helpme2's story - (Hi - New here, need advice and direction)

[helpme2]

Hi everyone...

I am a 21 male, I have been visiting this site for a while now, alot of good information. The people here seem to be very nice and helping.

Also the sucess stories are very inspirational too. I just had some questions...But first a little info about myself.

I started noticing thining around the top of my head, about last year feburary (just turned 20). I use to have extremely thick hair, my hair dressers use to tell me, "Wow thick hair, how am I gona cut it".....

My Hair started appearing on my pillow/bed/shower after i showered. It started appearing in droves....It was so depressing, I asked my mom and sister, they said your hair looks fine etc...Not to me, i feel differently on top of my head, i can notice much more light on my scalp.

Fast forward a year and a couple of months I am here...A couple of days ago my friend came into my job and asked if I was balding (havent seen me in a year), not sure if its a combination of the bright lights, or if it was my low hair cut (but my sides were very thick)....Then my coworker said you are going bald....

My problem:

I don’t know what to do...I tried this shampoo and regrowth serum from, RestorationHair.com; it seemed to have stopped the hair from dropping. But my hair still falls not as much as it first did when I started (1 yr ago).

Here are some pics of my head, I used a digital camera, I am sorry if the pics come out bad (see bottom). The hair on top of my head seems to take forever to grow, the sides grow extremely fast. Even when I would grow my hair about an Inch or so, I would see light on my scalp..

I had some questions I just wanted a little help with;

1. I am considering using Rogaine, according to my current state, would it be wise to start it now? I read alot on here, about starting it early before it gets worse.

2. If I use Rogaine now, should I use anything else with it, to help the process? Special shampoo that goes hand in hand?

3. What shampoo should I be using, when I am using Rogaine? Can I use a regular brand such as, garnieer fruit fusions?

4. Do you apply it when you wake up and when you go to sleep? Before showering? Or after showering?

5. is it best to get a really short hair cut (like level 1 trimmer) and then start using Rogaine? makes it easier to apply, wash off?

6. Where is the best place to buy these products? Is there any noticeable aspects when using Rogaine (such as extra greasy scalp)?


I thank you all for your help and advice. A sense of direction would be great. I just want some hope....I forgot to mention this, when my hair grows on the top of my head, some grow at different lengths, not sure what that means. Makes my hair look spikey, because there are shorter hairs and longer hairs (like this, iiiIIIIIiiiIIIiiiIIIIiiIIIIIiiiiiIIII), not sure why...I think the shorter ones are the ones that fell off early on and are regrowing slowly, while the longer ones are just growing and not falling off at all...

 

[Guest]

Hello,

I don't know where you are located, but I would either see a dermatologist for a propecia subscription immediately, or if that is not feasible then just order some online. Maybe some minoxidil but I think that propecia alone could do the trick for you.

 

[hellohello]

Get on propecia asap if you think your male pattern baldness is accelerating fast.

Maybe hold of Rogaine/minoxidil for a while, see how you react to the Propecia.

 

[helpme2]

Do you think rogaine is to strong for my hair at the moment?

Also is propecia over the counter? Is it similar to rogaine, what are the affects? is it on the same cycle as rogaine? What shampoo should I use when using propecia?

thanks

 

[Guest]

Do you think rogaine is to strong for my hair at the moment?

Also is propecia over the counter?

No it is not. You need a prescription from a doctor to buy it from a land pharmacy or you can buy it online without one, but it is a powerful drug.

Is it similar to rogaine, what are the affects?

From my limited understanding, and im only slightly less new to this than you are, propecia decreases the level of dihydrotestosterone which is thought to be the main cause of male pattern baldness.. It can regrow hair in some people but it's main claim to fame is hair maintenance-keeping what you already have. Rogaine is primarily used for regrowing hair rather than inhibiting DHT.

is it on the same cycle as rogaine?

Not sure what this means.

What shampoo should I use when using propecia?

I would use Nizoral shampoo because as far as I know it is the only shampoo that can reduce the level of DHT in your scalp. I would use that once every 3 days and then pick another shampoo to use the other days of the week.

