Does caffeine shampoo really work? Or is it just another marketing ploy – targeting men who are balding or have thinning hair?

Will a caffeine shampoo restore your head of hair to its former glory?

There is sublime genius in finding ways to use inferior grades of coffee that can’t be sold for human consumption. A good marketing campaign featuring a so-called expert wearing a white coat can sell anything to a man whose self-esteem is going down the plug hole… along with his hair.

There’s a German product called Alpecin, an ‘After Shampoo Liquid’. Alpecin claims to grow hair back as a result of its caffeine content.

Its manufacturers have commissioned research and – unsurprisingly – found it to produce positive results for hair growth. Unfortunately, these results came about by detaching hair follicles from balding men and growing them artificially in a laboratory.

The follicles were exposed to a dose of testosterone and some were exposed to caffeine. There was reduced growth in the testosterone-dosed follicles, which is what happens in male pattern baldness. Meanwhile, in the ones that were exposed to testosterone and caffeine, some new growth was stimulated.

It should, however, be noted that growing hair follicles in a test tube or petrie dish is not a reliable indicator of how well this can work on a man’s head.

Does caffeine help or hinder hair health?

Interestingly, the caffeine we consume orally could have a role to play in hair growth. As a chemical, caffeine targets the hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which is the culprit in hair loss.  DHT clings on to hair follicles and stops them from absorbing the important proteins, minerals and vitamins that perpetuate the hair’s growth cycle. Caffeine can keep DHT from attaching itself, thereby allowing the growth cycle to continue.

You probably consume caffeine in a myriad of ways; through chocolate, energy drinks, colas and of course, coffee and tea. Several studies have been carried out on the effects of caffeine and hair loss and they’ve unanimously shown that caffeine doesn’t contribute to baldness or hair loss. If anything, caffeine can be a friend to the balding man. Just don’t count on it to perform miracles!

The reviews: What do users of caffeine shampoos have to say?

Look around on the internet and you’ll be sure to find plenty of men singing the praises of caffeine shampoo, insisting it’s been the magical cure to their male pattern baldness.

The thing about reviews sites is that they don’t come with proof of veracity. Many times, they’re fake; fabricated reviews posted by representatives of the manufacturers to promote their products, and no one is keeping watch on who’s telling lies or the truth. Others aren’t true representations of factual outcomes. If a man looks in the mirror and sees a miserable hairline one day and after using a caffeine shampoo for a month or so, looks in the mirror again and sees thicker hair, would you call that scientific proof?

More often, perceived results are the result of the placebo effect. People often feel better because they’re doing something … anything. And if the outcome is that they feel better, then that must be a good thing in itself. That said, if they want 100 per cent, irrefutable facts such as a hair count per square inch, then they may just be disappointed.

Consider also that if the guy is experiencing intermittent hair loss, and not classic male pattern baldness, then his use of a caffeine shampoo could actually coincide with his hair growth cycle  rather than the shampoo being a miracle cure.

On the other hand, when people are moved to post a negative review, you can pretty much count on the graphic detail being a result of personal experience. Reports of burning scalps, skin redness, pain and discomfort can likely be counted on as truth because the men who post them usually don’t have a vested interest in the product’s success or failure. If anything, they’ll want to warn other consumers away from them.

Caffeine shampoo: The bitter aftertaste

No clinically viable evidence currently exists to prove that caffeine shampoos work. In the UK, only two treatments have been clinically proven to grow hair back. They are Finasteride (a prescription pill) and Minoxidil (available as a lotion or foam that you apply to your scalp).
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Don’t go investing in coffee stocks… counting on a caffeinated miracle cure for your baldness! Save your pennies and buy your daily cappuccino so you can enjoy drinking your caffeine the way nature intended. You never know, that coffee could actually go to your head.
 
This article appeared on Man for Himself

Hair problems happen, you know it’s true, and you’re here looking into some of the most common solutions. We can’t say we know what you’re going through exactly, but we can say that we’ve seen almost all of the possible problems, and we’re well equipped to handle them. There are as many problems as there are people in the world, and they don’t all call for the ionic ceramic flat iron. Some of them are simply going to call for you to break out a few of the solutions that we’re going to list for you below. Let’s start with some of the most obvious.

