My experience using hairloss drugs

[recedingazn]

I've been checking this forum for quite some time now (I've never used a forum before) and decided to share my experience with you hoping this will help someone under the same circumstances.

 

General info:

 

-Asian, male, 28,Norwood 3, balding since 13 (damn you hormones and genetics).

 

Drugs I've tried:

 

-Propecia (generic proscar in quarters every day):

The Good: it stopped my shedding, had significant regrowth when combined with Minoxidil.

The bad: I had no side effects in the first year of using it (or so I thought), I've been on and off it ever since. This year I finally experienced the side effects (erections started to be less potent, less morning wood, severe depression, bad mood, testicle pain and a very very scary brain fog).

 

Just to add I had brain fog, bad mood, depression and testicle ache since I started propecia, but I never associated those with the drug due to lack of information, but now I know better. I think I didn't experienced the lack of libido back int he days since I was a teenager and hormones are crazy during that period but now that i'm an adult I feel some of it...

 

Recovery: Ever since I learned that Propecia was likely behind the brain fog and starting to have an impact on my erections I stopped it completely for 2 weeks now, I think I'm back at 95% The brain fog is getting better BUT its still significant...i'm praying I can recover completely... My mood is much better, Im not depressed any more.... everybody noticed the change.... bottom-line... dont mess with your hormones and the ppl who dont get any sides, you are lucky....

 

 

-Minoxidil (generic 5% liquid twice a day):

The Good: it stopped my shedding, had significant regrowth when combined with Propecia, did not affect my libido.

The bad: Puffy eyes, dark circles, wrinkles, rapid heart beat, body hair in my cheeks and forehead, headaches and crazy shedding.

Recovery: Once I stopped all sides were gone! and so did my hair T_T...

 

 

-Nizoral (generic 2% liquid every other two days):

 

The Good: I don't know, scalp feels clean....but thats about it.

The bad: Every time I use it (since first time application) I shed a lot more.... I've been on it for 2 weeks so... I need to keep an eye on it.. I will stop and look for an alternative if this continues...

 

The good news is....

 

I've managed to stop my shedding completely! With no sides AT ALL And this is how I did it:

 

Things that I KNOW works (for me at least):

 

1- Minoxidil 5% kirkland liquid : I eliminated the side effects by only applying it ONCE per day. I wash my hands first after application and then I also wash my face. Never use it before going to bed, apply only before STARTING your day. Why? because the Minox gets in your pillow and thats how you get it in your face causing peach fuzz in your ears and cheeks...I also dropped the dose from 1ml to 0.25-0.5. I'm a norwood 2-3.

 

So,,, you dropped from twice daily to once daily and on top of that you are reducing the amount, are you crazy?

 

I've been doing LOTS of thinking on this... and consider this... Minoxidil 5% is a POWERFUL drug, so powerful that if you rub a tiny little on your arm, cheeks, fingers or ears it will grow peach fuzz... just like that (personal experience) If residual minoxidl can do this... then how much do we really need?

 

Since I experienced pretty much ALL the sides with the recommended double dosage of 1ml I decided to try to reduce it to just barely enough to cover my scalp ONCE a day *this would be in my case 0.25 to 0.5 ml per day). Remember that Minox stays in your skin for 22hrs! thats almost a full day!

 

Results: absolutely no shedding!!!! I literally shed only like 5 hairs per day vs the 50-100 I used to.... and hair is looking thicker! and the best part is: NO SIDE effects. Im very sensitive to drugs and this is a major accomplishment to me.

 

Things that I THINK works (for me at least):

 

1- Nizoral 2%: every time I use it I shed a little more than usual, I did an experiment today... while showering I scrub my scalp with my fingers and not a single hair fell... then I put nizoral on it and BAM 10-15 hairs in my hand.... HOWEVER I've only used it 3 times sooo... I will use it for 2 weeks to make sure before I leave it... my scalp does feel very clean though.... any good shampoos that you recommend???

 

2- Good diet: No more sugar, red meats, coke, fats... Im just eating healthier overall for my health and I have to say that Im pretty sure it helps to an extend.

 

3- This one is the hardest but try to reduce masturbation if you do as much as you can...(in my case) I used to do it 2-3 times a day and that increased shedding like crazy... as soon as I stopped the shedding stopped as well....

 

 

And thats all.... for me.... with just a reduced dosage and the mentioned above I've managed to completely stop my shedding and with no side effects, but then again this might just work for me... but maybe for someone else it will too.

 

Regrowth

 

I only experienced decent regrowth when combining propecia and minoxidil... even then it was not that significant and I was a teen with very little recession.... I tried the combo and my hair looked thicker but not much of regrowth, there was however some...

 

Anyways... I never expected any decent regrowth with minox or propecia alone.... after many many years of research Ive come to this conclusion:

 

If you want to get your hair back you need to 1- stop your hairloss first, dont expect to get it back with drugs cause its very very hard. 2- Once you control your hairless (shedding), the ONLY way (in my opinion) is with a hair transplant. In my case this is my only way to getting back a full head of hair and maintain it and if you see theres very little maintenance, pretty much a good habits, diet, minoxidil once a day and MAYBE a good shampoo and you will have a healthy hair.

 

I know this is a VERY depressing issue for many of us... every time there is a viable solution it comes with horrible side effects....for some at least... so,, if you are like me, and experience this side effects this might work for you

 

Im not selling anything... Im just so happy that I'm slowly recovering from my sides from Finasteride and over using Minoxidil while retaining my hair that I thought on sharing this with someone under the same situation.

 

Now that Ive controlled my shedding the next step is to recover my hair.... i'm already saving for a HT, wish me luck!!!!

[Blake Bloxham]

Receding,

 

Nice write up! Thank you for sharing.

[fransee]

great for you to share that took a lot of time to do. Thanks.

[recedingazn]

no prob guys! Just a quick update. I just made another test and its confirmed.... Nizoral makes my hair fall for sure.... I massaged my scalp before applying nizoral and just 1 hair shed (i did this multiple times). Then I put on some SMALL amount of nizoral on my head and BAM 10 soldiers died in action....No more Nizoral for me. Now im trying to apply Minox twice a day, maybe my body can take it now without the sides (with the 0.5 dosage). I will keep you posted.

[soonsa]

yeah I think nizoral isn't all that its cracked up to be

[asiandude]

Thanks for sharing. I too agree that the only and best way for some people for regrowth is a hair transplant. Sometimes it's not worth all the trouble to go through testing all these chemicals/meds and seeing what works best for your hair. By the time you're done testing w/ all these products, you've shed way more hair than what you would have if you didn't start at all.

 

Messing w/ sexual health, brain/memory health, facial aging etc is not worth experimenting for me.