Right now I think I would start off with the propecia and see how it works for a year. It should be effective at maintaining your hair then you can add the rogaine when you start to lose your hair again.

I hope this helps.

 

[helpme2]

Your words are defintely helping me out.

Thanks everyone.


Do people here use propecia and rogaine at once?

I think I am going to schedule an appointment with a doctor to see whats up. But I just wanted to hear you guys first.

I think my hair is in an ok state now, but I just want to maintain my hair and regrow it also (covering up the top scalp even more).

thank you very much.

 

[bubka]

a lot do use both, i am sure there are some polls someplace, but i would say the majority do not

i recommend propecia and nizoral shampoo, add minoxidil to the temples if you want

 

[Follically Challenged]

Use both.

I threw away 2 years of my life by not using both. Minoxidil works and works fast.

 

[Guest]

hey folic,

what do you mean by you threw away two years of your life?

 

[ANDREW_J_I]

firstly, id say thats diffuse thinning. and yeh i would say u have male pattern baldness for definate.

1. I am considering using Rogaine, according to my current state, would it be wise to start it now? I read alot on here, about starting it early before it gets worse.
YEH, I WOULD GET ON ROGAINE MATE, OR THE EQUIVALENT, THERE ALL SIMILAR. GET THE 5% ONE THO!

2. If I use Rogaine now, should I use anything else with it, to help the process? Special shampoo that goes hand in hand?
NIZORAL SHAMPOO TWICE A WEEK, AND PROPECIA 1MG A DAY.

3. What shampoo should I be using, when I am using Rogaine? Can I use a regular brand such as, garnieer fruit fusions?
NIZORAL TWICE A WEEK, THEN I USE BABY SHAMPOO ON THE nizoral OFF DAYS.

4. Do you apply it when you wake up and when you go to sleep? Before showering? Or after showering? MORNING/NIGHT, 2 APPLICATIONS A DAY. TRY AND LEAVE ATLEAST 8 HOURS BETWEEN APPLICATIONS (12 HOURS IS BEST). DONT WASH UR HAIR NTIL 4 HOURS AFTER THE APPLICATION.

5. is it best to get a really short hair cut (like level 1 trimmer) and then start using Rogaine? makes it easier to apply, wash off?
YES MUCH EASIER TO APPLY, THIS IS WHAT I DID, ALTHOUGH I AM GROWING IT BACK NOW.

6. Where is the best place to buy these products? Is there any noticeable aspects when using Rogaine (such as extra greasy scalp)? I GET PROPECIA OFF MY Doctor AND CHEMIST. EXPENSIVE BUT ATLEAST IM GETTING THE RIGHT sh*t!


hope thats helped buddy! keep us updated with pics. get on these things asap. i been on my regime for 6 weeks now.

 

[ANDREW_J_I]

hey folic,

what do you mean by you threw away two years of your life?

because he wasted too much time (2 years) just taking propecia when he cudda been on both and getting full effectiveness. this is why i started both. i have no time to lose man, this is important to me!!!!

 

[CCS]

so he threw away 2 years worth of hairs, which is probably 50 hairs in a 1 inch circle. that is not two years of his LIFE, though. maybe if he does everything right, he can regrow it all.

 

[CCS]

cheap, powerful regimen

You need propecia. It will greatly reduce the odds of you getting prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men. Side effects are rare, go away if you stop, and you should try it first and see if you get any before you worry about them. Asprin has more side effects.
As for propecia, get proscar. The active ingredient is finasteride. Proscar has 5mg, propecia has 1mg. At a regular pharmacy proscar is $90 USD and propecia is 60. You can get these for half the price online without a prescription. Ask Beaner or Goingat20 where they get theirs. Elitenetpharmacy is one place.
1 USD = about 0.6 pounds.
0.2 mg/day regrow 82% as much hair as 1mg/day, which regrows 83% as much hair as 5mg/day. The dose is not important. Cut the Proscar with a $5 pill cutter. Cut it in 8 pieces and take one every other day. That will cost you $90/16 = 6 USD per month. I know you can afford that. This will give you 0.3 mg/day, which will lower you DHT levels just as much as Propecia will.

