sci-fi author, beatmaker

How I Thickened My Hair and Advanced My Hairline with a Simple Massage Technique (and no Drugs)

Head hair as of June 2014 vs. April 2015

Hair as of June 2014 vs. April 2015

Back in June of 2014, about ten months ago, I received an email from a young man named Rob with some ideas about DHT and hair loss (in response to this post). Rob had an interesting theory that DHT was not the main culprit in terms of male hair loss; that scalp fibrosis/calcification and excess sebum production were more responsible for male pattern baldness than any excess of dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

I was initially skeptical of this claim. There’s plenty of evidence to link miniaturization of male hair follicles (and subsequent hair loss) to DHT. One of the two major drugs prescribed to slow or reverse male pattern baldness is Propecia (finasteride), which is a strong 5AR inhibitor, preventing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. The problem with inhibiting 5AR (and the reason I never tried finasteride for my own hair loss) is the long list of potential side effects including reduced libido, impaired sexual performance, depression, and anxiety. I would rather be completely bald!

Rob claimed to have complete halted his own hair loss and regrown almost all of his hair using a massage technique. He wrote:

The cool thing about all of this is that it’s actually possible to reverse scalp fibrosis and release excess sebum trapped in the scalp skin, thereby increasing blood flow and allowing your scalp to flush out any trapped DHT. Using specific massage techniques I was actually able to arrest my hair loss and regrow nearly all my hair in just under a year (no drugs, shampoos, products, or surgeries). This is where our opinions differ slightly – I believe you can have healthy DHT levels and your hair too – and that the trade-off between sexual functionality and hair loss doesn’t need to exist 🙂

Rob offered to send me his eBook and instructional video for free. This made me even more suspicious — there are hundreds of scam artists out there peddling snake oil hair regrowth products to vulnerable, hopeful men hoping to get their hair back. But Rob wasn’t asking for anything in return, and he seemed sincere. What did I have to lose (besides more hair)? I downloaded the eBook and read it with growing interest …

My Own Hair Loss Story

I noticed that my own hairline was receding in my mid-twenties. Around age twenty-eight or twenty-nine I became concerned enough to do something about it, and tried using Rogaine (minoxidil). For me, the main effect of Rogaine was making my scalp red and itchy. I theorized that this might be an allergic reaction to propylene glycol (an ingredient in Rogaine). At the time I was living quite near a compounding chemistry lab, so I asked them to mix up a formula including minoxidil but without any propylene glycol. The resulting formulation didn’t irritate my scalp, and slowly I started to notice a few new hairs. Over the next couple of years I halted my hair loss and even regained a bit. Still, the custom formula was expensive, the progress slow, and as I learned more about the potential side effects of minoxidil I became concerned enough to stop using it. At the time I was starting to experience some adult-onset asthma, and I wanted to make sure to eliminate any possible chemical that might be worsening my general health.

I resolved to keep my hair short (no comb-overs!) and embrace my new lesser haired self.

Over the next few years I was able to resolve my asthma symptoms with some dietary and supplementation changes. I also noticed that my hair loss stopped or at least slowed down greatly. Perhaps my more-or-less paleo diet had something to do with it, perhaps providing more nutrients and/or making my body less prone to excess inflammation.

I eventually became less self-conscious about my hairline. Now in my thirties, I was hardly alone among my male peers in having less than total coverage. Even though I was bleaching my hair at the time, I didn’t seem to be losing ground. For reference, here’s a Jondi & Spesh press picture from 2003:

IMG_2806

Hairline 2003 reference.

Here’s a picture from six years later, in 2010. Maybe I’ve lost a bit more, but it’s not dramatically different than the 2003 picture (except no more bleach).

Hairline 2010 reference.

Hairline 2010 reference.

Still, my hair loss had not completely stopped. I noticed that my hair was not as thick on top as it once had been, and that I could see more of scalp when my hair was wet. This didn’t bother me as much as it would have when I was in my twenties, but I certainly didn’t relish the idea of gaining a round bald spot on my crown. I’d gotten used to my receded hairline, but bald on top was another thing. Still, even if it came to that, I wouldn’t be the first guy in the world to lose some or all of my hair. Since I wasn’t willing to use minoxidil or finasteride, and I didn’t want to endure or pay for any kind of hair transplant surgery or laser treatments, I resolved to just stay as healthy as possible and live with whatever the hair gods dealt out. I think most men make the same choice at some point in their lives.

Henry Choy, “Detumescense Therapy”, Dome Heads and Flat Heads

Rob’s eBook referenced a 2012 paper by Henry Choy from Hong Kong University, entitled Detumescence Therapy of Human Scalp for Natural Hair Regrowth (PDF). Choy theorizes that hair loss is primarily caused by thickening and hardening of the scalp, and that bald people have a more “dome-like” head shape because of trapped sebum (scalp grease). In a 100 person experiment (50 men and 50 women of various ages, ethnicities, and % of hair loss), Choy applied “detumescence therapy” over a ten monthly period to expel excess sebum, reshape the scalp, soften the scalp skin, and eventually regrow the subjects’ hair. The treatment involved two twenty-minute scalp massage sessions daily, during which the scalp was pressed on, kneaded, and rubbed.

Choy claimed amazing results: ALL the subjects regrew 90% of their hair. Dormant hair follicles came back to life. The first new hair growth was observed around month five of the massage therapy.

I was skeptical. Dome heads and flat heads — really? Head massage cures baldness? It seemed too easy. Had anyone else replicated the experiment? Rob’s eBook answers the question — a small group of natural hair regrowth enthusiasts did try to informally replicate the experiment, but their efforts petered out. Nobody knew how to do the massage technique, and five months is a long time to wait to see results.

Rob, however, stubbornly persisted, experimenting with various head massage techniques. For the first couple of months his hair loss seemed to slightly worsen, but he could feel the changes in his scalp, the skin becoming looser, softer, and more pliable. A few months later he started to notice new growth, and after ten months he had regrown almost all of his hair.

For Rob, the experiment worked!

Rob’s Hair Regrowth Protocol

Rob’s eBook goes far beyond Choy’s experiment in terms of getting to the root causes of hair loss, and also suggesting lifestyle changes to support hair regrowth and overall health. A few topics the book covers:

  • the role of calcification and fibrosis in the hardening and thickening of the scalp
  • estrogen/testosterone balance and hair loss
  • the role of low thyroid hormones and hair loss
  • dietary changes to improve hormone health and help regrow hair
  • how to avoid chemicals that may disrupt or mimic hormones and play a role in hair loss

Rob’s hair regrowth program recommends the following:

  1. Two twenty-minute head massage sessions, morning and evening, using techniques demonstrated in the accompanying instructional video.
  2. Dietary changes such as avoiding grain products, refined sugar, and foods that may potentially disrupt thyroid activity.
  3. Avoiding shampoo — using only water and scrubbing to clean hair (both to reduce sebum production and to avoid potentially hormone-disrupting chemicals).

There are some other recommendations as well, but those are the three big ones. Rob covers each one in extensive detail (both in terms of explaining why, and making concrete behavioral recommendations).

I’m In!

Rob had approached me and a number of other people to encourage us to try out the technique, and perhaps share our experiences and maybe even before/after pictures for later editions of his eBook. At this point my curiosity outweighed my skepticism. What if the technique worked? Not only would I get more hair on my own head, but I could be part of validating a cheap, safe, chemical-free method for regrowing hair. And if the technique didn’t work, I could still get a good blog post out of it.

After a few back-and-forth emails I let Rob know I was going to try the technique. He agreed to answer any questions, check in every couple months, and even be available for a Skype session if I wanted to verify that I was using the massage technique correctly.

My Own Hair Regrowth Experience

From the beginning I found the intensive scalp massage to be generally pleasurable. It felt good to get the blood flowing, and the effect was both energizing and relaxing. I quickly realized I wouldn’t have time for a solid block of twenty minutes first thing in the morning; the morning rush of making breakfast and getting my kid to school on time didn’t allow for it. I settled for a few minutes in the shower, a few minutes before getting dressed, and the rest done later in the morning during short breaks from writing. Sometimes I would massage my head while reading something on the computer, which is about as much multitasking as I can handle.

