Hairloss Battle Story -3 Years Pics - Q's need answering - Fin time - 24 years old

[pkgr33n]

Hi all,

 

I’ve finally decided I need to give it my best shot with a new hair prevention/growth routine.

 

A little background about me and my hairloss:

• 24 years old (25 in a few months).

• Live in New Zealand

• Fit and active lifestyle

• Noticed hair thinning around 20-21

• I believe I am a diffuse thinner (crown + frontal)

• Regime from 2014 to current (Regaine Minoxidil 2x daily and Nizoral 2% keto shampoo, loose routine but normally 2x a week)

 

Please see attached picture for my hair loss progression over the three years (Jan 2014 to Jan 2017).

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

 

I’ve come to realise that Minoxidil and a keto shampoo is not enough, and a DHT blocker really needs to be added eg Finasteride or RU58841.

 

I am choosing to go with Finasteride, as I live in New Zealand it would probably struggle to import RU, and + it has not been studied for a long time so who knows the potential sides. I have read numerous horrible things about finasteride, and I’d estimate at least 20% have sides and not the 2% figure which floats around. My reason for still going ahead is I don’t want to think, ‘oh what if I could have been the lucky few with fin results’. If I do develop sides, I’d hope they are not permanent manage to recover in a few weeks/months (seems to be very rare that people still have sides even when off fin).

 

So I’ve got a ‘few’ questions for you guys, and would greatly appreciate any advice/input/see if I’m missing anything etc.

 

1) Finasteride dose – The 1mg pill is available here and I think I’ll start with a low dose (Pill cutter + 10ml amber bottle to store in?) and bump it up, does this look right? 0.25mg (2x a week for Week 1 and Week 2), 0.25mg EOD (Week 3-4), 0.25mg ED Week 5+, and continue on this forever, maybe even try 0.5mg ED in the future

 

2) Finasteride supps – Anything that helps alleviate/avoid fin sides, I am thinking about taking L-Citrulline (1tbs ed), Zinc (50mg ed), Grapeseed extract (400mg daily), L-Arigine(1000mg ed)

 

3) Blood tests – I will be going to the doc and getting a baseline of bloods done (Testosterone (total, free and bioavailable), Androstenedione, DHT, Adiol-G, Estradiol (E2), LH, FSH, SHBG, Prolactin, TSH, Iron, Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA). Anything else worth getting tested?

 

4) Shampoos – Stick to Nizoral 2% and use EOD or switch to another ket shampoo such as regenepure? What shampoo to use in off ket days?

 

5) Pills – Is there just a single pill I can take which contains all the essential hairloss vitamins? I am currently taking Opti-men by Optimum nutrition as a multi. Biotin (3000mcg ed), Niacin (unsure dose), Collagen (3g ed for clear skin from minox etc), Vit C, Vit B complex, Vit D, ZMA (bed time), and Fish oil omega3s. Anything I’m missing or should remove?

 

6) Oils – Not going to bother, unless there is any really worth using at night etc?

 

7) Minoxidil – Stick to regaine or switch to Lipogain big 3?

 

8) Retin A – Use with minoxidil to increase absorption?

 

9) Stemoxydine 5% – Useful to add in? Apply at night after few hours of minox? I see Stemox - Loreal Professional Serioxyl is priced well.

 

10) Grey hairs – Anything I can do for this? I’ve only come across vitamin b6/b12 helping.

 

11) Concealers – I will try Toppik or DerMatch, unless there’s something better out there? I don’t like the idea of fibres falling out onto clothes/pillows and leaving a mess though.

 

12) Dermrolling – With 1.5mm needles, but I don’t see much point as I’m a diffuse thinner, so this would possibly pull a lot of my hair out as I’d need to do it all over?

 

Future plans/thoughts

 

1) Hair Transplant - I would most likely be able to get one down the line, in 2-3 years (technology should be a bit better by then + it is cheaper in other countries eg India, Turkey etc).

 

2) Hair system - Hassle of cleaning it ed/eod and reapplying, + very costly at the moment here in NZ from a clinic eg advanced hair studio.

 

3) Cures – Hisotgen, Replicel, Brotzu, any others? (All 2-3years away I believe, and who knows if they will truly work).

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this and if you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask.

 

I’m right here with you guys on the hairloss battlefield!

 

Cheers

[Spanker]

Definitely get on finasteride. You've lost a lot of hair in 3 years. Fin will probably help a lot and least stall your loss.

[Afterparty76]

Looks like you have done an excellent job with research and preparation.

I would definitely support you paying active attention to side effects if you decide to start finasteride. Many people push this since it is one of the 3 proven options for hair loss, but it has its risks.

I was doing 1.25mg/day for 1 year and experienced some side effects that should not happen naturally at my age. Luckily stopping the treatment reversed the side effects. Best of luck to you!

