Demodex Mites and Hair Loss

Cliradex for Demodex.
Cliradex for Demodex. 4.4 out of 5 stars Amazon rating.

Over the years I have read a few hair loss forum threads linking the demodex mite to hair loss. The oldest such thread with a decent number of comments that I could find was from 2005 on the hairlosshelp forums, which no longer exist. I have never believed that demodex mites could be a cause of hair loss, although I admittedly also never did much research on the subject.

Of the dozens of Demodex species that have been discovered to date, only Demodex brevis and Demodex folliculorum are found on humans. People have tried various top rated dandruff shampoos to kill these mites with limited success. Some have seen success via the use of tea tree oil.

Demodex Symptoms

At the back of my mind, I thought that at some point during a slow news month, I would write a post on the subject. I was pretty sure that my conclusion would be that while demodex does not cause hair loss, it might be causing or exacerbating dandruff, itchiness, dryness or oiliness of the scalp. Many people with Demodex do not get any major side effects. However, among the most commonly reported Demodex symptoms include:

  • Itchy skin on face and/or hair.
  • Scaly skin.
  • Rough skin that feels like sandpaper.
  • Sensitive skin.
  • Redness.
  • Rash.
  • Eye irritation and eyelid thickening.
  • Eczema and Rosacea like symptoms.

Demodex, Hair Loss and Cliradex

Demodex Mites
Demodex Mites on Hair

However, as with so many other surprising developments from the past several years when it comes to sudden support for treatments that at first impression seem ludicrous (e.g., mechanotherapy, injection of fat cells, wounding, artery ligation and even scalp burning), I got a very surprising e-mail several weeks ago (pasted below) from Mr. Paul Salsberg of Cliradex that might imply yet another avenue to combat hair loss via treatment of Demodex.

E-mail from Paul Salsberg discussing how to get rid of Demodex using Cliradex (he is also posting in the comments to this post):

OK, let me begin by stating that sometimes the “obvious” craziness turns out to be a genuine discovery. There have been hundreds if not thousands of theories regarding MPB from legitimate scientists. Most believe they completely understand MPB but I believe differently based on the scientific information I have regarding the ocular region of the head.

My name is Paul Salsberg and I have been in the eyecare business now for over 15 years. Over the past 4 years, I have been distributing a product called Cliradex in Canada (www.cliradex.com). It is considered a “cosmetic product” but in reality it is the most effective treatment of Demodex mites (around the eye — also for blepharitis). What’s unique about Cliradex is that unlike tea tree oil (TTO), this has 4-Terpineol which has several times the potency of TTO without the excessive stinging or burning sensation. I’ve seen it kill bacteria, fungus and of course, demodex mites.

Every human has demodex but some have a lot. I have studied the demodex mite now for years and I believe that the reason why individuals eye lashes fall out is due to the fact that demodex’s main food source is right on and in the hair/lash follicle duct. They’re not only consuming the excessive oil but also the root of the follicle.
Simply put, the reason why MPB is a genetic trait is not necessarily because hair follicles are programmed to fall out at a certain age. I believe its because the body produces excessive sebum at a certain age and hence the mites find the “food” and start reproducing at such rapid rates. Its a feeding frenzy in that particular area of the male body.

Its important to note, although everyone has demodex, they are concentrated in a much larger area where there is (a) hormones, (b) sebum and (c) dead skin. My hypothesis is that most MPB victims have excessively oily scalps in the designated areas. I’m sure you have looked into tea tree shampoo or Nizoral to treat fungus and perhaps slow down the advancement of MPB. These shampoos are somewhat effective but I believe the reason why they are not holy grail is because the demodex mites are still alive throughout the scalp. I believe that Cliradex may not only reduce the sebum but will also destroy the life-cycle of demodex (6 weeks). Basically, the individual’s hair follicle will be in a much healthier state than ever before. I have proof that its the most effective method to actually eradicate the mite. As a result, eyelashes look and actually become healthier.

So you are probably asking, why am I reaching out to you? I am doing so because Cliradex is producing a new foam designed for the ocular area but can be used anywhere on the body including the scalp. I believe that if individuals who are experiencing the first signs of MPB start using this foam, it can potentially limit or reverse the hair loss. After seeing the results around the eye, I am quite optimistic this may work well for those in the initial stages of MPB — including the temple region.

I was wondering if I can speak with you more about this as I believe you are very knowledgeable in the field. I really have nothing to gain as I do not own Cliradex as I am a small distributor in Canada. However, if you think my theory it has some merit, perhaps you can reach out to your user base to find out if they would like to try it for 3-6 months for free. I am looking for about 10-15 volunteers.

Thoughts?

Regards,

Paul Salsberg, President
Bright Optical Inc.
(877) 870-0105 ext: 707

When I first read the e-mail, I immediately felt that Paul was genuine. Besides his e-mail sounding like he knows what he is talking about (at least when it comes to the ocular region and eyelashes), he is offering free treatment for up to 15 volunteers. Note that Cliradex is currently fairly expensive (24 towelettes on Amazon cost around $40), but I hope the new foam when it comes out is cheaper. There is also a Cliradex light version for sale at retail pharmacy stores such as CVS and Walmart nowadays.

