Refuse to Take finasteride/minoxidil

[Mape]

Hey everyone, first post here. I'm 22 and I've been losing hair since around age 19. I'm just reaching a NW3 vertex these past few months, with my first noticeable crown loss in 2013.
Thing is, I refuse to take finasteride or minoxidil. I won't take finasteride because of the side effects. I know only a very small percentage report noticeable side effects, but I figure it's a sliding scale of symptoms and I'm not comfortable with a pill fundamentally altering my psychological make-up in any negative way.
As for minoxidil, with finasteride out of the picture it would obviously only help me for as long as I continue application. I have enough trouble keeping my clothes clean and brushing my teeth twice a day; there's no way I could keep topical treatment like that up for the rest of my life, and I honestly don't want to have to. Especially not when I'm earning minimum wage for the near future.


That leaves me with Nizoral, which I am currently applying 3x a week at 1% (I'll get 2% when I finish this bottle). It at least offers a nice placebo effect, but I honestly notice even less of a good tingling sensation that I do with H&S.
What's the consensus on all this lifestyle stuff?
I've dabbled in jogging before and I'd gladly pick it back up if I could even delude myself into thinking it would positively contribute. Same goes for raw food/Mediterranean or whatever's in vogue. I watched Forks over Knives last year and I manage to eat vegetarian for about 80% of my meals these days. Is there any science drawing even tenuous links between stuff like that and lower DHT? Should I stop playing Call of Duty if it's making my adrenaline/cortisol levels skyrocket while I remain sedentary? Cut down on masturbating? Sleep x way?


I know it seems like I'm grasping at straws here, and at this point all I want is SOME kind of action I can focus on so that I can stress out less over my current inaction.
I would be appreciative if some forum guru could just glance over my ideas and offer a couple of cursory yes/no's. Thanks.

 

[TinTin]

I understand your reasons for not wanting to try finasteride but not Min. Min has very little side effects(the little they have aren't major) and it's sort of cheap, even on a min wage salary. 40bucks for 3month supply is not bad(Amazon). And if you don't have that, you can buy it by the month(1 bottle=a month,,,even though it last longer for me). It will cost more in the long run but it's cheaper up front(12-17bucks).

Your current regiment may help slow down the hairloss, but I doubt it would prevent it.

 

[GoldenMane]

minoxidil alone will give you temporary regrowth, but it is not a long term solution.
Finasteride is the only medication for long term maintenance.

Nothing else will make any real difference, exercise, diet, videogames, they make no difference.

I think it's ridiculous not even giving finasteride a try, you can always quit. It doesn't make me feel in any way different physiologically or mentally, the only effect it has on me is thicker hair and regrowth.

If you aren't going to try those two, then you may as well give up I'm afraid. Nizoral won't save your hair. It's a very mild AR blocker, but is mostly just used to fight dandruff. If you want a better AR blocker then try topical spironolactone.

It also sounds like you're a bit lazy/apathetic. Applying minoxidil once a day is no more hassle than brushing your teeth, if you can't fit that into your daily routine then you just don't have the discipline.

From the sounds of it, you need a lifestyle change, become more active, work harder, be more disciplined, stop being lazy, take pride in your appearance, make a bit more effort.

 

[BigTexasSexy]

I'm right there with GoldenMane.

Finasteride has side effects, like every other medication on the market, but it's been proven to work for almost 90% of all guys. I'm more than three months in and haven't noticed a single side effect. I only have on regret and that's not taking it earlier, but my hairloss is basically gone now which is an AMAZING feeling.

minoxidil is one of the best treatments on the market, and honestly, like GM said, it just becomes part of a routine and eventually you'll make it habit, especially when you start to see improvement.

If you seriously don't want to try the only FDA approved treatment for hairloss, you should try topical spironolactone. It won't regrow your hair (as far as I know), but it will reduce hairloss. Seriously dude, jump on finasteride!

 

[der29]

very foolish to let it get to a NW3 vertex at 22. aside from the finasteride fear mongers there are pretty much no serious side effects.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey everyone, first post here. I'm 22 and I've been losing hair since around age 19. I'm just reaching a NW3 vertex these past few months, with my first noticeable crown loss in 2013.
Thing is, I refuse to take finasteride or minoxidil. I won't take finasteride because of the side effects. I know only a very small percentage report noticeable side effects, but I figure it's a sliding scale of symptoms and I'm not comfortable with a pill fundamentally altering my psychological make-up in any negative way.
As for minoxidil, with finasteride out of the picture it would obviously only help me for as long as I continue application. I have enough trouble keeping my clothes clean and brushing my teeth twice a day; there's no way I could keep topical treatment like that up for the rest of my life, and I honestly don't want to have to. Especially not when I'm earning minimum wage for the near future.


That leaves me with Nizoral, which I am currently applying 3x a week at 1% (I'll get 2% when I finish this bottle). It at least offers a nice placebo effect, but I honestly notice even less of a good tingling sensation that I do with H&S.
What's the consensus on all this lifestyle stuff?
I've dabbled in jogging before and I'd gladly pick it back up if I could even delude myself into thinking it would positively contribute. Same goes for raw food/Mediterranean or whatever's in vogue. I watched Forks over Knives last year and I manage to eat vegetarian for about 80% of my meals these days. Is there any science drawing even tenuous links between stuff like that and lower DHT? Should I stop playing Call of Duty if it's making my adrenaline/cortisol levels skyrocket while I remain sedentary? Cut down on masturbating? Sleep x way?


I know it seems like I'm grasping at straws here, and at this point all I want is SOME kind of action I can focus on so that I can stress out less over my current inaction.
I would be appreciative if some forum guru could just glance over my ideas and offer a couple of cursory yes/no's. Thanks.

wow

 

[Mape]

Sorry, guys, but I'm not comfortable with finasteride after the research I've done (stuff like http://article.psychiatrist.com/dao_1-login.asp?ID=10007988&RSID=9755498778532 and Kevin Malley's accounts (etc., you've all seen it) scare me way too much, and I just can't justify doing that to my body for the sake of pure vanity). I don't think I'll budge on that particular treatment any time soon. As for min, I'll order a 3 month supply soon. I guess I can rationalize it so as to seem similar to shaving in terms of necessity.

You're right, of course, GoldenMane. I need all those things just as much as anyone else lacking does, and hair loss honestly shouldn't have to be the driving factor in the first place.
Thanks for the input, everyone (and that was an example of hyperbole, der29).