Truth In Aging » Men: Hair

Hair loss pills and injections- are they safe?

copley — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:07:55 +0000

A close friend (who is younger than me, I might add) recently started getting injections in his scalp for hair loss. The hirsute gene does not run in his family, and his hairline is already starting to taunt him with the slightest hints of receding. The ebb of hair is not visible to the naked eye unless he pulls it back to unveil thinning at the roots; but the distress of losing his precious locks to the aging process has gotten inside his head, literally. Upon his visit to a leading dermatologist in New York City, the doctor advised him to begin preventative treatment: “Start early and be aggressive!” By his next visit, he was happily submitting to a round of injections in his scalp.

From the sound of it (and from the look of his 50-something father), my friend is predestined for male pattern baldness, which follows a typical path from receding at the hairline in the form of an “M” shape to thinning of the hair on the crown. Its cause is a combination of hormonal changes and genetic factors (hence the name Androgenetic Alopecia). As explained in detail on MedlinePlus, each strand of hair grows between 2 and 6 years from a cavity called the follicle, which shrinks over time. As the follicle shrinks, it leads to shorter, finer hair that ultimately shrivels to nothingness. In spite of the follicle’s lack of outgrowth, it remains alive. Hope is not lost, even if hair is.

OTC medications like Minoxidil (sold under the trade names Rogaine and Avacor) provide a temporary solution, slowing hair loss only as long as the product is used, and only in a targeted area of hair loss. The prescribed oral medication Finasteride (trade name Propecia) works by arresting the conversion of testosterone into the biologically more active dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone culpable for shrinking hair follicles. This androgen hormone inhibitor, which has a 80% success rate, is the only FDA-approved pill that can successfully treat male pattern hair loss both on the vertex and anterior sections of the head.

Studies have proven that lowering DHT levels leads to a slower progression of hair loss. However, like Minoxidil, Finasteride stops working as soon as you stop taking the drug. My friend’s goal was to protect all the hairs on his head and stave off the effects of aging for as long as possible. What’s a self-admittedly vain young man clinging to his youth to do?

The same thing college kids do when they want to get drunk fast: shots. Instead of relying on a pill that can take up to a year to deliver results, my friend is getting a highly potent dose of a liquid DHT blocker injected directly into his scalp every few months. Each visit to the derm entails 20-30 shots of the mystery substance (he doesn’t know what’s in it, only what it does). This new program also requires a twice daily application of an ointment (probably Anthralin, an emollient often prescribed by doctors both to treat psoriasis and to simulate new hair growth).

Injecting shots of a Finasteride-like substance into your scalp does not come without risks. Finasteride is not approved for use in women. In fact, it poses an extreme danger to women of childbearing age, since the drug can be absorbed into the bloodstream and cause serious birth defects in male fetuses. In men, a common side effect is low libido, so if you’re trying to regain luscious locks for the sake of seducing someone, you might lose interest in the end goal before you get there.

Another consequence of Finasteride is that it inhibits the production not only of DHT, but also of neurosteroids. Low levels of neurosteroids are linked to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders like depression. A study on mice found that injections resulted in a reduced number of newborn cells and young neurons in the hippocamus. These results support studies showing depressive symptoms following Finasteride treatment. So it only stands to reason that a more aggressive dosage of something with the same effects as Finasteride could have equal if not worse repercussions.

I’ll close with the same advice I gave my dear hair-glorifying friend, who now checks his scalp in the mirror multiple times a day for evidence that the treatment is working. Be careful when forcing your hair to drink from the fountain of youth. The physical and emotional aftermath may not be worth a few extra hairs on your head. That’s why hats were invented.

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Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm

jimmy — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:25:18 +0000

Walk into any fancy hair salon or top beauty retailer and you’re bound to find Phyto, a high-end haircare brand based out of Paris. It’s come a long way since it launched almost 40 years ago. In the quest for perfect hair, Phyto answers with its extensive line and the Phtyo Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm is effortlessly a good find.

Phyto Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm is probably one of the best solutions for anti-frizz but I love it as it definitely tames the mane and makes my hair look incredibly healthy. It leaves a nice luster and gives a smoothness some hair creams can’t compete with (it’s also very light-weight and slick).

