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One of my very early posts five years ago was about a product for thinning hair. I don’t know why I wrote about it, because I don’t have thinning hair, but I did, and it was really the first time that I was aware that people were reading – and responding to my blog. It was even pre-stats counter, I think so I had no clue until that subject obviously resonated enough for readers to start interacting, asking questions and wanting to try the products.
At the back of my mind, anything to do with thinning hair has always piqued my interest because of that one post. At the time, I got a very good idea of the misery that it can cause, and I understood how confidence sapping very thin hair can be.
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So, I know that Nioxin’s Hair Thinning Awareness campaign is going to really hit home. Women (and men) experience hair loss for a variety of reasons, very often hormonal. Lush tresses can weaken and thin out very suddenly. During Nioxin’s independently conducted trials, from a base of 558 people that tested the products, 70% saw an improvement in thicker looking hair within four weeks. Buying into a product range that is genuinely going to help takes the sting a little bit out of the prices, because treating thinning hair is not a cheap option. And that’s why I’ll be doing a Twitter call out for two people to trial the range and report back. The findings, no matter what, will be reported back, here.
Thinning hair treatments also highlight the importance of looking after your scalp correctly – I certainly never give my scalp a second thought, really, so it’s interesting to me that the Nioxin Cleanser is formulated to rid the scalp of sebum (that blocks hair follicles) and fatty acids so that the optimum environment is created for hair to grow and flourish.
So, to the need-to-know bits. There are 6 three-part systems to choose from, addressing a variety of different thinning hair needs. There are also in-salon treatments, and the Scalp Dermabrasion Treatment and Blowdry I hear (independently of Nioxin) is one of the most wow things that can happen in volumizing thin hair.
If you have any questions about thinning hair, please leave them in the comment section and I will put as many as I can to Keith Hobbs, trichologist and clinical director of the Institute of Trichologists. To start you off, my question is what on earth happens to those people who have had hair transplants when the rest of their hair starts to fall out?
NB: This is a sponsored post, but I’d like BBB readers to get as much out of it as possible so I’ll be doing some Nioxin giveaways on Twitter in the next day or so.
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All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
11 comments
I have hair loss. I have stress related hair loss and its something I have come to live with, despite it being really stressful (making it worse) and awfully upsetting. I got sent some Nioxin products to review and i hated them. They made my scalp so itchy and irritated that I couldn’t use them for long at all and therefore couldn’t benefit. I found it surprising I had that experience since I don’t have a sensitive scalp usually.
Even though I am not a fan of the brand I know they have a good reputation.
I hope you and others never experience hair loss as its truly very upsetting when it happens to you.
Hi,
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has recently completed a chemotherapy course. Thankfully the prognosis seems excellent.
Due to the area we live in, my mother was given the opportunity to use a device they call the ‘Cold Cap’, designed to help women retain their hair during cancer treatment. This simply involved wearing a skin tight, thick rubbery swimming cap like device during each session of chemo, which pumped a freezing cold gel around her head. Without getting too technical I believe the theory is that the intense cold somehow stopped the hair follicles losing the hair (you can tell I missed the original briefing!).
The cap was surprisingly effective, albeit painful, and my mother kept the vast majority of her hair. She was particularly pleased as she has naturally very fine and thin hair anyway.
My question is would this system be suitable for someone who has recently been through treatment for cancer, such as chemotherapy (my mother luckily does not need radiotherapy)?
I am sorry for such a long convoluted comment/question, and really appreciate any feedback at all.
Thank you so much,
Emily Jayne
Hi Emily, I will make sure that your question is sent on and will post an answer here in the commments section when there is one x
“…the Nioxin Cleanser is formulated to rid the scalp of sebum (that blocks hair follicles) and fatty acids so that the optimum environment is created for hair to grow and flourish”
Sebum = mostly fatty acids, so in other words, the shampoo “strips the scalp”, which any clarifying shampoo or shampoo geared towards oily hair/scalp will do.
