Can i fight genetics, or am i doomed to repeat history??

[Shatani]

the ladies in my family (on my mother's side) ALL have nearly non-existent hair lines....it makes me so sad to think that the front of my hair will end up that way i can already see that my hair line is looking iffy in the front and center area....

so, my question is this.....is there anything i can do now to prevent it (other than knock it off with the pulled back puffs) or do i have to just sit around and watch as my hairline recedes??

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

I bet there are some things they did that didn't help the situation much....like do they wear really tight ponytails? Relax too often? Blow dry the edges too much?

I think not wearing tight ponytails all the time and not blow drying those edges hard will help as well as using Surge or similar products. And if not, there's always Rogain! (Don't some women take it??)

 

[Poohbear]

Do they have extreme receding hairlines or just thin hairlines due to improper care???

 

[Shatani]

Do they have extreme receding hairlines or just thin hairlines due to improper care???

extreme receding hair lines....sure they didnt take the best of care, but every one of them has a hairline thats pushed way back...

 

[Armyqt]

Don't stress about it Shatani. Just make sure to take extra special care of that area. You should apply castor oil and Surge to that area as a deterrant. And of course skip the tight ponytail

My dad has a receding hairline and I'm starting to notice that my hair gets thinner in that area. I try to stay on top of it by taking vitamins. I've recently started surging and using a castor/jojoba oil mixture. I make sure I pay special attention to those areas too.

 

[ShortyDooWhop]

you might want to try an essential oil blend that promotes hair growth,

Noonie posted this recipie a while back.
1. Thyme essential oil - 2 drops
2. Atlas cedarwood essential oil - 2 drops
3. Lavender essential oil -3 drops
4. Rosemary essential oil -3 drops
5. Jojoba oil - ½ teaspoon
6. Grapeseed oil - 4 teaspoons
Add the first four ingredients into a small glass jar. Mix well. Now add the remaining two ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
Massage this mixture into your scalp for at least two minutes every night. Wrap your head in a warm towel after treatment.




Another person posted this article about the benefits of essential oils in reversing alopeica areata (sp?)

From The September 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News

by Richard N. Podell, M.D.

Essential Oils Can Help Regrow Hair
So much importance is placed on appearance in this society that retaining one's hair borders on obsession. Regardless of the cause—be it genes, hormones, drugs or illness—hair loss can cause anxiety and stress. The number of national television ads for hair-growth drugs speaks volumes about the market for regrowth remedies. Thus, a treatment that offers moderate hair growth and no significant side effects could be a boon. Enter four promising essential oils.

Isabelle C. Hay and colleagues from the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland saw several cases of alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that causes patchy baldness, improve after patients used herbal treatments. Unlike male pattern baldness or hair brittleness, alopecia is a condition that affects men and women of all ages, and is most likely caused by an immune system inflammation that affects areas of the scalp. Stress often precedes an alopecia outbreak. Standard medical therapies, including corticosteroid injections, are only modestly helpful. Most, but not all, patients eventually improve or recover.

External application of various herbal essences is believed to benefit those who suffer hair loss due to alopecia. Among these are cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris), all of which have been used to treat alopecia for more than a century. However, no double-blind studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of these herbs until now.

Hay and researchers recruited 84 people with diagnosed alopecia areata. During the seven-month trial, participants suspended use of topical or oral alopecia medications. Instead, half used a blend of cedarwood (2 drops, 94 mg), lavender (3 drops, 108 mg), rosemary (3 drops, 114 mg) and thyme (2 drops, 88 mg) in a carrier oil mix of jojoba (3 mL) and grapeseed (20 mL). The placebo group used just the carrier oils. Subjects were taught to rub the oil into the bare areas of their scalp for two minutes each evening and then to wrap a warm towel around their head to enhance absorption.

Professional photographs of each patients' scalp were taken at baseline, three and seven months. Changes as seen in the photographs served as the primary outcome measure. Outcomes were also measured by mapping bald patches and measuring severity of alopecia with a four-point scale. Of the 84 patients who entered the trial, only 63 completed it—35 from the active group and 28 from the control group.

Of those receiving active treatment, 44 percent (16 of 35 patients) significantly improved, while 15 percent (6 of 28 patients) using placebo improved. The essential oils had a statistically significant advantage (P = 0.008). The average area of hair regrowth with the essential oils was 104 square cm compared with nearly zero for those using placebo.1

One male patient with alopecia areata as well as severe male pattern hair loss saw improvement in both areas after using the essential oil blend.

These results suggest that one or more of the essential oils are biologically able to promote hair growth. While promising, confirming studies are needed before we can be sure. However, is a 44 percent response rate worth the effort? According to the authors, this is about the same response rate dermatologists expect with standard medical therapies. To the herbs' benefit, however, they are less expensive, require fewer doctor visits and have a low risk of side effects.

Future research must explore which of the four herbs had the most effect or if they work in tandem. Also open for exploration is whether increasing the concentration of the most active constituents would increase response rates. Dose is also worth researching. Perhaps twice daily treatment would be more effective than once daily.

While this type of research on herbal remedies is encouraging, only one of five dermatologists I unofficially surveyed could remember seeing this study, although all five read the American Medical Association-sponsored journal that was open-minded enough to publish it.

Richard N. Podell, M.D., M.P.H., is director of the Podell Medical Center in New Providence, N.J.

Reference

1. Hay I, et al. Randomized trial of aromatherapy—successful treatment for alopecia areata. Arch Dermatol 1998;134:1349-52.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

You can try Surge or Rogaine to grow the areas that are starting to recede, along with that scalp massages & supplements may help like Biotin,B-Complex and a good Multi.

 

[melodee]

I think the ladies have been giving good advice Shatani. Genetics do play a role in the appearance of the hairline. If your family members haven't done anything to casue the thin hairline, then it's the genes. My husband's family have really pretty hair (he included) but very sparse hairlines. My seven year old daughter, who has hair to her butt, has sparse edges.

I think there are things you can do to fight the thinning. The ladies have given some good suggestions. But as long as you have realistic expectations, you'll be fine.

 

[Shatani]

thanks so much for all your suggestions, ladies!!!


i was wondering, can i put oils directly into my surge or should i do that separate....i notice that surge made that area in the front flake a lot...it freaked me out cuz ive never had dandruff, but it stopped when i stopped suring that area....