The Little Yellow Pill That Finally Halted Hair Loss
By K Ashton
Like over 60% of men, I currently suffer from early stages of male patterned baldness. I am 30 years old and have been suffering from hair fall since I was 26. The past four years have been a journey for me filled with mixed emotions, from sky high to rock bottom. Since the age of 26, I have made it my sole mission to find an effective treatment for my hair loss. I have spent hours and hours researching hair loss in men (and women) and I have tried and tested dozens of anti-hair loss formulas and treatments along the way. I've been scammed a few times, but I've also found some pretty decent products too. As things currently stand, there is still no 100% cure for hair loss, and anyone who claims there is, is bending the truth. However, I always firmly believed there to be products and treatments out there that can halt the hair loss process and inject a new density of life into the hair. It's been a pretty hectic four years, and pretty mad at times, but I'm pleased to say that all the hours and heartache I have had to endure has finally paid off, thanks to a little yellow pill.
I know how devastating going bald can be, and I definitely know what impact it can have on your emotions and social standing. That's why I'd like to share my story with you, so you can at least have a few options to try in order to prevent your hair from falling out.
My story
Going bald wasn't something that concerned me until the day I discovered a ridiculous amount of my hair clogged up in the bath plug hole. I remember getting out of the bath and ploughing on with my well-drilled grooming routine as the water drained, and as I was about to give the bath a rinse, it was then I noticed a rather large heap of my hair clogging up the plug hole. To say I was horrified is an understatement. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. I mean, I'd never before experienced hair loss of any kind, and so this was a massive shock to the system.
Losing my hair
I have always been very proud of my long, thick locks, and I've always received great compliments about my hair from friends, family and even strangers over the years. I guess you could say my hair has become a bit of an asset to me. The thought of losing my locks is a terrifying one, and not something I would ever want to become a reality.
So, after the horrifying 'clogged up plug hole' episode, I got myself straight on the internet to find out the reasons why this was suddenly happening to me. 'Brief spells of major hair shedding were perfectly normal', so I was told on the countless hair loss advice forums and discussion boards. 'Shedding hair at my age (26 at the time) was just a maturing hairline and scalp development process that would soon slow down and go back to normal', I read on another hair loss specialist website. There were perfectly good reasons as to why this sudden hair fall was happening to me, so it seemed, therefore it could have been a number of different factors causing my hair to fall out. After reading all this I must admit, I did feel a little better about the situation and I constantly told myself it was just a hair maturing process that most men who don't go bald would inevitably go through at some point in their twenties. But who was I kidding? Only myself, it seemed.
I know how devastating going bald can be, and I definitely know what impact it can have on your emotions and social standing. That's why I'd like to share my story with you, so you can at least have a few options to try in order to prevent your hair from falling out.
My story
Going bald wasn't something that concerned me until the day I discovered a ridiculous amount of my hair clogged up in the bath plug hole. I remember getting out of the bath and ploughing on with my well-drilled grooming routine as the water drained, and as I was about to give the bath a rinse, it was then I noticed a rather large heap of my hair clogging up the plug hole. To say I was horrified is an understatement. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. I mean, I'd never before experienced hair loss of any kind, and so this was a massive shock to the system.
Losing my hair
I have always been very proud of my long, thick locks, and I've always received great compliments about my hair from friends, family and even strangers over the years. I guess you could say my hair has become a bit of an asset to me. The thought of losing my locks is a terrifying one, and not something I would ever want to become a reality.
So, after the horrifying 'clogged up plug hole' episode, I got myself straight on the internet to find out the reasons why this was suddenly happening to me. 'Brief spells of major hair shedding were perfectly normal', so I was told on the countless hair loss advice forums and discussion boards. 'Shedding hair at my age (26 at the time) was just a maturing hairline and scalp development process that would soon slow down and go back to normal', I read on another hair loss specialist website. There were perfectly good reasons as to why this sudden hair fall was happening to me, so it seemed, therefore it could have been a number of different factors causing my hair to fall out. After reading all this I must admit, I did feel a little better about the situation and I constantly told myself it was just a hair maturing process that most men who don't go bald would inevitably go through at some point in their twenties. But who was I kidding? Only myself, it seemed.
A few weeks went by and still I continued to see my hair falling out in the shower strand by strand. I'd even find between 30-50 hairs on my pillow every morning, which terrified me even more. But I still convinced myself that this was the 'maturing hair process' and that everything would be ok in good time. How wrong was I? Weeks then turned to months and I found myself still losing clunks of hair every morning on my pillow and after my baths and showers. Could this really be happening to me? Was I really going bald? My dad still has a great head of hair and so does my grandfather, therefore going bald couldn't possibly be happening to me, could it?
