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So how many of you guys actually use Minoxidil? What kind of benefit have you guys been experiencing? I have been using it for going close to 5 years now. To be honest, I think it has benefited me a lot, I have noticed my hair thickness has improved and I shed less all around. I'd like to hear your guys input and your experiences. How Rogaine Works To Treat Hair Loss
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Many of you seasoned veterans may already know what the "big 3" refers to for hair loss treatments, but some hair loss sufferers may not know what the "big3" actually means. The "big 3" refers to Finasteride, Minoxidil and Nizoral used in conjunction, which is the best hair loss treatments on the market today. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to read this article and share with others that may find it helpful What Are The Big 3 Treatments For Hair Loss -
Regaine/Rogaine for the over 50s
lostinkent posted a topic in Hair Restoration Questions and Answers
Hi, I am nearly 55, have been using regaine (foam) for about 6 years now (without any side effects), but note that it says that the upper age limit for the foam is 49. However, I also note that they say the extra strength regaine solution is effective up to age 65. Does anybody have any experience of either continuing to use the foam or of the extra strength liquid? Or does anybody have any experience of ditching the regaine and just using Taoist soap instead?? My regime is just the regaine with saw palmetto supplememts - FUT with Dr Feller in 2012, possibly considering a new transplant in a couple of years, but obviously want to maintain as much as possible in the interim. Any advice greatly welcome. Thanks, -
I have been using mens rogaine (extra strength) for about 2 years now and am very pleased with the results. It helped fill up the balding I was having at the top of my head and made my hair look fuller over time but occasionally I go through huge sheds that last months and it scares me. Between sheds, I experience little to no hair loss. I even could bleach and color my hair and still see no hair loss but when these sheds happen, they cannot be stopped and it makes me reflect on my whole life and think Im doing something wrong but probably arent. I use rogaine twice a day, have not missed a dose in 2 years, take biotin + keratin supplements daily, along with saw palmetto supplements to lower DHT levels as I suspect my hair loss is from PCOS, I drink water, eat right, exercise, and get good sleep. Does anyone else who has used rogaine long term experience occasional sheds that sometimes last 1-2 months? Thank you for reading. Attached is a picture of my current hair VS my hair from 40 days ago before I began to shed. Yes since then I've dyed my hair a silvery/lilac color and will no longer be using it at least until my shedding stops. I doubt my shed, since Ive had so many before, has anything to do with hair color but you never know. My own observation is that my hair now does indeed LOOK thinner than the other pic, but it also does look longer too. It feels thinner too than how it felt in the other pic as well. -
Hi everyone, I'm a 21 year old male who in the past year has noticed a receding hair line and thinning hair. Maybe Norwood I and Norwood II (hence my name "catchingitearly"). Hair loss is in my family only on my mom sides, I also have very similar hair to my male cousins who have very thinned out hair and bad receding hairlines. My dad has very thick hair, although he is quite old, and has much better hair than I do at age 21. My hairless isn't up for debate, I am confident I will lose hair. My thought is that hair is much easier to maintain than completely regrow so I might as well start as soon as possible. I'm planning to go on a combo of 5% minoxidil foam and hair loss shampoo that contains ketoconazole, saw palmetto etc. The minoxidil is currently being delivered and I just got my shampoo the other day. I just have some questions mainly about the minoxidil. 1) Do you really have to wash your hair with shampoo for every application? That means you have to wash it twice a day? I currently only shampoo and condition my hair every few days to not dry my scalp out. I'm hoping I can shampoo with the hair loss shampoo maybe 2 - 3 times a week and wash it with water for the remaining days. Basically what I'm asking...has anyone just applied minoxidil on a scalp that was only washed in water and was it effective? 2) Do you have to apply it twice a day indefinitely? I've read that minoxidil lasts on your head for 22 hours and people get away with applying it only once a day. 3) Does minoxidil only last 5 - 10 years? I've read that before and I'm not sure what that really means. Does that mean within 5 - 10 years, your hair loss will continue at the same rate at which you started? If thats the case, then I'd be happy with long term continued use since I kind of just picked up where I started but then I'll be 31 (10 years older). That seems like amazing gains to me. 4) Any recommendations for someone starting their hair loss journey? Feel free to add in any tips. I most likely won't any start propecia for the time being anyways. Maybe when I'm older, still on the fence about it. I know a lot of people haven't used minoxidil for 10s of years or haven't applied it without shampooing you hair or only applied it once a day. So if you can't answer with your own experiences, feel free to answer with other testimonials you've read online or heard from friends. Thank you!
