Stuff that might make your hair fall out.

[Reyesuela]

Because we’re putting fun stuff on our head a lot, I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread for things that studies have linked to hair loss!

My first contribution:

Passionflower. A powerful aromatase inhibitor —which are known to induce pattern baldness in women. Ouch. Wouldn’t drink it, either. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/?term=Passiflora+aromatase

Ginger topically also can cause hair loss, but should be fine in food: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23437345/?i=1&from=ginger%20hair%20loss

[zanelle]

Ouch, so...never fully trust youtube vids if you haven't done your homework.
Thanks for posting this!
YouTube is full!
Here's one of the vids that reccomends ginger to cure baldness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZaiPOT9Qjc

[Reyesuela]

Well, half of YouTube is going to tell you to put baking soda on your hair still!!! That won’t make your hair literally fall out at the root, but it will trash your hair pretty effectively. And lemon juice and honey are other favorites that at best aren’t going to help your hair and could really mess it up.

Vinegar’s fine, though, and beneficial if your pH is above 6, which it is in most places.

Here’s an old wives tale possibly confirmed: Tomatoes might actually promote hair growth topically. Who knows which bit, though. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24397881/

Weirdest discovery I’ve made is that fennel and anise probably actually will make your breasts grow bigger without giving you cancer. Also good on hair.

[zanelle]

Growing tomatoes myself, so I have lots in the summer. Good to know, will read.
Hope grapefruit juice is gentler to the hair though, it's what mainly goes inside my henna mix.

[Reyesuela]

A limited amount of lemon juice just to release henna isn’t going to cause measurable issues, but I’ll be using ascorbic acid next time probably.

Just don’t sit out in the sun with citrus juice on. :)

[Reyesuela]

Capsaicin will also make your hair fall out if there’s much in your mix: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15793280/?i=11&from=capsaicin%20hair%20growth This is added as much as ginger!

[lapushka]

There probably isn't a study out there, but plenty of LHC'ers have had the *experience* of losing more hair (some here even lost half their circumference) to using conditioner or an oil on the scalp.

No clue why it happens, but it happens for me too. I have had the experience with a pre-poo oil (back when I was still experimenting) and with CO-washing.

These aren't just hairs that would have come out anyway, this is actual hair loss that can lead to thinning.

Even though there is no real "evidence" out there; I would still be cautious. :flower:

[fhairyqueen]

This thread is a brilliant idea :)

[vampyyri]

Stress is a good one :justy:

[Wendyp]

Oil on my scalp!! I shed like crazy! did not realize that was the cause until i started reading here!

[zanelle]

There probably isn't a study out there, but plenty of LHC'ers have had the *experience* of losing more hair (some here even lost half their circumference) to using conditioner or an oil on the scalp.

No clue why it happens, but it happens for me too. I have had the experience with a pre-poo oil (back when I was still experimenting) and with CO-washing.

These aren't just hairs that would have come out anyway, this is actual hair loss that can lead to thinning.

Even though there is no real "evidence" out there; I would still be cautious. :flower:

Oooops, guilty!

[Stray_mind]

Oil on my scalp!! I shed like crazy! did not realize that was the cause until i started reading here!

Same for me. I can't put oils or conditioners on my scalp at all, if i want to keep my hair on my head. :D

[Lanalavallama]

Well, half of YouTube is going to tell you to put baking soda on your hair still!!! That won’t make your hair literally fall out at the root, but it will trash your hair pretty effectively. And lemon juice and honey are other favorites that at best aren’t going to help your hair and could really mess it up.

Vinegar’s fine, though, and beneficial if your pH is above 6, which it is in most places.

Here’s an old wives tale possibly confirmed: Tomatoes might actually promote hair growth topically. Who knows which bit, though. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24397881/

Weirdest discovery I’ve made is that fennel and anise probably actually will make your breasts grow bigger without giving you cancer. Also good on hair.

Interesting.
I'm curious as to how honey could mess up hair.

