Virile mane-- stay the course?

Hey guys-- I jumped on Virile Mane as soon as it came out. Been apply it for exactly three weeks now and though I wouldn't expect to see results this early into a treatment, I never thought I'd see negative effects.

I've lost about 1cm on the strong side of my hairline in this short period of time and a disturbing amount of density across the whole thing (only apply to frontal area). My hair has turned into hay, hairs I'm shedding look like pubic hairs with 90' degree kinks and bends. I know a few other people on the board picked this up too, any experiences to share? Should I just drop this stuff or is conventional wisdom still that things get worse before getting better?

Zeus -- I've actually had the opposite effect.

I didn't want to post results/impressions yet because it's only a few weeks and still early, but the Virile Mane has had a positive effect on my hair and my wife and I are noticing new sprouts in my thinning areas.

It hasn't increased shedding in me at all.

I don't want to go all out and praise it from here to highwater yet because it's early, but I'm definitely not experiencing the same thing you are at this point.

I too have not been on it long (about 3 weeks), and I've had mixed results. Virile Mane has seemed to have a positive effect on the quality of my hair, and I have noticed some small new sprouts (though very minimal). However, I got off Minox. when I opted for Virile Mane and I have lost a lot of the hair that had been built up from Minox. over the years. I am going back on Minox. (mornings) and will keep Virile Mane in my regiment (evenings) and see how that goes.

I've been using VM for a few weeks and can't comment either way yet on effectiveness.

I think the same company has also come out with a shampoo:

Thoughts on the ingredients?

Ingredients:

Olive Oil Liquid Castille, Emu Oil, Aqua, Glycerin, Whey Protein Hydrolysate, SeaFlora Kelp Complex, Shea Butter, Alfalfa extract, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Borage Oil, Panthenol, Panthetine, Glycol Stearate, Apple Polyphenols, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Gamma Tocopherol, Raspberry Ketones, Peppermint Oil, Green Coffee Bean Extract (standardized for Chlorogenic Acid), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Creatine Malate, Mucuna Pruriens (standardized for 99% L-Dopa), Almond Oil, Hemp Seed oil, Citrus Seed Extract(preservative).

I posted this in another forum -- I've been using the VM for about a month now in addition to the supps IH has rec commended for me. I have to say that I am encouraged -- here's my report thus far;

I'm about 4 weeks in on VM. Received my bottle on November 7 and have been using 1x a day (at night) since then.

My results are encouraging. Here's what I've noticed.

I have slowed/stopped shedding hairs. Before VM, I would easily pull out hair when I brushed/combed my hair in the morning. This isn't happening anymore.

I definitely see my existing hair has gotten thicker. No doubt about this. My wife agrees. She cuts my hair and can tell.

Have I seen off the charts amazing regrowth yet? No. But I have seen encouraging regrowth.

I have many new sprouts breaking through. All of them dark terminal hairs. By many, I'd say 20-25 hairs on the top of my head.

I'm a diffuse thinner with a 2 inch wide swath down the center of my scalp (from behind my hairline to crown) where you can see hair loss. It's pretty ugly.

Cosmetically at this point the sprouts aren't making much of a difference...but they are there and they are growing and I do believe they soon may be accompanied by many other hairs. I think I'm early in this process.

In the area of the hairline I do see some activity. There was one area in my hairline that was starting to open up...now in front of it there is new hair!

I've also noticed that where I originally had 1 strand of hair coming out of follicles in my hairline, I now see several strands coming out. The short hairs are new and terminal.

Do I think it's working? Yes.

Do I think if you have visible hair loss on the top of your head you will grow a full head of hair in 4-5 weeks? No.

Anyone expecting their balding areas to be completely filled in, in 4-5 weeks is being a little unrealistic.

But I bought my 2nd bottle (still on my first) and I'm committed to giving this product a good run to see if this is what can help.

I do have sprouts (new hairs) and I can't deny that. My wife points them out to me every night when she puts the VM on me.

They're not in the volume yet that I'd like them to be, but they are there.

