So I have found that when someone's alopecia has cleared up for the time being, they rarely go on alopeciaworld so the answers I get will be skewed towards people who have experienced no treatment that helps.

That being said, have any of you tried the following alternative treatments with any success?

1. Capsaicin rubbed on head (chili pepper)

2. Aromatherapy oils rubbed on head

3. Aloe Vera rubbed on head

I know these treatments only address the symptom rather than the underlying mechanism causing it, but hey that's what Xelanjs does and people don't seem to care. If these worked for me, I don't care if I have to put oil or pepper on my head ever night until I die if it means I have hair on my head. haha! 

Anyway, I have read numerous studies on each of these treatments and the long term success rate for cosmetically acceptable regrowth (80% or more) is approximately 10% for each of these treatments. Because they have no side effects whatsoever, I'm giving them a try! I think, why not? It's cheap, easy, no side effects and gives me a small chance of getting my hair back.

Also if you're planning to try any of these treatments and want to talk about them with someone outside of this post, add me!  :)

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yeah!! okay, I used all the oils listed in the studies I read about (I don't know if it's overdoing it but I thought the more the merrier. You just have to make sure to have both carrier oils and essential oils or your skin won't absorb the carrier or essentials properly. (I used more than that which ill list below but its probably a waste (also i forgot all the oils. ill have to track down the other ones and send them to you but it's only 2 or 3 more)... I made a 2 quart bottle with it though so it should last me all 7 months!)

here's the list

(essential)
  • Thyme white (Thymus vulgaris)
  • Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
  • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
  • Cedarwood Atlas (Cedrus atlantica)
(carrier)
*jojoba oil
*grapeseed oil
I made shea butter the base  (I massage a generous amount into my scalp for at least 2 minutes each night, and then put a hot towel (wet it and microwave it) on my head for 15-30 minutes to ensure the oils absorb into the skin.
In the studies, they did it at night because then you won't mess with your head as much and it can just absorb into the scalp! 
Also I'd love to hear your results as well as I'll share mine as time goes on. The treatment is said to last 7 months so we will have to be patient. I'm thinking of trying it for a year because most people say with treatments that if you don't see results after a year it's sort of useless to continue using it. I have some fuzzes already though :) 
this is one link that gives some more information

http://www.quinessence.com/blog/essential-oils-to-reverse-hair-loss

also attached photos of the new fuzzies :3

Attachments:

i did all of that..  You are going on a "hair journey"  as many ladies on specialized forums like to call it?  I will tell you mine.  Just take what you need and leave the rest.

i had so many concoctions, i couldn't keep up.  I started out with a base of shea butter, mixed with carrier oils jojoba oil, moringa oil, peppers, onions, garlic, a total Cesar salad on my head if i wanted it.  The only thing missing was the greens. LOL!!

I had been working on this since 2005.  The year i had my first of many hair falls.

Over time the concoctions had different variations: shea butter mixed with  mega-tek (apparently, a hair growth conditioner for horses) ..to shea butter and stimulating carrier oils, sulphur-oil concoctions, with cayenne pepper, to - well, to increase the stimulation.

The hair would grow in? and the hair would fall out..

I also went from using 10,000 micro grams of biotin, to 10,000 mcg +Andrew Lessman HSN vitamins + Hair Omega with DHT blockers + HSN vitamins+Folliform DHT blocker.

I did garlic as well as onion masks on the scalp.  Then i did just a daily rub of garlic on my scalp on the bald areas.  (Granted, people talked about me, but i braved the gossip at work).  Even beneath my wigs, i was quite aromatic. My patients just thought i was a homeopathic type P.A.. (physicians assistant)..

Remember, i had been doing all types of concoctions, masks, oils, elixirs, potions, shea butter based concoctions of my own, as well as other "hair guru" recipes on hair media forums and youtube.

My boyfriend thought i had gone from being a P.A. to a flat out Mad Professor.

I can tell you, that i have spent probably over 100K in ten years - it could be more than that,  JUST on hair solutions.  Shapely's MTG, Shapely Sulu Max, Hair Finity, Claudie's Elixir, NIoxin, Rogaine, Carol's Daughter, Hairobics vitamins, shampoos, conditioners, anywhere there were advertisements of people with long flowing locks - i bought it all.  

What pissed me off was when i bought over $100.00 of Carol Daughter's Products because they showed Jada Pinkett with these "luscious" curls flowing down her back?  And because the product was "all natural"?  well i found out, later that  those weren't "her" curls - it was a Lace front wig.  A gorgeous wig - but a WIG nonetheless.

THEN, as i was browsing this forum.  Some member popped up out of the blue and was saying that some woman told her she could grow the member's hair using magnesium, selenium, and iodoral.  I  was resistant at first - but guess what?  You guessed it..

Since i already have a large armamentarium of vitamins, i didn't think i needed ANOTHER vitamin - but i caved and bought the IODORAL.  Well, when i read the reviews.  Folks were talking about getting those "fuzzies" on their scalp.  And after a few weeks i received my fuzzies too?  But that was it.  after that - THEY fell out..

And of course, i never saw hide or hair of that member since..

As you can see, you'll be going on the same journey as many of us have.  It may be long, it may be short.. but at least someone has mapped it out, or been through the very same thing you're going through right now.

Oh, by the way? i decided to back off of most of my vitamins.  I found out that too much vitamin A causes hair to fall out.  I noticed that my first hair fall started in 2005.  Right after i started loading up on the hair vitamins, and "extra supplementation".. I figured because i was a bodybuilder that i "used up" all o f the vitamins that i took.  Well, Vitamin A, stays in the system and builds up toxicity.

with that excessive Vitamin A? I had these large painful lumps on my scalp. When one would go away - two more showed up at one time, then 3.  They really did hurt.

