my MPB study group log

by mjbong

I am using a new herbal/homeopathic treatment for male pattern baldness, as part of a study group being conducted in my city (Calgary Alberta Canada).  The main purpose of this page is to log my progress with the treatment. The secondary intent is to provide information to a few others about what the treatment is, and if it works or not.  I'm also trying to learn html. I am trying to maintain an impartial stand towards this treatment, as I've tried other hair growth "tonics" in the past and gotten burned.  I am keeping a log anyway, so I thought I would put it on the net. This is not a commercial page. I am not currently selling this treatment, I am using it as part of a free study. Anyways, on with it:

my current progress, and progress of other guys in the study - last updated feb 7 1999

my head

the study group

the treatment and how I use it

my log by date - last updated feb 5 1999

Thanks for reading! As you can tell, I'm not an expert at html (or even capitalization for that matter). I'll be attempting to keep this site updated with any new info.

cheers,

[email protected]

 

 

my head

I am 33 years old, about a 5.5 to 6 on the norwood scale , started losing my hair when I was about 22. My hair was quite blond on top, a bit darker on the sides. Extensive history of MPB on my mother's side of the family. When I was 26, I tried Rogaine 2% for about 4 months, no noticeable results, and gave up. I also tried a "magic" hair tonic for a few months that I bought from a guy I worked with, no results either (snake oil, I suspect). Never tried Propecia. Last spring I finally decided to buzz my hair down to 1/8th of an inch.
 
 

the study group

The study group is composed of 17 men, in the age range of late 20's to late 40's. There are a few guys in their 50's. They are all at varying stages of baldness, from a norwood 1 to 6. The study group is being run by 2 gentleman. The main guy owns the rights to the treatment and is about a norwood 3 to 3.5, he's been using it for about 6 months (and showing significant regrowth, I saw his "before" pictures). The other guy helping run the study is a registered herbalist/naturopath, and is not balding. The sponsors put an ad in the classified section of the local paper and started a study group with the guys that responded. The study group has been running since October 10th, 1998. We meet every 2 weeks, the location has changed a few times but now we meet in a local travel office. All of the men are using the treatment, there is no "control group". The sponsors intend to run the study group until March or April of 1999.
 
 

the treatment

It's a runny "goo" that i spread on my head every day, and leave on for 4 waking hours. I have to shake it up quite well,  it seems to settle quite distinctly into 2 layers, the heavier layer is pure white, the lighter layer is clear. Once shaken, it's a little thicker than water, and white in color. It comes in a 60ml bottle with a glass dropper, and smells like lavender.

I am also using shampoo and conditioner which smells like vanilla and coconut, and is very concentrated...only a very very small amount of the shampoo in my hand produces a lot of lather.

I have asked about the ingredients, the sponsor is hesitant to tell me anything specific other than "herbs and homeopathic ingredients".

The treatment is NOT commercially available in North America (yet), so please don't ask me where it is sold, 'coz it isn't. It does not even have a product name (we all call it "goop" or "the stuff") . In the short term, the sponsors are selling it to their bald friends, and allowing those people to resell it to others. Looks a lot to me like one of those "network marketing" models, but I guess it is easier to sell it if you had the evidence on your head. And yes, I am intending to sell it, but at least not until I've been through the rest of the study.
 
 

how I use it

I apply it with the glass dropper and spread it in with my fingers. I try and work it in about 1/2 inch into my existing hairline. I apply it (or get my wife to sometimes) when I come home from work, and leave it on all evening when I don't have to go out. So, its usually on for between 4 and 6 hours before I go to bed. Sometimes I will reapply a thin layer after a few hours. I've skipped about 7 or 8 applications in the last 2 months. The sponsors of the study say that I won't need to use it for the rest of my life, only for about a year or possibly 2, depending on how severe the hair loss was. Apparently, once I have reached the point where I am happy, I can just use the shampoo/conditioner, and it will keep my follicles clear of sebum and continue to stimulate the follicles enough to grow hair.
 

my current progress - last updated february 7 1999

Crown: Lots of new vellus hair, it's almost thick near the base of my bald area. Almost as much new terminal hair, especially around the edge of my existing hairline. My crown hairline seems to be getting less well defined....this leads me to believe that my hair is advancing (well maybe creeping) towards the top of my head, starting at my existing hairline. If I let my hair grow out to about 1/2 inch in length, it gives my crown some "color", which I definitely did not have before I started this treatment. I did have some vellus hair initially, but not enough to cover up the shininess of my scalp.

Top/Vertex: Lots of new vellus hair...when I look in a lighted mirror with my head against a dark background, the vellus hair seems to form a solid white band over the top of my head...quite strange, as I had started getting used to seeing a large "gap" between the receding edges of my hair. Quite a few new terminal hairs coming in all over the top, but especially along the left and right edges. These edge hairlines also seem to be getting less well defined, and my wife has commented that she thinks the strip down the middle of my head is getting narrower. Every few weeks I notice some new hair, at first I thought it was my imagination, but there are definitely areas of the top of my head that are starting to fill in more in the last few weeks.

Hairline: Quite a few new terminal hair shafts coming in right in the middle of my hairline, they are starting to form the tuft of hair that I used to have (before I lost it). They are quite thick shafts, dark blond in color. When I look in the mirror from a distance, I can actually see a round smudge of darker color at the top of my forehead...which I haven't seen for about 4 years.  The hair is now starting to form a defined line all along the front, although the temples are still quite high.  More hair shafts coming in in the central tuft lately.

Temples: Several new terminal hairs on each temple, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch down from the very top of the peak. About a half a dozen vellus hairs in each temple. Monitoring closely!

The new hair seems to come in in a cycle of about 2 to 3 weeks...it will be dormant for what seems like forever, and then it seems to "jump-start" and I get new hair coming in. The new terminal hair is strong, and seems to be well rooted...I can yank on it.
 
 

progress of other men in study group - last updated feb 7 1999

6 weeks - all men reported new hair growth in previously bald areas. This new growth was characterized as primarily vellus hair, interspersed with the occasional terminal hair. All had growth primarily on the crown. None of the men have reported new growth in the temple area so far. Some of the guys also noticed that pores in the scalp seem to be enlarged on close visual inspection, and hair feels "squeaky" when rinsing the shampoo out - like the shafts have been totally stripped of their coating

12 weeks - Everyone is growing new hair, mostly in crown area and on top. A few guys reporting new hairs in the temple area. None of the 17 men have dropped out of the study group, everyone is pretty much convinced that this stuff works. I think we were all happy that they extended the study group, it's fascinating to watch other people's hair grow. (ok not so fascinating, maybe encouraging). A few guys (including myself) have reported noticing an occasional new terminal hair shaft that seemed to grow faster than the surrounding hair (see my log).

17 weeks - Several men reporting that when stepping out of the shower or wetting their hair, and looking closely at their bald spot, it appears smaller than it used to. 2 other men reported that other people have noticed their increase in hair (both said their barbers noticed, I think).  The guy that used to have psoriasis on his scalp has still not had any of it come back.

Feb 7 - all of the men at the latest study group meeting are continuing to notice new hair every few weeks. Everyone is reporting similar cyclical growth, with a pause of 2 to 3 weeks between growth spurts. A few guys are experiencing a bit of growth in their temples.

 

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