I do want to add though I have a slick bald spot on top of my head about the size of a quarter -- in that spot I've seen no regrowth yet. The sprouts are in the diffuse areas where I had other hair. The slick spot may have had too much fibrosis or may take a little longer to sprout hair.

I do think this product is worth the investment. Just be realistic and above all be patient.

Hadrion,

I'm looking for something that absorbs well into the scalp so you can't see it. Does VM absorb sufficiently? And how does it smell?

Ganny

It seems like a number of people who are having success were just using it once a day. I think I'm going to give it another go and just apply at night.

Thanks for sharing!

Ganny -- It absorbs really well and disappears quickly. What I would caution you is that if really mucks up your hair so I think you can only put it on at night if you're not going anywhere. If you have a buzz cut it's not an issue, but I have longish hair on top and it really just makes it completely messed up. If you put it on post shower it absorbs really fast.

I wash out the residue when I get up first thing in the morning and use IH's topical rinse then. It seems to be working nicely.

I really have a nice handle on the inflammation I usually experience on my scalp.

As for the smell, it smells like peppermint and coffee and the smell is very noticeable. Again, you definitely don't want to go out after application since the smell is a bit strong. Not unpleasant at all though. I like the smell.

Again, no earth shattering results but I think this is promising. The fact that I can feel and my wife can the new sprouts coming in is a very good sign.

I'll be very fascinated to see how my/Primordial Performance's topical stacks up against Virile Mane. Entirely different ingredients and methods of action.

I'm not so sure about this stuff. I saw what I think are some new sprouts, but after stopping Minox. lost much more than I gained. Am back on Minox. now and am steadily gaining back hairs. Once I max out with my Minox. again, I'll stop using Virile Mane and see if I lose anything by cutting it out. Will keep you guys posted.

Just got this stuff today and was wondering if anyone is using a topical before putting this stuff on and how much do you put on say for diffuse thinning? Just a little bit or a good amount

Nid, you think virile mane is any good?

This stuff is like putting glue on your hair.

NewReg,

Why did you stop minox.? Were you have side effects? I'm thinking of starting it because I've never once tried any of the conventional topicals and I need something that will help at least grow back some hair on my bald spot...there is still some hair there so I want to attack it before it's completely bald. : )

Gan

Misir--

The ingredients are good hairloss ingredients, so I'm definitely not going to knock it. If it's working for people, then I suppose it's worth a shot ya? I'm just waiting on the PP topical to be finished...just using the IH regime and 112degrees.com's product, Mag. Oil in the shower, and Laser Helmet for now.

I've been on VM for over 2 months now. I seem to have stayed status quo with where I was when I last checked in.

I don't have enough significant new growth that it's noticeable, but I do have the same new growth I saw last time. The sprouts are getting longer and are terminal hairs.

In terms of volume of new growth, it's not enough to make a cosmetic difference yet. I have another bottle of this so I'm staying the course with it and seeing what the next couple of months brings.

I don't think it's done anything to hurt my hair loss, but I also am not ready to tell you guys it's a magic bullet of any sort.

Time will tell. So far my experience is positive but not out of this world.

Those who use this do you have to leave it in all night or can you rinse it off before going to bed?

I've been leaving it in all day/night. It has an odd scent -- not necessarily bad, but odd nonetheless. For this reason, I try to put it in as far before seeing people as possible. I've had people ask me what the smell is before. I ask if it bothers them and they say no, but again, it's kind of unique.

I'd imagine a good cologne would offset the scent as well NewReg?

I put it on at night. I rub it in until it dissolves, although it gets stuck in my hair and makes my hair crispy like too much gel/hairspray.

When I wake up in the morning I wash it out.

I don't think you're supposed to leave it on your scalp all the time.

The creator of the product claims it absorbs within the 1st 45 minutes of application so all the residue in your hair can be washed out and you shouldn't be losing anything.

A quick update: I think this stuff might actually be working now. I have been on for about 3 months now and have definitely noticed some new sprouts and previously diminishing hairs are getting longer again. I need to wait a little longer to really determine what is going on as I have also upped my ecklonia cava to 2x per day, and added artemisinin about three weeks ago. I'll keep you posted.