[Reyesuela]

There probably isn't a study out there, but plenty of LHC'ers have had the *experience* of losing more hair (some here even lost half their circumference) to using conditioner or an oil on the scalp.

No clue why it happens, but it happens for me too. I have had the experience with a pre-poo oil (back when I was still experimenting) and with CO-washing.

These aren't just hairs that would have come out anyway, this is actual hair loss that can lead to thinning.

Even though there is no real "evidence" out there; I would still be cautious. :flower:
[\

I’ve never tried it. Lol. I have a theory below...

Cigarette smoking causes hair loss/hair fall.

The other weird one is...cinnamon. I would have thought that it would promote growth, but any studies dealing with it seem to find the opposite. Eating it is fine! There aren’t any direct studies trying to get a cinnamon extract to grow hair, but all of the studies on cinnamon constituents and cellular pathway signaling look like bad news. Even some things that are growth stimulants overall (green and black tea) can have some potentially negative activity but end up a net postitive, but all cinnamon’s data looks like bad news.

[Reyesuela]

Interesting.
I'm curious as to how honey could mess up hair.

Hydrogen peroxide.

[Reyesuela]

Same for me. I can't put oils or conditioners on my scalp at all, if i want to keep my hair on my head. :D

What oil would really matter, too.

But... Your own sebum contains 5alpha reductase, an androgen. If you’re sensitive to it or have too much and if you put something on your head that keeps your own sebum in more contact with your follicles, you can absolutely get shedding. That’s probably what’s happening in these cases.

Oh, another! Grape seed oil is likely to cause hair loss. I wouldn’t use any grape seed extracts, either. They showed bad results, too.

[lapushka]

[\

I’ve never tried it. Lol. I have a theory below...

Cigarette smoking causes hair loss/hair fall.

The other weird one is...cinnamon. I would have thought that it would promote growth, but any studies dealing with it seem to find the opposite. Eating it is fine! There aren’t any direct studies trying to get a cinnamon extract to grow hair, but all of the studies on cinnamon constituents and cellular pathway signaling look like bad news. Even some things that are growth stimulants overall (green and black tea) can have some potentially negative activity but end up a net postitive, but all cinnamon’s data looks like bad news.

My mom smoked all her life and had ii, now i hair, fell out due to pregnancy and never grew back and then it thinned out even more through menopause.

My aunt (mom's sister) smoked all her life, and has thicker hair than mine.

So I wouldn't count on that theory. ;)

[JennGalt]

What oil would really matter, too.

But... Your own sebum contains 5alpha reductase, an androgen. If you’re sensitive to it or have too much and if you put something on your head that keeps your own sebum in more contact with your follicles, you can absolutely get shedding. That’s probably what’s happening in these cases.

Oh, another! Grape seed oil is likely to cause hair loss. I wouldn’t use any grape seed extracts, either. They showed bad results, too.

I have to agree that which oil matters. My scalp loves coconut oil, but recently decided olive oil is not ok anymore. Haven't had an issue with grapeseed oil, and will use it in a pinch, but mainly use it for my length since coconut oil seems to be my scalp's clear favorite.

Mini-rant: I see all the time on here how oil is going to make your hair fall out. But this has NOT been the case for me. I oil my scalp on a near daily basis in winter since my scalp stops producing sebum almost completely during winter, and a cracking, bleeding, itchy scalp is no fun. And I shed much more and have more breakage near the roots if I don't oil up. My hair is naturally porous and needs oil to provide slip and sealing; roots too! Oil on the scalp is not necessarily bad--it's been very beneficial for me, and I'm sure there are at least a few others out there like me. It's an individual thing, not a hard and fast rule. YMMV.

/End rant. Carry on. :blossom:

[Reyesuela]

My mom smoked all her life and had ii, now i hair, fell out due to pregnancy and never grew back and then it thinned out even more through menopause.

My aunt (mom's sister) smoked all her life, and has thicker hair than mine.

So I wouldn't count on that theory. ;)

It’s not a theory. Nicotine effects VEGF levels and causes hair miniaturization. It’s like saying that cigarette smoking causes wrinkles. Even if you know a smoker with great skin, it still causes wrinkles!