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Hi, I am new to this forum, I hope somebpody can help me... I am 29 year old female and I have had a bad experience with Rogaine/Minoxidil 5%. Long story short: I basically had no major reason for being treated with it, was just scared because I happened to have a lot of hair breakage after some salon treatment done poorly. After looking at me at the time, the clinic said I had signs of genetic female pattern hair loss, like a receding line and wider parting around the crown area. I was scared to death and started the treatment. Was on minoxidil for 3 weeks, then around that time the massive horrible shedding started and it scared me so much I cut my hair short to hopefully notice less, the burning feeling on my scalp was horrible, it was all flakey and dry as well. I stopped because it was stressing me out of my mind and complained to the clinic because I had been assured the shedding would only be barely noticeable and it was all but. I was given the money back... Looking back now I never needed the treatment to begin with, as my hairline has always been like that, even when I was younger. I have been off the treatment since Jul 30th, so about a month now. Regardless of more hair growing back, the shedding still hasn't stopped and what worries me the most is the persisting itchy/stinging/burning feeling on my scalp... I read that the shedding can last months and I am trying to brace myself and be strong until it stops, but what about the scalp? Is it normal that it still stings like this after a month? Can you please help me? I am terrified of going to some clinic again and make it even worse. Please reassure me. Thank you in advance... -
Hi Guys, I wanted to hear your experience with combination of Rogaine & Propecia. I was reading through some posts on Bernestein medical page Propecia Rogaine Results Before After Photos | Bernstein Medical and found the results to be quite remarkable. Do majority of patients experience similar kind of results ? Does the combination work better than individual treatments ? Also, how long can you keep these results, in the sense of medications losing their efficacy in the long run. What is a realistic timeline to experience some regrowth with this combination treatment? Sorry about a lot of questions all at once. Would really appreciate if you could share some personal experience and advise. Cheers
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Hi Guys, Sorry for the naive question. I haven't been able to find a satisfactory answer to this question so I am just going to post it here. Any response is appreciated. I started using Rogaine about 2 months before a hair transplant. Now I understand that there is going to be shedding for the first few weeks. My questions is when there is hair loss for about 2 months due to Rogaine and when you go in for a hair transplant surgery, could the doctor not falsely think that the hair follicle which went dormant is dead and transplant new hair where there actually was you original native hair? My concern is this would actually be rather counter-productive and lead to sub optimal results. Please advise. Cheers!
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I have receding hairline and thinning on the top. Should I be even trying Rogaine? The instructions clearly say that it is specifically for vertex problems(top of head). What's the alternative, then?
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Hi Guys, I am considering a hair transplant surgery soon. And I am only 2 weeks into the medication (1.25 mg Finesteride & Rogaine Foam twice daily). My questions to you is : Should I wait for the results to kick in from the use of these medications and then consider surgery ? If yes, then how long ? I am probably very naive here in assuming that if the results from these medications were good, they would be nullified by getting a hair transplant in those regions? Is that the case ? I saw some results on the Bernstein Medical page for patients who are only treated with the above medicines and show exceptional regrowth. Would greatly appreciate any advise on this topic. Cheers!
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So I recently got back on Rogaine for a couple of months now. In this process I also got back into getting myself in shape as I was no doubt out of it. I always thought "wow I'm really getting into shape now" as my body was losing fat all over. But I thought my face was always the part of me that needed more work. I thought the more I get in shape the easier this will be to see my cheekbones really pop like they used to. I feel like I'm very close to my goals but yet my jaw isn't as sharp and defined. Then, like any other thing I come to find out a side effect of Rogaine can cause puffy face / face swelling. This is where I thought the apocalypse was coming because then I started to get paranoid as hell thinking is Rogaine making my face swell? As if my hair problem isn't enough I have been on Rogaine for years I can't stop now, I'll lose my hair I've gained. I heard stopping Rogaine fixes it so I have been off it for about 3 days. I'm scared my hairs gonna start to go. So I don't know how much of this could be Rogaine and how much of this could be my weight / paranoia. I'm gonna keep losing weight but I also don't know if that's worth helping my hair fall out faster? What do I do?! is it Rogaine or all in my head? If NEEDED, I can post pictures but I posted this to see your guys experiences and if anyone has dealt with this like I have, would really appreciate it.
