New to this and need advice

[compgeek]

I've recently come to accept just how much hair I'm losing. I'm not sure how you'd class me. My front hair line is totally shot and I'm starting to notice a bit forming in the back of the head.

 

I've seen 2 people about this problem. The first is Dr. Robert Leonard out of Cranston, RI. He suggested I start on Rogaine and Propecia, but he also tried to sell me on a laser therapy that sounded very suspicious and has been refuted generally on the Internet. Everything about the guy rubbed me the wrong way. His consultation was incredibly brief and they claimed they didn't need to start tracking the hair loss before I started treatment because "You're the only one who will notice if it's stopping."

 

I also saw a conventional dermatologist. He said I should try Rogaine for 6 months, see if it works, and if it doesn't move on to Propecia. But overall he didn't seem to be that big into hair loss and was more a skin doctor.

 

I want to start on Propecia before I lose any more back there, but I'm afraid to give this Dr. Leonard my money. Every post I read on these forums about him was incredibly negative. There also aren't a lot of really good hair specialists in my area it seems. Dr. Mark DiStefano out of Worcester seems even more suspicious than Dr. Leonard. Should I just try to get my dermatologist to give me a Propecia prescription and monitor it myself or should I trust one of these guys to monitor it? I can't obviously have a transplant until I stop the loss.

 

For reference, Leonard offers a Propecia program of 3 month supplies for $195.00 with a $25 rebate and 2 weeks of free Propecia samples (so eventually they add up to a free month's supply). I have to see him twice a year for $50 each visit and he'll monitor the progression. If I buy it on my own the cheapest I see is drugstore.com.

[hairbank]

Compgeek,

 

Welcome to the forum. Do some research here on Propecia (Finasteride is the active ingredient) and see if you can get more of a comfort level with it.

 

If you want to give the meds a chance and aren't interested in looking at a HT right now, just try calling or going to your General Practitioner to see if they will prescribe Propecia for you. If you want to try Rogaine (Minoxidil) it may help you as well, the regimen was too messy for me to consider.

 

If I were you, I'd educate myself about Finasteride and monitor it on your own. The most commonly talked about side effect is decreased sex drive but studies show that very few people experience this and, if you do, that it will likely go away after you've taken it awhile. Personally, I've been taking Finasteride for about 9 months now and haven't noticed any sides to speak of.

 

Document your progression with pics, you'll be glad you did. It's really the best way to determine any progress you make. Also, Finasteride comes in two dosages, Propecia (1mg) and Proscar (5mg). Many prefer to purchase Proscar and use a pill cutter to cut into fourths.....it's much more cost effective. My HT surgeon, Dr. Wong, even advised taking it every other day was fine since it inhibits DHT that attacks your hair for a period of 72 hrs. I switched to generic Proscar when I renewned my script a couple of weeks ago and it was around $78 for 30 pills at Walmart (name brand was $104). I cut the pills into fourths, take it every other day, so the supply will last me 8 months.......evidenced by the fact I've been taking it for 9 months and I just renewed my script for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

 

Do some research and see where you land. I hope this helps.

[compgeek]

Sorry about posting in the wrong sub forum btw. I just realized that.

 

Thanks for the response. I've tried using Rogaine Foam for about half a week now and it definitely makes quite a mess of my hair. I can't even seem to brush it properly without yanking out a few strands. Doctor #2 suggested trying it for 6 months and seeing if anything happens, but I'm iffy about allowing the loss to continue beyond this point because right now the back wouldn't really need any work, whereas in 6 months it might. Leonard suggested doing both because they work differently, though the problem I foresee there is then being unable to determine if one works and the other doesn't.

 

From the research I've done, I'm more sold on Propecia than Rogaine since it seems to be more effective and much easier to manage, though I know they work differently. I already take vitamins every day so it's not like I have issues with taking any more pills.

 

I also noticed the major difference in prices between Propecia and Proscar, but wasn't sure if it's been medically proven to work the same way. I might consider doing that.