Evenings were easier — I would do the head massage while reading or watching TV. Reading would only leave one hand free for massage, while I could use various two-handed massage techniques while watching TV. I probably watched more TV than was good for me over the past ten months. But hey, it was for science.

The book and video gave detailed instructions on how to perform the massage technique, and later Rob followed up with some additional tips and pointers based on what was working for his other readers/early adopters. The basic idea is to knead, squeeze, stretch, and press on your scalp quite hard. The correct application of force will fundamentally alter the composition of your scalp, breaking up calcification, expelling trapped sebum, increasing blood flow and stimulating growth of new capillaries, clearing trapped DHT, and possibly even modifying the epigenetic expression of hair follicle DNA. At first my fingers and hands got tired after only a few minutes, but I quickly gained finger strength.

As the eBook described, the first effects of the massage were generating a lot of scalp grease and dandruff. This was both gross and strangely satisfying. How long had that sebum been trapped in my scalp? My scalp would also be a little red directly after the massage, but the redness would quickly subside (no one ever commented on it). This might be more of a concern for completely bald men, who might want to start with less vigorous massage until they can completely gauge the cosmetic effects. As one user on this forum commented:

“I did that for awhile and then looked in the mirror – it looked like a pterodactyl had swooped down and attacked my head, so it’s obviously working.”

Here are pictures from June and July, early in the experiment:

June 2014

June 2014

July 2014

July 2014

Adult Cradle Cap?

After a couple months I noticed some strange brown patches near my hairline. Convinced I had some terrible disease, I was ready to call my doctor. Then I noticed that the brown crud could easily be scraped off, revealing healthy pink skin underneath. My wife Kia said “that looks like cradle cap” — she remembered when our daughter had the same condition as an infant. Nobody is quite sure what cradle cap is — it might be a fungal infection, or it might simply be related to overactive sebaceous glands. Either way, it affects about half of all babies right about when they’re getting their first batch of hair. Over the next few months I would often noticed the “brown crud” would precede new hair growth in a small area that was previously bereft of growth. As it scraped off easily enough and didn’t otherwise bother me (and was soon replaced by new hair growth) I became less alarmed. At a recent checkup I even forgot to ask my doctor about it — so for now it remains a mystery.

Here’s a family picture from August. As you can see, I’m three months into the head massage technique and my hairline looks about the same as when I started. Given the recent haircut and camera angle, it even looks like I’ve lost ground at this point. This is not a technique for the impatient!

August 2014

August 2014

August 2014

August 2014

Diet and Lifestyle Changes

I pretty much ignored Rob’s dietary advice. My diet was already decent — high in fruits and vegetables, low in grains and refined sugar — and I didn’t want to take on more than one thing at a time. Also, if I did the massage technique AND changed my diet, how would I know what had worked?

Rob recommends avoiding cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, etc.) because they might inhibit iodine absorption and interfere with thyroid function. I kept on eating these foods because of their many healthful properties, and because I’ve never had any thyroid issues.

Generally I think Rob’s dietary advice is excellent — my point is that I was already following most of it anyway, and didn’t feel like following it to the letter for the reasons stated above.

As for avoiding chemicals found in shampoo, deodorant, etc. — I wasn’t ready to go full hippie. However I did reduce my use of personal hygiene products over this period and generally found that I could keep pretty clean with hot water and a daily scrubbing. I also made sure the products I did use were free of parabens, phthalates, and other bad stuff that could potentially disrupt hormone balance.

Scalp Injuries and Numb Fingers

I continued the massage technique, running into only minor problems. The post-massage scalp greasiness and major dandruff subsided after a couple months, but a few times I picked at my “scalp crud” too enthusiastically and caused some minor bleeding and scabs. I would then go easy for a few days and everything healed up, but it’s easy to go too hard on your scalp. This would be a special concern for men who are starting from completely bald. I had enough hair to cover my temporarily scratched up scalp, but I’m sure people would have wondered what was wrong with my head if I hadn’t had hair coverage.

The other issue I ran into was numb fingertips after pressing too hard on my scalp for too long. Once again, backing off on the pressure and being more gentle resolved the issue. It’s a little tricky to find the right balance — being aggressive enough to “disrupt” your scalp and restart those hair follicles without injuring yourself!

September 2014

September 2014

October 2014

October 2014

Hey, It’s Working!

Around November (five months in) I really started to notice changes in both my hairline and the thickness of my hair. At this point there was no disputing (at least in my own mind) that the technique was resulting in new hair growth. Kia noticed the changes too.

The most surprising thing was running my fingers through my hair — it felt different. There was just more hair there! I joked with Rob that I was going to grow it out like Fabio.

The regrowth continued, even though I became lazier about the technique. I didn’t miss days, but sometimes I might only get two five minute sessions in. Still, I kept at it, and my hair continued to regrow.

December 2014

December 2014

February 2015

February 2015

Ten Months

I’m writing this post at about the ten month mark — the same amount of time mentioned in Henry Choy’s initial experiment. I haven’t regrown all my lost hair — I’d estimate about 75% of what I’d lost. I’m going to stick with the technique and see if I can get to 90%. Here are my latest progress pictures, taken just last week.

April 2015

April 2015

April 2015

April 2015

The Perfect Hair Health Site and eBook

Rob’s site is PerfectHairHealth.com. He’s currently selling the Perfect Hair Health eBook + video on a sliding scale, pay-what-you-like basis, with a recommended price of $30. [Update as of May 2019 — Rob has switched to a membership model for his site, which includes the new eBook, videos, forum access, and personalized program.] If you’re willing to invest the time and effort in the head massage technique, this seems perfectly reasonable. It’s equivalent to about a month-and-a-half’s supply of Rogaine.

I don’t currently have any kind of business or financial arrangement with Rob. If you buy the eBook I get $0. [Update as of May 2019 — Rob is launching version 3 of his Hair Regrowth program and eBook, and has offered me an affiliate relationship, which I have accepted. Going forward I will receive a portion of any sales that occur via the links in this post.] I wish him all the success in the world, because the technique works, he’s making it available at a reasonable price, and people experiencing hair loss deserve an alternative to expensive chemicals with potentially health-damaging side effects.

For a forty-five-year-old guy like myself, regaining most of my lost hair was fun and surprising. On the other hand, if I’d never learned the technique or regrown my lost hair, I would have been fine. It’s socially acceptable for a man my age to be balding or even completely bald.

The same isn’t true for young men, women of any age, or children. For those groups hair loss can be a source of self-consciousness and can damage self-confidence. While there still isn’t enough information available to know if this technique will work for every type of hair loss, it’s exciting to have a new alternative treatment available that is both free and safe.

So Who Is This Rob Guy?

Rob does have a last name, and I’ve verified that he’s who he says he is. He wrote the eBook as a side project and is not interested in becoming a hair regrowth guru. He has a writing job, plays drums in a band, enjoys various outdoor activities, and continues living his life … just now with more hair. I asked Rob how the hair regrowth experience had changed his life. He wrote back the following:

With that said, the hair doesn’t make the man! To me, hair loss was more of a mental stress, but I always tried to approach the problem analytically rather than emotionally (no matter how difficult). Since seeing regrowth, my life hasn’t changed much, and my self-esteem remains the same. But the nagging anxiety and stress it caused is gone. That alone made the journey worth it.

He went on to say that he has really enjoyed seeing and hearing about the progress his readers have made.

I include all this because hair-regrowth products and services, like the weight loss field, can be a scammy area filled with much quackery. As far as I can tell, Rob is on the level, and while he wouldn’t mind making some money from his eBook, the information and techniques in the book are legit. It worked for Rob, it worked for me, it worked for quite a few of Rob’s other readers, and apparently it worked for at least 100 people in Hong Kong.

To a Full Head of Hair!

Let me know if you have questions about the technique or my own experience — I’d be happy to answer them. It was a blast to do the experiment and even more fun to get positive results. A big THANK YOU to Rob for turning me on to this technique! And also to Henry Choy of Hong University, his research team, and subjects!