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Is using the generic version of Rogaine fine? It's the Wal-Mart version. How often are the side effects and does anyone have any nasty, gritty stories to share with your bad experience of rogaine?
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been using 1/4 proscar daily and rogaine daily PM. here are some update photos. feel free to ask me questions and your thoughts on the progress.
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I just had fue by dr john diep. im 2 weeks post op. Dr diep said i could use minoxidil after 2 weeks to speed up growth. my only concern is, if i were to stop using. hairs would start to fall out. i know this already. But what if the healthy hairs i still do have dont need minoxidil, and i still decide to use it. once i stop using minox will those healthy hairs be ruined because of the dependency they built on the minox. if someone could get back to me. that would really help. oh and another thing. what percentage og grafts permenently stay on versus how many fall off and stay off for good. its my understanding that some of the grafts dont take.
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This is a long post and I maybe should have split it in to 2 threads but I just kept it all in 1. No need to answer or even read everything. First part is about the meds and second part is about the HT. I got a transplant June 2011. It was at the front of my head. Everything was fine. After 6 months results were pretty good and after 10 months it was just how I wanted it to be. However by about 12 months it was noticeably thinner than at 10 months. It seems nearly as thin as it was before the HT (though with more coverage at front). I began rogaine and propecia from a month after my HT but didn't stick as strictly to the schedule from around month 10-12 so I'm guessing this has something to do with it. It's diffucult to say if these were working though as my new hair could have been from the HT. Also, I didn't tend to always put rogaine on the front of my head all the time (where I had transplant) as figured the transplant would sort the front. I concentrated on the crown even though that isn't too bad at the moment. Propecia doesn't work on the front so don't see how stopping that would make a difference. I had a small part at the front that my doctor didn't go near in the HT. This was like an island where hair was a little bit thicker than surrounding area and he didn't want to go near it in case it would harm the hair there. IThis seems to have thinned a bit which is giving a bit of a see through effect. But apart from that non-transplanted hair of the recipient site have also thinned. I have been back on the rogaine and propecia from month 13 to 16. Hard to say if they are working yet. If I were to assume it was the stopping of the rogaine that has caused the loss, I read that after a few months it goes back to how it was previously. Does this mean it goes back to the state it was before I took the meds or is it worse and it goes to the stage it would be now if I never took the meds? So if a person was a NW1, took meds for 4 years and then stopped for 3 months they'd be a NW1 or would they be a NW 3 or 4? Also, is it still possible to see a bit of regrowth after a few months by going back on rogaine at month 13 as I did? Anyway, I'm thinking of another HT I am thinking this HT would be only maybe between 800-1000 grafts, though perhaps more. The first was 2200, I think. It is density I need now. The first one gave me back my hairline but it is thinning again. I already have a strip scar from HT no.1. I am wondering is it a bad idea to get a strip scar for such a small session? as this will make my scalp tighter and waste skin for such a small session. Or is it a case of just cutting my skin thinner than for a bigger session so therefore it doesn't really matter? So they would cut it at 1/2 cm rather than 1cm? pics: (1) 6 months after ht (2, 3 and 7) now - 16 months after ht (4) immediately after ht - to show the areas done. (5 and 6) 10 months after ht Obviously they are all from different distances and under different lighting so hard to compare. i don't have close ups of 10 months but it definitely was thicker then than now. Thanks if you can help with any of the queries. -
Hi, Ive been thinning for the last...3 years or so, Still have some hair on my head, (only 22) I have been using hair fibers for the last few years, and al tho they work, I cant seem to get a super natural coverage, plus i find i have to use a lot of hair spray or else it all flys away. I recently ordered dermmatch, medium brown. I still havent got the order but i was wondering if people can share there experiences or maybe forward me to some peoples pictures? I want something that looks natural doesnt need tons of hairspray, something that people can atleast touch (pat my head lol) and i dont have to worry about it. Any feedback will help. Also, how can i incorporate rogaine with dermmatch use?? Thank you!!
