Oh my god what did I do

[viper3two]

My hair has been thinning as I get older. I am 46. I thought I would give Rogaine a shot. Bought a 6 month supply of Kirkland 5% liquid. Along with that I got a bottle of 1000mg Biotin and some Nizoral shampoo.
I use the Rogaine once every night, I massage it in. I take the Biotin daily and wash my hair with the Niz about every 3rd night.

Now for the kicker. I am on month 4 and holy shit has my hair fell out since I started. Temples are huge now and I can see my skull. My hairline is all jacked up, looks like a hair every 1/4 or so now. I am getting very cold feet at this point, but I read that you have to get through the initial shedding and you have to stick with it. My hair really has taken a big dump, it looks aweful.

The reason I guess I am freaking so bad is I had a brain aneurysm in 2009 and have a nice big 9" question mark scar on my skull. It's gonna suck ass when my hair falls out I look really bad. It's showing now with my hair falling out...ugh!!! I guess I am kinda proud that I kicked death's ass but damn I look like Frankenstein, no shit. You guys who are freaking out over going bald without a brain surgery scar really have nothing to worry about. I don't mind going bald, but damn that scar.....

I have 2 questions:
1. Should I give it up and hope my hair grows back or keep on trucking with what I have? I thought I would see signs of regrowth by now? I don't want to add propecia, I don't wanna mess with my dick.
2. What the hell happened to Nizoral? I was gonna buy some more on Amazon but about crapped when I saw the prices...$125 for 4oz? That's crazy.
Thanks for the input!

[StuckInARut]

Ultimately it's up to you. I don't take Minoxidil personally but have read about the initial shed. Best advice I can give you is to keep using it and hopefully the hairs that shed will grow back in stronger than they were before. As for Nizoral, there is a shortage currently so best thing to do is to get a prescription for the 2% version from your doctor.

[viper3two]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I will stick it out a couple more months and see if anything happens. I looked really close this morning and there are these tiny tiny little hairs that you can't see that are sprouting but they are very few. I just figured by now I would see something.
And thanks for the update on the Niz, was wondering what was going on with that, prices are outrageous.

[GuyFromUK]

Definitely stick with it. When I started on minoxidil I had a horrific shed which I was convinced would never end. And then around month 4 to 5 I had the most tremendous regrowth imaginable.

I am so glad I didn't quit during my shed. I was literally days away from quitting and then the huge regrowth suddenly started overnight and it was the best feeling ever,

Most people who have huge sheds often have the best regrowth.

You might if you want to speed things up a bit start doing minoxidil twice a day instead of once. This will hopefully push you into the anagen growth phase quicker.

[viper3two]

Sounds great I will stick to it. Geesh I shed like hell, never dreamed it would almost go bald lol. I'm gonna stick to my guns. Tell you what I will try to go once in the morning then once in the evening as well. Let's hope for the best!
Thanks for the reply

[frankJ]

Hey man. Have you tried propecia? It work's pretty good in my experience, 17 years. For me it stopped MPB dead in its tracks for many years.

[viper3two]

I ain't messin with my dick. That shit scares me based on what I have read.

[25 going on 65]

Try getting a rx for 2% keto shampoo (nizoral). I have a prescription and do not pay nearly that price. Plus 2% is what the MPB studies used.
I get your concerns but I really would consider fin. Even if you regrew what you shed on minox, that will eventually jump ship on you. I get your concerns but for men over 40 with more advanced hair loss, fin is very well tolerated +thoroughly studied.

Good luck w/e you decide to do, I hope you get enough coverage to feel comfortable

[viper3two]

Hi 25 going on 65
I will talk to my doc next month when I go in for my bp/anny check. I will see if she will write an rx for for the 2% keto, I am sure she probably will.
You know I actually ordered a pack of fin about 3 years ago, from overseas somewhere, forgot where actually...and it came in. During the wait I read and read up on this stuff and I guess I just freaked. It is still sitting in my drawer. Now, roll time forward 3 years. Survived my brain aneurysm thank God. Knocked me out of work 6 months. Scar looks like shit. Thanks to that I have inverted a bit and I am not as outgoing as I was, and I think part of that led to my divorce which I just got. Stress of that and buying a house/moving out...and starting rogaine I believe has all added up to my hair just taking a big dump. So...long story is I ain't gettin any anyways at this point...so the thought did cross my mind to maybe try it. I don't know really if I should or not. So maybe I might wait a couple more months and see how this rogaine goes. If not I may give the fin a shot. I am 46 now so I am getting up in my years and probably will tolerate it good. I appreciate you and everybody in this thread's input on this...it is helping me deal with it! I will keep ya posted on my progress. And ...thanks again.