Just A Reminder

[Warrenx]

Hey Eric. Just hang in there bud. Things are always darkest (or in this case lightest ) right before the dawn. Shedding in my experience is a good thing. It is sort of the converse to male pattern baldness in that, instead of gradual shrinkage, it is immediate shock-induced growth. Trust me just keep at it and as long as you are not a NW6 you will see good recovery. There were so many times where I was on the brink of (superficial) NW5 and I was so disheartened, I thought about quitting; but, I didn't, and now my hair is becoming exactly what I hoped against hope for. Would you mind posting a picture? Thanks

 

[EricGerard]

That's good advice. I definitely believe in the power of shedding!

I started as a fairly thick NW1.5, but with intermediate miniaturization all over the top of my head. I used finasteride for 6 months and my hair slowly thickened (my hair got darker), but then I got greedy and added minoxidil. This triggered the mother of all sheds, and basically every miniaturized hair on my scalp ejected, leaving me with a diffuse pattern on the top of my head. Needless to say I was heartbroken.. but I believed that it was just a shed and that it would come back. Here I am after a few months of minoxidil use (on top of my daily finasteride). This was my lowest point right after my nightly application of minoxidil... my hair is actually fairly long here.

Well, surely enough after a few months of utter darkness and despair, it did come back. My hair in this photo is close to the same length as the first photo. You can see how much thicker it is. No more scalp!

I am currently in another shed but nowhere near as bad as that first picture. I think every round of shedding is less disasterous as the last. Then, when the drugs have done all they can, they stop triggering sheds.

 

[Warrenx]

That's good advice. I definitely believe in the power of shedding!

I started as a fairly thick NW1.5, but with intermediate miniaturization all over the top of my head. I used finasteride for 6 months and my hair slowly thickened (my hair got darker), but then I got greedy and added minoxidil. This triggered the mother of all sheds, and basically every miniaturized hair on my scalp ejected, leaving me with a diffuse pattern on the top of my head. Needless to say I was heartbroken.. but I believed that it was just a shed and that it would come back. Here I am after a few months of minoxidil use (on top of my daily finasteride). This was my lowest point right after my nightly application of minoxidil... my hair is actually fairly long here.

Well, surely enough after a few months of utter darkness and despair, it did come back. My hair in this photo is close to the same length as the first photo. You can see how much thicker it is. No more scalp!

I am currently in another shed but nowhere near as bad as that first picture. I think every round of shedding is less disasterous as the last. Then, when the drugs have done all they can, they stop triggering sheds.

Why are you on a Male Pattern Baldness forum?

 

[EricGerard]

I'm still here because treatments have been a roller coaster ride, and at present, I am at a low point on the ride. If my hair stayed the way it did in the second picture I would have packed up and left.

 

[Warrenx]

I'm still here because treatments have been a roller coaster ride, and at present, I am at a low point on the ride. If my hair stayed the way it did in the second picture I would have packed up and left.

You've got the follicles, don't even need to fret. That's the dividing line between success and failure (at least with tier 1 medication), as long as you have the miniaturized follicles, then you are good, and looks like you've got em in spades.

 

[EricGerard]

Haha thank mans. Keep updating this thread as your hair improves! It looks like you are well on your way to some good coverage again. I am honestly dumbfounded at how well your hair turned around in 1 month. Simply incredible.

 

[Warrenx]

I've been getting requests to put my full regimen with a detailed explanation so here goes:

Regimen:

1. Finasteride 1.25mg x 1 a day
2. Minoxidil 5% x 2 a day ( I would recommend the Equate version)
3. Ultrax Labs Hair Surge Shampoo (Ketokanazole, Caffeine, Saw Palmetto) x 1 a day
4. Ultrax Labs Hair Solace Conditioner (Caffeine, Eucalyptus, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Chamomile Recutitta) x 1 a day
5. Ultrax Labs Hair Maxx (Solubillized Keratin, Nettle Leaf Powder, Pumpkin Seed Powder, Saw Palmetoo...) x 1 a day
5. Biotion 10,000mcg x 1 a day
6. Omega 3/6 Supplement x 1 a day
7. Just started Lasercomb last week x 3 a week

Don't think I'm forgetting everything. Oh yah and to give you an idea of how powerful this combo is, I am getting these results while losing weight.
Just an overview, you know the big 3... That shampoo and conditioner combo is just so powerful, so many good things in that group, I cannot praise Caffeine high enough, it really is a powerful regrowth agent.

