Did the top 6 work for you?

Sorry, very direct title I know! lol

It's just that, I have reached a point now where I am pulling out all the stops to kill my loss, because I believe it is still going, and I would love to find out like, concisely how many people experienced real results on the top 6. As far as logic dictates as far as I can see, the top 6 is a great collection of supplements and should make a difference, but then MPB is a complex thing and I am still learning about some of the intricacies of it.

So yes anyway, simple thread really, just wondering who here has tried the top 6 (for a reasonable period of time, say 3 months or so), and whether or not you had success!

Hoppi


- Again sorry for being so direct about this CS, I'm just mega curious! Thing is I've been looking into so many things recently even RU and fluridil, but it's just because I'm scared of losing more, not because I would hesitate to jump on the IH regimen in it's entirety if I was sure it would work on me! Anyway, I'll make a poll and we can see what happens! This should be cool

Hoppi - I don't know of any regimen, except in best case scenarios that will produce results in so short a time for this type of condition.

I've worked in most cases of degenerative disease, and hair loss is among the most complex and challenging. The reason is that the underlying causes are different.

We know that blocking DHT is effective for up to 60% of the balding population, yet we also know that the effects of this diminish over time.

Inflammation comes from all angles, and because many cases of hair loss are cicatricial (scarring) and/or fibrosis, it takes much longer than 6-months to even approach tissue remodeling.

In short, I'm not sure this poll will do anything except create confusion. Atherosclerotic lesions cannot be reversed in so short a time, and some cases of hair are the same, it takes some time. In my case, I've been battling hair loss for 20 years, 15 of those years with some knowledge or education. It took a solid year and a half with most of the current regimen intact (it has changed over the years) to really make a good difference.

Here is a sobering message from an orthodox point of view:

Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2010 Jun;11(:1295-304.
Male androgenetic alopecia.

Rathnayake D, Sinclair R.

Department of Dermatology, St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria 3065, Australia.
Abstract

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Androgenetic alopecia affects up to 80% of males by the age of 80. The synonym 'male-pattern hair loss' highlights the fact that hair loss occurs in a defined and reproducible pattern. Hair loss results in reduced self esteem, loss of confidence and anxiety in affected men. An effective treatment for hair baldness would be desirable. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: In androgenetic alopecia, hair follicles undergo progressive miniaturization. Genetic factors and androgens play a major role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Polymorphism of the androgen receptor gene was first identified in association with androgenetic alopecia. Identification of new susceptibility genes on chromosomes 3q26 and 20p11 suggest that non-androgen-dependent pathways also are involved. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: Topical monoxidil and oral finasteride are commonly in use and have FDA approval for the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia; dutasteride, a type I and II 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, is on hold in Phase III trials. A combination of medical treatment and hair transplant surgery has shown superior efficacy. TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: Androgenetic alopecia is a progressive condition and although the current available treatments are effective in arresting the progression of the disease, they allow only partial regrowth of hair at its best. Early treatment achieves the best desirable outcome.

So, basically we are all screwed! FDA approved drugs will only slow down the progression, and the natural approach may not work at all.
CS: you have been fighting hair loss naturally for 15 years now, and if I remember correctly you are in your early 40s. How would you rate your success? Judging from some of your photos, I believe you are a defuse thinner in a NW4-5 pattern. Has the affected area of your scalp improved over the last 15 years? That is, have you grown hair and managed to keep it. Are you still slowly losing ground?
I do believe that the Top-6 will have a positive impact on one’s health. So, at least we will be healthier, if not happier.

im around 7 months into this and im still learnin everyday. ive taken alot of stuff (no poisons) and im still tryin to narrow it down to which are most effective for me. so far ive got what seems to be decent vellus growth on the right side of my hairline growing very slowly. i never noticed shedding just a thinning hairline. i honestly think i can regrow my hairline, it might take a year or two but i still have a few hairs from my original teenage hairline.

KAPTUNKRUNK - May I ask your age and how long you have been battling hairloss? I will be 47 next month and have been trying to hang on to my hair for 12 years now. I have been on the top six and everything else I can think or have read about for the last three and to be honest, my hair loss has increased over the last three. The increase is probably due to the fact that I stopped applying Xandrox (Rogain) 1.5 years ago, and have been on and off Propecia for the last year or so. I don't have much hope of keeping my hair, but we have to keep trying.

The top 6 (and a few other supps) and a clean diet have kept my hairloss at bay for the past year and a half. It's to the point where I don't even think about it that much anymore. What's funny is that because I don't worry about hairloss that much anymore, I visit this forum much less frequently than I used to. I wonder if that kind of "selection bias" would also influence your poll results.

my hairline was thinning noticeably (to me atleast) in 06, im 28 now. didn't really start to learn about it until last fall. im not sure i may be around a nw 1.5 pattern?

