Iodine for hair growth

[evampr18]

[quosiorpew'ap'ote][/quote]q U O T E

[Barniie]

I've heard that before - will be trying :)

[Igor]

Iodine
Trace mineral, meaning that the body needs it in only very low doses. This essential mineral helps regulate thyroid hormones, which means it takes part in the energy regulation of cells and the chemical building blocks that create and maintain cells. It is necessary to regulate and produce thyroid hormones and prevents dry hair, greying and hair loss. Salt for human consumption is often fortified with iodine and is referred to as iodized salt
Recommended daily intake is 150 micrograms of iodine per day for both men and women. However the daily FDA intake recommendation may be 100 x too low
Warnings: Pregnant women should take a lower dose as it can interfere with the foetus’ thyroid

[Konstifik]

That sounds very interesting! I wonder where to find iodine....

[aenflex]

Never heard that before, sounds interesting. I don't think you are insane, when compared to the things we all have tried in order to increase growth and all. I'll never forget the 1st time I read that people were using Monistat. I about fell off my chair and promptly went and bought some :) If you do try this it would be nice if you tracked your progess and shared your routine/frequency with the rest of us :)

[BeatlesFanGirl]

Sounds interresting, and recently I'd love to get a good advice that stimulates hair growth... But i have to avoid iodine due to my hyperthyroid. :S

[jojo]

Was just going to say people with thyroid problems should avoid iodine, also anybody using this please be careful as by adding extra iodine into your diet can induce hyperthyroidism and goiters and may even trigger autoimmune problems; personally and ive my nurses hat on here for the sake of faster growing hair (if it works) risking your health isn't worth it!

I have hypothyroidism and its horrible!

[girlcat36]

I am using arnica on my scalp right now, and I swear it's made my hair grow a lot.
But I'm really curious about the iodine now.

[ChloeDharma]

I get the impression the OP means topical iodine as opposed to supplementing it.

Isn't it the stuff surgeons smear on the skin to sterilise it? Orange/brown liquid. I'm wondering if chemists might sell it, i think it's included in the ingredients of a either dettol or savlon spray too (though not a good idea on the hair i expect).

I'm interested in this idea, is anyone going to try it?

By the way, that's amazing growth.....i'm assuming your friend must be quite short?

[serious]

Is it povidone-iodine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povidone-iodine) that she uses? :hmm:

[jojo]

I get the impression the OP means topical iodine as opposed to supplementing it.

Isn't it the stuff surgeons smear on the skin to sterilise it? Orange/brown liquid. I'm wondering if chemists might sell it, i think it's included in the ingredients of a either dettol or savlon spray too (though not a good idea on the hair i expect).

I'm interested in this idea, is anyone going to try it?

By the way, that's amazing growth.....i'm assuming your friend must be quite short?

topical iodine still is still able to get into the blood stream, which is my main concern.
And yes traditional iodine is a brown/orange colour also known as betadine but is pure not mixed with other stuff as with detol etc.

I am curious to see if anybody gets any results with this, but as i said before id be very cautious and maybe even seek medical advice prior.

[evampr18]

Okay so I asked my friend and she said de-colorized iodine. She said she only uses 2-3 drops per recipe she makes. And she said it is not necessary. She is 5'3. Slim. I did more research and I saw the Arnica one. I was actually thinking of trying that....Gosh I don't know what I will do , but IF i try this I will definitely keep you all posted. I am going to try and go see my doctor Monday. I have 3 nurse friends and they confirmed that is is used for hair loss, BUT its toxic if used too often.

I tried monistat and my hair grew just a bit then stopped completely which is why i stopped using it. I also mainly stopped using it because I had the worse migraines from it.

P.S. Thankyou so much jojo for all your input. I really appreciate you sharing it with us all.

[podo]

You can also up your iodine intake by just spreading it on your skin and let it fade. Actually, the time it takes to fade is some kind of homemade test of... probably thyroid-related but I don't remember at the moment.

I don't think this would be dangerous unless you have a problem with iodine on its own.

I have too much protein as it is (or maybe just not enough moisture?) so no egg for me, and my hair HATES coconut oil, so none of that either. I've been playing with shea butter.. might try that, jojoba or grapeseed, and iodine. I still have a whole bottle left because I wasn't putting it on my skin like I was supposed to. ;)

But please ask your friend - didn't it dye her scalp? What about color change?

[podo]

I tried monistat and my hair grew just a bit then stopped completely which is why i stopped using it. I also mainly stopped using it because I had the worse migraines from it.

