viperfish said:Deaner a success story?? :lol: Just kidding! All the same, you will still see many of these people complain, even some that are a full year into their existing treatments. Do you really think that the majority of people that come here are here because their treatments are not working? I really don't.
There are also many that have been on treatments for a long period of time that have not had success (I will not name names). However, I do get your point! But, still people have to be reasonable about what 'success' really is in the realm of hairloss. Success may be just being able to hold onto your hair for an 'extra year' with no distinguishable cosmetic difference in their hair. For many, including myself, this is not really success.
Although, I have come to realize that I will never be happy with my hair. Being on treatments allows me to say, "Whelp at least I'm doing something!". Although, I know in my heart that I cannot expect much and will never be 'really' happy. Hence, why I say get on something and move on with your life............hairloss really is trivial when you think about it. I, like the next person, am not happy with my situation, but have_come_to_accept_it.
sherwood said:you would be very hard pressed to find instances where people say i was once positively losing my hair and now it has stopped ...
WithTheLidOff said:Even maintenance is a good result.
Best of luck everyone !
jimmystanley said:viperfish said:Deaner a success story?? :lol: Just kidding! All the same, you will still see many of these people complain, even some that are a full year into their existing treatments. Do you really think that the majority of people that come here are here because their treatments are not working? I really don't.
There are also many that have been on treatments for a long period of time that have not had success (I will not name names). However, I do get your point! But, still people have to be reasonable about what 'success' really is in the realm of hairloss. Success may be just being able to hold onto your hair for an 'extra year' with no distinguishable cosmetic difference in their hair. For many, including myself, this is not really success.
Although, I have come to realize that I will never be happy with my hair. Being on treatments allows me to say, "Whelp at least I'm doing something!". Although, I know in my heart that I cannot expect much and will never be 'really' happy. Hence, why I say get on something and move on with your life............hairloss really is trivial when you think about it. I, like the next person, am not happy with my situation, but have_come_to_accept_it.
viper..we don't want to hear this from you. what we want to hear is that eucapil is doing wonders for you in terms of maintainance and that the lasercomb is thickening your hair up nicely...not that you have 'accepted' going bald.
Doctor Evil said:Now, why dont people on these boards seem happy with available treatments? A few ideas...
1) Non-responders or poor responders seek out these boards... The studies do show some people get less hair regrowth and maintenence. If the first treatment you try works you may very well not seek out sites like this. (For me, I started proscar 4-5 years ago, and didnt seek out a hair loss site until I noticed thinning again years later. I sure wouldnt be here if things had continued to go smoothly as it does for some... Now I have adjusted my approach and hope to happily "disappear" again once im sure its working : )
2) Not everyone is using the "big 3" or the most proven regimine... Laser combs and topical anti-androgens and inflamil MAY help, but you would be hard pressed to find studies showing objective regrowth... If you arent on the proven treatments (finasteride, rogaine, nizoral) you are a "study of one," and it is hard to know what to make of your success or failure...
3) Hairlines are tough (F'ing temples), and available treatments may or may not tackle the hairline as well as crown and vertex... It is harder to apply topicals to the hairline, and they seem predisposed to go fast and early. Rogaine and Finasteride dont have indications for the hairline, probably for the reason that benifits are more marginal there and harder to demonstrate. Even with maintenence in other areas progression in "problem areas" produces complaints on the board. (my plan is to try retin-a or other creams at the hairline to help out other treatments).
4) Regrowth is tough... Sadly I am NOT happy with my current hairline (though I bet in 10 years I would take it back happily) and unless some major improbable frontal regrowth occurres I will remain a little discontent. This despite the fact that I knows maintenence for 10 years would be a major victory... Even succeeding (regarding maintenence) with a well designed program I will probably gripe and be dissatisfied.
So, I think that there are treatments that work for a lot of people... Choose the proven treatments as early as possible and you will probably enjoy a significant delay in progression... and certainly do better than you would have with no treatment. Notable regrowth can be hoped for, but not expected (sigh). If progressing despite multiple treatments used faithfully you may have a stronger predisposition than most, and may need a little extra effort/innovation in treatments.
Whether hairloss can be delayed indefinitely is an unanswered question (not studied)... Posts on these boards suggest not everybody can maintain forever, but the above studies (limited to single drugs) suggest that MOST people can maintain for years. If you find yourself not falling into that group there are less conventional treatments to turn to (dutasteride, RU) before throwing in the towel.