Keep with it

[phil1988]

-22 years old

-Rogaine foam in the morning, liquid at night for a month and 1/2

-1/4 proscar every day for the last 6 months

-Nizoral every 3 days



So... never posted here before, but great info over the past few months. Been on 1/4 proscar for about 6 months. Rogaine liquid at night, foam in the morning for a month and a half. Foam is amazing btw, I wouldn't apply in the morning if it werent for the foam.

Anyway... No photos. But my hairs been thin for a good 3 years now. Receded to about a Norwood 3 I guess? About 6 months ago, I could see scalp if I looked directly at the top of my head in a mirror, and it was not a pretty sight. Did not look good.

I'm 22. It was discouraging seeing success stories people had after only 2 or 3 months on propecia, when I had none. Hair definitely got thinner, and did so for a period of about 4 months straight. Nothing whatsoever.

About two weeks ago, noticed some hair sprout up around my hairline, and they're actually growing pretty good. Hairline moved up for the first time in 3 years. I can only assume these hairs are sprouting up everywhere, as my scalp seems thicker. Looks a little better every day, and I can only assume it'll get better as the hairs go through their cycles, shed and come back stronger. Maybe more hairs will sprout up too.

The reason I post, a lot of you seem to be scared to start a regimine. In my experience, its a leap of blind faith. No side effects from the finasteride. I was convinced I had side effects, but low and behold, they weren't there unless I actively thought about them. I definately think it's in your head for the most part. If you are worried about your hair, get on something. You're better off keeping what you naturally have instead of trying to get it back when it's gone.

Forget all the holistic treatments, special shampoos, vitamins, ect. I am now convinced hair loss is due to the DHT, not sebum, nothing but the DHT. The drug lowers it, and your hair returns to normal. I shampoo my hair like I always have (although I do use nizoral once or twice a week), treat it like I always have,. My scalp always itched where my hair loss was, and within a week of propecia, it stopped itching. My hair has been pretty consistant the last month, and once I added rogaine I started seeing results. I believe propecia stopped the loss, rogaine regrew.

So yea, 6 months later, and i'm seeing results. Keep with the routine.

Also, always had 5 or 6 hairs on my hands after shampooing, and one or two hairs always falls out when I run my hands thru my hair. Been like that since I was 12, same now. I wouldn't fret about it.

 

[Wuffer]

I was convinced I had side effects, but low and behold, they weren't there unless I actively thought about them.

Same thing happened to me! People really underestimate how powerful the mind can be. I sat reading about side effect horror stories for like 2 straight weeks, and ended up convincing myself I had them all.. This lasted a week and I almost quit, but decided to hang in there. A week vacation away from the forums (and a trip to the mountains) fixed me right up.

I know a lot of guys keep waiting and doing research and asking questions (especially about finasteride) but every day you wait the worse and farther along your hair gets. I was on finasteride a week after my girlfriend told me I was getting a bald spot, and don't regret it!

You can dink around with all these thousands of useless treatments, or take the two that actually work. finasteride is an amazingly effective and safe drug; it's really a no brainer.. Guys that decide either not to take it or quit because they are scared only really have theirselves to blame. As my dad said to me after seeing how effective finasteride was "I would have probably killed to have a treatment like this available 30 years ago"

Glad to hear you are having some results. Do you have any pictures to share?

 

[phil1988]

No pics... Reason was, I didn't wanna obsess over it. I remember what it looked like, and it's basically back to the point it was before I started, but I definately notice new hairs growing all over the top of my scalp and hairline. It's great, a good 1/4 inch on my hairline has sprouted hair.

And yes, it did get worse before it got better. But everything lost is back + some new hairs. If I can expect another year and a half till my growth peaks, I think it's gonna be some great results.

It's exactly as you said Wuffer, the more you research the more fear you have. I mean, look at the warnings for ibuprofen or asprin:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealt ... ideEffects

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealt ... ideEffects

A drug used for over 100 years, a drug people take low doses of every day to prevent heart attacks, a drug that thousands would die without, and if you were to read the side effects, you'd end up worrying yourself. It's no different with propecia. You're taking a low dose of it, to reap the benefits, and avoid the side effects. Like asprin or ibuprofen, some people are allergic or respond only to one of them. I take tylenol for head aches, ibuprofen doesn't help.

I think the only thing I noticed was I haven't gotten morning wood since starting. Erection is just as full, and so is my load. Sorry if thats gross to talk about. Couldn't get an erection right after I started, cause I was so fixated on not being able to get one. Once I forgot, it was the same.

Don't be scared or embarrassed to start the prescription. You take allergy medications cause your body produces too big of an immune response. Same with eczema medications. You use prescriptions for acne cause your face produces too much oil. And you take propecia cause your body produces too much DHT. It's correcting an issue, it isn't impairing you. Admittedly I avoid medications as much as possible, but if I have a head ache, ill take a pill rather than suffer. I'd rather take a pill every morning than go bald. Just like every other man in the world, balding is a scary thought. You don't have to be the greatest looking person in the world, but the last thing you want someone to think when they meet you is "I can see their scalp". You 't wanna be known as the bald guy as much as you wanna be known as the fat guy or the poorly dressed guy.