If you can spend an extra $6, get Avodart at elitenetpharmacy $60 and take one 0.5mg capsule every 5 days. That is as strong as 5mg finasteride per day and will cost you $12 per month, instead of $6 for finasteride.

Of corse get generic Rogaine, which is called minoxidil 5%. If it costs too much over there, order it for $27 for 4 bottles at minoxidildirect.com. Dr Lee is at minoxidil.com. You can get both and use the dr Lee's before you sociallize, but it is ok to use it once a day some days. i think you should put half a mL around your hair line and front sides at night, and then do the normal minoxidil 5% in the morning over most of your top for maintainence. That will be $4 per month for the regular stuff and $18/4 = $5 for the quick drying, totalling $9 per month.

Get nizoral 1% shampoo. It costs $15 dollars per bottle. Find a generic if you can. Wash your hair with a tea spoon 2 times a week. That will last you 14 weeks, which is about $4 per month, and will help keep more hair from shrinking. It is a weak anti-androgen, good for your strong hair but not good enough for the thinning ones. It also will take away any irritation if minoxidil gives you any.

You need copper peptides. These are great for damage control for many post DHT follicle attacks. Buy folligen liquid spray for $30 (Guys, where is the best place to buy it?) Dilute it with water to 1/2 strength. Apply about 2mL to your whole top and hair line one every other day. That should last you 8 months (right guys?) for $3 per month.

If you want to regrow your hairline for sure, you need a strong anti-androgen on just your hairline. I'm not going to take the time writing the directions for making your own spironolactone cream for $10/month because it might be a problem if your girlfriend stays over a lot. Ask Felk if you want directions. I advise you to buy Eucapil for $50 for a month supply. It comes in 2mL glass ampules that you break open. Get some silly puddy and seal them air tight and try to make each one last 4 days, using it only on your hair line. This will drop the cost to $13 per month, and it evaporates in 2 minutes. Do it 3 hours after you shower when your hair is very dry. Go to Eucapil.com.

That comes to $36 USD per month.
If that is too much for you, you should just
* use the minoxidil 5% once a day and maybe twice when you can, skip the dr Lee's, (save $5 per month)
* And apply the eucapil every other day or two days out of three (make sure it does not evaporate on you! seal it good) (save $5 per month)

This brings your monthly cost down to $26 per month,

And if you already suppliment your diet with protein powder, cut back a little and use the money to get arginine bonded to glutamine. You can find it at vitacost.com. I won't explain the biology but you can read about it at drproctor.com. The arginine helps your hair, and the glutamine gets it absorbed better than L-arginine. The glutamine is also a conditionally essential amino acid that you need if you work your muscles VERY hard. You need it for recoveries. So if you workout really hard in the gym, you get two for one. Take 2 grams total per day.

I'm not sure you can regrow your hairline, but you can get your sides.

 

[helpme2]

wow, thanks alot for the feedback, i will be reading these carefully...



Ok, here is what im looking at now,

1. I should get on Proscar (which is like Propecia?), is there a timeline when I should stop taking Proscar? Or when I feel I have enough hair? I should also take, .2mg a day?

2. I should get Rogaine (or the generic brand). Does it work like regular rogaine, is it the same thing?

3. I should also use that Nizoral shampoo (dandruff shampoo).

So I guess my daily regime would be,

-Proscar pill every morning (.2mg)

-Rogaine 2 times (morning and evening)

-Nizoral shampoo (teaspoon, every 3days)


I just want to know, when can I stop using the above? Is there a point when I can return to my normal state? When I can be happy? Will I develop hair that is dependent on Rogaine or Proscar? Furthermore, will I be using this regime for over a year?

I know its hard to tell, but I am just concerned about having hair that’s dependent on rogaine/proscar.

thanks

 

[helpme2]

Update#1 - Made an appointment to see a doctor on Aug 7th....I will tell you guys what he says...