What I love about Phyto Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm is that it’s mostly natural ingredients, a rarity in good haircare products. Phyto has long drawn inspiration from plants, providing high concentrations of active botanical extracts into their products (stuff that’s great for your skin, too!). The Hair Relaxing Balm’s first and main ingredient is althaea officinalis root extract, a humectant plan carbohydrate known to not only hydrate but also stimulate moisture balance. Chamomilla recutita flower extract gives the smoothness to your hair, and sage leaf extract is fortifying. Oddly enough, there’s also garlic (no worries, the balm is scentless), which has been shown to keep hair strong, prevent breakage and hair loss and adding body and shine. It’s also great for the scalp.

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Reviewed and recommended: Living Proof No Frizz

Ingredients:

Althaea officinalis root extract, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, salvia officinalis (sage) leaf extract, alium sativum (garlic) bulb extract, cochlearia armoracia (horseradish) root extract, ferula assa foetida root extract, propylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, methylisothiazolinone.

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Aesop Sage Scalp Cleansing Shampoo is too clever by half

Pascal — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:41:20 +0000

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Aesop is a high-end Australian manufacturer in existence since 1987, committed to “the highest-quality plant-based ingredients” and making “judicious” use of non-botanical elements such as antioxidants.

Another renowned trait of Aesop’s product is their “exquisite scents” and the Sage Scalp Cleaning Shampoo is no exception; the powerful mix of rosemary and sage is softened by cedar and that is what attracted me to the product at the outset. It is, for someone like me who spent my childhood vacations in Provence, pure magic and a true delight. Buying 18oz of sophisticated and fabulous smelling shampoo for about $50 is not a bargain, but a worthwhile indulgence… Or so I thought!

The major drawback of this shampoo is that that it is incredibly powerful, bleaching everything from one’s hair, leaving it dry, lifeless and dull. I have tried it for one year, using as little as possible or following up with various conditioners with a similar result: the feeling that someone with a razor blade has scraped every follicle and the scalp. Only the most powerful professional conditioners would restore a semblance of smoothness or flexibility… For some of our testers, the result was even worse with some bad scalp reactions, significant itching and irritations. When thinking about this review, the words to describe the impact of the shampoo were along the lines of “agent orange”, “bleach”, “industrial grime remover”. Of, course, these are a bit extreme, but you get my drift.

How and why did Aesop, these thoughtful and experienced Australians get there?

The “how” is rather straight-forward as was explained to me by Marta, our editor, the ingredient list is rather telling. Some are potential irritants such as propylene glycol, sodium and ammonium lauryl sulfate, others are falling out of favor with cosmetic makers and are only used in rinse off products, ie methylchloroisothiazolinone, a neurotoxin called methylisothiazolinone, and lastly there are some classic astringent and antiseptics including citric acid, rosemary, sage and tea tree.

The “why” is rather more complicated. How could Aesop qualify its product as “gentle cleansing” and yet deliver this scorched earth impact? The answer may be on their website and in the instructions. Basically, Aesop does not believe in hair cleaning and shampoos: they even write:” For those who feel that hair requires daily refreshing after sports, Aesop Scalp Cleansers may be diluted with water and poured over scalp and through hair”. What? Buy $40 of product but you may be better off with water if you want to be clean after sport?

Further reading suggests that this shampoo is not for hair but for scalp: “In your day to day routine, focus on cleansing the scalp, as this is where oil secretions build up”. Now, unless you are bald, how can you wash your scalp and avoid the hair? This defies common sense. Moreover, Aesop explains that the hair is very fragile, especially when wet and it advises to “brush it before cleaning”, “lightly work though it”, rinse it thoroughly” “do not dry it but wrap a towel around it” and so on so forth… Concluding on this precious note from the shampoo manufacturer: “The current tendency to shampoo excessively”.

Let me summarize the conceit: this expensive product addresses the scalp (indeed the tea tree oil does well against dandruff) but not the hair. It is devised with so much power that it will destroy your hair if by any chance you are dim-witted enough to get your hair in contact with our product as you are washing it with our product…

Please, this is absurd.

