I asked DH and he said he thinks my hair looks better, and when I'm in the car and the sun roof open, I don't see to the scalp quite as much as I used to...but I don't see any new little hairs growing, so it's not stimulating new growth, but maybe thickening existing hair?

I think there seems to be an improvement.

How does a topical product stimulate hair growth?

I think that looks improved. How does it feel and look to you?

A Redkin only user of many decades, I've been buying the Virtue Correct Un-Frizz cream. I've never in my life been happy with a leave in conditioner before this one. I'm careful to use only a little, but not only are out-in-the-wind frizzes more tamed, I'm finding some mornings where I can shower without tediously washing and blow drying my hair. I was starting to really resent that daily blow dry, there are other things I'd rather be doing. I don't sleep lightly either, I sleep like a little kid and in a mountain of pillows, more like a nest.

Eileen, from their web site:

Alpha Keratins are large, spring-shaped proteins that reinforce the strength of your hair. Gamma Keratins are small globular keratins that provide flexibility. Together, they form a complex molecule with the ability to repair and nourish the scalp, providing fragile hair with the strength, elasticity, and flexibility that it needs to survive.

Biomimetic Signal Peptides: Nourish and calm the scalp to help create a healthy environment for hair growth.

Saccharomyces Lysate: A probiotic yeast extract known to increase oxygenation and help reduce irritation in the scalp.

Larch Wood Extract: A natural source of polyphenols that help strengthen new growth and stimulate the scalp.

So I have no idea what any of it means, and given the restrictions on making claims, who knows if it has a genuine clincial effect or not. That's why I'm giving it a try and posting the results. They say it can take up to 3 months, so one more month to go.

But we know that topical minoxidil does encourage hair growth. So topical products can make a difference.

exactly what i was gonna say, Annie (well the last sentence)

I do think it has improved your hair - that's great!

I forget who here recc it. I bought some but have never used it. Dont know what im waiting for.

Topically applied latisse (bimatoprost) definitely grows lashes and eyebrows. Although that's a prescription medication, at least in this country.

The non prescription version also grows lashes and eyebrows

Annie, i think your hair has improved in appearance. How it feels to you is important.

I have said it before and will say again, I am very pleased with their volumizing shampoo and the volumizing primer. I recently ordered a sample of the volumizing conditioner. I almost never use conditioner because most leave my fine hair limp as a rag. So far, I am amazed. I’m trying it without any other product just as a test.

I agree with OutsidePlaying. The appearance seems improved, and if it's working on existing hair, it's doing a good job.

If you’re not seeing new growth, perhaps it’s just slowing down the natural shedding of mature hairs leaving more hairs on your head.

I can see an improvement too! Also, biotin has helped my nails and hair tremendously.

The stuff is expensive, but I may have to buy more to complete the 3rd month, but at this point I guess it's worth it.

I had to go to the dermo yesterday and he says they do do the off-label use of oral minoxidil for hair loss at a significantly lower dose than for blood pressure. He said the biggest risks were lower blood pressure and that it encourages hair growth in places besides the head. He said they've had good success with topical minoxidil too.

I also talked with him about my lichen sclerosis. He said that he's had some patients with lichen planus who've been helped by having their amalgam fillings replaced. Interesting, but not sure if it would work for my condition as they are similar but different.

Thinking about Eileens question, there are a lot of drugs that are now administered through the skin including estrogen and nicotine patches. So topical applications can work.

It's hard for me to tell in that I see my head every day so slow changes are hard to notice. I think the pictures help...but even there, if there's a change, it's a gradual one. When my hair is dry, I don't think anyone notices my thin hair...at least my friends say they've not noticed.

The other thing is with my hair loss would be sensations that my scalp was sunburned even though it showed no signs of any damage. That seems to have lessened when using these products.

Yes, but they are FDA-approved medications that have gone through clinical trials. This hair product company may be making claims with no data to back them up, and it sounds like they are charging a lot of money for something that is unproven. That is if they are claiming the product grows new hair. I will look for that on their website.

