Castor oil for hair growth?

**swords & roses** · July 13th, 2015, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by alishaxmarie

My dandruff definitely seems to be slowing down even though I've only been massaging the sesame oil in for the past 5 days and castor oil is supposed to be good for dandruff as well because both oils have antifungal properties and fungus is the most common culprit of dandruff and increased hair shedding.

Since balding in men is typically caused by the hormone DHT (if I'm remembering the correct hormone), I'm not sure what his results will be exactly but there was a study mentioned much earlier in the thread and elsewhere on the forum stating that massaging EO's into the scalp reduces hair thinning so I think he ought to see some improvement like many users have reported in the thread already. Caffeine rinses should also help because it's been shown that the caffeine (and possibly tannins) in coffee and tea have an impact on DHT when applied topically. I can't remember if the DHT is diminished or if it's just being prevented from affecting the follicles. Either way, it couldn't hurt to try castor oil massages and/or caffeine rinses. Hth

Originally Posted by meteor

Since it's male pattern baldness, I'd see a doctor.
Male pattern baldness is hormonal and genetic, linked to sensitivity to DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which develops in the scalp. Controlling both the DHT sensitivity and calming the scalp are needed to successfully treating hair loss. So treatment regimen should focus on:
- DHT inhibitors (reduce levels of DHT, by inhibiting its creation);
- anti-androgens (block DHT from reaching the follicle);
- growth stimulants;
- anti-inflammatories.

The big guns are minoxidil and finasteride. But yeah, your husband should talk to a doctor.

I don't want to sound alarmist, but the earlier the hairloss regimen is started, the higher the chances of regrowth with best results.

Castor oil is excellent and can't hurt (it's mildly antifungal which helps promote overall scalp health), but, let's face it, if it really worked for male pattern baldness, nobody would even bother with minoxidil and other (sometimes unpleasant and with side effects) treatments. I'd focus on really tried and proven stuff, to avoid frustration.

Thanks, ladies!

I'm not sure a doctor would offer much help, honestly. Pretty sure the doc would take one look at the chart, and say, "You're 32. Your dad is bald. Your mom's hair is thinning. Your younger brother is bald. Welcome to the way of the world. Suck it up, buttercup." Or, if a doc did prescribe something to help, I worry the insurance would view it as a cosmetic treatment & not cover any portion of it.

**meteor** · July 13th, 2015, 01:25 PM

^ OK, has he tried Nizoral, Regenepure DR or other ketoconazole shampoos? Ketoconazole is primarily an antifungal agent that also has androgen blocking properties. This makes it an effective anti-inflammatory, anti-androgenic shampoo for hair loss sufferers (both male and female - http://www.americanhairloss.org/wome.../treatment.asp). I'd use those, as the first step, but I wouldn't expect miracles.

If he can get Minoxidil/Rogaine or Finasteride/Propecia, I'd try that, for sure.

Also, check out HairLossTalk and BaldTruthTalk forums - I'd definitely ask there, as there are lots of people with these experiences who have already tried a ton of different things there, and you might want to pick their brain.

**swords & roses** · July 13th, 2015, 01:28 PM

Sounds good! Thanks, meteor!

**rosance** · July 13th, 2015, 10:50 PM

You should also check out saw palmetto for your husband. Research and see if it is something he could use.

**rosance** · July 16th, 2015, 01:52 AM

forgot to update that I had another application on july 13.

**alishaxmarie** · July 16th, 2015, 06:15 AM

I've been applying every night, I can't wait to see what kind of results I get with my eyelashes!

**arelrios** · July 16th, 2015, 07:16 AM

Im sporadically applying a mix of neeli and castor oil... Last night I did an application on my scalp

**alishaxmarie** · July 16th, 2015, 08:45 AM

If I were to add essential oils directly to my bottle of castor oil, would I no longer be able to apply the oil to my lashline or would my eyes be safe even with the EO's mixed in?

**ChloeDharma** · July 18th, 2015, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by alishaxmarie

If I were to add essential oils directly to my bottle of castor oil, would I no longer be able to apply the oil to my lashline or would my eyes be safe even with the EO's mixed in?

I imagine this would be VERY irritating to the eyes and possibly dangerous so my advice would be to not do that.