Nizoral Shampoo - does it help?

el123 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:47 pm **Posts:** 146

Since I've been on Spiro from Nov09 I've been having heavy sheds. I'm desperately trying to hold on to the few hairs I've got left.
I've been reading that Nizoral shampoo is an important part of the treatment process.
http://www.hairlosstalk.com/hair-loss-w ... tments.php
Has anyone had any benefit from using it. are there any negatives associated with it. I remember using it along time ago- in my teens for dandruff. It dried out my hair alot.
Thanks in advance.

janee807 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:07 pm

I have been using Nizoral for approximately 2-3 months, a very short period of time. For me it has not made a difference, has not slowed down my loss. . .hmmm, but who knows, maybe my loss would have been greater. I am on no other meds topical or oral, just vitamins. I will continue to use it basically because I bought a BIG bottle. The fact that it is recommended must mean that someone has found it beneficial. Right?

Ms_Understood · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:29 pm

I've been on Spiro since the Fall of 2008, to be honest who can tell if it's helping my sheds, I don't lose as much in the shower as I used to...I'd loss clumps, now I barely lose 5-10 hairs.

Hair continues to be all over my floors etc. I did have regrowth on the left side from a bad TE in 2007. But now my entire right side is thinner from a TE in July 2009 which started behind my right ear. This side continues to shed daily, I comes out when I comb my hair even gently.

To be honest, there are NO easy answers or solutions for female hair loss....add to the fact that most of us have different reasons we are losing our hair. It's A LOT of trial and error, that's for sure.

One regimen which might work for some women simply might not work for others. Most HL regimens are hit and miss.....and, of course, ongoing.

Ms_Understood · **Posted:** Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:40 pm

I was using the prescription version of Nizoral, 2% Ketaconzole, it was too harsh and extremely drying. It made my scalp feel like sandpaper.

I actually seemed to lose more hair using this product. Even though Nizoral is supposed to block DHT, it's a vicious cycle, especially if your hair scalp and hair become much drier while using it.

I also used Clobetasol shampoo....(not at the same time).....which was also extremely drying and caused the sheds to go up. Any medication or product which dries the hair and scalp more has to be detrimental to hair regrowth.

In fact, I would think cortisones would also hurt the scalp, as they do thin the skin. Thinning scalp skin doesn't seem like a very healthy environment for hair re-growth. So I do wonder why they are used in some HL regimens.

Ironically, I was just diagnosed with BOTH Androgenetic Alopecia and Diffuse Alopecia Areata. Clobetasol is actually prescribed to help DAA and Alopecia Areata...you really have to wonder how precise those scalp biopsies really are.

Topical meds with Clobetasol are usually given to patients with Alopecia Areata, so I wonder if I DO have DAA...if I do, then why did it cause me to lose more hair when it's supposed to help AA and DAA?

Wish I could be of more help. But NONE of the treatments I've tried have worked. I do get regrowth, but I don't feel it's from any particular regimen and the re-growth is usually never strong in the worst areas of my hair loss...as my back crown, right temple etc. I noticed some short hairs on my back crown the other day, though I have no idea if they are broken off or regrowth. I tend to think they're broken hairs....

I don't want to start on Propecia or HRT therapy, so who knows if they might work for me. The health risks are too high for me to consider ever starting either drug. Rogaine was useless.

Spiro HAS definitely helped both my skin and my high blood pressure. My skin has been nearly flawless since staring Spiro. People complement me a lot on my "beautiful skin"....well at least it takes the focus OFF my disgusting hair! :mrgreen:

My elderly neighbor asked me recently what "magic potion" I use on my skin...I told her, "Spiro, a diuretic medication which was used for prostate problems." She laughed. I then went on to explain a bit about Spiro and how it relates to female hair loss.

I used to get the occasional cystic breakout on my chin, which was quite bad, sometimes the cystic lumps were large, I've had no major skin problems since being on Spiro.

el123 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:47 pm **Posts:** 146

Ms_Understood wrote:

I was using the prescription version of Nizoral, 2% Ketaconzole, it was too harsh and extremely drying. It made my scalp feel like sandpaper.

I actually seemed to lose more hair using this product. Even though Nizoral is supposed to block DHT, it's a vicious cycle, especially if your hair scalp and hair become much drier while using it.

I also used Clobetasol shampoo....(not at the same time).....which was also extremely drying and caused the sheds to go up. Any medication or product which dries the hair and scalp more has to be detrimental to hair regrowth.

In fact, I would think cortisones would also hurt the scalp, as they do thin the skin. Thinning scalp skin doesn't seem like a very healthy environment for hair re-growth. So I do wonder why they are used in some HL regimens.

Ironically, I was just diagnosed with BOTH Androgenetic Alopecia and Diffuse Alopecia Areata. Clobetasol is actually prescribed to help DAA and Alopecia Areata...you really have to wonder how precise those scalp biopsies really are.