Update Sep. 2015: Rob has recently taken his eBook offline because the amount of time he was responding to email became unmanageable. I proposed that he make it available as a free download, but he felt that would be unfair to his customers who had paid large amounts on the sliding scale (so please don’t ask me to send it to you). While the eBook is no longer available, the “how-to” is all contained in this post, the follow-up update/FAQ post, and in my responses in the comments.

Update Oct. 2016: Good news — Rob has updated and relaunched his eBook. The new version includes a number of before/after pictures (my own included) as well as the most recent research studies in regards to scalp massage and hair regrowth. The new video is extremely comprehensive and includes examples of pinching, pressing, and stretching the scalp. You can purchase the new edition of Rob’s book at http://perfecthairhealth.com/

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143 Comments

  1. Anon111

    Thank you! I’m battling PFS, shave my head in resignation. I’m making some holistic headway, wouldn’t mind chatting with you about it since you seem like a good dude. Your detailed account of how someone who may realize hair is not that important anymore, but that it does help esteem and it does feel nice to massage one’s head, so why not, strikes just the right resonating tone. Brought a smile to my face. I’ve always dreamed about beating PFS AND enjoying a life of greater vitality w my acquired nutritional/health knowledge and best practices, AND somehow magically regenerating hair. Maybe it’s not a pipe dream after all. Anyways, felt like sending over an earnest positive message to reciprocate what you do.

    Have a great day!

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    • Sounds like you might be a great candidate for this technique. Hope you have a full recovery — good health to you!

    • John

      Hey JD, thanks so much for posting this.

      Quick question, how long into the therapy did you notice numb finger tips? Did you notice it right after a session and then it would resolve?

      I’m not sure if I’m experiencing this or not. I get maybe a little less sensitivity in my finger tips but far from completely numb. Maybe a callous type feeling. Is this what you’re talking about?

      Thanks!

      • Pretty much like you describe! I eased off on the really intense pressure and my fingertips returned to normal. As long as you plant your fingertips, dig in with your nails a bit (assuming they are trimmed short) and compress and stretch and scalp then you don’t need to press down with maximum force.

        • John

          Well it seems no matter what I do I still get that moderately decreased sensitivity/callous type feeling. But it’s not like numb. I felt it was just a normal response to pushing the finger tip pads down all the time..

          Are you sure that is what you experienced? Or did you actually feel more numb?

          Because the thing is, I don’t think I can avoid that type of feeling afterward. I really don’t want that to get in the way of me doing the therapy so I’m
          Just trying to see if we’re actually talking about the same thing here..

          • John

            Sorry, also forgot to ask, how long would it take for your fingertips to return to
            Normal? I’m just really unsure if we are experiencing the same thing as I don’t see away around avoiding this if I’m pressing down hard enough to get a proper pinch, either on the very very tips of finger pads by the nails or more central to the finger pads..

          • I’m not sure what to tell you. If your fingertips are uncomfortable then ease off on the pressure. If not then I wouldn’t worry about it.

          • John

            Thanks for your replies and taking the time out JD.
            It’s not uncomortable for me. It’s just a little concerning to have decreased sensitivity. Didn’t want to be doing nerve damage. But if what im experiencing is a normal response to pressing I’m ok with it. That’s why I wanted to clarify if your hands were feeling a significant loss of sensation or just a little.

  2. I don’t have hair problems, but I found this article amazing! I have a friend who told me that her dad who was going bald was able to stop it by brushing his scalp daily. This was 40 years ago. He never went bald!

  3. Glory OBrien

    I have sold natural beauty products as a small business in the past. I have put a lot of time into studying the properties of different base oils as well as essential oils. I wonder if the process could be sped up significantly by using oils with solvent properties or an oil that helps with regeneration and blood flow. I may try to convince my husband to experiment. His hair loss is comparable to where you started out. Thanks.

    • Sup Broner

      There is some evidence that Emu Oil can be helpful with this. I’ve chatted with Rob a lot, and I know he mentioned it a few times.

      • I’m impressed! But I have to admit that the first thing that came to me after finishing the article was: how about we create a product that would be fixed on your head twice a day and massage your scalp for you the “right” way? Can we do it plastic free? Can we do it on kickstarter? Can we make it available for a very affordable price (I don’t really need to be rich!)? Do you think something like that would be interesting and helpful? I can invest!

        • Robot scalp massager? Go for it!

        • Rob

          JD – huge thanks for this article and your commitment. Your progress is remarkable!

          Sammy – someone in Spain is actually doing this. http://www.stimulax.es/9.html

          In my opinion, nothing beats your hands. There are so many subtleties to the massages – varying the intensity, not overworking/underworking the scalp, not tearing at the hairs, plus all of the pressure differences from pressing vs. pinching vs. kneading vs. stretching. I don’t think we’re (yet) capable of automating the exercises with a machine, at least at an affordable price.

        • Sup Broner

          or how about you just do the fucking work?

          this is the problem with trying to fix everything with a gadget… it will cost a lot of money, time, experimentation, etc. And then think about the time costs for invention… the resources and energy it might require, etc.

          Then you’re gonna have to sell it really hard to make people believe it will work, and then to part with their money.

          And then you’ll have their blood on your hands for promising them, what is essentially, the equivalent to a quick-fix diet pill for hair loss. It’s just like all those in-home laser treatment helmets that cost a lot and don’t work.

          “just put this massager on your head twice per day and watch your hair grow back magically—with no real effort on your part!”

          and that’s where we’re fucking up royally. this is happening in silicon valley with every piece of shit app that promises to make your finances, love life, or bowel movements better.

  4. Barry Brolley

    JD thanks! I’m onboard, donated money for the book and will update you in a few months of the results. Two things peripherally related that I do for health, one is a filter for my shower- don’t want chlorine on my skin and the water feels different! Second is that I live far from the ocean so I use a bucket of filtered ice water and add sea salt, I’ve bee dunking my head as a wake-me-up for some time now, I added the sea salt because it reminds me of the ocean.
    Yours BB

    • Rob mentions cold water benefits in his book too. I generally end showers with a cold rinse. Not sure if it does anything for hair but it feels good to activate the MDR.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalian_diving_reflex

      • Steen

        Jondi, does it work from total baldness?
        Steen

        • According to the Hong Kong study, yes. In terms of my own experience, the spots that had been bald the longest took the longest to grow back (and are still growing back). First out last in. Steen you rock a bald pate pretty well but if you change it up, send pics!

    • Hi!,

      I am following Rob’s scalp massage and diet. I would like to know if it has been working for you so far?

  5. Sup Broner

    I’d love to see this on someone who’s completely bald. IMAGINE THAT TRANSFORMATION.

    • Me too! I have a few bald friends who might try it … if they do and are up for sharing pics I’ll post them here.

  6. Mark

    This is probably a sound method, because so many hair maintenance routines promote the importance of this kind of massage. For the last several years, Panasonic has had a machine on the market that seems to give a similar kind of massage.
    http://panasonic.jp/hair/products/EH-HE96/
    Sorry, not in English…

  7. wow this looks very promising are you allowed to share the sorts of massages to use? i would really like to try this for myself for the next year as the top of my head for the past 4 years have been thinning and within the past year my hairline has receded dramatically and would like to keep as much as possible as i still have a decent amount its just at the point now where its not very manageable, thank you!

    • Sup Broner

      bro, just get the book. did you see where he linked to it and you can pay what you want? how much is your hair, and sanity, and anxiety worth to you, bro?

    • Hi Liam — Rob’s video (that comes with the eBook) is currently the best resource, but you can get started just by loosening up your scalp with your palms and fingers. Focus on loosening the deep tissue rather than surface friction.

  8. Hey JD! Thanks for this post. I started massaging twice a day after reading this and just donated/bought the ebook. I’m fascinated by the fact that once you start losing it in places, the general tendency is to not cause that area any additional stress, yet this technique proves the opposite is needed. Will post back with progress!

    • Nice — I generally see you about every five months or so — I’ll expect some new hair on your head by then Noel! 😉

  9. Raul

    Hi JD, may I ask if you got any regrowth on entirely bald spots (temples) or did the place where you already had hair just thickened up? thx

  10. Joe

    JD, would it be possible to get an “after pciture” in the same camera angle and hair style? In the first picture of the article, the left picture is shot from the front with your hair styled forward and the right picture is top with your hair styled to the side. This is very misleading and hard to determine any progress. Thank you

    • I realize the angles are a little random (hard to be precise with selfies), but hopefully I have enough variety of angles so you can get a good idea. Check out the bottom right shot where I’m wearing the red apron … that’s taken on the same day as the “after” shot on the right and is pretty close to the “before” angle.