[Haikaldingle]

Yo dude, I was in the exact situation as you! Noticed balding on the frontal when I was 20/21. I was a weightlifter, diets were crappy and wasn't getting enough rest. I suspected that my body was producing more DHT than ever. I've used DHT blockers and keratin shampoo. I've also adjusted my lifestyle and made sure I had sufficient protein everyday. I saw that you have grey hair problems and my best observation on myself is that my grey hair tends to fall off by itself when I managed to reduce my stress levels. I also heard that plucking them makes it worse...so yeap!

[Ernie]

To the OP, try finasteride as prescribed. For me it was, and still is 1mg daily. If you experience sides, just stop.

 

Don't know about all that other stuff. I always just left vitamins, etc alone w/r/t combating my MPB

[pkgr33n]

Definitely get on finasteride. You've lost a lot of hair in 3 years. Fin will probably help a lot and least stall your loss.

Yea man, hair use to be thick

 

Looks like you have done an excellent job with research and preparation.

I would definitely support you paying active attention to side effects if you decide to start finasteride. Many people push this since it is one of the 3 proven options for hair loss, but it has its risks.

I was doing 1.25mg/day for 1 year and experienced some side effects that should not happen naturally at my age. Luckily stopping the treatment reversed the side effects. Best of luck to you!

Damn, sorry to hear! How is your hair loss now, and what are you currently using?

 

Yo dude, I was in the exact situation as you! Noticed balding on the frontal when I was 20/21. I was a weightlifter, diets were crappy and wasn't getting enough rest. I suspected that my body was producing more DHT than ever. I've used DHT blockers and keratin shampoo. I've also adjusted my lifestyle and made sure I had sufficient protein everyday. I saw that you have grey hair problems and my best observation on myself is that my grey hair tends to fall off by itself when I managed to reduce my stress levels. I also heard that plucking them makes it worse...so yeap!

My diet is pretty good tbh, I lift 5x a week and do cardio too. Protein is high and get enough fats/carbs. What sort of DHT blockers did you use, and keratin shampoo? What is your regime now and what would you recommend?

 

To the OP, try finasteride as prescribed. For me it was, and still is 1mg daily. If you experience sides, just stop.

 

Don't know about all that other stuff. I always just left vitamins, etc alone w/r/t combating my MPB

Ohk cool man, yeah I guess I will never know till I try. At the moment i'm waiting to get a doctors appointment and then they can prescribe fin/hopefully do the requested bloods for me too.

[pkgr33n]

Bump, anymore opinions ?

[Afterparty76]

Hey sorry for the delayed reply. I decided to get a HT on 2/17 and currently healing/growing. As for opinions, it sounds like finasteride could be a good option at your age and thinning. As I and others mentioned, if you start to experience the sides you should stop. I've read of people saying persist through and the sides go away...I wouldnt trust this as there are other reports of permanent sides. What you currently are facing is a long term battle with your hair loss. Consider options in order of lesser risk/impact to your life (rogaine, toppik/caboki, finasteride, shave (Y/N?), hair transplant).

The order of those are my opinion as I faced the decision. I wish you luck and understand it is difficult especially when your age/looks dont match your hair. (I relate)

[pkgr33n]

Hey sorry for the delayed reply. I decided to get a HT on 2/17 and currently healing/growing. As for opinions, it sounds like finasteride could be a good option at your age and thinning. As I and others mentioned, if you start to experience the sides you should stop. I've read of people saying persist through and the sides go away...I wouldnt trust this as there are other reports of permanent sides. What you currently are facing is a long term battle with your hair loss. Consider options in order of lesser risk/impact to your life (rogaine, toppik/caboki, finasteride, shave (Y/N?), hair transplant).

The order of those are my opinion as I faced the decision. I wish you luck and understand it is difficult especially when your age/looks dont match your hair. (I relate)

 

Thanks for the info man, its tough,I have heard a HT without finasteride is sort of pointless?

 

Here is an update- Got finasteride prescription and ordered 84 1mg tabs from the pharmacy, will be cutting them into 1/4 and having that daily very soon, wish me luck guys!

[Slush]

Love the original post. I am going to bet you're in STEM, or at least hope.

 

While I have never seen it anywhere on this forum or others, I was going to take ginkgo biloba regularly if/when I take Fin. It has many benefits, but improving (or maintaining) libido is one.

[pkgr33n]

Love the original post. I am going to bet you're in STEM, or at least hope.

 

While I have never seen it anywhere on this forum or others, I was going to take ginkgo biloba regularly if/when I take Fin. It has many benefits, but improving (or maintaining) libido is one.

 

Thanks.

 

What is STEM?

 

I'm going to take the plunge real soon, the pills have arrived!