How I Make My Mix

Here is my mix. The phosphatidylserine is shown on the left with one capsule still full. Each capsule is 100mg with 30 capsules in the bottle. The DMSO applicator in the top right, the one with the roller. The other DMSO is just a refill bottle. The allantoin is in the bottom right. Making it is pretty darn easy. First empty the capsules out and add a half teaspoon of allantoin to the powder. Next, pop the rollar out of the applicator bottle. Third, funnel the powder into the applicator bottle. Then top off the applicator bottle with DMSO. Finally put the rollar back into the applicator bottle, screw on the cap and shake the bottle for a minute.

Now you have a transdermal application of phosphatidylserine and allantoin.

Amazon Listings:
DMSO
PS 30 COUNT 60 COUNT 120 COUNT
Allantoin

Updated Pictures

Sorry if I have been lagging on posts. Work and life have been super busy. I have some other posts I need to finish before publishing. In the meantime here are current pictures. My hair is starting to get longer and I will likely shave it this weekend.  The center of my forehead is hard to photograph because a lot of the new hairs are pointing towards the camera; I have included an angled shot of my forehead. It seems that it is coming back in patches and then those patches get thicker and bigger.

I am working on getting a tripod or something.

Teeth Regrowing Experiment

I have been gathering ingredients together for another experiment. I have going to try and regrow some tooth enamel and fix some cavities.

So far my list of ingredients are the following

alpha-MSH combined with poly-L-glutamic acid

Phosphatidylserine

allantoin

Proline

Glycine

Vitamin-C

DMSO

Also, I was thinking of autoclaving the enamel of some bovine teeth and then grinding them to make an sort of enamel cellular matrix powder. Also, tooth enamel contain some proteins that we stop producing as we get older but are essential for the formation of enamel. I am hoping that the bovine teeth will contribute those proteins as well as other nutrients.

I am still working out the chemical stability of each ingredient and attempting to predict any chemical reactions that may occur.

I may only apply the 'alpha-MSH combined with poly-L-glutamic acid' one time towards the beginning of the trial.

Proline, Glycine and vitamin-c are included for their role in collagen production. 

Let me know what you think.

More Pics

Sorry I haven't had time to do comparison shots. Here are the latest photos. Right click the images and open them in a new tab for better viewing.

New Pics Soon

I have been busy lately but I am planning on posting some new pics later tonight.

Oct 14th 2011 Pics

I am just going to drop these here. I am going to shave my head tomorrow and post some more pics then. I still think that my DMSO and phosphatidylserine mix is working similar to the astressin-b.

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Hair Growth Cycles

Normally, our hairs grow for 2-3 years before entering their resting phase which lasts for about 4 months. So under normal conditions, the resting phase is when the old hair follicle has fallen out and a new hair is rebuilt using a stem cell from a reservoir beneath the hair. With us hair loss sufferers however, the hair follicles are never able to rebuild due to the inflammation caused by the DHT. So two question: Are the stem cells being released and destroyed or are they in a sort of stasis? Second, if the stem cells still exist how long will it take to regrow hair from them?

Of course, I want to believe that they are being held in stasis but that most likely isn't the case. I didn't go bald overnight, it was a slow process of hairs getting thinner and thinner and the going away altogether. So the stem cells were being used during that time but at some point they may have simply gone dormant. I am not sure of the real answer and am still researching. If someone knows please tell me.

Now, I've been trying to figure out a semi-accurate time frame for hair to regrow. Looking at astressin-b, it took about a month for the mice to regrow their hair. Mice have shorter hair cycles than us humans. Their resting phase is approximately 2 weeks where ours is about 4 months. So if hair growth between mouse and human is a linear function, the estimated time to regrow hair would be 8 months. If it isn't linear then it could be anywhere from 8 months to 3 years. I am hoping for 8 months.

I am still quite confident in my solution and really feel like I have been gaining my hair back. I will post more pictures soon!

Bald Spot Pictures

I promised some pictures of my bald spot this last weekend and I finally got around to doing it. My hair was slightly longer in the July picture but it still seems to me that there has been some new hair growth when compared to the current picture. Well, either new hair growth or old hairs that became vellus were able to start growing again. Also, my follicle density has appeared to improved. Let me know if my bald spot is getting better or not.

Click on image to enlarge. A, B and C are for reference.

PS. Its hard to take and match photos correctly. I have approximately 900 photos of my head now.