Hah! I thought I was the only one getting headaches! I'm not so strange after all! THANK YOU!!!

[evampr18]

But please ask your friend - didn't it dye her scalp? What about color change?
She uses decolorized iodine. And yea, those head aches were not fun. lol

[<3OnHerSleeve]

She told me that she has done it since she was young and she will cut her hair to her bra strap, then, 4 months later it is tailbone again(I am witness to this). :disgust: She told me she thinks its this recipe of hers. If so, I want some of that cake if you know what i mean. P.S. I am hesitant because I know Iodine is TOXIC.

out of curiousity, as it's toxic if used too frequently, how often does she use this recipe? daily, couple of times a week, weekly?? I'd be interested in trying this for a couple of months for a boost, but I wouldn't be willing to do this for a very long time or permanently.

[Kaichita]

Hello all! I supplement with much, much more than the RDA of Iodine (Lugol's formula) each day before eating. The truth is that many Americans are deficient in this mineral so it requires some super-dosing to get up to normal levels. Please, do your own research on this and ask your doctor, but I have been "super-dosing" for several weeks now and my hair has definitely shown some improvement in both thickness and growth. Also, I seem to be losing weight a bit easier. I was slightly - hypothyroid before, though.

I have never thought of using the iodine topically, on my scalp, but I may lower my internal dose and try that soon!

Thanks for all the interesting input on this topic! :D

[Phalaenopsis]

topical iodine still is still able to get into the blood stream, which is my main concern.
And yes traditional iodine is a brown/orange colour also known as betadine but is pure not mixed with other stuff as with detol etc.

I am curious to see if anybody gets any results with this, but as i said before id be very cautious and maybe even seek medical advice prior.

Is taking kelp dangerous too then?

[Pierre]

I've been taking Lugol's solution for a few weeks. I noticed a change in the texture of my hair on my scalp; looking in the mirror on Saturday I found out that I have a lot of new hairs (the ends are curly, that's what I felt).

[<3OnHerSleeve]

I've been trying this for the past few weeks, so far no bad side effects and I think it's helping a little bit. But I've only been trying it topically once a week, so I'm going to eventually do a trial of 3x a week during Lent and see if it makes more of a difference then. Will post in and let you all know :)

[girlcat36]

I've been using iodine on my scalp for about 3-4 months now. I apply it to areas of thinning with a Q-tip about 3x a week. My hair is shedding less and is thicker(it was pretty thin before).
I use it on my nails about twice a month. Now I have long fingernails, and I have never in my life had long fingernails before this.
All I keep hearing from the medical community is that it is impoosible to be deficient in iodine, but why do I now have hair and nails that are so improved that people are starting to comment?

[MsEvans]

I've been using iodine on my scalp for about 3-4 months now. I apply it to areas of thinning with a Q-tip about 3x a week. My hair is shedding less and is thicker(it was pretty thin before).
I use it on my nails about twice a month. Now I have long fingernails, and I have never in my life had long fingernails before this.
All I keep hearing from the medical community is that it is impoosible to be deficient in iodine, but why do I now have hair and nails that are so improved that people are starting to comment?

That is interesting because I have been trying to avoid iodine altogether. I heard that the amount ingested by eating idonized salt is too much. Do you use the decolored iodine or the regular staining kind?

[LightSabr]

I've heard some success stories with this on alopecia boards. They put decolorized iodine on a cotton ball and rub it into problem areas. I'm interested in trying this, but where does one get it?

[summerjade]

Let us know what kind of iodine and where to get it. I want my hair to grow that fast too!!
Oh, we need the recipe too.

[girlcat36]

That is interesting because I have been trying to avoid iodine altogether. I heard that the amount ingested by eating idonized salt is too much. Do you use the decolored iodine or the regular staining kind?

I used decolorized iodine.

I never salted my food.
My hair always fell out, I never had fingernails, and I was always tired.
In 2007, I had a suspicious 2cm nodule in my thyroid. I ended up having a total thyroidectomy(long story), but my life will never be the same. :( The cyst was benign, but I lost my thyroid and my parathyroid glands in the surgery. It kills me to think that possibly a lack of iodine contributed to the formation of that cyst, and it could have been resolved simply by adding iodine into my diet.

My doctors were unable to regulate my dose of thyroid medicine either until I started taking iodine. The body cannot use thyroid hormone unless sufficient iodine is present.