My hair started thinning about 4 years ago due to a combination of stress and hormonal problems. You can ask any derm that a shampoo will have next to no influence on hair loss. What you can do is try to tackle the reasons behind your hair loss (nutrition, vitamin deficiency, hormonal imbalance, stress,…), and the only pharmaceutical options -depending on the cause of your hair loss- are Minoxidil, Spironolactone, BPC, Supplements etc. Caffeine and other (topical) agents may help with blood circulation in the scalp and might improve the situation a bit, but that’s about it.
I don’t know about other people with hair loss, but my scalp is super itchy and sensitive, and my problem is definitely not that more sebum has to be removed.
I know I am all negative in this comment, but the only real option with hair loss is to go see a doctor as soon as possible and find out what’s causing it, so you have a real chance at tackling the problem. Everything else is probably a waste of (a considerable amount of) money. Hair loss is indeed “confidence sapping”, so people are prepared to spend a lot of money on trying to get it back – that’s what the industry is taking advantage of.
Hopefully, the reader trial will show us one way or the other.. although this is a sponsored post, the results from BBB readers will be undoctored and they will report exactly what they find. x
I have always had very fine hair and because of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome I am now a hairloss sufferer. After a stack of blood tests to ensure it wasn’t iron deficiency or a thyroid problem, I use Minoxidil, which has been very helpful in regrowing the hair on the top of my head where I had very obvious hairloss. However, it’s my understanding that once you’ve started on Minoxidil you have to carry on using it forever, or you’ll permanently lose the hair you’ve regrown. I’d love it if Mr Hobbs could advise me on long-term Minoxidil use: does this treatment keep working indefinitely? Is it true that stopping use will result in permanent hairloss?
Like Kallinike, I also suffer from severely itchy scalp and often develop scabs or scales – a little like a psoriasis sufferer, though I don’t have psoriasis. Does Mr Hobbs often see these two problems linked together? What does he recommend?
I would completely second Kallinike’s comments above about getting yourself checked out by your doctor if you’ve got a problem with hairloss, because it can be an indication of a whole-body problem such as anaemia, which needs treatment.
I have suffered significant hair loss since I had to start taking Warfarin for blood clots. My medication is life long and three years on, still losing hair, I’m so depressed. Any hints/tips would be most welcome.
I’ve suffered from Pemphigus Foliacious for about 4 years, it’s gradually getting worse and as well as painful, dry and cracking scalp my hair isffalling out, any help would be really appreciated, it’s starting to really get me down.
As thinning hair has been the bane of my life I am very sceptical, almost cynical, about any claims made by cosmetic firms trying to exploit the despair of people with this condition. So my reaction is: if anybody found anything that makes a real difference to hairloss a) they would be very rich indeed instantly and b) we would read about it in big banner headlines.
Until then the only answer is camouflage. Sorry to be so negative
Answer for Lisa:
I have seen similar cases where although there has been continual excess hair shedding, there was also continual growth of new hair (Chronic telogen effluvium). This new hair did not grow very long, but the sufferers did not go progressively thinner. I would recommend talking to your doctor to check other possible causes before seeing a qualified member of the Institute of Trichologists. Keith Hobbs, Clinical Director at the Institute of Trichologists
Hi everyone who has commented! I just want to clarify what Nioxin can and can’t do, and this is best done with the following quote from Nioxin HQ.
Nioxin is all about helping you make the most of the hair you have – it helps people who suffer from thinning hair achieve thicker, fuller looking hair*. There are many factors that can lead to thinning hair, some more serious than others (and Nioxin would always recommend seeing a doctor or a trichologist for hair or scalp concerns).
Nioxin helps prep your scalp to give the optimum conditions for hair and scalp health – like a facial for the scalp! So whilst it can’t grow hair back, it can make the best of the hair that you have by making it look fuller and thicker.
Hair growth occurs in regular cycles that are sensitive to change. An interruption in a growth cycle, such as sudden hormonal fluctuations or a significant change to your diet,
can lead to fewer actual hair strands.
Finally, the structure of hair changes over time due to wear and tear, all of which produce thinner hair strands. Also, stress of daily life and daily routines can have an impact on hair thickness at an older age.