Vitamins For Hair Loss: Do They Work
Many vitamin formulations and supplements are popularly believed to slow, stop, or reverse hair loss. However, the vast majority of them arent supported by scientific evidence. Only vitamin D and iron have data supporting their use. One popular supplement, biotin, can be particularly dangerous when taken in high levels because it can interfere with other lab test results.
Selenium Sulfide Side Effects
Although it’s uncommon for selenium sulfide to cause irritation, stop using this product and consult your doctor if you develop stinging, burning or other negative effects 1. Selenium sulfide can cause unusual oiliness or dryness of your scalp and hair, as well as hair discoloration, particularly of blond, gray and dyed hair 1. Selenium sulfide also can increase your usual level of hair loss 1.
There Are Other Dangerous Side Effects Of Selenium Toxicity
Hair loss is just one of the milder risks associated with selenium excess. In fact, selenium toxicity can be extremely dangerous, with risks including severe gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, acute respiratory distress syndrome, heart attack, kidney failure, cardiac failure, and, in rare cases, death.
While these risks havent been observed at doses below 800mcg for less than 84 days, even the doses regularly included in hair loss supplements appear to come with risks. For instance, in one clinical trial, researchers found that supplementing with 200mcg of selenium increased the risk of high-grade prostate cancer by 91%.
Moreover, labels may not always accurately reflect the true selenium content of the product in question. This leads me to my next point
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What Is The Consensus Today
Since the 1960s, there has been surprisingly little research on the possible link between selenium sulfide shampoos and hair loss. In the meantime, however, the toxic effects of environmental selenium on the skin and hair have been abundantly documented.
As a result, medical sources today agree that temporary hair loss is a possible side effect of selenium sulfide shampoos. The patient information sheet lists this as a possible side effect, along with discoloration of the hair .
As the side effects of selenium are dose-dependent, the most important step you can take is to limit the duration of treatment. Your doctor will advise you on the optimal frequency and duration of use.
If you do notice excess hair loss while using a selenium sulfide shampoo, suspend use and immediately discuss this with your doctor.
Who Should Not Take Finasteride
Do not take finasteride if you:
- are pregnant or may become pregnant. Finasteride may harm your unborn baby. Females who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not come in contact with broken or crushed finasteride tablets. If a pregnant woman comes in contact with crushed or broken finasteride tablets, wash the contact area right away with soap and water. If a woman who is pregnant comes into contact with the active ingredient in finasteride, a healthcare provider should be consulted. o If a woman who is pregnant with a male baby swallows or comes in contact with the medicine in finasteride, the male baby may be born with sex organs that are not normal.
- are allergic to any of the ingredients in finasteride.
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Summary And Quick Facts For Hair Loss
- Half of men experience some degree of hair loss by the time they turn 50 and 40% of women are affected by age 70.
- In this protocol, you will learn about different types of hair loss and their causes. Conventional as well as novel and emerging treatment strategies will be reviewed, and several integrative interventions that may help promote healthy hair growth will be examined.
- Two medications are available to treat pattern hair loss: minoxidil for men and women as an over-the-counter topical treatment and finasteride , an oral prescription drug for men. In addition to a healthy diet, a number of integrative interventions, including solubilized keratin, essential fatty acids, zinc and saw palmetto extract may help prevent hair loss and promote healthy hair growth.
Half of men experience some degree of hair loss by the time they turn 50 and 40% of women are affected by age 70. Pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women.
Two medications are available to treat pattern hair loss: minoxidil for men and women and finasteride for men. Unfortunately, neither of these medications is very effective, and both have side effects.
A number of integrative interventions including solubilized keratin, essential fatty acids, and saw palmetto extract may prevent hair loss and promote healthy hair growth.
Important Safety Information For Finasteride
Finasteride is for use by MEN ONLY and should NOT be used by women or children.
Read this Patient Information before you start taking finasteride and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment.
What is finasteride? Finasteride is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of male pattern hair loss . It is not known if finasteride works for a receding hairline on either side of and above your forehead . Finasteride is not for use by women and children.
