So let’s recap...
Both Daniel and I now had more energy, more time, and more space for ourselves. Daniel was losing less hair than he was (not to mention that having more energy got him to exercise more, which of course, made him happier and fitter in general, and just all-around great to hang out with, no longer depressed and blue!)
By reducing stress and changing our eating habits, half the problem was sorted out. The hair loss speed was reduced considerably.
Now I began to search for ways to reverse the process. If my man wants a full head of hair to feel good about himself, then by hook or by crook I'll deliver!
I started reading up about natural hair loss remedies on the internet. There's a lot of information out there, and we tried a lot of stuff. I even found this great article about the weirdest natural hair loss remedies ever in the same site as the article on nutrition and hair loss! Those weird natural preventatives even included pounding a green garden snake in a silk bag and smearing it on your head!
I decided against creating weird concoctions to help Daniel (I wasn't sure he'd appreciate pureed frog...), and looked for more "grandma's secrets" stuff.
The first thing I came across was the all around most common remedy for everything: Onions!
A Study in Journal of Dermatology found that applying onion juice twice a day for two months caused hair growth in about 85% of the subjects studied!
Of course, I immediately sat Daniel down and began making onion juice on a daily basis. And it worked, a little! There was a noticeable reduction of his receding hairline, and his hair grew fuller. He was even considering not cutting his hair as short, and letting his curls grow out some more.
I looked for more natural remedies of the older generation variety.
I added A daily massage of Daniel's scalp with essential oils, that contain herbs that several of the sites online consider helpful. I mixed rosemary, thyme, and lavender essential oils, and massaged Daniel's scalp every evening before he took his shower. The growth continued, but still very slowly. The side benefit of the daily massages was that Daniel and I were becoming closer. The daily physical contact and intimacy, and sharing his struggle with the hair loss brought us closer together. Several times, the evening massage graduated into more playful activities. Although Daniel did complain constantly that the lavender made him smell like his grandma!
Saw Palmetto Extract was the next natural hair loss remedy I found online. Saw Palmetto has been found to battle prostate diseases by lowering DHT levels. DHT, a by-product of testosterone, is the leading cause of Male Pattern Baldness. Both Daniel and I had high hopes for Saw Palmetto.
The extract itself is made of the small palm-like plant's berries. Native Americans have been using it for centuries as a cure for bladder infections, urinary tract infections, and reproductive problems. Only recently did people begin to discover it as a possible natural solution to hair loss.
So added to the onion juice and the essential oil massage, Daniel started taking about 200-250 mg of Saw Palmetto extract a day. I can't say much about the hair loss effects (although he was losing significantly less hair by now, and was even re-growing some more), but OH MY GOD...
Those Native Americans knew what they were doing! I found it unbelievable that a herb that inhibits the DHT in the body could actually increase my husbands sex drive that much! At that point, I didn't particularly care if Daniel never re-grew his hair, as long as he kept taking that Saw Palmetto Extract!
About two months ago, after about two years of Saw Palmetto, onion juice, daily scalp massages, eating healthy and living stress free (not to mention the great sex), Daniels hair was noticeably thicker than it was. He was also fitter. Healthier. Happier.
And then I found the most miraculous remedy of all. One night, while searching for anything further that we haven't read, tried, or bought, I returned to the site that had all the great information about hair loss, the one that I started out with. And there, I found the Amazing Herbal hair loss Remedies.
I was surprised I didn't notice it before. I immediately placed an order for the hair cream.
Within about two months, more hair was growing. But even more exciting? Daniel wasn't losing any more hair. Definately not in any serious way.
But the most exciting thing of all was the transformation not on Daniel's head, but IN his head. Somehow, along our quest to stop his hair loss, he stopped caring about it as much. The nutrition, the massages, the Saw Palmetto, and less stress, not to mention our miracle Hair Cream all had their benefits. But the most important thing was...
We did it together! I stood by him every step of the way. And even when I thought he was being silly (he's still sexy even without curls!!), I knew that his self confidence and self esteem were suffering. Maybe it was the hair growth.
And maybe, it was just the fact that I held his hand, and helped him in any way I could.
More tips will follow!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Is Hair Loss Herbal Treatment Really Effective?
Dear Orly,
I had so much fun reading your first post.
Being a balding man myself I sure hope your quest will bring salvation to all balding men on the planet, myself included ;-)
I have been trying tons of hair loss treatments over the years but to my disappointment I have yet to find something that really works and doesn't just empty my wallet.