HairSeeker - If all the basic tenants are covered, stopping hair loss is far greater than drug 'therapy.'

I second CS that it takes a while before your loss will stop, because the loss is really just a symptom of underlying health problems. Drugs cover symptoms up, so you can take dutasteride and basically stop the symptom. The catch is that with drugs comes side-side effects and possible further health problems. They aren't a long term solution because they don't fix the problem.

When you go to the root of the problem (whatever it is for you... metals, thyroid, insulin resistance, etc.) then the body takes time (often years) to completely heal. I personally only have a snail-paced recession of the hairline after about 2 years of supplements. I dropped the dutasteride for months, and if I wasn't eating right and taking supplements, I would have lost much more at the hairline than I did (few milimeters maybe).

I haven't been able to completely stop the loss naturally because I'm not 100% physically yet (still have metals to rid, adrenals to heal, etc.) but I believe it is possible, and I think eventually I will be able to stop the 5-AR inhibition without further recession. For the time being I've decided to go back on dutasteride at a lower/less frequent dose, as a temporary band-aid. It's reassuring to know that the diet and supplements are enough to seriously slow further loss down though if I have to take a break again.

It's been said before, but this is basically a whole life-style change/approach. All the health benefits and education are rewarding enough to where anything positive hair-wise is just an added bonus. Once you learn how to be more healthy and that you aren't in the good health you might have thought, then I don't really see how you could just dismiss these supplements and diet changes based on hair alone. Like most things in life, this is more complicated than it seems and not really that black and white.

The supps have stopped my hairloss and given slight regrowth. I am 21 years old and was very skeptical going into this regime but it has changed my life. The top 6 didnt work for me completely until i added iosol. Then everything was resolved.

The only thing that matters is whether or not the top six work for you, Hoppi. And you will never know until you stop flying around this forum like Elizabeth Montgomery on a broomstick, settle your ass down, try the recommended supplements, and share your experiences after four - six months.

By the way, despite your pleas to the contrary, the title of this thread is obnoxious.

And so very true, lol.

Hipp - your signal to noise ratio is getting ridiculous, I've held off from saying this for a while, assuming you would calm down, but you are adding a lot of confusion to the community right now.

Hoppi - I totally support The Natural in suggesting that you should use more reserve when posting. Some of your behavior seems to seriously borderline on disorganized schizophrenia. I mean no offense, its just this is very apparent.

Tackling hair loss is ultimately a lifestyle change. The top 6 will benefit everyone, but won't by itself stop aggressive mpb(unless you're lucky). Attitude, stress, diet, exercise all play a role....basically the whole way you perceive and live life has to be resolved into living more harmoniously.

This whole forum is based upon the fundamental basis of discussing and discovering what it takes to achieve health. We have all been brought here through a common ailment, hair loss, but with this apparent curse it has brought to light blessing for those who take this opportunity to expand our consciousness in relation to the world around us. This is what this forum is about.

This forum welcomes your input, but although I know you mean well and have good intent, I must say this poll is trivial at best and won't really be of any value to you or anyone.

I dunno, you're really not finding it interesting seeing success stories and a poll based around the top 6?

I was actually searching the forums and found some things under "success stories" in thread titles, or "success", but nothing specifically talking about the top 6, and it felt like a very logical thread to make.

Maybe the 3 month period was a bit short though, to be honest I think I was using that as a kind of magic number, as that is the period usually required for hair regrowth etc, but a regimen like this also requires changes in overall body health, so I would imagine it will take longer.

I'm also totally with you 1.... in adding Iosol, as that should boost the thyroid-correcting effect. It would be dependent on the individual though the extent to which this would help.

So far I believe the results are looking quite positive, which is a really good thing to see, as personally I do think the IH line-up is great and was really hoping this poll would reflect that

I've been on the top 6 plus Lugol's (+ancillaries) for just under 3 months. My diet has always been 'good', although the definition of 'good' has changed through the years according to my own research and current trends. My most recent changes include gluten reduction and an increase in raw and cultured foods (like kefir etc), more sea food and less stress. I think that it is too early to make a judgement not only because of the slow hair growth cycle, but because this problem has been going on for at least ten years now. There has been some strengthening of existing hair (including vellus), but no major regrowth. My libido seems to be consistently higher now (after recovering from natural DHT blockers like fermented soy, pumkin seed oil, nettle root etc), but I'm trying to abstain from excessive sexual activity. The DHT blockers gave me a very low sex drive and watery semen - very HORRIBLE side effects. I'm waiting for someone to tell me that my hair is improving - then I'll know for sure!