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Surgical Hair Restoration Techniques
Surgical hair restoration in the form of hair transplantation is widely used to treat pattern hair loss in men and women . Different procedures are available, though the most common ones involve transplanting hair follicles taken from the rear or side and moved to the location of the hair loss, usually the crown of the head, the temples, or frontal scalp this is called Follicular Unit Transplant, or FUT . Hair follicles from the rear and sides tend to be less sensitive to the effects of androgens, even when moved to areas of the scalp that have experienced pattern hair loss. This is believed to be a result of fewer androgen receptors and less 5-alpha reductase activity in areas of the scalp resistant to pattern hair loss .
With either procedure, the best results are in patients with thick hair shafts and curly hair . Intriguingly, researchers are exploring methods to grow hair follicles in a lab that can be transplanted onto a human scalp to restore lost hair .
Selenium Helps Get Rid Of Split Ends
Although not proven, hair experts believe that selenium may help reduce split ends because it causes the hair shaft to swell without causing any damage or loss of hair integrity. This can shorten the time between haircuts for some women with long hair. Hair that has severe split ends will be difficult to style into an updo or elegant updo, so any treatment that can reduce split ends will promote hair growth.
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What Factors Affect Hair Growth
As people age, they may notice that their hair does not grow as quickly as before and that it is less thick. Some follicles may stop producing new hairs, leading to hair thinning or loss.
This results from a combination of genetics and natural aging processes. Hair shafts also become finer and start to lose their color.
Childbirth, stress, thyroid conditions, and a health issue called alopecia can cause more sudden loss of hair. Eating a healthful diet, even one designed to support hair growth, may not address genetic or systemic problems.
Aside from aging, illness, and genetics, malnutrition is one of the most common causes of hair loss. Following a healthy, well-balanced diet can help people maintain typical levels of hair growth and replacement.
Nutritious eating can also help prevent these signs of unhealthy or damaged hair:
- dryness
Selenium Support Hair Growth
Selenium supports cell membrane function and enzyme production for effective hair growth, which means it has the potential to be a strong supplement for promoting faster hair growth. Based on scientific studies, increased intake of selenium may also help thicken the terminal hairs in the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle to make them longer and stronger.
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Selenium Encourages The Production Of Antioxidants
Using selenium for hair health is a good idea because it boosts the production of antioxidants, a major plus for your hair as well as for your general health! Apart from this role of stimulating the production of other antioxidants, such as vitamin C, Selenium itself is an active antioxidant, helping to protect and repair cells. To get the maximum benefits of selenium for hair growth and retention, a great combination of antioxidant nutrients is zinc plus selenium. Using zinc and selenium for hair loss will act as a double booster!
How Does It Work Against Dandruff
All healthy people lose skin cells on their scalp and the rest of their body all the time, but these are normally not visible.
The white, ugly, crusty flakes we see in dandruff are actually a cluster of dead skin cells. For one reason or another, they retained a high degree of cohesion after dying . They then detached from the scalp in one solid chunk.
Scientists believe there are various causes of dandruff, but the most important is a fungus called Malassezia. This microorganism normally inhabits the scalp along with many other bacteria and fungi. In dandruff, however, it often multiplies out of control, essentially taking over the scalp from the other microorganisms.
Scientists do not exactly understand the mechanism through which Malassezia leads to the skin flaking. They also agree that other mostly unknown factors probably contribute to dandruff. What they do know with high confidence, however, is that getting Malassezia under control is one of the best strategies for treating dandruff .
As a potent anti-fungal, selenium sulfide can bring Malassezia under control. For this reason, it is a common ingredient in many popular dandruff-fighting shampoos, including:
- Selsun Blue
- Selsun Blue
- and many more
Aside from dandruff, selenium sulfide is also prescribed for the treatment of an associated condition, seborrheic dermatitis. It can help control the symptoms of this condition which include irritation, redness, and itching in the scalp.
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Excess Selenium Hair Loss
On the other hand, excess amounts of selenium can also contribute to hair loss in some individuals. According to researchers at the University of Surrey, consuming too much selenium creates too many antioxidant enzymes. This surplus of antioxidant enzymes causes the body to attack its own cells, including those in hair follicles. This can result in patchy hair loss.