      If you can’t see the progress from what I’ve posted I’m not sure what to tell you. I’m not selling anything or trying to trick anyone. That said I will post additional pictures in a few months if I continue to grow back significantly more hair.

  11. BE-COOL

    Great results JD.

    There a lot of guys doing the scalp massage that aren’t getting the same results as you are, I think it’s because you do the IF.

    I started the leangains protocol 2 weeks ago and feel great. For the scalp I use a wooden massager to keep it itch free and loose.

    Keep us updated.

    • Could be, though I only do intermittent fasting about once a week. I do think Rob has an important point that you need to physically get to a non-inflammatory state to prevent further loss and enable regrowth. How to do that will depend on the individual, but I think the “tools” include IF, less gluten, lower carbs, cold water to induce the mammalian diving reflex, polyphenols, spices like turmeric, and even less tangible elements like meditation, emotional well-being, social connection, physical touch, etc. Hair health is related to whole-body health, but there is no “one-way” to achieve the former.

      One outstanding question in my mind is red meat. Rob recommends red meat as part of the paleo diet in his eBook, but I’ve been eating less red meat because new research suggests it may trigger an inflammatory response (which may explain the meat-cancer link). I also limit meat to reduce iron (I tend to over-absorb, and excess iron is also linked to inflammation).

      http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2015/01/02/red-meat-cancer-immune/#.VTvCxGZQPSw

      One factor which I forgot to mention in the post is that I regularly do headstands (and I have for years). Headstands didn’t prevent me from losing hair, but they may have complemented the massage in terms of increasing circulation to undernourished parts of the scalp.

  12. I must mention that I came to this blog from:
    http://immortalhair.forumandco.com/t11166-dt-may-actually-work

    Feel free to check it out.

  13. Dude…. okay, so where do i start, i left you a comment like a few weeks back when i saw this article and gave it a try seeing as it wasn’t anything that time consuming and hard. i changed my diet a little bit up nothing dramatic but definitely trying to get more vitamins plus a better intake of water everyday as i didn’t drink it as much as i should, i have at least 2 litres or more a day and use the pads of my fingers to move my scalp around, pinching, pressing, twisting the skin during those weeks my hair was shedding like crazy and had major dandruff, but guess what my hairline has returned; very slowly but the M shape of a norwood 2 that was forming when i pulled my hair back has filled back in to about a norwood 1 very slowly. the hairs are still not in the telogon phase, but its been 4 years my hair has been diffuse thinning on top and alos my left side of my head and improved dramatically in 2 weeks of doing these exercises and along with some handstands on my bed to get the blood flowing maybe? not sure if that works but I’m going to stick to it and continue doing what I’m doing and hopefully return to how i was 4 years ago when i could actually go about my day without having to spend an extra long time doing my hair or self confident under bright lights… i did notice when i started doing these exercises i did get an very uncomfortable migraine for a while was that normal?

    • I would say that ANY progress within just a few weeks is amazing (and probably unusual), but sounds like it is working for you! Keep it up and please report back in a few months. Sorry to hear about the migraines … I didn’t experience any headaches that I remember but if you’ve been OK since then I wouldn’t worry about it. If the headaches continue maybe be more gentle with the massage, or reexamine any supplement changes.

      Congrats on the progress!

  14. Pete

    Hi JD, quick question: were you able to pinch the top of your scalp (and the middle area between your temples) ? To me its pretty much unpincheable…

    • Now that my scalp is looser I can, but at first only by using both hands to press from either side. I still use two hands to massage back and top of head, and more of a single-handed “claw” massage for sides and front.

      I suspect a wide variety of techniques can be effective as long as enough pressure is applied, and for long enough each day.

      • Doug

        Hey J.D.

        With regard to your technique, did you do more of a press and stretch as opposed to a pinch? I am doing a more pinched method with both hands and there is often a cracking sound/effect that occurs on the scalp, but this doesn’t happen if press down more with my fingers. The pinch is done more with my nails. Which do you recommend?

        Thanks!

        • Do both! Nobody knows yet what the most effective technique is, except that you really need to get below the surface and loosen up the deep scalp tissue. I use pinching, pressing, squeezing, twisting, all of it.

  15. Mike

    How forceful are you doing this massage? I am not able to pinch the top of my scalp.

    Is this really legit? Did you without a doubt regrow hair on bald patches?

    • Try using your palms or the fingertips of both hands to press the skin together … this should loosen up your scalp even if you can’t yet do a full pinch. Use a lot of force — your scalp should feel sensitive after the massage. Just be careful not to scratch the skin or cause bleeding.

      Yes I’ve regrown hair on patches that were fully bald, though most of my regrowth has been in areas that were thin, with some hair.

      Is it legit? All I can tell you is that Rob and I, and other people Rob has shared the technique with, have replicated the original Hong Kong experiment. Still, it’s a very small sample size. I think it’s too soon to say this technique will work for everybody.

      Still, the downside of trying it is very low. Improving your diet and massaging your head will probably have other benefits, even if you don’t regrow your hair. It’s a time commitment, but you can multi-task while watching TV, reading, etc.

      I understand your skepticism … I felt the same way.

  16. Markus

    Hey JD,
    since I tried that technique, I am loosing hair.
    Doing it for about 2 days now 🙂
    But my mind (and the eBook) is telling me, just the hair that was anyway close to fall out or sticked bewteen the other hairs – because I have quite long hair.
    So, its just normal to loose “old” or “dead” hair, right?

    How long does it take, to get the scalp ontop bit looser? Because like others realized, it is quite heavy to pinch there… so actually my skin does not realy get sensitive. Is your skin red? because my skin does not look different, just stays normal skin tone. 🙂
    and btw, do you have new results of your progress? would be interessted to see that.
    Thx alot!

    • My scalp started to feel looser after a couple weeks. And yes, daily hair loss is normal even if you aren’t losing your hair in general, and the massage may accelerate shedding for a few weeks. Keep at it!

      Usually my scalp, where visible, is a little pink for 10-15 minutes after the massage, and then fades to normal skin tone. Make sure you’re massaging vigorously enough so that your scalp feels a tiny bit sensitive afterwards.

      I don’t have any noticeable regrowth from my most recent pictures in the post, but it takes a LONG time to see progress.

      • Markus

        Thx for your answer!
        Meanwhile I feel a lil bit of pricking on some parts of my scalp. Not to bad, but seems that my morning massage was better now, hehe.
        So I will go on and be optimistic to see results in some month.
        Thx so far, Markus

      • Markus

        Question to J.D. and Rob 🙂
        Still doing the massage, twice a day for at least 20 minutes.
        Sometimes I have little headache – is that normal, specially in the beginning?
        And my scalp feels bit tense.
        Doing it not to hard, but not to easy, too.
        Somehow it feels, like the scalp is getting loose very slowly, dont know if thats just a imagination or true.
        Thx,
        Markus

        • I don’t remember headaches, but in general I’ve gotten headaches from scalp related constriction (like wearing a hat that’s too tight), so it’s conceivable that it’s related.

          I would say make sure you’re adequately hydrated at all times, but if the headaches persist try stopping the massage for a few days and see if they go away. If they do turn out to be related you may need to modulate intensity and frequency of scalp massage so that you’re comfortable.

          • Markus

            realy just a tiny pain. means, I realize that there is pain – noting to compare with real headache you get the day after party or sitting to long in the sun. but the comparison with the hat or a tight pigtail is close.

            Maybe its kinda muscle aching – because after “normal” massage ther may be kinda pain. I feel it specially on the sides, not on top and back, there where the muscles sit.

            just wanna be sure not to make big mistakes – maybe other ppl have similar problems and can be calmed down that it is normal 🙂

            thx again!
            markus

  17. Joe

    Hey JD, would you consider doing a video of how you do this method? A real tutorial, not like Robs, thx!