Topical meds with Clobetasol are usually given to patients with Alopecia Areata, so I wonder if I DO have DAA...if I do, then why did it cause me to lose more hair when it's supposed to help AA and DAA?

Wish I could be of more help. But NONE of the treatments I've tried have worked. I do get regrowth, but I don't feel it's from any particular regimen and the re-growth is usually never strong in the worst areas of my hair loss...as my back crown, right temple etc. I noticed some short hairs on my back crown the other day, though I have no idea if they are broken off or regrowth. I tend to think they're broken hairs....

I don't want to start on Propecia or HRT therapy, so who knows if they might work for me. The health risks are too high for me to consider ever starting either drug. Rogaine was useless.

Spiro HAS definitely helped both my skin and my high blood pressure. My skin has been nearly flawless since staring Spiro. People complement me a lot on my "beautiful skin"....well at least it takes the focus OFF my disgusting hair! :mrgreen:

My elderly neighbor asked me recently what "magic potion" I use on my skin...I told her, "Spiro, a diuretic medication which was used for prostate problems." She laughed. I then went on to explain a bit about Spiro and how it relates to female hair loss.

I used to get the occasional cystic breakout on my chin, which was quite bad, sometimes the cystic lumps were large, I've had no major skin problems since being on Spiro.

it is interesting that you say that Spiro has helped your acne but not your hairloss. Since I've been on Spiro I've got more acne (I didn't have any acne before going on it) and have very severe hair shedding. My Endo says it takes time to take effect. But in theory shouldn't it have worked by now? Or is my body producing even more testosterone & DHT to counteract the Spiro?

NoraBe · **Joined:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:34 pm **Posts:** 33

don't think it's helped my shed but it does make my hair feel great, I only wash every other day unless I use toppik with hairspray then I was more often..waiting for my spiro to kick in

Ms_Understood · **Posted:** Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:06 am

Quote:

it is interesting that you say that Spiro has helped your acne but not your hairloss. Since I've been on Spiro I've got more acne (I didn't have any acne before going on it) and have very severe hair shedding. My Endo says it takes time to take effect. But in theory shouldn't it have worked by now? Or is my body producing even more testosterone & DHT to counteract the Spiro?

Hi el123,

My acne was never super bad, just cystic on the chin area, I've never had acne on my cheeks and just some mild oiliness in the T-Zone, nothing major. I never needed Accutane or acne medications. I did try Retin-A for the cystic acne, but always forgot to use it daily. The Spiro seems to be working for my chin breakouts.

I'd also like to add, I never had acne as a teen or even in my 20s. IIRC, my cystic acne started as an adult, in my mid to late 30s. I'm now in my 50s and in menopause.

As far as I know, I never had PCOs. Whether the adult acne was due to some other hormonal problem, I was never told. Years ago, I did have a few small uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts, but my GYN said they were nothing to be concerned about. He thinks my HL is most likely due to menopause, but refuses to treat in with HRT, which I don't want to take anyway.

The Spiro could be working and so can all the other supplements I've been taking, I have no way of knowing if my daily sheds would be much worse without Spiro OR if my crown would be more see-through at this point, had I not started Spiro, 5000mcg of Biotin and upped my Iron.

Though, I can say, I'd never experienced any shedding hair when my hair was normal, I never saw hair fall out when I styled it or saw any hair in the shower, if I did, it was very minimal and never every time I'd washed my hair.

I do know that my hair is slowly getting worse in certain areas. I've been losing hair going into 7 years. Oddly enough, the long areas do continue to grow almost as quickly as when my hair was normal. My hair is long, to the middle of my back.

Asking doctors, who aren't well versed in HL, which seems to be most doctors.....about Spiro or supplements, and what we should expect from certain regimens....has been completely futile. For me, this has been the case.

Tori · **Joined:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:38 am **Posts:** 460

I use it and love it! I have absolutely no scalp issues these days because of it and I can't think of any negatives other than it makes my hair a little limp on days I use it, which I don't mind at all. I'm seriously in love with these boards for bringing Nizoral into my life lol. My scalp has never been so normal..

MovingOn · **Joined:** Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:58 pm **Posts:** 205

Tori wrote:

I use it and love it! I have absolutely no scalp issues these days because of it and I can't think of any negatives other than it makes my hair a little limp on days I use it, which I don't mind at all. I'm seriously in love with these boards for bringing Nizoral into my life lol. My scalp has never been so normal..

How often do you use it? It says "use every 3-4 days" on the bottle (just bought it this week) so I've been alternating it with an organic shampoo. Is that what you do?

Tori · **Joined:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:38 am **Posts:** 460

More or less. I don't really pay attention. Sometimes I skip it and others I can tell I need it again (meaning I went too long without it) and right away I'm back to normal. I don't alternate though. I let it sit the 5 (just on my scalp, not the rest of my hair), rinse, then shampoo and condition.

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