Warning: DMSO and Ozonated Water

I just realized something that was kind of scary and wanted to share. The DMSO I am using is essential to my hair loss treatment. And being the inquisitive type of person that I am, I was reading health warning regarding DMSO. The one that caught my attention was regarding a woman, Gloria Ramirez, in Riverside, CA. Now I am pretty sure she wasn't using DMSO because she was going bald but that she was using it to treat cervical cancer. Tragically she died and during the autopsy they discovered DMSO4 in her blood stream which is a deadly nerve toxin.

Now this is just a theory and not one that I want to test.

Gloria was suffering from cancer and the fact that she had turned to using DMSO means that she was attempting a holistic cancer treatment. If that is true then she may have been ozonating her water to supplement chemo therapy. It is possible that if she had mixed the ozonated water with the DMSO it would have produced the DMSO4 that killed her.

This is why doing things like this is dangerous and you always need to understand the risks you are taking before starting anything.

And BTW, if you are ozonating your water, please stop. All you are doing is aging your body. Using it for cancer is one thing but doing it for some health benefit is absurd.

More pics soon!

Next Pics

I am going to be busy the next couple days. I will post new pics on Wednesday night. Check back then.

Bathing Habits while using DMSO

DMSO is a strong solvent and will carry anything with a molecular weight of less than a thousand through the skin. Thankfully before starting this experiment, I was already big into 'stone age' showering which for me is bathing using only water and scrubbing with a hand towel. Though I do make an exception and use soap underneath my arms and in my private areas. Also, if I am really filthy from working on my car or hiking, I will use soap and shampoo.  However, whenever I use shampoo I will skip application of my solution.

My reason for limiting shampoo and soap is pretty basic. Really just a basic rule; If you wouldn't put it in your mouth then you shouldn't put it on your skin.

I am always as careful as I can be to limit cross contamination when using DMSO.

Just gotta post this..disregard

3DFWWUA8TKFR

Pics Oct. 8th, 2011

Here are the pictures I promised. I want to note that I need a better camera. There are many immature hairs that have sprouted up in my widows peak. I am feeling pretty confident that by the end of next month it will be mostly gone. I am working on getting some pictures of the bald spot on the back of my head and some profile photos up soon as well. Perhaps in the next couple of days.  Show me your support by leaving a comment or following me.

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One More Day Till New Pics

One more day until I post new pics. I think that the new hairs have become even more visible. Also, I wanted to note that for the first 3 months of this trial I was using a gel version of phosphatidylserine. While I did notice some hair growth during that period, the majority of my progress has been made after I switched to a powdered version. So, either it takes a while to effect hair growth or the mixture containing the gel phosphatidylserine was not nearly as potent as the dried.

iPhone Game Obsession

I have obsessed with this iPhone game lately.

Trainyard

It is by far one of the best puzzle games out there. And it's indie developed. Support Matt Rix and download the light version or buy it for a buck.

I am not making a cent for this. I just love this game so much. Obsessed.
-Brad

Forgot to Mention This Side Effect

I totally forgot to mention this side effect earlier. My eyebrows and eyelashes have gotten a lot longer. When it comes to the eyelashes I dont care so much. My eyebrows on the other hand need regular mowing. I see one now that totally needs to be trimmed.

I am thinking that this may be helpful for women that want longer eyelashes. Maybe I can get my girl friend to do an experiment.

Maybe, i'll keep a record if I can figure out how to measure my eyelashes.

Reiterating the Side Effects

I wanted to go over the side effects again. The major side effects for me have been the overactive gallbladder, hypersomnia and headaches. This treatment may not work for people who already have problems with heartburn, ulcers or some other form of acid re-flux. Pooping bile is not fun and I have been wrestling with ways to lessen this effect. I thought that antacids would work but I just don't think the are able to get to the gallbladder. Luckily I never experienced any gallstones, ouch. My best solution to this problem so far is application in the morning only, when cortisol is already naturally high. The headaches are infrequent but feel like they are from low blood sugar. Low cortisol does inhibit your bodies ability to process glucose and instead of processing sugar the body begins using fat and muscle. This is most likely the reason I have been losing weight. The hypersomnia can make it difficult to wake up in the morning. My girlfriend is constantly irritated with how much the alarm is going off. This effect is also lessened by morning application only.

There have also been some beneficial side effects too. My sexual energy is much higher and most days I am cruising around at half mast. Also, to my girlfriends annoyance.