So I'm way more scared of too little iodine, rather than too much. Iodine is very present in processed foods, but if your diet is lacking in dairy and certain types of seafood, and you stick to a mostly whole foods diet instead of processed foods, you may not be getting adequate iodine.

[girlcat36]

I got mine at CVS pharamacy.

[ladylovecraft]

I'm definitely interested in this... Though I'd like to know what frequency would be good per week before I give it a shot :x

[LightSabr]

girlcat36, you mention added thickness, but how was the growth of the hair with iodine?

[Luna12345]

I saw some iodine at the pharmacy yesterday, is that the one to be used? how much should be used and how long should it stay in the hair???

[wavykisses]

I'm very interested on this, I used to have hyperthyroidism
and the doctor was a about to get me some iodine treatment
but thank God my thyroid problem got under control and didn't do the treatment.

I'm so sorry girlcat36 about your condition, I know how you feel, I went to years
of pills lots of them and the way you feel is terrible. My mom is taking pills too, I'm going to tell her to ask her doctor about it since she has hypothyroidism, my grandma and some of my aunts have it too.

I think is 2-3 drops is a very slow dose and is topical so maybe we are on the safe side.
I really want to try it sounds very interesting.

[pixistixx]

It is absolutely possible to not get enough iodine! I do not use any salt, or eat any processed foods or animal products due to allergies. Our fruits and vegetables do not have enough. I use a tri iodine formula that is 6.5 mg..... way over the recommended amount, so I open up the capsule and sprinkle like 1/8 of that into my water in the AM when I take my other supplements. my thyroid levels are on the low side of normal, a bit lower than they were 3 months ago, and my it always seems enlarged, even when #'s were normal. Since I started using the iodine 2 weeks ago, it feels like it isn't protruding as much.

[lastnite]

can you get the Lugol's iodine in the pharmacy (in the US?) just making sure so I don't look like an idiot asking for it XD

I'm slightly hypothyroid so I wonder if this would work for me. the iodine might work by speeding up your thyroid which aids in growth.

[girlcat36]

girlcat36, you mention added thickness, but how was the growth of the hair with iodine?

I have been microtrimming, so I'm not sure how fast my hair is growing, but it's at least a 1/2" per month, maybe 3/4".
My roots seem to show up way too fast after coloring.
I had a lot of hair loss last year so I'm trying to trim little by little to help the thickness catch up.
I have been at BSL forever.

[girlcat36]

I saw some iodine at the pharmacy yesterday, is that the one to be used? how much should be used and how long should it stay in the hair???

I got mine at the pharmacy, but it was the clear kind not the orange colored one.
I just dip a Q-tip into it and run it over my scalp, mostly on the areas of thinning. I don't rinse it out or anything.


I'm very interested on this, I used to have hyperthyroidism
and the doctor was a about to get me some iodine treatment
but thank God my thyroid problem got under control and didn't do the treatment.

I'm so sorry girlcat36 about your condition, I know how you feel, I went to years
of pills lots of them and the way you feel is terrible. My mom is taking pills too, I'm going to tell her to ask her doctor about it since she has hypothyroidism, my grandma and some of my aunts have it too.

I think is 2-3 drops is a very slow dose and is topical so maybe we are on the safe side.
I really want to try it sounds very interesting.

Thanks, wavykisses! I'm glad you didn't need treatment! With a history of HYPERthyroidism you need to be very careful with iodine!


can you get the Lugol's iodine in the pharmacy (in the US?) just making sure so I don't look like an idiot asking for it XD

I'm slightly hypothyroid so I wonder if this would work for me. the iodine might work by speeding up your thyroid which aids in growth.

I've never seen Lugol's in the pharmacy, but maybe at a health food store?

[susiemw]

All I keep hearing from the medical community is that it is impoosible to be deficient in iodine, ?

the medical people you have been talking to are quacks.

the midwest use to be considered the goiter belt because the soil was deficient in iodine and hypothyroidism and goiters were rampant in this area.

Many people with hypothyroidism (not autoimmune) are deficient in iodine. For some, simply supplementing with iodine
will treat the hypothyroidism.

I'll post some links for you later. But I spent all night in the ER with a relative and need to crash.

Susan

[susiemw]

I've never seen Lugol's in the pharmacy, but maybe at a health food store?

you can buy it online without a prescription...even at amazon.

however, if you can get a medical person to write a script for you it'll be considerably cheaper. When I get mine a 4 oz bottle costs about $22-26. and will last forever.
You'd need to get the script filled at a compounding pharmacy (google to find one in your area)

[PineappleJello]

What parts coconut and egg (I'm guessing 1 egg) does she add to her hair?

