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Hello all,
I struggled throughout my 20s with a steadily receding hairline, which began at about age 21. It recedes very quickly between age 22 and 26. At age 27 I buy some electric clippers with a number 2 guard and call it a day.
Fast forward to age 31. I’m working from home and get a little lazy with my bimonthly haircut routine. My girlfriend notices and convinces me to let things grow out a bit. I’m not crazy about it, as my receding hairline has continued to progress, although not as dramatically as I had expected.
A few months later I’m on a 10-month contract in a wild place called Eastern Europe, where many medications normally available only by prescription are cheap and available over the counter. So I decide to use these 10 months as an experiment with the hair-loss drugs and methods I have read so much on this form and others.
I decided my own version of the “kitchen sink” regime:
The first few months
I took finasteride every day for the first month and did not add the dutasteride until month two. I am pleased to say that I experienced none of the side effects some have reported. Perhaps not surprisingly, I was a bit anxious going into this, having read horror stories online. Fortunately, I have not been one of those people. Libido seems to be about the same as before, no pain, no other problems with the, uh, plumbing.
I saw no visible results to my hairline after a month. This is not surprising.
At about the one month mark, I added dutasteride once a week. I have read that dutasteride every day is more effective, but it is quite a bit more expensive than finasteride and I was a bit wary of some of the more serious potential side effects. So I settled on the once per week regimen.
At about the six week mark, I had a pretty noticeable shed – lots of hairs falling out in the shower, on my shirt, etc. That went on for about two weeks before stabilizing.
After about three months, I still couldn’t see much of a difference to my receding hairline. However, my crown began thickening up. I didn’t start losing hair on my crown until a couple of years ago, and it was pretty quick to thicken up to where it was a few years back.
At this point, I found out about a Ukrainian product called MinoMax, which instead of minoxidiL contains minoxodiN, an analogue that the manufacturers claim is virtually the same but absorbs better through the skin. I do not know if this is true or simply a marketing gimmick, and there is scarcely any information online in any language. However, Eastern European guys trying grow their beards seem to swear by it.
MinoMax is sold in 2%, 5%, 10%, and 15% strengths. I started with the 10% strength and then moved to the 15% after I finished the bottle. I decided to only use it at night and stick with Minoxidil in the morning just to cover all of my bases.
It is also around this time that I begin using a dermaroller. I have to admit that I have not been particularly consistent with this, as it is not fun and there seem to be differing opinions on how effective it is, but I have managed to be better about doing it each week over the past couple of months.
By about the fourth month I have a lot of little vellus hairs on my scalp.
Six months and beyond
After about six months, I notice that the hair on top of my head is thickening up a bit – not dramatically, but noticeable. I still have lots of vellus hairs on my scalp in the same place as in previous months.
At about the eight month mark I notice in the mirror at my gym that there is a new patch of short dark hairs where there wasn’t before. There are also a smattering of little dark hairs on the bald spot of my scalp. This is very exciting!
At nine months, the little dark hairs have grown out a bit. I am hoping more appear as I continue this routine.
It is clear that the regime has produced results. My hair is thicker, and a little bit has grown back. It’s not dramatic, but after nine months it is noticeable. Of course, I wish I had started five or six or seven years ago, but what is done is done. I knew of these medications back then, but I was scared away by the potential side effects. Everyone is different and reacts to medication differently, but I can report that I have personally not experienced anything approaching the horror stories I have read about online.
The worst side effect has been dryness and flaking from the Minoxidil, which goes away if I take a day or two break. Anti-dandruff shampoo also helps a little. The MinoMax does not seem to cause this problem, although it is a dark, syrupy liquid that dries like crappy, brown-tinted hair gel, so I do not recommend leaving the house with it in your hair.
I will certainly try to keep this up if possible. Since I have been trying all of these methods at once, it is hard to say what exactly is the most effect. Most likely, it is a combination of all of these things.
PHOTOS
I got a different haircut, but I think you can see the difference in the photos.
I struggled throughout my 20s with a steadily receding hairline, which began at about age 21. It recedes very quickly between age 22 and 26. At age 27 I buy some electric clippers with a number 2 guard and call it a day.