Demodex
Demodex on Face

I should also note that Demodex mites have been implicated in facial skin conditions ranging from rosacea to dermatitis to blepharitis. However, you can also find studies that suggest a weak correlation between the mites and facial skin problems. Note that the condition that affect humans as well as canines is called Demodicosis. It can affect the eyelashes area, face and scalp. Another name for this condition is demodectic mange. Demodex is not contagious.

It seems like Cliradex is a very safe product. In fact Paul sent me a large sample and I have been using the towelettes around my nose for the past few days to see if they are effective in reducing my mild seborrheic dermatitis.

When it does come out, I would be happy to try the foam in place of the effective Nizoral for my on and off scalp dandruff and itching problems. A tea tree oil (4-Terpineol, to be precise) based product such as Cliradex is always preferable to a Ketaconozale based product such as Nizoral if both have the same efficacy.

Do I think that Cliradex will grow back hair that has been lost for a few years? No way. Do I think that this product can substantially improve overall scalp condition? Yes. Perhaps good scalp health can make medications such as Finasteride and Minoxidil work better, although I am not totally convinced about that as yet. Perhaps better scalp health may offer a stronger deterrence to the ravages of DHT and delay balding for a short time?

Stranger findings have been witnessed in recent years, and I am not going to totally reject such theories and correlations any more. At the very least, better scalp health would be very much appreciated by the 100s of millions of balding men and women around the world who often have to deal with the double whammy of excess itching/flakiness/ inflammation combined with hair loss.

Note: Mr. Salsberg has not offered me any kind of commission or financial incentive to promote or discuss Cliradex.

Update:

Excellent Demodex video.

— Domodex mite killed by tea tree oil video.

Demodex extraction video.

110 thoughts on “Demodex Mites and Hair Loss”

  1. Demodex mites is an interesting thought.
    You should know that they are very resilient and leave their eggs deep inside the pores. Applying any kind of cream or foam will most definitely only kill those residing on the surface. The only way to kill them all would be with both topical and oral treatment and you can be sure that that will have side effects.

    Further, treating them like this could possibly make them more resistant and eventually aggravate the problem. I don’t want to dismiss or discourage anybody. Just adding some information so people can decide better. I’m personally undecided and think it’s probably worth testing out.

    1. It also just occurred to me that this could also explain the laser comb. Demodex mites are light sensitive. UV light even damages them and they only come out at night time. Something to look into perhaps.

      1. While I am more than a bit skeptical of this particular theory (often it seems certain doctors, and even scientists, develop their theories almost in a vacuum and as a complete replacement of existing theory and seem to ignore the very persuasive and important arguments already established), I would like to praise you for your additions…. an intelligent little bit of critical thinking! (Something many of the comments on this board often lack ;)

        Admin, when you say you’re willing to give some credence/willing to listen to him, does that mean you think he might be right in the sense that this could be a root cause? Or do you mean you think it could be one of many contributing factors, representing another potential piece of the puzzle (something I’d be willing to accept, too)?

        Thanks :) Always an interesting read.

    2. I need to get rid of dermitox mites eggs in scalp, arms neck, hair I have used so many products.. borax Ivernectin horse paste, diluted 10 percent permethin cream to 5 percent changed my diet essential oils tea tree oil, borax, mayonnaise, olive and coconut oil. My hair has thinned 3/4 I have leasons on my head. How do I get my hair healthy and get rid of these horrific things .. 8 doctors think they are dilusional said bed bugs lice now skn acne. Have no furniture lawn chairs everything is bagged up.

      1. Sounds like Parasites to me. Bottom line. You need prescription strength Ivermectin and ALWAYS Rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar and Leave it on…the wonderful cleansing smell will evaporate. Low sugar diet will help keep fungus at bay, which the parasites feed on…that, and raw scalp from scratching. Hell with these “know it all dermatologists”…..they need to go back to school. Find a good lawyer, and sue them for letting you suffer!!

      2. Amen to that !! I’m at a loss as well been fighting thus fir my bh’s with all kinds of hime remedies when doctors what ti out you on everything imaginable and sone say your nuts as well! Because they dint care to learn it research . It’s too complicated and they do want the challenge or wantvto go outvoted their way to help you. They prescribed stuff for anxiety fir being psychotic and want a easy client . Too difficult for them . Nit an easy diagnosis when they claim they never heard of demodex follicullum or the brevis ircthe frost! I’ve had all 3 and even after 2 rounds of ivermectin I’m still not over it. Used lots of tea tree oil and everything out there imaginable. People are suffering and these doctors don’t care!!

  2. I suffered from Dermatitis, had a massive shed in the summer. Bought a laser comb, the area with massive shed has since regrown hair (because of good scalp health, keto + laser mostly).

    I stopped using it recently and in my mind i have more hair fall in the shower. I was mostly using it on my hairline and that area has receeded alot since not using it regularly.

    Perhaps this Cliradex stuff is the preventative solution?

    Anyway, i found this study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763723/

    1. Hi Julian, you shouldn’t through every new theory about MBP into trash. Are you scientist ? Do you know the exact reason of MPB ? Then why you are pretending as you know everything ? I think Admin is more knowledgeable than you & he wouldn’t post new theory if that is not worth. I hope you will understand what I am trying to say. Thanks buddy.

