Hello. I have been a member on this site for a while, and lurked here even longer. I am currently 24, but will be 25 in a few months.
I can say that I have probably been losing my hair for years, but it was so slow that I never really noticed it. It was not until 2010 that the hair loss really became more noticeable. I was very depressed about this. November 2010 was when I finally decided to take action.
Initially, I went for the "natural approach" and I thought vitamins would stop my hair loss. I took one 5,000 mcg Biotin capsule daily and a "hair supplement" vitamin for Nioxin. While my hair looked a bit healthier, it was still falling out and I was losing volume.
I was very depressed and desperate. For all of 2011, I was researching my options and looking to see how potent they were. I eventually came to the conclusion that vitamins and other "natural cures" were not a remedy for male pattern hair loss. I increasingly realized that I would need either Finasteride, Minoxidil, or Ketoconazole 2% if I was even to have a hope of halting my hair loss and regrowing my hair.
However, I was scared of taking these medications for two reasons. One was the potential side effects, and secondly was that I would need to forever take use them.
I eventually decided to bite the bullet and began incrementally adding the Big 3 to hair.
The first of the Big 3 that I used was Ketoconazole 2% shampoo. I began using this at the beginning of September and would wash my hair with it every other day. I would leave the Keto in my hair for 5-to-10 minutes before washing it out. I simply use a generic for Keto, and not brand name Nizoral.
I was hoping the Ketoconazole 2% would at least slow my hair loss down, but that did not come to pass. It was there that I realized that I needed the most potent hair loss medication of them all, finasteride.
I was worried about starting finasteride due to the horror stories I read about it on this forum and elsewhere. However, I finally took the plunge for Finasteride at the beginning of November 2011. Initially, I took a very small dosage of finasteride for the first week I was on it (sub 0.5 dosage) due a fear of side effects. After two weeks, I then began to take 0.625 dosage, and finally after a month, I started doing 1.25 dosage. I have been taking finasteride at this dosage daily ever since.
I never got any side effects from the finasteride (aside from possibly very momentary ball ache on one or two days when I moved up the dosage to 1.25). The finasteride I use is generic proscar from walmart.
I was hoping that finasteride would finally be the end of my hair loss, however, this again did not come to pass.
It was then that I decided to add the last of the Big 3 to my regimen, Minoxidil 5%.
I added Minoxidil 5% to my regimen at the beginning of January 2012. I was nervous about the initial shed, but at this point I was desperate for any sort of improvement to my situation. I have been using the minoxidil twice a day, morning and night. The only place I apply the minoxidil is my hairline and at the edge of the temples. I use 1 mL of minoxidil for the entire hairline.
The Minoxidil is liquid minoxidil, and its Kirkland brand.
I am closing in on three weeks while on the Big 3, and I have to say I am disappointed I have seen no results. The minoxidil has not given me any peach fuzz, and is difficult to apply since my hair is long.
I am very sad and depressed right now. I was hoping at least Finasteride would stop my hair loss, but it seems as though perhaps my DHT is simply too high.
I am currently a Norwood 2, and my biggest problem is simply diffuse thinning. My temples are where the hair loss is most obvious. I am 24 years old, and I will be 25 in a few months.
To recap, here is my situation here it is:
I am 24 years old (soon to be 25 in a few months). My hair loss is Norwood 2 with diffused thinning.
My regimen is as follows:
- Ketoconozale 2% shampoo every other day (using it for over four months).
- 1.25 piece of finasteride daily (using it for over two months).
- Minoxidil 5% liquid application of 1 mL to the hairline twice a day (nearly three weeks).
- One capsule of Biotin 5,000 mcg daily
- Nioxin shampoo on days that don't use Keto (its not for hairloss but offers at least some cosmetic help)
It seems as though the best responders are those who responded in the first few months of treatment. In two weeks, I will have been on Finasteride for three months. I am losing hope right now since the treatments don't seem to be working. I am still losing lots of hair in the shower and there are no signs of regrowth.
I took pictures of my current hair loss situation right before I added Minoxidil to my regimen. I have the pictures on my computer, but don't know how to upload them.
