Tom R.

If you're using the liquid, how do you get away with just the recommended 1ml? I'm a diffuse thinner throughout the top but still have a decent amount of hair. I find it impossible to use just 1ml to get coverage over the entire area. BTW-I just started using 5% minoxidil with Azelaic acid.

Hi Everyone, While I've done a good job of keeping up with my hair loss, I've always had a problem with the temple point of on left side. Without going into too much detail, when I was a VERY young boy, I got a bit upset and grabbed a hunk of hair and pulled it out. Unfortunately, some of the hair was near the temple and it never grew back. Well, now that I've been battling and keeping enough of what I have, I considered having the temple restored. It really is noticable but more so to me than the average person on the street. So it's not a matter of why I should get it done but perhaps by whom. I had an evalutaion with a top notch surgeon and while he was willing to perform the procedure, he mentioned the problems with texture of donor hair when compared to that of the temple area. I asked if nape of neck hair could be used as that hair has similar characteristics to that of temple hair. He said yes but in his voice and manner, I could tell he was still a bit hesitant. That being said, I'm looking for some imput form those who've had temple restoration and found the characteristics/aesthetics quite satisfactory. If you prefer, a PM is fine too. Thanks and Happy Holidays.

Hi Guys, Sorry I haven't updated this post. My work schedule drastically changed and put me through the ringer the last several months. Anyway, here's what's happened since last September. I started having chest palpitations when walking up a flight a stairs. I though I had the flu and my body was fatigued. Well, I went to my doc and he prescribed some antibiotics and the flu cleared up in a few days but the palpitations persisted. I went back to the doc and we did a few tests like walking up a few fights of stairs and my heart rate went up into the 130's. That was a concern to the doc and I'm a very fit 45 year old. So we ran more tests like ekg's, x-rays, heart monitors, cardiac echos, a Holter Monitor and some blood work. I did mentioned the use of Minoxidil but the doctor dismissed it because the medication is listed as a vasodilator. Anyway, all the tests came back normal. Apparently my heart is in excellent condition. However, I wound up in the ER on two seperate occasions as my bloodpressure shot up to 180/130 and my heart rate was well above 100 and this happened while being quite sedentary. I thought it might be stress so I too dismissed the idea that Minoxidil could be the root cause of the problem. Now I am personally convinced that with the use of the scalp roller and MY liberal use of Rogaine Foam, far too much reached my blood stream and caused heart palpitations, a rise in bloodpressure, lightheadedness and a general sense of brain fog. In my opinion, the scalp roller will dramatically increase the rate of absorption of the Minoxidil. Therefore, I would suggest that if you choose to use the roller, apply the foam as directed and don't over do it. These side effects are scary. There were times that I felt I was having a heart attack and that's not good for someone who is overly concerned about their health to begin with. Good luck to you all and be very careful with this combination. I'd be happy to answer any questions or explain my experiences in greater detail if any of you are interested. For what it's worth, I've continued to use the scalp roller and the Rogaine Foam but I still have some symptoms despite cutting back. I'm guessing I haven't cut back enough. So for now, I'm either going to go with the scalp roller itself or use Rogaine Foam alone but I will NOT be using them together any longer.

I've been using a very fine needle derma roller prior to my nighty application of Rogaine Foam. I'm certain the absorption rate has increased significantly. My concern is with the increased risk for side effects. If I'm using the derma roller and applying a significant amount of Rogaine Foam to the entire top of my scalp, what are my chances of suffering some of the more serious side effects especially the cardiac related issues? Here's what I've read recently... Side Effects by Body System General Minoxidil topical is generally well tolerated. Dermatological adverse events are the only side effects reported more commonly as compared to placebo. Cardiovascular Edema, salt and water retention, pericardial effusion, pericarditis, tamponade, tachycardia, and angina have been reported with oral minoxidil. Patients with underlying heart disease may be at increased risk for these or other cardiovascular adverse effects. Rarely, cardiovascular side effects have included edema, chest pain, blood pressure changes, palpitations, and changes in pulse rate with minoxidil topical therapy. Local Despite low levels of systemic absorption, in one study of 35 men using either topical minoxidil 2% twice a day or placebo for 6 months, minoxidil was associated with cardiac changes, such as significant increases in left ventricular end-diastolic volume, cardiac output, and left ventricular mass. Systemic side effects are uncommon since very little minoxidil is absorbed after topical application. In one study, the serum levels after 2.5 mg twice a day oral versus 2% twice a day topical minoxidil were 32.8 and 1.7 ng per mL, respectively. Exacerbation of hair loss/alopecia has been reported.