Limp Hair
The Ceramic Flat Iron Won’t Help with This One
This is something that will happen if a person has thin hair and they’re using too much product. This, unfortunately, adds weight to the hair, so pay attention to what you’re using, and use a clarifying shampoo at least once per week to get rid of the product buildup. In addition to that, you need to make sure that you’re reducing oil on the scalp. One of the other tricks that you can use, is to apply conditioner to the roots of your hair rather than the scalp.

Fix the Frizzy Hair
If you have a problem with frizzy hair, there are a few different items that could have led to it. For example, they might bovver-styling (Cockney slang for bother. I would interpret as rough-drying) and drying their hair using a higher heat setting. You will need to figure out how to use a blow dryer properly, which means pointing it down at the hair shaft. At the end, use the cool air setting to close the cuticle and lock in the shine. It’s an extra step, but it’s well worth it to get the hair you want – without the frizz.

Clear out that Greasy Hair
This is probably one of the biggest hair problems that people will face, and it can definitely become more than a bit frustrating. The first thing that you need to know, is that greasy hair is most often caused when the scalp overproduces a natural oil by the name of sebum. This is where it gets a little tricky because you would think that washing your hair would get rid of the grease. Actually, you want to skip a few washes as this will help to slow down oil production. In between washes, you can keep your hair in good shape by using a dry shampoo or conditioner. You can also use powder products that will soak up excess oil, and when you’re ready to wash, use a light weight shampoo.

Those Pesky Split Ends
If you’re a regular user of ceramic irons, then there is a good chance that you’ve been warned about split ends. Well, yours might not actually be caused by your flat iron. In fact, they can be caused by over-processing and even over-styling. Your dead hair cannot repair itself, so if you have a split end, it’s just going to travel further up the shaft, and if you’re dealing with split ends on a regular basis, then you should consider getting a regular trim. In fact, you should do it every six to eight weeks, combining that with a deep conditioner at least once per week. You may need to do a bit more upkeep, but it’s well worth it. As you can see, there are quite a few hair problems to consider, and if you’re dealing with any of these, then it would be within your best interest to figure out how to solve it and most importantly, how to do it right.
 
This article first appeared on HSI Professional

​Options for Better Hair …

As a famous comedian once jokingly said, “God only made a few perfect heads … all the rest she covered with hair!”

As one ages, it’s only natural for hair to wane. Very few individuals have rich thick hair well into their senior years. Most science points to the decrease in natural hormones. Hair retention is most certainly controlled by your individual genetics, however there are other conditions that may influence the overall health of your hair. Your diet, the weather, toxins, pollution, and your overall approach to hair care are influence your hair retention and health.

Protein is not only a key ingredient to hair itself, but also as a progenitor of hair. Deficient protein in the diet can result in loss of hair, brittle or fragile hair, and loss of hair color. At least 45 grams of protein daily should be included in your diet: eggs, fish, lean meat, poultry, beans, tofu, dairy products,

Zinc deficiency can cause hair loss. Multivitamin or zinc supplements can go a long way toward giving your body what it needs without a lot of hassle. Foods that are rich in Zinc are:

• Nuts: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, and walnuts,
• vegetables
• fruits
• leafy green salads
• plenty of clean, filtered water

​

Omega 3 Fatty Acids stimulate hair follicles growth and the sebaceous (fat) glands around them. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in:

• flax seed
• cold-water fish, such as salmon, sardines, and herring
• yogurt
• cottage cheese

Laser and light therapy: Although the science is light and the treatment regimens vary widely, many thousands of people are treated every year with varying degrees of success. Some swear by it and some swear at it, because it is not cheap.

Pills and potions flood the market-place, each one claiming success. “Buyer beware” comes into place here, look for real research, not just testimonials.

Shampoo: How often to shampoo your hair varies greatly; it depends upon your hair type and texture, activities in which you participate, and how often you use hair products. Oily hair requires more frequent washing and dry hair mandates less frequent washing. One must buy the right product for their own hair: curly, dry, oily, straight, artificially colored, bleached, etc. … Check the labels on the bottle, the formations do not vary much, but the ingredients in the better brands do seem to make a difference. Avoid shampoos with harsh ingredients, such as ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. Experts suggest that one can over-shampoo or shampoo incorrectly. The standard rules of thumb are:
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• Avoid using very hot or very cold water
• Don’t wash your hair more than once a day.
• Use only enough of the product to cover your hair.
• Hair is three times more susceptible to breakage when wet, so don’t dry vigorously with the towel.
• Wait till almost dry before brushing or combing, preferably with a wide-tooth comb to detangle.

