5 1/2 year update

[returnoftheshedi]

Started noticing major shedding in December of 2000. My hairline is perfect, but i am a diffuse thinner (individual hairs on top have gradually become thinner over the years).

My treatments have switched up, but here is the basic info:

-> some form of finasteride for the past 5 years (recently real proscar cut into 1/4ths, but i used generic cut into 1/2's for about 3 years)

-> nizoral for the past 3 1/2 years (off and on)

-> minoxidil 5% twice a day for 1 year and 3 months (off and on before that)

-> generic dutasteride .5 a day for the past 9 months in addition to the proscar

I have come to the realization that none of these treatments are successful at stopping the miniaturization process. There has never been a time when I havent consistently shed over a hundred hairs a day. Whenever I dry my hair its a guarantee that at least 20 hairs will fly out. Also, before i buzzed my hair, it was obvious that my hair had lost considerable thickness.

Accordingly, I decided to drop dutasteride. Its not worth the risk, considering I haven't noticed any change in my shedding. I'm gonna keep with the other treatments though. Its hard to tell if they have worked. That being said, I havent included pics because, with a buzz cut, it is impossible to tell my hair is thinning. The one "good thing" about the diffusing process.

 

[RTJBJ]

Some time i feel that it’s better to accept the fate, and then work towards your new look, by finding your own style and excellence.

but other times when i am getting ready for party or get-together i feel like sh*t..

people say I have pretty face and can pull the bald look (not shave one , too skinny for that) but when I see other bald or balding people who doesn’t look good than again I feel like sh*t and start asking questions to my self…

 

[ACT10Npack]

I don't think you fully understand how hair works in general. A normal person will loss around 75 to 150 hairs a day. It may seem a lot but new hair is growing back where you loss the old. I also think you should stick with one treatment and not jump around with different products. Do you have any photos of your hair before you started to loss it and now so we can compare the two?

 

[returnoftheshedi]

I don't think you fully understand how hair works in general. A normal person will loss around 75 to 150 hairs a day. It may seem a lot but new hair is growing back where you loss the old. I also think you should stick with one treatment and not jump around with different products. Do you have any photos of your hair before you started to loss it and now so we can compare the two?

i think i do. ive been on one treatment or another for over 5 years. in that time, my hair has continued to lose density. i dont think its "jumping around" to have been on finasteride for basically 5 years straight. i have experimented with dosages and tried generics, but its still been a consistent treatment. i only added dutasteride because i hoped to see some real results.

this wasn't a post for venting, its possible these treatments have worked wonders, they just havent done what i hoped....halt hairloss completely. i look ok with a buzz cut, and for now, everyone still assumes i have a full head of thick hair.

however, other diffusers will probably attest to my situation. the big 3 might do some good, but it certainly is no cure. i'm probably one of the few people on this board who started finasteride while having a full head of thick hair.

 

[the_swami]

You really should have your homone levels checked. I posted a link a little while ago. I actually don't recommend them (should find the thread and update it) because they don't / can't check DHT. A good "alternative" type of GP should have a lab that does all the hormones. Here we go... dug out old file: Diagnos-Techs, Inc. in Seattle does a nice profile. Their number is (425) 251-0596. I think that was done with a serum sample so you'll need a Doctor.

It's possible you just have *very high* levels of DHT and need even more aggressive treatment with finasteride / dutasteride / etc.

You should consider the inflammation / auto-immune element of your hair loss too. Maybe something like curcumin / fish oil could help.

Just my two cents. It must be frustrating as all hell to have been on these treatments for so long and not see tangible results. Keep in mind though, you *could* have been preventing much worse hair loss, but you can never know that for sure I guess.

 

[returnoftheshedi]

You really should have your homone levels checked. I posted a link a little while ago. I actually don't recommend them (should find the thread and update it) because they don't / can't check DHT. A good "alternative" type of GP should have a lab that does all the hormones. Here we go... dug out old file: Diagnos-Techs, Inc. in Seattle does a nice profile. Their number is (425) 251-0596. I think that was done with a serum sample so you'll need a Doctor.

It's possible you just have *very high* levels of DHT and need even more aggressive treatment with finasteride / dutasteride / etc.

You should consider the inflammation / auto-immune element of your hair loss too. Maybe something like curcumin / fish oil could help.

Just my two cents. It must be frustrating as all hell to have been on these treatments for so long and not see tangible results. Keep in mind though, you *could* have been preventing much worse hair loss, but you can never know that for sure I guess.

thanks for your advice, but you are assuming that dht is the lone culprit for my hairloss. i doubt that is the case. if it was, i made a mistake by recently cutting out dutasteride. obviously, there is more to hairloss than dht. i just wish doctors could take a look at your type of hairloss and give you a concrete list of meds that will help your specific situation.

 

[the_swami]

thanks for your advice, but you are assuming that dht is the lone culprit for my hairloss. i doubt that is the case.

No, you are quite right. It certainly is not the only thing that can cause hair loss. That's was actually kind of my point. Time to think of other factors. I'd still stay on finasteride or dutasteride though, myself.

Another thing worth checking would be your thyroid function. You could get a blood test done, but keep in mind that "subclinical" hypothyroidism will not really be detected on a standard blood test. That is why some docs will prescribe thyroid based on symptoms alone (chills, fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, to name just a few) or in combination with a low body temperature.

Description of a free thyroid "self test" that is believed to be fairly accurate:

http://www.alternate-health.com/thyroid.html