Shineman921's Story

shineman921

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My story, I guess, started at 18 when I was old enough to start losing hair. I've always had incredibly fine hair. Always been able to see right through it in sunshine and, well, halogen lights coupled with multiple mirrors in shop changing rooms always caused distress. Anyway, since I was 18 people have constantly told me I'm going bald. When people haven't seen me for some years the first thing they usually comment on is the fact that my hair hasn't disappeared! At university I was once told by another student never to wear a toupe! So, I've lived with 'going bald' for years and years. I had a double whammy with my hair too as my hairline has quite a viscious widows peak (Ithink that's what they call it). So, I had comments, since 18, that I'm either going bald or receding. Even my brother used to call me Dracula for the shape of my Hairline!

Fortunately, my Uncle (Mother's brother) had exactly the same hair including the viscious widows peak. He only started losing it in his late 50's (didn't go bald) so despite the knocks I always felt I will keep what I've got and follow my Uncle.

However as I got into my 40's (no loss of hair) I decided I needed to get into shape and joined a gym. Over a period of a year and a half I lifted weights and got more and more into it to the point that I was at the gym on a almost daily basis. I then started noticing gaps in my hair and convinced myself that I was starting to lose it. I couldn't understand why. I thought about what I was doing differently and the only thing was the weights. It was then that I researched weight lifting and hairloss through Google that I probably found the cause. I stopped immediately and hopefully caught it early enough.

Before I started on my treatment I noticed in certain areas of my scalp (front sides) that between the normal hair there were like baby fine hair, colourless. I assumed that these were the hair strands that were dying rather than any new hair growing.

5 months ago I started on 2% minoxidil and within 2 weeks upgraded it to 5% (usually Kirkland). After a few more weeks I started to take Procerin. After a couple of months I introduced Nizoral (2xweek) and Nisim in between Nizoral. Occassionally I use MOPC 15% at night, paricularly if I don't put anything on in the morning.

There have been weeks (like holidays) were I have only managed to apply minoxdil on at night and this application has sometimes been the 5% minoxidil. More recently I've started using Regaine/Rogaine foam in the mornings, which I like as it dries quickly and gives the hair a bit of fulness like a mousse. I find it harsh though. Very itchy scalp. But I belieive it works better than the liquid minoxidil.

In the 5-6 months of my regime, I do believe there has been an improvement. The gaps aren't as obvious but I still think there is someway to go. Certainly there are no baby fine hair strands now and I think thats why it looks fuller. I have noticed a few new hair strands growing around the hairline which I didn't think I had actually lost in the first place. They are definately new. I told myself that the important thing is that I try and stop anymore hairloss and hopefully I'm doing that. 5 -6 months is still early anyway and bearing in mind any loss was over a an 18 month period I guess I should wait that long to see if there has been any improvement.

I have never, at any point, experienced excessive hairloss. I've never noticed any hair whenever I've washed. In a morning I've always had 2 or 3 in the comb, maybe 1 on the pillow and maybe if I comb it mid-day I may notice one in the comb. My hair has always been like this, even during the weight-lifting period which is why I find it all confusing. I've never experienced any shedding from my minoxidil use.

I would like to try finasteride tablets but I haven't a clue where to buy from safely.

Sorry for the ramble, it's nice to get it off the chest!
 

Sebastien

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Re: Hello all

Hey,

First of all your 40, so consider yourself luckey since a) you had you hair this long b) there are plenty things you can do about it. The minoxidil/finasteride/nizoral combi is known as the big 3, I would advise you this but it seems you have already looked into this. Don't take the finasteride too lightly though, it is a 'serious' medicine so thats worth a consideration (I personally use it though). Posting pictures might help giving you a better advice!
 

shineman921

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Re: Hello all

I know I'm lucky in many ways. I'm 43 with most of my hair for starters! There is truly nothing I have researched more than hairloss and solutions for it! I just want to keep what I have!

Incidentally, and I'm sure it isn't minoxidil related, since I started on the regime I have been getting a lot more grey hairs (grey and thicker).

I want do want to try a course of finasteride to identify the positive and negative effects but I haven't got a clue who is reputable and who isn't. There are clearly many fakes out there so you need to be really careful.

I notice Inhouse Pharmacy have a good rep but their website states they don't deliver to the UK. United Pharmacies look ok and deliver to the UK. I don't know if this forum allows recommendations and site but if anyone can point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it.
 

jasinfla

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Hey shineman...great to hear about your success and yes at 43, that's pretty awesome. Had a question though, when you were describing "gaps", what did you mean by that? Is that like thick hair, thin hair and then thicker again? And you said minoxidil helped with that? Reason I am asking is that I am having sort of a female pattern in my hair where I have a split line & on the left side, I can see like splits in areas & not sure if this male pattern baldness related or maybe result of hair breakage. Do you have any photos of those "gaps"?

Thanks and wish you the best on your success!
 

shineman921

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Yes Jasinfla, inbetween my thicker strands (I have very fine hair so they are not thick to start with) there were even thinner strands and some even thinner and colourless but you could see they were there by pushing down on the hair, causing the strands to bend and reflect. I always knew they were there many barely visible though and the rest I could only describe as baby hair like but retaining colour.

I immediately stopped the weight training which I'm pretty damn sure caused it so I can't be sure whether the minoxidil or the food supplements are working or simply the fact my testosterone levels are back to normal and my DHT levels on the scalp also returned to normal and allowed my hair to grow back. I'm just hoping it isn't too late. There is certainly an improvement, of that I'm sure, nut I also believe that I shouldn't judge until 1-1.5 years have gone as this is the amount of time I weight lifted for.

5-6 months isn't a long time so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more improvement in another 6 months!

I didn't take any 'photo's sorry. TBH, it's the last thing I wanted to do at the time, to be reminded.
 
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