Next project is heavy metal reduction. I'm interested in the recent posting regarding the use of oils to clear the scalp of debris. I have tried using oils in the past, but found that compliance was a pain and it gave my (grade 1 shaved) scalp too much shine. Can anybody recommend a good way of cleansing the scalp without inducing scalp shine?

Hopi. Am I right in saying that you have only just started the IH top 6? Keep with it and just see how it goes. I hope futuristically that I can reduce the amount of supplementation once I know the fundamental cause(s).

MAO

IF the top 6 doesn't work for someone, there is always a laser helmet + clay which stopped hairloss and gave slight regrowth for me

1..... wrote:IF the top 6 doesn't work for someone, there is always a laser helmet + clay which stopped hairloss and gave slight regrowth for me

I thought you said the Top 6 and Iosol stopped your hair loss. You mentioned it earlier in this thread.

1..... wrote:The supps have stopped my hairloss and given slight regrowth. I am 21 years old and was very skeptical going into this regime but it has changed my life. The top 6 didnt work for me completely until i added iosol. Then everything was resolved.

I find it interesting that this post came from the person who was trolling the forum here for a "business partner" since he figured he had a topical product he could sell soon, yet had no results to show or product to speak of.

I really think a "time out" is in order here. He's creating a lot of noise (as another poster said) in this forum and if anyone new comes in here looking for advice they are going to think he knows what he's talking about just from the sheer amount of times he posts in here.

There are times I come in here and all the posts are by him talking to himself. It's getting a bit ridiculous.

1..... wrote:IF the top 6 doesn't work for someone, there is always a laser helmet + clay which stopped hairloss and gave slight regrowth for me

Yeah for the first time I've found myself thinking about laser helmets, it seemed a bit like.. you know time consuming and a little unusual as an approach at first, but I do keep hearing about them from people who have had a lot of success, and they are catching my eye now. I'll have a read about them on OverMachoGrande and see what I think about the whole thing! I wonder how it will work through my still quite thick/long hair, though dude it's thinning still which sucks ass lol

Question though, what is this about clay? I haven't really heard about that before - is it to remove sebum?

Cheers dude

and wow these IH6 results are looking epic! To be honest you know one of the main reasons I had such doubts about the IH6 is a certain person on HLT talking about the lack of success stories, things like that, and so of course I got all doubtful about the whole thing! This thread is quite illuminating though I'm really glad it's going so well

Man I feel kind of bad since sometimes I drive CS insane with my messages. Hoppi your lucky CS has the patience of a saint. Question him if you want, but don't judge results in this regard.

Hoppipolla wrote:This thread is quite illuminating though I'm really glad it's going so well

Yes, and I sure hope that you have learned a thing or two about yourself, Hoppi. As I stated a while ago, you have some issues unrelated to hair loss that should be addressed at your earliest convenience.

The Internet has plenty of places (e.g. myspace, facebook) for one to blog their schizophrenic musings. I don't believe this to be one of them though. And it certainly not a place for you to question ("doubt") the efficacy of a regimen that you are much too busy (blogging) to even try for an extended period of time.

hadrion wrote:I find it interesting that this post came from the person who was trolling the forum here for a "business partner" since he figured he had a topical product he could sell soon, yet had no results to show or product to speak of.

I really think a "time out" is in order here. He's creating a lot of noise (as another poster said) in this forum and if anyone new comes in here looking for advice they are going to think he knows what he's talking about just from the sheer amount of times he posts in here.

There are times I come in here and all the posts are by him talking to himself. It's getting a bit ridiculous.

It's not just this site...a couple other sites I've visited, hoppi posts in nearly every thread talking about how he's "on IH top 6" and uses "mild fin to take the edge off" and how everybody needs to get on iodine.

No offense dude, but while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery you are not an expert (I dare so NOBODY is an expert, though IH, JDP, Nid, OMG etc have a ton of experience and promising treatments)

I value this site because it lists alternative treatments directed at correcting issues at their root. Lets face it, we're not going to be able to rub some topical on our scalp or pop a pill or 2, have a full head of rockstar hair, and continue to eat crap, drink like a fish, and smoke like a chimney. As the body goes, so does the hair.

I have to agree with Xyion1 regarding health and hair loss. If one's health improves, so should the hair. The trick is identifying the root cause and developing a plan to bring balance back to the affected system(s). This is proving very difficult. There is a lot of trial and error.