Flavio

Originally posted by dalew:

[...]

I am in the bar, a little toasty, i had been working out like crazy, just back from Fla, so a little tan, so i guess i looked ok with my hat. I remember (I'll take this to my grave) one of the hottest girls i'd ever seen.. comes up to me, she puts her arm around me, drinks ome of my beer, etc.. you know the deal.. we stumble over to the bar, so i can buy her a drink, her friends come over..... she takes off my hat to put on her head.. shes facing the bar as she puts the hat on.. her hand reaches back for mine, and then she turns and looks me in the face.. eyes drift up.. she has this I feel sorry for you smirk on her face. plopls my hat back on my head and stumbles away with her friends.. laughing.. i wanted to die!!!

 

[...]

I wish SHE would fall down the stairs too. What a rude, callous, shallow bitch!

I don't even know that woman but I hate her already.

Originally posted by xxy:

[...]

 

Outside of all this, I already stated in my first post that I don't want to use Finasteride, so aside from adopting the Finasteride defense stance and calling me crazy, do you have any suggestions or other products that you could recommend?

[...]

I said your decision was crazy, I didn't say you were crazy.

Chinese meds are sh**. I know it's not politically correct to say it, but it's the truth. Again, I wouldn't do it if I were you, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong. Good luck and keep us posted.

Originally posted by balody:

[...]

turns out fatty had fallen down the stairs and was laying at the bottom with her dress up around her waist,showing an array of unsightly stretch marks!oh sweet karma!

[...]

Yes! There is a God, after all!

If money is a problem, buy Proscar and cut it into 4ths - that's what I do. I don't know if these pills are genuine or not, but if I were you I would buy only brand drugs. When it comes to my health, I don't take any chances.

Good luck!

Only 2-3% of Propecia users suffer from sexual side effects and these are usually not permanent.

Originally posted by xxy:

I know finasteride is considered the cornerstone of hair maintenence, but I'm not prepared to live with the side effects.

 

I'm 29 and I still hope to keep my hair, which is in the very beginning stages of NW2 (most people can't tell).

 

I was thinking about using topical Spironolactone cream and Nizoral a few times a week.

I'm also thinking about getting a laser comb. But do brand X ones do the trick or is there more to it?

 

I'm not sure about Rogaine as most people say it just seems to groow baby hairs, and it seems to be a lot of trouble.

 

Any other suggestions/additions?

 

Incidentally, I'm an ex-patriate in China, so I don't always have all options available. I'm currently trialing some kind of Chinese tonic that I was recommended in a pharmacy when I first went to ask about finasteride. It stinks but who knows whether it'll help (or make things worse!)

So, you don't want to take finasteride, an FDA approved drug that is used by millions of men all over the world, but you take your chances with a stinky Chinese tonic that no one has ever heard about?

It's your decision and I don't want to be rude, but that's crazy.

Originally posted by theshivies:

[...] Some I heard were just a bit of impotence while others are so drastic as it makes users sterile. [...]

Only 2-3% of finasteride users suffer from sexual side effects. I've been using it for more than 10 years and I've had no problems.

Women should not take finasteride. If you want to have a kid, stop your treatment at least a month before intercourse.

I've been using minoxidil 5% for many years but there was no regrowth (in the temples, the crown was always perfect). I keep using it, though. Finasteride is my number 1 hair loss drug.

Thank you guys!

azza786: Sorry, I don't have any pics.

GTDL: Yes, always the same dosage - 1.25 mg finasteride everyday.

Originally posted by mmhce:

Congrats on your 10yr milestone!

Thanks mmhce! Let's hope that 10 years from now, I'll still have reasons to celebrate.

I've been using PROSCAR 1/4 for ten years (I'm not sure when I started but I was in college back then, so it's at least ten years) and so far I'm happy with the results. I also use minoxidil but finasteride is my #1 hair loss treatment.

Results were not spectacular: there was no regrowth, but there were no side effects either (no impotence, no shedding, no panic attacks, maybe some loss of libido) and it saved my hair. So yeah, I'm happy!