Selenium Can Help Prevent Damage From The Sun
Exposure to the sun can cause hair loss and thinness, which may lead one to look for ways to prevent damage from the sun. The ultraviolet light that causes this type of damage is also what causes skin cancer. Some scientists believe that selenium supplementations that encourage hair growth may help protect against UV radiation and prevent cellular damage in hair follicles. This can potentially slow down the breakdown of your hair’s structure over time and delay the onset of grey hairs and balding.
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What Are The Most Effective Natural Ingredients For Women With Genetic Or Age
Saw Palmetto Berry Extract
Saw Palmetto supports healthy hair regrowth by preventing the conversion of testosterone into DHT and reducing the effect of DHT on the hair follicles. It seems that the most important inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase are lauric acid, myristic acid, and oleic acid.
Pumpkin seed oil
Pumpkin seed oil contains phytosterol, which prevents the conversion of testosterone to DHT and thus, improves hair growth. A study comparing the effects of oral pumpkin on hair loss has shown an increase of hair count of 40% vs. 10% in the control group.
Capsaicin
In one study, 88% of people that took oral capsaicin observed hair regrowth. In another study, applying a topical serum similar in structure to capsaicin stimulated hair regrowth in 50% of users.
Caffeine
Caffeine boosts cellular proliferation, counteracts the inhibitory effects of testosterone on hair growth, and extends the duration of the hair growth phase .
Peptides and Amino acids
Oral l-cysteine in combination with retinol was assessed to treat diffuse alopecia and resulted in enhanced hair density and anagen rate. Oral l-cysteine combined with histidine, copper, and zinc improved the mean change in total hair count after 50 weeks in 24 people with androgenetic hair loss.
Green tea
Epigallocatechin gallate stimulates human hair growth via its proliferative effect on the hair follicle. It was also found to block the activity of 5 reductase activity that converts testosterone to DHT.
Rosemary leaf oil
Is Selenium Good For The Hair
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Regarding this, can selenium cause hair loss?
Taking too much selenium over time can lead to selenosis, which can cause hair loss, nail loss, nausea, irritability, fatigue and some nerve damage.
Likewise, what are the benefits of selenium? 7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Selenium
- May reduce your risk of certain cancers.
- May protect against heart disease.
- Helps prevent mental decline.
- Is important for thyroid health.
- Boosts your immune system.
- May help reduce asthma symptoms.
Furthermore, what are the side effects of taking selenium?
Selenium Side Effects
- lack of energy, feeling irritable or very tired.
- hair loss, mild rash, brittle or painful fingernails, or white streaks on the nails
- tremors, feeling light-headed
- flushing
- metallic taste, bad breath, strong body odor or.
Is Selenium good for weight loss?
Now, the new study suggests that there may be an association between selenium-rich diets and lower body fat percentages. One study of 11 men found that raising selenium intake increased weight gain. Another study of 24 participants found that consuming selenium-enriched chicken had no impact on weight loss.
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Get A Free Hair Loss Evaluation
If you are experiencing hair loss, call RHRLI for a free consultation. My many years of experience as a hair restoration surgeon and my state-of-the-art facility using the ARTAS® robot means that you will have an outstanding experience. Contact us at RHRLI for an appointment by filling out our contact form.
Looking to see before and after photos, videos, and learn just how easy ARTAS hair restoration is at RHRLI? Be sure to follow us on and .
Best Vitamin For Men’s Hair Growth
Dosage: 4 capsules
Nutrafol is a relatively new subscription-based hair vitamin brand. Nutrafol offers hair vitamins for women, women’s postpartum, women’s balance and men.
Each bottle of Nutrafol Men contains vitamins A, C, D, biotin, iodine, zinc and selenium. In addition, there are 1,720 mg of Nutrafol’s Synergen Complex and 575 mg of Nutrafol Blend. The men’s Synergen Complex includes hyaluronic acid, palm extract, collagen and fruit extract. The Nutrafol Blend includes root and fruit extract.
The capsules are also gluten and dairy-free.
Save 10% if you opt for a monthly subscription through the Nutrafol site.
Pros of Nutrafol Men:
- Vitamins cater exactly to men and men’s hair issues
- One of the few vitamin supplements for men’s hair on the market
Cons of Nutrafol Men:
- You have to take four capsules a day
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