Anyways I just wanted to warn people. Anyone that tries this, should get a check up from a doctor and make sure they are in good health. It's probably not a good idea for diabetics or people taking blood pressure medication.

I just shaved my head not to long ago so I am going to wait until Sunday to post new pics, so check back then.

Steve Jobs

Putting my iPhone on silence for a minute and remembering Steve Jobs. RIP.

Thinking More About Cortisol and Hair Growth

This is all speculative based on reading, researching and my own experiences with reduced cortisol levels. As I have said before cortisol is necessary for many bodily functions. It acts as a signal to organs indicating how they should be working. For instance, older carburetor cars had a choke that you would use to help start the car when it was cold. The choke worked by filling the engine with a higher than normal fuel mixture generating more heat than normal. Once the engine was warm enough the choke would disengage. Our bodies do the same thing in the morning to wake us up by releasing cortisol and some other steroid hormones. Otherwise, it is difficult to wake up in the morning. Applying my solution at night before bed would knock me out which was good because I had trouble sleeping but waking up was terrible. I could sleep through an earthquake. Anyways, this is just an example of how cortisol interacts with the body. When it comes to our hair follicles I believe it interacts with them in at least a couple different ways.

We already know that cortisol is a part of inflammation and the healing process. So I hypothesize that first way it interacts with the hair follicle is in the keratinization or destruction of hair cells. Most of us have a scar somewhere on our body. However, not all of the scrapes or cuts we get turn into scars. When we are wounded inflammation occurs signalling to the body that repairs are needed. If a wound is able to heal quickly enough then there is not enough time for the keratinization process to occur and the area is regenerated. Not that keratinization always occurs but chronic inflammation will generally lead to the destruction of surrounding cells. Utilizing CRF blockers we are able to block the inflammation from occurring and we are able to allow the cells to regenerate on their own accord.

The other way in which I think cortisol interacts with the hair follicles is by signalling the start and stop of hair growth. I am leaning towards thinking that an absence of cortisol signals to the hair follicle that it should start growing again. The cortisol response of the hair matrix may be timed for some period before burn out of the matrix occurs and it goes into a resting phase. During the resting phase it heals and the cortisol level drops. Us balding guys may never get to a point where the hair can start back up again since the DHT is causing inflammation in the hair follicle which is producing more cortisol. And just like an allergy, the more you are exposed to it the worse your body responds. Another reason I think that cortisol acts as a signal for hair growth is because of this treatment. Since starting this treatment my eyelashes and eyebrows have become noticeably longer.

Anyways, that's it for now. Post more pics in a couple of days.

Latest Pics 2011-10-04

It's only been a couple days since my last post but here is a new comparison set. The left picture is current and the right is from 2011-05-26. Click on the picture to see the larger version. You should be able to notice the dark spots where the hair is coming in.

Let me know what you think.

Weight Loss and Working out.

Since I began doing this treatment, I have been losing weight steadily. I believe this is due to lowering my cortisol levels. Therefore, I am feeling the need to bulk back up so my girlfriend thinks I am manly. However, this poses a dilemma for me because exercise increases your cortisol levels. Phosphatidylserine should blunt those effects but my question is, will it be enough? Rather than risk losing my progress I am going to add another application before and after my workout. If the side effects of having low cortisol begin to manifest again I will drop down by 1 application until the side effects go away.

If I am not too lazy tonight I will shave my head and post some new pics.

Also, I picked up a peptide referenced in a tooth enamel regrowth article. I'm researching that and pondering how to best go about attempting that. I will post more on that soon.

The Importance of Allantoin

Allantoin is a form of acid that can be used in keratolytic therapy or in simpler terms wart or scar removal. For scar and wart removal, it works by softening and unlinking the keratin around the problem area. Over time the scar or wart is slowly detached from the skin. And, also, while it is working it is also making room for moisture that expands the extracellular matrix and allows the skin to heal. To me allantoin is so important for hair regrowth because of its ability to soften keratin.

The keratin that we are trying to target is the keratin being produced in the sebaceous glands connected to our hair follicles.

Dosage, side effects and the central nervous system.

My solution is mixed into the bottle that the DMSO came in which has a roll on applicator. When I started I was applying it nightly or every other night. However do to the following side effects I began applying in the morning. Cortisol levels are generally highest in the morning.