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A little background info; I am a 23 year old male and began experiencing mild hair loss in the hairline area about three years ago, but nothing substantial until the beginning of the 2011 school year following a break up with my girlfriend and the beginning of my first year of law school. I began using .5 avodart daily in November 2011 and it has been about 6 months now. The first 4 months alone on the drug were hell, I kept on shedding in the temples. I would have 2 to 3 week periods where it would subside, but then it would start again. I am a law student, however, and am constantly stressed, dont get enough sleep, and eat like crap. I have to admit, this was probably the reason I began losing my hair in the first place. Once finals ended (about a couple weeks ago) my hairloss has completely stopped. Ill pull on it and maybe 1 to 2 hairs come out at most. This is much better than the 100 hairs id notice just randomly fall out of my head and onto my books while studying. Anyways, the left temple area looks great now and the hair there is strong, normal looking, and doesnt shed really at all. It is a little more sparse than the thick head of hair i have everywhere except the temples, but one cannot complain. The only remaining problem is my right temple which goes significantly farther back. I purchased nizoral shampoo a few weeks back and completely recommend it. Using that stuff every other day has been a savior. My scalp isnt oily anymore and I dont get the annoying tingly feeling in my hairline id feel during a shed. It also got rid of all the annoying zits, or whatever these pussy sore spots were, and really makes my head feel great. I just started rogain 5% normal on my right temple once a day right before bed (many doctors say this is all that is needed). It is covered by the natural hair part so I figured what the heck, people only see the good temple. Its only been a few weeks so I obviously havent seen results, but the shedding hasnt been too bad yet. It irritates my scalp a bit, and drips down onto my forehead causing some acne, but it hasnt caused any massive shedding/damage yet. I will continue to monitor my results for the benefit of other people on this forum interested in trying the big three. However, I do have a few general questions I would like to ask y'all. (1) Will avodart/propecia keep rogaine-grown hair if I quit the rogaine in 6-12 months if I hypothetically see results? (the stuff is a hassle and I dont want to apply it my whole life) (2) If I switch from avodart to propecia will it simply continue the avodart treatment or will it essentially start over and make me endure another shed? or worse, not work? (I dont want to use avodart my whole life because it reduces T-2 which supposedly effects the brain and I may have a potential thyroid problem that I think the drug brought on and could have caused the shedding i experienced on the drug) (3) Will rogaine even work in my hairline or make it worse? (4) Lastly, I was hoping other people would post their results, negative or positive, on this thread!? It would be nice to bounce some ideas back and forth off each other to streamline our treatment methods and fight this horrible-genetic disorder/disease/whatever you call it, aka MPB. I dont want to make anyone mad in this forum, I respect all of your input and understand the stress hair loss causes. I know plenty of people would be more than satisfied with my results and do not want to come off as greedy or disrespectful. But any advice is greatly appreciated and I would be extremely happy/grateful to receive it! Thanks -
My question for everyone is whether they have heard of any cases of facial hair loss as a result of using minoxidil (rogaine) on their scalp. I have read that a side effect is increased facial hair (particularly among women) but what about the other way around? Here is my history and why I suspect this can happen: I've been struggling with facial hair loss for over a year now. I get patchy hair loss mostly on and around my chin area and the neck. I have been seeing a dermatologist for this issue and have been receiving steroid injections in the affected areas to stimulate regrowth, which has been somewhat successful. However, even when successful, the problem recurs and sometimes even in the exact same spots. The only thing that has changed about my lifestyle in the last 2 years has been the use of Minoxidil on my scalp to prevent hair on my head from falling out (which definitely slowed down since I started using Minoxidil but has still been gradual). Since minoxidil is the only new thing about my lifestyle, I have begun to suspect that it may be the culprit causing my facial hair loss. I know this drug has been around for a while, which is why I'd like to know if any one else has heard of this happening even though I haven't seen it listed as an official side effect of the drug (although who knows, it may be in the future when it's discovered, if it is a side effect). As of now, I stopped using minoxidil for this reason. It's still too early to tell whether my facial hair loss issue will be resolved as a result of my stopping the use of minoxidil.