    • Rob and I are planning to meet up and discuss this. Question — would such a tutorial be something you’d be happy to pay for? What would you consider a reasonable price to be?

      • Markus

        if that technique realy, realy works, I would pay hundreds of dollars to you or Rob! I mean, sounds stupid – but if that REALY works, I would even pay a 1000 dollars or more. But I think you understand, that at the moment there will ALWAYS be some doubt if thats not just a money making think with ppl who suffer and try everything to get back there hair.
        There are to many ppl selling bulls*it and ppl buy it.
        You understand what I mean?

      • If you put it on youtube you can earn from ads and viewers don’t have pay for it. With youtube you can easily reach thousands of persons. It’s a win-win situation for you and the viewers.

        • Sup Broner

          Except that YouTube pays out shit in terms of ad revenue. So, no, it’s not a win-win.

          if you were do this, I think a ‘pay what you want’ model is fair… so like a 10-15$ starting price, and allow people to +add however much they want.

          • Thanks for the feedback guys. I am still considering options and Rob and I need to discuss it. It would be great to offer something for free, but I don’t want to undercut Rob’s work, and it’s expensive and time-consuming to create a high quality tutorial. I’d also like to continue the technique myself and see if I can get to 90%+ regrowth. That would be more convincing to skeptics if we were offering a paid product.

  18. johndoe

    Hey Mr. Moyer, I’d be very interested in a tutorial, and I’m sure everyone else seriously doing DT would be too! If you visit the thread on immortalhair, you will notice that there are tons upon tons of questions about how to do the technique properly, how to pinch, how to rub/massage, etc. A tutorial would be awesome.

    Also, your regrowth story is really great to read, did you have typical MPB? It seems like it from your before pictures. Your hair looks almost perfect now though, amazing!

    I dove right into DT when I learned about it, did it improperly for about a month, then started it properly for at the very least an hour a day (3x 20 minutes, 2x 30 minutes, whatever). I’ve only been doing DT properly for about 2 weeks, and I have already experienced a good sign; more rapid shedding of hair. The only explanation is that it is from DT, I haven’t changed anything else, same diet, etc. I’m very optimistic of this method. I believe that the pre and post pinching massage/rubbing is important, I spend at least 5 minutes doing a very strong scalp massage before moving onto the pinching (very important to move the scalp, and not create friction between fingers and scalp), then finish with another massage.

    Currently I’m only able to pinch with 1 hand a small part of my right temple, the rest I must use 2 hands, but I’m certain that will change!

    Anyway, thanks for this post!

  19. TB

    Hi JD, just wondering if you used shampoo? I am following Rob’s headmassaging protocol, but I just can’t bring myself to give up the shampoo. I have limited it to every second day and I’m rinsing with ACV, so hopefully its not all bad.

    • Just check the ingredients and make sure you’re using something free of parabens and pthalates. When I do shampoo (only every week or so at the moment) I use something called Desert Essence Organics which seems to be free of any horrible ingredients as far as I can tell. There are lots of good brands out there.

  20. johndoe

    Hey TB, I actually can rinse with only water/ACV spray every day except the weekends, so I’m probably not a good example.

    I even spray my hair with ACV (1 part ACV-1 part water) throughout the day, mostly on temples and the top. I also do this after taking a boar bristle brush, placing it on my scalp, keeping it stationary, and then pressing with my other hand until it smashes the bristles. I get an immediate release of dandruff dead skin and it stings a little bit, then I spray some ACV, and it REALLY stings!

  21. JC

    hey JD just a quick question. This method seemed interesting so i checked out the ebook and gave it a shot.TBH i have a pretty full head of hair except for a couple thinning areas in both temples which i got from a a month long bout of with some strong antibiotics a fe years back and they never hickened back. Been doing the massage very vigorously and while i have got some sebum i havent experienced any dandruff whatsoever? Does this mean im doing it incorrectly or could it be because my scalp isnt in terrible shape. It gets extremely red after the 20 minutes.

  22. NJ

    Hey JD,

    I’ve been applying this method for over a month now. My hair’s falling out in style so I must be doing it right ; )

    The approach outlined in Rob’s video and the research paper have never quite worked for me. I’ve experienced “acute inflammation’ but no sebum excretion. After 2 weeks of experimentation I found pressing the fingertips of both hands together, and varying the angles, worked well.

    Today I combine it head stands and the ‘Inversion Technique’.

    This technique is a craze among woman on YouTube that leads to 1 inch of hair-growth inside a week. Renditions vary. Typically women apply coconut oil to their scalps, lower their heads and massage vigorously for 3 minutes.

    This is a bad example. The technique is performed after the 3 minute mark. Other variations can be found —

    https://youtu.be/xx5ZB4EoMis

    If I make real progress I’ll report back to this community and share the results. Hope to hear more about your progress too.

    • Hi NJ — I do headstands regularly. Headstands on their own didn’t prevent my gradual hair loss, but they might have a synergistic regrowth effect combined with the massage.

  23. TB

    Hi JC, I’m having the opposite effect to you. I’m producing a lot of dandruff, but no sebum. The dandruff seems to be worse in the areas were my hair is thinning and the skin is thickened on my scalp. I wonder whether I’m not noticing the sebum because I continue to shampoo my hair. My hair is long and would look disgusting if I didn’t wash it – so not an option for me. What do you think JD? No sebum maybe because I’m still shampooing? The dandruff is so gross and yet so satisfying because I feel like the technique must be working. I’ve been doing it for about a month. I’ll report back in 3 months time. I’ve taken pics too so will post to see the difference – can’t wait 🙂

    • Hard to say TB! Certainly scalp conditions vary based on genetics, diet, and all sorts of things. Ultimately I’m not an expert … just one guy who had success with this technique sharing my story.

  24. TB

    Hi JD,
    Did you find your hair got worse before it got better? I’m 6 weeks in and seem to be shedding more now than before I did the massages, plus I almost feel like I’m looking thinner on top. Not sure if I’m over annalysing my head though…

    • TB

      analysing*

      • Markus

        Hey TB 🙂
        since I started this technique, I realized that shedding is stronger.
        But you know, there are many hairs that are already close to fall out anyway.
        With that massage you just speed up the shedding but also give room for new hair I guess. Even ppl that get scalp massage without the reason of hair loss have that.
        What I also realized, at least I think so – some new, short hair between the long hair.
        So, Ill go on and lets see, what the next month will bring.

  25. Ron

    Hey guys, I’m going to start doing this December because my college ends this year, and I’ll have more time for regularity during work.

    I’ll definitely try to pitch in with month by month progress pics, as this seems to be a method that actually works. I didn’t have time to massage my whole head, but I do do a few minutes on my left side almost daily. I’m three months in, and I am seeing a little bit regrowth for sure. Sure enough, there is that brown patchy substance that JD talked about, that I had to scratch out before experiencing regrowth. I’m pretty excited, nothing else I’ve tried has worked.

    I bought Rob’s book for a dollar, and am considering paying him the full thirty if I end up getting most of my hair back.

    Just a quick question for JD/Rob if either of you can answer. Do you know what Rob meant by maintenance? Like do you have to continue with the massaging to prevent further hair loss?

    Thanks so much and regards,

    RG

  26. BC

    Hey JD I’m 1 1/2 months into my massage therapy and I must say I like it. I’m slowly seeing hair regrowth in the once bald areas and it’s not a figment of my imagination either. It me only be a little hair but it’s still something. My question is about hair loss during the 3monfh period. How much did you see? I think in addition to the hair growth I’ve also been getting hair loss too.

    • BC — I didn’t notice any additional hair loss, but Rob mentions in his eBook that he “lost ground” during the initial months of the massage. Remember that up to 100 or so hairs per day is normal, as long as that hair is growing back.

  27. Rob

    hey JD, is the video tutorial of your technique still in the making? Any update on this? thx

    • Markus

      are you the Rob who is responisbie for the documentation and the video thats in JD’s article?

    • Rob — for the moment the only tutorial is in Rob’s (the other Rob’s) eBook. I think it’s a good one though … not sure what I would add to it!

      • Rob

        Hi J.D.

