Inspiration needed - going to try some things to increase thickness

[pariate]

Hi all

Okay, I know there are other threads on here about specific tricks and routines to help increase thickness, so please don't cuss me too much! :o There are soooo many so I was hoping some of you wouldn't mind pooling some data here :pray:

I've been on such a cocktail of medication for so many years. We're talking a decade! Lithium was one of them and I'm sure some of you will be aware what that does to one's hair... shudder: I want to get some of my hair back!

I would be very very grateful if you'd care to post your success stories here please. What's worked for you, whether it be supplements, massage oil blends, kooky techniques that draw suspicious glances from your loved ones... anything and everything! Throw it my way, pretty please with a cherry on top.

My hair stats are in my profile thingy to the left. My current routine is a modified CO about every three-four days, with moisture and protein treatments as and when I need them. I usually finger comb, rarely use a real comb and never brush. I already take MSM (sulphur), antioxidants, a vit B complex, and a vit C/zinc supplement. The only one I take specifically for my hair is the MSM, which also helps my skin :D The only modern medication I take now is the Pill. I also take prescribed herbal tinctures for a psychiatric issue :? Nuff said there...

Thank you in advance. Really looking forward to hearing from you! Even if it is only to tell me not to be so lazy... But there are sooooo many threads!

:flower:

[ChloeDharma]

Well as some people may have noticed this is an issue quite close to my heart, i actually think it's a great idea to put a collection of threads/ideas in one thread because as you say, it can be quite daunting searching through loads of them.
Ok, so theres that monistat thread, seems like that works for alot of people

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=156

Heres a blog on using brushing to regrow hair (Hatsumomo had success with this and i always find it reduces shedding)

http://recedinghairline.blogspot.com/

Here's a thread on using caffeine for hair growth

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=5958&highlight=caffeine

Heres a thread on bhringraj as a possible alternative to minoxodil

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=8939

Heres a page talking about a study into rooibos and hair growth

http://www.herbalglo.com/hair-glo/about-study.htm

Heres one on scalp exercise

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=423&highlight=hair+growth

Heres an article on an indian hairgrowth formula....but good luck finding the ingredients! :P

http://news.hairlosshelp.com/hair-loss-studies/indian-herbal-hair-growth-formula-found-to-be-effective/

Ok, i'll add more as i find them, just found those quickly from memory....but i also find scalp massage really helps

[ruby_tuesday]

A healthy diet, exercise, scalp massage, veg oils & avoiding bad styling products- all combined made my awfully thin/fried/mistreated hair thicker & healthier. I also accepted that there's such thing as genes; my hair is naturally fine and has its "thickness limit", so I don't expect extreme transformation anymore. I take care of what I have which turned out to be quite enough. When I look at some some of my old pictures I'm more than pleased. shudder: So just have patience, be kind to your hair, take good care of your health, don't stress and you're going to see positive changes. :flower:

[girlcat36]

I struggle with thin hair. I have found scalp massage with essential oils, and brushing my scalp only with a BBB, to be helpful.

[Catladyintown]

Thanks so much ChloeDharma for putting the threads together. Hopefully it will become a sticky I believe that the right term. :-)

[ChloeDharma]

Thanks so much ChloeDharma for putting the threads together. Hopefully it will become a sticky I believe that the right term. :-)

Awwww you're welcome hun, i'm just sorry i didn't get more together because i was trying to get it done quickly while doing other stuff, but i'll definately add more

[pariate]

Wow, thank you so much ChloeDharma! :D What a treasure trove! I agree with Catladyintown - with such wealth of info this would make a good sticky. Maybe others will add to this post and it will turn into a useful resource for lots of other members.

Thanks again!

Thanks also to Ruby Tuesday and Girlcat. Scalp massages seem to work for so many people, I'll try to remember to throw one in before I wash. I only wash a couple of times a week, but two massages are better than none, right? :)

[ChloeDharma]

Wow, thank you so much ChloeDharma! :D What a treasure trove! I agree with Catladyintown - with such wealth of info this would make a good sticky. Maybe others will add to this post and it will turn into a useful resource for lots of other members.

Thanks again!

