I made a plan for treatment. Is anyone interested in seeing the results? [w/pics]

[kpat]

I've been on minoxidil for my hairline for around a year, and recently I've been looking into alternatives to finasteride because I'm afraid of its side effects. Basically the new additions I've come up with are:

Saw Palmetto 450 mg daily
Pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup daily (1 serving)
Decaf Black Tea 8 bags daily (100 mg theaflavin)
Biotin 10 mg daily

I will be doing this for 6 months (along with continuing the minoxidil) and then deciding what to do next. I was originally going to just check again in 6 months, but I will update a little more frequently if there is an interest here.

Here are pictures of what my hairline is right now. I have shoulder-length hair, so I pulled it back.

 

[Dark Link]

Are you sure you are balding? You have leonardo Dicaprio's hair and he isn't balding...

 

[stop dht]

I m sure u r losing hair but not sure how aggressive it is . And i dont think your treatment gives u much , its for mild hair loss . I tried 2 month oral saw palmetto 300 - 600 mg daily with min + biotin 10 mg but i m not really sure if i got benefit so use big guns keep taking finasteride

 

[psyhotria]

Sure balding big. However the "upgrades"-to-be is a waste of time and money. If you want to move this thing you need minoxidil, ketoconazole (because of minoxidil), RU, finasteride or dutasteride at least. finasteride or dutasteride can be used topically at very low dose, effectively without systemic effect. Neogenic (stemoxydine) is another one.

 

[Dark Link]

Sure balding big. However the "upgrades"-to-be is a waste of time and money. If you want to move this thing you need minoxidil, ketoconazole (because of minoxidil), RU, finasteride or dutasteride at least. finasteride or dutasteride can be used topically at very low dose, effectively without systemic effect. Neogenic (stemoxydine) is another one.

Show me the studies that show finasteride is effective topically? Bryan Shelton claimed that it wasn't. I'm going to trust him on that one.

I will admit that he is probably balding. Although his hair line is similar to Leonardo's the OP does seem to have a sharper V in his hair line compared to Leonardo.

 

[kpat]

Are you sure you are balding? You have leonardo Dicaprio's hair and he isn't balding...

You are too kind. Unfortunately it's been confirmed by two dermatologists that it's male pattern baldness, and it was worse before the minoxidil.

Sure balding big. However the "upgrades"-to-be is a waste of time and money. If you want to move this thing you need minoxidil, ketoconazole (because of minoxidil), RU, finasteride or dutasteride at least. finasteride or dutasteride can be used topically at very low dose, effectively without systemic effect. Neogenic (stemoxydine) is another one.

Are you saying I need one of the things you listed, or all of the first three and then either finasteride or dutasteride? And where/how can I get topical finasteride/dutasteride?

 

[Dark Link]

You are too kind. Unfortunately it's been confirmed by two dermatologists that it's male pattern baldness, and it was worse before the minoxidil.


Are you saying I need one of the things you listed, or all of the first three and then either finasteride or dutasteride? And where/how can I get topical finasteride/dutasteride?

I think most of us here would agree that your HAIR needs finasteride. YOU don't need it. But you may want it.

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So you identify yourself as a woman, and normally wear wigs? I'm not making fun I'm just curious.

 

[kpat]

So you identify yourself as a woman, and normally wear wigs? I'm not making fun I'm just curious.

I identify as non-binary, partly as a man and partly as a woman. I'm currently figuring a lot of stuff out so I don't "normally" do anything, haha. I've been experimenting with wigs.

 

[Dark Link]

So like ghirahim from skyward sword!?

That could be your avatar...

 

[kpat]

Haha, I'm a more lighthearted person that they are, and I prefer brighter clothing. But I never played that game.

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Also, so would I need to take RU /and/ finasteride? Don't they do the same thing?

 

[Dark Link]

Also, so would I need to take RU /and/ finasteride? Don't they do the same thing?

No they aren't the same. I have done zero research into RU. Finasteride is an RA inhibitor that blocks testosterone from being converted into DHT. It's only proven to be effective if taken orally. RU is topical and is thought to block something else that causes hair loss. This drug is more of a black market deal and isn't approved for hair loss.