 

I am actually considering a transplant as well, but since I'm only 26, I think it'd be foolish to rush into one if I can't actually stabalize the loss as then I wouldn't know what I have to work with long-term.

[Robert_]

compgeek,

 

Welcome to the forums.

 

You are right that minoxidil (even the foam) can be kind of a pain. However, before you select Propecia (or Proscar) over it, you have to realize how differently they work and how both can play a major part in helping you keep the hair you have and possibly regrow the hair you have lost.

 

Take a look at my blog posts on minoxidil here .

 

As far as the docs, go. I am under the firm impression that if you don't feel comfortable with a doc, then your overall experience probably isn't going to be that positive. Plus, low-level laser therapy, while sometimes shows promising results, is something you can try down the road. I'd go with the *proven* minixidil, finasteride, nizoral combo for a year first. I can almost guarantee you'll be impressed with the results you get if you use them diligently.

 

-Robert

[tkerr22]

Robert!

 

Good to see you back again and with a new title, very impressive!! Anyways, was wondering if there is a difference between the two nizorals in proven effectiveness with propecia and minoxidil?? I use the 1% just because it's easier to get and OTC. Is there somewhere you can get the 2% OTC or cheap?? thanks man

[Robert_]

tkerr,

 

Thanks! It's good to be back.

 

2% is, of course, going to be more effective, but really only marginally. I mean, of course if you can get the 2% (available by prescription only in the U.S.) then I would say to go that route but if it's downright impossible or a real hassle, then I don't think you'll be missing out on too much by using the 1% OTC Nizoral AD.

 

Typically, those that use 2% Nizoral do so 3 times a week. I do that myself. If you absolutely cannot get a script for the 2% and have to use the OTC 1% you can up that from 3x to 4x per week. That may help to offset the difference in percentages. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes. I usually put it in before I get in the shower and do other stuff like brush my teeth, etc. while it sits. Then, when I get in the shower I use my regular conditioner (Nioxin).

 

Hope this helps!

 

-Robert

[compgeek]

Thanks, Robert. This is the direction I was going to go (though I hadn't heard much about Nizorol yet) probably. I am going to talk to my doctor to see if he can give me a prescription for Propecia so I don't have to go through a doctor I'm uncomfortable with. Meanwhile, I've sent out a few requests for online consultations so I can get an idea of how bad the damage is/what it would take to restore it if I elect to have surgery.

 

I was somewhat worried today when I had some discomfort in my chest on my right side after using Rogaine for a few days, but I often have some discomfort there associated with my body shifting due to my recent weight loss. I'm going to keep an eye on it and if it keeps up over the weekend I'm probably going to see my doctor about it to see if it's related to the Rogaine. I'm scared to go back to the gym at this point as I think it hastened my loss.

[Robert_]

Rogaine (minoxidil) can accelerate your heart rate so if you are having an inordinate amount of pain or discomfort definitely let your doc know.

 

And don't stay away from the gym because you think it accelerated your hair loss. I have heard a million times how people think that working out will increase testosterone which will lead to increased DHT which will lead to more hair loss. Any amount of increased DHT production will be so minute that the extra two hairs per day you lose is absolutely nothing as compared to the benefits you recieve from a normal exercise regimen. Go to the gym. Don't let hair loss stop you. Trust me on this one.

 

You may also want to look into splitting Proscar to save you some money on your finasteride. Do a forum search on Proscar and you will find a ton of posts on it.

 

-Robert

[compgeek]

I'm going to ask my doctor about the pains on Monday (he left already for the weekend) so I'll keep an eye on it. If I notice it keeping up into tomorrow I might cease use. The problem is, as I said, I get pains in there from my skeleton adjusting to my body's changes (usually in the front breast or in the lats), so it's hard to say. My pulse doesn't seem to be going up, though.

