Joel Santorini
Battling with hair loss has rarely felt like an easy journey. I spent years trying to find the best hair loss treatments that would reverse my male baldness pattern. Like most people, it took me a while to accept that there isn’t a single ‘fix all approach,’ and in many cases, you need to combine therapies to find success.
Best hair loss treatment for men
After years of practice, I’ve managed to develop a hair loss treatment that delivers stellar results, with few side effects. In addition to finding the right type of Minoxidil for my routine, I’ve also developed approaches that maximize its benefits, while reducing the risk of side effects. I’m here to share my hair loss regimen journey so that you can see the same benefits.
Rogaine over Kirkland Minoxidil
Many people choose Kirkland Minoxidil over Rogaine because it’s cheaper. For me, the price was never the deciding factor. Instead, I wanted to get the most out of my hair loss regimen while minimizing nasty side effects. As it turns out, Rogaine provides that essential advantage over its competitors.
As a solution that has better ingredients, Rogaine causes less of the side effects I used to associate with reducing hair loss and more hair growth. For example, I’m not as likely to experience itching or rashes where I apply it, and I haven’t encountered unexpected hair growth anywhere else on my body.
Not surprisingly, Rogaine Minoxidil is also easier to access than other brands. I’ve never struggled to buy it online, and even though it’s available in different concentrations, none of them require a prescription.
However, as I mentioned at the beginning, throughout my journey to find a natural treatment for hair loss, I’ve had to tweak my approach to get the maximum benefits. While I initially found that Rogaine Minoxidil was highly effective, I also came across a slight plateau. Like anybody else I was determined to tweak my hair loss regimen until I got the very best results. Before long, I began to see the benefits of using additional products and tools.
Ketoconazole Shampoo alongside Rogaine Minoxidil
Although Rogaine Minoxidil produced fewer side effects, I would occasionally encounter inflammation. Inflammation isn’t just unsightly and irritating; it can reduce how well your hair grows too. It does have its place in protecting the body against the spread of bacteria, and it does this by causing a swelling that protects a particular part of the skin.
While this is all well and good if you have a wound, too much inflammation on your scalp starts to reduce the number of nutrients that reach the follicles. After a few bouts of inflammation, I began to notice that every time they happened, my hair loss regimen seemed to slow down regarding success. Rather than continually using an anti-inflammatory drug and increase my risk of gut problems, I began exploring whether anything could slow the process down.
As a medication that usually controls dandruff, ketoconazole reduces inflammation in several ways. First, if you do have a localized skin infection that’s caused by fungi, it’s the anti-fungal you need to keep your scalp fresh and healthy. By killing fungi off, you give your hair follicles a chance to thrive.
After finding out about ketoconazole, I began looking into whether it has any other benefits. Before long, I found this study; which highlights how it works against other pathogens to reduce inflammation too. In fact, it’s just as useful as an agent called ‘hydrocortisone acetate,’ which is a topical steroid you can apply to your skin. Unlike steroids, ketoconazole doesn’t come with nasty side effects such as skin thinning.
- Hair Growth Shampoo: Advanced CaffinoPlex blend of Natural Caffeine and Saw Palmetto synergize to address hair loss and...
- Nutrient Dense Hair Loss Product: Powerful proprietary blend of ingredients including Niacin, Peppermint Oil, and Mango...
- Shampoo For Thinning Hair: It all begins with the scalp. Our concentrated formula energizes and detoxes the scalp to...
- Everyday Use, Effective For All: Gentle enough to use as a routine shampoo. Effective anti thinning hair boost for men...
- Made In The USA: We are hair enthusiasts devoted to creating high quality and innovative products. We are confident in...
By reducing the inflammation that came with using Minoxidil, I found that my hair began to thrive. Like my decision to choose Rogaine Minoxidil, I soon started looking into which ketoconazole shampoo was the best for my scalp. Eventually, I settled on Ultrax Labs Hair Surge for several reasons:
- Alongside ketoconazole, it contains caffeine. As a natural ingredient that’s renowned for encouraging your hair follicles into a strong phase of growth, caffeine is an infinitely useful ingredient. When I switched to Ultrax Labs Hair Surge, I noticed that my hair growth periods lasted longer.
