Beginning Treatment

[badgenetics]

Hey all,

I join and posted in these forums about a year and a half ago here, so to summarize: at the time I was 20 years old and had a Norwood 1.5. Now I'm 22 and I still have a Norwood 1.5, but I've noticed over the past few months that the hair around my hairline and temples has thinned, I've had very slight temple recession, and the most significant loss is some serious thinning on the area right at my crown and above it. I guess my genes have finally kicked in and so I want to get feedback/suggestions on the treatment I'm intending to do.

Right now I'm starting 1 ml/day of 5% minoxidil as well as twice weekly shampoos with Nizoral. In about a month and a half when I get back to school I'm going to start .625 mg/day of finasteride. The one major concern I have is that reading on these forums and elsewhere it seems like these treatments tend to lose their effectiveness at 5+ years. In your experience (for long time users or those who know) is this true? If so, which treatments tend to become ineffective? If these treatments merely keep the status quo for 5 or so years, then I might hold off using them until my hair becomes more of a cosmetically significant issue. Thanks for the help!

 

[bubka]

Some people see regrowth and maintain it (myself), some people maintain, some people slowly lose hair over time... There is no perfect answer

 

[badgenetics]

Yeah, that's what I'm beginning to realize...there's no best answer to what treatment to use.

So after doing some more reading (particularly Mew's posts) I'm a bit worried about starting finasteride. While I could be okay with a slight decrease in my sex drive, I definitely do not want gynecomastia to occur. I know it's a very small percentage who get it, but that risk coupled with how out of whack my hormones will be really worries me.

Should I go with my original plan of starting finasteride or should I opt for revivogen instead? Revivogen will cost me a bit more, but to be honest even as a student it's worth not having the possibility of the finasteride side effects if revigogen has a good chance of working. Am I worrying too much about finasteride or would starting out with revivogen be a better decision? Thanks in advance for all of your help!

 

[bubka]

Yeah, that's what I'm beginning to realize...there's no best answer to what treatment to use.

So after doing some more reading (particularly Mew's posts) I'm a bit worried about starting finasteride. While I could be okay with a slight decrease in my sex drive, I definitely do not want gynecomastia to occur. I know it's a very small percentage who get it, but that risk coupled with how out of whack my hormones will be really worries me.

Should I go with my original plan of starting finasteride or should I opt for revivogen instead? Revivogen will cost me a bit more, but to be honest even as a student it's worth not having the possibility of the finasteride side effects if revigogen has a good chance of working. Am I worrying too much about finasteride or would starting out with revivogen be a better decision? Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Mew is a whining as titty baby who just wants people to go to his website. Multiple studies have shown that side effects are less than 2%. I cannot think of any other drug that is that low.

I have not seen one "success story" here on this forum of this "revivogen"

 

[badgenetics]

I've read a few stories about people who claim it is moderately successful (it at least maintained). It also seems like most people who are dissatisfied with it and bad talk it only used it for a few months, and I feel like it would take at least a year to be sure.

i just want to give a topical DHT inhibitor a chance first before screwing with my hormones on finasteride or dutasteride. I know many people here are skeptical of topical DHT inhibitors, but I was hoping to give one of them a try before starting an oral inhibitor. Of the topical DHT inhibitors (spironolactone, Revivogen, Crinogen, Saw Palmetto, Flutamide, any others I'm forgetting) which would you recommend? Even if you think they won't be effective, I would just like to know which one has the best shot at being effective. Thanks guys!

 

[Norsk]

If you are ever gong to take the chance on finasteride, I think it's better to get on it as early as possible. I would advice you to get your hormones checked before you start taking it. And if you experience significant side effects (e.g. very low libido), don't wait for months, hoping they will go away eventually.

If you insist on trying topicals first I'd go with Revivogen or Proxiphen. (Or a Proxiphen/Revivogen combo if you don't care about the price). I have a slight preference for Proxiphen myself. This isn't based on any scientific expertise on my part, just my impression based on what I've read about other people's experiences on hair loss forums.

Some people have complained about systemic absorption when using topical spironolactone or topical flutamide, so I believe these treatments aren't completely safe. Granted, proxiphen contains spironolactone, too, but only a small amount, I think. Never heard of anyone having side effects from it.

Even though I am using topicals I don't personally believe they are as effective as finasteride. I just can't handle internals, and the only thing I have to lose by trying topicals is money.