41 Y.o. , Started Propecia And Neogenic , Should I Continue ?

[Dan77]

Hello everyone

I'm a 41 yo, happily married for 15 yrs, 2 kids, lovely and understanding wife, and of course I have a problem, andro-genetic baldness (my father went fully bald by 29 , my brother who is 6 yrs younger than me is already NW6).
I've always had thin hair and it was a problem in highschool and college and later but since I got married other priorities came and I kind of ignored it and accepted it...thinking that there's no cure for it and it would be a waste of money to try something.

But then a couple of months ago I stumbled on this forum and realized that actually are lots of cures, alternatives and lots of success stories...so I went to a dermatologist and he gave me the following treatment:
- Propecia , 1 mg, 1 /day
- Neogenic ampules (Stemoxydine 5%) - 1 dose/day, evening
- Neoptide spray , 12 sprays/day, morning
- Vitamins: A+D (4/day), E (2/day)
- Magnezium + Zinc
- Novophane (hair and nails) - 2 pills/day
- Anaphase shampoo

Quite the treatment you'd say He also offered me mesotherapy , twice/month (cost 120 eur/session).
It looked like an expensive and maybe an overkill treatment, with so many pills and solutions thrown at me how would I know which one is effective ?
But I'm a good boy and I took them all (even mesoterapy but only 3 times in past 2 months) and I started on June , 20th.

Now, I don't have much hair left to start with (I'm a NW5-6, see the pictures) so my questions for you, as you have more experience and seen many cases:
- should I still go on ? is there any hope that at my age and baldness I can recover something (anything) ?
- if yes, should I change something in the treatment ? what, and when ? I mean, how much time should I give to each of the above pills/potions before I switch to smthg else ?
- should I see other dermatologists ? sometimes a 2nd opinion helps
- Should I continue with Neogenic or switch to Rogaine ?

thanks for your advice
PS: English is not my native language so pls be kind

 

[Oromus110]

I'd just get a transplant if I were you. You will not regrow good looking hair using medications starting so late.

 

[Oromus110]

You might also respond to minoxidil pretty well and regrow a lot, but at this stage a hair transplant would be the best option. You've got decent donor area

 

[Red October]

Hello everyone

I'm a 41 yo, happily married for 15 yrs, 2 kids, lovely and understanding wife, and of course I have a problem, andro-genetic baldness (my father went fully bald by 29 , my brother who is 6 yrs younger than me is already NW6).
I've always had thin hair and it was a problem in highschool and college and later but since I got married other priorities came and I kind of ignored it and accepted it...thinking that there's no cure for it and it would be a waste of money to try something.

But then a couple of months ago I stumbled on this forum and realized that actually are lots of cures, alternatives and lots of success stories...so I went to a dermatologist and he gave me the following treatment:
- Propecia , 1 mg, 1 /day
- Neogenic ampules (Stemoxydine 5%) - 1 dose/day, evening
- Neoptide spray , 12 sprays/day, morning
- Vitamins: A+D (4/day), E (2/day)
- Magnezium + Zinc
- Novophane (hair and nails) - 2 pills/day
- Anaphase shampoo

Quite the treatment you'd say He also offered me mesotherapy , twice/month (cost 120 eur/session).
It looked like an expensive and maybe an overkill treatment, with so many pills and solutions thrown at me how would I know which one is effective ?
But I'm a good boy and I took them all (even mesoterapy but only 3 times in past 2 months) and I started on June , 20th.

Now, I don't have much hair left to start with (I'm a NW5-6, see the pictures) so my questions for you, as you have more experience and seen many cases:
- should I still go on ? is there any hope that at my age and baldness I can recover something (anything) ?
- if yes, should I change something in the treatment ? what, and when ? I mean, how much time should I give to each of the above pills/potions before I switch to smthg else ?
- should I see other dermatologists ? sometimes a 2nd opinion helps
- Should I continue with Neogenic or switch to Rogaine ?

thanks for your advice
PS: English is not my native language so pls be kind

Hi Dan,

I'm not familiar with everything you're taking but I'm sure you've read up on the big three. I'm 40 and on the big three plus dermarolling. Seeing some slow but steady progress.