Five Best shampoos

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Moom for Men Hair Removal System

copley — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:58:23 +0000

Posted by Copley

Whereas my extremities tend to be ice-cold even on sweltering summer nights, my boyfriend David perpetually radiates heat. You might suspect that the anatomical divide between the sexes (and contradictory biological thermostats) is to blame, but the real secret to David’s warmth lies in the little hairs poking through his shirt collar. Concealed under that neckline is a woolly vest that he must wear year-round. A caveman might appreciate this built-in garment, but a professional lawyer finds it far less charming. So to spare David the sweat-inducing torment of donning a full undershirt beneath his suit every day, I got him a Moom for Men Hair Removal System and went to work on his upper chest.

I was initially attracted to Moom’s hair removal kit for its all-organic formula. Saving the skin from harmful chemicals that are common in salon wax treatments, Moom contains just six ingredients: sugar, water, chamomile, lemon juice, aloe vera, and boswellia. I had heard of at-home waxing mixtures made up of simply melted sugar (a natural adhesive and preservative), water, and lemon juice (an antiseptic that prevents sugar from being crystalized during storage). Moom boosts this basic recipe with proven anti-inflammatory and soothing botanicals. Because of its purity, Moom promises that the solution can be readily rinsed off with lukewarm water after waxing.

The simple, unsticky process sounded like a winner to me. Of course, David thought otherwise, instinctively recoiling at the thought of ripping hairs forcibly from his man armor. After poking fun of the strangely ambiguous image on Moom’s packaging, he agreed to be a guinea pig in the service of Truth in Aging. Luckily, his chest hairs met the 1/2 inch requirement for waxing to work.

We popped the 6 oz. container of Moom sauce in the microwave for ten seconds and out came a scalding pot of liquid magma. A few morsels of advice: check your microwave’s wattage settings, test the temperature of the solution with your finger before applying, and most importantly, do not leave a man alone with this stuff! As is the tendency of men to refuse directions, David did not even glance at Moom’s instructions and had no idea what was the role of the wooden applicators and fabric strips. He might now have third degree burns if I had not stepped in to assist with application.

With a second set of hands doing the dirty work, the skin-coating and hair-removing process went rather smoothly. Moom has a honey-like consistency that sticks to everything in sight and tends to get messy. But the solution washes off practically any surface with soap and water. Even the cotton strips are reusable after rinsing and drying. I prepared eight separate landing strips of wax and removed each swathe of hair from the top of David’s chest one after the other. Total time: 10 minutes.

The end result was a flaming red neckline speckled with stray hairs and tiny blood bubbles. Because the wax strips are meant to be removed in the opposite direction of the growth of hair, the chest (like the back) is a tricky area where hair typically grows every which way. I had to apply a fabric patch multiple times to the same section to get it completely hair-free, which resulted in beads of blood and sensitivity. As promised, the residual Moom slime washed off instantly in the shower.

In spite of the burning and bleeding, Moom got a positive appraisal overall. There was none of the itching that accompanies shaving, and on the following day, the redness had subsided considerably. All that remained was a backdrop of red dots, like microscopic memorials to a once-great population of hair. I would not recommend trying this procedure for the first time before a big day at the beach or pool party where you plan on going shirtless.

The tearing process registered on the low end of David’s discomfort scale (which may be higher than the average male who doesn’t take pleasure in a little pain). What hurt more than the actual pulling of hair was the blotting of magma Moom on an already tender area. Not only is skin sensitivity supposed to decrease with repeated use as hairs weaken, but the smooth results are said to last up to six weeks. Unless hairs start sprouting through David’s neckline over the next few weeks, I think we may just have to keep up this extremely metrosexual, yet effectual, method of manscaping.

Bliss Get Out of Hair and a new botanical for unwanted fuzz

Hair Removal thread in our discussion boards

Five Best men’s grooming ideas

Dermalogical Soothing Shaving Cream- Recommended

Ingredients:

Sugar, Water, Chamomile, Lemon Juice, Aloe Vera, Boswellia

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Rusk Calm Shampoo is Nourishing

jimmy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 09:49:00 +0000

I first discovered Rusk when I stayed at CuisinArt Resort in Anguilla (both brands are owned by Conair). The shampoo and conditioner were the amenities available in the rooms and suites, and I was impressed with the Rusk Sensories Shampoo calm Guarana and Nourishing Ginger. The two ingredients featured are meant to add a healthy, natural sheen and retain moisture. Fortunately, after trying it out, I was convinced.