[Reyesuela]

I have to agree that which oil matters. My scalp loves coconut oil, but recently decided olive oil is not ok anymore. Haven't had an issue with grapeseed oil, and will use it in a pinch, but mainly use it for my length since coconut oil seems to be my scalp's clear favorite.

Mini-rant: I see all the time on here how oil is going to make your hair fall out. But this has NOT been the case for me. I oil my scalp on a near daily basis in winter since my scalp stops producing sebum almost completely during winter, and a cracking, bleeding, itchy scalp is no fun. And I shed much more and have more breakage near the roots if I don't oil up. My hair is naturally porous and needs oil to provide slip and sealing; roots too! Oil on the scalp is not necessarily bad--it's been very beneficial for me, and I'm sure there are at least a few others out there like me. It's an individual thing, not a hard and fast rule. YMMV.

/End rant. Carry on. :blossom:

Grape seed used over a long time will likely cause gradual hair loss (like daily for 6 weeks). I wouldn’t expect to see an overnight change!

[JennGalt]

Grape seed used over a long time will likely cause gradual hair loss (like daily for 6 weeks). I wouldn’t expect to see an overnight change!

I've been using it for years though. It's actually worked quite well for me. I think it's probably individual-specific.

[leayellena]

please excuse me, I don´t want to seem hypocrite but... everything from garnier produced hairfall and home made products just sit on my scalp producing itchiness.

[lapushka]

It’s not a theory. Nicotine effects VEGF levels and causes hair miniaturization. It’s like saying that cigarette smoking causes wrinkles. Even if you know a smoker with great skin, it still causes wrinkles!

I think there's exceptions to all things, and how it affects people. My aunt for example is a perfect example of this. She has way thicker hair than mine, and has had the same hair since before starting to smoke (her hair was always that thick).

So what about her?

My mom is in her 70s now. Granted, she smokes less than she used to. But I hate the general demonization of smoking and smoking habits. All of a sudden it wasn't "trendy" anymore. People tend to forget that those that were young in the 60s and 70s who were part of that "smoking generation" are *still alive*, and these people have feelings just as the next person.

[Ligeia Noire]

Honey is fine and beneficial actually, you just have to heat it up for ten seconds to "destroy" the peroxide. I use it weekly on my smts. All rules have exceptions. And we should use what our hair likes. Honestly I do not put anything on my scalp on a daily basis anyway. The sebum should be enough. I do have a dry scalp though and I did use to oil it with Argan or jojoba and saw no shedding difference.

[MusicalSpoons]

Hydrogen peroxide.

I keep seeing this claim lately so I looked it up. It turns out the enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide is only activated under very specific conditions.

http://thebeautybrains.com/2012/01/can-honey-lighten-hair/


It’s true that honey contains peroxide. More accurately it contains an enzyme, glucose oxidase, that can produce peroxide. But keep in mind that peroxide is only an effective bleaching agent at the right concentration and at the right pH.
...
Glucose oxidase in honey can react to release peroxide under the right conditions. (It’s also important to note that only raw honey contains this active enzyme.)
...
Peroxide solutions must be “activated” by increasing the pH because peroxide is not very reactive at pH below 4. Typically, peroxide is mixed with ammonia because it has a very high pH. The pH of honey is between 3.2 and 4.5 which is far below the range required for effective hair bleaching.
...
IF you use the right kind of honey and IF the enzyme is still active and IF you dilute it properly and IF get it to the right pH and IF you get it on your hair before it’s used up by reaction with the rest of the organic stuff in the mixture. then you’ll STILL have only about 1/1000 of the amount you need to lighten your hair.

https://www.tinroofteas.com/tea-blog/the-hydrogen-peroxide-producing-capacity-of-honey-prt-2


Honey itself does not have the right conditions for this reaction to oocur. To become active and begin breaking down the glucose in honey, the glucose oxidase requires a pH of 5.5 to 8.0. The pH of undiluted honey is between 3.2 and 4.5 which is far too low to activate the enzyme. Another condition is also required before the glucose oxidase becomes active. For the enzyme to break glucose down into hydrogen peroxide, a certain amount of sodium must be present..