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My question for everyone is whether they have heard of any cases of facial hair loss as a result of using minoxidil (rogaine) on their scalp. I have read that a side effect is increased facial hair (particularly among women) but what about the other way around? Here is my history and why I suspect this can happen: I've been struggling with facial hair loss for over a year now. I get patchy hair loss mostly on and around my chin area and the neck. I have been seeing a dermatologist for this issue and have been receiving steroid injections in the affected areas to stimulate regrowth, which has been somewhat successful. However, even when successful, the problem recurs and sometimes even in the exact same spots. The only thing that has changed about my lifestyle in the last 2 years has been the use of Minoxidil on my scalp to prevent hair on my head from falling out (which definitely slowed down since I started using Minoxidil but has still been gradual). Since minoxidil is the only new thing about my lifestyle, I have begun to suspect that it may be the culprit causing my facial hair loss. I know this drug has been around for a while, which is why I'd like to know if any one else has heard of this happening even though I haven't seen it listed as an official side effect of the drug (although who knows, it may be in the future when it's discovered, if it is a side effect). As of now, I stopped using minoxidil for this reason. It's still too early to tell whether my facial hair loss issue will be resolved as a result of my stopping the use of minoxidil.
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Hi everyone, I am a 40 year old woman experiencing a receding hairline in my temples; my hairloss is not the typical female-pattern hairloss (go figure), and it actually looks like a Norwood II -- not exactly the most attractive or feminine appearance for someone entering her forties. I had some thinning in my temples for about ten or fifteen years already but it wasn't until my mid-thirties when it really became obvious. I always liked to clip my hair up but around that time I stopped doing it as much because it would expose my temples. About two and a half years ago I went to my dermatologist and she conducted a scalp biopsy and sent it to a lab that determined I had androgenic allopecia. She also had me start a Rogaine regimen (I use 5% foam -- yeah I know it's not marketed for women but so what, it works for me) and prescribed Propecia (1mg daily) for me (again not marketed for women, but she strongly recommended it to me on account of my kind of allopecia). I had to go off the Propecia after 2 weeks because of side effects (I was getting daily splitting headaches), but after waiting a month I went back on it and the headaches never returned. So I have been on the Propecia ever since. A few months later I had a 900-graft FUT procedure with a highly recommended surgeon; I notice he is also a Coalition member on this site. It went smoothly and the healing went well too, but there are some issues. On my left temples, most of the grafts have pitting and there are compacted follicles. Oddly enough this isn't so much a problem on my right side. Also the density is much better on my right side than on the left. I think though that might have something to do with the fact that the recession was worse on the left side, and there were more native hairs on the right side than the left. Also the Rogaine really worked well with the front hairline. I know some people say it doesn't work with the front hairline but that's not the case; I was growing hair even on my forehead where it dribbled down where hair never grew before. I think the Rogaine really helped the transplanted hairs blend in well. It would have been thin with the transplants alone, and I understood when I had the procedure that I may need a second transplant. I hoped I wouldn't have another one because it was really uncomfortable having a head wound, but with the Rogaine it looked reasonably thick so I thought I could get by with just one strip procedure. Well then in June of last year I stopped the Rogaine, for various reasons. I feared it was giving me facial hair, it was a pain to travel with the foam (didn't fit in the TSA-required quart bag), and I guess I thought I didn't really need it anymore with the transplants; I underestimated how much the Rogaine hairs gave me density. Plus I didn't want to have to use it twice a day for the rest of my life. It wasn't a decision I thought through; it just kind of happened. Maybe in part due to laziness. Anyway it was a big mistake because then the native hairs started to shed, and in a larger area than the original receded regions. I noticed thinning in July, and then it looked really bad in August. And now in March, I've started the Rogaine again and I'm thinking again about getting that second transplant. I have also had some dandruff/skin flakiness in the temples in the past few weeks (which I've treated with ketoconazole), and I don't know if that contributed further to the appearance of bareness. So