I have heard about hair loss herbal treatments and I wonder if they really work - never tried one myself yet. Do you happen to have any information about this?
I will keep a close eye on this blog and would love to read about your discoveries!
Cheers,
Tomer.
P.S. - loved the article you recommended about the hair loss & nutrition. BTW on the same website I found some excellent hair loss related articles that you might want to check out - specifically loved the one about the testosterones and male pattern baldness, funny stuff :-)
I had so much fun reading your first post.
Being a balding man myself I sure hope your quest will bring salvation to all balding men on the planet, myself included ;-)
I have been trying tons of hair loss treatments over the years but to my disappointment I have yet to find something that really works and doesn't just empty my wallet.
I have heard about hair loss herbal treatments and I wonder if they really work - never tried one myself yet. Do you happen to have any information about this?
I will keep a close eye on this blog and would love to read about your discoveries!
Cheers,
Tomer.
P.S. - loved the article you recommended about the hair loss & nutrition. BTW on the same website I found some excellent hair loss related articles that you might want to check out - specifically loved the one about the testosterones and male pattern baldness, funny stuff :-)
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
How to love and support a balding man... and how to help him!
I met my husband Daniel when we were in our early twenties. He was tall, handsome, and had a full hair of golden curls. Neither of us thought about hair loss for a minute. Neither of us thought that hair loss treatment would one day become our personal crusade.
After our second baby, both of us went into high gear. We were juggling two young kids, two careers, a mortgage, and just general wear and tear. You know how it is, the pipes freeze one winter, the roof leaks the next summer, the kids have the flu, or strep throat, or another kid in school hits them. It's the day to day stuff that kills you.
Between the work stress, the home stress, not having time to cook properly nutritious meals, neither of us was living healthy. I was the lucky one between us, because I'm a naturally calmer person (and religiously do yoga), and managed to keep myself in check. Daniel, however, was stressed beyond belief. One of the side effects was that his beautiful hair, his golden curls, were coming out in clumps in the shower.
Daniel's uncle also lost his hair early, but his hair was never nearly as thick as Daniel's, so we didn't think much of it at the time. But genetically, it turned out that Daniel had a tendency for Male Pattern Baldness. The stress gave that genetic tendency a boost, and by the time Daniel was 35, he had those "bays" and was really losing his hair in a noticeable way. He cut off his curls, and started obsessing with his hair loss.
He bought Rogaine. He bought any product advertised, natural or not. He would do absolutely anything to reverse the effects, to have his curls back. But he would have even been happy with just stopping the hair loss. Finding some treatment, some cure, that would at least prevent him from losing any more hair.
He slowly became more and more depressed. I tried comforting him, telling him again and again that it didn't matter, that I love him to pieces, and that he's still the most beautiful man I've ever known, and still sexy, and still fabulous. I actually loved his new look, I thought the short hair suited him, made him look better. More of a man.
It was to no avail. He was, to be honest, inconsolable.
So I decided to take action. Being a natural remedy fan, for everything from homeopathy to acupuncture, nutrition, and healing, I decided that I should research everything I can about hair loss, and find a combination of actions that will reduce the causes of balding, and if at all possible, find some natural remedy to promote new hair growth. By saving Daniel's hair, I was saving him, and by saving him, I was saving our relationship, our love, and our family.
The first cause I found, both online and with doctors, was STRESS.
So the first thing we did was radically change our lifestyle. We made a choice to work one hour less a day, and play one hour more. Daniel began to go to yoga with me three times a week. I made sure that every morning, before he went to work, he stopped and breathed for a few minutes, just charging up. I made sure that both of us had private time. I made sure that we unwound after work. It wasn't easy, but it paid off in a big way - Daniel became less worried about his hair loss. And the less worried he was, the less generally stressed he was, and the less hair was clogging the drain in the shower.
The second cause was A DIET HIGH IN SATURATED FATS AND GREASE.
It all started when I read an excellent article about hair loss and nutrition.
We immediately stopped eating junk food. Because I was working a little less, suddenly I had energy to cook. We substituted that bucket of fried chicken (bought on the way home) with salad, fish, whole grains, homemade pasta, in short - we just ate well. When we did occasionally order in or pick up some takeout, we avoided fast food like McDonald's and KFC. We'd get some Indian or Chinese, or even a pizza from the Italian Pizzeria around the corner, that bakes real pizza in a brick oven with fresh buffalo mozzarella and a thin crust. We made sure that greasy food wasn't a part of our daily diet, and was reserved for a treat, like a full brunch with pancakes and eggs and bacon. We made sure we ate a lot of fruits and vegetables.