[LightSabr]

What parts coconut and egg (I'm guessing 1 egg) does she add to her hair?
I would like to know this too. :bluesmile

[Roscata]

I am very interested in the effects of iodine on hair growth so I looked around for some information on the dangers of its toxicity and safe dosing. I thought I'd share it.

"Acute toxicity
Acute iodine poisoning is rare and usually occurs only with doses of many grams. Symptoms of acute iodine poisoning include burning of the mouth, throat, and stomach; fever; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; a weak pulse; and coma (6).

Iodine excess
It is rare for diets of natural foods to supply more than 2,000 mcg of iodine/day, and most diets supply less than 1,000 mcg of iodine/day. People living in the northern coastal regions of Japan, whose diets contain large amounts of seaweed, have been found to have iodine intakes ranging from 50,000 to 80,000 mcg (50-80 mg) of iodine/day (1)." (Link to original article (http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/iodine/))
__________________________________________________ ____________________

iodine Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Blistering, crusting, irritation, itching, or reddening of skin
Symptoms of overdose (when swallowed)
Abdominal or stomach pain
diarrhea
fever
nausea
not being able to pass urine
thirst, severe
vomiting
(Link to original article (http://www.drugs.com/cons/iodine-topical.html))
__________________________________________________ ____________________

Precautions
Sudden, large doses of iodine may impair the production of thyroid hormones, causing hypothyroidism temporarily in someone with otherwise normal thyroid function. Excessive iodine intake can also increase the risk for other thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's, Graves', certain thyroid cancers, and thyrotoxicosis (a dangerous condition due to an excessive amount of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream). For these reasons, iodine supplementation is not recommended for people who live in areas where iodine levels are sufficient. (Link to original article (http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/iodine.html))
__________________________________________________ ____________________

I couldn't find anything conclusive on the amount of iodine that would be safe to use topically. This is what I found:


Dosing—
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
For topical dosage form (tincture):
For minor bacterial skin infections:
Adults and children 1 month of age and over—Use when necessary, according to the directions on the label or your doctor's instructions. Do not use for more than ten days.
Infants and children under 1 month of age—Use is not recommended.
To help clear up your infection completely, it is very important that you keep using topical iodine for the full time of treatment. Do not miss any doses. (Link to original article (http://drugster.info/drug/medicament/1959/))

[pelicano]

I'm really interested in this, as I tried to supplement with iodine, but my stomach didn't like it. I also remember reading on here recently that someone had used an iodine animal shampoo on their seborrheic dermatitis (which I'm plagued by).

I've never seen decolourised iodine here in the UK...

Edit: this looks interesting:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/285043-sea-kelp-in-hair-treatments/

[alittle722]

This sounds interesting, I think I may try it as well.

[pelicano]

I'm wondering if a little topical iodized salt is a crazy idea?

[sorraia]

Hi Girlcat
I was wondering which iodine recipe/protocol are you using?
The one with coconut oil and eggs or the arnica tincture?
Thank You for sharing

[sorraia]

Hey Girlycat

Never mind my previous post.....I just found on here where you stated you applied it neat 3x week.

In the "Beauty Secrets of India" book by Monisha Bharadwaj the authors Grandmother
sure shot recipe for falling hair was to apply to the scalp on alternate days for four days
a tiny amount of castor oil and iodine. I thought I would give it a try and when I went to buy the iodine the other day I opened the bottle to smell it first and it about knocked me over. It smelled horrible, I mean very toxic, like ammonia. I couldn't bring myself to buy it.

Does the smell linger once you put it on?

[girlcat36]

The smell goes away pretty quickly.

[Shoga]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience girlcat!! This is so interesting. I really want to give it a try.

[sorraia]

Hey Girlcat thanks for getting back w me regarding the smell.

What made you try the iodine treatment?
Have you thought about incorporating the coconut oil mixed with arnica tincture on the alternate days not using the iodine?
I am very much looking forward to seeing the results from your experience with iodine.
Also what shampoo's are you using. I am currently eliminating their use entirely.

[sorraia]

Hey Evamp2

I was curious if you decide to try your friends egg, coconut and iodine recipe?

[Othala]

Since the radioactivity problems in Japan, DH has been making the whole family take a drop of Lugols in acidified water every other day. I was using this stuff in my scalp mix and only got to apply it topically a couple of times before it was requisitioned for internal use.