PS(Phosphatidylserine) interacts with the central nervous system to slow down production of cortisol which is what we want. However, cortisol is important and too little cortisol will produce a variety of symptoms related to the CNS. Most notably and annoyingly to me was a hyperkinetic gallbladder. Cortisol and bile production are inversely related. The more cortisol in your body the less bile you produce otherwise the less cortisol the more bile is produced. Some people experienced heartburn but not me. But whenever I had eaten the bile was released from my galbladder and would go through my intestinal tract very quickly. I was usually making my way to the bathroom within an hour after eating.
Other symptoms include hypersomnia and headaches.  Since switching application time from the evening to the morning this has mostly gone away.

Latest Pics 2011-10-01 -> 2011-10-02

At almost 4 and half months of daily or every other day application. The hair follicle are naturally dormant during the telogen phase for 3 - 4 months so I was not anticipating seeing any real changes until about now. I don't really know that these pictures convey how much growth I can see. However, looking at the right side you can see the hair line coming forward. Albeit not thick yet it is migrating, the reverse widows peak is slowly filling in as well. I believe in the next 2 months that growth will become much more visible.

My ingredients

Very simple mixture, 3 fl oz DMSO combined with 3000 mg of phosphatidylserine and 60 mg allantoin

DMSO is 90/10% of dmso/water purchased only for $10

Phosphatidylserine is sourced from a vitamin store for about $15. Make sure that they are vegicaps which should be powdered. Don’t try and use the gel vitamins as they contain a lot of fat which is not very soluble and will go rancid if you premix. The vegicaps are mostly pure but do contains some other members of the choline group as well as silicon(Silicon is added for flow-ability).

The allantoin was bought online in bulk for some little amount; i don’t remember max $30.

This solution should last approximately 6 months. I tend to make a new batch every 3 months though. Phosphatidylserine is a fat and will go rancid over time.

Also, i add a few drop of peppermint to try and cover up the smell. I will not lie and say it smells good at all. If anything, without the mint, its smell is similar to old fish.

The allantoin is very important to me as it is a keratin softener which makes it very usefull in the treatment of scare tissue. Make sure not to have more than 2-3% of allantoin in your mixture; higher than this and you will get chemical burns.

Beginning of Treatment May 20 2011

Here are some pics of the beginning of my treatment.

Allantoin

Allantoin originally came from the comfrey plant. The common name for the comfrey plant was "bone knit" for it's ability to speed up recovery time of broken or fractured bones. However, because comfrey is toxic in large quantities other sources were found in umbilical cords and animal urine. Today it is synthesized so dont get grossed out. Allantoin has similar properties to salicylic acid and will remove warts and scars. It works by softening keratin and increasing the water content in the skin.

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is another cortisol blocker that is cheap and readily available. It has been used in sports medicine to reduce cortisol and control inflammation. Recommended oral dosages are 300 mg per day.

Astressin-B

Astressin-B is a new peptide recently discovered and has received a lot of press about its ability to regrow hair on laboratory mice. Multiple laboratories are now studying its effects and determining if I can be moved to clinical human clinical trials. It is a potent cortisol blocker. Currently, it is difficult to source and expensive. To much for me to spend.

About DMSO

DMSO is a solvent produced as a by-product of making wood pulp. It has been used medically for over 50 years and has a ton of awesome properties. Most notably, it's ability to carry large compounds through the skin. I have read that it is able to carry molecules with a molecular weight of less than a 1000 g/mol. Alone by itself it has a very low toxicity level and is generally considered safe for consumption if you were so inclined. It is also one of the strongest antioxidants available. The only thing that really stinks about it is the smell associated with it...garlic.

Read up on it!!

DMSO Toxicology Study

Other things:
DMSO supposedly can carry <1000 g/mol
Alcohol i believe is around <300-500 g/mol
Plogel and some other carrier bases I believe go up to 800 g/mol but that may be under scrutiny.

Where to start?

The dreaded inverted widows peak. I hate it.

In all actuality, I kind of consider myself lucky. My father was completely bald by the time he was 30. I am now 29 and far from being bald yet but definitely suffering from a receding hair line and generally thinning all over the crown of my head. Notice the hat line? Trying to hide the hairline. Shamefully, I have been shaving my head for the last 6 years. This picture was from February of this year. One month before I started my personal program that I will describe in this blog.

1st post

Welcome to my blog. I am going to be adding more and more to this but the main point of this blog is to document my attempts at hair regrowth. I will go into further details in another post.