        Robs video shows the tutorial on his hand… would be cool to see how you actually did your massage on your head 🙂

  28. daniel

    what I find strange about the scalp condition is WHY do we have receeded hairline and the hair at the front is staying intact and thick? if there was a scalp fibrosis condition then it would affect all the hairs wouldnt it? why does it make such a nice V shape at the front..

    • Daniel — this may have something to do differences in blood supply to various parts of the scalp, but I can’t give you a definitive answer.

      The massage works not only because of breaking up scalp fibrosis, but also expelling trapped sebum (and DHT) and encouraging the growth of new blood vessels.

  29. B

    Will this work on women who have thinning hair (but no bald spots)?

    • Choy’s original experiment included both men and women (and all subjects regrew their lost hair), so probably yes.

    • k Doyle

      I’m a 45 yo woman with hair that’s thinned significantly in past decade. I’ve seen many products to massage the scalp & stimulate follicles. Recently I saw an ad from the 50’s for a mechanical scalp massager to regrow hair. I actually own an antique vibrating massager you wear on your hand to vibrate your fingers as they massage. Never tried it but I’ll have to dig it up!
      I believe my hair loss is from chronic poor circulation due to heart and valve problems. I’ve noticed areas on my legs where there’s no hair but spots adjacent, with visible blood vessels, the hair is quite dense. Circulation can have a huge effect on follicle health, as well as all parts of the body.
      I began massaging my scalp tonight and will do so the following months to see if I can create some results. I squeezed & kneaded about an hour until my scalp felt a bit tender. I also got a slight headache. Massaging the back of my neck and lymph nodes seemed like a good idea but maybe that contributed to the headache.
      I plan to measure thickness of ponytail to gage any difference. Thanks for the info & good luck to all!

  30. Steve

    Does Rob go by the user name drex1999 on the immortalhair forum?

  31. Markus

    Hey JD,
    I have a question about the intermittent fasting.
    I am doing it since some month and it feels good in many ways. But there seems to be ambivalence about DECREASE and INCREASE the IGF-1 levels.
    The IF “systematicly drops” the IGF-1 level and the risk to get cancer, etc drops, too.
    But about hair loss, they talk about INCREASING the IGF-1 levels… so, whats the point I dont get?
    Maybe you did some research on this, since you are doing IF and can explain it a bit?

    • Markus

      just found your article: https://jdmoyer.com/2011/08/02/four-simple-ways-to-increase-growth-hormone-burn-fat-build-muscle/
      good comments below, will go through the links.
      sry for “spam” 🙂

      • Some good discussion in that comment thread. My take on IGF-1 is that it’s probably good to occasionally drop levels (and thus increase sensitivity) with intermittent fasting, but that healthy levels are required for muscle growth and other functions. Consistently “peaked” levels of any “good” hormone or neurotransmitter (IGF-1, testosterone, dopamine, serotonin, etc.) can of course lead to all kinds of health or mental problems. More on this here:

        https://jdmoyer.com/2011/11/28/overstimulation-and-desensitization-how-civilization-affects-your-brain/

        Bodybuilders who inject IGF-1 probably increase their cancer risk. Vegetarians and vegans who restrict their protein intake may lower IGF-1 and reduce cancer risk, but at what cost to vitality, mood, muscle growth, and sexual function? And are any potential health benefits negated by consuming too much fructose and carbohydrate?

        Low Protein Intake Is Associated with a Major Reduction in IGF-1, Cancer, and Overall Mortality in the 65 and Younger but Not Older Population
        http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131%2814%2900062-X

        I recommend the middle path — keep hormones and neurotransmitter levels balanced with exercise, sunlight, high quality sleep, a low-grain Mediterranean diet (or paleo if you have autoimmune issues). I have tried low protein diets and I feel terrible on them, so I choose IF instead to reduce disease risk.

        https://jdmoyer.com/great-systems-i-endorse/

  32. santos

    any news on your progress?
    More than a year now, actually you should have some amazing results I guess?

  33. cip

    Yes please keep us up to date. This would a huge change in many people lives. But like you said, there are so many scammers out there, and I really don’t want so spend 40 minutes / day of my next 5 months because somebody thought of a new scheme of tricking bald guys into giving him their money.

  34. Brett

    I too would like an update JD. Been doing the program for 3 months now and the results are looking great for me! First month was scary though. Hair falling out everywhere. I still get the scalp peeling but not half as bad as when I commenced the program. My temple area is already filling in and I have heaps of new fluffy hair on my crown. I expect this hair to get thicker and terminal over time. But I can feel hair there now and not skin! Im a healthy and fit 50 years old….

    • That’s great Brett! I am working on an update post which should go up on Monday.

  35. Ron

    Thanks for all of your hard work man. Giving a lot of people a lot of hope and self confidence. Sending positive vibes your way.

  36. Chris

    As someone who would rather die than go bald I was psyched out big time back in June when I discovered my hair was thinning at the back (and a bit around the hairline) at a mere 27 years of age… Hair loss is totally evil – that’s no hyperbole, that’s the truth!
    I suffered a massive amount of hair loss within a year of eating lots of coconut oil (maybe the saturated fat was clogging up my hair follicles – I was producing a LOT of sebum…). So after a change in diet since June (less fat) and doing the scalp massages for the past month I’m fairly sure there’s new growth coming in around the hairline, and therefore maybe at the back too?
    This better work – I have had adverse reactions to both minoxidil and nizoral shampoo! Hair transplants are way too expensive and often the transplanted hair thins out after time from what I’ve read (and that would make sense considering it is being transplanted to areas with poor blood flow).
    Looking forward to the follow up on this post JD.

  37. Interesting thread. I’ve noticed how bad and thin my hair looks with a bad diet. I’m talking within hours.

    I’ve used scalp massage and it certainly feels good. I’ll give it a go for a few months and report back.

    Thanks!

  38. I’ve reviewed a lot of people using scalp massage techniques. It works for some, and doesn’t work in others. However, there’s much more that one can do naturally, without poisoning themselves. Nice work! http://longevitypost.com/stop-fearing-testosterone-dht/

  39. Michael

    J.D.. can you do a youtube video of how you do the massage on yourself? especially in the front/hairline? Please dude. I would paypal you $$$$$$. SERIOUS.

    • Hey Michael — I’m considering it, but honestly I’ve having second thoughts even about sharing this much. People are already accusing me of some kind of hair regrowth scam (even though I’m not selling anything on this site except my music, which I’ve done since I started this blog). I’m not sure I want to enter the whole world of youtube comments and haters. Also I don’t want to accept any money or get involved in any kind of hair regrowth business.

      I will try to describe in detail the main technique I use in the front/along the hairline. Using a “claw” grip I compress/pinch about an inch of scalp between my fingers and thumb (hard, but not hard enough to break the skin), hold for about 1 second, then release and press flat. Sometimes I hold a little longer or shorter. Sometimes I “roll” the pinched scalp back and forth a little before releasing.

      Another reason I’m reluctant to post a video re: the “correct” technique is that I’m not sure which of the several variations I’m using is most effective. I’m not an “expert” — just one guy who managed to regrow some hair massaging my scalp. There might be other techniques that are more effective than the ones I’ve been using. Some of Rob’s clients have regrown even more hair than I have.

      So … still on the fence about the video. Sorry I can’t give you a more definitive answer. If I make one I’ll post it here on the blog.

      • Laza

        Wait… you dont want to accept any money or to get in a hair regrowth business? They why did you ask if people would be OK with paying you for the video tutorial in the original blog? …..

        • SupBroner

          People are allowed to change their minds, Laza.

          I’m not JD, but from what I read, he’s starting to see just how hard it could be to deal with everyone’s expectations. And on the internet, there’s a ton of assholes.

          • You are correct sir! But there are also many good people who would like to regrow their hair without drugs, so I will continue to share my experience (but stay out of the money side of things).