As someone previously stated...wait. I personally think you should re-evaluate in another 3 months. At 8 months time, you should have a good idea of where the HT is going. There are,of course,always exceptions but hopefully you won't be that slow grower exception. Be patient and take another good look in another 90 days. Your transplanted follicles are likely just beginning to grow.

As I stated when beginning this post, I am using the scalproller and Rogaine Foam. I roll my entire scalp but concentrate on the top as I am a diffuse thinner. It wasn't until after the first week of its use that I developed a SIGNIFICANT shed. It has been about three weeks now and the shed continues. And when I say shed, I mean after applying the foam, the hair on my fingers is thicker than that of my scalp...just kidding about that one but really...the amount of hair that has shed is as significant a shed most of us have experienced when first using other medications. I can tell you that I have not shed this bad since my first few months on Finasteride back in 1999. I'd like to believe that the roller has allowed for better penetration of the minoxidil and that is the cause of the significant shed. And as most of us know all too well...shedding is typically a very good sign that the medication is working. I will continue with my nightly applications and share further developments with those who are interested.

TC17, Do you read minds also? It would seem so as you took the liberty of attacking JamesH. As a student of law, I hope you pay attention and learn that there are several ways to look at any one situation before rendering a verdict. Did you do that with JamesH? It certainly doesn't look that way to me and that's MY opinion. You could have handled this much more diplomatically. It appears you read the post by JamesH and proceeded to attack without providing him due process. You never asked him to clarify his statement. You were wrong young man. And for what it's worth, you again have made an assumption about someone without asking any questions. I do have impulse control. The fact that I stated that I couldn't help myself in responding to your posts does not mean I do not possess such control. You would be correct in categorizing my behavior as such if the act behind my post caused harm to either myself or others. My post, which was done for my own amusement, hardly qualifies. You are wrong again. Back on topic. I've had several procedures with the SMG and in MY opinion, their price is what it is and will not change unless some other cost factor comes into play. Then again, it never hurts to ask a question. Right TC17!

Thank you for the response Dewayne. I might email Dr. Cooley to see of I could have a few other, more detailed, questions answered. Thanks again.

Have any of you purchased the Nanogen Scalproller and used it in conjunction with your applications of Rogaine Foam? After reading the post by nyny12, "Does this make prp more credible???", I have purchased two of them and have used the roller prior to my nightly application of Rogaine Foam. While the use of the roller itself is easy, I'm not sure if I could accurately describe the level of discomfort since we all react to pain differently. If I had to describe it, I would compare it to the snap of a rubberband on bare skin. Then again, I have a decent head of hair yet so it will feel differently on my scalp than someone who has less hair. I certainly do feel the little needles more so in my thinner areas. I have not yet and for quite some time, will not be able to quantify any results about my experience with this roller but I was just interested in finding out if anyone else has decided to give it a try and if so why. For any of you who have read some of my previous posts, I have talked about my belief that scalp trauma from a HT (recipient sites) contributes to increased blood flow. In my opinion, the increased blood flow and subsequent body's repair response have led to a better environment for the growth of hair follicles; including those that are in the miniturization state. My HT's looked best at about 7-10 months post-op and then regressed only slightly. I'm thinking that's when the dht started to overpower the body's repair response. Anyway, that's just my opinion on why I have chosen to include the Scalproller in my personal arsenal against hair loss. Anyone else???

Yomommyz, My hair loss was about as aggressive as it gets. One day in the shower, my hands were full of scalp hair. It went on like that for about 7 years before Propecia became available and my pattern was certainly visible by everyone and my hair was going fast. I wish I had known about Proscar then as I would have jumped on that in 1992 instead of having to wait until Propecia came on the scene in 1999. Anyway, I started Propecia within weeks after it received FDA approval; probably about January 15, 1999 give or take a few days. It worked wonders for several years as I actually grew hair back. So much so that some people thought I had a transplant. However, the benefits started to wane after about 5-7 years but I did have a transplant or two to keep up with my loses. Almost all of these years, I have used Propecia/Proscar and even tried Dutasteride for about 8 months (bad stuff in my opinion). I few months back, I quit meds, including once a day/night Rogaine Foam when I dedided to try PRP. I stopped the meds cold turkey and began to shed in quite a dramatic fashion. So I got back on meds and will more slowly try to wean my way off of them and go from there. If you're considering meds, I wouldn't wait any longer. There are some posters who will say that Propecia's side effects are not worth the risk and I would never challenge their position. I too have side effects from the medication but I have decided that I am willing to deal with the side effects as opposed to having a lot less hair but that is MY decision based on my own research and drawing my own conclusions. You should do the same. I am of the opinion that Propecia is worth the risk so take from it what you will. Good luck in your endeavor in maiking the right decision for you!

