Viviscal: Another View

Introduction

Viviscal continues to be a very hot topic at HairBoutique.com But does it really work? And if it works, how does it work? Is it worth the money? Is it safe to take? How do you buy it?

Who knows the answers to these questions better than consumers who have invested in trying the product for themselves?

I am very honored to present a review of Viviscal from Ms. Taylor who was a regular contributor to the Hair Boutique's message boards and to our HairBoutique.com consumer evaluation articles archives.

I shared a lot of private email with Ms. Taylor in the past and I have to tell you that she is as sweet and helpful in person as she appears in her various posts on the various HairBoutique.com Hair Talk Boards.

Ms. Taylor's review of Viviscal is just one more example of her sincere desire to share her own hair care experiences with the many Hair Boutique visitors. The Hair Boutique thanks Ms. Taylor for taking the time to share her personal consumer oriented experiences.

Article: An Evaluation of Viviscal

I simply cannot remember a time in my life when I've been happy with my hair. I have had it cut, permed, colored, layered, and so forth throughout the years, generally causing more damage and dissatisfaction.

I've had it anywhere from approximately an inch long to well past my shoulders, but have generally ended up chopping it off because I was sick of dealing with it.

The last time I did this was in February of 1998, and within minutes of having done so I regretted my decision. Sure, the Meg Ryan cut looks cute. . .on Meg Ryan! It obviously wasn't for me, and so I set forth to grow my hair to the middle of my back or longer. I wanted to make the most of my straight, fine, blonde hair -- perhaps for the first time in my life.

Growing Hair - Lots of Options?

We all know that growing out hair can be a painful process, and I was willing to try anything to achieve my goal faster. People have told me that my hair naturally grows quickly, but it's still only 1/4" of growth a month.

How in the world could I speed it up? One girl recommended prenatal vitamins, but another said her friend had become extremely sick from having taken them without being pregnant.

Obviously that was no longer an option! I tried Wild Growth, although it's generally meant for African and Middle Eastern hair, and didn't have any results, save for an oily scalp. I tried taking mega doses of vitamins, which had some unpleasant side effects.

I took silica in water for a while and, although I saw somewhat healthier hair, began to gag at the taste of the "enhanced" drink. I was so incredibly frustrated that I would try anything, save for those products which were obviously shams.

Finding Viviscal

Then I heard about Viviscal. I was looking through the archives of "Ask Karen" when I found mention of this product. Further intrigued, I looked through the archives of the Hair Talk Boards.

This led to more research on the Internet, where I was able to bring up the various studies done on the product. Several sites proved proved helpful.

I still wavered on buying Viviscal for two reasons: the price ($82.95 is a rather steep monthly fee for a product I hadn't proven for myself) and the fact that it was mainly composed of marine protein (I'm allergic to various sea foods).

Note: At the time that this article was written in 2000 the average cost of Viviscalfor 30 days was $80-$100. Viviscal can now be found for much lower pricing at a variety of Web and retail outlets.

After going through my budget, I decided I could financially manage it. I then read a Hair Boutique post where another user of Viviscal was allergic to sea food but hadn't had any allergic reactions to the pill.

Viviscal: Taking The Plunge

Thus, late one Saturday night , I impulsively decided to order Viviscal. The distribution representative I spoke with was wonderful, and promised receipt of my Viviscal shipment within three to five business days. Sure enough, the small package of sixty tablets came five days later, complete with brochure.

I took my first dose as soon as I could punch it out of the wrapping, and told my hair, "NOW YOU WILL GROW!"

The pill itself is small, maybe twice the size of a round aspirin. There is a slight "fishy" smell to it, and a slight taste of it, as well.

However, even if you hate sea food, it more than likely isn't enough to make you *not* take the pills. I just washed it down with plenty of liquid and wandered over to the mirror, where I grimaced at my chin-length hair (slightly longer than chin-length in back).

"GROW ALREADY!" I growled. Patience is a virtue -- of which I have virtually none.

