StrikeFire83's Story (HI-RES Pics)...

[StrikeFire83]

Hello, there everybody. I've been lurking on this forum for almost 6 months educating myself and coming to terms with my situation. Last night I decided to go ahead and register, and this is my first post. Bla Bla Bla.

I won't bore you with the particulars of my story. Suffice it to say that I have been somewhat aware of my thinning hair for about a year now, and am finally stepping up to the plate to do something about it.

I find myself in the middle of my 22nd year, almost done with college, and in the early stages of hairloss. It pisses me off. Anyhow, bitching solves nothing, so here are the pics:

"Mussed" Hair - After an hour of backroading on my Shadow

Wet Hair - Right Out of the Shower

Dry Hair - An Hour of Air Drying

Okay, I tired to get a number of angles. I haven't gone to the Derm yet, but I think that's just a formality as it seems pretty obvious that I have male pattern baldness.

In December I started using nizoral 1% shampoo, and that's all I have done thus far. I am thinking about trying out Revivogen and seeing how that works. Maybe minoxidil, but as I understand once you go on it there's no going off, or you can lose all the hair you regrow plus some it was helping you maintain.

Please don't recommend Propecia to me. I'm only 21 and the thought of F-ing with my testosterone...is just too messed up to even consider. Not to mention the fact that I have a girlfriend, and we have our fair share of sex, and no pill is gonna come between me and that.

Does Revivogen work? Anybody use it? Their website is impressive and Hairloss talk seems to think pretty highly of it. All I really want to do is thicken slightly and then maintain, and it seems that's what Revivogen does best, right?

Anyhow, thanks for looking. Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated.[/url]

 

[pbz]

There are no other proven treatments for maintaining hair than DHT-blockers like Propecia, so you're probably not going to be flooded with ideas if you don't want to hear about it.

 

[StrikeFire83]

Thanks for your reply. These are the reasons that I want to stay away from Propecia.

Confirmed Side Effects:
1) Decreased libido.
2) Causes erectile dysfunction, or creates weaker “halfyâ€￾ erections
3) Increase fatty tissue in the pecks.

Unconfirmed Side Effects:
1) Birth Defects
2) Penile Shrinkage
3) Cancer

Now, granted, the UNCONFIRMED side effects that have been hinted at here and in Europe haven’t happened with enough frequency to link to Propecia or fin…yet. Combine that with the possibility of it only working for 5-7 years, and I think I’ll stay away. Now to the CONFIRMED side effects. I very bluntly asked my girlfriend what she’d prefer, me with no hair or crappy/non-existent sex. She said a baldy who can screw is highly preferable, and I tend to agree.

What do you think my chances of success are with minoxidil, Revivogen, some copper peptide treatment, and nizoral shampoo? Or would I just be wasting my $$?

 

[pbz]

Even the "confirmed" sides are very rare. If you don't block the DHT, the balding process will continue, but it's your own choice.

I didn't care too much about my hair (or the slow, diffuse thinning of it) when I was in the middle of my last relationship last summer, and neither did my girlfriend (she told me to stay off medication and just keep shaving it), but one do care more if the relationship ends. I did, at least. Not to say that all relationships has an end, but most do.

Anyway, Minoxidil could give you some regrowth while the rest of the hair thins out, at least creating an illusion of maintaining. If you are a remarkably good responder, ride out any potential sheds and don't have any allergical reactions, it could buy you a year or two. Use Nizoral with it, though. It will help keeping your scalp from mutating into a red, itchy monster (it might happen for a few days anyway, but it will most likely pass).

 

[StrikeFire83]

I agree about the DHT blocking, but this site lists Revivogen as a topical blocker. Is this BS?

So what you're saying about minoxidil is that it's essentially a wank, which is what I'd thought. Best regrowth results I've seen are "peach fuzz" hair that looks so rediculous it's not really worth it.

As for the relationship, it is VERY serious. She's moving in with me in August and possibly marriage after graduation, I don't know.

I'm getting close to trying Revivogen for 6 months and seeing what it does for me. If the answer is nothing, then I may just buzz (not shave) it off and continue hitting the gym. I don't know.

 

[pbz]

I agree about the DHT blocking, but this site lists Revivogen as a topical blocker. Is this BS?

So what you're saying about minoxidil is that it's essentially a wank, which is what I'd thought. Best regrowth results I've seen are "peach fuzz" hair that looks so rediculous it's not really worth it.

As for the relationship, it is VERY serious. She's moving in with me in August and possibly marriage after graduation, I don't know.

