bombscience
Senior Member
- Reaction score
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It you're not going to read then you are missing out. But to summarize: Do your homework, stick with it, and there is more to life than hairloss. Peace.
But please do read.
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Hey Forum... it's been a while, but I wanted to check in and let you know how things have been. I've been working on slowing my hair loss for 14 months now. Unfortunately, I'm losing the battle. I'm now saving for a hair transplant, which I’m not even sure I want. I've made a lot of mistakes that have hurt my situation, and I though I would share with everyone so hopefully the new guys don’t make the same mistakes. Some of these might sound dumb, but if I could wind back the clock 14 months, I wish someone had told me this. These are MY OPINIONS, but I think that there's a lot of smart stuff in here:
12. Visit a dermatologist and get your prescriptions/samples from him, but research before you use ANY of them. Your hair will not all fall out if you spend two weeks finding out what's best for you!!! Do your homework. My first dermatologist put me on minoxidil with barely any thinning, and I didn't know what it was, or if it was the best treatment. 2 months later when I had research possible treatments, I realized it probably wasn't the best approach.
11. Do not be afraid of Finasteride/Propecia. When a drug has a side effect of sexual dysfunction it can be a little unnerving. However the internet is a breeding ground for misinformation and hype. I sympathize with those who it has affected negatively, but realize for every 2 people that have *any* type of negative reaction, there are 98 who don’t.
10. If you decide to use Propecia or Finasteride. Get a blood test done first. Not only is this a smart move for your general health, but it will also later let you know l how finasteride has affected your body, and will give you a good clue on how well it’s lowering your DHT levels.
9. Minoxidil is a commitment! If you begin Minoxidil, realize what you're getting into. Minoxidil is an amazing way to regrow hair, but it can also slow your loss without reversing it. You may not see regrowth in 4-6 months, and your hairs may continue to thin, but Minoxidil could be slowing this process. If you decide to stop usage in this situation, you run the risk of shedding much more hair than you would expect because minoxidil was affecting hairs you didn't even know you were losing anyway.
8. Pay attention to irritation. If your scalp is irritated, lay off the treatments. Let your scalp heal, and add treatments one by one. Isolate what is the real issue, and NEVER fight through it.
7. It is a good idea to read the ingredients before you use your products! If you're allergic to the PPG in Minoxidil, you're allergic to PPG in other solutions as well!!! Some doctors say that about 1 out of 5 people have a bad reaction to PPG. Many popular topical such as spironolactone and Folliegn contain PPG. Even snake oils such as Nioxin have PPG.
6. Stop counting hairs. It's stupid and will only make you depressed. It's not the amount of hair you're losing that you should be worried about; it's the quality of that hair. Hair loss is depressing thing as it is; why continuously remind yourself of it?
5. Vitamins and supplements are NOT the magical cure. Taking a multivitamin or organic supplement is not going to fix your hair loss woes. I take a multivitamin every day. Maybe I'll live longer, maybe I'll feel better, but there is no evidence anywhere, that any vitamin or organic supplement will reverse or slow my hair loss. PS. Saw Palmetto doesn't work.
4. Go to the barber. The first reaction when you bald is, "I'll just grow it out!!" Keeping a good haircut can do wonders for your appearance. If you are a diffuse thinner, shorter hair hides balding better than longer hair. Got long hair? Notice when it parts how much of the scalp you can see? Cut it short... you'll be a lot better off. Don't be afraid to try this, it can be scary, but you'll be happy with the results.
3. DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT, CHANGE YOUR REGIMEN OFTEN. Hair loss treatments do not work overnight, but that doesn't mean adding more things will have you seeing results quicker. All you are doing is hurting your chances of success. We're all men here. Do your research, pick a regimen and stick to it for a solid 12 months before you make major changes. (This is of course unless you experience a side effect or serious irritation).
2. START SLOW!!! START SMALL!!! Realistically assess your situation. The big 3? How about the big 2? I see so many people come to this board, myself included, panicking about hair loss. "I will stop hair loss by ordering 5 products" they say. Most of these people hardly have any hair loss to begin with. Ask yourself, "What is your my goal?" Sure we'd all love to have more hair, but could you live with what you have now? Are you really a Norwood 7? If you are looking to regrow a LOT of hair, jump on the proven 3 treatment bandwagon. But if you have a lot of hair and you're just beginning to thin, it's not always the right path. Sure, you have the greatest odds for success with the big 3 (finasteride, minoxidil, and Nizoral), but is that were you need to begin? Take is slow, stick with your regimen, and add slowly as you go.
1. Don't be paranoid. Ok, I had to get philosophical. Less people notice you are balding than you would realize. Less women care that their man is losing his hair than you think. I remind myself often that I hardly ever noticed balding men when I wasn't losing my own hair. Hair loss breeds insecurity, and do whatever it takes not to let it eat at you. You can have everything you’ve ever wanted in life and still be bald. Your hair does not define who you are as a person.
