You’ve been searching for what feels like a really long time. You’ve scoured pages upon pages on Google, you’ve tried at-home remedies, you’re reading so much information, and yet the fact remains:

You’re balding.

It’s a sad, genetic fact that Male Pattern Baldness affects more than fifty percent of all men at some point in their lives. That means that one in every two men will experience partial, if not full blown, baldness.

Take a deep breath, because those are some scary odds. And for many men, hair is an absolute identity. Where women have mascara, lipstick, blush, concealer, and a plethora of other beauty tools at our fingertips, men really only have a few: a nice haircut, a clean shaven face, and a sharp outfit.

But what happens when that loyal haircut starts to become less and less there? It’s a moment in life filled with panic. And it’s a hard phase to digest. You’re witnessing it all happen in the mirror and no amount of pleas are seeming to save it. You feel helpless and you’re starting to wonder if you should just start accepting it.

Well, before you do, here’s something I’d like you to know. The hair regrowth industry is a booming 3.3 billion dollar industry in the United States alone for 2021.

What does this mean? Essentially, the more you bald, the more money other people make. But it feels pretty unfair. And it feels like you should be informed of what your real options are. Everyone’s beating around the bush with hair loss and I’m here to give you the [brief] scoop.

Hair Loss is Hormonal

The main culprit of Male Pattern Baldness. What is it? Many men don’t know, but there actually is a scientific explanation for what you’re going through.

DHT. Ever heard of it? Dihydrotestosterone, a sex hormone that surprisingly has shown scientific proof of promoting beard growth for males testing for high levels of DHT. The downside? DHT molecules attack the root of your hair on the scalp.

You’re either born with a genetic sensitivity to DHT or you’re not. For those with no sensitivity, they enjoy fruitful years with their luscious locks. For those predisposed to sensitivity? Their hair follicles begin what’s called miniaturization.

Long story short, your hair follicle begins to endure shorter and shorter growth periods as the DHT binds to receptors and begins to strangle your follicle to death, so to speak.

So the big question still remains. Now what?

Biotin, Eggs, and Castor Oil Are Hair Powerhouses

It’s not enough to tackle hair loss from one angle. It must be understood on a growth phase, dietary, and spiritual level. Are the conditions optimal for hair regrowth? Is the scalp receiving good circulation? Is blood flowing? Are nutrients reaching their destination? Are your stress levels high? Are you eating a lot of fatty foods?

The list goes on and on. But one thing is for certain. These three powerhouses are proven to alter the state of your hair and get them to rethink whatever it is that they’re doing.

1. Biotin

There are proven case studies showing that an increased biotin intake can improve hair loss. Why? Because biotin has been shown to stimulate keratin production in hair and increase the rate of follicle growth.

Understanding your hair on a molecular and nutritional level is only one facet of the hair regrowth journey. And what I mean by that is taking extra biotin won’t be enough to combat hair loss alone. You’ll need to combine it with other practices so that their benefits can bounce off of the other and produce a rather synergistic effect, AKA real hair regrowth.

2. Eggs

You’ll soon be going from cracking these into an omelet to cracking them on top of your head once I tell you how good eggs are for your hair. I wish it was a joke, but it’s not. They’re ridiculously beneficial.

Why is that? Egg whites contain powerhouse proteins that thicken your hair, not to mention it makes the hair more resilient to fallout. Egg white hair masks are a pretty common route to take,

3. Castor Oil

This is an age-old remedy and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. Castor oil, when applied to the scalp, provides massive benefits. Mostly known for its anti-inflammatory properties, castor oil is a must have for those with itchy or flaking scalps. But that's not all. Castor oil appears to thicken and grow hair faster than normal (from anecdotal claims). It nourishes the scalp and deters hair follicles from further breakage, all while leaving the hair feeling soft and fuller. The only thing to note about castor oil is that it is rather thick, so when considering hair masks, less is more. Applying too much castor oil can actually clog pores in the scalp and have the opposite effect on hair that you want. 

Meet Resveratrol and NMN.

Rumor has it that science has been doing a bit of recent digging into this little compound. Resveratrol, a substance found in the skin of red grapes and chocolate that's showing groundbreaking promise in the drug industry, and luckily for you, especially with hair regrowth.

Resveratrol has been shown to improve cells' mitochondrion metabolism process as well as improve your overall cardiac health, which induces proper blood flow, specifically endothelial function, which promotes blood flow to  hair follicles and addresses underlying hair loss issues.

Another underground hair growth secret is NMN, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, a supplement involved in cellular energy metabolism and promotion of hair growth. NMN also works with mitochondrial metabolism.

So what do mitochondria have to do with hair loss anyway? Well, in a recent study:

"The higher the composition of mitochondria in a body cell, the more kinetic energy it produces, the better the cell functions, and the better the state it responds to our external physical signs. And what we call wrinkles, and hair loss, are important signs that the organs involved are getting older."

Attacking hair loss on a cellular level is truly a game changing move and will give you the upper hand on understand and battling further shedding and fallout.