now I have a lot of questions and things I'm thinking over. I hope I can get back some of the hairs I lost, but I realize I probably won't get what I had before. I have wondered if the Rogaine made hairs that wouldn't have otherwise been lost dependent on it, such that the area of loss is now bigger than it would have been without it (does that make sense?). I also wondered if this was a shed that would come back on its own but 9 months I don't think that's the case. But right now things are unacceptable, particularly on my left temples where things have always been worst. Now there is much visible scalp, the transplanted hairs are sparse with much space between them, and now they are sort of their own island separated from the rest of the hairline. So I am pretty sure I will need to get the second round of transplants. The next question is...which surgeon? I could go back to the surgeon who did my first transplant (a Coalition member approved by this site) or try someone else. I have read that pitting is due to surgeon error -- is that true? If so, that would be one strike against this person. Also he was very expensive, around $8.50 per graft. I had a consultation with Dr. Pak in LA area and I was very impressed with him, and he charges only $5 a graft. That means with my budget I could have more grafts with someone who, from what I read, has a very good reputation. I would prefer to have just one more procedure to fill out my front hairline rather than needing two more. And I would like to use the smallest strip necessary for my surgery, as I would like to reserve as much donor material as possible for the future if god forbid things get worse. So I would also like to know if what you see in the pictures reflects what I should have received with 900 grafts. And if you all have any opinions on how many grafts I need to get good density, I would also be interested to know. I am open to other hair docs too. What I can't be open to is FUE; it's just not possible for someone with long hair. Oh yeah, and another question I have pertains to the timing of the procedure. I have had bouts of telogen effluvium in the past; it got really bad in 2007 and then improved and then I had a small bout of it last year and now I'm on the mend from that. If I have the procedure done at a time when I am experiencing this excessive shedding, that would result in a lot of wasted folicles, or not? So I am thinking I should schedule HT at a time when I am having minimal shedding (I have a good handle on this -- my dermatologist has gotten me in the habit of saving the shed hairs during each shower, so I can see when I am shedding a lot as opposed to when I am shedding only a little). I am also worried that the Propecia is not doing me any good, as I still seem to be losing hair. I know it doesn't work for everyone. But there is no chance I'm giving that up. Okay, so let me share some pictures of my ongoing hair situation. Let me start with pictures of my hairline from over a decade ago. The quality isn't that good because they were taken with film, but you can see some thinning on my left temple: And this is how it looked about a year before I had the transplants...you can see the thinning quite clearly. And this is how it looked when I went to my dermatologist for the skin biopsy (yuck ): And here are the same areas the day after receiving the transplants: This is at the 7 week mark: Notice the hair going down my forehead! Rogaine really does work on the front hairline (at least it does for me). Okay here I am at the two month mark, and notice the pitting, about the same as it is now: Okay then when the hair grew in, I was pretty satisfied with it, and didn't take any really good closeup pictures. But this is how I looked last March, a year ago: As you can see, the hairline looks smooth, natural, and full. Lots and lots of Rogaine hairs. Here is a closeup of my left temple: Then after ending the Rogaine, the shedding started. I noticed it was looking thinner by July (bear in mind that my fringe is hanging down in this photo as opposed to me holding it up): And it was looking dreadful by August (I know this is a crappy quality picture): And this is how it looks now (I know it looks unhealthy but bear in mind that it is uncombed and some hairs are sticking up due to Rogaine foam): Anyway, I hope that gives you all some good info to start with. I look forward to reading your comments. -
Hi I've been using Regaine/Rogaine on my receding temples for about a year now and over the last few weeks I've noticed slight thinning at the back of my head, at the crown area.. I'm 18, hating this experience as a whole...wondering whether I should now begin to use double the amount of Regaine? Like, should I continue to put a palm splodge on my temples and then even more to the back of my head, or split the amount I currently use? Could you guys also recommend anything else that could help? Maybe Propecia? Maybe some links to good places to get it in the UK? A lot of sites seem dodgy so I've avoided it for a while! Thanks a lot to anyone who replies, I really do appreciate it Lewis