I think, contrary to the previous posters, that you should persist as with minoxidil you could have good progress. I haven't read up on stemoxydine so not sure how it compares with minoxidil. Maybe some posters can advise.

With diffuse thinning you could see a marked improvement. If stemox works similar to minoxidil that is. You'll have to give it a year to see how it goes. The big three work for many people so I would say it's not too late. Later you could look into the transplant if you have the money. Most clinics require that you take finasteride for a long period before considering a transplant anyway.

 

[Dan77]

Thank you guys for your honest answers!
I'm realistic and I know that I've started too late to act on this but, well, better later than never , eh ?
I will continue for 1 more month with Stemoxydine (I already bought the packet) so I can have the full 3 months prescribed (of course Propecia will go on). Then I think I will change Stemo with Rogaine foam and probably add Nizoral to follow the Big3 "commendement" .

But I'm concerned about what I read about Minoxidil/Rogaine that it causes "severe shedding" in first month of use and wanted to ask you what does this mean exactly: for me, being almost bald, would be as well severe, meaning I could go bald completely ?
or it appears as severe only for those with lots of hair because they have more hair to shed ?

And secondly, should I go for ROgaine Foam or REgain foam ? I've read this in the forum (ROgaine it's not the same as REgaine) but frankly speaking I'm more confused after reading it...

Thanks!

 

[Red October]

Thank you guys for your honest answers!
I'm realistic and I know that I've started too late to act on this but, well, better later than never , eh ?
I will continue for 1 more month with Stemoxydine (I already bought the packet) so I can have the full 3 months prescribed (of course Propecia will go on). Then I think I will change Stemo with Rogaine foam and probably add Nizoral to follow the Big3 "commendement" .

But I'm concerned about what I read about Minoxidil/Rogaine that it causes "severe shedding" in first month of use and wanted to ask you what does this mean exactly: for me, being almost bald, would be as well severe, meaning I could go bald completely ?
or it appears as severe only for those with lots of hair because they have more hair to shed ?

And secondly, should I go for ROgaine Foam or REgain foam ? I've read this in the forum (ROgaine it's not the same as REgaine) but frankly speaking I'm more confused after reading it...

Thanks!

My experience was that finasteride alone didn't do much. However, it may have kept what I had somewhat. I added regaine this year and my hair is thickening up and small new hairs are growing. I added derma-rolling in the past few months and that seems to be helping. I'm hoping by the end of the year I will see significant improvement. Already, I'm encouraged. I'm diffuse-thinning as well. I think you could see good results but if I were you I would go for it as soon as you can. Nizoral isn't necessary but something that does that job is. I'm using Foligain advanced shampoo. I plan to get revivogen shampoo in the future as it's cheaper and has a good reputation. Something that keeps your scalp clean of DHT. This plus derma-rolling could bear a lot of fruit for you. Don't be pessimistic. Many people say your reaction is not age-related. You could still regain hair now.

My understanding is that regaine/rogaine are the same just marketed to different countries. I'm in Europe so it's regaine.

 

[Dan77]

This plus derma-rolling could bear a lot of fruit for you. Don't be pessimistic. Many people say your reaction is not age-related. You could still regain hair now.
My understanding is that regaine/rogaine are the same just marketed to different countries. I'm in Europe so it's regaine.

I'm in Europe as well but I've seen local websites where you can get ROgaine (probably the same guys who do this small-scale "smuggling" of US products like Kindle, Apple and such )
can you give me a link for this derma-rolling, what type should I get exactly ?
thanks

 

[Red October]

I'm in Europe as well but I've seen local websites where you can get ROgaine (probably the same guys who do this small-scale "smuggling" of US products like Kindle, Apple and such )
can you give me a link for this derma-rolling, what type should I get exactly ?
thanks

Check out @Somebody 's thread in the "Tell Your Story" forum. This is his youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHHVQWMwDvVXjm7oMoBQktA/videos

He covers derma-rolling. You can get a reasonably priced one on amazon. I got a triple pack with three different sizes. I'm currently using 1.5mm which seems to be popular. I started with 1mm as I was nervous the 1.5 would be too harsh. To be honest you could just buy the 1.5mm as it's sufficient and not painful. You can start by not applying too much pressure. I found little difference between 1mm and 1.5mm in terms of discomfort. Both are fine. What Alex (somebody above) does is to use the derma-roller to stimulate the scalp. Then immediately after you apply minoxidil. This helps absorption. He had great results with it, so I'm following a similar regimen.