      1. I mean the problem is people want a topic says ” the cure for MPB is finally here ” which is difficult to happen. Be positive and patient.

      2. yeah I understand Ruh, but man.. I’m not a scientist off course, and I don’t know everything off course too.. but man, Okay, I accept that this may contribute to damage the follicles but I really don’t think it’s a cause, it can’t be.. sorry. As the Admin put it, it may help, I agree. But it isn’t a major factor, for sure. It just may help as it allows a healthier scalp. But if the major cause isn’t addressed, it won’t change anything. Sorry, it’s my opinion, I don’t think this is a treatment or cure, just that.

  3. *sigh* this is never going to end. There is always some other theory on issues that may or may not contribute to mpb.

    Im not dismissing this article, in fact I admire the guy for coming forward and giving his two sense, as well as offering free trials for a number of people to test his theory.

    However- as I stated in previous posts. My testosterone and dht levels were off the charts as a teen. My skin was oily as hell, I had zits all over my face and back, and if I didnt wash my hair everyday it looked incredibly greasy and nasty. I was literally an oil pit…and my hair was thriving. I mean thick as hell, long down past my shoulders, and almost unmanageable it was so thick. Now at 25 the oiliness has cut back a ton, I could go a week without showering before my hair looked even a little greasy, and I dont have a single zit or skin problem at all. So if anything, when I was a teen I would have lost my hair if his theory was correct. Now? It should be healthy and thriving not being devoured by mites-if his theory was correct. I dont deny that cliradex will probably help skin conditions and make your overall scalp healthier, however I dont think this woild would even work for maintainence. His heart is in the right place, but the science isnt there.

    1. DHT is just like smoking the damage it does its progressive. you could smoke a pack a day as a teen and have no noticeable problems then stop when you are 30 and then find out you have lung cancer. you say well there is no correlation because i used to smoke more when I was a teen. The science is there DHT kills the follicle as does tgf-b. the longer it is present the more damage is done and the follicles become further miniaturized.

    2. Actually no. When you have a demodex infestation they eat the sebum and over time your skin or scalp would become drier. I have had demodicosis infection localized on my face and at the forehead area I (a young woman) experienced hair loss. My face turned red and was covered in pustules. Nothing would take care of it until I was finally diagnosed with a major demodex colonization and treated with soolantra topically and ivermectin orally. My skin went back to normal and my hair grew back.

    3. Dear Mango, It’s not Just the greasiness that allows demodex to proliferate by the thousands & eat your hair for lunch; Greasy folks with super effective immune systems keep these disgusting mites under control. They only overpopulate and feast on the face, ear, nose & scalp oil of people whose immune system let the beasts crawl under its radar. You’re one lucky Mango. But watch for them to attack as you get older & your immune system is more likely to let thousands of them mate a feast your head & body too.

  4. While I’d be interested to see the results of this experiment (as long as its run in an unbiased manner, which is hard to ascertain when he stands to profit from it), the hypothesis that mites are a significant factor in hair loss does not fit with almost any of the existing evidence.

    How could hair transplants work if this was the case? The theory of follicles being genetically vulnerable to DHT facilitated DNA damage makes perfect sense when you consider that you can transplant non-vulnerable follicles to these areas and they’ll survive and grow.

    If people go bald because their scalp produces too much sebum which mites feed on, then any hair transplanted to bald areas should die off as well.

    Also many shampoos on the market almost strip the hair and scalp of sebum. If this theory was correct, that the genetic propensity for baldness comes from increased sebum levels that cause increased mite levels, then there should be a significant difference in the rate of balding between people who shampoo their hair every day, and people who never do it.

    So whatever small effect the mites are having, it clearly is meaningless compared to the genetic/hormonal component.

    1. Maybe the hair follicles that were weakened by DHT are more vulnerable to these mites where healthy follicles, on the back of the head, simply repair the damage better.

  5. Off topic so excuse the digression. I was just reading about the discovery of gravitational waves, a tremendous feat that effectively paves the way to understanding the big bang. This got me thinking about MPB..
    So we have on our hands the real possibility of understanding how the whole bloody universe came about, and these clowns can’t still understand the process of losing strands of hair !
    It’s simple: second rate, mediocre scientists will get you nowhere. Get real brains behind this malarkey and they’ll figure it out in no time
    Rant ovrer

      1. You can’t compare cancer to MPB Dan, it’s not even close. Fact of the matter is: the so called “researchers” working on MPB are mediocre at best. I don’t think we’ll see anything meaningful in the foreseeable future. These guys are at the stage of spinning BS to wring some research funds, nothing worthy of note. If you know anything about research fund mechanisms, you’ll know they favour mediocrity and the plodding down of the bleeding obvious.
        Look at Cotsarelis, Christiano and the rest of the “leading lights” of this field: in all their decades of “research”, they have advanced the frontiers of MPB knowledge by… nanometres!

  6. tell you what, I’ll sign up to this idea. i’m calling thanks admin

    I know one thing, I get sebum/acne/hairloss all at the same time.. i think it’s a diet thing so i go low on meat and zero of sugar drinks that seems to help it.

