Out of options, finasteride and minoxidil have failed me and my hairline. What would you do?

[bojangles]

My story: 30 years old, thinning out NW2.5 (no crown loss so far thank god). 2007-2009 I was on Zix, folligen and nizoral, and I'm convinced the Zix slowed down my loss, but I gave it up for propecia in the Fall of 2009. Five months later I had to quit due to a lump and pain in my breast. Went back on zix for a year which didn't seem to do anything and then went on Rogaine foam in March of 2011. I used it usually twice a day, sometimes one a day, until 4-5 months ago when I started using it 3x/day religiously. I've been using Folligen spray and a shampoo (2% keto until a few months ago, then switched to Saw Palmetto shampoo) most of this time. There was one point last september when I thought things were getting better, but that may have been a fluke or my imagination. My hair now is worse than it was 16 months ago when I started Rogaine. My hairline's a bit worse overall and the back of the temples have been severely thinned out for a couple months now. Yesterday I decided to go off the minoxidil and have not used it in 48 hours.

At this point I don't know what to do. I've considered RU but it's expensive, looks like a pain to deal with, and it sounds like it's prone to going systematic and causing sides. Other ideas I have tossing around in my head are: derma-rolling, Super Zix II which has topical SP/beta sitosterol, doing something crazier like Equol or TB4, or just going back to my old regimen of Zix/Folligen/keto shampoo and riding it out. Equol and TB4 sound interesting (maybe there are other equally interesting experimental treatments I'm not aware of) but I don't know where to start with them, and it sounds like they're pretty expensive. I don't make a lot of money so I can't be spending hundreds of dollars a year unless it were a one-time thing.

Any suggestions? It seems like my only shot at successfully treating my male pattern baldness at this point (ie not just slowing down the hairloss) is something experimental and expensive, and I don't know how far I'm willing to go down that route. Maybe more than I thought I would a month ago.

 

[Lead Farmer]

Don't give up yet, you've yet to try the best weapon against male pattern baldness - dutasteride.

I've been taking it once every 3 days for the past month and I'm already noticing a big improvement, not cosmetically (it's too early for that), but in that the "DHT itch" and irritation is FINALLY gone completely. My hair is feeling and looking healthy and I'm feeling very optimistic. This is after finasteride and minoxidil did nothing for me.

I recommend trialing it at least as it's your best chance to both maintain and improve upon what you have.

 

[bojangles]

Are there people who get sides from finasteride but not from dutasteride?

 

[WarLord]

My story: 30 years old, thinning out NW2.5 (no crown loss so far thank god). 2007-2009 I was on Zix, folligen and nizoral, and I'm convinced the Zix slowed down my loss, but I gave it up for propecia in the Fall of 2009. Five months later I had to quit due to a lump and pain in my breast. Went back on zix for a year which didn't seem to do anything and then went on Rogaine foam in March of 2011. I used it usually twice a day, sometimes one a day, until 4-5 months ago when I started using it 3x/day religiously. I've been using Folligen spray and a shampoo (2% keto until a few months ago, then switched to Saw Palmetto shampoo) most of this time. There was one point last september when I thought things were getting better, but that may have been a fluke or my imagination. My hair now is worse than it was 16 months ago when I started Rogaine. My hairline's a bit worse overall and the back of the temples have been severely thinned out for a couple months now. Yesterday I decided to go off the minoxidil and have not used it in 48 hours.

At this point I don't know what to do. I've considered RU but it's expensive, looks like a pain to deal with, and it sounds like it's prone to going systematic and causing sides. Other ideas I have tossing around in my head are: derma-rolling, Super Zix II which has topical SP/beta sitosterol, doing something crazier like Equol or TB4, or just going back to my old regimen of Zix/Folligen/keto shampoo and riding it out. Equol and TB4 sound interesting (maybe there are other equally interesting experimental treatments I'm not aware of) but I don't know where to start with them, and it sounds like they're pretty expensive. I don't make a lot of money so I can't be spending hundreds of dollars a year unless it were a one-time thing.

Any suggestions? It seems like my only shot at successfully treating my male pattern baldness at this point (ie not just slowing down the hairloss) is something experimental and expensive, and I don't know how far I'm willing to go down that route. Maybe more than I thought I would a month ago.

Such a chaotic switching of treatments can only lead to a guaranteed failure. You should start with minoxidil and/or finasteride from the beginning, and not to lose time with inferior stuff. Furtmermore, quitting minoxidil is very risky and can lead to shedding. You don't have to give up anything. First, measure your hormonal values (testosterone, DHT, free testosterone) and second, you can add dutasteride (preferably in combination with minoxidil).

 

[Michael84]

After all, you always have an option of being shaved with a decent skinhead look.int:

 

[bojangles]

Such a chaotic switching of treatments can only lead to a guaranteed failure. You should start with minoxidil and/or finasteride from the beginning, and not to lose time with inferior stuff. Furtmermore, quitting minoxidil is very risky and can lead to shedding. You don't have to give up anything. First, measure your hormonal values (testosterone, DHT, free testosterone) and second, you can add dutasteride (preferably in combination with minoxidil).

Not sure what you mean by "chaotic switching". I initially avoided propecia and minoxidil due to a fear of sides (I was right) . I went on propecia and had to quit due to breast growth. Tried minoxidil for 16 months with nothing but loss. If I were 9 months in it would be one thing, but it's been almost a year and a half with 4-5 months of doing it 3x a day. Those are both failures in my book. What is the reasoning behind dutasteride behind a good option when finasteride caused breast growth? Are there people who experience sides on finasteride but not dutasteride?


Also, wow....http://www.gourmetstylewellness.com/interac...eceding-hairline-propecia?p=667030#post667030
sigh