Fast forward to age 31. I’m working from home and get a little lazy with my bimonthly haircut routine. My girlfriend notices and convinces me to let things grow out a bit. I’m not crazy about it, as my receding hairline has continued to progress, although not as dramatically as I had expected.
A few months later I’m on a 10-month contract in a wild place called Eastern Europe, where many medications normally available only by prescription are cheap and available over the counter. So I decide to use these 10 months as an experiment with the hair-loss drugs and methods I have read so much on this form and others.
I decided my own version of the “kitchen sink” regime:
- Finasteride 1.25mg x 6 days a week (5 mg pill cut into fourths)
- Dutasteride x .5mg 1 day a week
- Minoxidil 5% x twice a day (Later switched to once day plus Minomax 15% at night – more on that later)
- Dermaroller 1.5mm once a week
The first few months
I took finasteride every day for the first month and did not add the dutasteride until month two. I am pleased to say that I experienced none of the side effects some have reported. Perhaps not surprisingly, I was a bit anxious going into this, having read horror stories online. Fortunately, I have not been one of those people. Libido seems to be about the same as before, no pain, no other problems with the, uh, plumbing.
I saw no visible results to my hairline after a month. This is not surprising.
At about the one month mark, I added dutasteride once a week. I have read that dutasteride every day is more effective, but it is quite a bit more expensive than finasteride and I was a bit wary of some of the more serious potential side effects. So I settled on the once per week regimen.
At about the six week mark, I had a pretty noticeable shed – lots of hairs falling out in the shower, on my shirt, etc. That went on for about two weeks before stabilizing.
After about three months, I still couldn’t see much of a difference to my receding hairline. However, my crown began thickening up. I didn’t start losing hair on my crown until a couple of years ago, and it was pretty quick to thicken up to where it was a few years back.
At this point, I found out about a Ukrainian product called MinoMax, which instead of minoxidiL contains minoxodiN, an analogue that the manufacturers claim is virtually the same but absorbs better through the skin. I do not know if this is true or simply a marketing gimmick, and there is scarcely any information online in any language. However, Eastern European guys trying grow their beards seem to swear by it.
MinoMax is sold in 2%, 5%, 10%, and 15% strengths. I started with the 10% strength and then moved to the 15% after I finished the bottle. I decided to only use it at night and stick with Minoxidil in the morning just to cover all of my bases.
It is also around this time that I begin using a dermaroller. I have to admit that I have not been particularly consistent with this, as it is not fun and there seem to be differing opinions on how effective it is, but I have managed to be better about doing it each week over the past couple of months.
By about the fourth month I have a lot of little vellus hairs on my scalp.
Six months and beyond
After about six months, I notice that the hair on top of my head is thickening up a bit – not dramatically, but noticeable. I still have lots of vellus hairs on my scalp in the same place as in previous months.
At about the eight month mark I notice in the mirror at my gym that there is a new patch of short dark hairs where there wasn’t before. There are also a smattering of little dark hairs on the bald spot of my scalp. This is very exciting!
At nine months, the little dark hairs have grown out a bit. I am hoping more appear as I continue this routine.
It is clear that the regime has produced results. My hair is thicker, and a little bit has grown back. It’s not dramatic, but after nine months it is noticeable. Of course, I wish I had started five or six or seven years ago, but what is done is done. I knew of these medications back then, but I was scared away by the potential side effects. Everyone is different and reacts to medication differently, but I can report that I have personally not experienced anything approaching the horror stories I have read about online.
The worst side effect has been dryness and flaking from the Minoxidil, which goes away if I take a day or two break. Anti-dandruff shampoo also helps a little. The MinoMax does not seem to cause this problem, although it is a dark, syrupy liquid that dries like crappy, brown-tinted hair gel, so I do not recommend leaving the house with it in your hair.
I will certainly try to keep this up if possible. Since I have been trying all of these methods at once, it is hard to say what exactly is the most effect. Most likely, it is a combination of all of these things.
PHOTOS
I got a different haircut, but I think you can see the difference in the photos.