    I always have itchy flaky sebum shit scalp .. ready for that to end

  7. I hope to 2016 will be awesome years.
    I especially expect result of samumed’s phase2.

    Many courses of MPB is revealed.
    I of course understand this process is important for cure,
    But at the same time, I feel pain this situation only cause is revealed.

    Sorry,my bad English.

  8. Hey Admin, Im located in Canada, Calgary to be precise and would love to be one of the initial testers for this product. Im sure you have my email, if you need me to provide it to you in some other manner please let me know.

    Cheers.

    Ps. I am 25 and just starting to see some excessive shedding and thinning all over the top of my head and temple region. I would love to put a stop to this before it goes any further. I most definitely am hoping for Histogen and Replicel to be successful as I am not a fan of Fin and Monox due to the potential sides.

    Ive done due diligence on a-Terpineol and I am willing to give it a shot.

    Please let me know thanks.

  9. But this doesnt explain why transplanted hair will grow perfectly fine in the regions that balding occurs. If the mites are in that area, they would attack the transplanted hair as well.

  10. Is there ANY chance that SM will be able to skip phase III? This is the only thing that could save us in 2016 in my opinion..

  11. Fadi, Im not here to recomend you HT but please, dont lie about HT, transplanted hair dont get miniaturize, just follow their cycle, i mean if that hair follicle gotta get miniaturize (in the donor area or receiving area) is gonna happen, if not is gonna be in the transplanted area.

    1. i do not lie man, we all know that people who undergo HT are recommended to take finasteride tio keep the transplanted follicles, also there are many cases that support this.

        1. is not right Julian, just check it out on internet, (i never had a HT btw ) but they recommend you fin to keep the native hair and help the transplanted follicles after de surgeon, but the right thing is that when you transplant hair, that follicle have a genetic code (some of the follicles are gonna get miniaturize and some are not, depends of the genetic code of that follicle) so if your donor area is predestined to get miniaturize, of course is gonna happen (doesnt matter if is transplanted or no, in the donor area or the receiving area) and i repeat, im not here to recomend a HT and any kind of medicine, but for example look some actors like George Clooney, Matthew Mcconaughay and many others

  12. In India, there are one method of cure is known as “Ayurweda” it is ancient method of curing dieases. In ayurveda there are two types of hairfall known as (1) Indralupt (2) Khalitya..

    In indralupt hair can be regrown by medicines while khalitya is MPB…

    In Indralupt, ayurveda believes that some kind of bactaria are eating hair roots and after medication that hairs can be regrown fully as like early. While there are mediation for khalitya (MPB) also described in ancient books of ayurveda.

    I think this mites thing post is well describes “INDRALUPT”. NOT “KHALITY” means male pattern baldness.

    Sorry for my bad english.

      1. Ruh, do not take anything blindly even if ayurvedic medicine. They also tend to mix allopathy in that. There is no such treatment of alopecia in ayurved, I have consulted them.

    1. Oh and i also heard they are working on another version of the 21st cen act that will be changing some of the wording that some ppl in power has issues with, so who knows exactly what we will get

  13. @fadi, i think the majority of all hair miniaturizes with age, regardless of mpb or not.
    @ spanky the samumed phase 2 got extended for a cpl more months, but it should be ending before or around summer
    @chessman, it could skip phase 3 if the 21st century cures act would finally get voted on, but with our luck it will be either get pushed back to the end of 2016 or even to 2017. If thats the case, just let them go ahead and do phase 3 for gods sake

  14. @Shane, Im with u on the >for gods sake part!!! There is always 1 more trial…always 1 more thing that needs to be investigated, always some kind of something etc etc. Im so *ucking close to go on Fin….argh!!!

  15. Excellent question as to why donor hair follicles still remain on the top of ones scalp. I wish I had a microscope to show everyone. However, to explain this, lets first take a step back and just review what is happening on ones balding scalp. It is scientifically proven that there is a lot of DHT in that region. What’s interesting is that DHT is several times more potent than the testosterone hormone alone. Excuse the metaphor but its like testosterone on steroids. Demodex has very similar behavior to the common bed bug. They hide during the day and come out at night. For the balding head, the demodex is literally at a buffet where not only do they have a feeding frenzy, but they reproduce at such a rapid rate. What that means is that instead of having some mites in your hair duct, it could be dozens upon dozens within one hair shaft eating away at the hormones, sebum, DHT, dead skin and hair shaft. We cant naturally limit the DHT but I think if we can reduce the number of mites per shaft, this will limit the progression of MPB.
    I have been asked why don’t men typically bald in the bottom back of their scalp. Simply put, the reason why many do not bald in that particular area is because there is very little sebum and DHT in that location. If you look at the top of your scalp a few hours after showing, its shiny (sebum oil) where as the bottom back its much less shiny and probably dryer. This is why hair transplants work. It is important to note that the surgeon is taking the skin around the follicle (puncture) and plugging it in the front. There is no sebum producing there and hence the Demodex mites dont see it as food source. They dont bother burrowing themselves in the transplanted hair duct during the day because there is nothing there for them to survive/thrive. They will move to where the hormones, DHT, sebum are located and feed there while leaving the transplanted hair shaft alone. It will stay like this unless your transplanted hair shaft, at a later time, is genetically programmed to produce sebum. This is why people still need two or three more transplants at a later period of their lives.
    I hope this helps.