After coming to terms with the harsh reality of losing my hair, I slumped into depression. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep and I became mildly depressed. I was in pieces. I was too embarrassed to speak to any of my friends and family about this subject, so I constantly turned to the internet with my head buried in my laptop seeking advice and possible solutions for hair loss. The conclusion? Well, I have always been a very sceptical person, especially with 'miracle formulas' for the skin, body and hair, therefore I trawled through the internet trying to find something, anything, that would be of benefit to my falling hair. I seemed to be suffering from very early stages of hair loss (Norwood 1-2) and so I only wanted a solution that could potentially halt the hair loss, or at least slow the process down somewhat. I wasn't asking for too much, was I?
Regaine - no gain!
Before I researched all the hair loss treatment products available, I then remembered seeing Regaine topical foam that treats hair loss in men, advertised all over the TV and magazines. The FDA approved formula was surely the answer I was looking for, with an 80% success rate, I figured Regaine would give me a great chance to stop hair loss. Without another moments thought, I jumped online and purchased a six month supply of Regaine Topical Foam from Chemist Direct (the cheapest place I could find it) and waited in anticipation for my parcel to arrive. two days later and there they were, sitting on my kitchen table staring straight at me, just waiting to be used. My early thinning of hair would be cured and all my problems would go away... Or would they?
After reading positive reviews on Regaine and researching Minoxidil (the additive used to prevent hair loss and grow new hair), I was full of optimism and I truly believed (or hoped, rather) that this topical white foam would brush all my worries away. The result? After using Regaine for that six month period I didn't see any changes in the pattern of my hair loss, and although I purchased another six months' supply of Regaine, my hair continued to fall and my hope, which is all I really had, was going with it down the drain. I can honestly say I didn't notice one hair grow during the whole time I was using Regaine. So, with my hair getting thinner and my confidence stooping to an all time low, you can start to imagine how I was feeling. Demoralised!
I don't think I am a vain person as such, but the thought of going bald did scare me immensely. I guess with my hair being such an asset and a pride of joy for me over the years, I really couldn't and still can't ever imagine myself without hair. Frankly, I'd look ridiculous. Losing your hair, especially at such a young age, is hugely devastating, and I don't care who tries to deny it. If someone who has experienced hair loss says they aren't bothered about going bald, then they are lying.
A supplement for concern
So, after the failed attempt at beating hair loss with Regaine, and trying a few other ineffective anti-hair loss shampoos such as the highly caffeine charged Alpecin, I decided to keep searching for alternative options. I kind of figured this was a serious wake up call for me, as I'd not really done my homework on the topic of hair loss and just ended up buying the obvious choice of product. I told myself that this was my punishment for being so lazy and not researching other products out there that could potentially be of more benefit to my hair loss problem. So, I decided to step up my search and go down the avenue of hair health supplements.
The thought of swallowing potent treatment pills of which I had no idea or knowledge about the ingredients and additives, terrified me. I've always been reluctant to take pills of any kind, but I was extremely desperate, and at the time and I was willing to try anything. So after pondering over the subject I eventually researched a few hair health supplements and came across Procerin. Procerin was dubbed the best selling non-prescription hair loss treatment in the USA. The reviews looked great and it claimed to have a success rate of over 90%. Procerin also offered a money back guarantee, so there was nothing for me to lose, apart from my hair, right? Price wise, Procerin was a pretty affordable option, coming to just £30 per month for the tablets, but as low as just £16 per month when purchased in multi-pack deals. It's pretty much the same cost as the prescription drug Propecia, which is not something I'd ever contemplate trying, due to the reported side-effects of skin rash and erectile dysfunction.
Trying to block DHT
I decided to give Procerin a try and bought myself a good six month supply from Peak Nutrition, which came to £16 per bottle. This was far cheaper than the Regaine foams that I was previously using, so already I saw this as a major plus. After reading about Procerin, I naturally fell on to the subject of one of the main ingredients in this popular supplement - Saw Palmetto. Tests had apparently shown saw palmetto to be a DHT blocker. DHT - full name Dihydrotestosterone - is the cause of hair loss, and so the potent addition of saw palmetto filled me with a lot of hope for Procerin.
