I have been indoctrinated with the “you got the balding gene” talk. Male pattern baldness is a well ingrained theory but it’s still a “theory”. Women experience hair loss too! Hair loss not as strongly correlated with genetics as it’s made out to be. I personally think it’s more closely linked to a decline in metabolism as we age. Whatever it’s root cause, we can be proactive about hair loss to avoid or mitigate it’s embarrassing effects!
Symptoms of hair loss
Jump to Current Formulation if you want to avoid the backstory and just make the vitamin shampoo.
I knew my hairline was slowly receding. I also noticed copious amounts of hair accumulating in bathroom drains. I didn’t think much of any of this. Then about a year ago I saw a picture of the top of my head for the first time. My confidence was shattered. There was very little hair up there!
I feel weird sharing the photos in this article of my thinning hair as it is as I’m sure you would be too. Despite I prepared mentally my whole life for the “male pattern baldness gene” it still shook me up. I started wondering what people thought about my nearly bare scalp! Thought gosh, I’m getting old! Hair health is quite honestly, a sensitive topic for me as I’m sure it is for you.
Don’t simply subscribe to the oh well “male pattern balding” crowd and overlook symptoms as I had. One of the first signs I had was hair coming out in the shower and I didn’t take it seriously. You need to be VERY conscious of that because it’s likely impossible to regrow the follicles that have gone “bye bye” but you can slow down your hair loss!
Initial research
Biohacking I had been talking with a friend who has been journaling about health over the past decade making small lifestyle and nutritional adjustments along the way. He was applying nutrients (list of vitamins he created) directly to his hair. He noticed less hair shedding and more volume.
Shampoo I tried to pick the healthiest shampoo. However, all of them I found had hard to pronounce ingredients in them! My chemist friend formulated hygiene products for a living. I asked him about those ingredients (industrial chemicals). No surprise, they aren’t for your health and well being! Their purpose is to create an easier to use product (more lather, no need to shake up, etc) with longer shelf life. In truth, there’s very little information on these chemicals health affects. However, it’s probably safe to assume they are no good for you!
Timeless Hair Care I called my 96 year old grandma to see what she used to do. She mentioned using vinegar for a rinse as a kid (similar to “no poo” / no shampoo method). Her mom (my great grandma) also put an egg in her hair while bathing which she said made it feel nice after cleaning up. Lastly, my grandma has a habit shampooing sparingly on an “as needed” basis. She told me since I was a little kid you only need it a couple times a week anything more will strip your hair.
Medical Studies I read peer reviewed medical studies on hair health, shampoos, and male pattern balding. One experimented with caffeine, another with vitamin B, and a third on pH of shampoo (acidity).
My Hair Hygiene Habits
I have been making my own lye soap which I use in lieu of commercial shampoo. Mine is tallow, coconut oil, and optionally coffee grinds (amazing exfoliant with additional benefits). You don’t have to make your own lye soap you can buy it at the store if you look closely enough. One store by me sells it and it’s literally sold as “lye soap”.
When in the shower I lather lye soap in my hands then use it for shampoo. It works well and I don’t find it any harsher than commercial shampoo. NOTE: If you use traditional bar soap though it’ll literally strip your hair leaving it completely dry after showering!
Conditioners are designed to be slightly less acidic than shampoo but still dry your hair and scalp. I personally find them all to be overly acidic for myself. I use a very very light film of lanolin oil to rehydrate my hair and scalp in lieu of conditioner / rinse cream.
First, I apply pure lanolin oil to my hands, arms, & skin as needed. Has an additional side benefit of potentially boosting DHT. I am left with a light film of lanolin on my hands. I run my hands through my hair (after it’s dry) and massage the film of lanolin oil into my scalp. I find that’s the PEFECT amount to get rid of “frizzy” / dry hair.
NOTE: I originally tried applying lanolin directly. My hair got crazy greasy, had no volume, and I had to shampoo it out.
You can alternatively use apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle in lieu of conditioner. You’ll dilute this with water to your desired acidity / pH. You’ll know you have the mixture right when your hair isn’t left frizzy after the shower. It should be nice, soft, and smooth feeling when not wet.
When to shampoo
I shampoo on an “as needed” basis. It’s easy to notice when your hair starts loosing it’s “volume”, gets grimy, greasy, and or icky feeling. Or if you get something in it, say motor oil when working on your vehicle.
Depending on the season the need to put soap in your hair could be twice a week or twice a month but you don’t need to shampoo every day as we’ve all become accustomed to.
I’ve also been able to do what I call a “dry shampoo”. This in conjunction with combing has a mild cleaning effect. More on it later…
I was able to make a positive impact from the start with just some of these new hygiene habits (in lieu of commercial shampoo).