I would deeply appreciate it if there is any further advice or insight you could offer in regards to my situation.
I can say that I have probably been losing my hair for years, but it was so slow that I never really noticed it. It was not until 2010 that the hair loss really became more noticeable. I was very depressed about this. November 2010 was when I finally decided to take action.
Initially, I went for the "natural approach" and I thought vitamins would stop my hair loss. I took one 5,000 mcg Biotin capsule daily and a "hair supplement" vitamin for Nioxin. While my hair looked a bit healthier, it was still falling out and I was losing volume.
I was very depressed and desperate. For all of 2011, I was researching my options and looking to see how potent they were. I eventually came to the conclusion that vitamins and other "natural cures" were not a remedy for male pattern hair loss. I increasingly realized that I would need either Finasteride, Minoxidil, or Ketoconazole 2% if I was even to have a hope of halting my hair loss and regrowing my hair.
However, I was scared of taking these medications for two reasons. One was the potential side effects, and secondly was that I would need to forever take use them.
I eventually decided to bite the bullet and began incrementally adding the Big 3 to hair.
The first of the Big 3 that I used was Ketoconazole 2% shampoo. I began using this at the beginning of September and would wash my hair with it every other day. I would leave the Keto in my hair for 5-to-10 minutes before washing it out. I simply use a generic for Keto, and not brand name Nizoral.
I was hoping the Ketoconazole 2% would at least slow my hair loss down, but that did not come to pass. It was there that I realized that I needed the most potent hair loss medication of them all, finasteride.
I was worried about starting finasteride due to the horror stories I read about it on this forum and elsewhere. However, I finally took the plunge for Finasteride at the beginning of November 2011. Initially, I took a very small dosage of finasteride for the first week I was on it (sub 0.5 dosage) due a fear of side effects. After two weeks, I then began to take 0.625 dosage, and finally after a month, I started doing 1.25 dosage. I have been taking finasteride at this dosage daily ever since.
I never got any side effects from the finasteride (aside from possibly very momentary ball ache on one or two days when I moved up the dosage to 1.25). The finasteride I use is generic proscar from walmart.
I was hoping that finasteride would finally be the end of my hair loss, however, this again did not come to pass.
It was then that I decided to add the last of the Big 3 to my regimen, Minoxidil 5%.
I added Minoxidil 5% to my regimen at the beginning of January 2012. I was nervous about the initial shed, but at this point I was desperate for any sort of improvement to my situation. I have been using the minoxidil twice a day, morning and night. The only place I apply the minoxidil is my hairline and at the edge of the temples. I use 1 mL of minoxidil for the entire hairline.
The Minoxidil is liquid minoxidil, and its Kirkland brand.
I am closing in on three weeks while on the Big 3, and I have to say I am disappointed I have seen no results. The minoxidil has not given me any peach fuzz, and is difficult to apply since my hair is long.
I am very sad and depressed right now. I was hoping at least Finasteride would stop my hair loss, but it seems as though perhaps my DHT is simply too high.
I am currently a Norwood 2, and my biggest problem is simply diffuse thinning. My temples are where the hair loss is most obvious. I am 24 years old, and I will be 25 in a few months.
To recap, here is my situation here it is:
I am 24 years old (soon to be 25 in a few months). My hair loss is Norwood 2 with diffused thinning.
My regimen is as follows:
- Ketoconozale 2% shampoo every other day (using it for over four months).
- 1.25 piece of finasteride daily (using it for over two months).
- Minoxidil 5% liquid application of 1 mL to the hairline twice a day (nearly three weeks).
- One capsule of Biotin 5,000 mcg daily
- Nioxin shampoo on days that don't use Keto (its not for hairloss but offers at least some cosmetic help)
It seems as though the best responders are those who responded in the first few months of treatment. In two weeks, I will have been on Finasteride for three months. I am losing hope right now since the treatments don't seem to be working. I am still losing lots of hair in the shower and there are no signs of regrowth.
I took pictures of my current hair loss situation right before I added Minoxidil to my regimen. I have the pictures on my computer, but don't know how to upload them.
I would deeply appreciate it if there is any further advice or insight you could offer in regards to my situation.