 

I think I'm more afraid to go to the gym just because my perfectly combed hair comes undone and starts letting the world know how much my hair has regressed. When combed, my hair actually just about covers the hair line (though thinly in the front. When pulled back, there's mostly just a small V left. It's pretty damn ugly when I get out of the shower, though, and I'm getting tired of trying to cover it.

 

My hair's always weighed so much that above maybe half an inch it ends up getting weighed down and falling flat, so it's hard to tell just how much is gone as well. I used to just buzz it as a kid since there really wasn't much I could do to style it. Unfortunately my head is way too big to wear it bald between how tall and wide it is and the flap of tissue on the back (my brother's the lucky one. He looks great shaved). I've been this close to shaving it all off and accepting fate the last few weeks, but I just know it isn't going to look right on me. On top of that, because I can't style it I can't even create a good look with less than perfect coverage.

 

I'll take a read over the weekend on Proscar. I got my dermatologist to write me a prescription for Propecia that should arrive in the mail by Monday. I'm going to go ahead and get some opinions on what it would take to do a transplant even though I know I can't do much for at least 6 months to a year just so I get an idea of what's possible. I'm also foolishly hopeful that the hair replication technique will pass Phase II with flying colors and be not far off by then.

[Robert_]

Yeah, it can very well be the weight loss, but better safe than sorry when it comes to your heart.

 

And dude, don't worry about your hair at the gym. To this day, I wear a backwards ball cap at the gym. It's totally normal and keeps my hair from pasting to my forehead. Just throw it on and forget about it, get in there and move some weight around.

 

Good luck, bro.

 

-Robert

[compgeek]

Thanks for all the advice. I actually saw your pictures in another thread and it seems at least your top hair is very similar to mine. I'll have to read up on your blog later tonight.

 

Are there any studies backing up that Propecia and Proscar in 1/4 slices work the same? Not that I'm doubting you, but I just would like to read up on it as I might have to bring it to my dermatologist for a prescription and I would need to be able to convince him.

[compgeek]

Well, bad news. The pains didn't let up over the weekend, so my doctor ordered me off Rogaine for at least 2 weeks to judge whether or not they're related to that or something else. Probably better safe than sorry, though.

 

So for now, I'm going to move on to starting with the Nizoral and finasteride combination to see how it goes over the next 6 months. In the meantime, I shaved my head down pretty low this weekend and am growing a decent goatee just to see how I look. My hair has never styled particularly well so you never know. Some guys pull it off well. As I said, my brother has a perfectly healthy head of hair and shaves it every week. I probably shouldn't mention that as everyone here is likely to want to kill him.

 

The one thing I know though I refuse any more to play the "cover up" game. My hair was starting to look ridiculous. If I can't live with the hair line I have now, then I'm going to do something about it, whether that be surgical or to get a hair piece. If I can, that's just as well. But I'm finished playing games.

[keepitontop]

sorry to hear the minox maybe causing problems I know of another product out there called spectral RS that is a minox free topical maybe google it don't know to much about it.

[compgeek]

Well, for now I think I'm going to stick with the Propecia/Nizorol combination. I wish I had known about Nizorol sooner just for how much it helps my itchy scalp! I've been using Selson Blue since college, which was effective against the dandruff, but would still leave my head itchy sometimes. My head still itches a bit sometimes, but not like it used to.

 

The Propecia seems to be already having an effect. I'm still noticing a few hairs in the sink or if I run my hand through my hair, though not as much as what was happening before. It could be my imagination so I'll just keep an eye on it to see if it keeps up before celebrating.

 

I heard back from two out of the four online consultations I sent out. Dr. Alvi Armani recommended about 3100 grafts. Dr. Wong from Hasson and Wong recommended about 4000-4500 to restore the hairline. At least I know what I'm dealing with now if I want to go that route. I'm kind of backing away from that at the moment though for a combination of the cost and the scarring.

 

I have no idea what to do with the 3 month supply of Rogaine I bought. I'll try taking it back to Wal-Mart, but I can't imagine them taking it back.