JakeVig

What the Hell! Thanks for the info Kamin I had no idea about this!!! Well I really hope that non-prescription 1% Nizoral is enough to do the trick!

Hi frak, Well im not sure of the context of the quote but Im going to assume that they are saying that if you want to see results with Propecia you should not stop taking it. There is also a chance that you will experience some shedding where you will lose more hair. When this happens you shouldnt worry because it is part of the normal process and you should continue to use Propecia to see the regrowth.

For some people Finesterade (The active ingredient in Propecia/Proscar) is enough to dramatically slow or halt hair loss. For a few lucky people it is enough to regrow some hair. There is another more potent drug that exists that is called Dutasteride (The active ingredient in Avodart) which can decrease levels of DHT by 90%. It also has the benefit of blocking both Type I & II 5 alpha reductase, the enzymes responsible for converting testosterone to DHT. Propecia on the other hand only inhibits Type II alpha reductase. The problem is that Propecia/Proscar has been in use for over 40 years and its long term effects are well known where as Avodart has only been around for 7 years or so, its long term effects are not yet known and its side effects are worse than Propecia/Proscar. It is also not approved by the FDA for hair loss so you will have a hard time finding a doctor that will give you a prescription for it. Anyone here will tell you to first try Propecia for a few years and if you feel like you need a more potent drug you can consider Avodart.

Are you serious Bobman? how much donor hair do you have left? your not resorting to body hair are you

Pat I think you are right on the money here. I doubt the writers of many shopping mags do any more research into their articles then just reprint ing the contents of the glossy brochures they are sent in the mail. But because this is a life changing decision a lot of us have put in many more hours of research than the writers ever would. I do feel for the vulnerable uninformed people that fall victim to these commercial exploits - they are usually worse off for having read these articles.

Hi frak82, Yeah if you stop for a couple of weeks the side-effects will go away and if your situation improves you can decide whether or not you want to continue. All propecia does is inhibit the production of DHT by nearly 70% (which is the cause of Male Pattern Baldness). You can quite happily start again after 2 weeks and it will be like you are starting treatment for the first time again. The only other FDA approved prevention for hair loss is Minoxidil (Rogaine) which is a topical treatment. You may want to consider that if you feel that you are not a good candidate for Propecia (Finesterade).

dhuge67, That is a remarkable difference you've practically got a full head of hair with the stuff! And with your HT results still to come in it looks like your going to be one happy kid! Good luck and keep us posted!

What effect frak82? you've only been taking it for five days! Of course not taking it will lose its effectiveness. If you really think that it is the cause of your weak erections than you may want to give it some time to see if your symptoms improve otherwise you can stop taking it and see if your erections come back within a couple of weeks (as any side effects should be gone by then). There are some people here that only take propecia every 2nd day so you can try that and see if that improves things.

Hi Alex, They both contain the same active ingredient so they both will be as effective. The only difference is the price. There is no need to help pay for Rogaines marketing costs.

Hi Eagle10, Like UM4L said it will depend on your scalp lasticity and how far apart your scars are as to whether or not the strip that is removed will contain your scars. If done correctly though the scar from the tricho method can be nearly undetectable. There are other ways to camoflauge a scar though. Adding hairs back into the scar will also make it less detectable.

Hi Bushy, If Dr Hanson doesnt have an opinion either way I would consult a doctor that has an opinion only because I have read in a few places not to combine the two. The Medical Wellness Center (http://www.medicalwellnesscenter.com/) specifically states: "Do NOT combine Avodart with finasteride - Proscar or Propecia" (http://xenicalwtloss.hypermart.net/AVODARTQuestionAnswers.html) Im not sure what the side effects (if any) are but I think you should find out should you choose to ignore the advice. If you do query them I would be interested into their reasoning if any why the two cant be taken together. Hope this helps. PS Bushy your HT transformation is amazing - you must be ecstatic!

Hi future doc, The instructions that accompany Rogaine say that you should apply it twice for optimal results. It also says that when applying it at night be sure to allow between 2-4 hours to dry completely. I would assume from that you shouldn't be washing your hair within 4 hours from applying Rogaine. The truth is that for some people Rogaine will not work (from what I've read on many forums, it doesn't work for most people). For other people it works very well - I've seen speactacular results on some people with Rogaine. So I would basically follow the instructions apply it twice a day and if you dont see any results within 4 months stop using it.

rob2, I don't think there should be any uncertainty when buying your hair loss meds. The worst thing that could happen is that you could be on a placebo for 12 months in which time you may have suffered irreversible hair loss. If you want cheaper meds just get a prescription for Proscar and cut it into quarters it ends up being much less than the cost of Propecia.