- It works against DHT. If, like me, you suffer from androgenic hair loss, you’ll already know that DHT is not your friend. This particular product contains saw palmetto, which blocks DHT levels and brings hair growth away from other areas of your body and back to your head.
- The ketoconazole concentration is well balanced. You can get higher concentrations of ketoconazole, but I’ve found that the 0.2% in this product has maximal effects alongside Minoxidil.
Within a few days of using ketoconazole, I found that there was less inflammation. In a matter of weeks, my hair growth improved significantly. However, I didn’t want my journey to end there, and so I began investigating other means of boosting my hair growth.
Scalp Massage
As someone who’s always loved their sports, I’ve encountered my fair share of injuries. One of my ultimate approaches to recovering from a muscular injury is to use massage therapy. Why? Because as the University of Illinois Highlights, it promotes healing and encourages better blood flow.
To me, if my muscles could reach optimal performance through a massage, why couldn’t my scalp follicles? Before long, I began introducing daily head massages into my hair loss treatments. Now, like many people, I don’t have the time or the money to go to a professional for such services, so I started off by using my fingers.
I did start to see some benefits, which I believe arose due to the following:
- Much like sports massages, head massages increase blood flow to the target area. Massaging alongside the use of Minoxidil and Ketoconazole means better absorption of each product and faster results.
- It also reduces stress levels. When we’re less stressed, we produce less cortisol. With less stress comes a reduction in DHT, which then means less hair loss.
- Actively massaging ensures the products distribute themselves evenly across my scalp. As a result, I don’t miss a single patch, which means every follicle benefits.
If you’ve ever attempted massaging your own head, you’ll know it isn’t always straightforward. I did find a way to make the process easier, though.
Electric massager produces way better results
To expedite the process, I began using an electronic head massager. Utilizing a massager such as the Naipo and Breo product ensures the following:
- Your fingers don’t tire throughout the process, so you experience even and robust results.
- It’s quicker than using your fingers.
- The product is easy to clean.
- 360° Massage: Features 28 individual massage nodes which provide you with a 360° kneading massage experience.
- Kneading Massage: Soothes tired and aching head, shoulder, and other related muscle groups.
- Flexible Rubber: Gentle kneading increase blood flow to the scalp, boosting hair growth and promoting relaxation.
- Replaceable Facial Brushes: Allows the dead skin cells to exfoliate quicker, and from that produce more collagen, and...
- Widely Use: Not only for daily massaging at home, in the office. Water-resistant and safe allow to clean scalp and face...
As the electric scalp massager also has several settings, I can change them according to how my scalp feels. So if I have had a stressful day, I can boost blood flow to the area while combatting hair-loss inducing hormones.
Adding a derma roller
I hadn’t heard of derma rollers until I began investigating ways to make my hair loss regimen products absorb quickly to produce faster results. If like me, you are unfamiliar with them, you should learn what they are.
In short, a derma roller is a hand-held rolling device that features several fine needles that puncture the skin. Beauticians usually use them alongside products such as Vitamin E Serum to reduce the signs of aging. When the needles in the roller make small puncture wounds in the skin, they encourage the serum to work into the deeper layers of the epidermis quickly. So, with that rationale, I began using a derma roller every two weeks.
In addition to helping my hair loss products absorb quickly, I soon experienced the other benefits that come with derma rollers. Our bodies respond to them by producing more collagen, which is a protein that helps to heal damaged areas such as scalp follicles that are in the reduction phase of growth. My theory is, if the derma roller is used alongside other approaches, I’ll benefit from stronger hair follicles that result in better hair growth.
- GLOW: Treat your skin to a spa day at home with our face needle roller that will instantly give you a smooth, youthfully...
- RENEW: Our micro derma roller tool is great for helping brighten the appearance of dull-looking skin for overall facial...
- VERSATILE: Safe and simple to use, our 0.25 mm derma roller kit can not only be used as a face roller, but also as a...
- AFFORDABLE: Microneedling sessions can cost thousands. Our microderm roller lets you have professional results from the...
- SKINCARE GIFTS: Whoever you’re shopping for - a partner, a BFF, or yourself, our derma rollers make the ideal...