[Misti]

I have been supplementing (internally) with iodine for about 5 months and I can definitely see the improvement in my hair -- I have a 3 inch halo of baby hairs growing in all over and my scalp cleavage is gone.

I also went from 3 or 4 cups of coffee per morning to just one - -and that because I loev the taste, but more than one makes me jittery. And I am happy with far less sleep than I used to need.

This is where i learned a lot of what I know about iodine supplementation: http://breastcancerchoices.org/iodine.html

One thing -- the US diet is just full of goitrogens and taking iodine flushes those out of your system. The first few weeks I was on iodine, I felt like crap. Then as the bromines were flushed away, I started to feel bettr than I ever have! (Still can't reuce my thyroid dose, though.)

[Shoga]

I hope I’m not embarrassing myself, but I was thinking about Iodine again and was wondering if the colorized kind would make a good hair stain + health boost. If it were mixed with a thick starchy paste it should turn a blue-black color. The bottled stuff is already fairly diluted and then it’ll be further diluted by the paste so I don’t think it’d be an “over-dose” issue? Unless somebody totally debunks this, I might try it on stray hairs for a fun experiment lol. I just don’t know if it’ll stay the blue-black color without the starch ahaha.

[girlcat36]

Hey Girlcat thanks for getting back w me regarding the smell.

What made you try the iodine treatment?
Have you thought about incorporating the coconut oil mixed with arnica tincture on the alternate days not using the iodine?
I am very much looking forward to seeing the results from your experience with iodine.
Also what shampoo's are you using. I am currently eliminating their use entirely.

I have thyroid problems(I am actually thyroidless), and I know iodine is instrumental for thyroid functioning. This is what made me start trying topical iodine. I have an intestinal malabsorption disorder of some kind, so I am always low in nutrients. Thought it might make more sense to feed my scalp directly.
Yes, I use arnica in olive oil and an MSM cream topically on the days I am not using iodine.
I am using Neutrogena shampoo now. I found out through my experience with oil shampoo that I am sensitive to botanical ingredients in my shampoos and conditioners. I was ,losing lots of hair, and it stopped when I switched to Neutrogena or Baby shampoo during my oil shampoo experiment the hairloss dramatically decreased.
I thought I was doing well by using organic botanical shampoos, but what is really best for me is a shampoo with very mild hypoallergenic ingrediants. I tried no shampoo for a while, but my scalp is prone to candida, so that didn't work out too well.

[Slinks]

Is taking kelp dangerous too then?
A BIG yes from me !! I wasn't using it for hair growth tho .. I'm a fitness addict, years ago I was drinking the Kelp for energy, I think I lasted about 4 days before I started gagging, my body's natural reflex for telling me to stop taking it but I forced myself to drink it, after a few more days I noticed I had a sore neck but put it down to muscle stain or sleeping the wrong way .. then one day I woke up with this huge lump on my neck, went to the docs and he said it was a swollen thyroid, I new then that is was the iodine in the Kelp, I told the doc what I had been taking, he sent me off for a 3 needled biopsy .. lucky for me it was just an allergy reaction and I don't have any thyroid problems BUT I now can't eat any seafood at all .. the lump went down about 2 days after i stopped taking the Kelp .. now some 20 years later I do have a little iodised table salt but that's about it .. HTH

[Slinks]

I have an intestinal malabsorption disorder of some kind, so I am always low in nutrients. .

You might be allergic to wheat products Gluten, Wheat, Oats & Barley .. you don't have to be celiac to be allergic to wheat ..

[Firefox7275]

I hope I’m not embarrassing myself, but I was thinking about Iodine again and was wondering if the colorized kind would make a good hair stain + health boost. If it were mixed with a thick starchy paste it should turn a blue-black color. The bottled stuff is already fairly diluted and then it’ll be further diluted by the paste so I don’t think it’d be an “over-dose” issue? Unless somebody totally debunks this, I might try it on stray hairs for a fun experiment lol. I just don’t know if it’ll stay the blue-black color without the starch ahaha.

The RDA is 150mg which is miniscule. Please don't start making up your own routine unless you have a full understanding of what you already take in through food and other routes, and the risks of high doses (which would not be a fun experiment :().

[Firefox7275]

You might be allergic to wheat products Gluten, Wheat, Oats & Barley .. you don't have to be celiac to be allergic to wheat ..

There is no such thing as wheat allergy as wheat is not a substance, it's a mix of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, insoluble fibre and micronutrients. :confused:

[girlcat36]

You might be allergic to wheat products Gluten, Wheat, Oats & Barley .. you don't have to be celiac to be allergic to wheat ..

