The Great X5 Laser Experiment *UPDATED Feb '09 W/PICS*

[evolutionary]

How's it going guys. Long-time reader, and went ahead and registered to document my latest hair loss assault. I've tried everything at this point, both natural and prescribed. I've recently come into some extra cash, so I thought I'd use myself as a guinea pig for the laser debate (cue hecklers now). I bought the X5 Hair Laser last week and have begun laser "treatments" MWF (I just completed my 4th session today). For your reference, I am 26 and have diffuse thinning, recession in front (mainly temples) and noticeable vertex thinning. I am currently using Rogaine Foam twice a day religiously, Tricomin spray at night 4-5 times a week, Revivogen shampoo 4-5 days a week, and Nizoral every other day. I have been on this exact regimen for about 1 year.

I used to take Propecia (close to one years worth -- quit around October 2006) but the mood effects were too much, though I did just sent my consultation letter to Dr. Lee, b/c I am excited about what I am reading with Xandrox 15% Plus. Outside of spironolactone, I don't think there a single hair loss treatment I haven't attempted yet. On a side note, I don't believe I have seen results with anything, but staying with my regimen in the event that it is doing more than I think --> thank God for Toppik in the meantime!!

In any case, I will update this thread every two to three weeks or so. I have pictures taken before I started the first treatment, and will take pictures in the same location in conjunction with my posts. I use my Verizon Voyager phone which has a decent camera. Not sure how long the clearance to buy with Dr. Lee takes, but I will also note whether I start on 15% Plus as well. I am hoping the topical finasteride will not affect my moods like oral finasteride did. In the event I inadvertantly slack on updates, just e-mail me at evolutionary621@yahoo.com and remind me to post.

In terms of ease of use, there's really not much to the X5. It's unobtrusive, and I just use it for the 15 minute timer it has and then put it away. I plan on using it for at least one year to see what happens. I hate that I might be starting two different treatments (laser & xandrox 15% plus) at roughly the same time b/c then I won't be able to say for sure whether it's one or the other if any benefits occur (which debaters will pounce on I'm sure). I may hold off on the Xan for a month or two to see if I notice any change at all w/just laser treatment.

I'll keep ya posted!!

E

EDIT -- forgot to mention that I also take Green Tea capsules (for the anti-oxidant health benefits, not for hair loss reasons) and Fish Oil capsules (for the Omega health benefits, not for hair loss reasons). Just wanted to make sure everything was made known!

 

[Petchsky]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Did you get any shed from quitting proscar?

 

[evolutionary]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Petch - honestly, it's been so long I can't recall. I figured there probably would be, so I pretty much detached myself from getting overly concerned with whether or not a major shed happened or not, and forced myself to just go with side effect free treatments (Rogaine, Copper, nizoral, etc.). In other words, I didn't take many pictures of the top of my head for awhile after I quit Propecia, b/c (and I still feel this way today) I just told myself if I keep the hair, great, if not, it's all good and I'll shave it. Obviously I'd rather keep it than not, hence I'm still using my current regimen. Since I'm trying some unproven and experimental techniques right now, though, I thought it would be helpful to document for the viewing audience.

I can say that I remember clearly how my attitude and mood shot through the roof within a few days of quitting finasteride. I felt like a million bucks in no time, and stayed that way for at least a few weeks before I got back to a mid-point. I guess it was just the hormones getting back into balance, but within a month or so, I felt like I had never been on it.

On a side note, I went back and looked at some of the logs I kept before about the treatments I used over the years, and realized some of the dates I used in my initial post were off. Check my Regimen button for the correct time frames (if you care, lol). :stupid:

 

[Petchsky]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Cheers Evo,

You probably did not lose much then, but you were not on it for that long.

 

[Harie]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Instead of wasting your $$ on the X5, why not build your own? For the $300 you spent on the X5, you could have built a 100 diode unit yourself. I hate to say it, but once you know how LLLT works and the proper joules needed (3 - 6 joules), you'll realize that those 15 lasers aren't going to do anything unless you use them for hours and hours at a time.