Overview:

Finasteride is my main defense obviously. Minoxidil is my main offense. The caffeine in the shampoo/conditioner combo augmented by all the other proto-hair growth agents in there is just too much good stuff. The "Hair Maxx" is sort of the invisible hand in all this, you cannot see what its doing directly, but it is the powerful engine under the skin, thickening the hair follicles in general and nourishing the reinvigorated bulbs. Biotin is just that special hair-related holistic rememdy that we all know is good for the hair in so many ways but haven't figured out the exact mechanics yet (some of it has to do with scales on the follicles), very good support for the hair campaign. I remember Dr. Oz (never really take him seriously) mentioning Omega 3/6 for hair health, sorta latched onto that and I can see my hair looks (aesthetically) better with that influx of oils, not to mention its vitalistic properties. Just started Lasercomb last week, my whole theory behind this was to do massive research and find out all clinically demonstrated hair regrowth agents that had scientific backing and significant clinical study results. I got lasercomb because it has a niche in being able to stimulate new growth via photo-biostimulation, which is a different pathway altogether than minoxidil, essentially opening up a "second front" in the offense. The whole success of this regimen is entirely Holistic. This entire regimen is synergistic, used in conjunction in the logical permutation yields just incredible results. *One thing I want to add here. I believe the lasercomb insertion after the round of stimulation brought about by the caffeine may have a more compounding affect than I previously attributed. I wonder if possibly the adjacency of the caffeine and laser treatment may be collectively surpassing some "stimulation" threshold (similar to the concept of activation energy) and thereby activating otherwise permanently dormant bulbs*.

Itinerary:

1. Wake up, take Finasteride (usually on empty stomach).
2. Eat Breakfast, then shower using the Ultrax Labs Hair Surge (Shampooo) and Solace (Conditioner).
3. Getting out of shower I dry off and take my Omega 3s, Biotin, and Hair Maxx together. [I may start taking the Hair Maxx after dinner, have to look into its digestive metabolic exclusivity more].
4. After drying my hair I proceed to use my lasercomb for 15 minutes (every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).
5. After lasercomb, I wait five minutes and then proceed to apply my morning minoxidil application (this is important: I believe since lasercomb stimulates the follicle bulbs, applying minoxidil afterwards augments its potency and since the bulb is primed for reception, increases its true absorption). Catalytic Synergy
6. Then at night an hour or two before I go to bed I put my second minoxidil application on.

My Philosophy:

Attack male pattern baldness with everything on the market that is scientifically logical and has clinically significant demonstrable results. I cannot emphasize this enough, this is a war, just overwhelm the enemy with the breadth of hair regrowth agents, attacking from every angle and niche. It just is the most efficacious manner for getting results, pile it on in a rational order and you will see great results. sicut et ego

Acknowledgements:

1. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2007.03119.x/abstract (Caffeine)

2. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/saw-palmetto (Saw Palmetto)

3. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/549721/ (Pumpkin Seed)

4. http://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00044011-200929050-00001 (Photo-Biostimulation)

5. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-h-biotin (Biotin)

6. http://www.azcentral.com/health/wellness/articles/0412qaweil0412.html (Omega 3/6)

7. http://www.douglaslabs.com/media/DL201345.pdf (Solubillized Keratin)

 

[shredder]

Thank you WarrenX

You seem very knowledgeable on the effects of these products on hairloss.

I am going to make my own mix of the hairmaxx to try and save money. Will update on progress.

Thanks again!

 

[Warrenx]

Thank you WarrenX

You seem very knowledgeable on the effects of these products on hairloss.

I am going to make my own mix of the hairmaxx to try and save money. Will update on progress.

Thanks again!

Hey Shredder! Thank you . I am not sure, but their may be tutorials on these boards for making "generic" versions of these products. For example, and I am just theorizing here, but possibly propylene glycol + ground strong coffee beans may act as a topical alternative to the hairsurge shampoo/conditioner. Please be careful though when undertaking these chemical experimentation , as it can be quite dangerous. I wish you well in your fight and know if you just keep at it, you will emerge victorious one day!

 

[mckenzie]

Sorry I may have missed it in the thread but which parts of the scalp do you apply the minoxidil to?

 

[jimbeam]

How relaxed did you get with them? Canyou not cut down on minoxi to once every couple of days? Or is it twice a day for life?

 

[Warrenx]

Sorry I may have missed it in the thread but which parts of the scalp do you apply the minoxidil to?

All parts. I think the better question is to ask where I do not apply it to .

- - - Updated - - -

How relaxed did you get with them? Canyou not cut down on minoxi to once every couple of days? Or is it twice a day for life?

By relaxed I mean I took a good sabbatical from doing them. My normal routine was a single application before I went to bed. Once I got my hair back, I reached the point of marginal utility and forgone the persistent maintenance.

 

[EricGerard]

Hey bud! Got an update for us? I'd like to see if you've recovered!

 

[chemicalbrother]

Not here to be a negative nancy , cause something is clearly working for you (finasteride + minoxidil)
I'm always looking to find good shampoo's , but the one you are using seems certainly overpriced at $43 for 11 ounces and the ingredients it's carrying.

 

[doublebatman]

Wow, this is inspiring and at the same time depressing.

You clearly respond very well to minoxidil. Be diligent

 

[Warrenx]

*Updated* 12/22/2014.

 

[viet nom nom]

Dude, this shyat cannot be for real!!! I so, congrats on the quick response and don't get lazy!

 

[chipsy]

These dates seem a bit farfetched in terms of growth not to mention fullness. I'm sensing that concealers are covering up some truth here!