 

[Dan77]

Thanks a bunch!
"Somebody"'s thread is really amazing and inspirational; is true that he was much younger than me when he started and probably as better genes and , well, got lucky I have to say. But I'll definitely follow his regimen.
thanks again!
PS: I wish I could be 30% as successful as he was

 

[Red October]

Thanks a bunch!
"Somebody"'s thread is really amazing and inspirational; is true that he was much younger than me when he started and probably as better genes and , well, got lucky I have to say. But I'll definitely follow his regimen.
thanks again!
PS: I wish I could be 30% as successful as he was

No problem. Who knows. None of us knows how we will respond. You could have a great response. Just give it time. It may take a year or two to see real results. I used finasteride alone for two years and I wish I had used minoxidil with it. So I would recommend using the big three all together if you can. At least then you will know after a year or two that you've taken the most proven treatment. If it's successful all the better but if not you know you did your best and you can try alternatives.

 

[reuters]

hi Dan,
i am 47, more or less bald, and started 6 months ago with minoxidil, i added finasteride in end of june.

its been a very slow progress, but i personally think that its getting better.

stick to the medication
add minoxidil (rogain)
remember, it takes time, a long time...before you see results
it gets worse before it gets better, i had two episodes of shedding.

good luck: )

 

[Thephoenix]

Dan-

Go with Finasteride 1mg, rogaine foam 2x a day, Stemoxydine and Nizoral 1% 1-2x a week and just keep doing it....for at least 2 years consistently then come back

 

[Retinoid]

Nobody can say for sure how much you will respond. Some people respond quickly and strongly to treatments and some people just maintain. If you stick to it for a year you can always reevaluate from there.

 

[Dan77]

Thank you guys, much appreciated!
I've already ordered a derma roll 1.5 and Rogaine foam (for 4 months) and I'll get Nizoral shampoo (even if from what I read it might be a bit harsh on the scalp, but I'll see) and take it from there and hope for the best

 

[Thephoenix]

Dan-

Just keep up with those treatments for 2 years don’t stress about the shedding or anything...this that regime you will have more hair/density

 

[Red October]

Dan-

Go with Finasteride 1mg, rogaine foam 2x a day, Stemoxydine and Nizoral 1% 1-2x a week and just keep doing it....for at least 2 years consistently then come back

+1

 

[InvaderZim]

You can always give it a try. It wouldn't hurt, though. You could be a good responder, you'll never know.

 

[Logic]

If you want it all back do the regimen I am on. I can guarentee you will gain 100 percent of it back. But you have to be religious about it every day.

Finasteride. No side effects at all.
Minoxidil morning and night. Plus .5 dermapen for absorbtion every morning. 1.5mm derma pen once a week.

I take Sawpalmetto(blocks dht), Pygeum(blocks dht), biotin. Coconut oil+cayenne pepper oil mixture every day or other day for 30 minutes or more.(cayenne blocks cannibinoids from marijuana use, which can cause hair loss. And it stimulates new hair growth).

I use an inversion table about 15 to 30 minutes a day spread out in like 5 minute increments.

I massage coconut oil with a brush on my scalp for around 10 minutes a day or other day. Brush or fingertips. Doesnt matter.
Also I do fingernail rubbing around 10 minutes a day throughout the day.(stimulates the hair follicles).

 

[Thephoenix]

That “other stuff” your mentioning is just OCD/Anxiety. Stick to what I told you....

 

[abcdefg]

Right its never too late. Id just use everything big 3, and your probably going to need the hair transplant like others said. Its near impossible to get that amount of hair back with the junk we have today to work with. Better late than never to start.