Minoxidil Does the Trick

Funny story to note, this incredible hair growth treatment was actually discovered by accident. Originally meant to treat cardiac issues, minoxidil, also known by a brand name Rogaine, has taken the world by storm at how effective it is at regrowing hair.

The secret? Minoxidil is a vasodilator, a fancy word for something that dilates your blood vessels. There have been endless studies on minoxidil and it hair regrowth been proven in patients who topically apply minoxidil daily.

The only catch? Minoxidil doesn't seem to work so well on the hairline. It works best on the crown and top of the head, so if you're noticing a receding hairline, keep in mind that minoxidil might not be the best option.

Collagen and Silica

Staying true to its definition, collagen is defined as: the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content.

And yes, this means that collagen plays a huge role in hair. Collagen is made up of amino acids— specifically glycine, proline and hyrdoxyproline, and its these particular amino acids that promote keratin production for your hair follicles. The result? Thicker, more fortified hair that is more stubborn to fallout.

Silica, collagen's long lost hair growth cousin, is another option to consider. While silica doesn't necessarily promote hair growth, silica has major impact on the health of a hair follicle. By delivering essential nutrients to the follicle, silica battles thinning and strengthens the follicle.

Silica is one of the most common minerals found on earth and it even benefits your skin and nails. And fun fact,

Silica is used by every single cell and internal gland in our bodies.

Studies have shown that silica plays an important role is balancing calcium and magnesium in the body, which in turn leads to a balance in hormones. Remember in the beginning of this blog when I mentioned that male pattern baldness stems from hormonal sensitivity to DHT? It might be worth looking into considering silica for your hair growth strategy.

Dermarolling is Every Man’s Dream Come True – For His Hair

So you've looked into supplements, you've found some great external masks and are beginning to understand how you can tackle hair loss from all angles. So how about we take it a step further?

Dermarolling, AKA microneedling, is one of the most powerful hair regrowth techniques that I swear by and I have both a video and a blog explaining how to and why you should be dermarolling your scalp to reap these benefits.

Long story short, dermarolling creates micro-punctures in the skin, triggering your body's healing response. Collagen and additional nutrients are sent to the area to repair the skin and in this case, these nutrients are being provided directly to the hair follicle just below the skin. This translates to powerful growth that has been anecdotally recorded and posted online. Don't believe me? Check out some of these before and afters of people who've embraced dermarolling into their hair growth routines. 

Looking for a dermaroller of your own? My high-quality, 192-real needle dermarollers are top tier for dermarolling the scalp; I suggest starting with a 0.50mm and working your way up to a 0.75 as you progress. 

 

 

You Want to Grow Spiritually - And So Does Your Hair

It's a proven fact that high levels of stress induce an increase of cortisol production in the body, essentially your fight-or-flight chemicals, along with adrenaline, a powerful endorphin that keeps you alert and aware.

However, high stress levels can leave detrimental effects on your hair, as cortisol can definitely affect your hair follicles' growth phases and shorten them, deprive them, and essentially make them fall out altogether.

Have you ever noticed that the more attention you give to something, the more grounded in reality it becomes? Being unable to not focus on your hair loss may feel impossible. It may become routine to check your hairline in the morning or balding patches, just to inspect if it's gotten worse. But by giving your hair loss attention, you may be exacerbating the issue, increasing stress, and making things worse.

It may seem like a silly notion, but finding peace and calm within can provide many benefits, including hair regrowth. I personally suggest meditation for those times where hair loss anxiety and frustration reaches its peak. Absorb a soothing state of mind and come back to yourself; consider options or avenues you haven't before. Be gentle with yourself, your time, and your energy. Understand that you're doing the best that you can and this is out of your control. When you approach situations with loving, understanding energy, your body on a physical level will begin to behave and respond differently as well. And this in turn may just be the chemical balance you need to begin seeing major hair regrowth shifts.

Hair Regrowth Takes Time

Approaching hair loss from a holistic standpoint is not going to regrow your hair overnight, though it is definitely a better approach than just using one method. In today's society, we're driven by quick satisfaction, but unfortunately in this case, hair regrowth just doesn't work that way. It takes consistency, faith, and a bit of research to see results. 

To understand this a bit better, hair follicles often stay in the scalp for 100 days before being pushed out by a new hair. That means that your current, miniaturized follicle will stay on your head for roughly three months before falling out and being replaced by either a smaller or larger follicle. As you continue to provide your hair the nourishment and benefits listed above, they will apply to the new hair to take place, and it may take quite a few growth phases before you start seeing results. I'm talking 6 months to a year.

Hair loss isn't going anywhere. And the psychological and self-esteem effects it can induce are real. But luckily, not all hope is lost. By understanding hair loss, especially male pattern baldness, on a scientific and chemical level, we can better approach and formulate hair regrowth plans that are addressing the real issue and not aiming blindly for a cure. It's possible, there are options, and it only takes your consistency and dedication to start to see amazing hair growth results.

Thank you Amber Babies for tuning into yet another blog post and I will see you all on the next blog!