An observation regarding Nizoral.

Whenever I use Nizoral 1% ( even 2 % ) in the past after a minute or two of massaging it in the scalp I tend to get tingly sensation followed by itching all over? It is gone once I rinse my hair in cold shower. Has anyone else experienced this???

Any thoughts??

Nocturnalhorse wrote:

Any thoughts??

Nizoral works to reverse baldness in multiple ways. First it helps lower the hormones associated with MPB: SHBG-bound-DHT and SHBG-bound-estradiol. These hormones increase the size of the sebaceous gland, which then secretes sebum. Ketoconazole (the active ingredient in Nizoral) is shown to shrink the sebaceous-glands and reduce sebum. Secondly it works to kill the fungus which eats your sebum and causes inflammation; P.Ovale. Lastly it has a direct anti-inflammatory effect. So the tingly feeling might be the fungus being killed or some kind of anti-inflammatory action or maybe even dead-skin-cell shedding, which is a very important and a often forgotten step in reversing baldness.

misterE wrote:

Nocturnalhorse wrote:

Any thoughts??

Nizoral works to reverse baldness in multiple ways. First it helps lower the hormones associated with MPB: SHBG-bound-DHT and SHBG-bound-estradiol. These hormones increase the size of the sebaceous gland, which then secretes sebum. Ketoconazole (the active ingredient in Nizoral) is shown to shrink the sebaceous-glands and reduce sebum. Secondly it works to kill the fungus which eats your sebum and causes inflammation; P.Ovale. Lastly it has a direct anti-inflammatory effect. So the tingly feeling might be the fungus being killed or some kind of anti-inflammatory action or maybe even dead-skin-cell shedding, which is a very important and a often forgotten step in reversing baldness.

Thanx man!

Nocturnalhorse wrote:
Thanx man!

You bet!

How many times a week can I safely use Nizoral 1%? What is your opinion of Dr Bronners peppermint soap for hair?

Nocturnalhorse wrote:How many times a week can I safely use Nizoral 1%? What is your opinion of Dr Bronners peppermint soap for hair?

I use both about twice a week for a couple of minuets.

misterE wrote:

Nocturnalhorse wrote:How many times a week can I safely use Nizoral 1%? What is your opinion of Dr Bronners peppermint soap for hair?

I use both about twice a week for a couple of minuets.

Great! Will add peppermint soap in my regime besides nizoral.

Nizoral itself is complete garbage in my opinion, and did nothing for my scalp but dry it out and leave it feeling generally nasty. If you're itching after using it, and this goes away with a rinse, you are probably sensitive to one or more of the myriad chemicals in it. There's better ways of getting ketoconazole onto your scalp if ketoconazole is something you're hellbent on using, without all the chemicals in Nizoral.

Personally, I feel like ketoconazole is overrated in every sense, but that's just because 7 months of using it did fuck all for my dandruff and hair loss. There's better options out there, by far.

TheFunkyStumpfighter wrote:Nizoral itself is complete garbage in my opinion, and did nothing for my scalp but dry it out and leave it feeling generally nasty. If you're itching after using it, and this goes away with a rinse, you are probably sensitive to one or more of the myriad chemicals in it. There's better ways of getting ketoconazole onto your scalp if ketoconazole is something you're hellbent on using, without all the chemicals in Nizoral.

Personally, I feel like ketoconazole is overrated in every sense, but that's just because 7 months of using it did fuck all for my dandruff and hair loss. There's better options out there, by far.

I don't know man. I have been using Nizoral for quite a while now. Have used both 1 and 2 %. I feel it really cleans my scalp and my hair feels much thicker afterwards. I wash my hair and follow it up with a light head massage for 10 mins. My hair feels great. Either ways I use it only twice a week.

Might I recommend Revita shampoo, which contains 1% ketoconazole. I have been using it almost everyday for about 10 months now, and it virtually eliminated the inflamed/irritated feeling I had before using it. I have experienced no drying/itching/shedding while using it thus far. The price has also come down a bit since I started. Amazon is listing it for around $18 a bottle right now.

The itching and inflammation comes from P.Ovale, a fungus that lives on top of your head (because that is a rich source of sebaceous-glands) and eats sebum. Your body knows the P.Ovale is there and is attacking it with inflammation, which then causes hair loss. Ketoconazole, the active ingredient in Nizoral and Revita is shown to kill the P.Ovale, which is why ketocoazole decreases inflammation.

Also another good tip to help fight P.Ovale is to starve them of their food (sebum) by decreasing your sebaceous-activities using a dairy-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, high-fiber complex-carb diet.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the Lithium/DMOS added to shampoo is just as effective if not better than NIZ? A lot cheaper to.

so Yay or Nay for nizoral?

Yes, use Nizoral. It is relatively cheap, and has a track record. It increases the density of the hair in terms of increased hair shaft diameter. This means it is doing at least something to reverse miniaturization. However head and shoulders gives higher overall hair count (more fraction of hair in growth stage) at the end of the trial where the two were compared. H&S, however did nothing to stop miniaturization, didn't increase the weight of the hair, didn't increase the hair shaft diameter. The is another anti-fungal shampoo containing piroctone olamine which is similar to ketoconazole, and out performs it on a few parameters. You could rotate between those two or just use the PO one.

