Exploring The Hormonal Route. Hair=life.

[Mr. Slap Head]

A guy at work told me my hair looks darker... And then said maybe its because of Winter.

Minoxidil does something called hyperpigmentation. So I suspect it can prevent and possibly even reverse grayness to a degree. One thing I will say is that oral minoxidil improves the quality of hair better than any other drug from what I have seen. I would argue it is probably just as effective as estradiol, possibly even more so, in terms of QUALITY from what I have seen. Obviously estradiol is overall superior since it actually reverses hair loss and nearly stops it for everyone. But even those on estradiol seem to improve hair even more when they use oral minoxidil.

But I would say even finasteride is more effective than OM in terms of actual hair COUNTS, but not the quality of those hairs. So it’s very important to use combination therapy. Then there is the matter of things like topical (or oral) antiandrogens which seem to help a lot with scalp inflammation, acne, and sebum. Not only that but they attack the issue in a different way by actively down regulating the receptors, whereas 5ARIs do not have this effect and may in fact increase upregulation. What comes to mind is Derek’s advice about using multiple treatments that use varying mechanisms being generally superior to most mono therapy and potentially less sides since you can use a lower dose. For example, I would bet that 1mg finasteride + 2.5mg OM + 100mg RU or once a week 20mg topical bica is superior to 2.5mg dutasteride on its own, 10mg OM, or other mono therapies, or even a lot of dual therapies. The main exception is obviously E2 because although it would be considered monotherapy on its own it really is not only an androgen antagonist but also a growth agonist.

 

[Moz5x]

I’ve been keen on adding a topical anti androgen to my regimen. The lack of quality control with RU sourcing is such a dealbreaker for me. What’s the consensus on sourcing of topical bica?
For what it’s worth I haven’t noticed any difference in my few gray hairs after nearly 10 months on OM.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

I’ve been keen on adding a topical anti androgen to my regimen. The lack of quality control with RU sourcing is such a dealbreaker for me. What’s the consensus on sourcing of topical bica?
For what it’s worth I haven’t noticed any difference in my few gray hairs after nearly 10 months on OM.

I get the tablets from alldaychemist.

I suspect OM is better at preventing gray, just like finasteride is better at preventing hair loss rather than resurrecting follicles. Some people say it still helps darken it. Certainly no miracle though

 

[-specter-]

from what I see the hormonal pathway is one of the few methods that really works. altering my hormones is something that I would absolutely avoid even if I have been a bit tempted after seeing the results that some have managed to obtain. I am struck by those of you who have the strength and courage to take this path. I am nw3 and losing my hair brought me a strong suffering and disgust in looking in the mirror and being photographed, at first I did not understand what the cause was, I thought my face was changed, elongated with the growth and instead it was hair loss. I inquired about the hair transplant but was told that the round hairline I wanted was too "feminine" and unnatural, which bothered me a lot as I just wanted my original hairline. Here is a picture of me from when I was 16, what do you think, was it a nw1?

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

from what I see the hormonal pathway is one of the few methods that really works. altering my hormones is something that I would absolutely avoid even if I have been a bit tempted after seeing the results that some have managed to obtain. I am struck by those of you who have the strength and courage to take this path. I am nw3 and losing my hair brought me a strong suffering and disgust in looking in the mirror and being photographed, at first I did not understand what the cause was, I thought my face was changed, elongated with the growth and instead it was hair loss. I inquired about the hair transplant but was told that the round hairline I wanted was too "feminine" and unnatural, which bothered me a lot as I just wanted my original hairline. Here is a picture of me from when I was 16, what do you think, was it a nw1?

Hard to say. Might even be NW0. Everyone has differences. Some people mature from a 0 to a 1, but I also see some kids out there who are a healthy NW2 as juveniles. So it just depends. But your hairline appears to have a downward rounding in the temples making it closer to NW0 imo.

 

[Almas_NW0]

After 7 months of HRT, I returned home. Nobody noticed the change. In my case, HRT feminizes the face very weakly.
However, everyone noticed that I have increased the amount of fat. I don't know what role HRT plays in this and I'm on a calorie deficit. Let's see if I can lose weight on HRT
Hair is restored very slowly, thinning does not decrease, retrograde alopecia has not changed. Either I will need 2 years or I will have to use HRT for the rest of my life. I am ready for both options, because no side effects are worse than baldness.

 

[MylovelyHair]

After 7 months of HRT, I returned home. Nobody noticed the change. In my case, HRT feminizes the face very weakly.
However, everyone noticed that I have increased the amount of fat. I don't know what role HRT plays in this and I'm on a calorie deficit. Let's see if I can lose weight on HRT
Hair is restored very slowly, thinning does not decrease, retrograde alopecia has not changed. Either I will need 2 years or I will have to use HRT for the rest of my life. I am ready for both options, because no side effects are worse than baldness.

Pelvic rotation ?? did it happen?Is your height the same??How bad is the gyno?

 

[Almas_NW0]

Pelvic rotation ?? did it happen?Is your height the same??How bad is the gyno?