Hi ogph, Yeah Im finished with my online consults and my HT is only 1 1/2 weeks away. From Asia it sounds like a very long trip. Unfortunately though the best HT surgeons are located in the US/Canada. I believe choosing anyone outside the cooalition would be a risk. Especially for repair work the last thing you need is another bad HT and more repair work. The online consultations are very easy, you just send in your photos and they will arrange a phone consult to discuss your HT plan. Different surgeons will have different plans and the graft counts they suggest will vary, mine varied from 1200 - 2500 grafts. SMG only suggested 1200 grafts to only fill in some of the receeded area and decided not to increase density in my thinning areas at this time. I ended up going with them because I need to get my hairline done and they are known to be the best in the world for hairlines. They also do superb repair work so I would recommend that you include them in your consultations as well. Good luck with your finding the best surgeon to do your HT. Make sure you do your research on this forum and don't be afraid to ask any questions! I would recommend that you start a new thread asking for advice on the best surgeons who does repair work.

Just to further confuse the argument: I just finished speaking with SMG and asked if they would prescribe Avodart for me. They said they rarely recommend Avodart as it would be the last resort. If after a few years I don't respond well to Propecia (1mg Finesterade) that I should first try increasing the dose to 2.5mg for at least 6 months and if that doesn't maintain my hair to increase it to 5mg (i.e. Proscar) before recommending Avodart. This is news to me as I believe that it contradicts the fact that all you need is .2mg, since they believe that an increased dose may help. I would like to know if anyone else knows or has experienced whether or not an increased dose of Finesterade would help?

Hi ogph, I am also in that position where I am located in the UK and looking for the best doctor in the US for my HT. Believe it or not repair work is also very common as many people have had bad HT's in the past. The best advice I would give is to consult with the leading doctors in the world (which would mean in the US/Canada). Firstly I would recommend that you look at the repair work that is on showcase at http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/Share-info/hairloss-photos.asp?ToS=repair If you are in the UK I would recommend talking and even meeting with spex (http://www.hair-help.co.uk/) he is extremely knowledgeable and has helped and provided invaluable advice to many people considering a HT. Dr Feller did his last HT and fixed his previous bad HT from Bosley. After researching this forum thoroughly and looking at many before and after pictures my opinion as to the best doctors in the world are (in no particular order): Shapiro Medical Group (Dr Ron Shapiro, Dr Rose and Dr Keene) Hanson & Wong, Dr Feller, Dr Epstein, Dr Cooley, Dr Konior, Dr Bernstein and Dr Charles. If you decide on either of the above you can be guaranteed to get the best results possible. I have personally decided on Ron Shapiro to do my hairline but I have not had mine yet so I cannot comment from personal experience. Good Luck!

There are plenty of doctors on this forum, take your time and read through the 'Hair Transplant Experiences and Surgeon reviews'. You should also check out the Patient gallery for results. Ultimately though the best way to find about a doctor is to consult with them in person. I have to ask though, why would you specifically be looking outside the coalition for a doc?

My friend you are lucky you found this website. To start off rule out any idea of going to Bosley or any other 'hairmill'. Secondly get on the meds, you should at a minimum be on Propecia to maintain and strengthen what you already have! Then you can start thinking about a HT. Research this forum thoroughly and make sure your comfortable with the proven results of a doctor before booking your HT. To find out feedback about a particular doctor enter the doctors name in the find tool. Also don't let geography or price be a factor, you only have 1 head and limited amount of donor hair you want them both to be in the best hands possible. A HT is something that you will have to live with for the rest of your life so make sure you get a good one. Good Luck!

Jotronic, Good analogy except that if you still end up going to one of the best surgeons in the world then you still end up getting a BMW just from a different dealership Although I see your point that you should not be put off by a 'personality clash' since you will most likely get over it when you achieve outstanding results like yourself!

Umm what is FIT? I know about FUT/FUE and even BHT but what is FIT and how is it different?

We'll it sounds like that Hank did the right thing, researched before getting a HT, consulted with many clinics and chose the one he was most comfortable with. Now for some reason or another he felt pressured by one clinic and found comfort in the other. I have also felt the same when talking to consultants to some of the best surgeons in the world. With one of them I felt that during my consultation they spent most of their time telling me how good they were and did not seem interested in my future plan with my HT. Now a HT is a very personal issue so this was enough to put me off them - regardless of how good they are.

PB, Thats exactly what my doctor informed me as well. Unlike many doctors he is extremely knowledgeable about Finestrade as he has been on it for more than 10 years. He recommended me to split Proscar up into 1/5's as the dosage would be more than enough. But the 1/4's are already so small that Im suprised if they can get any smaller and still be effective!

Hi brianf, I don't think that you speak of all of us bro (Well maybe a lot of the single ones). Sure our fantasies might include the great looking young women, but when you find someone you really connect with you would not trade her (or risk it) for anything in the world. I do find that different people find different people attractive and a good personality can definately make a girl more attractive

PB, Why did you have to wear a hat for 3 months?? I am worried because I have my first HT scheduled in a couple of weeks and I only have 3 weeks off work. Do you think it will be detectable by that time?

Hi dannyg, I get that as well, I think Minoxidil causes my skin to peel. Nizoral shampoo seems to help with the itch. I have also heard that Folligen Solution is also good for the Minoxidil itch so I have that on order as well