Negative on the celiac(3 blood tests and endoscopic biopsy), but I am definately gluten intolerant, and probably fructose intolerant(wheat contains fructans). At any rate, I tend to avoid wheat on most days.
I also tested negative to IM injection for wheat allergy--although I did test positive to about 12 other common foods.

[Slinks]

Negative on the celiac(3 blood tests and endoscopic biopsy), but I am definately gluten intolerant, and probably fructose intolerant(wheat contains fructans). At any rate, I tend to avoid wheat on most days.
I also tested negative to IM injection for wheat allergy--although I did test positive to about 12 other common foods.
Yeah, I tested negative too, yet I get hives Oats, a sore throat Gluten, and puffy swollen eyes Wheat .. I don't eat any wheat products at all, everything I eat is wheat and gluten free .. :-)

[sorraia]

I started the iodine treatment last week applying it only to my thin areas
and it has definitely slowed down the shedding. It actually felt very good, a slight
tingling when I first applied it to my scalp. I've been using it every other day alternate days
with castor oil. I plan to back it down to 2x week. My sister is also using it but she is
using a glycerin based iodine she got from her chiropractor. If that works for her I will probably switch over.
Thanks Girlcat for sharing your experience with it.
Also I recently found out I have a wheat allergy as well and have avoided it, making a huge improvement in my digestion.

[RitaCeleste]

Was just going to say people with thyroid problems should avoid iodine, also anybody using this please be careful as by adding extra iodine into your diet can induce hyperthyroidism and goiters and may even trigger autoimmune problems; personally and ive my nurses hat on here for the sake of faster growing hair (if it works) risking your health isn't worth it!

I have hypothyroidism and its horrible!

I was under the impression a lot of goiters were created these days by eating a lot of processed foods made with plain salt rather than iodized salt? Lots of sites recommend natural sea salt and kelp to help with low thyroid functioning. Using iodized salt is very important to keeping your thyroid functioning normally. Some people have found they need the natural iodine in sea salt instead. Now as I've said before, if my hair started to grow faster than 1/2 inch per month, I'd be at the doctors wanting to know what was wrong!!! Rapid hair growth is a symptom of an over-active thyroid. My thyroid is pretty normal thanks in large part to using iodized salt. If I had a problem with cold hands and feet yet had plenty of fat in my diet, the first thing I would go out and buy is sea kelp with natrual iodine in it. In the past this has balanced me without any harm or insane hair growth. I know people are always looking for quicker hair but really if it is growing that fast, someone should see a doctor, its not normal and something could be wrong.

[Finchen]

*Subscribing to this thread*

I have started using Lugol's Iodine on my scalp today, but I diluted it with water as I don't want to have a yellow scalp. I have used 30ml of water + 20 drops of Iodine and filled it in a mist bottle. The quantity should last for 2-3 applications. Will update in a few weeks.

[charalito]

Since I'm waiting for my Lugol to arrive, I used iodine tincture on my hair. I took 20 ml of strong iodine tincture, added about 60 ml water and put it on a spray bottle. I sectioned my hair and sprayed the mixture on the scalp that was showing with the parts. It did stain a bit yellow/orange, like I just did a bad hair dye, but as soon as I had reached the last section of the hair, the stain on the front section was gone (so I started all over again). I was amazed at how quickly my scalp drank the iodine. I think I used about half the bottle!

I have some flakiness issues, like cradle cap but definitely isn't cradle cap, some kind of sebum-y excess. What I usually do is heavy oiling on the scalp one a week to get rid of the flakes. Yesterday with the iodine I could feel some disinfecting going on on the scalp and the flakes are gone. Yay!

Will definitely start supplementing with Lugol taken internally as soon as it arrives and maybe this external tincture scalp treatment twice a month. My scalp feels great!

[Qamar]

I'm definitely trying this! I had 2/3 of my thyroid removed due to a benign tumour (the tumour was large enough that it had cut my airway by over 40&#37; and it was continuing to grow, so I was get it out) and since then am hypothyroid with all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, including hair loss. My hair (never thick) , has thinned by 50%. I have my blood monitored regularly so I'll have that information as I increase my iodine intake with Lugol's applied topically to my scalp. I'm also going to take one drop of Lugol's internally twice a week. I'll report back in a few weeks as I see results or lack thereof.