There was no rotation of the pelvis. Gyno is bad, now I can say that I have breasts. I do not think that removing the gland will help me - rather, it will be necessary to remove the gland and perform liposuction.

 

[losingbattle88]

I get the tablets from alldaychemist.

I suspect OM is better at preventing gray, just like finasteride is better at preventing hair loss rather than resurrecting follicles. Some people say it still helps darken it. Certainly no miracle though

 

[Gergely]

There was no rotation of the pelvis. Gyno is bad, now I can say that I have breasts. I do not think that removing the gland will help me - rather, it will be necessary to remove the gland and perform liposuction.

I thought you planned to remove it way earlier

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

I disagree with him that it is "way worse". I mean, maybe it is worse, but it can at least give someone a chance at a transplant. Would need a lot of grafts but it at least gives you an option you would otherwise not have.

 

[Almas_NW0]

I thought you planned to remove it way earlier

I think if you remove only the gland, then the breast will grow at the expense of adipose tissue. Therefore, it may make sense to let the breast grow and do liposuction to exclude the possibility of breast growth due to both the gland and adipose tissue.

 

[Capone]

I have a pretty good shape, but im mostly scared of going bald because of FUE scars and transplanted temples. And i just hate that bald look.

if I go bald, then I will suicide or wear hat 24/7 and my life will be ruined

No need for suicide, just get SMP for the scars etc.. hopefully by then there’ll be a cure.

 

[I wont lose this]

No need for suicide, just get SMP for the scars etc.. hopefully by then there’ll be a cure.

This "hopefully by then there'll be a cure in the next five years" wanders this forum since 2004. I don't want to be pessimistic, but we'll have nothing, again, in the next five years.

 

[-specter-]

if Bezos maybe decided to do a good thing and spend some money on a cure, we could have it tomorrow morning too. instead he has to spend the money on bullshit

 

[Capone]

This "hopefully by then there'll be a cure in the next five years" wanders this forum since 2004. I don't want to be pessimistic, but we'll have nothing, again, in the next five years.

Unfortunately that has been the past rhetoric but i or anyone else can’t see into the future. Who knows what will become available.

 

[cetm-419]

For me its just gland, confirmed by my surgeon. No fat at all,although I have higher bodyfat% in general now mainly around my belly and lower back.
Also I would suggest doing bica + e2 (1-2mg atleast) to you all for long term use because main hormone must be present even tho bica should be sufficient on its own for many in terms of hair regrowth in short term. When I remove gyno im gonna apply e2 at 1.5mg a day atleast for general health reasons since feminisation is nonexistant on just bica.
And if bica + e2 become to feminising at one point you can cycle off by going ralox + bica route for 1-2months just until you dont remasculanize again since ralox does estrogens job without feminising effects.

did you gain weight?? or just changed the ratio of muscle:fat?

 

[dar3k]

2 month taking 12.5mg CPA mono
1 month taking 12.5mg CPA + 1mg estrogel

- Face + body acne completly gone
- Much less sweat odour
- No gyno
- Libido is the same however sperm is a clear liquid
- No hair regrowth but I dont see any worsening
- My daily headaches are completly gone
- I dont see any feminization

Strange thing, but overall I feel much better than before taking AA+E2 when my testosterone was above normal range.

 

[cetm-419]

2 month taking 12.5mg CPA mono
1 month taking 12.5mg CPA + 1mg estrogel

- Face + body acne completly gone
- Much less sweat odour
- No gyno
- Libido is the same however sperm is a clear liquid
- No hair regrowth but I dont see any worsening
- My daily headaches are completly gone
- I dont see any feminization

Strange thing, but overall I feel much better than before taking AA+E2 when my testosterone was above normal range.

I've been a little over 3 weeks on e2 and bica. A few days ago I changed from 2mg sublingual e2 over to estradiol cipionate injections 5mg every 10 days. And my experience has been the same, my libido is untouched, my face is clearing up, no signs of gyno yet, overall feeling the same.

it's ALMOST certain that we will experience "extensive" feminization (even at low doses), the question is when. Also the reason for your delayed response is the dose you are using, it's negligible... I would use 2mg of Estrogel at least. You need stable levels.

 

[Almas_NW0]

Even if the glands are completely removed.. is still a chance that there will be fat redistribution on chest area??And will need further liposunction?? Or are you going to stop e2 before anything happens and continue later like you said ??What is your plan?? I follow a similar path and i would love to know and apply to my self!

To begin with, I will simply remove the gland. In any case, it makes up most of the volume of the chest and removing it will cause the breasts to shrink to a size that will not be visible under a T-shirt. I postponed liposuction indefinitely, because for me it is an expensive procedure. There is a small chance that the fatty part of the chest will disappear when I burn fat
I made a big mistake when I gained fat on HRT. Due to stress, I began to overeat. Stick to a calorie deficit. My breasts are beginning to cause me dysmorphophobia, I chose between two evils and I do not regret it.