I remember being slightly nervous about taking these tablets, but hugely excited at the same time. I'd read all about this hair health supplement and couldn't wait to give it a try. After about a week of taking Procerin, I did notice slight stomach discomfort, but this went away pretty quickly and no further side-effects occurred during my whole treatment period. I ended up taking Procerin for the full six months straight, and believe me, I didn't miss a single dosage. I diligently downed three tablets a day, as stated on the bottle, for six whole months, and I suppose the overall feeling about Procerin was a mixed bag. On the plus side, I think I noticed less hair fall after three months, but then an increase in hair fall from month four to month six. I definitely didn't grow any new hairs on my receding hairline and thinning crown, so I guess you could say I was more disappointed than happy. By this point I was seriously heading into Norwood 3 territory, and so I needed to act fast and find something that would stand a better chance of working for me.
I remember being out with my girlfriend in Southampton's West Quay shopping centre, and the worst thing imaginable happened! As we mounted onto the escalator, my girlfriend suddenly commented on my hair. The words "Oh my God, K, you're hair looks like it's thinning" came streaming from her mouth. At that very moment my heart just sank! I had finally received the first comment about my hair loss and it came from the person I least wanted it to be from. The extreme lighting in the shopping centre probably didn't help much, exposing and enhancing every centimetre of scalp possible to the human eye, but that didn't really cover the truth - I felt like total crap right there and then, and I just wanted the ground to swallow me up in that instant.
It had been a gruelling 18 months since my worst nightmare began, and I was no nearer to finding a solution for my rapidly balding head. I was losing confidence at the same rate I was losing my hair, and so I guess you could say I was beginning to panic at this point. I was really starting to lose hope. But, the mere thought of being bald struck enough fear in me to relentlessly carry on and continue the search for a solution.
The saw palmetto factor
If there was one thing that gave me some encouragement from using Procerin, it was the saw palmetto factor. I strongly believed that every positive aspect I experienced from Procerin was due to the addition of saw palmetto. I continued to research the extract and build up my knowledge base on it, dissecting every part of its properties and growth factors. My confidence in saw palmetto grew and it was at this point I started to look into supplements that contained a pure and high dosage of this potent ingredient. My task at this point was to also find other hair beneficiary ingredients that could be taken in conjunction with saw palmetto for the most positive hair growth effect. Along my long line of research I discovered excellent ingredients such as Biotin (Vitamin B7), Zinc and Green Tea Extract, along with some other reputable hair health essentials. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't find a supplement that contained all the ingredients that I had researched, and so I had no choice but to source out each and every ingredient in order to take them all separately. I wasn't sure how effective this would be, but I was so set on this theory that I went to my local Holland & Barrett health and beauty store and purchased eight different supplements that have been associated with hair health and growth. Financially, this was definitely my most costly move yet, spending in the region of £120 per month on all these individual supplements, in the desperate hope my system would react positively to them and pave the way for a stoppage in hair fall and good maintenance of healthy hair growth.
For six months I was buying pills like a madman. I was popping herbal pills and vitamins left, right and centre, with no real idea of how accurate my dosages would be. By taking so many tablets, I had no real clue as to the damage it could have been doing to my body and my health, but this didn't faze me as I felt like I had no other choice. But, to be honest, this is definitely not a practice that I would recommend to anyone trying to deal with hair loss. It's certainly not a practice that I stuck to, as I began feeling queasy and my bank balance wasn't too pleased.
Stimulating potassium ion channels
It had been two painful years of searching for something that could potentially work for me, and all of a sudden a new hair loss treatment pill came my way and smacked me right in the face. I remember being on a flight to Turkey, on my annual holiday getaway, and during my reading of the in-flight magazine, a new and unique hair growth supplement advertisement jumped out of the page and instantly got my full attention. Developed in Oxford, United Kingdom and manufactured in Germany, TRX2™ Molecular Hair Growth Supplement claimed to synthesize the latest scientific knowledge on the molecular mechanisms behind hair loss into an elegant solution: The stimulation of potassium ion channels within hair follicles. I didn't know what this meant at the time but it sounded impressive enough to investigate further. Throughout my whole two week stay in Turkey, I just couldn't stop thinking about this new discovery that I had made in the unlikeliest of sources. If truth be told, I just wanted to jump back on the plane, arrive back home and order the damn supplement. Maybe I had turned into a hair health supplement addict, for who else would have had a tiny white pill on their minds during a holiday filled with sun, sand and sea?
Well, I'll give you three guesses as to what happened next... As soon as I landed back in the UK I placed an order for TRX2 from my mobile phone and waited in anticipation for my three month supply to arrive. TRX2 isn't the cheapest hair health supplement you'll ever find, but the cost factor wasn't a particular concern to me at the time. I just wanted something that would work!
I ended up taking TRX2 for a two years, as part of their customer loyalty scheme - buy monthly and get a free bottle every 12 months. I was paying in the region of £50 per month, and if I'm honest, the whole 'potassium channel theory' didn't really work for me. I just took them because I felt I was seriously out of options - they'd all dried up. I sort of convinced myself that even though TRX2 didn't seem to be working for me, there was really no harm in continuing to use them. If a better option came my way then I was always open to it.