What over the counter shampoo is the best for treating hair thining (hair strengthing shampoos?)?

Something from vidal sasoon (sp?) or some other well known brand?

thanks.

 

[Guest]

I just want to know, when can I stop using the above? Is there a point when I can return to my normal state? When I can be happy? Will I develop hair that is dependent on Rogaine or Proscar? Furthermore, will I be using this regime for over a year?

I know its hard to tell, but I am just concerned about having hair that’s dependent on rogaine/proscar.

thanks

You have the regimen down. If you want to keep as much of your hair as you can and possibly regrow, you can't go off the regimen at all. So yes you will definitely be using it over a year, and probably at least 5 until hair cloning comes out. This is a long-term commitment. If you don't have the motivation to put in the Rogaine twice a week which is by far the most difficult of the 3 steps to try, then just wait on the Proscarand see how that works for you until you see more hair loss after 6 months to a year.

The way I see it is that the Proscar is the easiest step. Just pop a pill once a day. And the Nizoral you just sub that in for your normal shampoo two or three times a week. So those two steps take no thinking or really any effort.

It's the rogaine twice a day that is a pain in the ***. I'm not using it right now- I just started propecia, and I'm going to wait 3-6 months and see how it works for me. You might want to consider doing the same, because rogaine is a big commitment.

As for worrying about your hair becoming dependent on Propecia and Rogaine, here's how it works from what I understand:

Any hair you regrow with Rogaine will be lost once you go off it. Any hair that was being maintained by Propecia alone will be lost as well if you go off that. But your other hairs that weren't being affected by either won't be affected by you going off the drugs. There is really no reason in my opinion to ever go off Propeci unless your side effects are really awful, and then you can try decreasing the dosage. With Proscar and alternatives like Fincar and cutting those pills into fourths you can get the finasteride(active ingredient in propecia/proscar/fincar/finpecia) for about $100 a year. That's money well spent.

 

[Guest]

Update#1 - Made an appointment to see a doctor on Aug 7th....I will tell you guys what he says...

Good. I just came back from seeing a dermatologist this morning actually and he put my mind at ease. He told me that my hair loss was in the early stages from examining my scalp and consulting a chart, and said I should just stick with taking the Proscar that I ordered online.

What over the counter shampoo is the best for treating hair thining (hair strengthing shampoos?)?

Something from vidal sasoon (sp?) or some other well known brand?

I'm not really convinced it matters. There are no shampoos other than Nizoral that I know of that have really been proven to have positive effects on your hair loss. There are thickening shampoos that will volumize your hair and make it appear thick and these may be your b est bet. I would just go to a salon where they sell shampoo and ask them what is a good shampoo for your situation.

I would just stay away from crappy shampoo like Suave which is not good for your hair anyway. You could use something like Head and Shoulders on non-Nizoral days or L'Oreal, etc. Doesn't really matter.

 

[helpme2]

Thanks Jayman,

you are right about paying $100 a year just to keep your hair, its well worth it.


Also If i can keep my hair till about, 30 i wouldnt mind......I will see what the Doctor says. But I am deintely gearing towards the Propecia/Nizoral.


Does anyone know anyone who stopped taking propecia or rogaine (or both) after their hair got better? Did it fall off all over again?

thanks.

 

[bubka]

Does anyone know anyone who stopped taking propecia or rogaine (or both) after their hair got better? Did it fall off all over again?

thanks.

yes, will lose the hair you gained from both propecia and minoxidil is stopped

I would recommend starting off at 1mg finasteride (propecia or proscar / generic) and bump it down ONLY if you get sides, which is already unlikekly

 

[Guest]

Re: cheap, powerful regimen

[quote="collegechemistrystudent"You can get both and use the dr Lee's before you sociallize[/quote]

Hey CCS,

to which specific Dr Lee product are you referring? And I'm confused as to why you would use Dr Lee's version before socializing when compared to regular minoxidil? Does his have concealer or something?

Thanks,
Jayman