Use of Nizoral, Other Shampoos, & Hair Paste Products

[Hamartoma]

Two questions for discussion:

QUESTION 1. Just started using Nizoral 1% every other day for about three weeks now and it leaves my hair rather listless and dull. I usually don't shampoo each day.

I've thought about 2 alternatives:

A. Alternate Nizoral every 5th day, with the intervening day 3 using another shampoo, like Vive for Men?

B. Shampooing every other day with Nizoral, letting it sit for ~10 minutes, washing it out, and then shampooing with a thickening shampoo?

QUESTION 2. Does the use of post-shampoo hair products (gels, pastes, etc) for styling promote further damage? I've been using various things to keep my hair in place and the thin spots less noticible, but could it be aggrevating my hair loss?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Do you use a conditioner?

 

[Hamartoma]

Yes, I do once a week (Pantene), but my hair looks flat afterwards. My hair is curly, so the "styling products" help keep the shape.

 

[Nixon's Head]

Nizoral absolutly can leave you hair dull and lifeless. It contains a film-forming agent (acrylic acid polymer) that can build up with repeated use. Also, not showering every day can also cause the oil from your scalp to build up on the hair shaft, weighing your hair down further. Also the Pantine conditioners contain large amounts of silicone oil. This is actually a great thing, impariting a great shine and silkyness to the hair- this is also great because the high alcohol content in Rogaine can strip hair of its natural shine. But contined use without a clarifing shampoo can cause buildup and weigh your hair down.
Regarding gels--The main ingredent in gels etc. are these film-forming agents like PVP (polyvilnylpyrrolidone), PVP/VA (polyvilnylpyrrolidone/vinyl acrylate) etc. Again, these are fine they just build up.
Regarding thickening shampoos--Thickening shampoos also contain a film-forming agent--that's the only part of them that makes them thickening! Nizoral is acutally a good thickening shampoo. Thickening shampoos give thinkness by coating the hair with a thin plastic like substance. this gives the hair added thickness. multiply that by the 100,000 hairs that we have on our head and you can see how that would give you some more body. It also causes the hair to stand up a little more--it make each hair a little more stiff--again causing greater thickness. But with time these film-forming agents can build up one on top of another until the weight of the hair is greater than the strenth of the hair shaft and the bonds of the film forming agent. Result--listless and dull hair.
So--you could have much better volume if you just removed the buildup once and a while.
I would recomend that you continue to use the Nizoral every other day--it is acually a great shampoo that is gentle and can add volume. You dont need to shampoo every day just as long as you use a clarifing shampoo every 3 days or so. A clarifying is a sampoo that does not contain a film forming agent and also contains a chelating agent to remove the buildup and does not contain any heavy mosturizers. I would recomend the TRESemme European Vitamin C Deep Cleansing Shampoo. I it gentle, does not buildup, and has disodium EDTA as a chelating agent. It is also cheap -- $2.70 at Walmart for 32 oz.
If you want to continue to use the Pantine conditioner please do. I use it from time to time. Just make sure to use the clarifying shampoo every 2-3 days. Conditioners are great products- I hate to hear that you dont like them. They can do reailly great things for hair--too many to list here. I would definatly recomend that you use one every time you wash your hair. But you would definatly need one that isn't heavy. For example
L'oreal Vive Curl-Mosture Conditioner, for Curly hair $4.49 13 oz
Alberto VO5 Balsam & Protien Conditioner $1.19 15 oz.
Alberto VO5 Extra Body Conditioner $1.19 15 oz.
Dove Foam Conditioner, Extra Volume $3.39 9 oz.
TRESemme European Pro Vitamin B5 and Aloe Remosurizing Conditioner
But of all I would probably recomend the Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-in conditioner $3..99 8 oz. It is a spray that doesnt weigh hair down at all, although it is a little tricky to alply evenly.
Regarding gels etc. I would recomend the Vive for Men foam instead of gel. I used to use gel and I thought it was great but then I tried the foam and It was a huge difference.

Anyway, sorry if this post was disoragnized. I just wrote it straight out but probable should have organized it a bit before hand. Good luck and stick with the Nizoral at least 3 times a week.

 

[Nixon's Head]

Oh, by the way, you should aply the rogaine after your shower, wait 20 mins or so and then aply your leave-in conditioners, foams, gels, etc. The danger is that if you aply gel etc. before hand then the plastic-like films will get on your scalp and be between your scalp and the rogaine resulting in impotancy. Just kidding.
Oh by the way, the vive for men shampoo is crap. It doesn't thicken anything. The gel is bad too. The foam is great for thin hair though.

 

[Nixon's Head]

Also, if you really want me to I can recomend some gels if you dont wnat to try the foam.
Also, if you really want to use a Volumizing sampoo you can try Garnier Fructis forrtifying shampoo for fine hair $3.99 13 oz. Progaine Volumizing shampoo $5.99 12 oz.
Also, if what I recomend isnt what you wanted then please clarify what you need.

 

[Hamartoma]

Thanks for the advice. Many years ago (in my 20's & 30's) I used to shampoo my hair daily; you know apply, rinse, shampoo again. Guess the shampoo companies made a bundle off this. Now I shampoo every other day, partly because on the 2nd day, my hair is often more manageble.

I'm almost 48y.o. and an early Norwood 2 with some recession at the front and ever so slightly at the temples. It's probably not male pattern baldness to have gone this long without significant hair loss, but my cousin, father, and maternal grandfather did have some balding. On the other hand, I'm somewhat fortuate to also have inherited a more youthful look with vitrually no grey hairs; many folks are surprised to hear that I'm approaching the big 50. Nor do I act this age.....

So,I've started on a regimine of Proscar 1.25mg q day and Nixoral to help me maintain my hair through my middle age and beyond. Yes, there is a life after 50 as my Modern Maturity magazine is trying to tell me.....

Because of my curly hair, I can cover the front recession relative well right now. The best conditioner that I use something called Hask Perm-Aid which not only reinvigorates my curls but also seems to make my hair a bit thicker. The problem is that it has sulphuric smell and who knows if it causes any long term damage. So, I only use it once every other week and use other pastes to try to activate the curls, mostly with
not much success.