      • Roy

        You know that you can upload a video to Youtube and remove the comment section right? 🙂

  40. pmobb

    WOW! I have actually regrew my hair once, a great deal using Tom Haggertys scalp exercise, and an unknowing version of this routine. Plus I was tapping and brushing with a boar bristle brush a lot. I started thinning in my early 20’s but it wasn’t a MPB pattern (not until my mid 30’s did that start) 40 now. But in 11 months I regrew most of my hair. I got a bit lazy on it, and I was put on some meds for a few months that gave me a pretty bad shed. 3 months after stopping the meds I have been regrowing my hair YET again!! This is PROOF this stuff works. I have told a few people they all look at me crazy. I too have pictures to show where my hair got really thin, and started to inch back at the temples. My cousins wedding the flash went off and it was disheartening to say the least. Fast forward to finding these exercises and doing them religiously (scalp exercises) my hair looked amazing (as good as almost pre thinning) until of course the Meds. But I am completely confident that in under a year from now my hair will be right back where I left off.

    Most people want quick fixes, I won’t take any of the meds that go with hair loss, I have seen the side effects they are scary. I use Apple Cider vinegar in water as a drink in the AM (lowers inflammation) vitamin D, Biotin 5mg, and fish oil. Drink whole milk (organic) Grassfed butter, and mainly organic everything to keep inflammation low.

    Great stuff man can’t wait till you go 2 -3 years doing this every day. I have no issues doing something on the slow and low path.

    • Nice — thanks for sharing your story pmobb!

    • Daniel

      lol you crack me up dude regrowing hair by doing some scalp exercises? its DHT that shrinks your hair folicles…what do you Think the scalp exercise actually does? I know some guys that have done the scalp exercise and they still Went bald..I bet you dont have any major hairloss to begin with you probably have a bloodflow problem up there or something thats why your hair got thin “tight scalp” I just simply dont Believe you..post some pics and also you have got the “cure” for “male pattern baldness” dont you? -_-

      • pmobb

        People like you are the poison of this world. Skeptic. Nothing will ever work for you because you fail before you begin. You lose before you even get in the ring. Never said I had anything no cure nothing something that worked for me. You don’t have to believe me. I sleep well regardless.

        I know some guys that eat shitty food and have a six pack, and some guys eat great and still look terrible. Whatever works for you. Not sure why you needed to come into this thread and just instill negativity. I wasn’t selling anything, just promoting an idea that the original blog poster has actually PROVEN. Moron.

        • Easy there pmobb … remember not to take the internet personally. Besides it seems Daniel may be trying the scalp massage — see below. Skepticism and interest/curiosity go together …

          • pmobb

            All well and good. I apologize for being pointed. It was the condescending tone that set me off. I didn’t see the post after it.

      • Hi Daniel — it’s hard to say exactly why the scalp massage works for some. Increased blood flow may actually free up trapped DHT in the follicle (that’s the theory from Rob’s eBook).

  41. Daniel

    whatever im gonna start massaging I did actually massage my head Before for 3 weeks..my fingers hurt like crazy I got cramps in them they got stiff and man it was a pain…my arms also got tired of the constant massaging…but this time I will go more easy and do more pinching and streching than massaging…also will add boar brushing aswell that will really take care of things as I have felt…but I do use minoxidill and RU58841 atm…and some oil treatments but im gonna add this too it cant hurt…will give it a year at least….

    • pmobb

      All you can ever do is try it. But try to try it with a belief that it will work, rather than “this won’t work” because you get what you believe you get a lot of times. If you believe it won’t work chances are the universe will make that so. Sorry for the remark above.

  42. Daniel

    ur right…and im sorry for being so negative I understand how I upset you…its just that there are so many treatments out there it makes me go crazy..I have read people just doing simple massage like this guy is doing and regrowing their hair..also Heard of “boar brushing” regrowning hair..and then also Heard about “scalp exercises” regrowing hair… also Heard “oil treatments” on scalp regrowing hair…then also hard minoxidill and finasteride and RU58841 regrowing hair..so many shit in my head I dont know where to start.. one guy on “thebaldtruth” he is regrowing his hair by ONLY mixing some oils and coconut milk and some “plant” that he crushes into a paste with green tea…then he let it sit on his scalp for 1h or so then he wash it out ofc..he saw results after 1 month..but he also drink freshly pressed juice everyday and take chorella powder dunno how to spell that..it contains vitamins and stuff he drinks it every morning…anyway so ya this is the stuff…where to start? what to try? I cant try Everything at once awwwwwwwwwwww….I rather brush my scalp and do massages and scalp exercises than putting some oils on my head..but that guy got results and man too much information in my head right now…well I will make it work I guess…

    • I understand the frustration! Thanks guys for the mutual respect in the comments … I appreciate it. Makes moderating the blog so much easier.

  43. Daniel

    hi moyer, man this stuff is truely intense..I have pressed my scalp skin together and pinched and stretched it…im LITTERALY dripping sweat all over me LITTERALY like im in a sauna or something haha…im dripping on my chest and back im wet all over my arm muscles gets pumped..this is an exercise lol great stuff…I Heard “magnesium oil” can help remove calification of the scalp or fibrosis…I actually got some magnesium oil its made from sea salt or something it stings very much when you apply it then it feels great afterwards… also Heard vitamin K2 and magnesium orally can also help and ofc apple cider vinager on scalp and orally…im gonna go all in now dont care..im gonna wait with the oils thing and try this for a few months if it doesnt help I try the oil..its better to try one thing first..at least I use RU58841 topically with Little minox..and RU is a DHT killer and people have got results from it maintaing hair or even regrowing hair seen photos even…so it helps…so I feel more “safe” by doing this non-proven treatments 🙂

  44. Brett

    Hi fellow hairloss friends. I just want to add a further comment that I posted at beginning of August. First up, Im 50 yo and after 3 months of being on this program I can tell you its working for me. I found it hard and a pain in the ass when I first started. I even LOST ground! Now, as time goes on it gets easier. Its my feeling that it will work for anyone but, that first stage of beginning ANYTHING is always the hardest. Personally, though, I would suggest that if you dont BELIEVE it will work for you, well, the going could be real hard for you. You are not alone with this. We all know how it feels when you start losing hair. It sux! Most people just want to swallow a pill for everything these days. This program takes effort and you have to stick with it like anything else you feel that is worth chasing in your life. Would you invest in a business if you didnt believe it will work? Or the hard work required to see success? Life has a funny way of rewarding you for your effort. You can’t cheat. This program is not costing you money. Just belief and hard work. Im all for taking supplements though. A top quality multi 2 times a day and at least 400mg of a good quality magnesium forte will get you started. Most of us are lacking terribly of magnesium. Its the reason there is so much anxiety within people. I also take Tumeric powder 2 times a day and couple teaspoons of organic unrefined coconut oil. These things will help your hormones balance and keep testosterone at healthy levels. Dont be afraid of good quality saturated fats! Coconut is a short chain fat and is vital for your hormones. As said earlier, Im 50 years old but I look much younger than that. Enjoy your life and please, GET SOME SUNSHINE! Vit D works in synygy with everything else you feed your body. Now get to it, work hard and be patient. Its a virtue….

  45. Daniel

    in all honesty…boar bristle brushing is wayy better than the massage..my boar brush dont just have these boar bristles but also it got plastic sticks surrounding the boar bristles..so the comb is ALOT more stiff/harder when you brush it on your scalp it presses hard against your skin and when you brush you see red lines forming on your scalp “moving the blood around”…this shit is just so much easier and I would bet even better than doing these pinching stretching massaging the skin…this brush does it all basically…it really presses hard against your skin most likely dislodging calcium deposits/fibrosis and definately moves the blood around in the scalp…I lean my head down “for better bloodflow” and brush up from my forhead and also brush down from my neck..I feel my whole scalp gets very tender and red and also it hurts alot because you are pretty much sctraching your scalp skin ALOT…I do the massages for 20 min..then I do the boar brushing for 1h or so because I just feel my scalp get soo damn butchered by the boar brushing much more than the massaging..and also the forhead gets more red when I brush…I wonder if I could just boar brush and skip the massaging part…since the brushing is doing more of an effect on my scalp than the massaging..

    • pmobb

      don’t skip the massaging parts. Here is my theory on this and none of it is proven so let me just preface this. The massaging (pinching smooshing and stretching) along with (the scalp exercise) moves the skin and decalcifies it this is very important in my opinion for new hair growth. it also helps open the follicles. The brushing in my opinion doesn’t stretch the scalp instead it helps bring new blood to the scalp. But since doing the exercises WITH the boar bristle brush I have seen a faster improvement but I think both are needed.

      it’s like anything in life, hard work, dedication, good mindset. Will move mountains.