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Hey guys! I'm 17 and fairly new to the forum. I have a receding hairline and it's thinning a little on top too, however it's not that noticeable yet. I use Regaine/Rogaine at the minute. However, I turn 18 in a couple of weeks and I've been recommended something called Propecia I think it's called? I'm not sure what it is...I need to look into it more I guess. However, I'm wondering how I can protect my hair further at home. Is there anything I should avoid doing while washing or anything? Also, I'm an electronic music producer and this summer I've spent most of my days with massive headphones on mixing down and mastering for myself, artists and record labels and I feel as though that could be the cause of my hair slightly thinning on the top of my head...although it might just be me being paranoid. I'm basically wondering if there's anything I can do outside of the medication and products to help my hair! Thanks for any replies that I get Lewis -
First post. Suppose this is an introduction as well as a question. Started viewing these forums over a year ago and gradually have increased my time on it month by month. Spent lot of time researching though it seems there are so many differing schools of thought here and I often end up with more questions than answers! Anyway, after much lurking I decided to make a start with my own specific questions. I'm now 1 week post surgery. Things going fine so far but so many questions and worries. I havn't started a blog yet but will get working on it in the coming months and will get more info and pics up. Had my surgery with Dr. Path in Bangkok after great recommendations here and so far, so good. I got 2,076 grafts. I'm a 29 year old caucasian male. Started noticing myself thinning about 3 years ago. Pain has been pretty minimal so far. Redness virtually gone. Just some questions and worries at the moment. The hair just above my neck seems to be quite fluffy (check my pics). I think it has always been very much like this around here and often gets fluffy and curly like this when I havn't cut it for over a month but I have read about reterograde alopecia. I know this usually occurs within Norwood 6 or 7 so not sure if I could have it. I'm guessing I'm a 3 (opinions? - I'll try to upload more pics when I can. Seems to be such a big difference between the wet and dry hair!). However, we know hair loss can deviate slightly from the Norwood scale and not follow an exact direction. Dr. Path recommended I put rogaine on this part anyway. This leads me on to my next point and question. I'm probably in the minority in that I havn't started rogaine or propecia yet so fearing bad shock loss. I intend to begin rogaine in the next week. I am quite against propecia for the side effects and am reluctant to take it. Hopefully rogaine will help and I won't need to go near propecia. My balding was mainly at the front so went for the ht to combat that as the drugs aren't so effecive there. Thinning a bit near the crown now. Dr. Path didn't want to transplant that as he didn't think it was too bad yet and hopefully I have a decent chance of fighting that with the rogaine. I'm wondering though......if i begin rogaine next week will the hairs affected by the shock loss from the rogaine be the same hairs affected by the shock loss from the ht? Or would it mean I could likely lose double the amount in the same area? should I risk the shock loss from both near the same time or wait till I get over the ht shock loss and then begin the rogaine. I assume the shock loss I could get from the ht will be in the weaker hairs in the front 1/2 or 1/3 of my head and the shock loss from the rogaine would affect the thinning hairs nearer my crown. I know shock loss is unpredictable but I should probably prepare for the worst. I'm hoping toppik and dermmatch will cover whatever I lose. Used it before the ht and my thinness on top was undetectable with it.
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I have been doing the liquid minox for about 4 1/2 months now and I think that has stopped my shedding. For the first month I was on propecia 1mg a day, and the side effects were so bad I stopped. I went to Dr. Bernstein and he told me to try half a pill every other day and I have been doing that for two months. So far so good, I haven't noticed anymore significant shedding than the shed I had from starting minox and propecia during the first month. My question is I am 18 years old and I wanted to hear from other people who have started fighting their hair loss around my age and to tell me their stories.
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I have a receding hairline with a IIA on the Norwood scale. See photos below. From what I've read, Propecia and Rogaine don't prevent or reverse hair loss in the front. Does anyone dispute this? Also, I'm very skeptical that either of these drugs work well. The statistics I've read are only mixed in terms of effective regrowth of hair, and often no better than a placebo. But, I'm still desperate enough that I might try them haha. Just a waste of money?
