Non-Big3, non BS treatments

[burtandernie]

Yeah I agree I dont think there are any that is why there such few treatments. Only a few took the time/money to prove they work verses just claiming they work.
There are plenty of things that might work like topical spiro, but I would argue topical spiro doesnt work because the vehicle doesnt work well enough. Spiro the actual chemical probably works really well. I think cosmo found it worked really well with more sophisticated delivery systems, its just the usual creams are not good enough delivery systems to get spiro to work equivalent to say internally.
People still debate whether topical spiro goes systemic, and if it doesnt it probably just isnt getting delivered properly hence it not working that well either

[DepressedByHairLoss]

I was just making the point that just because a treatment has not been approved by the FDA for hair loss does not mean it doesn't work. Truth be told, Nizoral doesn't do anything for hair loss and minox has a minimal effect. There are numerous experimental treatments that are WAY more effective than those two, including some more natural options that have decent studies backing their efficacy. The problem is, no one on this forum or anywhere else tries them and sticks to a regimen long enough to determine how well they work. Once they fail to see results after a few weeks, they call a treatment a "scam" and no one ever considers it again.

I agree with plenty of things that you said Ryan. First off, I too believe that Nizoral and minoxidil don't do much of anything. I haven't seen any evidence that Nizoral does a damn thing and I also have never seen any evidence of minoxidil achieving any significant hair regrowth at all. I laugh at how people refer to these treatments as the "Big 3" when 2 of 3 are just completely inferior treatments that don't do much of anything. Just goes to show how extremely underserved the hair loss community is.

I agree also that just because a treatment is not approved by the FDA, it does not mean that it is not effective at all. For instance, PRP and bone marrow stem cells have helped plenty of people with joint discomfort and osteoarthritis, in fact they've worked miracles in some regards. I too thought that PRP is given a bad wrap. Even though I haven't seen it work any miracles for hair loss, it has solid science behind it and I believe that if the procedure was tweaked a bit (increase the dosage, perhaps), then it could be much more beneficial. It also puzzles me how PRP can work absolute miracles for alopecia areata patients but not those with regular hair loss. I know they are two different conditions, but I don't think they're that drastically different after all.

[PatientlyWaiting]

There are lots of known treatments that haven't gone through FDA trials. Dutasteride, for example, is much more effective than finasteride but has not been approved for hair loss. Whether there are other safe, side effect free, and effective treatments is a different question.

Yeah and I use that. That's a drug with the same sides as fin. So it's pointless to even mention that as an alternative when it is stronger than fin. Personally I haven't had any side effects.

I think the OP is asking for hair vitamins, shampoos, supplements.

[PatientlyWaiting]

I don't know what's this talk about the FDA, there was no mention of FDA in my post.

There's nothing else out there that we know of that works. This is not about the FDA. MSM, Biotin, all of those hair vitamins, neither of them are for hair regrowth or slowing down MPB.

There's nothing out there but scams. TRX2? Try that.

[BigThinker]

"Non-Big3, non BS treatments "

[burtandernie]

Yeah I agree that I think nizoral is pretty over rated in terms of evidence, but hair loss treatments in general produce pretty pathetic results most of the time. Most pictures a guy that is badly balding before treatments is still almost identical afterwards.
I still say MPB was not treatable until propecia. Without that your going bald. Your only shot is maybe an experimental like RU but that is possibly more dangerous then propecia if it even works. No natural supplement or treatment works remotely as well as propecia. If it does I am waiting to see the evidence because without it how can it be said it works better then any other snake oil?

[Notcoolanymore]

Hair loss sufferers have tried everything to try to stop hair loss and regrow hair. I am sure if there was something besides the big 3 or dut we would have heard about it by now.

[25 going on 65]

I still say MPB was not treatable until propecia. Without that your going bald.

Agree. If you are on BTT & your regimen does not include fin or dut, you need to accept that you are probably heading to at least NW5
However it does seem like RU works pretty well for at least some guys

[Dan26]

The Ultimate Regimen is dut, RU, minox and niz.

[BigThinker]

The Ultimate Regimen is dut, RU, minox and niz.

How much more effective do you think that is than fin and minox alone (serious, not condescending question)?

I feel like fin + minox, or dut + minox (if fin doesnt work) is the most "bang for your buck", if you will.

[Dan26]

How much more effective do you think that is than fin and minox alone (serious, not condescending question)?

I feel like fin + minox, or dut + minox (if fin doesnt work) is the most "bang for your buck", if you will.

Considerably more effective I would say. This would be the ideal regimen for those with the most aggressive MPB. What's of even greater importance is starting fin/dut earlier!

What's good about RU is is blocks DHT AND T by taking up the androgen receptor. Fin/dut (especially dut) cause an increase in scalp testosterone so IMO a topical AA is ideal for the hairline/frontal area. Testosterone most likely DOES contribute to androalopecia, albeit not nearly as much as DHT does.

[Dan26]

Big 3 should do the job for most. One thing I'd say though is to a) Throw RU in there if fin does no stop your recession, or do it as a preemptive measure if you don't mind the hassel, and b) Get your DHT tested because dut is the more efficient 5α-reductase inhibitor for most of the enzyme variants and you could unluckily be one of the poor bloaks that fin doesn't help much (ie me ) lol.

[burtandernie]

My hesitation with RU is like any other experimental chemical. Suppliers, vehicle, does it go systemic, and so on. I just dont feel comfortable that route even though I have no doubt a powerful AA can stop MPB dead in its tracks. I think MPB can be completely prevented but propecia is not enough too many androgens left over and your hair still is susceptible and has abnormally high amount of receptors your still going bald on propecia long term maybe just not as severe or as fast.

[rdawg]

Maybe RU might be worth a shot, but I havent really seen alot of miracles with it, mostly similar results to fin(obviously enough to warrant a reccomendation).

Cant really reccomend Dut as it literally destroys your DHT, hasnt been studied enough but is obviously more powerful and thus will more likely have a more powerful affect than Fin.

other than that it's just guesses, hopes and prayers. But the research is definitely getting noticeably stronger.

[burtandernie]

I dont think its really ethical to recommend someone use an untested chemical like RU from an unregulated supplier. It really doesnt matter how many people on a forum claim something is legit or how many pics people post. Its dangerous to try anyway you spin it. Wait for a real proven safe treatment like CB in a few years. If you got cancer using experimental RU no one will help you.