I'm getting close to trying Revivogen for 6 months and seeing what it does for me. If the answer is nothing, then I may just buzz (not shave) it off and continue hitting the gym. I don't know.

If you're confident in your relationship, you should be just fine. I know I was.

I think you should try whatever treatments you find probable to work if you want to. It could prove to be an ease of mind when you reach NW6, that you did something to try to prevent it at least.

 

[Bismarck]

I don't think you will be able to maintain without Finasteride.
And yes Revivogen is a topical blocker .... in theory. :wink:

 

[Guest]

Bismark: http://www.alancode.net/random/picard.mp3

 

[hairschmair]

If it helps, I think having a girlfriend while trying finasteride is probably a better scenario. That way you have a very active sex life, along with an objective 'other', therefore you will be able more accurately if/how much your libido is affected.

Myself, not being in a relationship, have had to resort to doubling my daily dose of 'self-gratification' to keep an eye on things. I'm glad to say I haven't noticed any side-effects, and I doubt you will either.

Good Luck!

 

[Bismarck]

Bismark: http://www.alancode.net/random/picard.mp3

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

I am 25 and done my research and been on finasteride for a few months. I see two options 1.) Try using the minoxidil and nizoral to slow down the process but you would have to understand that you will be very bald soon (3-5 years) which is not a very bad thing to men whose self image is strong enough to not worry about not having hair 2.) Get a script for Propecia and start taking finasteride. Side effects are rare or very small and the drug is effective.
Tough choice but as you know the longer you wait the worse off you are. Fighting male pattern baldness is a long process. Why not try the finasteride/minoxidil/nizoral thing for the 6 months and evaluate you side effects. If they are too bad then drop the finasteride....

 

[StrikeFire83]

So basically what I'm hearing is that it is finasteride or nothing.

minoxidil = Wank. Doll hair or bleached minoxidil dependent vellus hairs. f*** that.

I think that I am going to buy some Revivogen and meticulously document my progress, see what happens. I'll post the pics on this site.

Hope yall are wrong about NEEDING Propecia. I just can't make that leap, not with all the horror stories I've heard.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[pbz]

Nothing but DHT-blockers will stop the male pattern baldness-process.

Minoxidil is thought to be quite powerful in combination with Finasteride. Especially for diffuse thinners.

There are millions of Finasteride-users, and most of them do not have a reason to hang out on support forums, posting horror stories and scaring people away from the only approved treatment for hair maintenance.

 

[Baldie]

minoxidil = Wank. Doll hair or bleached minoxidil dependent vellus hairs. f*** that.

If you say so :shock:
Myself, I've had great results with just minoxidil. Yes it does make your hair go a bit greasy but only for 3-4 hours or so. I put it on in the morning, then go to work. 1-2 hours into work it's dried and people don't notice it anyway.

Hope yall are wrong about NEEDING Propecia. I just can't make that leap, not with all the horror stories I've heard.

Do you drink alcohol? Do you know that there are severe sideeffects to be had from alcohol. Blurred vision, confused mind, difficulties to talk. It can even kill you....
Do you take paracetamol or other pills for your headache's sometimes? Have you read about the side-effects of these pills? There are some pretty nasty side-effects but they are very rare. Just like the side-effects of propecia.
Do you drive a car? Did you know that you could be hit any day and experience severe breakages of your bones, even death?
Do you walk in the street? Did you know that you could get stabbed, shot, or hit by a car by accident?

I guess what I'm saying is that there are more dangerous things in life thatn propecia. I bet some of the guys who say they wont go on finasteride due to the side effects do a lot of of other "dangerous" things like driving, walking on the pavement, some of them possibly do some sort of sport...now that's dangerous.

 

[Petchsky]

Propecia is your best option but there are others. Minoxidil can be knocked by people sometimes but there is no better regrowth drug on the market. Revivogen is normally used by those not wanting to use propecia but a stronger regimen would add spironolactone to that which is a DHT blocker, and also the same or simmilar regimen to HairLossTalk.com, the owner of this site.

There are poster on this site namely Viperfish and ZentoBald who are fighting their hairloss without using propecia...you may want to look up some of their posts or send them a PM.

P.S You sound like you have a really good perspective on hairloss.

 

[StrikeFire83]

If you say so :shock:
Myself, I've had great results with just minoxidil. Yes it does make your hair go a bit greasy but only for 3-4 hours or so. I put it on in the morning, then go to work. 1-2 hours into work it's dried and people don't notice it anyway.

That's good for you.

I haven't counted out minoxidil yet. But their advertising says "keep what you have" and "maybe regrow some hair." From what preliminary research I've done, it seems that minoxidil is simply a regrowth tool, and that maintaince is not the order of the day.