If you can, send the X5 back and build your own LLLT machine. I can PM you a great site with all the LLLT info you'll ever want or need.

 

[evolutionary]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Harie -- I know about OMG's site if that's what you're referring to, and I strongly considered it. But 1, I really don't have much time to build something like that; 2, I really don't have the skill to build something like that -- I could barely build a pinewood derby car for Boy Scouts; and 3, the contraptions OMG has pictures of on his site are way larger than I am looking for; I need something that's small and hideable, lol. Especially as I am likely moving in with my g/f in about 8 months, the smaller the better at this point.

That said, X5 has a good return policy, and from what I've read on other sites from those that gave up on it/didn't have the time to do the treatments have said, they don't hassle you about giving the money back. So if it looks like no benefits after 6 months, maybe I will turn it back in and buy a completed OMG helmet off of e-bay or something. Frankly, if I see any hint of laser effectiveness I may just turn the X5 in and buy/build an OMG helmet anyway.

My goal with this thread is to test this product's efficacy on myself anyway, so if and when I try an OMG style helmet, I will document that as well. I'm not sure where he gets his sources though, when he claims that only laser treatments in the 100s of diodes are effective.

 

[Harie]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Harie -- I know about OMG's site if that's what you're referring to, and I strongly considered it.

Yup. That's the site I was referring to.

 

[evolutionary]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

Just so you know, yes, I have been diligent with the treatment program so far. As an update on my Xandrox 15 Plus consideration, I did go ahead and order it, but will be holding off starting it until January most likely if not later. I sincerely want to be able to determine if the LLLT from the X5 has any beneficial effects whatsoever. Plus, I'm in the middle of law school finals, so I don't want to get hit by any hormonal/mood impacts (if there will be any) from the finasteride in the X15Plus.

I will be posting pics of my status, both base line and 1 month in in late December or early January. Probably too early to take away anything from it, but I'll post them nonetheless.

 

[evolutionary]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment *UPDATE W/PICS*

So it's been over a month since starting the X5 experiment so I am posting pics as promised. My expectations of any regrowth (if any) are pretty low after only a month, but I thought I would post them anyway. My personal assessment is that I don't see much yet. I have Xandrox 15 Plus in my possession, though I have not started its use. I believe I will give this laser treatment two solid months before starting Xandrox Plus to see if there is any remote hint of success. That would mean I would start Plus around late January. Again, all pictures were taken with my LG Voyager phone camera, so my apologies on some of the quality. Still not clear why they designed this thing without a flash.

These pics are the baseline photos from when I started on 11/20, and then when I got a haircut a couple weeks later. [attachment=5:2qh34u57]1121081316b.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57][attachment=6:2qh34u57]1121081316a.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57][attachment=4:2qh34u57]1205081324.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57][attachment=3:2qh34u57]1205081326.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57][attachment=2:2qh34u57]1205081326a.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57]

These next pics are from 12/26, right after a haircut (hated the one I got on 12/5, lol). These are continued into the next post. [attachment=1:2qh34u57]1225082359.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57][attachment=0:2qh34u57]1226080000a.jpg[/attachment:2qh34u57]

 

[evolutionary]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment

(continued from my last post, these are more 12/26 pictures).[attachment=1:qhz1zp7z]1226080001a.jpg[/attachment:qhz1zp7z][attachment=0:qhz1zp7z]1226080003.jpg[/attachment:qhz1zp7z]

That's all for now. As you can see, my biggest struggle is vertex thinning. I'll keep you all apprised of my progress with an update next month. Let me know if you have any questions about my regimen.

 

[evolutionary]

Re: The Great X5 Laser Experiment *UPDATED W/PICS*

Well, it's been almost two months since my last check in, so I wanted to post some new pics. Wish I could say it was visually more encouraging at this point, but not so much. Mind you these pictures are being taken in pretty bright lights, and right under it as well, but I thought that would be the best way to spot any progress. I've kept the photo conditions under identical circumstances since November, so take a look.