Feelings Of Regret

[X190]

Also Bomb, are you using minoxidil on the entire scalp, or only on the vertex? I was using it on the vertex only until I realized that there were other areas that needed attention. That's how I came to save my friontal area on time. Maybe this is your case?

XL

 

[bombscience]

But, I am really concerned because the hairs that fall out lose all pigment and diameter over their 2-3 inch length. They're not going to be growing back.

Where did you learn this was the case?

About 4 months ago I had an email exchange with Dr. Lee and it prompted me to go visit him, so I did. During my visit he plucked a hair from my head and examined the shaft. He said that the hair growth was abnormal and then explained to me how the hair thinning over a short amount time. In other words miniaturization.

"Something has to give. I want to be a beliver!

Could you post your photos again and show us how you've lost all this hair and density? I reviewed your photo journal thread just now and every person who saw your pics said you looked thicker, denser, fuller and better while you were saying you looked worse.

The minds eye is more powerful than any camera, and often times way way wrong.

I would also drop the mega man vitamins. You dont need that saw palmetto. For many of us all it did was cause nonstop shedding. If you're going to remove something from the equation drop those and switch to a regular multivitamin.

HairLossTalk.com

HairLossTalk.com, I plan on posting pictures this week. I have already taken them. Posting them and reformatting my journal is on my list of things to do.

The minds eye isn't lying on this one. My hair is thinner. I'm way past the point of freaking out that my hair is thinning and I've learned that are good and bad hair days when you are balding. However since end of October I've been losing an unusually high amount of hair and now my hair is much thinner in the front and crown. Granted my hair loss isn't a Norwood-whatever yet because my diffuse thinning doesn't fit the scale that way. I now have a bald area on the back of my head that is growing bigger. So I guess I could be a NW2V if were to classify myself as anything.

About the Multi-vitamin; lately (for the last 3 weeks) I have been alternating Centrum and Mega-Man every other day. So I take about 3 megamen a week, as it does help with my libido, and I do feel that propecia has affected it slightly.

Finally, I just want to say, because I know you're not a fan of negativity here, that I am only posting these things out of my own personal experience and honesty. I don’t mean to scare anyone. I always encourage others who are both seeing results and not seeing results to have hope because I do realize the potential of these treatments.

 

[bombscience]

Ive been on propecia for about 7 months and on minoxidil maybe about four months. The results so far: Shedding dramaticly increased, not just haircount but also hair is thinning in typical male pattern baldness pattern. 5 new small hairs in the front maybe from the minoxidil, it could also be weaker hairs, not at all connected to minoxidil, its hard to say.

Its not that strange your treatment isnt working bomb. You and I and many more probably just have a agressive thinning, we cant stop it. I think that the hairlosstalk moderator and others at this site are a little bit too positive about finasteride and minoxidil sometimes. ok I understand that it would be great to see progress, but keep in mind that there are a lot of people like me and bomb that dont reespond to the drugs. These drugs are not that much of a breakthrough for young aggresive thinners as myself..

They have every right to be postive about the products because I believe for a LOT of people they are going ot work. Probably somewhere in the 90% region.

However it seems I notice a common trend among full-top diffuse thinners that start balding when they are "young". They don't respond well.

 

[bombscience]

It's so strange Bomb that nothing has worked. Like you need me to tell you that.............

Obviously something needs to be dropped. Maybe it is just to much for your scalp to handle, so many chemicals, while one alone might be fine. But combined, I dunno, just a guess.

I agree. I think i'm overdoing it. Even though I really dont think I'm doing much at all. I'm really worried about quitting minoxidil. I might shed even more. Right now i'm losing over 150 hairs a day.

I really can't quit folligen cause it helps with the irritation. So what to do??

To put it bascially...

4 chems on your head Bro. Folligen, Minoxidil, spironolactone, Nizoral, plus one internal Finasteride. That is a lot of stimulants for the follicals all at one time. Perhaps that is just way to much all at one time, especially in such a short amount of time since you have started treatments. Maybe your hair has not had a lot of time to adjust and is going through "shock"?

Like I said this is a basic explanation. Were it me, I would drop spironolactone. No particular reason why. Maybe since we know so little about it and how it works.

Yeah I have thought about myself many times. Here's another angle on it though. I didn't see results with minoxidil for 6 months. I then added spironolactone and continued with minoxidil. Would you still drop spironolactone? minoxidil may be the extra chemical on my head that is hurting my cause.