Thanks also to Ruby Tuesday and Girlcat. Scalp massages seem to work for so many people, I'll try to remember to throw one in before I wash. I only wash a couple of times a week, but two massages are better than none, right? :)

You are very welcome hun :flower:

As for scalp massages, you can do them on dry hair with no oil too if you like.....i find it good to take my hair down, detangle then massage my scalp gently while watching the soaps (corrie, 'stenders, emmerdale etc) a good way of fitting them in daily.

There was a thread i remember seeing ages ago on the old forum about rubbing nails together to stimulate growth too, something like 5 minutes a day.....the idea is that it worked a bit like reflexology to stimulate pressure points connected to the scalp.....might be worth trying?

[pariate]

Oooooo, nail reflexology! :lol: I'll give it a go.

Dry scalp massages - fab, very happy to hear that they may be just as effective as oiled ones.

I'm also looking into the Rooibos tea and Monistat. The caffeine thing looks like it takes lots of measuring etc, and I'm quite lazy so I'll save that one in case the others don't work and I need to pull out all the stops! :D

[pariate]

Okay - ICK! Despite reading posts on the monistat thread, I hadn't quite realised what it was for :? Ewwwwww... But if it works, it works! :D

[ChloeDharma]

Okay - ICK! Despite reading posts on the monistat thread, I hadn't quite realised what it was for :? Ewwwwww... But if it works, it works! :D

Lol innit! It does seem to work, but, and of course this is purely my personal opinion....i'm nervous of any possible long term effects of using it in case it interferes with the scalps ecology and causes some funky fungal mutations....a bit like the idea of the overuse of antibiotics causing superbugs. But that's just me and i am very biased towards a natural approach.

[pariate]

Lol innit! It does seem to work, but, and of course this is purely my personal opinion....i'm nervous of any possible long term effects of using it in case it interferes with the scalps ecology and causes some funky fungal mutations....a bit like the idea of the overuse of antibiotics causing superbugs. But that's just me and i am very biased towards a natural approach.

So am I. It seems like there are a lot of potential downsides to the Monistat approach, but the success stories are so compelling!

I see you're in the UK - do you use Daktarin? If so, which version? Is it the same active ingredient as Monistat?

[ChloeDharma]

So am I. It seems like there are a lot of potential downsides to the Monistat approach, but the success stories are so compelling!

I see you're in the UK - do you use Daktarin? If so, which version? Is it the same active ingredient as Monistat?

Oh i don't use it hun, mainly for the reason i mentioned, sorry if i gave the impression that i have personal experience of it. It is very tempting i agree but i seem to be making progress without it so am not quite desperate enough anymore lol
But the one UK members seem to be using is Daktarin i think but i have no idea which version, it certainly seems an expensive experiment compared to the ones i'm used to considering.

[pariate]

Oh i don't use it hun, mainly for the reason i mentioned...

After reading through oodles of posts I'd decided not to try it myself either! But my ex-DBF is very interested. I'm putting some info together for him so that he can weigh up the pros and cons, but after seeing Girlcat's impressive progress pics, he's more or less sold! But I'm going to draw his attention to some of the perceived downsides to using the stuff.

He has some Daktarin at home already so I told him to let me know what % it is.

As for me, I think I'm going to try the Rooibos tea and regular massages first and go from there. I want to start with the least "extreme" option and work my way up!

[chrissy-b]

I've had luck with Monistat (I stopped using it about a month ago because I was worried about long term effects and wanted to try something natural). My growth rate increased and I went from 1.5" to 2" thickness in 6 months. I also was doing nightly scalp brushing and frequent scalp massages so I'm sure that helped too.

I've recently started doing scalp massages with AO's scalp tonic (for ingredients and info check my blog) but it's still too early to be sure it's helping. I've also stopped the scalp brushing for fear of causing too much mechanical damage, but I've noticed my hair has been shedding A LOT since I stopped so I'm probably going to go back to that soon and I'll keep you guys posted on how the AO tonic works out for me.

MSM and silica are supposed to really help with shedding (therefore thickness) but I haven't been able to take either on a regular enough basis to tell for sure.