Honey alone does not contain enough sodium to make this happen. However, skin and body fluids have relatively high pH and sodium levels. When honey comes in contact with skin or an open wound, the high pH and sodium levels activate the glucose oxidase and it begins to break down the glucose, releasing hydrogen peroxide.

https://www.reddit.com/r/chemistry/comments/26mgtr/question_about_the_content_of_hydrogen_peroxide

I know these aren't irrefutable proof, or scientific studies, but I'm on my phone (so not in a position to do in-depth research!) and these seemed to be a good mix of independent sources.

[silverstars]

For me, putting anything on my scalp seems to result in losing more hair than usual. Conditioner, oil, and henna can't get on my scalp.

[Beeboo123]

Hair dye (excluding the deposit-only types) and rebonding caused my hair to fall out. They didn't just break off, they fell out at the root. My scalp was very stressed and irritated by the harsh chemicals, that probably caused the shedding.

Illness can also cause hair loss. I had dengue fever twice (and I could easily have died both times), and I lost a lot of hair shortly after I recovered. I was left with about two-thirds to half of my hair. I cut my hair short after each time because it was sooooo thin.

[hennalove]

Ouch, so...never fully trust youtube vids if you haven't done your homework.
Thanks for posting this!
YouTube is full!


I am so beyond cynical with respect to the hair growth videos on YouTube. All be it, I do like some of the binaurals and subliminals but as far as putting this or that on your head NOPE! Even some of the masks can be harmful. I'll just plug away doing what I'm doing :)

[lapushka]

Hair dye (excluding the deposit-only types) and rebonding caused my hair to fall out. They didn't just break off, they fell out at the root. My scalp was very stressed and irritated by the harsh chemicals, that probably caused the shedding.

Illness can also cause hair loss. I had dengue fever twice (and I could easily have died both times), and I lost a lot of hair shortly after I recovered. I was left with about two-thirds to half of my hair. I cut my hair short after each time because it was sooooo thin.

Wow that is tough! I am glad you recovered. Twice too. :(

[Wendyp]

Honey is fine and beneficial actually, you just have to heat it up for ten seconds to "destroy" the peroxide. I use it weekly on my smts. All rules have exceptions. And we should use what our hair likes. Honestly I do not put anything on my scalp on a daily basis anyway. The sebum should be enough. I do have a dry scalp though and I did use to oil it with Argan or jojoba and saw no shedding difference.

Oh thanks for this! My hair felt awesome after my honey smt so I was worried. I’ll heat it up b4 adding to conditioner!

[Lanalavallama]

Oh, hydrogen peroxide.

I shall be sticking to my honey in SMTs and the like. I can't imagine the amounts I would have to be slathering on my head at a time for it to be harmful to my hair. It is quite unlikely that I will manage to get all factors right in order to cause lasting damage to my hair with honey.

[Ligeia Noire]

I think that even not heating it up it would not damage your hair, just like someone just mentioned before.

[Dark40]

Not oiling your hair can cause it to fall out. Applying a lot of gunk on your hair can also cause it to fall out.

[lapushka]

Not oiling your hair can cause it to fall out. Applying a lot of gunk on your hair can also cause it to fall out.

For me the opposite is true, oiling or conditioner on the scalp makes my hair shed bucket loads. My scalp needs to be oil & gunk-free. Just my natural sebum over the course of the week (and then it falls out more as the week goes on). And on wash day, a beast comes out!

[Wendyp]

For me the opposite is true, oiling or conditioner on the scalp makes my hair shed bucket loads. My scalp needs to be oil & gunk-free. Just my natural sebum over the course of the week (and then it falls out more as the week goes on). And on wash day, a beast comes out!

Same here, except using nightbloomings hair growth oil but I just leave that on for 2 hours and it’s out.