After three and a half years of hair loss, I'd say I reached the point of Norwood 3-4, and I was still not even into my thirties! Everything I had tried didn't seem to be working, and so I kind of accepted the fact I was going to go pretty bald by the time I'd reach my early thirties. That was until I accidentally came across a random retweet on Twitter, of all places, about a new hair restoration tablet that claimed to have a careful blend of effective ingredients that could help men and women that suffer from early stages of hair loss.
The breakthrough
By this point I remained sceptical after having my hopes raised and then dashed on so many occasions over the previous few years, so I guess you could say I was a little more cautious this time. Anyway, I clicked on the link from the tweet and it led me to the website of HR23+ Hair Restoration. And there it was, a beautifully branded supplement in all its glory. As I browsed through the website I was instantly impressed with the realistic claims and how good the additives were. There was none of this nonsense of promising to grow back hair and stopping hair loss after only a matter of days. The claims and expectations seemed realistic, and the supplement's ingredients certainly got me excited. As I read down the ingredients list I was pleasantly surprised to see a generous dosage of saw palmetto along with biotin. This was the first time I'd seen the two key ingredients blended into one supplement with the assistance of other excellent anti-hair loss additives like zinc and green tea extract. Let's put it this way: if I could create a hair loss formula based solely on all the research I have gained over the years, it would be strikingly similar to that of HR23+.
As far as hair health supplements go, I decided to make HR23+ my final attempt at beating the hair loss process. If HR23+ didn't work then I'd throw in the towel and get ready to invest in some hair shaving clippers in order to save myself from looking like a monk.
So, I ditched TRX2 and immediately ordered three bottles of HR23+. As stated on their website, they recommend using the supplement for a trial period of three months, as do the majority of supplements like this. The first thing that stood out was the size of the tablets - they are pretty big in comparison with the previous supplements I had tried, Procerin and TRX2. The fact you only need to take two tablets a day compared to the usual three, probably explains why they are so big.
The result?
Well, after just three months of taking HR23+, I can happily reveal that this supplement has been the most effective for me by a long shot. After just two weeks I noticed much less hair fall in the shower and on my pillow each morning. After one month the hair fall pretty much stopped and my hair feels a whole lot thicker and stronger. My guess is that the addition of saw palmetto (DHT blocker) works at the root of the cause, helping prevent hair fall and thinning hair. The generous dosage of biotin works as a hair growth agent, and although I've not yet experienced any regeneration of hair sprouting through, my existing hair certainly grows faster and stronger than it has done in years. I've also noticed a huge increase in nail growth, which I again put solely down to the addition of biotin, which is known as the 'growth vitamin'.
As far as HR23+ side-effects go, well I've not experienced any to date. This naturally formulated supplement has worked its way through my system with little fuss and no harm. I can honestly say HR23+ has been hugely effective for me in slowing down the hair fall and adding density to my barnet. I'm not expecting full regrowth of hair, but that's ok, as my main objective was to stop hair loss and maintain the hair that I already have. The added thickness and texture of my hair is a welcome bonus. Funnily enough, this supplement is also a good all-rounder, providing you with key essential nutrients for your skin, body and nails. So, I guess you could classify HR23+ as an all-round health supplement as well as a hair growth beneficiary agent.
I know that my hair will probably never be as thick as it was when I was 25. I think when it comes to hair loss, we all have to be realistic to some degree. If you suffer from early stages of hair loss like I do, then the best thing you can do is act quickly. The more time you waste, the more hair you'll lose. I spent over three years trying to find a solution for hair loss, and all I ever really wanted was to slow down and halt the process of losing my hair. Some products that I have used have worked better than others and so will be the case for many men and women that suffer from hair loss.
I genuinely do believe that with each individual, cases will vary. In my case, as I suspected from my early research and testing, a formulation with the additives which HR23+ has, seems to work well for me. My body agrees with the formula and my hair feels and looks so much better after such a short space of time.
Some of you will remain sceptical, and that's fair enough. Who knows, maybe it's just the placebo effect that's helping me hold onto my locks for that little bit longer in life. One thing's for sure, I've not felt as good about my hair since I was 25, and now at the age of 30, the next decade of my life doesn't seem so daunting after all.
My confidence is up, my happiness is in tact and I truly feel I have found a hair health supplement that is working for me. My only regret is that I didn't discover HR23+ sooner!
END
This is a guest post by K Ashton.
Article Source: My Battle With Hair Loss