Conditioning: Experts seem to agree that conditioning your hair after shampooing keeps your hair softer, shiny, and manageable. They may disagree, however, as to whether a shampoo with built-in conditioner is as good as a separate one, and whether you should condition after every shampoo.

Hair maintenance tips:

• Get regular haircuts (every 10 to 12 weeks) keeps hair healthier and prevents split ends
• Air drying is better than hair dryers
• When using a hair dryer, start on low heat, avoid high heat for prolonged periods of time if possible
• Change locations of hair pins and clips to avoid localized breakage
• If you dye your hair, choose a shade that’s within three shades of your natural color
• Avoid frequent hair color changes and stripping
• Scalp massage increases blood circulation and may promote hair growth

Diet and exercise:

• Heating a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables gives your hair all the essential nutrients – vitamins and minerals – to get healthy and stay that way
• Things to avoid for healthier hair:
•     over consumption of alcohol
•     low-calorie and crash diets
•     decreased thyroid hormone
•     excessive stress

Detoxification, if started early enough may make a difference to people who have been exposed to toxins and heavy metals. Blood and hair testing can reveal many surprises and therefore require many different solutions to detoxification and treatment which may lead to healthier thicker hair.

Here are a couple other sites you might want to check out.

Healthlin.com
EnCognitive.com

This article first appeared on World Health.net

Many people now prefer to use a sulfate and paraben free shampoo; this is because many scientists are now looking negatively on sulfates and parabens as they are believed to have many adverse side effects. Let’s take a closer look at sulfates and parabens and find out exactly what they are:

What is Sulfate?

When you wash your hair with most shampoos, you will most likely work up a thick lather. This thick lather that many of us love to see, is actually produced by the sodium lauryl sulfate placed in the shampoo. Sodium lauryl is a detergent and crystalline salt of sulfated lauryl alcohol. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant; a surfactant is a product that reduces surface tension between a liquid and a solid. This reduction in surface tension is what produces the rich lather. Once surface tension is removed, the barrier between your hair and the shampoo is eliminated, enabling the sodium lauryl sulfate to rid the hair of oil and dirt.

What are Parabens?

In order to preserve the shelf life of many shampoos, parabens are used. A paraben is a preservative and it is used to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungus in shampoos. There are many different types of parabens, namely, butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben and isobutylparaben. For over seventy years they have been used as preservatives but recently scientist have begun to question their safety. Sulfates are known irritants that are harsh on the scalp and hair. Recent studies have found it to be more toxic than previously realized. Parabens an cause allergic reactions and exacerbate some skin conditions. With all the doubt being cast on the safety of sulfates and parabens, it is wise to switch to a sulfate and paraben free shampoo. Here are five reasons why you may find this switch beneficial:
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1. Sulfate may have the ability to get rid of oil and dirt but recent studies have found that it is toxic and carcinogenic. Sulfate has been found to be one of the key culprits of hair loss and thinning hair, it actually destroys hair follicles and inhibits hair growth.
2. Increased levels of estrogen causes breast cancer and it has been found that parabens actually attach themselves to estrogen receptors, the result is that paraben causes a weak estrogen effect on the body. This is why they are referred to as phytoestrogens. This may or may not cause breast cancer depending on which research you believe but why take the risk? When you can simply switch to paraben free shampoos.
3. Parabens have been linked to the irritation of skin conditions such as dermatitis and rosacea, it also causes allergic reactions in some small children.
4. Studies have found that sulfates can cause eye damage and blindness in young children. This is why it is best to use sulfate free shampoo on babies and infants.
5. Shampoos that are sulfate and paraben free actually keep the hair moisturized. Moisturized hair is less prone to breakage and split ends.

 
This article appeared on ShampooTree

By Donna Freydkin
​
You know that feeling, right? You're sudsing up your hair in the shower, you go to rinse it, and as you run your fingers through it...clumps of it cling to your hands. It's one of those panic-inducing moments in which you wonder how much hair loss is normal, whether there's something medically wrong with you, and if someday, you'll wind up with bald patches.

Chances are, you're just fine. In fact, you may just be dealing with seasonal hair loss. It's one of the great ironies of my life that hair grows unabated where I don't want it (like in the nose) but then, drops with abandon from my head, especially when the weather gets colder.

