fingernails, one hand at a time, on it. My hair is now growing back, although I have to keep it up every day, so I am also beginning to try the ACV also. I'm not usually on this site, so I may not respond to questions. The reflexology book is very old--can't remember author's name. Hope this helps.

To Reina and anyone else on this website,

Thanks for trying to help me, I don't feel as desperate as I was a month or two ago. I have been documentating myself a lot on remedies found on this site. In fact, acv is an astringent (cleanser)it cleans the scalp, lemon is also a good astringent which helps cleaning the scalp and helps with greasy hair. My hair is in fact greasy, I had a habit of touching my head this also helps in making hair greasy as it releases sebum.

I have stopped taking acv orally and wash my hair once in a while with acv now. I tried the cayenne pepper and vodka as well and I didn't feel any different.

But something has finally stopped my hair from falling completely and that's aloe vera, I went to an aryuvedic shop and bought aloe vera pills.

It in fact, helps all skin problems and stops hair from falling. I did not find borax to wash my hair but I found a neem and lemon soap as well as its shampoo. The blackstrap molasses mentioned by some kind friends is not recommended as it helps in producing cancer, anyone using this often should stop. I write off here for now.

I would like to post another remedy. Can't believe how many people are interested in this remedy! I felt some of your readers might want to have this. Nancy

To grow hair:
Aloe Vera Gel and Cayenne Pepper.
1/4 to 1/2 c. of Aloe Vera and 2 capsules of cayenne pepper.( Any cayenne will do, You can use Kitchen Spice)
May need to adjust measurement of the aloe and cayenne a little more or less..For the right consistancy.
Pour mixture into a hair color bottle and shake well.
Apply to scalp, massaging in with fingertips.
This mixture will stimulate and clean the hair follicles.
The hair cycle may take a few weeks possibly months, but you will see results.
Leave on scalp at least 10 to 15 minutes or more if you wish. Can be applied weekly.
If you want to use this remedy more often I suggest you try it once and wait a few days, particularly if you have sensitive skin issues.
Caution.....This will burn somewhat, Be careful around eyes. Do not make mixture too runny as it could run into eyes.
Do not make mixture too thick as it will not squirt out of bottle.
You will continue to feel a slight burn even after this remedy is rinsed off.
Aloe Vera gel normally needs to be refridgerated, When mixing remedy allow it to sit a few hours at room tempature before applying to scalp.
Do not apply to scalp cold, as this will close your pores.
If you make more than you need, it will keep a few days in a cool place.
I have used this mixture as a facial scrub, It is a firey facial! Cayenne Pepper is great for circulation. Cayenne Pepper packs a punch, mixed with Aloe Vera and all the great things in Aloe Vera are increased.
Cayenne is called a "catalyst" herb that increases the efficacy of the ingredients you are using.

I had thinning hair because of a thyroid problem. If your doctor says there is nothing they can do if you have hormone imbalance, then he/she is wrong! Time to find a new doctor or - better yet - a naturopath.

My husband uses 8 ounces of aloe vera gel, 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil and 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil (mixed in a glass bottle and kept in the fridge). Every day he massages about 2 teaspoons into his scalp. His hair loss has slowed down quite a bit. Everyone loses hair on a daily basis but his was clogging the shower drain. Now, it may be that it is the actual massage that slowed down his hair loss and not necessarily the ingredients but he's just happy that "something" is working.

For thinnig hair - try Teds recipe of teatree oil, laverder oil, and aloe vera. I did it once a week for 3 weeks and it worked great.

In a 2006 post, Ted from Bangkok wrote about hair loss: "The second issue is the clogged follicles, you can clear those calcium deposits in the hair follicles somewhat with apple cider vinegar or just vinegar. It smells bad, so you need to do it on your weekends or just make a small diluted ones before sleeping. Use this as a rinse. The suppleness of the scalp will return. If you have an itching fungus issue, this will cause a hair loss. So use a mixture of lavender/tea tree/aloe vera oil mix. An ideal mixture is 10% lavender, 10% tea tree and 80% aloe vera. This applying only once a week on scalp should deal with hair loss from fungus. Leave this overnight."

Maybe that is causing the hair loss. Good Luck!

Hair loss most likely from surgery, not the ACV! Anesthesia is murder on hair! Your hair dresser will caution you not to color or perm within 6 to 8 weeks of any surgery because of its effect on your hair. Keep the ACV.