[Alex Lou]

I have been supplementing (internally) with iodine for about 5 months and I can definitely see the improvement in my hair -- I have a 3 inch halo of baby hairs growing in all over and my scalp cleavage is gone.

I also went from 3 or 4 cups of coffee per morning to just one - -and that because I loev the taste, but more than one makes me jittery. And I am happy with far less sleep than I used to need.

This is where i learned a lot of what I know about iodine supplementation: http://breastcancerchoices.org/iodine.html

One thing -- the US diet is just full of goitrogens and taking iodine flushes those out of your system. The first few weeks I was on iodine, I felt like crap. Then as the bromines were flushed away, I started to feel bettr than I ever have! (Still can't reuce my thyroid dose, though.)
:O

So I might be able to cure my fibrocystic breast disease with iodine. I'd think that I wouldn't be deficient since I do eat processed foods and salt.

Wasn't sure about the site you linked, so I found this:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8221402

I'll have to look more into it and it may involve a discussion with my doctor.

[sorraia]

AlexLou and Qamar
Another option to Lugols is Iodoral,
It is what I am currently using and very happy with.
http://www.iherb.com/Optimox-Corporation-Iodoral-90-Tablets/23903?at=0

[sorraia]

More Info on Iodoral

http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Iodoral.htm

Read 103 customer reviews here:
http://www.amazon.com/Iodoral-12-5-mg-90-tabs/product-reviews/B000WG3FU4/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

[Misti]

:O

So I might be able to cure my fibrocystic breast disease with iodine. I'd think that I wouldn't be deficient since I do eat processed foods and salt.


I'm not a doctor, but from what I have read, it sounds possible.

But the processed foods may well be inhibiting your iodine levels since many of them contain bromines, which is toxic and displaces iodine.

[Misti]

AlexLou and Qamar
Another option to Lugols is Iodoral,
It is what I am currently using and very happy with.
http://www.iherb.com/Optimox-Corporation-Iodoral-90-Tablets/23903?at=0

That's what I use, actually. I am weaning myself from the higher dose to the lower now that I've been taking it for six months.

Once I'm on the lower dose for a while, though, I am thinking about adding lugol to my scalp once a week or so...

[Qamar]

I painted a test patch of regular brownish iodine on my arm and the colour completely dissapeared in under an hour. No reaction aside from really rapid absorption.

Thank you for the links on Iodorol! I'm off to explore them now.

[FullMoonTrim]

I'm subscribing to this thread too!! Very interesting information and I would love to see what kind of results people have.
I have Lugols iodine that I have been painting on my skin for a few months (a few times a week). I have also been using vitamineral green (internal greens product) with kelp in it.
I am going to make a mixture using the iodine to apply topically. I will add it to castor oil and apply it to my scalp (especially where it seems to be thinning in the front).
I will also try adding Arnica Oil to my hair, I just heard about it from a woman whose German hairstylist has been using it forever for hair growth! I can't wait! :)

[swearnsue]

Found this older thread and I'm curious how everyone is doing with their iodine experiments. Did you all get increased growth? How are you using the iodine and what kind? I have some Betadine on hand but it sounds like most of you were getting Lugol's Solution.

[FullMoonTrim]

I would also like to hear how people are doing with this one!

[thirstylocks]

I wonder if this will work on my eyebrows?

[<3OnHerSleeve]

I experienced some hair growth but I didn't use it religiously and I also was doing everything else to help my hair growth so I don't know whether to attribute it to any particular part of my hair regime or to my overall hair regime working together. It also might be one of those things that only works if people already have an iodine deficiency so I was taking it in supplement form as well.

[barely.there]

I use iodine semi-regularly in tablet form as it is derived from kelp. 250 MICROGRAMS per tablet. It is important for developing babies....about as important as iron. check out this study done by the Swiss: http://e-collection.library.ethz.ch/eserv/eth:26314/eth-26314-02.pdf

of course, even for pregnant women, I would not recommend more than 500 mcg daily. anything above that, I have not found enough evidence to support its need.

Many North Americans are very deficient in iodine. Table salt is actually filtered to take the iodine out. I understand that people with hyperthyroidism do NOT need iodine. however, small doses of it taken every day over a few months can help those with hypothyroidism. usually those with hypothyroidism are overweight, and I have advised a few people to take iodine supplements, and they have since lost a significant amount of weight, and felt better/more energy. I find it also helps stabilize moods.

if you want iodine, but yet are concerned about consuming too much, I would advise eating it in your foods, like sushi (kelp wraps) and other dark leafy greens - which have enormous health benefits in themselves other than just iodine.