    1. It’s just my opinion but I think you’re terribly wrong in your theory. So people who never bald have no mites nor sebum in their scalps?

    2. I appreciate that you’re trying to come up with new theories but it seems like you haven’t fully thought this through.

      You just said that the top of the head balds because theres more Sebum/DHT there, and then said hair transplants work because there’s no sebum/DHT for them to feed on so they don’t bother infecting the new follicles.

      A glance at transplant research would show this theory is completely flawed. When someone with diffuse thinning or a small bald spot gets a hair transplant, there is still plenty of DHT and Sebum in the scalp.

      Transplanted hairs can be surrounded by native hairs and the native hairs will die off eventually whereas the transplanted hairs will survive.

      Are we to suggest that a transplanted follice has such a strong effect on local DHT/Sebum levels that itself will be immune to mites, yet a follicle 0.1mm away will completely die off?

      When you transplant non-vulnerable follicles to the top of the head, they survive regardless of DHT/sebum levels because they are not genetically susceptible from DNA damage DHT induces, most likely due to a fewer number of androgen receptors.

      There is in fact no clear causal link between sebum levels and hair loss. People with high sebum levels tend to have more hairloss but that’s because they tend to have more DHT/more androgen receptors.

      There are plenty of people with extremely greasy skin and hair who never go bald, which demonstrates that there are several interacting genes and its possible to have the gene for elevated DHT/sebum production but not the gene for follicle vulnerability.

      If what you were saying about sebum levels were true, people with greasy hair who never shampoo’d it would lose their hair at a staggering rate, and thrice daily shampooing with a shampoo that stripped the scalp of sebum would be a fantastically effective treatment, since it would dramatically reduce the level of sebum which would dramatically reduce the amount of food available for mites.

    3. Hi Paul, I thank you Very much for Putting my Very own Theory
      of the Cause for Male Hair Loss in your printed Prognosis,I have long held the same beliefs for a number of Years, and I firmly Believe that these ‘ Microbes’ have Discovered that the Male Human Hair Follicles have been the Perfect Location to Make their ‘Nests’ as this Provides the Perfect Habitat for their Off Springs, who find they now have a Ready Continuing Source of Food, I.E. Fine Tasty New Hair Shoots which they can devour fresh at Source , and Sebum to quench their Thirst, they are free from any Predators, and I also believe they have found the Male Testosterone to be an Aphrodisiac and a great source of enhanced Virility for the Male of the Species ,They Also Clog up the Follicle with their Waste Products , And cause yet another Obstacle in the Hairs Progress to Grow ! As a Footnote I had HT Many Years ago, but they also have also continued to fall out over the Years and I have only something like 2/3 % now Remaining,

  16. I had a thought in the shower today… If things like Dr. Wesley’s piloscopy worked (where you wouldn’t see a scar on every follicle removed) why wouldn’t they use the hair that is kinda a nuisance at the neck (the back hairline? lol)? That hair is usually the reason I get my hair cut in the first place… it would be similar to having hair removed by lasers (because we don’t want it) but it would be able to repurpose that hair and put it back on top of your head… just a thought.

  17. Also just my opinion but I also think it sounds a bit far fetched…but then again, I know nothing bout science. Just a random guy waiting for a proper treatment that wont turn my dick limp

    1. Me too, I highly doubt that mites have anything to do with baldness. As to sebum, I just remember that when I had most hair it was super oily. So, sebum must help the quality of the hair and not the contrary, in the first place. And mites should do nothing as well but letting hair healthier, or those beggars that never wash their heads and have incredibly full heads of hair, thicker than a lion’s mane. This mites/sebum theory, to me, is just another bull shit, with all due respect.

  18. Hey again Admin,

    Yet another wounding healing patent from Cots but I haven’t seen this one before:

    https://www.google.com/patents/WO2016014544A1?cl=fr&dq=ininventor:%22George+Cotsarelis%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTjtCuzfrKAhXGvQ8KHWQhB9YQ6AEIHDAA

    Lots of references to full thickness wounds, wnts and rna.

    Have no idea what to make of it all but there will be a piece on Puretech coming out in the coming months from Scott Kirsner. Will “that” hair company get a mention??? Hope so!

    1. I hope too.. it’s more than time that Follica present some news regarding their progress. Hope we get some information from them this year.

      1. I reckon after that last official piece of news in sept last year that we’ll hear something. It would finally great to see what wounding coupled with whatever compounds they’re using actually does. Hopefully cosmetically acceptable and robust terminal hair!

        There’s been so much on this wounding theory and there must be something there. Especially after the Garza discovery last year too which speculated that wounding may not even be necessary. There are definitely on to something. Let’s just hope they’ve cracked it. Fingers and toes crossed.

  19. just put 100% tee tree oil on my head its been 30 minutes..
    feels good knowing these little bastards are most likely dead

  20. Whos this Cots guy u guys keep talking about? And wots with the wounding obsession. Have we seen any results at all that this will work other than the swiss guy who may or may not have seen 1 or 2 flimsy hairs on his temple after doing wierd stuff to himself? Every time I hear bout this wounding procedure someone tells a story bout some bald dude in 19-something who fell head first into a fire and got some hair back.