This, too, was a success. First of all, we had more energy. We weren't as dog tired as we used to be by the end of the day. Suddenly i felt that juggling a career, two kids, hamsters, cats, dogs, a husband, and housekeeping was so horrible and hard after all. I was more focused at work, and so got more done in less time. Daniel was happier and healthier, and suddenly re-discovered his bicycle, going out for a ride at least twice a week, and sometimes three. He smiled more.
And less hair was falling out.
Wow.
All these changes just from working one hour less a day and cutting out grease?
I began thinking about finding things to reverse the hair loss process. And then our real adventure began.
To be continued....
After our second baby, both of us went into high gear. We were juggling two young kids, two careers, a mortgage, and just general wear and tear. You know how it is, the pipes freeze one winter, the roof leaks the next summer, the kids have the flu, or strep throat, or another kid in school hits them. It's the day to day stuff that kills you.
Between the work stress, the home stress, not having time to cook properly nutritious meals, neither of us was living healthy. I was the lucky one between us, because I'm a naturally calmer person (and religiously do yoga), and managed to keep myself in check. Daniel, however, was stressed beyond belief. One of the side effects was that his beautiful hair, his golden curls, were coming out in clumps in the shower.
Daniel's uncle also lost his hair early, but his hair was never nearly as thick as Daniel's, so we didn't think much of it at the time. But genetically, it turned out that Daniel had a tendency for Male Pattern Baldness. The stress gave that genetic tendency a boost, and by the time Daniel was 35, he had those "bays" and was really losing his hair in a noticeable way. He cut off his curls, and started obsessing with his hair loss.
He bought Rogaine. He bought any product advertised, natural or not. He would do absolutely anything to reverse the effects, to have his curls back. But he would have even been happy with just stopping the hair loss. Finding some treatment, some cure, that would at least prevent him from losing any more hair.
He slowly became more and more depressed. I tried comforting him, telling him again and again that it didn't matter, that I love him to pieces, and that he's still the most beautiful man I've ever known, and still sexy, and still fabulous. I actually loved his new look, I thought the short hair suited him, made him look better. More of a man.
It was to no avail. He was, to be honest, inconsolable.
So I decided to take action. Being a natural remedy fan, for everything from homeopathy to acupuncture, nutrition, and healing, I decided that I should research everything I can about hair loss, and find a combination of actions that will reduce the causes of balding, and if at all possible, find some natural remedy to promote new hair growth. By saving Daniel's hair, I was saving him, and by saving him, I was saving our relationship, our love, and our family.
The first cause I found, both online and with doctors, was STRESS.
So the first thing we did was radically change our lifestyle. We made a choice to work one hour less a day, and play one hour more. Daniel began to go to yoga with me three times a week. I made sure that every morning, before he went to work, he stopped and breathed for a few minutes, just charging up. I made sure that both of us had private time. I made sure that we unwound after work. It wasn't easy, but it paid off in a big way - Daniel became less worried about his hair loss. And the less worried he was, the less generally stressed he was, and the less hair was clogging the drain in the shower.
The second cause was A DIET HIGH IN SATURATED FATS AND GREASE.
It all started when I read an excellent article about hair loss and nutrition.
We immediately stopped eating junk food. Because I was working a little less, suddenly I had energy to cook. We substituted that bucket of fried chicken (bought on the way home) with salad, fish, whole grains, homemade pasta, in short - we just ate well. When we did occasionally order in or pick up some takeout, we avoided fast food like McDonald's and KFC. We'd get some Indian or Chinese, or even a pizza from the Italian Pizzeria around the corner, that bakes real pizza in a brick oven with fresh buffalo mozzarella and a thin crust. We made sure that greasy food wasn't a part of our daily diet, and was reserved for a treat, like a full brunch with pancakes and eggs and bacon. We made sure we ate a lot of fruits and vegetables.
This, too, was a success. First of all, we had more energy. We weren't as dog tired as we used to be by the end of the day. Suddenly i felt that juggling a career, two kids, hamsters, cats, dogs, a husband, and housekeeping was so horrible and hard after all. I was more focused at work, and so got more done in less time. Daniel was happier and healthier, and suddenly re-discovered his bicycle, going out for a ride at least twice a week, and sometimes three. He smiled more.
And less hair was falling out.
Wow.
All these changes just from working one hour less a day and cutting out grease?
I began thinking about finding things to reverse the hair loss process. And then our real adventure began.
To be continued....
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