Iodine also helps protect against some forms of radiation.

[GRU]

Sooooo much medical misinformation in this thread as a whole.

Long story short, discuss this with your healthcare provider first. I say this as both a hypothyroid patient and as a nursing student.

[StubbornLocks]

GRU, as a medical student, if there is something you would not recommend doing, what exactly is that? I wanted to give this a try but dont't want to if there is any potential risk. Could iodine be harmful when doing the treament only let's say once a month?

[GRU]

GRU, as a medical student, if there is something you would not recommend doing, what exactly is that? I wanted to give this a try but dont't want to if there is any potential risk. Could iodine be harmful when doing the treament only let's say once a month?

I'm not licensed to give health advice, which is why I recommend discussing this with your doctor. I will say that I know of no medical reason why topical application of iodine to healthy skin(scalp) would increase the rate of hair growth.

If there is a systemic hormonal deficiency (hypothyroidism) that is affecting hair growth, that needs to be addressed with a qualified healthcare provider.

[StubbornLocks]

OK, thank you for your answer anyway.

[barely.there]

Hairloss is a very common symptom of thyroid problems. So taking iodine may or may not help with hair growth - it would depend if you had a problem with your thyroid or not, and if you do, what sort of problem it is. Iodine would not help all thyroid problems as it works against those with hyperthyroidism (hyper fast working thyroid), but helpful to those with hypothyroidism (slow working thyroid). Iodine is essential for the making of the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). You can also take Tyrosine supplements alongside Iodine. Tyrosine is an amino acid and is found in many high protein foods (both plant and animal) as it takes both Iodine and Tyrosine to create T3 and T4.

You can do a basic google search for "thyroid problems hair loss" and expand your search from there.

Thyroid problems can also cause clinical depression.

[girlcat36]

Iodine is antifungal and antibacterial. Theoretically, it could help stop shedding when used topically if the shedding were caused by, say, a fungus on the scalp.

***disclaimer*** I am NOT dispensing medical advice or advising the use of iodine.

[clairenewcastle]

I've recently started taking kelp tablets as a source of iodine in the hope it makes my hair grow.

[Silver Swan]

I read up on this thread before I got pregnant, and in my first meeting with my midwife I learned something interesting - my government is now recommending (and funding) iodine supplementation to all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. (This is new since I had my first baby 16mths ago) The soil in New Zealand is deficient in iodine, and although we have iodine ADDED to our salt, I don't really cook/use salt much, and had been thinking of trying iodine supplementation anyway.

So, I'll let you know if it makes any obvious difference to my hair growth. :)

I've just checked the dosage I am taking and it is 150 micrograms per day.

[barely.there]

.....and although we have iodine ADDED to our salt...



hehe. sorry. I meant that table salt is deficient in iodine. there are so many different kinds of salt! we buy the sea salt with iodine in it. :P

[Silver Swan]

hehe. sorry. I meant that table salt is deficient in iodine. there are so many different kinds of salt! we buy the sea salt with iodine in it. :P

(Just to clarify what I meant)
You are right, pure salt (NaCl) doesn't generally contain iodine. However in NZ, due to our iodine deficient soil, and by govenment legislation almost all our standard table salt has iodine added to it. It would actually be pretty hard to find salt without it! They have also recently decided that all bread should have folic acid added to it, which I find kind of weird.

Sea salt is indeed the yummiest. :)

[lastnite]

has anyone done the topical iodine and lost weight? :) it's supposed to boost your thyroid, right? that might be why it's good for hair growth.

[girlcat36]

I did topical iodine, but my weight stayed the same. I don't have a thyroid, so I'm on replacement hormone.
I had really good luck putting decolorized iodine on my fingernails. They grew super fast. You put it on everyday for week, then every other day for a week, then once a week for a month or two.

[Kelikea]

Excess iodine is excreted through your pores. The particles can get trapped, causing breakouts. I have this happen sometimes, so I carefully look through the vitamins I take and try not to get multi-vitamins that contain iodine. If I take some for a while, my face will get red and have cystic-like acne. The only kind I seem to tolerate is the iodine/spirulina in Spiru-tein. But If I drink it everyday or in addition to any other supplement containing iodine, I will begin to break out again. I always buy salt that is not iodized. And when I do drink the spiru-tein on a regular basis, I do not notice an increase in hair growth.

[Cheveux en péta]

I use my Iodoral on and off to help my hypothyroidism and to raise my temperature. Never heard of this one though.