Nudging hair shedding by antidandruff shampoos. A comparison of 1% ketoconazole, 1% piroctone olamine and 1% zinc pyrithione formulations.

Piérard-Franchimont C, Goffin V, Henry F, Uhoda I, Braham C, Piérard GE.

Department of Dermatopathology, University Medical Center Sart Tilman, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.

Hair shedding and hair thinning have been reported to be affected by dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. The present study was conducted in 150 men presenting with telogen effluvium related to androgenic alopecia associated with dandruff. They were randomly allocated to three groups receiving each one of the three shampoos in the market containing either 1% ketoconazole (KTZ), 1% piroctone olamine (PTO) or 1% zinc pyrithione (ZPT). Shampoos had to be used 2-3 times a week for 6 months. Hair shedding during shampoo was evaluated semiquantitatively. Hair density on the vertex was evaluated on photographs using a Dermaphot. Trichograms were used for determining the anagen hair percentage and the mean proximal hair shaft diameter using computerized image analysis. The sebum excretion rate (SER, mug cm(-2) h(-1)) was also measured using a Sebumeter((R)). The three treatments cleared pruritus and dandruff rapidly. At end point, hair density was unchanged, although hair shedding was decreased (KTZ: -17.3%, PTO: -16.5%, ZPT: -10.1%) and the anagen hair percentage was increased (KTZ: 4.9%, PTO: 7.9%, ZPT: 6.8%). The effect on the mean hair shaft diameter was contrasted between the three groups of volunteers (KTZ: 5.4%, PTO: 7.7%, ZPT: -2.2%). In conclusion, telogen effluvium was controlled by KTZ, PTO and ZPT shampoos at 1% concentration. In addition, KTZ and PTO increased the mean hair shaft thickness while discretely decreasing the sebum output at the skin surface.

At completion of the 6-month trial, the hair
density reached 296 22/cm' (+ 18%) in the KCZ
group and 306 29/CM2 (+11%) in the
minoxidil + unmedicated shampoo group. A 7%
increase in the median hair shaft diameter was
yielded by both the KCZ shampoo and
minoxidil + unmedicated shampoo combination
(fig. 3). The bimodal distribution in the values
of hair shaft diameter was still present. A
19.4% decrease in the mean sebaceous gland
area was observed in the KCZ group (fig. 4). In
contrast, the same variable
increased by 5.3 % in the minoxidil + unmedicated
shampoo group. A negative linear
correlation between hair shaft diameter and
sebaceous gland area was still present at completion
of the study (fig. 2).
Discussion
AGA is the androgenically driven hair loss
in genetically predisposed adults. An inflammatory
infiltrate rich in immunocompetent
T lymphocytes is also present in the balding
area [1, 2]. It has been postulated that both
hormonal and immunoregulatory mechanisms act
synergistically to potentiate follicular injury in
AGA [I]. The reason why immunocompetent T
cells abut on the external root sheath of transitional
AGA hairs remains elusive. However, lipophilic
microorganisms harbored in the infundibulum
might represent the triggering factor [2]. KCZ was
tested in AGA because it is active against
Malassezia spp. and Stapkvlococcus spp.
which are part of the scalp microflora. It also
shows some direct anti- inflammatory effect [7-91.
The reduction in 'hair volume' is a notable
feature of AGA. It depends on the hair number per
unit area, hair diameter and duration of the anagen
phase. PI and cross-section analysis of punch
biopsies explored these aspects of the hair status.
Left untreated, androgen-dependent alopecia
progressively deteriorates [151. This was found in
the AGA subgroup using the nonmedicated
shampoo
alone. In contrast, both present studies concur to
show an unequivocable effect of a 2% KCZ
shampoo on hair variables affected by AGA. Hair
density and size, and proportion of anageD
follicles were all improved. Although the number
of subjects was limited in the second study, results
obtained with KCZ shampoo compare with
rninoxidil. It has been stated that medications
capable of maintaining the existing hair population
should be regarded as effective treatments for
AGA [ 15 ]. The present data suggest that KCZ
should enter this group of drugs. This indication is
also supported by the fact that sebumetric analysis
and morphometric evaluation of the volume of
sebaceous glands indicate a trend in the decrease
in sebum production by KCZ. Such a
seboregulatory effect of KCZ has previously been
suggested [161. However, a more recent study did
not uncover such an aspect but rather indicated an
increase in scalp lipid content after a 4-week
treatment of seborrheic dermatitis [17]. This
finding was explained
by the improvement of sebum delivery
onto the skin surface as a result of the elimination
of the follicular occlusion. It could also be argued
that the squarnes present at entry of the study
served as a reservoir to sebum, thus artificially
reducing the measurable sebum flow at the skin
surface


So it's better than 2% minoxidil, and without the unsightly side effects on the skin / face that comes with minoxidil.