Peace.
But please do read.
---
Hey Forum... it's been a while, but I wanted to check in and let you know how things have been. I've been working on slowing my hair loss for 14 months now. Unfortunately, I'm losing the battle. I'm now saving for a hair transplant, which I’m not even sure I want. I've made a lot of mistakes that have hurt my situation, and I though I would share with everyone so hopefully the new guys don’t make the same mistakes. Some of these might sound dumb, but if I could wind back the clock 14 months, I wish someone had told me this. These are MY OPINIONS, but I think that there's a lot of smart stuff in here:
12. Visit a dermatologist and get your prescriptions/samples from him, but research before you use ANY of them. Your hair will not all fall out if you spend two weeks finding out what's best for you!!! Do your homework. My first dermatologist put me on minoxidil with barely any thinning, and I didn't know what it was, or if it was the best treatment. 2 months later when I had research possible treatments, I realized it probably wasn't the best approach.
11. Do not be afraid of Finasteride/Propecia. When a drug has a side effect of sexual dysfunction it can be a little unnerving. However the internet is a breeding ground for misinformation and hype. I sympathize with those who it has affected negatively, but realize for every 2 people that have *any* type of negative reaction, there are 98 who don’t.
10. If you decide to use Propecia or Finasteride. Get a blood test done first. Not only is this a smart move for your general health, but it will also later let you know l how finasteride has affected your body, and will give you a good clue on how well it’s lowering your DHT levels.
9. Minoxidil is a commitment! If you begin Minoxidil, realize what you're getting into. Minoxidil is an amazing way to regrow hair, but it can also slow your loss without reversing it. You may not see regrowth in 4-6 months, and your hairs may continue to thin, but Minoxidil could be slowing this process. If you decide to stop usage in this situation, you run the risk of shedding much more hair than you would expect because minoxidil was affecting hairs you didn't even know you were losing anyway.
8. Pay attention to irritation. If your scalp is irritated, lay off the treatments. Let your scalp heal, and add treatments one by one. Isolate what is the real issue, and NEVER fight through it.
7. It is a good idea to read the ingredients before you use your products! If you're allergic to the PPG in Minoxidil, you're allergic to PPG in other solutions as well!!! Some doctors say that about 1 out of 5 people have a bad reaction to PPG. Many popular topical such as spironolactone and Folliegn contain PPG. Even snake oils such as Nioxin have PPG.
6. Stop counting hairs. It's stupid and will only make you depressed. It's not the amount of hair you're losing that you should be worried about; it's the quality of that hair. Hair loss is depressing thing as it is; why continuously remind yourself of it?
5. Vitamins and supplements are NOT the magical cure. Taking a multivitamin or organic supplement is not going to fix your hair loss woes. I take a multivitamin every day. Maybe I'll live longer, maybe I'll feel better, but there is no evidence anywhere, that any vitamin or organic supplement will reverse or slow my hair loss. PS. Saw Palmetto doesn't work.
4. Go to the barber. The first reaction when you bald is, "I'll just grow it out!!" Keeping a good haircut can do wonders for your appearance. If you are a diffuse thinner, shorter hair hides balding better than longer hair. Got long hair? Notice when it parts how much of the scalp you can see? Cut it short... you'll be a lot better off. Don't be afraid to try this, it can be scary, but you'll be happy with the results.
3. DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT, CHANGE YOUR REGIMEN OFTEN. Hair loss treatments do not work overnight, but that doesn't mean adding more things will have you seeing results quicker. All you are doing is hurting your chances of success. We're all men here. Do your research, pick a regimen and stick to it for a solid 12 months before you make major changes. (This is of course unless you experience a side effect or serious irritation).
2. START SLOW!!! START SMALL!!! Realistically assess your situation. The big 3? How about the big 2? I see so many people come to this board, myself included, panicking about hair loss. "I will stop hair loss by ordering 5 products" they say. Most of these people hardly have any hair loss to begin with. Ask yourself, "What is your my goal?" Sure we'd all love to have more hair, but could you live with what you have now? Are you really a Norwood 7? If you are looking to regrow a LOT of hair, jump on the proven 3 treatment bandwagon. But if you have a lot of hair and you're just beginning to thin, it's not always the right path. Sure, you have the greatest odds for success with the big 3 (finasteride, minoxidil, and Nizoral), but is that were you need to begin? Take is slow, stick with your regimen, and add slowly as you go.
1. Don't be paranoid. Ok, I had to get philosophical. Less people notice you are balding than you would realize. Less women care that their man is losing his hair than you think. I remind myself often that I hardly ever noticed balding men when I wasn't losing my own hair. Hair loss breeds insecurity, and do whatever it takes not to let it eat at you. You can have everything you’ve ever wanted in life and still be bald. Your hair does not define who you are as a person.
Peace.
Sorry, too much RK-Sniff Sniff.... I plan on leaving it on for 12 hours a day. How much of an improvement did you see, did it speed up growth?
