My journey from beginning to end with updates

[Aussie T]

Hey everyone I will be documenting my journey here. 

I am Tony, 42yo, from Australia, I have decided to have a hair transplant next year. I will be flying somewhere overseas to have a hair transplant. But first, I have started taking finasteride 1mg and minoxidil 5% and will continue doing so for as long as these medications make me improve. When I no longer see any improvements, that’s when I will fly out 

The photos below are from 1 November , the day I started finasteride and minoxidil. I will post updates every 1st day of the month. Feel free to ask any questions. 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Aussie T

[mxnprettynice]

Why not start microneedeling with derma pen as well?

[Aussie T]

The only reason why I haven’t started is that I had absolutely no idea that was a thing! I’ll look into it 

[Aussie T]

Just some more photos taken the day before 

[jjalay]

You should be careful with microneedlinr, a lot of controversy with this and it might cause more harm than doing any good.

[Aussie T]

Thanks . I don’t even know whether it’s something that can be done at home or do I have to go to a center ? 

[Aussie T]

Update after one month of finasteride and minoxidil . Not only things seem not to improve , it looks like they are getting worse !?! 😭 

[Aussie T]

Help please why is nothing working? 

[Nick89]

1 hour ago, Aussie T said:

Help please why is nothing working? 

Is there any side effects of finasteride you felt

[BaldDude]

3 hours ago, Aussie T said:

Help please why is nothing working? 

Mate it’s normal to shed hair when you first start fin and min. You won’t get any results for at least 3-6 months. 

[Myles23]

Hello @Aussie T. i experienced the same issue earlier in the year when i restarted daily fin and minoxidil (i use the topical versions as i get sides from oral). This is perfectly normal to shed the first few months. By 6 months I noticed my existing hair becoming denser. I shared the same anxiety and nearly stopped but you have you trust that it will get better within a few months with daily use. Wish you well

Edited December 1, 2023 by O-Myles59

[Shadman]

9 hours ago, Aussie T said:

Update after one month of finasteride and minoxidil . Not only things seem not to improve , it looks like they are getting worse !?! 😭 

This is actually common when you start minoxidil, don't worry. Continue what you're doing now. Give it at least six-eight months 

[Myles23]

Melvin has uploaded a video on The Hair transplant network instagram page where they discuss this very issue 

[duchaine]

Mecroneedeling is a safe and inexpensive procedure DIY.
"Dermal papilla (DP) is the site of expression of various hair growth related genes. Various researches have demonstrated the underlying importance of Wnt proteins and wound growth factors in stimulating DP associated stem cells. Microneedling works by stimulation of stem cells and inducing activation of growth factors".
While it can be discussed to use MN as a mokotheraphy (but the question is: why should someone use MN only?) there is no doubt about its efficacy, showing a synergistic effect at least in conjunction with minoxidil.
I just quote a study "While the current evidence does not allow one to conclude superiority of microneedling over existing standard therapies for hair loss, microneedling shows some promise in improving hair growth, especially in combination with existing techniques".
I've read dozen of researches about this topic and all the researches show an improvement.
At the moment, is you are looking for safety, the best way is MN 2/week, 0,75 mm.
Studies has shown that higher frequency, shorter needles is better than lower frequency/higher needle, while other showed that an higher intensity and lower frequency is better (tI suppose that the efficacy of this kind of therapy is age related, as I discussed with a very smart guy on this board).

Look for a derma pen or a dermoroller. You will find a lot on amazon.

I see people speak without any cognition of the topic.
If you want to do your own researches, these are good starting points:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29194786/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064188/

[Gatsby]

Hey @Aussie T. My guess is that the minoxidil is working and pushing out hairs in the anagen phase. This is normal and new hair will grow. It's only been four weeks so don't panic. I would give both drugs six months at the very least to see benefits and even longer. All the best!

[duchaine]

When you lose great amount of hair all at once, it is simply a telogen effluvium.
It can be a natural process that simply occurs (life sucks!) or it can be induced from your therapy because, to allow a new growth, you need to remove sleeping hair (hair in castagne and telogen).

My suggestion, in any case, it: take your pics with artificial, replicable  lightings and use always the same camera and the same angles.
From what I see, in the first set of pics, someone took that or you, in the seconds, you took by yourself.
To me, the lightings appear different too.
Sometimes, just a little difference in lightings, make a huge difference in pic.
To show you, I attach 2 pics of mine, taken 2 seconds apart.
In one I look bald, in the other, I look "normal".
Surprise surprise, the more lightings I had, the less bald I appeared.
In fact, in the bald pic, I have pic only from the back, in other I had lights from the back + light from the front.