I'm not trying to confuse anyone. Post treatment, my hair both felt and looked better for a period of time. Is is possible that being off meds could cause one to lose ground? I keep reminding people that I quit meds 2 weeks before my PRP and that's been almost 8 weeks ago. Is any if this a plausible explanation for you or do you really believe I'm trying to decieve people. Please go back and re-read my posts and you'll see I've been upfront in my reporting. I will continue to do that for those who trust that I am only here to be helpful while being both honest and sincere.

brentipold, I restarted my medication because I feel I am losing ground...shedding more than usual. I was on Finasteride for more than 10 years and quit cold turkey. I'm guessing that such a startling shock to my system comes with a price...shedding. Maybe of the course of time, my system may have leveled out and returned to normal but right now I think this is the best course of action for me. I have worked hard and spent plenty of money to stay ahead of my hair loss. And I am not going to risk my current head of hair on an unproven therapy simply to see if it works. There is no hurry here. The results, positive or negative, of PRP as a hair loss therapy will be known soon enough. At some point I may discontinue Finasteride again but it's not likely to happen until another proven treatment becomes available. Until then, despite the bothersome side effects, I'll continue to stay the course that has proven to work best for me. I'm sorry if my decision to resume the meds has made it more difficult for you to draw conclusions about PRP for yourself. I hope you understand and see the logic behind my position. I'll continue to post for those interested. And BTW-I am returning to Joe Greco for a smaller PRP session on August 24th. I wanted him to hit the area just above the nuchal ridge; an area previously overlooked and just beginning to show some signs if thinning. Perhaps PRP will turn out to do absolutely nothing for me but I took the same risks with Finasteride and Rogaine Foam. I feel less apprehensive given the low level risk of any side effects for PRP therapy.

hdude46, My PRP was done by Greco and I had the Orogen Plus. I'm hopeful that Greco was ethical during his evaluation of me and only performed PRP because I am a candidate. Despite having 4 HT's, as I mentioned previously, I have always shed more hair than usual. My battle with hair loss has been constant but as you can see by my pic, I have stayed ahead of the curve. I say that to say this...I'd like to think I am a candidate for PRP in that despite my 4 HT's, I'm still fighting to keep all that I have. That means that much of my nontransplanted hair is contantly fighting miniaturization. I can honestly say that without meds and hopefully PRP, my transplants would be quite evident and I would need additional work to complete a good look. As a diffuse thinner, my transplants were spread throughout the thinning area on an on-going basis so I have been able to always have the appearance of limited hair loss. As with most of us, I keep a watchful eye on my hair loss. Therefore, I am in a good position to determine of I have success with PRP or not. But for now, I am only seven weeks post-treatment and had quit all other therapies cold turkey for about 8 weeks before recently returning to a smaller dosing scale. Just my personal thoughts and experiences.

Why don't you ask them to come here and post results for us. I'm sure I speak for most forum members when I say we'd like to see how well or how poorly PRP is performing as a potentail hair loss treatment.

Personally, I don't think we can judge the effects of PRP until actual patients come forward and share their results with us. Of the surgeons in Florida performing PRP, are those hair transplantation docs or physicians performing a multitude of procedures? And if you really think about it, if PRP has been hugely successful, so much so that these docs you mentioned have been using PRP for over a year, why haven't we seen more results? Maybe they just jumped on the PRP bandwagon and decided to strike while the proverbial iron is still hot...$$$. This commentary is coming from someone who has had a PRP session 7 weeks ago. I say we must remain neutral until more information becomes evident.

