Dear Dr:
First, I would like to say thanks for this web site of yours. you’re one of the few sources of hair loss info that i trust. keep up the good work.
my question: what, if anything, do you know about Procapil (www.procapil.com/index/html)? there is a brand of hair care products on the market called MiN New York (www.min.com) and they all contain several DHT-blocking ingredients — copper peptides, saw palmeto, etc. — and Procapil. any thoughts on this company and their products? also, i have read some info re: Nizoral and how it may help regrow hair as well as Rogaine. is this true?
Nizoral contains a drug used to treat a variety of fungal infections of the scalp. So many people think that it is the magic shampoo for hair loss. If it is, there is far more fungal infections than I ever thought amongst the population. Many ingredients like copper peptides and saw palmetto claim DHT blocking capability, but they are poorly documented at doing just that. If saw palmetto is a DHT blocker, it is a weak one. Copper peptides are not DHT blockers.
Procapil reports that it is a patented plant complex that repairs, nourishes and prolongs the hair cycles of the telogen phase of hair growth. There are claims as well that it is a DHT blocker. In my opinion, none of this is scientific or can be substantiated to meet my standards. Again, I warn every reader that this is a ‘Buyer Beware’ business and many people make good money on promotions that may not have good scientific data presented.
I just read the above entry by you, which i’m thankful for. I was about to spend $$$ on those MiN products. I’m thankful I haven’t wasted my $, but at the same time disressed.
From all the research i’ve done, those MiN products seemed the best. I am not at a loss.
Please tell me, what would you do if you were 25, and noticed the early on-set of hair thinning and hair loss.
What shampoo would you use? What styling gel would you use? What product pil/lotion or otherwise would you take? I know I am not ready for Rogaine etc… but I am ready for prevention.
What are the ingredients you would look for in a product, and what would you avoid? Clearly, you would avoid saw palmetto and copper peptides.
At a loss – please help. Any advice/recommendations you can give would be a true breath of fresh air.
Thank you in advance.
Robert:
Try the “Big 3″
1) Propecia (or generic Finasteride cut into 1/4’s – much, much cheaper and the same drug as Propecia)
2) Minoxidil. Generic is much cheaper, but if you want to pay for the privilege of using a “brand”, pick up some Rogaine Foam on eBay. Buy in bulk.
3) Nizoral shampoo. 1% non prescription strength is effective. Designed as an anti-fungal, anti-dandruff shampoo, studies (Google it and you’ll find them) have shown it to be somewhat effective in reducing DHT in the scalp.
Why use all three? The different mechanisms of each have a synergistic effect and have proved effective for many. Do yourself a favor and stay away from expensive scams such as MiN, ScalpMed, Avacor, Procapil, et al. Their makers have large enough yachts already and don’t need any more money or victims.
Re: copper peptides, while they’re certainly not the end all be all, they’re fairly cheap and a decent adjunct to your regimen. My suggestion though would be to try the “Big 3″ a go for 6-8 months and see how they do for you. Chances are you’ll be pleasantly surprised.