[Aussie T]

Wow thank you everyone! It’s really important for me to have all of you guys support. I will keep doing what I’m doing and patiently wait 

[Aussie T]

On 12/3/2023 at 12:59 PM, duchaine said:

Mecroneedeling is a safe and inexpensive procedure DIY.
"Dermal papilla (DP) is the site of expression of various hair growth related genes. Various researches have demonstrated the underlying importance of Wnt proteins and wound growth factors in stimulating DP associated stem cells. Microneedling works by stimulation of stem cells and inducing activation of growth factors".
While it can be discussed to use MN as a mokotheraphy (but the question is: why should someone use MN only?) there is no doubt about its efficacy, showing a synergistic effect at least in conjunction with minoxidil.
I just quote a study "While the current evidence does not allow one to conclude superiority of microneedling over existing standard therapies for hair loss, microneedling shows some promise in improving hair growth, especially in combination with existing techniques".
I've read dozen of researches about this topic and all the researches show an improvement.
At the moment, is you are looking for safety, the best way is MN 2/week, 0,75 mm.
Studies has shown that higher frequency, shorter needles is better than lower frequency/higher needle, while other showed that an higher intensity and lower frequency is better (tI suppose that the efficacy of this kind of therapy is age related, as I discussed with a very smart guy on this board).

Look for a derma pen or a dermoroller. You will find a lot on amazon.

I see people speak without any cognition of the topic.
If you want to do your own researches, these are good starting points:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29194786/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064188/

I have bought a Dr Pen M8 

 

where could I find info about 

 

- how to do it (for how long, etc) 

- how often 

- what time of the day (eg before or after minoxidil) 

- what length of needles 

[duchaine]

3 minutes ago, Aussie T said:

I have bought a Dr Pen M8 

 

where could I find info about 

 

- how to do it (for how long, etc) 

- how often 

- what time of the day (eg before or after minoxidil) 

- what length of needles 

At the moment, I am doing 1mm every five days.
I use some minot before (because it makes easier to microneed) and some minox after.
Tipically, it takes 10/15 min for the whole head (temporal peaks included). I "push" the needles 4 times and then go another post (it is hard for me to explain because English it not my first lenguage)

All that I said I do is the result of years of researches.
I can't suggest anything to read or watch.... because you should spend years studying like I did

[Aussie T]

5 minutes ago, duchaine said:

At the moment, I am doing 1mm every five days.
I use some minot before (because it makes easier to microneed) and some minox after.
Tipically, it takes 10/15 min for the whole head (temporal peaks included). I "push" the needles 4 times and then go another post (it is hard for me to explain because English it not my first lenguage)

All that I said I do is the result of years of researches.
I can't suggest anything to read or watch.... because you should spend years studying like I did

Thank you what pen do you have?

do you use cartridges with 11 / 16/ / 24 /36 /42 / or nano? 

[duchaine]

7 minutes ago, Aussie T said:

Thank you what pen do you have?

do you use cartridges with 11 / 16/ / 24 /36 /42 / or nano? 

7 needles.
When I use the ones with more needles, I press 3 times only.

[Aussie T]

 

2 minutes ago, duchaine said:

7 needles.
When I use the ones with more needles, I press 3 times only.

I see, but how much pressure do you actually apply? And do you press 3 times in the same spot before moving to the next spot? 

[Aussie T]

Is it good if every five day I do the following at night before bed: I wash my hair with Nizoral 2% , apply minoxidil 5% , do 10 mins dermapen , apply minoxidil 5%, go to sleep 

[duchaine]

4 minutes ago, Aussie T said:

Is it good if every five day I do the following at night before bed: I wash my hair with Nizoral 2% , apply minoxidil 5% , do 10 mins dermapen , apply minoxidil 5%, go to sleep 

Great. Hope you will enjoy the trip...when the results start to come, every sacrifice becomes a pleasure!

[Aussie T]

How much pressure do you apply? 
 

im doing 16pins at 0.75mm and it hurts even when i don’t apply much pressure. 
 

and is it ok to do twice a week? Coz once every 5 days just doesn’t work for me . I either do it once per week or twice per week