reducing sebum without the DMSO/Lithium topical

Hi guys

Ive been reading here for a good while now and thought I might introduce my case to maybe get some help. Firstly I must say that what you guys are doing here is short of remarkable, so many question and you always find the time to answer comprehensively. It really is something many of us undoubtedly appreciates immensely.

I guess im a diffuse thinner, have been shedding steadily too much during the last three years. I also suffer with a bad itch and an oily scalp. If I go a day without washing it, my pillow starts to smell badly. After consulting a dermatologist in the fall he told me i had alopecia androgenetica, which I was in denial of until that moment, I always thought my shedding was caused by my scalp condition and/or stress. Anyway, i started on proscar 1,25mg and all shedding stopped within a month. Astonishing stuff. However the sideeffects started creeping in, setting me into a horrible period of stress. The sides died down, but soon enough i started shedding again and this kind of snowballed my stress and anxiety, so I went cold turkey from prscar and jumped onto IH's regimen. Today I have virtually no receding and im still happy about my hair in this current condition. Im on the IH 6 + the ohirra probiotics now for around 2 months and my scalp at least doesnt seem red anymore(probably the ecklonia cava). Still shedding though, and sebum production and itchiness hasnt improved. Im a bit freaked out about the dmso/lithium, I have it mixed but after reading a couple of horror stories find myself to afraid to use it as my hair is acceptable to me, I actually have got something to lose.

Is there anything i can take internally? I keep getting the impression that magnesium orotate would help but cant find enough info. Help will be greatly appreciated

And lastly about lasers:

Am i a candidate for laser treatment? would it help itchiness and/or sebum production?

thanks;)

I posted this in another thread, but it might help you out. Dandruff/itchiness/flakiness can be caused by mineral imbalances. The biggest culprits are:

1. B6 Deficiency (I take both kinds P5P, as well as pyridoxine)
2. EFA Defeciency (ALA, LA, GLA - B6 helps one absorb and use EFA's)
3. Selenium Deficiency
4. Vitamin E Deficiency (works with selenium)
5. Zinc Deficiency (must balance use with copper!)
6. Folic Acid/B12 Deficiency (don't take too much folic acid without B12)

I would make sure you're taking adequate amounts of the following, from your multi or other sources. A "sluggish" liver can also cause dandruff so food is a biggie. Bile is also essential, most of this info is in IH's "Physiology" page which has a ton of good info.

Good luck!

epdaman - Addding to what JJB said, the topical/rinse or DMSO/Lithium shampoo combo may or may not be right for you. It's hard to say. I've used it without any problems, but I have heard some reports that it could make things worse, so try a break see what happens.

I think the Magnesium Orotate is a great idea.

Just recently, I learned about a new benefit I had not known previously about Magnesium. Apparently, the body cannot produce hyaluronic acid without Magnesium.

okay thanks for the input. How much magnesium are we talking about? And what about taking lithium orotate orally? Would the shampoo be any effective without the dmso or would this only reduce the potency while simultaneously lowering the risk of adverse effects?

epdaman - If you go Magnesium Orotate then a 1,000 mg is good.

If you use other forms such as Magnesium Aspartate, then somewhere between 600 mg and 1,200 mg depending on how you react to it, from a bowel tolerance standpoint.

Lithium Orotate can work orally. It takes a little longer, but won't be as potent. The DMSO has a benefit all on it's own, but helps make the Lithium better absorbed.

However, if you use Lithium Chloride instead of Lithium Orotate, it will absorb better and DMSO could be dropped.
I've heard of results from just Lithium alone, but it would better to be Lithium Chloride if used alone.

Being a diffuse thinner, you are the best sort of candidate for laser treatment. It is hardest to regrow hair with lasers on areas that have been balded for more than a year or two, but when hair is still there, it's almost a given that it'll thicken it up as long as you're consistent and patient.

I've been taking Lithium Orotate at one tab in the AM and PM for a few months now. I do believe it's contributed to reduced Sebum, as I haven't used the rinse in months (too busy and keep forgetting to make it!).

Thanks nid & IH
Ok, interesting, but if it is sebum etc that is causing the hairs to actually fall out, will lasers only thicken the remaining as long as they are there or will it eliminate shedding altogether? i mean does laser treatment reduce sebum itself? Seems to me like all other aspects as diet, regimen etc can be ignored if laser treatment works, at least seems this way for OMG at regrowth. But hey, I'd rather be firing from all cannons though. What about seb. derm. and lasers? My sebum/itch is diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis, but my doctor seemed in lack of another explanation for the itch, gave me nizoral and all hell broke loose. Then my dermatologist shrugged, said it was impossible to cure, only to treat, so gave med locoid alpha (cortizone cream) and it didnt work, so somethings telling me this isnt seb derm.
Something positive has happended though, been having atopic eczema in my groin area for a year and after cleaning up my diet and being on the regimen + ohirra's probiotics for about a month it gradually cleared up, no redness or inflammation to speak of.

Sorry for all the questions, just need to clarify a couple of formalities so i properly can get my head around this thing.

epdaman - The lasers stimulate ATP (cellular energy) to the hair follicles, they also increase circulation and oxygen to the follicles while switching on MMPs that help hair growth. In addition, help generate nitric oxide (without secondary inflammatory intermediates) which may expand the endothelial columns that support the hair shaft.

Excess sebum can be a sign of higher androgens, it can also help increase yeast and fungi populations which cause SD and exacerbate hair loss. Fungi, mites and yeasts emit lipase enzymes that release inflammation while digesting the sebum.

I think that lasers are a huge component of the regime, but IH's regime helps clean you out internally--and that's something that I strongly believe in. Many folks are pretty on the outside, and ugly on the inside, and I ain't talking good-looking people that have shitty personalities. Many WWE wrestlers are a good example--their bodies are getting destroyed week-in and week-out yet they have to look good on camera, so they're constantly tanning and taking painkillers and possibly steroids to get through it all and continue to work. Internally, they're screwing themselves over.

IH's post, however, couldn't have said it any better.