Is Revivogen Safe?
I have been experiencing male pattern baldness for some years now. Initially used Rogaine, it worked at first but now no longer respond to it. Next used Propecia, but had to stop due to side effects.Lasercomb failed too. I am currently saving up and considering getting a hair transplant maybe in 4 years time.I’ll have enough money by then.
There’s one thing I’m really curious about. Would you happen to know anything about Revivogen from www.revivogen.com. It’s a topical lotion combined with shampoo/conditioner that was invented by Doctor Alex Khadavi, MD, a US Board-certified dermatologist. I have a question below which I hope you can answer and shed light on.
All I just want to know before trying the product and applying the lotion to my scalp is for my “safety” concerns.If this product was developed by a dermatologist (i.e.Dr Alex Khadavi,MD) is it okay to allow myself to test it out even if it may not grow/and or stop hair loss but at least I can be rest assured it won’t cause allergic reactions on the localized surface of my scalp. Although I don’t have sensitive scalp skin, some of the things I’m scared of are like more hair loss(worse than pre-treatment) or cause unknown severe harm like scalp dermatitis/acne/burn/swolleness, stain my scalp permanently orange etc.(I’ve probably just exaggerated every side effect.May or may not true!). This is what I mean by safety. What’s the worse a topical solution like Revivogen could do to my scalp anyway? Any potential risks? Are the ingredients mentioned on the website even safe on humans?
Finally, do you believe it is safe enough and whether its worth a try for me to test out what appears to be a very safe and sound consumer product and hopefully not a scam? There’s nothing else on the market and I’m really desperate too to give it a go(whether it works or not its a small price to pay).
Please do feel free to take your time and answer me whenever you can.Your comments and recommendations would be very appreciated. Thanks.
You can experiment with almost anything that is not prescription, including Revivogen. It is not true that medications that are developed by a doctor will not cause allergic reactions as they happen, but if someone is telling you this, then I would run from the recommendation. You can still get an allergic reaction if you’re allergic to an ingredient in the product. Being made by a dermatologist doesn’t make any difference in that regard. The ingredients are safe for humans, but I am not an expert on this product so I can not offer you advice on its efficacy. It contains saw palmetto extract, and that appears to be the active ingredient… but I’ve written about saw palmetto before (see here).
What you should be doing is what I’ve discussed over and over again on this blog: the use of one or both of the proven drug approaches to genetic balding, finasteride and minoxidil. If you had side effects from the Propecia, you should consider cutting the dosage in half (some finasteride is better than none). If you stopped responding to Rogaine, perhaps you could try a greater strength. As you have seen, the LaserComb does not really add any value, so I can not put more advice that you already do not know yourself.
Dr. Rassman,
Please allow me to make a correction to your above comment. Yes, saw palmetto is an active ingredient in Revivogen, but it is neither the only one, nor even the main one. The central active ingredients in Revivogen are free-form fatty acids. The saw palmetto is thrown in for good measure, along with a high concentration of procyanidin oligomers, included for their hair growth stimulating properties. All of the other ingredients, including the free-form fatty acids, are natural dht blockers.
The following are the listed active ingredients: Keep in mind that the free-form fatty acids are what the product is really built upon: Gamma Linolenic acid (GLA), Alpha Linolenic acid (ALA), Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Azaleic acid, Vitamin B6, Zinc, Saw Palmetto Extract, Beta-Sitosterol and Procyanidin Oligomers.
To the poster: Please read this! Rogaine (minoxidil) does NOT “stop working.” That is a myth! What happens is that eventually you get to a point where the chemical stops recruiting new, previously dormant, follicles. People assume that they have developed a tolerance, but that isn’t the case. I am sure Dr. Rassman will back me on this. If you stop, you will regret it. You will lose all of your gains, probably a lot more than you realize, and Rogaine will not work as good the second time around if you start back up again after you realize your mistake. You’ve been warned.
Revivogen contains no minoxidil, so it will not help to keep your “minoxidil-dependant” hairs. It is a good product though and worth looking into. I would suggest adding it to your regimen and stay on the Rogaine as well. It is considered to be the most credible of all non-FDA products. It actually has some science behind it and if any non-FDA product has any merit to it, Revivogen would be the one.
If you look at reviews for the product on-line, you will see many favorable ones. You will also see some negative ones. However, if you look at the negative reviews carefully, you will notice two things. Most people expect the product to work too quickly and give up before giving it a chance. You need to use it for a minimum of 4 to 6 months to see a reduction in your hairloss. Full results, including increased hair regrowth, will appear at the 16-18 month mark. Dr. Khadavi claims at the 18 month mark, your hair should look as it did about three to four years ago.
The other thing is a lot of people go through an initial shed and stop the use of the product. Any product, that actually works, can cause this. Don’t be alarmed if this happens. It is a good sign that the product is actually working. Just be strong and push through.
Good luck.
If you want a good topical, you should consider using Dr. Lee’s new Xandrox 15Plus. It contains minoxidil 15%, Azelaic Acid 5% and finisteride 0.1%.
You shouldn’t have any systemic side effects from topical finisteride.
Also, I wouldn’t give up so quickly on Laser Therapy. The Haimax lasercomb is very low powered. Higher powered devices may give you some benefit.
And my opinion on Revivogen is that it is way overpriced.
Good Luck!