Within the first two weeks, some of my friends were commenting that my hair looked longer. I thought they were just being nice, but it did seem that my hair was healthier.

Within three weeks, I knew it was longer -- I had given myself a trim a week earlier, taking off 1/4" or so, and it had already grown back. I tried to tell myself that it was wishful thinking, but my boyfriend confirmed that it had indeed grown -- in back it was over my collar, while in front it was beneath my chin. Incredible!

A Miracle Pill?

Although he was thrilled that I was growing out my hair, my boyfriend was skeptical about this "miracle pill" I was taking, and was worried that I was taking something with a "secret" ingredient.

To calm his concerns, I showed him the box and he read over the ingredients, then agreed that the cartiligeous seafood extract, acerola extract, silica compounds, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, and natural black currant flavor were more than likely safe.

When I convinced him I wasn't experiencing any negative side effects, he seemed much more at ease with Viviscal and began to realize that I would have longer hair sooner than he and I had previously estimated.

Within the third week, I also suddenly noticed that my layers had begun to grow out, a miracle in and of itself!

Overcoming Streaks Of Green

A bad henna experience had left a streak of green in my hair and, in a fit of desperation, I had created some layers that were sadly two inches or so shorter than the rest.

I had hated the choppy look it created, and had seen very little growth since last summer in the layers. Over the months I had tugged, massaged, meditated, and prayed, but to now avail. However, I joyfully observed that the layers were now approximately an inch longer! This was all the proof I needed.

Added Bonus Besides Hair Growth

Besides hair growth, the makers of Viviscal also promise other added benefits, such as the promotion of stronger nails. Mine have certainly grown faster than normal -- as a matter of fact, I have to file them down much more frequently!

According to the brochure, nearly all Viviscal users can also expect the thinning of skin, dryness, and brittle hair to be reversed within ninety days. If that weren't enough, wrinkles apparently disappeared in two thirds of the clinical study cases, and the remaining one third experienced a significant improvement.

Indeed, the only drawback I've experienced while using Viviscal is my leg hair growing about twice as fast as normal. I now shave every day, but what a small price to pay for the hair on my head to grow rapidly!

Note: For the majority of users faster hair growth will only be experienced on the scalp. It is rare for hair to grow anywhere else on the body other than the head with regular use of Viviscal.

Summary Of Viviscal Results

Will I continue to use Viviscal? Absolutely. Its feasibility increases with continued use: what is a one month supply becomes a two month supply after six months (the daily dosage is switched from two tablets to one tablet).

My hair is no longer an embarrassment to me. I'm hoping for the eighteen inches of yearly growth as shown in the COSMO article (see HairBoutique.com note below), and the way it's growing now, I have no doubt that this goal will be attained.

Note: The original article that appeared in Cosmo Magazine about Viviscal was quoted in HairBoutique.com's Hair News for August 14th, 1998.

Furthermore, I've always dreamed of having the blonde version of Cher's hairstyle of the 1960s. . .and with Viviscal, and a bit of patience on my part (sigh), I'll have it! What a deal!

Note: Before taking Viviscal*, when in doubt, consult with your primary health practioner. Although Viviscal has proven completely safe and effective for the majority of consumers who take the product, some people with seafood or similar allergies need to check with their doctor before taking the product to be completely safe.

Ordering Viviscal

If you'd like to order Viviscal* by credit card, call HairBoutique.com toll free at 1-866-469-4247 Monday through Friday 9-5 Central Standard US Time or order online through the HairBoutique.com Marketplace. HairBoutique.com offers many different money saving long term purchase plans so check out the various options. They also offer a subscription service for saving time and money.

For check or money orders, call for details at 1-866-469-4247 and you can send payment to:

HairBoutique.com 651 N. Plano Road Suite 401 Richardson, TX. 75081 The HairBoutique.com fax number is (214) 853-5710.

If you want to talk more about this or other hair care articles on HairBoutique.com or anywhere else, please post a message on HairBoutique.com's Hair Talk Forums.