So far, I’ve found that my theory holds true. I personally like to use the 1.5mm needle from Derms Roller Experts over smaller versions, as there are fewer punctures in the skin, which means I don’t encourage overly-rapid absorption of the products. Similarly, I avoid situations such as inflammation, allowing me to get the best of both worlds.
Changing my diet
As you may have noticed, so far my hair loss regimen journey has only involved external efforts. From the application of Rogaine Minoxidil through to the occasional derma roller session, nothing has moved past my lips.
I too began to notice this, and I let my mind wander to the possibility that my diet wasn’t helping me maximize my efforts. Sure, I was doing okay with the external factors, but what was going on inside my body?
Various studies show that dietary deficiencies can affect the way we grow hair. One of the more common nutritional deficiencies is a lack of iron, which can arise due to a poor diet, or an underlying chronic disease. After learning this, I began looking at ways to get more iron into my diet, which ranged from the obvious to the not-so-obvious. For example, eating more spinach and red meat, as well as more nuts.
Recognizing that the human body is a sophisticated vessel, I also began to wonder whether other nutritional deficiencies would increase my hair loss. The further I dug into this, the more I realized that, even with the best efforts, getting the right balance would become a struggle.
Hair loss supplements helped
While focusing on maintaining a healthy diet, I decided to bolster my efforts with a hair loss supplement. Now, I must stress that using one alone and then living an unhealthy lifestyle isn’t effective – they can only achieve so much. However, employing one such as HairAnew makes the world of difference.
I chose HairAnew as it contains zinc, which is central to iron production. It’s also abundant in both Vitamin C and E, which we need for our bodies’ rejuvenation and healing processes. Similarly, it features a lot of compounds that help with amino acid production. As the ‘building blocks of life,’ amino acids are central to hair growth as well as many other bodily functions.
If HairAnew doesn’t take your fancy, you can try Hair Grow Essentials instead. Hair Grow Essentials is particularly effective, as it contains many of the ingredients that are conducive to hair growth. For example, Niacin, which increases circulation to the scalp. And, Biotin, which helps you produce the keratin you need for shine and strength.
Before settling on a particular product, try it for one to two months and see which is more efficient. We all respond differently to supplements, which makes finding the right one for you essential.
Using LLLT
While all of my efforts so far had proved effective, I knew that something was missing. After balancing my diet, finding the right type of Minoxidil, adding in a topical anti-inflammatory, and using different forms of massage; I wanted to take my hair loss regimen to the ultimate level.
Eventually, I began considering LLLT. Also known as Low-Level Laser Therapy, LLLT is effectively used to treat a range of conditions that require relief from pain, gentle healing, and a reduction in inflammation. It’s believed that the mitochondria in each of our cells absorb the photons from the lasers and use them to boost cellular energy, enhance blood flow, and quicken cellular repair.
After reading more about the therapy, I ditched my hesitation and invested in my first personal LLLT kit. I began using it twice a week, with the aim of abandoning the process if I didn’t see any results within three months. Within two, I began feeling as though my head had suddenly dragged new and flourishing hair follicles out of nowhere.
As a personal LLLT kit isn’t a cheap investment, I aimed for the iRestore for a few reasons. First, I knew I would get my money back if I didn’t see an improvement within six months. Second, it’s an FDA approved product, which means I know there’s some science behind wearing a glowing red hat with the aim of regrowing hair naturally.
However, there are cheaper alternatives that come with science-backed results, including the iGrow. Both products have similar effects. They gently encourage cellular rejuvenation by evenly distributing low-level laser light beams across the scalp. The production of new hair follicles isn’t an instant process, but with regular dedication, you’ll encounter the same benefits that I did.
Final Thoughts
Throughout my journey to find the best treatments for hair loss, I’ve always noticed one running theme: no solution will have the best benefits by itself. For example, without adding ketoconazole to my Minoxidil solution, I would still experience the inflammation that blocked full growth. Similarly, not changing my diet or adding in supplements wouldn’t allow my hair to thrive from within. While none of these products would work well alone, the change in my hair growth has become drastic since I began using them together.