The first photo was when I was testing shampoo with vitamins, eggs, baking soda, etc. The latest photo is with my sparingly used lye soap shampoo, and vitamin “dry shampoo” method.
Granted, there’s some seasonal effects in there (more later in article) but the improvements over winter months are pretty decent in themselves.
Current formulation
My friend who was into journaling about his health had created a list of hair healthily vitamins. He’d been fortifying his shampoo with them for years and shared the formula with me I told him about my embarrassing finding (hair loss on top my head).
He said to try them too and see what happened. I started with shampoo as a “transport” but ultimately wanted to avoid the chemicals and couldn’t find a shampoo without industrial chemicals in it.
One of the studies he shared with me used applied caffeine to the scalp to with some positive effects on hair loss. Unfortunately, they stopped selling powder caffeine. I arrived at coffee which maybe even better than pure caffeine as it contains more nutrients. Coffee could also could serve as a “transport” for my vitamin mix! All be it a runny one but no harsh chemicals!
Update I removed coffee from the mix as you have to put it in FRESH. Coffee has a tendency to MOLD. I now take fresh coffee grounds after making coffee and put them in my hair in the shower. I let that soak and rinse it out.
Caffeine needs to be balanced with a carbohydrate to avoid adrenal burnout and unhealthy levels of cortisol. Drink strong black coffee on an empty stomach and you’ll know what I’m talking about. I added a bit of granulated sugar in light of this. Plus the sugar is in line with age old practices of using sugar creams, raw honey, etc to heal skin.
Update same as with the coffee, sugar cannot be added to the mix. If stored in water (or moisture) mold will grow. You have to put the sugar in the fresh coffee grounds when you soak your scalp or make a dry powder form.
From there I’m adding a bunch of vitamins such as Vitamin B which are beneficial to metabolic health (cellular growth). The metabolic ingredients is inspired by Ray Peat here: bioenergetic.life. They’re also many ones my friend was using in his mix he’d been formulating for years. I’ve done a handful of revisions on this vitamin formula to arrive with my current recipe.
Much of my feedback between batches was trying to hit a target pH of 6.7 (slightly acidic) while maintaining a soluble solution w/o added heat (supersaturation) no emulsifiers or glycerin / soap. I’ve some thoughts of a second version with a very dilute liquid lye soap but topic for another day.
You’ll have to purchase powder vitamins to do this. The initial batch will be well over a hundred dollars. However, it’ll give you enough powder to make this stuff for many many years.
CONCENTRATED “DRY SHAMPOO” VITAMIN FORMULA:
- 1/2 TSP L-Tyrosine
- ? 1 TSP 1% Biotin
- 1/2 TSP Hyaluronic Acid
- 1/2 TBS Taurine
- 1/2 TSP Powder Caffeine
1 TBSP unbleached organic granulated sugarthis in water made mixture mold
DILUTION You can use this concentrated formula directly in your hair. However, I now dilute it as follows; 1 TBSP of above mixture with 2oz of filtered water.
??NOTE: I’ve yet to mix with the caffeine. They outlawed the sale of powder caffeine so I’d been using coffee. However, brewed coffee can go rancid so a bad option. Although if fresh, not a bad idea to put in hair once in a while. Caffeine tablets can be broken open and powder put into your mixture. I’m not sure of the amount yet though.
?NOTE: When I run out I’m going to replace the 1% biotin with pure biotin. I purchased 1% on accident the pure is more expensive per container but much less per unit of biotin.
NOTE: There’s no emulsifiers in this (the harsh chemicals you find in shampoo). The vitamins fall out of solution so you have to shake this up every time you use it. A small cost to avoiding the chemicals that aren’t good for your hair. I like to put mine in a transparent bottle so I can tell when it’s completely mixed.
Applying the vitamin mix
My Dry Shampoo Method this isn’t completely “dry”, we put the vitamins in a small spray bottle and you spray them into the hair then massage them in. I did this for a while but very difficult to get them to go through the spray nozzle which tends to clog up. So I now just pour a quarter sized puddle in the palm of my hand then carefully run that through my hair and massage it into my scalp, until it’s absorbed. That is your hair doesn’t feel wet anymore. Additionally, I focus application on the problem areas where my hair is thinning.
Side benefit, if my hair is SLIGHTLY greasy, such that I’d want to shampoo, this takes that greasy edge off making hair less “icky” greasy. That’s because the mixture is every so slightly acidic. This in conjunction with combing can have a mild cleaning effect. It’s by no means as powerful as soap though.
How long should I leave the vitamins in?
It never hurts to start slow and see how this works. If you want to be “safe” apply it in the morning and or at least 30 minutes before showering.
Some people are afraid to leave the vitamins in. I personally leave them in, applying before bed, and sometimes when I wake up. I find the mixture gives my hair a nice fresh feeling.
Another friend was afraid the mixture will stain their bedding. I’ve not had a problem with that. However, I make sure it’s fully absorbed and my hair isn’t at all wet or damp before I go to bed.
Do what you’re comfortable with though. None of this is a one size fits all. You want to try it and see how it works for you, then adjust accordingly.
Alternative formula from common ingredients
I originally started mixing things into my off the shelf shampoo. I’m going to avoid that as I didn’t like those results at all. Left my hair feeling weird. From there I made a shot glass of vitamins using common items I could find at the grocery store. I worked great too!
EGG “SHOT” FOR HAIR:
- One egg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp dark coffee / strong expresso
- 1 tbp unbleached granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp pure apple sauce (or 2 tbsp apple juice)
Bonus points if you can find eggs naturally raised most eggs are full of PUFA(s) due to what commercial chicken growers feed them. That in itself may adversely affect your hair so monitor your results closely.
Take ingredients, mix them in a water glass. Wet your hair in shower and massage this in. Leave it for a good 10 minutes. Rinse out at end of shower using a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar. Using shampoo and ONLY before mixture. I recommend the lye soap shampoo method or try the “no poo” baking soda method (baking soda, egg shot, then vinegar rinse).
It takes less than one shot glass of the mixture per shower (couple tablespoons). Unfortunately, there’s a shelf life to the egg. You also cannot leave this in, you have to shower it out. I tried once and the egg isn’t pleasant.
Eggs are nutrient dense. The apple ingredients are rich in vitamin B as well as contain sugar to avoid the adrenaline burnout (boost in cortisol) from caffeine in coffee. Lastly the baking soda can boost oxygen absorption through CO2. Leaving the egg shot and rinse for last gives best chance for vitamins to absorb in.
You can play around with this mixture to your liking. I found the eggs became quite expensive so I couldn’t do it regularly but it may yield you similar results and you can make it right away after visiting your grocery store.
Additional Advice
Hygiene and vitamins are only one part of the formula. If you have a stressful life and or poor nutrition you’re going to have a hard time keeping your hair healthy. This is back to my theory that metabolism is closely linked to hair growth. Here’s a few habits you need to form as well:
Drying hair: never aggressively dry your hair with a towel when your out of the shower. This pulls hair out. Pat it gently with a towel to take off the big water droplets then let it air dry. Also do not use blow dryers they dry out the scalp and are hard on your hair folicles.
Combing / brushing: don’t force your brush through your hair. If it’s tangled you need to gently work it out. Forcing the brush through tends to pull hair out. If you’re having difficulty with this take a brush and or comb into the shower with you. Gently comb your hair in the shower where the water lubricates it. When you get out of the shower you can continue the same thing. You want to avoid pulling hair out at all costs!
Massage your scalp: massage brings blood to the targeted area; improving the healing process. I gently massage the top of my head throughout the day. This is to the point where I have a gentle pink color in the skin. It feels great and helps keep the hair healthy. You can even go so far as to put a heat pack on your scalp while resting. Promoting circulation helps in growth and healing.
Sunbathing / Vitamin D: you have to get 15 minutes (possibly more?) a day of direct sunlight exposure on your head. You can also supplement with vitamin D tablets. I spend quite a bit of time outdoors. Typically I have a hat on and am well covered. For the fist 15 minutes or so I leave the hat off. It feels good! Sunbathing isn’t just for ladies to get in swimsuit shape, it’s healthy for us all!
Powder Aspirin: aspirin gets a bad wrap. Another topic for another day. It’s critical though you use aspirin for this and not another anti inflammatory. Apply a bit of aspirin solution periodically to your hair. My original formula included aspirin in it! This helps combat stress hormones (adverse to health) and mitigate chronic inflation which is key in healing process.
Avoid fragrances: women I’m talking to you here. You LOVE your fragrances. Most are estrogenic though, they trigger stress hormones and are adverse to your metabolism (cell growth). There are very few fragrances which don’t do this. Avoid buying products with fragrance additives!
Nutritional Yeast / Vitamin B: I added nutritional yeast to items I stock in my kitchen. It’s a cheap way to get vitamin B. You can use it in all kinds of dishes as well, I personally use it in milkshakes I make daily. Additionally, quality apples and apple juice contain high amounts of vitamin B. Gouda Cheese (Dutch Cheese) as well. These are all things I have on my grocery list that are healthy for you in general!
Collagen Peptides: another thing about my grandma. She HAD to have her daily dish of Jell-O to help keep her nails and skin beautiful. Collagen can be purchased in bulk. This includes the nutrients from beef that are often stripped from the process when meats are commercially sold such as the gelatin in Jell-O. These ingredients are like miracle grow for your skin, nails, most importantly hair! I eat up to two tablespoons of collagen peptides daily. They’re great in coffee but can really be added to about anything. They don’t have a “taste” to them but tend to thicken up stuff your making in the kitchen.
Raw Carrots for Gut Health: raw carrots help cleanse your gut which is the source of most diseases and health issues. I make a habit of eating a raw carrot a day if not more. This has many health impacts not least of which is reducing stress that affects our hair! I keep a bottle of what I call fart pills (carbon tablets) on hand too. If you have an upset stomach combat it immediately! I take up to a gram of those to cleanse the toxin out of my gut ASAP if it feels uneasy and it WORKS.
Nightcap: I’m not referring to a acholic beverage here, rather, a warm hat you wear to bed. First of all this helps keep you warmer so you can sleep better in cold seasons. Additionally, it may promote your hair health. There’s a theory that your hair is intended to cool your brain / head. That being the case, a warmer head may grow more hair. It’s a theory worth testing and you may stand to have a better nights sleep.
Monitoring your progress
You’ll need feedback throughout this process to adapt to your body’s needs. That maybe getting more sunlight (Vitamin D) or even changing this formulation a bit. Perhaps adding a touch of aspirin to it, or more Vitamin B (apple). Whatever it is you won’t be able to do it without taking a few notes and measuring your progress.
The best time to monitor your hair loss is at an established baseline. Say after your hair is cut to same length as your last photograph. Your hair should also be dry and combed. You can pull it to the sides and take well lit photos from various angles. You’ll want to compare the same angles, under same lighting, with similar length hair. I now take my photos in direct sunlight, after I’ve showered and combed. Once the hair is fully dry I take photos of crown, and corners of forehead (with hair pulled back). However, I don’t often get my haircut. If you cut it once a month it would be perfect for your observations.
If you were to do a “scientific” study, I’d have the hair cut to 1/4″ or so and try to measure follicle density. All the medical studies I looked at did privative “photographs” which are easily misleading. Just because they are “scientists” or “medical professionals” doesn’t mean they are infallible. I try to raise questions then answer them through experimentation or simply asking the person.
Here’s a few more things to keep in mind…
Seasonality of hair hair helps regulate brain temperature as a result it tends to grow the most in hot seasons. This makes it hard to know if you’re improvements are seasonal or otherwise. So keep in mind what season your making your observations in.
Length & volume of hair the length of your hair can reveal thinning spots. I find too long or too short has same effect. Too long and it won’t stay on TOP of your head. Too short, and it’s not long enough to span thin spots. Volume however, seems to have a universal healthy look. It covers up anywhere you might have thinning spots. My vitamin mix helps improve hair volume.
Photographs I take LOTS Of photographs of my scalp. These can be misleading though as are other photographic “claims” on internet. You can easily doctor a photo, comb hair differently, and make the same head look like it has more hair.
Lessons Learned
I’m no expert. Probably half of what I say isn’t articulated correctly, simply put I don’t have the medical vernacular to stand up to PhD review. However, I’ve found taking this critical approach to my health in general to be quite beneficial.
The vitamin formula is not a magic pill to combat balding. In fact, it doesn’t seem to have any measurable effect on bald spots. My receding hairline is still in the same spot it was when I started this.
The thin hair at the crown has dramatically improved though. It’s thicker and fills the top of my head far better than when I started this.
I’ve also noticed this has reduced my number of “gray hairs”! I’d not counted on that. I don’t think it’s the coffee dying my hair. I put so little coffee in my hair that it’s certainly not that. I believe it maybe the Taurine and an improved healing process. I cannot say for sure either way but with more feedback from other friends maybe we’ll know for sure. Either way, I have less gray hair now.
I wish I would have caught my hair loss sooner. I think this approach has dramatically slowed the affects of balding down but I’ve not been able to reverse them.
Going forward
My biohacker friend and I often share thoughts. I also listen to lots of old Ray Peat interviews about various health topics. We have some theories I’m playing around with on repairing areas where hair has been lost.
My current ideas are surrounding DHT and cholesterol. I’m applying a little oil (cholesterol) to those areas to see if I cannot stimulate DHT production and hair growth. I’ve also heard some things about progesterone but haven’t tried any of that out yet. I’m going to give my oil treatment one month and see if it’s had any impact first.
In the least this vitamin mix seems to work well. I’m going to continue using it and would love to hear how it works out for you.
