Should I or shouldn't I?

[mpshah]

Hey guys,

 

I'm fairly new here, signed up today. I would like to mention that I'm so glad that such a forum exists.

Here are some details of me:

 

Sex-Male

Age-32

City-Dubai, U.A.E

Hair loss - since 4 years

 

I've been looking into HT, had an appointment with a specialist (Link removed by moderator - see Terms of Service) who have a treatment center in Dubai. According to them I need around 2500 Follicular Units to cover my front area and asked me to go the Strip Method way.

 

Anybody have any experience with HT in Dubai? Please share/comment.

 

Have a look at my current hair loss and please advice on which way to go.

 

Oh one more thing, I'm really nervous about this whole process. I know the end results will be good but thinking of taking needles into the scalp, really scares the hell out of me. How do i overcome this fear?

 

Cheers!!!

Edited June 22, 2011 by TakingThePlunge

[mpshah]

Hi there and welcome,

 

 

Initially prior to doing anything i would highly recommend looking into a treatment reg to help stabilise your loss prior to going down the HT route.

 

Look into the "Big 3 " and especially getting on finasteride in the meantime in order to prevent further loss of native hair as its vital you hold on to as much native hair as possible. It will in turn mean fewer HT's. Hair loss is progressive - you will definitely loose more hair over time if you do not take appropriate steps to stabilise your loss.

 

Do not rush into HT'S

 

Best

s

 

Hey Spex,

 

Thank you for your input.

 

Can you please explain what the Big 3 is? And how I get hold of finasteride?

 

Apologize for the noob questions but I'm really new here.

 

 

Thanks.

[Spanker]

Do people really loose that much hair in 4 years or is that just when some notice and they have been losing for years. I have never met someone with a full head of hair that has that much loss at 32.

[Sigildark]

Spex do you recommend 1% or 2% Nizoral for twice a week applications?

[mpshah]

No worries mate - thats what we are here for to help!

 

 

The Big 3 to help beat DHT, (THE CAUSE OF HAIRLOSS!)

 

- Propecia ( Finasteride ), Minoxidil and Nizoral

 

Here is the thing you need to make sure you understand when it comes to MPB:

 

The main known factor that causes hairloss is DHT. To form DHT your body’s 5a-reductase enzyme converts free roaming testosterone DHT inside the hair cell follicle. The DHT then binds to the hair cell receptor and causes it to atrophy or shrink. Eventually your hair follicle stops producing hair and you lose that follicle.

 

There are two types of the 5ar enzyme; Type I and Type II. Type II 5ar seems to be the main culprit in MPB as the type II enzyme is present in the hair follicles. Finasteride is a specific inhibitor of Type II 5ar inhibitor that reduces DHT produced by the type II 5ar by 85%-90% and reduces the overall DHT blood serum levels by 65%.

 

As you can see Finasteride (PROPECIA ) is extremely useful as a treatment for MPB as it directly attacks the problem. Nizoral shampoo is thought to help “dull” the androgen receptors in the scalp which the DHT binds to. Together they provide a synergetic effect.

 

 

Minoxidil is a hair stimulant. It is the only FDA proven hair stimulant on the market. However stimulating hair and protecting hair from further damage are two separate actions

 

Minoxidil will artificially augment your hair while you use the compound but it does NOT have any know effect on 5ar or the androgen receptors in the scalp.

 

The best way to attack MPB is to:

 

1. Stop further damage to your hair via DHT. You can accomplish this best by using Finasteride to inhibit the 5ar enzyme and Nizoral to “dull” the androgen receptors.

 

2. **If** further thickening/regrowth is needed after the hair damaging DHT androgen is reduced then minoxidil can be used to further augment your existing hairs and perhaps even stimulant some dormant hair follicles to resume growing.

 

Use all these 3 products together -

 

1. Minoxidil 2 x a day – once in the am and once in the pm

2. Finesteride (propecia/proscar) 1mg per day

3. Nizoral 2 x a weeks (no more) – will dry your scalp out!

 

Propecia: is 1mg Finasteride typically ?40-?45 for a months supply. VERY expensive!!!

Proscar: is 5mg Finasteride. (Cutting Proscar into 5ths gives you Propecia and is cheap)

Finpicia :1 mg generic Finasteride is very reliable and affordable - it’s exactly the same drug as Propecia and its what I now take for ease and maximum efficiency.

 

Dutasteride and finasteride (PROPECIA) are both 5-alpha-reductase (5AR) inhibitors. Both treatments work by inhibiting 5AR, the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is the primary androgen in the prostate. It is a primary factor in the development and progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and other prostate diseases and is also a major cause of hair loss.

 

.5mg – 2.5mg of Dutasteride provides better results in hair maintenance/regrowth as opposed to Finasteride

 

However, the benefit likely comes from its higher inhibition of type II 5ar not its suppression of type I 5ar. Merck tested a specific type I 5ar inhibitor called “MK386″ in a human trial and found it had no effect on balding.

 

Jumping on the Dutasteride bandwagon before the Finasteride bandwagon is not a good idea. For most men Finasteride is enough to halt and even reverse MPB… In the off-chance your body becomes tolerant of Finasteride (over the years) you always have Dutasteride to fall back on…

 

Side-effects on Dutasteride may be more common, any such sides would last longer as the half-life of Dutasteride is much longer then Finasteride, and unlike type II 5ar type I 5ar *is* present in brain tissue. Finally, keep in mind that DHT is not an evil androgen that just causes hairloss. Various bodily functions benefit from DHT. Finasteride inhibits 65% overall DHT levels leaving 35% for your body to use (most of that 35% is from the type I 5ar that isnt a big factor in hairloss). Dutasteride inhibits 90% or more overall DHT levels leaving 10% or less for your body…

 

Basically, use Finasteride **first** and only resort to Dutasteride if you must – This is just my opinion

 

 

Nizoral is an anti-fungal shampoo that kills the fungi that cause seborrhea and dandruff.

 

Groups of individuals have discovered that Nizoral (when used regularly) is a very useful alopecia treatment, once again it would appear that the role of a substance for the treatment of hair-loss is stumbled upon accidentally!

 

Nizoral contains a chemical called ketoconazole, it is known that when ketoconazole is ingested orally that it inhibits the binding of androgens to receptors in the body and this would include the binding of DHT to hair-follicle receptors.

 

Furthermore positive results with Nizoral shampoo are often noted within a few weeks, whereas a pure anti-DHT affect may take a few months. It is therefore likely that Nizoral exhibits another method to its anti-hair-loss effect.

 

One such theory of Nizorals anti-alopecia effects may be on its activity upon sebum.

 

Sebum is a fatty substance that accumulates in the scalp around the hair follicles. Its possible that the removal of sebum may help “unclog” the hair follicle and expose it to more nutrition from an improved blood supply, rather like unclogging a drain!

 

It is known that Nizoral can remove and reduce sebum deposits.

 

 

Hope this helps mate!

Best

Spex

 

Oh wow!!! That's a lot of information. Thank you so much for this Spex, really appreciate it.

I will definitely look into all of these options and get back to you if i need any further help.

 

Cheers!!!

[mpshah]

Do people really loose that much hair in 4 years or is that just when some notice and they have been losing for years. I have never met someone with a full head of hair that has that much loss at 32.

 

Hey Spanker,

 

Yes I have lost this much in the past 4 years. I don't know what triggered it, but it has been pretty awful lately.