The Rusk Sensories Shampoo’s M.O. is that it features CFT (compressed formula technology), which enhances and expands the users sensory experience. What this basically means is that when the shampoo is compressed, it expands with the addition of water and gentle manipulation, releasing unique botanical/ozonic aromas. Thus, you get bang for your buck as the performance uses 30 to 50% less product due to the compression. I don’t really buy the sensory experience enhancement (it reminds me of plenty of women in the shower in total ecstasy, which did not happen to me) but it definitely felt great on my head!

One of my favorite roots, ginger, is one of the top ingredients and has astringent, purifying and toning properties. It’s also quite stimulating and great for the scalp, so look out dandruff! Right behind ginger is guarana, which is a little weird as I’m used to seeing it in energy and health drinks at Whole Foods. It’s good to know it’s useful for the hair. As a stimulant, it brings in the “sensory” appeal and gives that luster to your hair. While there’s not a lot of information on guarana in hair care, I can see it doing more good than wrong.

I’m also a fan of panthenol, which smoothes and softens the hair. I also like Babassu (Orbignya Oleifera) Oil, an emollient that’s great for the scalp. All in all, a great wash with a great, uplifting scent.

Five Best shampoos

Ingredients

Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, TEA Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Glycol Stearate, Panthenol, Silk Amino Acids, Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) Extract, Guarana (Paullinia Cupana) Extract, Babassu (Orbignya Oleifera) Oil, Borage (Borago Officinalis) Seed Oil, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium 10, Fragrance, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, FD&C Blue 1, Ext D&C Violet 2

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Male Order: Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Shampoo

jimmy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 10:37:50 +0000

Hair colorists are human beings: they are not perfect. So I couldn’t get angry when my colorist of three years screwed up back in January. The mix he made was different, turning my natural black hair color to a weird, ashy mess instead of the desired chocolate brown. He was pretty confident it was going to fade in the sun; it didn’t. But I let that one slide. I should have voiced my concern more strongly, but I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to bitch. I recently returned last week as my natural hair color had grown out again. Again, for some strange reason, it went the same color of cigarette ash. It was the weirdest thing and I made it clear that I was unhappy with it. He, too, was confused and it was obvious something went wrong with the mix. Again, as I said, I have seen him for three years and have been completely happy but the last two times, I’m starting to think maybe he was drunk. Who knows? So he added another coat or something bleachy (I didn’t question, I never do…sigh) and it put my scalp on fire. My head fried. I couldn’t bear more than ten minutes but he promised it would lift the color.

It sort of did. Not really. Again, not incredibly happy but not upset enough to complain. After all, it’s hair and mine grows rather fast. The more pressing issue at hand wasn’t my hair color but my scalp. Incredibly damaged. Not to gross you out but the dandruff was out of control, some flakes seemingly as large as saucers. Embarrassing.

In this scalp damage crisis, I knew I had to be pretty picky about what I was going to put in my hair to recover the scalp. It came down to a few choices but Max Green Alchemy was ultimately my top choice. A little bit of research (including Marta’s review of MGA Conditioner) swayed my decision, not to mention I am a big fan of the hair products I have used. So I wasn’t reluctant to give the Scalp Rescue Shampoo a shot. MGA’s shampoo is vegan, packed with awesome botanicals, essential oils and vitamins. There’s no SLS, parabens or petrochemicals, and one of the finest attributes is its ability to help treat psoriasis of the scalp, seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Or, in my case, a severe case of scalp grossness.

It has all the goodies one needs to repair damaged scalp. Tea tree is a top ingredient, and known to help dandruff and scalp relief. This was a priority for me for obvious reasons, and the fact there was lemon tea tree in it was also a benefit. I was also happy to discover neem, an antioxidant I’ve been getting friendly with. If you read the ingredients, you’ll notice tons of yumminess that you’d want to put in your hair, as well as some less commonly used ingredients like coltsfoot, burdock and yarrow (not a lot of info during research but botanicals do more good than harm and I’ll take these over parabens any day).
The scent of it is incredibly aromatic, a burst of lemons and the shampoo itself is a nice, thick consistency.