Change your diet to no meat, gluten free, check thyroid, for iodine deficiency, and stop dying your hair, if you must and only if you must, whole foods has Natural solution for hair dye, and natural HENNA!

Baking soda and ACV is working for me but I'm so not eating foods that may have pesticides and additives!!

I'm eating less because I'm detoxing from pesticides and additiv Es that may be causing the problem, in my opinion hair loss is the body's way of saying its stressed out and the hair follicle can't breath!! Stress comes in many forms, brisk walking, nutrition and letting go of resentments and unhappiness helps!!

Hope this helps!!

Question for ted.

Firstly, thank you sooooooo much for this remedy acv bicarb soda. My hair has stopped falling & new growth has appeared. I didn't think it possible to get my beautiful hair back again!!

Ted can you please tell me what is in the above remedy to regrow the hair. I am very excited and interested to learn how this works?????

Regards.
Gina

I have been losing hair for almost 3 yrs now. the process is slow though. it began a little bit behind my forehead line. It seemd rare that it began there b/c I've seen the MBP pics and they're not similar. And no one in my family is bald. I'm only 25 yrs old and have alot of hair for most part. I have been taking ACV with baking soda., for a month now. But I still dont see any results. I also put some ACV on my head but dont see much difference. Although the ACV did help with the dryness of the bottom of my feet. The bottom of my feet are smooth now. Can you help me out?? I'm really desperate.

WARNING!

Dear Earth Clinic, I just wanted to let you know that I think on Ted's Posts it should say in bold at the beginning, or where it can't be missed to read the recipes carefully. I had a small bald spot on my head, found this website, and read some things Ted wrote. I read something about hydrogen peroxide and acv for scalp problems and hair loss. It did not say how much to use in the blurb I read. I thought I would try it. Well I just made a solution up and put it on my head. Left it on overnight. Well, Now I am loosing all my hair!!! So this was not a remedy in the little problem I had, instead, it is causing all my hair to fall out. I would like to spare future readers from this, so please put a warning, and make sure people read Ted's postings very carefully, and if they do not see a recipe, have them contact Ted before just making one up themselves. I know most people would be more careful, but there are us haphazard people out here you know. Thank you.

Argan oil - the kind you eat (culinary type), not the kind you apply topically has stopped my hair from coming out and I feel it is thicker and fuller. You can take up to tablespoon a day for men and just under a tablespoon a day for women. good luck

I am post menopausal and was suffering from severe hair loss. I was told by one doctor to wash my hair daily with a well known over the counter hair restorer (at $40 or so a bottle). Not only could I not afford it, I refused to put all those chemicals on my head daily, especially since it could be deadly to my cats. Other doctors have told me there was nothing I could do and to enjoy my hair while I had it. I even tried a prescription shampoo, as well as many other shampoos on the market. A couple of weeks ago I decided to give up shampoo as so many other people are doing. I never used many products on my hair so it didn't have any kind of build up, and it is almost out of the greasy phase, and I have not lost one strand since I stopped shampooing. While my hair is a little on the oily side (which will stop soon) I wash it only with very warm water and let it dry naturally. My hair looks AMAZING. The shine and bounce it had when I was a teenager is back. I'm hoping that it will grow back in areas I have bald spots, but even if it doesn't I am so happy that I am not losing any more. I don't use vinegar or baking soda on it, just plain water. And if it smells a little funky, I just go outside, turn my head upside down and run my fingers through it and the smell is gone. I am so happy, I wanted to share with everyone!

Remedies for Hair Growth:

1. Mix as per your hair length, castor oil, olive oil and coconut oil in equal measures. Warm and massage on to your scalp. This will arrest hair fall and promote hair growth.

2. Soak methi (fenugreek) seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil, overnight. Next morning warm it a little and massage it on to your scalp. The massage should be gentle, yet it should leave your scalp tingling. Rinse off with a herbal shampoo. Alternatively you could rinse it with the juice of crushed red hibiscus leaves.

Follow this regularly for best results. It will keep your scalp healthy and prevent hair fall.

3. If you can tolerate the smell of mustard oil here's a remedy. Boil mustard oil and while it is boiling, keep adding fresh henna, basil and curry leaves to it. After the leaves are burnt black, switch off the gas. Cool, strain and use twice to thrice a week for best results.