    1. its all over this blog you can google it and find links onto this website.. there are pics of the camp fire guy..

      i’m assuming swiss temples failed… cots = Costerellis or however you pronounce his name which is why people just say Dr. Cots who has no pictures human evidence and is going bald himself .. over rated in my opinion but only time will tell

      1. Egg.. swisstemples is not a scientist, or as Ddog prefers, a researcher. We should not take his failure or success as proof of anything. We should not believe Follica’s wounding technique doesn’t work because Swiss has tested something similar and got nothing. He doesn’t know a lot of things. He just used what everybody knows, what Cots and what’s described in their patents allowed us to know. But it’s not that simple.. They’re not fools to give away their knowledge.

        1. i agree.

          swiss is definitely not a scientist.

          I don’t think cots is up to anything though.. i just don’t have any faith in his work… like zero…

          disagree? you decide.

          his first appearance
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLaMBHIdBs
          was actually uploaded in 2009…

          mat lauer now
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU0251oIX0M
          here he is now

          dr cots now (look at his hair)
          https://youtu.be/L-ocxo-DiYM?t=43s

          i know science moves slow but ….just feels like a flopper

    2. Who is Cotsrelis? Man.. if you really don’t know who is he then you should some homework before coming back here.. lol

  21. Cots is, or maybe was, the head of dermatology at the University of Penn. He is supposed to be America’s leading hair researcher.. Notice that I said “researcher” because he has done nothing else. I am not sure he is interested in doing anything else, really.

  22. I think baldness is caused by dht and other triggers to inflammate the scalp, choking off nutrients for the hair. Think sebaceous glands that are overactive cause inflammation in acne. I think dht causes chronic inflammation in the skin and prostate. The higher dht, the higher chance of prostate cancer because of chronic inflammation. Maybe the follicle itself isn’t the issue, maybe it’s chronic inflammation causing fibrosis in the scalp which causes the hair to die eventually. Which is why anti inflammatories work to slow baldness, but cant reverse damage due to fibrosis. I have a suspicion that turmeric has potential to slow this chronic inflammation or any other anti inflammatory. Also wounding/ aka breaking up scar tissue, and triggering the hair awake could work. Jak + wound+ some formula to wake up hair could work, though not a proper cure

  23. Just a thought i had the other day.
    I remember reading a post in a forum that said hair growth can be triggered by plucking hairs. I guess the body sees a plucked hair as a wound signal and sends the proper signals to induce repair and new growth…..
    Ok so if thats true, do you tink the hair regeneration that is being claimed by dr wesley and piloscopy is because those hairs are also being pulled and plucked, (not cut out) and the body sends the repair signals to this trauma area too. So the regeneration that supposedly happens w piloscopy is the same that happens when any hair is plucked???
    Just trying to tie theories together

  24. “What that means is that instead of having some mites in your hair duct, it could be dozens upon dozens within one hair shaft eating away at the hormones, sebum, DHT, dead skin and hair shaft”

    Mites eating hormones??? Lol….sigh…..Lol. Enough of the bro science BS please

  25. @Ruh…
    Dear please google the word indralupt cure in ayurweda, INDRALUPT is not MPB it is reversible 100 %. Ayurveda has remady for it. All ingradients which are used to cure are natural.

    1. Hari, you know what is the Nature’s plan for our hair, don’t you? so please cut this BS natural cure or remedies man… Nature just gives a shit to our hair, it won’t fix anything.

  26. Hi Admin Hi everyone.
    Every months we can notice news discoveries about hair loss.
    But today still nothing very serious on the horizon exept makeshift job to create some topical solutions barely better than minoxidil ! We are in 2016 guys !!
    I think there is a true link between the recent discoveries of Angela Christina about Tofacitinib and Hair loss. ( not specially only for Androgenic Universalis ) There is a link with our hairs in the dormant state and the 5 alpha reductase.
    Besides Dr Christiono seems to be confident about a treatment for androgenic alopecia with tofacitinib !
    It’s been years I follows a lot of blogs on Hair loss ( yours admin, hairloss talk… ) Now I think we could try something.
    I got the possibility to be followed by a doctor and a dermatologist and I would like to try tofacitinib with topical form on my head. I could post every week photos and results for you guys. The only problem : the price of xeljanz.
    Admin do you think we could set up a collaboration to an appeal for donations ? I know how I could turn Xeljanz pills in topical forms and followed by doctors I can take the risk. No problem with that.
    I am sure it will be instructive for everyone !!!

    1. welcome we’ve been through several rounds of your comment in the past year. this forum is 2 years ahead of the discussion

  27. Cornille, if you are going to try that, you are going to have to pay for it yourself. I wouldn’t want to invest money in someone who is not a scientist that doesn’t have the formula combined with Tofac to penetrate the scalp on the head. I am sure there are other growth factors as well. It would be a wasted investment. A waste of your time, as well.

  28. When I read comments here, there is always someone talking about the lack of investors and money in the current research companies for hair loss treatment.
    The one who finds the cure will be super trillion mega rich, so why won’t celebrities going bald or balding/non balding investors put money into this? Because when they find a cure, the people who has invested will get very very rich!
    I cannot understand it..

