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In this episode, I explain the biology of hair, hair growth, why hair growth slows and what causes hair to stop growing and/or “fall out.” I discuss the essential role of hair stem cells and other supporting biological factors for healthy hair growth. Then I describe various approaches (mechanical and chemical) to slow hair loss by increasing blood flow to hair stem cells, including minoxidil, tadalafil, PRP, microneedling, Botox and ketoconazole treatments. I also discuss how age-related hormone changes cause hair loss and explain the effectiveness of treatments such as caffeine, saw palmetto, growth hormone, finasteride and dutasteride. For all hair growth options, I describe potential side effects, how soon to expect results and the amount of hair regrowth to expect and I highlight effective combination treatments for hair regrowth even in hair “dead” (bald) zones. For many listeners, thinning, brittle hair, or pattern baldness are a source of anxiety and stress. This episode explains the mechanisms underlying hair regrowth tools and the science behind them so that you can evaluate potential treatments and associated side-effect profiles and select the best one(s) for you.
Articles
- Microneedling and Its Use in Hair Loss Disorders: A Systematic Review (Dermatology and Therapy)
- Caffeine and Its Pharmacological Benefits in the Management of Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology)
- The effectiveness of combination therapies for androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis (Dermatologic Therapy)
- Differential effects of caffeine on hair shaft elongation, matrix and outer root sheath keratinocyte proliferation, and transforming growth factor‐β2/insulin‐like growth factor‐1‐mediated regulation of the hair cycle in male and female human hair follicles in vitro (British Journal of Dermatology)
- The structure of people’s hair (PeerJ)
Note: The Huberman Lab podcast has no affiliation with or financial benefit from any of the products listed below, which are provided as a useful reference only.
Ketoconazole Shampoos
Biotin Shampoos
Microneedling
Timestamps
- 00:00:00 Hair
- 00:04:13 Sponsors: Helix Sleep, HVMN, ROKA
- 00:08:04 Psychological States & Hair
- 00:13:19 Hair Anatomy & Stem Cells
- 00:26:05 3 Phases of Hair Growth
- 00:35:40 Sponsor: AG1 (Athletic Greens)
- 00:36:55 Minoxidil & Blood Flow
- 00:45:37 Increase Blood Flow: Massage, Tadalafil, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Microneedling
- 00:56:10 Microneedling, Minoxidil & “Dead Zones”
- 01:00:13 Sponsor: LMNT
- 01:01:25 Botox Treatments
- 01:06:27 Androgens, Hair Growth & Pattern Hair Loss; Scalp vs. Beard Hair
- 01:15:46 Topical Caffeine & Slowing Hair Loss
- 01:21:06 IGF-1: Growth Hormone & Sermorelin; Insulin Sensitivity: Myo-Inositol
- 01:25:52 Iron & Hair Growth
- 01:27:04 5-Alpha Reductase & Saw Palmetto; Curcumin
- 01:33:22 Ketoconazole & Offsetting Hair Loss
- 01:38:46 Topical & Oral Finasteride
- 01:51:00 Post- Finasteride Syndrome
- 01:56:01 Dutasteride
- 01:58:53 Mechanical & Chemical Stimulation for Hair Growth
- 02:02:46 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter