new thread
hi!
i'm a 21 year-old male (almost 22); i've been a veggie for about 5 years now, and a vegan for about 6 months. my hair has been growing for just over 3 years now. (and it's totally unmanagable unless it's tied down)
about 1.5 years ago, i noticed a bald spot developing at the top of my head. i started taking zinc, biotin, lecithin and other supplements for a couple of months. then i discovered a reasonably affordable 'wonder' solution kit (www.hairfantastique.com), but it's been 3 months since i purchased it, and i don't see any improvement.
my latest theory is that i'm not getting enough protein or some other nutrient found in meat. i'm the only veggie/vegan in my entire combined family (uncles, aunts, ...) and i'm the only one suffering from early hair loss. i estimate my father has more hair than i do, and he's 55.
so, could someone please help me with the following issues:
1) according to some websites, protein deficiency causes hairloss. but i've found many pages (most of them run by women) that claim soy is bad for you (hairloss, obesity, etc...)
i) do i need more protein?
ii) are soy products ok to eat?
2) has anyone tried Hair Fantastique? 'cause the before-after photos on the page are taken from strategic angles, imho.
thanks a million guys,
-anonymous coward
Eat some freakin' meat for god sakes!!!
I personally believe don’t believe being a vegetarian is a good idea. You need meat at least twice a week, otherwise you’ll run into a B-12 deficiency.
Soy is not bad for you at all. It is a good source of protein. But like anything else, the key is not to go overboard. Eating varied foods is the key to staying healthy. Since were on the subject of food, I must admit my craving for Oreo cookies. My wife keeps ‘em locked up and gives me my daily ration. Otherwise I just can’t control myself. Ha! Ha!
But most importantly, baldness is in the genes & hereditary. If you are going to go bald there is nothing you can do to prevent it. I don’t believe in using Propecia or Rogaine. Although these medications might be effective to a certain extent, I would not use them, as ALL medications have unwanted side effects. Hair transplants are also off my list. A friend had it done a couple of years ago and it’s a total disaster esthetically speaking and he’s still in pain. The only acceptable solution I have found (for ME) is to wear a hairpiece. Looks very natural (unlike a wig) and blends in with the hair I already have. See pics attached. Need additional advice, e-mail me; I’ll be glad to help.
i take supplements that contain 500% RDA vit. B-12. but anyway...
oreos are bad for you :-) i have a very balanced diet; i feel fine, not tired, and i have lots of energy. i do kung fu, so i'm quite fit too. only problem is this hairloss. for as long i can remember i wanted long hair, but the school system here doesn't allow it. now, just as i leave school and grow my hair, this happens. just marvellous for a metalhead like me.
i saw your pics. looks like a good option. what do they cost roughly?
my hair would look good if it was white, like an old man's. that's my other option.
thanx marc a!
Hi A…
I’ll discuss the topics not already covered in our e-mail correspondence.
Vitamin B-12 is best absorbed in injection form. Although I personally don’t believe in vegetarian diets, millions of people in this world are vegetarians & that’s OK by me. To each his/her wn.
I know Oreos aren’t good for me. That’s why there locked up.
Glad to hear you’re fit. Being & staying healthy is the most important thing in life.
White hair at 22? Hey man, if you like it….go for it! Life’s too short. You won’t go unnoticed, just as I don’t go unnoticed in my other “attire”. Refer to e-mail pics.
Regards Marc
What is the nature of the bald spot? Is it male pattern baldness? If it's not, and it's a random spot, you should have it checked by a dermatologist. It could be alopecia areata or something.
I've been wondering a lot of the same things. I've been veg for a little over two years (ovo-lacto, but I'd like to go vegan, I just couldn't give up cheese and such) and I'm starting to show a lot of thinning up top. I've been monitoring the protien intake carefully, and am looking for some sort of solution.
If anything works for you (or any other vegetarians) let me know! (I included my e-mail address uptop).
you don't need to eat meat to up your protein intake. have you thought about soy protein shakes or even lots of beans, nuts things like that can really up your protein. it also may not be the protein causing your bald patch.
is it in a spot maybe where the hair is being pulled a lot? such as where you might be pulling your hair into a pony tail? excessive traction can cause bald spots.
also it could be the hair products you are using. some people are very sensitive to chemicals used in shampoos & conditioners. you might want to try an all natural product like Aubrey Organics or the Morrocco Method, the Morrocco Method is supposed to help with hairloss too. I just started using them because I like natural products, they're on the web at www.morroccomethod.com (no affiliation just happy customer)
also supplimenting with Omega-3's & 6's might help. A book you could check out is "Becoming Vegan" it has really extensive nutritional info in it for vegan/vegetarian diets. taking some flax seed oil might help some too for the Omega's it contains.
i'm a vegan, have been for about a year and i haven't had any hair thining so far. it's interesting if you actually log your food into a nutritional database it's amazing how much protein you eat even with out soy or suplements. i've been growing my hair out from a buzz cut for the past two years and it's been growing strong even with out meat eating, and i haven't been working hard to get protein in my diet. excessive protein and i are not friends.
going to a dermatologist is also advisable.
hope that helps, you don't have to eat meat to have healthy hair.
-shelley