LawOfThelema wrote:At completion of the 6-month trial, the hair
density reached 296 22/cm' (+ 18%) in the KCZ
group and 306 29/CM2 (+11%) in the
minoxidil + unmedicated shampoo group. A 7%
increase in the median hair shaft diameter was
yielded by both the KCZ shampoo and
minoxidil + unmedicated shampoo combination
(fig. 3). The bimodal distribution in the values
of hair shaft diameter was still present. A
19.4% decrease in the mean sebaceous gland
area was observed in the KCZ group (fig. 4). In
contrast, the same variable
increased by 5.3 % in the minoxidil + unmedicated
shampoo group. A negative linear
correlation between hair shaft diameter and
sebaceous gland area was still present at completion
of the study (fig. 2).
Discussion
AGA is the androgenically driven hair loss
in genetically predisposed adults. An inflammatory
infiltrate rich in immunocompetent
T lymphocytes is also present in the balding
area [1, 2]. It has been postulated that both
hormonal and immunoregulatory mechanisms act
synergistically to potentiate follicular injury in
AGA [I]. The reason why immunocompetent T
cells abut on the external root sheath of transitional
AGA hairs remains elusive. However, lipophilic
microorganisms harbored in the infundibulum
might represent the triggering factor [2]. KCZ was
tested in AGA because it is active against
Malassezia spp. and Stapkvlococcus spp.
which are part of the scalp microflora. It also
shows some direct anti- inflammatory effect [7-91.
The reduction in 'hair volume' is a notable
feature of AGA. It depends on the hair number per
unit area, hair diameter and duration of the anagen
phase. PI and cross-section analysis of punch
biopsies explored these aspects of the hair status.
Left untreated, androgen-dependent alopecia
progressively deteriorates [151. This was found in
the AGA subgroup using the nonmedicated
shampoo
alone. In contrast, both present studies concur to
show an unequivocable effect of a 2% KCZ
shampoo on hair variables affected by AGA. Hair
density and size, and proportion of anageD
follicles were all improved. Although the number
of subjects was limited in the second study, results
obtained with KCZ shampoo compare with
rninoxidil. It has been stated that medications
capable of maintaining the existing hair population
should be regarded as effective treatments for
AGA [ 15 ]. The present data suggest that KCZ
should enter this group of drugs. This indication is
also supported by the fact that sebumetric analysis
and morphometric evaluation of the volume of
sebaceous glands indicate a trend in the decrease
in sebum production by KCZ. Such a
seboregulatory effect of KCZ has previously been
suggested [161. However, a more recent study did
not uncover such an aspect but rather indicated an
increase in scalp lipid content after a 4-week
treatment of seborrheic dermatitis [17]. This
finding was explained
by the improvement of sebum delivery
onto the skin surface as a result of the elimination
of the follicular occlusion. It could also be argued
that the squarnes present at entry of the study
served as a reservoir to sebum, thus artificially
reducing the measurable sebum flow at the skin
surface


So it's better than 2% minoxidil, and without the unsightly side effects on the skin / face that comes with minoxidil.

What minoxidil side effects do you speak of?

Nizoral is horrible shampoo, imo. I've also used Regenepure and Revita. I don't know which I'd recommend of the 2 if I had to choose. Probably Revita. Personally I'd recommend using a ketoconazole foam or spray over anything if you wanted to use ketoconazole.

I've heard Niz makes your hair like straw. Keto Cream is a pain in the ass to acquire in the states. It's Rx only. I suppose you can find it on in house pharmacy. I've thought to try revita but I am seeing if the equol I am taking as a standalone does anything before I add more.

What minoxidil side effects do you speak of?

Dark circles under the eyes, puffy face, etc. From hearsay of course. If I'd use growth stim I'd use latanoprost or bimatoprost, which are more effective, albeit considerably more expensive (similar side effect profile tho). AHK-CU Copper peptide seems to be a cheap alternative to minoxidil.

LawOfThelema wrote:I've heard Niz makes your hair like straw.

It really does. When i used it 2 years ago it would make my hair feel/look like straw...it would feel thicker but with a straw like texture.

There are some people that use it every day which i couldn't imagine doing.

^ not only that, but some of those guys leave the shit in for hours prior to showering, which is truly silly. At that point they are using it as tho it were keto cream. I really wouldnt want the surfacants in a shampoo to sit on my scalp for hours.

Revita is easier on the hair from what I've heard.

theseeker86 wrote:

LawOfThelema wrote:I've heard Niz makes your hair like straw.

It really does. When i used it 2 years ago it would make my hair feel/look like straw...it would feel thicker but with a straw like texture.

There are some people that use it every day which i couldn't imagine doing.

We had the same experience... It was long ago when I stopped using it.

Just ordered regenepure dr and nt will let you know my thoughts when it arrives I have been using Nizoral for a few years now and yes my hair is straw feeling BUT i use a natural conditioner after, which solves the itchy scalp and dryness associated with nizoral. The conditioner is http://www.delorenzo.com.au/online/range/scalp-concerns/sensitive.html but I live in australia and it is only available here.

Cheers
Mikeyc.