I've used Popecia/Proscar/Finasteride for more than 10 years. I recently quit for about 2 months and lost ground for the first time in years. I'm back on the medication as of yesterday. My suggestions it to give it a try. You will know if it works for you but plan on giving the medication 6 months to 1 year. Then re-evaluate and decide if it's worthwhile for you to continue taking the medication. Of course, if you experience significant side effects, you will know that too. Then another decison must be made. Good luck in your search for answers.

splitting hairs, The twice daily dosing was simply my idea. I know the half life of the medication and I'm guessing that's why some docs are of the opinion that a M-W-F dosing schedule is acceptable. I wanted to ensure I was knocking down as much dht as possible by splitting the dose figuring test is highest in the morning. So, I hit a dose in the morning and another dose before bed. Is there any science behind my choice....no. Is there any relevant theory behind it...no. Does it make sense to anyone other than me...I doubt it. It is simply what I believe works for me. I don't doubt I could be proven wrong but I don't really care. I even understand that there is little difference in terms of benefit between the 1 and 5 mg doses of Finasteride. I get it but I'm going to stick to my program despite the side effects because I like my hair and I plan to keep it for as long as I can. There are too many variables amoung us who suffer hair loss. I'm simply trying to unscramble the puzzle and make the available pieces (proscar, rogaine, prp, etc) work for me as best I can. BTW-I did try Avodart/Dutasteride and that took my sides to a whole new level. I'll stick with Finasteride thank you!

brentipold, I quit Proscar and Rogaine Foam on June 16, 2009. Just prior to that, I was taking either 1/4 of 1/3 (depends on how well the tablets cooperated with my splitting abilities) of a Proscar tablet in the morning and another at night with Rogaine Foam. So every day I was getting anywhere from 2.5 to 3.3 mg of Finasteride a day give or take a fraction. Lately I've noticed I've lost some ground for the first time in a very long time. I don't think it has anything to do with the PRP. I think my body is reacting to my quitting both cold turkey. As of toay, I have restarted the Proscar and Rogaine Foam. I have a little ground to make up but I have always been a good responder to Proscar/Finasteride. I guess I'm stuck with the meds and the other treatments that have worked until something comes along that will permanently ans safely either halt or reverse hair loss. I am not rendering an opinion on PRP just yet. My situation is quite unique so I am reserving judgement for a few more months before I take a stance on this issue. I have always shed and things have come back. With hair loss, we all know there are no certainties other than it's a constant battle. It's tiume for me to regroup and go on the attack once again. I hope I have answered whatever questions you have. If I have failed or overlooked something, feel free to post; I'm always around.

If any of you guys have used any form of Hormone Replacement Therapy-HRT for a lagging libido, while using Finasteride, tell me. I'm interested in the positives and negatives you've experienced; especially any hair loss related side effects.

I have used Propecia/Proscar for over 10 years and have always shed more hair than normal after dht began attacking my poor little follicles. If you want to keep the hair you have and quite possibly grow some back, I would advise you to consider keeping it as part of your fight against hair loss.

nyny12, I used Propecia/Proscar for over 10 years and I don't think my hairline would have remained mostly intact while fighting dht for the last 17 years without the drug. I have never read anything that claims Propecia causes infertility in men. I have read several posts of men here who have been on Propecia and had many healthy babies. But you must be very careful after conception. There is a period of time during which the male genitals are formed and men have been advised to avoid exposing the unborn child to any level of Finasteride during that time. Either no intercourse or use a condom. However, I am NOT familiar with the timeframe for this developement; you have to research that for yourself if/when it applies to you.

This morning I went to my stylist for my 2-3 week hair cut as normal. While she started cutting, she mentioned I was starting to thin a bit above the nuchal ridge. Remember I had quit all other treatments two weeks prior to my PRP. Anyway, I didn't consider it much of an issue at this point as I felt my hair was thick enough while dry. But I emailed Joe Greco and asked him if PRP expands or moves a little bit after being injected under the scalp after telling him about my stylist's observation. While not exactly answering the question, I asked if it was ok for me to return and have a smaller treatment to the area (above the nuchal ridge) that was likely overlooked or not even considered during my last (procedure). He agreed to allow me to come see him in late August and will perform the procedure to my area of concern. As for the rest of my hair; I am pleased so far. I really believe it is thicker in the treatment areas. I will have Joe take some photos this time so when I return in the spring, I will have something to compare to for myself. If I experience any cosmetically significant regrowth, I will share with those interested on the HTN.

nyny12, I have always shed more hair than normal since the effects of dht attacked my follicles in 1992. Since my PRP (procedure), I honestly cannot tell whether or not the thickness to which I refer is due to an increase in the diameter of existing, transplanted or the reversal of miniaturizing hairs. It's simply too early to tell. I do have so me thin areas that I'm watching closely. If those areas show a cosmetic improvement, I will take photos and share them with all interested parties. I know this explanation was not the best but I hope it clearly up any confusion caused by previous posts.

I am a diffuse thinner. The transplants have been done to some degree in the front, sides and some crown. Very little in the mid-scalp area. So, yes, the PRP was distributed throughout the entire thinning areas. Almost the entire hairline is original.