It seems that they claim only their minoxidil product will grow hair. Their other products clean the scalp--they actually say it cleanses your hair follicles--and thicken hair you already have.

https://www.virtueflourish.com/fen/hair-growth-treatment.html

From an article about Virtue Products:

1. Its hero ingredient was used to treat battlefield injuries.

Six years ago, while leading a regenerative medicine lab in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, retired US Army colonel and VIRTUE’s chief science officer Dr. Luke Burnett and his team of bio-scientists found a way to extract human keratin in its purest form. This groundbreaking discovery has led to significant applications in bone, tissue and nerve regeneration, which became especially beneficial in treating burns and other injuries.

This protein technology, Alpha Keratin 60ku™, was also found to be particularly useful in repairing damaged hair. (Hair is made up of 95% keratin.) “Unlike other keratins, which are highly processed animal byproducts (feathers, sheep’s wool), this is a unique protein that is derived from human hair and carefully extracted to remain whole and fully functional,” explains Abergel.

https://www.dermstore.com/blog/top_ten/virtue-hair-care/#:~:text=So%2C%20it's%20not%20a%20surprise,in%20it%20that%20actually%20works.

@mtnrdredux_gw Sue recommended the Virtue Healing Oil and the volumizing products. I later posted that I had seen a notable difference (as did friends/family) after using the Virtue Full Shampoo and Conditioner for 3-5 months.

Annie is using their Flourish line which is for thinning hair.

@Annie Deighnaugh I definitely see a difference-- and would expect it looks even better when dried/styled. Thanks for sharing. I bought Flourish for my mom but I don't think she's used it as yet.

It is interesting that, even with their minoxidil product, their "research" is phrased as follows: "Consumer perception results"

I was just reading about Dr. Burnett. His company KeraNetics developed a cream for skin damage after radiation treatment. That cream was FDA-approved.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/keranetics-announces-kerastat-cream-product-cleared-by-fda-for-radiation-dermatitis-301095930.html

Since hair is dead, I doubt that products that claim to thicken the hair shaft need FDA approval. I don't know whether this innovative keratin protein Burnett claims to have extracted from human hair is better than any other shampoo that claims its proteins will thicken and smooth the hair shaft.

But the bottom line is that if you're looking for hair growth, the products you're using don't seem to address that. I don't think their website makes it clear that their shampoo isn't what makes hair grow. It's minoxidil in their other product that does that. I think its a dubious claim that clogged hair follicles can trap new hair from emerging and that their shampoo has some special ability to cleanse follicles. I think any shampoo will clean your hair follicles.

I think you may want to look into topical minoxidil, which has been in use for three decades and is in Virtue's other product.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6691938/ 

I was just reading Funkyart's Virtue thread from three months ago and it sounds like they got a discount on Prime Day, which is coming up again October 11-12.

This protein technology, Alpha Keratin 60ku™, was also found to be particularly useful in repairing damaged hair. So it sounds like maybe it is beefing up your hair rather than you growing new hair. But if it looks different/better, that's a good thing. Do you have an objection to using a hair-growth product such as minioxidil?

Just used their shampoo (different conditioner), mousse and rootspray. My hair has probably 3x the volume- hadn’t used the shampoo in awhile. My hair texture is really fine.

In the second “after” picture there seems to be a general improvement. However, in the first after picture the balding area closer to the back of your head looks significantly worse than the before shot, so I can’t say if the product you’re using works. From the pictures I would say that the placement of your part is key and I would move it to an area with no noticeable hair loss.

Yes I probably should've been more scientific and made a specific part in a specific location from the get go to get a better comparison, and it's difficult for me to do a selfie of the top of my head as I can't see what I'm doing when I take the pic so they're a little wonky. I'll try it for another month and then see where we're at. I'm getting low on the density booster, but have lots of shampoo and conditioner and I like what it does to my hair, so I'll probably keep on using it.

The dermo also recommended nutrafol supplements. Another person has recommended biotin supplements. I do add collagen protein powder into my breakfasts. (below source is Healthline)

I always think that if there is a "lack of data" showing something works, alas, it probably doesn't. The people selling it would move heaven and earth to get "proof," so I usually suspect whatever research was done (there had to be some), it was inconclusive at best.

I can only contribute that it definitely looks like it's improved your hair thickness.

As a side note, I have been using latanoprost ( not sure of spelling) for about 2 years, prescribed for an eye condition. I may be the only person who has not gotten any beneift regarding eyelash growth from it.

My eyelashes have always been sparse and light and they remain that way. I tell myself I must be very good at putting in the eyedrops and none goes on the lashes!