At the time - since 2005 i was loading over 20,000 of vitamin A and counting - daily.

I decided no more "miracle cures" and "new breakthroughs" the wigs are cheap, but that's more than what i really need to be spending money on.  To hell with "growing my hair"..

Immediately after i just cut the Vitamin A down to 4,000 IU, the painful lumps stopped? And the natural hair growth has started.

Wow. You tried a lot of treatments! 

I don't buy any pre-mixed treatments, though. Given the low possibility of hair growth from any of them, I stick to natural, easy to try stuff like the oils and capsaicin. Honestly the oils have made my head even softer than before so if that's all it ever does, I don't regret trying it. The capsaicin will probably sting a bit but it's only a few weeks. 

Also I don't like to wear wigs. They're uncomfortable and I have sensitive skin (which the oils are helping me with actually).

I am sorry to hear how long and difficult of a journey you have been through! 

I know there are so many ointments and pills on the market to try because I see them all the time. I just use a normal amount of vitamins and minerals that my doctors all believe are good. I get blood panels regularly too to make sure I'm not overstepping any bounds because I have the beginnings of thyroid disease too (started happening the same time as my alopecia).

I'm looking to help my alopecia naturally. I also don't eat gluten and avoid dairy as much as possible. I know what you're telling me- not to overdo it or waste excessive amounts of money because there is only a minute chance of hair growing back but I'm willing to try the cheap and easy ones while I try to heal my body internally. 

Thank you for the response :)

rachel.. that's what i'm telling you,

i mixed my own concoctions myself for years - don't forget the sulphur powder..  

then did 'hybridizing" by mixing my natural concoctions with conditioners, etc..

then graduated to other products.  I've done the whole gamut.  what i'm saying is:  You're starting out - just as i did..  the same routine.

you're not doing anything special than anyone else on this forum hasn't tried.  i just let it expand over 10 years.

this includes vegan diets, gluten free diets, and supplementation.  

the only thing i haven't done is this new drug that costs about $3300 a pop.  

Basically, i've spent enough money already.. 

Enjoy your journey..

But everyone responds to things differently. That's why in the controlled studies performed, 10% of people had their hair grow back entirely, past the "fuzzy" stage. You and many others are just part of the 90%. Good luck.

okay *sigh*

I don't need luck, Rachel.. 

peace out

AU is believed to be quite different from mild cases of AA in many aspects. The severe chronic version is genetically determined and recalcitrant to therapies so i would not invest on "natural remedies".

i dont believe there is a single vegetable that alopecians had not rubbed their scalp with. Its an old disease.

Let me re-word that for you, Icarus..

a single "aromatic" vegetable... and i'm proud to say, I smelled like a pizza some days.. even after a good co-wash.. (conditioning wash)..

yep, i was on the WEN products bandwagon, too.. nothing..

LOL!

AA is just as genetically determined as AU, but also just as not determined by genetics. AA and AU are fairly similar. AU is AA with an extra gene in the genome which dictates its intensity. I follow a few ladies on instagram who have slowly grown their hair back after having AU all of their lives through natural treatments (they had toxicity levels checked, eat very raw/gluten free/dairy free/etc and meditate regularly). 

Also, just because something is genetic does not mean it has to be expressed. 50% of those with the gene for alopecia will develop it in their lives. Also, having alopecia at one point will not predispose you to have it for the rest of your life. You may have it in its latent stage, though, just like someone who has herpes may never have an outbreak in their lives. 

Just remember there is very little known about alopecia. The body and mind is far more capable than people realize.

(one example- https://www.instagram.com/jennifyaah/

if you have the patience to look through her photos you will see how she has slowly grown ALL of her hair on her head (never eyelashes/brows) back over years. (she is so used to a bald head that she shaves it though but in her most recent pics of herself you can see her 1/2" of very thick hair. She has had no loss in the time she has grown it back naturally. She has had AU since she was about 5. 

(second example: https://www.instagram.com/marisaramirez/

all of her hair on her body has grown back 100% since she quit eating gluten and she has had AU for numerous years)

there are many theories about AA. One of them suggests that AU and local patchy AA are different expressions of a general syndrome.

Most of the data we know is statistics and epidemiologic stuff. Of course AU patients may grow hair again but relapses are so common. Havent heard an AU to grow hair once and for good. Of course i could be wrong.

I do believe relapses are far worse than having a bald head forever.

I dont think gluten has something to do with AA. Of course we can blame gluten even for World War III but we wont succeed in our  efford to comprehend this strange disease.

Haha I do not agree. If I could have hair even for a few more years out of my life than none, I would take the few years. 

There have been a lot of studies regarding the link between gluten and autoimmune diseases and some particularly regarding alopecia--how gluten consumption triggers alopecia among other autoimmune diseases and how people who have eliminated gluten saw improvement, some to the point of nearly complete dormancy of the disease's symptoms- alopecia as well as vitiligo, multiple sclerosis, etc.  Also I have heard of a few women recovering from AU who only lost their hair again after having a baby, and was able to grow it back again. Sure, relapses are likely to happen.

There may be alternate theories floating around but the best why I have seen is by hearing from people who's hair has grown back after having AU. This does happen and many times research is skewed because those people don't join studies for alopecia. 

I appreciate your comments but I don't like how much negativity is going on in this thread. It sounds like bitterness than actual useful information!

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