 

[kpat]

Ah, ok. Well, I can't afford RU anyway, let alone RU and finasteride, so I'd have to get finasteride.

So I guess the new question is how harmful would it be to wait 6 months to see how this regimen goes before going on finasteride?

 

[Dark Link]

Ah, ok. Well, I can't afford RU anyway, let alone RU and finasteride, so I'd have to get finasteride.

So I guess the new question is how harmful would it be to wait 6 months to see how this regimen goes before going on finasteride?

It's hard to tell. Some men lose all of their hair in 1 - 2 years. Some men slowly lose their hair for 20 years.

Honestly if you've been confirmed that you have male pattern baldness, the sooner you start finasteride the better. It's whether or not you are comfortable using it. Trying other options first isn't a bad idea because its safe. But you might lose hair and regret it.

 

[kpat]

So I guess it's back to the thinking pot :\ I might eat my words, but I'm optimistic about waiting. I'm not shedding at all like a lot of guys on here describe. I barely notice losing any hair on a daily basis.

 

[psyhotria]

Show me the studies that show finasteride is effective topically?

On a side note: Brian S. is dead. Now, I would not claim things if I could not back them up. There are several studies about the subject of topical finasteride (TF).One such paper that deals with low dose TF is "Mazzarella at all - Topical finasteride in androgenic alopecia". I do not know if it is available online, but you can search "Topical finasteride in androgenic alopecia" and you will get hits.

Are you saying I need one of the things you listed, or all of the first three and then either finasteride or dutasteride? And where/how can I get topical finasteride/dutasteride?

Unless you are a super responder to a single treatment - like finasteride or minoxidil - you would want to use synergism, attacking male pattern baldness from as many angles as possible. In such a case you would need: - a 5-ar inhibitor (i.e. finasteride or dutasteride), an androgen receptor antagonist (i.e. RU), a growth stimulant (i.e. minoxidil), and a substance that antagonises PGD2 (i.e. cox inhibitors or OC, TM). Because minoxidil may upregulate 17ß-HSD the use of ketoconazole is advised to counter, and also ket interferes with steroido-genesis in general - preferrably as a lotion either from shampoo or cream, whereby alcohol is added (i.e. propylene alcohol). So, a good topical regimen would consist of: dutasteride, RU, minoxidil, Ket and OC.

 

[kpat]

Unless you are a super responder to a single treatment - like finasteride or minoxidil - you would want to use synergism, attacking male pattern baldness from as many angles as possible. In such a case you would need: - a 5-ar inhibitor (i.e. finasteride or dutasteride), an androgen receptor antagonist (i.e. RU), a growth stimulant (i.e. minoxidil), and a substance that antagonises PGD2 (i.e. cox inhibitors or OC, TM). Because minoxidil may upregulate 17ß-HSD the use of ketoconazole is advised to counter, and also ket interferes with steroido-genesis in general - preferrably as a lotion either from shampoo or cream, whereby alcohol is added (i.e. propylene alcohol). So, a good topical regimen would consist of: dutasteride, RU, minoxidil, Ket and OC.

What is OC?

 

[zzzzz]

just finasteride is good you don't need RU And finasteride. topical finasteride is likely a waste. I heard it needs to be processed in the liver anyway to have results.

 

[Agahi]

Start finasteride or dutasteride. Your future self will be glad you started it sooner rather than later. I'd still be my solid dense nw2 if I had instead of my nw3 almost limbo im in now.

 

[kpat]

Start finasteride or dutasteride. Your future self will be glad you started it sooner rather than later. I'd still be my solid dense nw2 if I had instead of my nw3 almost limbo im in now.

If you don't mind me asking, what is a brief history of your treatment and progress?

 

[Agahi]

4~ years finasteride 6~ minoxidil. I started minoxidil thinking it would do the trick because I didnt know any better. Worked great for about a year then I started getting huge loss. Came tothis site learned of finasteride and started it immediately. Refused then and now to read any stories about side effects, and never got a single side (aside from maybe slight ball ache for a week).

Maintained exactly what I had when starting finasteride, no true regrowth. Got some baby hairs past my loss pattern after a bit though they never got longer. I started the treatment banned on this site and got some more slightly longer baby hairs all the way down which wont get longer than arm hair.