 

[bombscience]

Also Bomb, are you using minoxidil on the entire scalp, or only on the vertex? I was using it on the vertex only until I realized that there were other areas that needed attention. That's how I came to save my friontal area on time. Maybe this is your case?

XL

First off, sorry to hijack your thread, your topic got me thinking.

I apply minoxidil to the entire top of my scalp. I run rows and then add a couple extra drops in the problem areas.
:?

 

[elguapo]

I am sorry to aid in the hijacking of this thread. But since it's changed to a "let's all help out bomb here"...

I know there might not be clinical data supporting this, but I recently have been on Larganine, after reading about it and its positive effects on libido. I didn't really suffer from a decrease in libido, only for like a week on propecia in the first month (on mo 5 now). But I tried it anyway, cause I read it has nothing BUT positive effects, and I agree- it has stimulated my libido even more I think. I really do.

And it is cheap. So I suggest you use it instead of megaman vitamins as a trial.

Sorry the hair loss hasn't stopped. There's nothing I can say to help that. But I/we wish you the best of luck, bomb. Maybe change your name for better karma (sp?)? =)

Later.

 

[bombscience]

I am sorry to aid in the hijacking of this thread. But since it's changed to a "let's all help out bomb here"...

I know there might not be clinical data supporting this, but I recently have been on Larganine, after reading about it and its positive effects on libido. I didn't really suffer from a decrease in libido, only for like a week on propecia in the first month (on mo 5 now). But I tried it anyway, cause I read it has nothing BUT positive effects, and I agree- it has stimulated my libido even more I think. I really do.

And it is cheap. So I suggest you use it instead of megaman vitamins as a trial.

Sorry the hair loss hasn't stopped. There's nothing I can say to help that. But I/we wish you the best of luck, bomb. Maybe change your name for better karma (sp?)? =)

Later.

Thanks for the tip. I think someone mentioned that Larganine had a side effect of promoting cold sores in people who often get them. Is this true? I know I do get a cold sore from time to time, so I would want to be cautious if I was going try something that would make me break out with them.

 

[elguapo]

Yeah, I guess you might be right. I looked up L-arginine and cold sore on google, and found the following:

The Herpes virus is made stronger by the amino acid L-arginine and weaker by L-lysine. Avoid foods rich in L-arginine (such as nuts, chocolate, carob, coconut, soya beans and oats). At the same time, increase foods high in L-lysine, (such as kidney beans, split peas, fish, chicken, lamb, milk, cheese and sprouts), and consider taking an L-lysine supplement.
Stress can be a trigger for cold sore outbreak - if you are getting lots of cold sores your stress levels may be to blame - look for ways to cope better.

So maybe that wouldn't be a good idea. Well, I tried. Gives another point to L-lysine, though. I read the same about MSM being a supressant to cold sores.

Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Arginine absolutely promotes outbreaks of the herpes virus. I currently use Arginine and Lysine which seems to keep them in check.

 

[X190]

So is there anyone else out there who is hesitating to begin a treatment?

XL

 

[20something]

I made the decision to start both Xandrox + finasteride. the moment I noticed a slight recession at my temples. It's possible that I could have maintained for several years using only finasteride but I didn't want to take the chance. Of course, now I'm stuck with taking minoxidil indefinitely. If it works, I won't be complaining though.

I'm only 3 months in, so I don't want to comment on progress until at least the half year mark.

 

[thinstinks]

yeah i am
im kinda bein a pussy about starting the minoxidil

im just freaking out that it might not wrork for me and the shed will be totally noticeable


also i use nano and it has stopped a decent amount of loss
do you think that this will make me shed less, because maybe some of my hair is in the stage where it doesnt shed ( i forget what it is called)

 

[Guest]

yeah i am
im kinda bein a pussy about starting the minoxidil

im just freaking out that it might not wrork for me and the shed will be totally noticeable


also i use nano and it has stopped a decent amount of loss
do you think that this will make me shed less, because maybe some of my hair is in the stage where it doesnt shed ( i forget what it is called)

NANO will help with sheds but Folligen spray will help more ( in my experience). Just bite the bullet before more follicles go dormant forever.

 

[Bob Booley]

Yeah xzel, I'm hesitating on starting something. I'm not sure why, but I think it's denial. My hairloss is happening so damn slowly I have never definitely convinced myself that I'm losing it. I just keep thinking that it's my mature hairline. I constantly look at guys in their late 30s, and the ones who aren't balding have higher hairlines and receded temples- but aren't losing their hair- I keep thinking that is me.