Also, I've heard that non-DHT effected hair can become "minoxidil dependent," meaning that once you go on it, you've basically made a lifelong comittment. Add to that the hartbeat side effect seen in some men, and I'm still debating. My healthy, active park ranger maternal great grandfather died of a heart attack at 46.

Anyone please feel free to correct me if I've got bogus info.

Do you drink alcohol? Do you know that there are severe sideeffects to be had from alcohol. Blurred vision, confused mind, difficulties to talk. It can even kill you....

Thanks for being so patronizing. And to answer your question, NO, I don't drink alcohol. I'm Irish/Albanian, and both sides of my family have severe alcholism.

Do you take paracetamol or other pills for your headache's sometimes? Have you read about the side-effects of these pills? There are some pretty nasty side-effects but they are very rare. Just like the side-effects of propecia.

This is a very shitty comparison, as these medications are not taken HABITUALLY (as in every day) for the rest of one's life. When they are taken every day, even in keeping with correct label usage, they almost always cause SEVERE liver and systemic problems. And no, I generally fight through all but the worst pain.

Do you drive a car? Did you know that you could be hit any day and experience severe breakages of your bones, even death?
Do you walk in the street? Did you know that you could get stabbed, shot, or hit by a car by accident?

Again, being partonizing is not necessary. I didn't start this thread as an assault on Propecia. If you want to be passive agressive, do it somewhere else, because my manhood is not wrapped up in trading verbal barbs anonymously over an internet connection.

And to answer your question, yes I drive a Toyota Tacoma and a Honda Shadow bike, often very fast. I also own a Ruger P345 and a Browning Hi-Power Mark III which I shoot on a regular basis and alternate concealed carry. The possibility of getting run over or shot doesn't concern me very much, no.

I guess what I'm saying is that there are more dangerous things in life thatn propecia. I bet some of the guys who say they wont go on finasteride due to the side effects do a lot of of other "dangerous" things like driving, walking on the pavement, some of them possibly do some sort of sport...now that's dangerous.

Again, bad comparison. The things you mentioned are totally different from the habitual ingestion of a medication. They don't mess with my ability to bang my girlfriend, make my pecks fatty and sore, or cause frequent urination.

Thanks.

 

[StrikeFire83]

Propecia is your best option but there are others. Minoxidil can be knocked by people sometimes but there is no better regrowth drug on the market. Revivogen is normally used by those not wanting to use propecia but a stronger regimen would add spironolactone to that which is a DHT blocker, and also the same or simmilar regimen to HairLossTalk.com, the owner of this site.

There are poster on this site namely Viperfish and ZentoBald who are fighting their hairloss without using propecia...you may want to look up some of their posts or send them a PM.

P.S You sound like you have a really good perspective on hairloss.

Thanks for your posts. I read about "spironolactone" in the Revivogen topic. What is it and how much does it cost? I haven't been able to find anything on it around this site in the "Products" section.

About minoxidil, is it just for regrowth, or maintaince too as the commercials would suggest? I'm pretty confused.

By the way, What happened to the HairLossTalk.com guy. I was tracking his posts in the Revivogen thread and he doesn't seem to post much anymore. I would be very interested in learning about this experiences, because it seems he's taken the same route that I want to.

 

[pbz]

About minoxidil, is it just for regrowth, or maintaince too as the commercials would suggest? I'm pretty confused.

As I said earlier in this thread (I think), Minoxidil could generate regrowth at the same speed that the other hair thins out, keeping the haircount stable for a few years. Combined with a DHT-blocker, it could instead increase the haircount as the rest of the hair would still be there.

 

[Norwood2.5]

Re: re:

Why not try the finasteride/minoxidil/nizoral thing for the 6 months and evaluate you side effects. If they are too bad then drop the finasteride....

I'd say this as well.

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

I don't think Baldie was trying to attack you, he was just trying to rationalize propecia use.
In my opinion, minoxidil/nizoral/reviv are just not effective enough and from a cost/benefit point off view, I just don't see the point of using these products to fight male pattern baldness without including some sort of DHT blocker. For me there are only two options 1.) Take a DHT blocker (add minoxidil/nizoral/reviv if you want the best results) or 2.) Do nothing. Of course, you can give minoxidil/reviv a shot but I would not expect much in my opinion.
It is simply a personal decision. You have to ask yourself how important it is to have hair. finasteride is taken by millions of men and there are side effects and sadly my hair is important enough to risk those side effects. How important is your hair to you?