As for my scalp? It says MGA deserves a medal.

And my hair colorist? Three strikes and he’s out.

Jimmy also likes the MGA Scalp Rescue Pommade

Ingredients
Purified Water, Aqueous Herbal Extract (Glycyrrhiza Glabra* (licorice) Root, Tussilago Farfara+ (coltsfoot) Leaf, Achillea Millefolium* (yarrow), Salix Alba+ (willow), Tabebuia Impetiginosa+ (pau díarco), Arctium Lappa* (burdock) Root, Berberis Aquifolium (mahonia), Calendula Officinalis* (calendula), Equisetum Arvense* (horsetail), Urtica Dioica* (nettles)), Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate (coconut derived surfactant), Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine (coconut derived surfactant), Sucrose Cocoate (sugar/coconut emulsifier), Coco-Betaine (coconut derived surfactant), Leptospermum Petersonii (lemon tea tree), Melaleuca Alternifolia* (tea tree), Lavandula Angustifolia* (lavender), Pelargonium Capitatum* (geranium), Rosemarinus Officinalis* (rosemary), Oryzanol (rice extract), Hydrolysed Soy Protein (hair strengthener), Glycerine (vegetable source), Panthenol (pro vitamin B5), Sodium Chloride (solar sea salt), Macadamia* Ternifolia (macadamia) Seed Oil, Parfum (fragrance of plant origin), Xanthan Gum, Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C ester), Aloe Barbadensis* (aloe vera) Leaf, Mixed Tocopherols (plant derived GMO-free vitamin E).
* Organic + Wildcrafted

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Male Order: Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Pomade

jimmy — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:12:50 +0000

Whilst my hair is in the hot zone for me this week (I recently got it cut two days ago), I want to address one of my favorite pomades: Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Pomade ($13.50 for 2oz). It’s been MIA from my life for almost a full year. During this time I found a replacement pomade (a gift from my hair colorist and really a temporary replacement until my neighborhood Whole Foods restocked Max Green Alchemy), and during this replacement phase, I was so busy I never really had a chance to hunt down another MGA Scalp Rescue Pomade (a click away, I know, but I’ve been that busy (or lazy?)

If I hadn’t come home for Thanksgiving, I wouldn’t have needed the larger suitcase I use perhaps once or twice a year. So I was surprised (and immersed in joy) to find the MGA pomade in the side zip pocket when I hauled it out of my closet. It was like a reunion with an old friend!

I have to admit, this is like no other pomade. It’s pure vegan and free of synthetic ingredients so you know your hair is going be able to “breathe”. The main (and highlighted) ingredients are pure organic jojoba oil and shea butter, both of which moisturize the scalp and deep-condition the hair. The texture of the pomade is also interesting: It’s a little gritty but melts right in when applied.

The pomade definitely leaves the hair soft and organic olive and coconut oils gives it a very healthy luster. Furthermore, the signature Max Green herbal lemon aroma is a nice perk (literally, for your senses) and is joined by tea tree, geranium, lavender and rosemary. It definitely gives an unbeatable gloss (yes, more female-friendly, but it is unisex) and it also stays in your hair (it’s the oils) after several hours, unlike other products that have to be reapplied throughout the day.

Reading the ingredients is almost too good to be true. It’s all organic, baby, just like the whole Max Green Alchemy product line (paraben-free, petrochemical-free, synthetic-free and cruelty-free). You can bet I’m going to be looking into this brand over the holidays.

Ingredients in Max Green Alchemy Pomade

Butyrospermum Parkii (shea butter), Simmondsia Chinensis* (jojoba) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera* (coconut) oil, Glyceryl Stearate (plant derived), Vitis Vinifera (grape seed) Oil, Olea Europa* (olive) Oil, Copernica Cerifers (carnuba wax), Octyl Stearate, Calendula Officinalis (calendula), Melaleuca Alternifolia* (tea tree), Leptospermum Petersonii (lemon tea tree), Lavandula Angustifolia* (lavender), Pelargonium Graveolens* (geranium), Rosemarinus Officinalis* (rosemary), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C ester), Mixed Tocopherols (plant derived gmo-free). *Organic +Wildcrafted.

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