And it's easy. Quarter a few pills once a month, and take one in the morning before I shower. The foam I apply after shaving, and takes less than a minute. Then after I brush my teeth at night, apply some liquid on my scalp and rub it in.

 

[phil1988]

You can dink around with all these thousands of useless treatments, or take the two that actually work. finasteride is an amazingly effective and safe drug; it's really a no brainer.. Guys that decide either not to take it or quit because they are scared only really have theirselves to blame. As my dad said to me after seeing how effective finasteride was "I would have probably killed to have a treatment like this available 30 years ago"

Its unfortunate for your dad. Imagine balding in the 70's. I'd probably have tried every type of therapeutic shampoo at the drug store. Tried all sorts of supplements, and had no outlet to turn to. I would have lost all my hair, been depressed over it and probably have gotten my hope up dozens of times, only to be disappointed time and time again.

 

[Wuffer]

Yeah man, some people are quick to say how dangerous Propecia is, but have probably never been on an antidepressant like Celexa or Paxil. Take a look at those side effect pages. Even worse, SSRI class meds are linked to permanent sexual dysfunction in an amazingly high percentage of users, but it's strange you hear so much more negativity about Propecia.

Worst part is, I was on SSRI drugs for about 5 years and they didn't do much of anything except give me terrible sides (mainly gastro problems). At least propecia has actually done what it's meant to do!

Anyway, I have been on for 3 months. I noticed decrease in morning wood as well, but it seems over the last couple weeks it has come back. I notice I always have it on weekends (days I can sleep in) but not so much on weekdays when i'm low on sleep. Some people say it's a warning sign, but i've talked to people who have been on for over 5 years that say the same thing, yet have no problems in the sack.

As long as you perform with the wife/gf normally and have regular libido, you have nothing to worry about.

BTW: i've been the fat and poorly dressed guy at times in my life. You are right; it's not nearly as bad as being the balding guy! Now i'm glad to say i'm none of those things. lol.. Just the receding hair line guy. That guy can still be cool!

 

[masontrc]

Hey I can definitely relate to your story. I'm 22 and a consistent routine of rogaine liquid has noticeably regrown the hair I've lost and even some temple hairs as well. I'm pleased to hear that you haven't given up or slacked off. You seem like a very determined and goal-oriented person. I think this is a very helpful quality when it comes to maintaining and regrowing hair.

my progress: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65098

 

[phil1988]

Just an update, it's been about a month since I started seeing little hairs growing everywhere. My hairline has moved up a good quarter inch since then, and you can no longer see scalp. Still a bunch of little hairs at the hairline, so who knows if anything will happen with them over the next couple years.

Aside from the temples, my hair looks like it did when I was 19. It's thick, dark, and my shower drain doesn't clog up anymore. If I run my hand through it I'm lucky to get one hair to fall out.

I'll come back in a year or so and let you guys know how it's going. I was frustrated when I came here cause I had more thinning than anything, and couldn't find a lot of topics with success stories for that. I doubt I'm going to come back otherwise, my hair is no longer on my mind constantly.

No side effects, still get morning wood, no boobs, no lack of energy, and my mind is sharper than it's ever been. Although I am only on 1.25 finasteride, rogaine foam 2x a day and nizoral once or twice a week for a couple mins.

Diffuse thinning. Just wanted to add that search phrase on there in case anyone is searching for advice on it.

 

[TanbarkBellss]

Awesome man! Very inspiring to hear. I'm 4 months into my regime, and my hair is a bit worse than it was when i started, and i was wondering whether it was working, so it's good to hear your story. Good luck!

 

[masontrc]

Awesome man! Very inspiring to hear. I'm 4 months into my regime, and my hair is a bit worse than it was when i started, and i was wondering whether it was working, so it's good to hear your story. Good luck!

Thanks! The regrowth is still going well. And I hope yours is too

 

[Finco]

Just an update, it's been about a month since I started seeing little hairs growing everywhere. My hairline has moved up a good quarter inch since then, and you can no longer see scalp. Still a bunch of little hairs at the hairline, so who knows if anything will happen with them over the next couple years.

Aside from the temples, my hair looks like it did when I was 19. It's thick, dark, and my shower drain doesn't clog up anymore. If I run my hand through it I'm lucky to get one hair to fall out.

I'll come back in a year or so and let you guys know how it's going. I was frustrated when I came here cause I had more thinning than anything, and couldn't find a lot of topics with success stories for that. I doubt I'm going to come back otherwise, my hair is no longer on my mind constantly.

No side effects, still get morning wood, no boobs, no lack of energy, and my mind is sharper than it's ever been. Although I am only on 1.25 finasteride, rogaine foam 2x a day and nizoral once or twice a week for a couple mins.

Diffuse thinning. Just wanted to add that search phrase on there in case anyone is searching for advice on it.

I'm glad for you, thinking about starting finasteride soon myself and I agree people are too paranoid about these possible side effects so anything will be misconstrued as a side effect from the drug. I know what you mean, hope it all goes well.

 

[d1ndOn]

sounds good man.btw, where did u get ur propecia from? did u get a prescription from a doctor or did u get them online?? i wanna get them onlien but im scared of fake sites that i might end up buying placebo pills