      • SupBroner

        What is the boar bristle routine? any links?

        • pmobb

          take a boar bristle brush, (or any semi stiff brush) tap 20 times in an area (until red) move to another area until you do the whole head. Then brush the hair OPPOSITE of how you style it, a lot of from back to front, up down and around, I do it when wet so the brush moves more.

  46. gp180

    Hi! 25 year old who has been receding the past 4 years. I shaved it off a few months ago and got comfortable with it (honestly, I’ve actually gotten laid more lately than I did with hair), but I would like to give this a go anyways. I have read about massaging the scalp, but it all seemed to be a scam. Looking at your site JD, I trust you more than the others. Or maybe youre just a great scam artist…;)

    Starting tonight! btw I live in the East Bay as well…thanks for the blog posts!

  47. MK

    Hey JD. Thanks for sharing your story and making this post. I am 22 years old and have been losing my hair for the past 2 years. During this period, I have desperately tried nearly everything (including minoxidil, propecia, laser therapy, diet changes, hair oils, shampoos, supplements, fingernail rubbing, dermarolling, etc.). Nothing has really worked for me so far. Although I have recently made some new changes to my diet and have started to lose a little less hair, I am very intrigued by this method of massage in hope of stopping my hair loss and potentially regrowing hair. I have noticed that more hair is falling out so far during my first few massages, but I am hopeful that this will end soon. I also look forward to getting in touch with Rob, but I didn’t notice his email address anywhere. Maybe I missed it somewhere, but could you tell me what it is please? Thank you.

    • Hi MK — unfortunately I can’t give you Rob’s email. Last I spoke to him he had over 100 hair-regrowth emails to respond to and was feeling overwhelmed just keeping up with his existing eBook customers.

      Please review the comments and you may find an answer to your question.

    • Rob

      Hey MK – you can find my email in 3-4 spots inside the book. If you don’t want the book, you can also find my email in the sample download on the site. I’m happy to answer any questions, just give me a little bit to respond.

      JD – thank you for respecting my email privacy – I really appreciate it.

      Best,
      Rob

  48. Daniel

    I just read the hong kong study…and in “blown away” mostly by the Before and after pictures… the cure for MPB has been here for years? WTF!!! why isnt anyone talking about these massages on all hairloss forums? all they talk about is finasteride/propecia/avodart minoxidill and the lot…in the study they say that thick and hard skin gives less nutrients to the hair….man now im gonna be a slave to “massaging” my whole damn Life just to keep my hair? god damn its like going to the gym everyday..damn it…why do Girls have such nice thick hair and perfect hairlines and most of them do have thinner skin…but some of us unfortunate ones have to do these massages or else we go bald…-_- wish I had a robot that could massage my head while I sit infront of the computer haha..imagine me doing these massages at age 80? how will I manage? I wont have the strength at that age man…im already feeling pretty weak at age 27 this sux

  49. Daniel

    I just bought robs ebook I got my answers to why people dont discuss this much on hairloss forums..thanks again rob im doing the best I can…I massage for at least 1h two times a day and comb my hair with a bristle boar brush aggressively..I Heard apple cider vinager internally and on the scalp can help remove calcium deposits? and vitamin E and C can help reduce fibrosis..also read grape seed extract can help reduce fibrosis in the body…

  50. Daniel

    ah lol…rob says something else about the boar brushing…dont wanna go into details here …but I get ya rob!

  51. Daniel

    its funny how I already knew almost Everything rob is mentioning in his ebook I have been losing my hair for years afterall… 🙂

  52. Daniel

    fuk this rob guy is one CRAZY guy!!!!!!!!!!! that tip he gave in the ebook about the boar bristle brush IM GOD DAMN CRYING OF PAIN OVER HERE MAN…IT FEELS LIKE NEEDLES GOD DAMN IT IM CRYING OVER HERE! ROB GET UR ASS OVER HERE AND I WILL STAB UR SCALP WITH A KNIFE

  53. Daniel

    sorry for the outrage but this is crazy and im just frustrated…cuz im in soooo much pain right now

  54. Daniel

    fuck this boar bristle “tapping” part im fucking BLEEDING on my damn scalp no fucking way I will skip this part…rob only said to do it twice a week anyway I rather brush my scalp a Little but mainly do the massages and pinching and stretching..I aint gonna make scar tissues on my scalp by tapping the boar bristle on my scalp no way im damn bleeding!!!!

  55. Daniel

    my boar brush is wayyyyy too stiff anyway im gonna get Another brush and it will jus take longer for the area to go red but my boar brush is LITTERALY like tapping NEEDLES on my skin I start Crying right away of pain

    • Brett

      Sure your not using a wire brush, mate LOL!

  56. Daniel

    I have never suffered from “dandruff” and when I do the massages I do not get any dandruff why should I? im genetically immune to dandruff..but I do get sebum release still.. my hairloss has completely stopped and im regrowing my hairline in just 4 Days of massaging this is great stuff…haha no kidding but im shedding barely barely any hairs after doing these pinching the skin near the hairline and stuff..my hair feels stronger

  57. Daniel

    btw I read on a site that drinking apple cider vinager with some honey will help to get ridd of calcium deposits in the body…and ofc apple cider vinager on your head is good too saw a guy on a forum using it and he talked about calcium deposits/fibrosis in the scalp he left it on the whole night then washed in the morning…”complete hair regrowth protocol” that guy took a bunch of pills too but he never did a “massage” hmmm…

  58. BINYAM

    THANKS ROB FOR YOU SHARE ME YOUR INCREDIBLE SUCESS STORY I HAVE EVER HEARD BEFORE.I AM LIVING IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA,WHO SUFFER FROM SEVERE HAIR LOSS.I AM GREAT FUL IF U CONTACT ME THROUGH MY EMAIL.THANKS IN ADVANCE.

  59. marek

    Hello,

    at the end of the book is written about microneedles – dermaroller. Can I ask you , is dermarolling based on the same principles ? Would you recommend using dermaroller once per week and other days only massages? Thanks

    • Hi Marek — I don’t have any experience with these techniques. Maybe check out the immortalhair.org forum.

  60. John Doe

    Hi marek

    Dermarolling is (I think) classified as “scalp wounding” or something, and so is DT with the acute inflammation generated from the pinching.

    Dermarolling, however, doesn’t improve scalp laxity at all (at least I don’t see how it could). And from what I hear it hurts like Hell 🙂

  61. John Doe

    Oh also, JD, do you use the “two handed pinch” at all, or just the single hand nail pinching? When I do DT I mostly use both hands to pinch, basically just pinch a bit of scalp with two hands and press together and down, it’s much easier to do it that way if the skin isn’t flexible enough to use 1 hand and nails yet.

    When starting my DT session I like to put one hand on each side of my forehead around the temples, and scrunch the temples and widow’s peak together and hold for a bit, and then do the same thing with the vertex, put 1 hand over each ear near the top of my skull and press together, decompressing the vertex area.

    I’m paranoid about the technique though, I’m always thinking that I might be doing it wrong and not getting the job done, or much worse, doing damage.

    • That sounds about right! Since this technique is slow anyway, there’s no reason you can’t “ease in” … start with firm but not aggressive massage, perhaps with shorter sessions, until you can verify no negative effects.

  62. John Doe

    Thanks again man, appreciate it, good luck on 100% regrowth, total victory over MPB!

    I was just worried about “pressure alopecia”, but since deep scalp massage is a thing and not only related to DT I have nothing to fear.

  63. marek

    Hi J.D,

    can I ask you , do you know more people that have regrowth hair with this massage technique ?

    Also, after months of massaging, how is your skin on scalp feeling ? I mean how much looser is the skin ?

    Thanks

  64. Like the serpent Ouroboros, long comment threads begin to eat their own tail. For that reason I am closing comments on this post. I may revisit the hair regrowth topic sometime in 2016. Thank you to everybody who read and commented!

    Update Nov. 2018: This post is now only available to my Patreon supporters. The scalp massage technique I used is described in detail at http://perfecthairhealth.com/

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