  29. Mr. Bear… As soon as someone shows something promising to invest in, people will do that. The fact remains that no one has done this. No one. Cots, for instance, complains about not being able to raise enough money… Well, show people why they should.

  30. DDog .. with all fairness I’m not impressed by Kythera or Cots but you said “complains about not being able to raise enough money… Well, show people why they should.” it takes a few million i think 10-20 just to do a human proof of concept you know that right?? …

    Farhan this is the same reason angela christiano is frozen too.. investors have a choice be the richest man in the world or burn 20 million dollars on a failed trial

  31. I dont know man..this hair loss makes me upset.. I have everything…great job…nice body…sports car…still fuc..n upset..only because of this stupid hair loss…which I inherited…I dont understand why we have to suffer…atleast this stupid hair loss should start only in 50’s..I wouldn’t have cared then..

    1. Despite I disagree that you wouldn’t care if it were only in the 50’s.. I also ask myself, why is that shit happens, something that doesn’t make us look and feel better? Why Darwin?

  32. I have little bit of faith in JAK, samumed and replicel… cos they speak sense and logic…histogen i dont think so….growth factors and proteins really…sounds like red bull..

  33. Some of this makes sense, I started to lose my hair at the same age of my Rosacea diagnosis. I also suffer from oily skin and I tried tea tree oil, and the demodex theory then abandoned it. This all happened when I was a young teenager, rare for both rosacea and MPB. Interesting…

  34. I started killing demodex more than 10 years ago. I tried telling my story and was horrified at the ignorance and venom I found online.

    I gave up trying to help others, but my hair and skin continue to improve even after 10 years of continual treatment. They are hard to kill, it takes time and once they are dead you will still need to recover from the damage they have inflicted.

    1. How did you kill them? Any tips? I believe in this demodex theory and would really like to know how to get rid of them..

  35. I was the original poster in one of the threads linked above. It appears Paul and myself have came to very similar conclusions through trial and error. I am not in the hair loss business’s for money , but rather knowledge. I was able to stave off demodex with very strong tea tree oil, sulfur shampoos and a mix of salycyclic acid. My hair has stopped falling out now for almost 2 years and is almost as thick as it was when I was a teenager.

    Upon testing and artificially raising my DHT there was a cutoff. When sebum was massively present the shampoos were not enough to stop the demodex. Itching, soreness and shedding are symptoms of overpopulation. This means stronger extracts will be needed to help people with severe cases and reach the largest audience. I really find the scientific community embarrassing that they have not run this to ground… Go look at pictures of the common demodex inside hair follicles… No wonder the hair falls out. Also keep in mind demodex are subject to gravity , nesting on flat surfaces provides the best opportunity , it is my belief that this is also a contributor to the horse shoe pattern as well as increased sebum production in those areas as Paul mentioned.

    One other factor to consider is the bodies immune reaction to the demodex when they start overbreeding. The body will trigger an autoimmune response in order to keep the population of demodex down, this also ends up being counterproductive for the life of the follicle.

    I am happy to see trials have started in many areas linking demodex, Rosacea, acne, eyelash and hair loss. This may not be the final answer to all hair loss but I genuinely feel it is a large contributor.

    God Speed to those willing to do the due diligence it takes for hair loss regardless of what the “scientific overlords” are doing.

    1. Brian 1234 – if you are still reading these please finish your reply to Ana and the questions she asked.
      • And how did you raised artificially your DHT? 2 And please explain how did you use the tea tree oil and sulfur, please share! I need help, please…
      It would also be helpful if you provided what specific products you used. I have the little buggers and also Sjogrens syndrome so no tears at all left. The little buggers/and the dryness, leave my eyes red and feeling horrible all day long, the doctors are of little help. Some of us just need a little help and are not full of venom, I for one. Please give the products you used to raise your DHT, and what very strong tea tree oil and sulfur shampoo with the salycyclic acid you used, i.e. product name. You could email mail be privately if you wished and did not want to state the products on line. Thank You would not be enough if you would share that information.

  36. Hi Bryan,but if demodex are subject to gravity why can you find them in your face ,forehead and nose?

    And how did you raised artificially your DHT?

    And please explain how did you use the tea tree oil and sulfur,please share! I need help, please…

  37. Ana much information can be found in the thread linked at the top of this webpage. To answer your question, Demodex like any other organism will nest in an area that provides the most opportunity to replicate. For instance , ants would never build thier main nest on the side of a house, however you still see plenty of ants and smaller ant colonies on the side of a home where they roam to find food. Demodex mainly stay on the top of the head during the day as this area is flat. At night when the head lays down they transition to the forehead. This is why the temples are such high traffic areas. Some stay behind and nest in the nose, eyebrows, forehead etc. As Paul mentioned the top of the head also produces more sebum than the sides. These 2 contributing factors are why you see most hair loss in the typical patterns we do. On the thread there was also a study that showed we all have different types of demodex. They are passed down through the family line mainly in pillows when you are a child. At puberty with hormones the DHT starts to increase sebum levels and the colony gradually becomes stronger as DHT levels rise with age. Some breeds of demodex are more destructive than others. This shows the possible “genetic” link but it’s not genetic its environmentally passed. How science can say we all have them, but they don’t contribute to hair loss is beyond thunderdome.

