Maki's Story - ( 26 / Finally decided to take action)

[maki]

Hi,

I am 26. I started receeding at the temples at 18. Over the last 4 years I've had diffuse thining (I think that's what it's called. New to all this). It was at a very slow rate. Over the last month I have noticed it getting worse and I have decided to take action.

I did a little research on what was available, and came across regaine. It stated that it prevents further hair loss and helps regrowth. I bought a 3 months supply and started applying it 2 days ago. Don't worry, this is not one of those threads where I'm going to start saying '..no results after 2 days..' blah blah. I understand it will take many months to see results. I am just happy that I have finally decided to combat my hair loss. Im not sure why it took me so long to start taking action. I think it was a combination of expense and denial.

I also came across the Revita shampoo, which claims to prevent further hair loss, and help 'feed' your hair, and improve you scalp. Now, I had an awful flaky scalp, and after 3 - 4 days use I have definitely seen an improvement in the condition of my scalp. I don't expect this product to promote hair growth, but does anybody know if it will help prevent further loss? Regardless, I will continue to use it anyway because of the improved condition of my scalp.

Anyway, the main reason I have decided to register and post is because I notice everyone keeps saying that propecia/proscar finasteride is essential for preventing further loss. This is where I would like advice. Should I be taking this right away to prevent further loss? Additionally, I would love to hear from UK finasteride users, especially Britannia, who stated he dealt with pharmacuticles (spelling?) is one post. Where can I get this at a relatively low cost? I'm paying out for Regaine and Revita, and don't want to shell out another £90 a quarter for Propecia.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post, and look forward to your comments. Your fellow follically challenged friend!

 

[let-it-grow]

Re: Finally decided to take action - advice appreciated

Rogaine or Regaine is just a fancy name for Minoxidil. You can get Kirkland minoxidil in $30 per year, it's a generic minoxidil which is the same thing as Rogaine. Since the patent on Rogaine expire everyone can make minoxidil and sell it. That said, minoxidil won't stop your hair loss. It could halt your hair loss and grow some weak hair for a little while and then you can be sure that you will start losing hair again within a year time.

There is no shampoo that stops hair loss. Some say that shampooing 3 times per week with Nizoral 2% helps, but it wasn't proven and it's not FDA approved for hair loss. I still recommend to use Nizoral, maybe it will help with your hair loss but it would make your scalp feel better for sure which is important if you use Minoxidil that dries and irritate your scalp.


Hair loss is caused because the follicles are sensitive to the hormone called DHT. If your follicles are sensitive to this hormone and you got high levels of DHT in your body then you'll lose hair fast, if you'll get your DHT levels lower then you'll lose hair slower or even completely stop your hair loss and get some good re-growth. The cons are that you can get side effects, since it decrease your DHT levels in your entire body and not only in your scalp. The pros, it's very effective and when it works it really works and some don't even experience side effects, or the side effects are very minor.


Finasteride can be very cheap. You can get Fincar from unitedpharmacies in $11 for 10 pills and you cut them to 5ths and $11 would last you for 50 days. Less than $80 per year. Since Fincar contains 5mg of Finasteride you only need to take 1/5 each day and it would be just like Propecia. From some reason unitedpharmacies UK site is cheaper than the US site so it's cheaper to order from there.

And welcome aboard our follically challenged friend!

 

[GeminiX]

Re: Finally decided to take action - advice appreciated

Hi Maki,

I would be very wary on following Britannia's "advice" on how to obtain prescription medication for "free". The NHS are really clamping down on this kind of fraud.

Link to recent NHS Fraud case - http://www.hullpct.nhs.uk/templates/page.aspx?id=5777

I'm sure your hairloss is not worth going to jail for, especially if £90 seems too high a price.

That said, there is no harm in visiting your GP and explaining your situation, also Boots and a number of other pharmacies are promoting hairloss programmes.

Boots Hair Retention Programme - http://www.boots.com/en/Pharmacy-Health ... 0treatment

Hope this helps

edit: Also, as let-it-grow pointed out above, there are many places to obtain Finasteride for a very fair price without resorting to fraud and breaking the law.

 

[Britannia]

Re: Finally decided to take action - advice appreciated

Hi Maki. I would strongly recommend starting Finasteride ASAP. Since you are already using minoxidil, the syngery of using these two treatments will give you maximum results. If cost is an issue then buy Finpecia online from InHouse Pharmacy. You dont need a prescription, but UK Customs may charge you £13 per order, so it pays to order 3 months worth at a time. The cost per month is approx £9.50, which is very affordable.
GeminiX - you really are a stupid little girl if you think Ive ever offered advice on defrauding the NHS, the very institution I work for. My advice on getting Propecia prescribed for free relates to proving the cost of the root cause of anxiety or depression is cheaper and more cost effective that treating the effects of the anxiety or depression. Its also possible to get exercise, alternative therapies and even holidays paid for by the NHS. So get your facts right before posting such lunacy.

 

[GeminiX]

Re: Finally decided to take action - advice appreciated

Britannia, we both know *exactly* what you posted in your thread which got deleted, your point was *exactly* to fake having depression in order to falsely get free medication. You even claimed that you had helped hundreds of people abuse the system using your "proven method".

You can back track all you like now since your thread was removed, but we both know the truth about what you claimed.

If your post was as benevolent as you now say, do you really think it would have been deleted so promptly?

 

[Britannia]

Re: Finally decided to take action - advice appreciated

I have no idea why they have been deleted, but the forum is run by Americans who are ignorant of our NHS public funded system. If you had bothered to actually read my posts (as opposed to skim) you would know you could only be eligible for free Propecia if you have previously been diagnosed with anxiety or depression and been treated accordingly. Faking depression or anxiety would not work and Ive never ever advocated this.
So Ill accept your apologies and place be respectful enough to pipe the f*** down about things you no nothing about.

 

[GeminiX]

Re: Finally decided to take action - advice appreciated

I'm not making any apologies to you, what a remarkably presumptuous comment.

To re-iterate what I said; we both know what you posted. The fact you're now trying to claim something different pretty much says it all.

Curiously, I know many NHS staff, PCT / HFMA Finance and Technical Directors and even Practice Managers from all over the UK, working with several on a day-to-day basis. What is it you say you do again?

edit: Actually, I do apologise to the thread creator, Maki for this thread getting somewhat sidetracked. I'm quite defensive of this board / forum and get somewhat rattled when people start posting content which is potentially to the detriment and harm of the site and the users here.