My crown and my entire head of hair is so, so thick, and I have full coverage. It's just that my temples are taking a beating, mainly my left one- when I lift up my hair, I can see the recession go back, not as far as my ears yet, somewhere around a NW1.5 - 2. If I compare my hairline to the box shape I had up until my mid 20s, then yes, my hairline has gone back- but not much.

If I go on Propecia now, then I'm pretty well stuck with it for years to come. I am trying to tell myself it's the right thing to do, and to do it now before my temples go back any further.

If I start Propecia tomorrow, is it possible that my recession will immediately stop ?

 

[bombscience]

Yeah xzel, I'm hesitating on starting something. I'm not sure why, but I think it's denial. My hairloss is happening so damn slowly I have never definitely convinced myself that I'm losing it. I just keep thinking that it's my mature hairline. I constantly look at guys in their late 30s, and the ones who aren't balding have higher hairlines and receded temples- but aren't losing their hair- I keep thinking that is me.

My crown and my entire head of hair is so, so thick, and I have full coverage. It's just that my temples are taking a beating, mainly my left one- when I lift up my hair, I can see the recession go back, not as far as my ears yet, somewhere around a NW1.5 - 2. If I compare my hairline to the box shape I had up until my mid 20s, then yes, my hairline has gone back- but not much.

If I go on Propecia now, then I'm pretty well stuck with it for years to come. I am trying to tell myself it's the right thing to do, and to do it now before my temples go back any further.

If I start Propecia tomorrow, is it possible that my recession will immediately stop ?

It has a good chance of slowing down or even stopping. Maybe even grow back a little. What will most likely happen is you will continue to slowly receed for 3-6 months and then grow back what you lost in those 6 months at the 9-12 month mark to the point where you have the same amount of hair or more then what you did when you started the treatment.

 

[X190]

Harline Diminishing...

My crown and my entire head of hair is so, so thick, and I have full coverage. It's just that my temples are taking a beating, mainly my left one- when I lift up my hair, I can see the recession go back, not as far as my ears yet, somewhere around a NW1.5 - 2. If I compare my hairline to the box shape I had up until my mid 20s, then yes, my hairline has gone back- but not much.

I was the same way when I was 19 going on 20, except I was periodically beginning to lose hair. I'm glad I took care of my problem fast, otherwise things would of gotten much more uglier by now...

XL

 

[Jack_the_Lad]

Regrets

I definatley wish I'd started my current treatment a year earlier than I did. I tried the minoxidil for about three months a year and half ago, but wasn't conviced it was going to work as the only advice I was getting was from little leaflets. Been a bit cynical I didn't totally believe the hype, and was also a bit sick of applying stuff on my head twice a day. I find the advice from this board has helped me make decisions and waht kind of results to expect.

I'm going to need regrowth, whereas if I'd caught it 2-3 years ago my hair would be fine, and I'd be very happy with it

 

[Bob Booley]

I'm still undetectable as far as hairloss goes. I'm not afraid of talking about it either- I talk about it openly at work and with friends all the time- we all compare each other's hair and inspect it all the time. So far, no one has said anything about my hair except that it's fine, and I'm not losing anything. They just don't know my hair like I do, and I can still conceal it right now. They don't see the temple recession yet because I have long and thick enough hair to conceal it at the sides. I just think that I'm on the tail end of covering it up, and at some point soon it's gonna be harder to disguise. That's why I'm gonna get a prescription for Propecia as soon as I can, within the next few weeks and get on it now, just to be safe. I have great benefits at work, so I'm hoping they will cover most of the cost.

One thing is for sure, and it's that I have made the decision to wait no longer. If I can keep what I have, then I'm doing fine.

 

[X190]

I'm just glad I took care of my situation period. It's the only thing that I am happy about right now. Still, I am not partying just yet. I am still trying to improve my hair by the day, in order to achieve a point where I can say" "I'm satisfied". Till this moment I still haven't able to do that...

XL

 

[artvandaley]

Bob Booley, i think you and I are at the same level of hairloss (Norwood 1.5-2). My only problem is in the front and I still have decent coverage there. It took alot of courage for me to go to a doctor and get a presciption for propecia nine months ago (I'm definitely a self-conscious person). It hasn't really improved too much since then, but I think my hair may soon get to the point where i can't disguise the thinning anymore. So now I'm considering adding minoxidil within the next few months if things don't get better.