  38. Just bumping this….did anything ever come of this? @Admin, did you ever have Fürther contact with Paul

  39. I wish everyone would continue what they get us excited about.
    You mentioned a product at CVS and Walmart. A light version of Cliradex but gave no name. I found out that most people don’t even know that mites live on eye lashes. Cannot find the product.
    It all sounded great.

  40. Update from Paul Salsberg:

    Just wanted to send you an updated video that we created focusing on the ocular region. As per our previous conversation, we believe that Demodex travels within the eyelash duct and causes lashes to fall out. The same applies to the hair follicle. As more sebum oil and, to an extent, dead skin cells are formed, this creates a breeding ground for Demodex which may cause and/or expedite hair loss.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzKnbu2ZR_k&sns=em

  41. I have severe bleherities dry eyes and now a severe infestation of demodex mites that are out day and night. nothing kills these things. They are in my hair, eyes, face,eyebrows,hears. they come
    out of your pores and bite hard and lay eggs and hatch every four days, that fourth day is hell. I keep on vaccuming and throwing out my pillows and washing everything. My eyelids were professional srubbed which cost 300.00$ and I use tto wipes every day twice and tto soap and tto in hair. I also have tto clothes in my bed and sprayed it all over my home and tto clothes stuffed everywhere in every corner. Nothing workes. I live in B.C you can’t buy anything else and nothing else works I’ve read 100 coments from people on this. Nothing sold in Canada works for sure. Permethrin 5% is suppose to help and I can’t get a hold of it. I ‘d rather be dead.

  42. Cindy – I don’t know if you have heard of UNGEX. It is an Australian product. It is expensive. Read about it and if you think it is worth it ring them in Australia and speak to Jarrod. They have many overseas calls. It is a 4 month regime and you really have to stick to it completely to get rid of all generations of mites and have any hope of it working. I don’t know if it works for everyone. I am half way through. All these other treatments may have an effect on the surface mites but do not address the eggs under the skin that hatch and reproduce. Hang in there. Good luck.

    1. Hi S McKiernan,
      May you please kindly help update if you have been successful in using Ungex. I got mild seborrheic dermatitis and not sure if anyone experienced in using Ungex for SD?
      Thanks very much for your kind reply!

      Best regards,
      Trinh Thanh Tung

  43. Why does everyone draw the conclusion that the presence of the mites is the cause of the hair loss? Maybe the hair loss causes an increased presence of mites. Or, to put it differently, maybe the cause of the hair loss also causes an increase in mites.
    For example, a lack of good blood flow to the skin surface would result in more dead skin cells. As part of our natural Flora, these mites feed on excess oil and dead skin cells it’s their job. So if a person had a problem with poor blood flow to the skin.
    Just a thought…

  44. My son is 19 and almost bald now. I am 1000% positive it is from these bloody mites. He had crusty plaques on his scalp that were never treated properly. They seemed to go away on their own. But then his scalp has been mildly red for several yrs. Doc shrugged it off. My whole family of 5 has them. My 11-yr old son’s hair has thinned in the past 6 mos significantly. I’m sure from these buggers. And my hair and my 8-yr old daughter as well. I also have non-stop itchy dandruff along with the hair shed. I’ve lost probably 1/2 of my hair volume since these things. Thinning hair for a woman is pretty humiliating. Shedding skin in my mind is because your body is trying to get rid of something. This is what led me to researching what could be in the scalp. We are all crawling with these things. It’s not headlice. I know the difference and I’ve checked multiple times. It’s not scabies. I’ve had those in the past thanks to somebody else’s nasty dog (yah, I know, they say we don’t get scabies from dogs, but I definitely did and my nurse mother in law mentioned the connection at other times). It took me a long time to even find anything about these other disgusting mites. Slowly the whispers in the back corners of the web about it are getting attention from researchers and a few bright minds. And it’s not just the ‘whackos’ that are talking about it now. Will my Dr believe us? Not likely. Even tho he knows that I only go when there is something serious. I’ve tried tea tree oil, peppermint oil, clove oil, wintergreen oil, neem oil, dusting my scalp with diatomaceous earth, MSM (sulphur), zinc on a whim, apple cider vinegar, bathing with MSM, bleach, borax, sea salt, etc, etc. Nothing works completely because there are so many of them and so many eggs under the skin. I can even kill them by tapping firmly on a sore spot with 2 nails. It sounds like I’m crushing sand particles. I have killed thousands on my scalp like that. They are all over my face, eyelids, etc. no obvious signs on my face tho. I just have the constant crawling and biting on my face as well. I know it sounds completely crazy but I’m not prone to crazy. I have a very level head and generally critical / logical nature. And I research any problem thoroughly to be well informed. My teen is the most oily of us. The rest of us aren’t. So being oily isn’t the full answer. I’d die to get a treatment of ivermectin for us all. None of us are immune suppressed that I know of. Will my poor teenage son’s hair regrow even if we get treatment? Somehow I doubt it. I feel sick inside for him.

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