No surprise there, say experts.

"There is evidence that people can note increased shedding in the late fall and winter months. The thought here is that perhaps in the summer months, we hang on to more hair to provide increased protection from the sun. A few months after, when we begin shifting into late fall and early winter, those hairs that we held onto during summer will make a transition into the shed phase. This may result in a temporary increase in shedding compared to your baseline," Emily Wise Shanahan, a Massachusetts–based dermatologist, tells Allure.

And yes, joy of joys, it may be more noticeable as you get older.

"By 50 years of age, 50 percent of women will experience some degree of hair loss. Hair loss is often seen at any age after pregnancy, surgery or illness. It is also seen in pre- and perimenopausal women, during their early to mid-50s," Kristina Goldenberg, a New York–based dermatologist, tells Allure.

Some hair loss is par for the course, but when it comes to seasonal loss, you can blame the thermostat. Still, if you do notice you're losing more hair around the cooler months, don't despair, as New York–based dermatologist Jeremy Fenton tells us. Chances are, the hair you lost will be back in the future.

"There has been some research that has shown that there is some seasonality to [shedding]. One study showed that human hair has the highest number of hairs in the telogen phase in July, and a second smaller peak in April. Hairs in the telogen phase generally fall out 100 days later, which means that people would see a shedding at the end of the summer and into the fall. These hairs are not necessarily lost forever, as a healthy hair follicle will then eventually cycle back into its growth phase. The reason for this isn’t entirely clear. Some postulate that it is based on evolution, creating more hair in the summer to protect the scalp. Others believe it also is about the body minimizing the shedding during the winter months," says Fenton.

Meaning, your scalp may respond to changes in daylight hours. "We believe that the body is responding in some hormonal manner to the changes in the amount of daylight. The longer daylight hours of the summer trigger the hair to enter the telogen phase, which then triggers the shedding at the end of that phase. The precise mechanism is not clear," says Fenton.

So this brings us to the big question: What, if anything, can you do about it?

"It is always a good idea to make an extra effort in the winter months to keep the hair hydrated and moisturized. Use a deep conditioning mask. Likewise, limiting heat styling can be helpful for the same reasons," Wise Shanahan says.

Kérastase has a whole line devoted to thinning hair, and Harklinikken, which just launched stateside, says it can help deal with hair loss. Peter Thomas Roth makes a killer mask, as does Christophe Robin.

Another way to give your hair a little bit of help as it cools down is to do what your mother has been telling you to do all these years: Take your vitamins. "You can also strengthen the hair that you have by taking supplements. Biotin is one of the most effective options out there, and it is available over the counter at most drugstores," says Fenton. It may not prevent shedding, but it can prevent breakage and also make the hair you do have actually appear thicker. Another way to prevent breakage of winter hair is to moisturize with a conditioner and avoid too much friction from prolonged wearing of hats."

Mostly, though, a good rule of thumb is paying attention to the part in your hair and noticing if it gets wider. And remember to be kind to your strands during rougher weather. Also: Pay attention to whether your hair is actually shedding or just breaking off. "With winter months comes drier weather and hats rubbing against the hair. Dry, brittle hair is more likely to break and the friction of hats can further contribute to this. Although this is not true hair 'loss,' it can make your hair appear thinner," says Fenton.

If you notice stray locks piling up on your clothes or your pillow, don't panic, says Wise Shanahan. "If you find that you have local bald patches or that your shedding is localized to a specific area such as the frontal hairline or the central part, this may represent a different type of hair loss and should be evaluated by a doctor." Noted.

So here's the takeaway: You can't really mess with Mother Nature.

"There is not much the average person can do to prevent this seasonal shedding. However, if you are somebody who is already concerned about thinning hair, then I would recommend Rogaine (the generic name is minoxidil). This is a topical solution or foam that you can apply to the scalp to help reduce hair loss. One of the proposed mechanisms of minoxidil is that it prolongs the anagen phase of the hair, which is the growth phase. Thus, it may help prevent some of the hairs from entering that telogen phase of summer and ultimately reduce the fall shedding. If you were to use minoxidil, I would recommend using it year-round. Sometimes when you first start using it, it can have some initially shedding effects that are temporary as the hairs adjust their cycle," says Fenton.

 
This article first appeared on allure