A couple of pics taken in January 2009:

Propecia is effective, you won't need any supplements. And it's safe, too: if you don't think about side effects, you won't have any. Only 2-3% of Propecia users have sexual problems. I've been using finasteride for 10 years with good results and no side effects. Talk to your doctor before you decide to start this or any other treatment.

I've never used Rogaine Foam, I'm still waiting for my 3 month supply. Maybe this can help you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp0q8kf8pdQ&NR=1

[...] Even if 4rx.com is legit, sometimes the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are buying treatments from a legitimate pharmacy far outweighs the extra cost.

[...]

Wise words, Bill. When it comes to my health, I don't take any chances.

Hair cloning may still be a distant dream, but the future is brighter for erectile dysfunction (ED) sufferers. PDE-5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra) were a major breakthrough, but gene therapy seems to be the future of ED treatment. The new therapy promises more efficacy, more safety and more spontaneity. One injection into the penis every six months and that's it, you're ready to go!

For more on this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6711213.stm

And here's the official website of the company that's conducting this research, Ion Channel Innovations:

http://www.ionchannelinnovations.com/

Apparently, they have already completed Phase 1 trials and Phase 2 is now under preparation. Gene therapy was tested on animals and humans and there were no side effects.

Let's hope the FDA and the world crisis won't stand in the way...

Speaking of testicular pain, I had a similar experience 13 years ago (it had nothing to do with Propecia, I wasn't even taking it back then). I caught this venereal disease and, although it wasn't too serious, I was really upset about it. And I remember I experienced constant testicular pain, so I had to take a pill of Nimed everyday. Today, I'm sure that pain was a purely psychological effect, because my tests were all negative and there was nothing wrong with me

Originally posted by Sharpy:

[...] During this time, I've been scouring the internet to find out more info about Propecia, and I'm pretty concerned about what I've read so far. [...]

I'm glad I didn't have the Internet when I started taking finasteride ten years ago or I'd be pretty concerned, too.

I've never had any side effects (no shedding, no testicular pain, no impotence) and I'm sure most of the reported side effects are purely psychological. We're all guys and we all know that men can get paranoid when the subject is sexual potency.

You're 29 years old, so this is probably a good time to start taking finasteride (I started taking it in my early 20s), if you really are suffering from MPB. It's a bit strange that you are not sure about your condition. Are you experiencing shedding? Is your pillow covered with hair in the morning? Do you think you're losing more than 100-150 hairs every day? Is your hairline receding?

I'm not an expert and I honestly don't know if Proscar is completely ineffective at that age. One thing is for sure, though: it works better on younger men. I started taking it in my early 20s and I had good results.

Originally posted by Sam K:

[...] I have been taking Finasteride every second day. It has helped to restore some of my lost hair but the problem is that my skin has become extremely dry from it and I'm worried that it is aging faster.[...]

Well, I'm not an expert, but I think this could be an effect of finasteride.

I've been using finasteride and my scalp has become drier - but in my case, this was actually a blessing, because my scalp and hair were too greasy and they look much better now.

I'm with you all the way, Abid!

Some may laugh, but baldness is no joke. I started losing my hair when I was 17 and it was terrible. I remember how scared my hairdresser was when she saw how bad my problem was. I was sad, depressed, etc. and apparently there was nothing I could do about it.

The best advice I can give you right now is this: do your research and read as much as you can on this subject, especially new therapies. This forum is a great place to start...

I remember I once had testicular pain because of some drugs I was taking (not finasteride, though!), but it turned out to be purely psychological. There's only one thing I can advise to do at this moment: follow your doctor's orders. Good luck!

Buy Propecia instead. Buying generics from India is madness. You may be saving a few dollars, but you have no idea if you're getting a genuine product and you could be jeopardizing your health.

Laser combs are useless. Have you considered Avodart (dutasteride)? There could be, however, some serious side effects - like Bill said, consult with your doctor first. Good luck!

The website you mentioned recommends combining several anti-danruff shampoos instead of using just one. It's an interesting idea and I've heard it many times before, so I think I'll try it.

Great tips, Chuckisduck! Thank you very much.

By the way, what exactly is the difference between 'dry' dandruff and 'greasy' dandruff? My scalp was always a bit greasy (much less so since I've used finasteride) but it is flaky as well...