[HELP - PHOTOS ATTACHED] What treatment should I use?

[thinninghair]

I am a 28 year old male. I have been thinning for about 3 years and in the last 6 months I have been thinning severely.

I have sandy blonde hair. I have 3 older brothers, and two of them have no hair loss and my oldest brother (who is 41) has thinning hair, but not as bad as me. At 28, my hair is significantly thinner. However, all 3 of my older brothers have darker hair.

I started using treatments about 3 years ago, when my barber recommended Nioxin. I used it for about a year, but found myself still thinning.

It was 2 years ago that I switched to Spectral DNC, as recommended at a beauty salon. That seemed to slow down the thinning more effectively, but results weren't great. I have continued to try different versions of Spectral DNC till this day.

I started using Spectral DNC - L about 8 months ago (that has 5% minidoxil) and my hair thinning has never been worse. I just ordered 3 more months supply of Spectral DNC - N that DOES NOT use any minidoxil, (it uses 5% Nanoxidil) and there are a lot of good reviews for this.

I have hope with the Spectral DNC line because of the initial success I had using it 2 years ago, but I think I need to take action and start using something else. I also ordered a month supply of Hair Maxx (built with solubilized Keratin) which I figured can't hurt since it treats different aspects of hair loss.

My hairline actually hasn't receded too much, it's just severely thinning everywhere but the sides at this point.

I am single and make a decent income, so I really don't care how expensive any treatment is...I'd spend $1,000/mo to stop thinning and/or regrow hair.

What treatments would be most effective at this point?

Am I a good candidate for a HT?

This pictures were taken this week:

[Notcoolanymore]

You need to get yourself on the proven stuff if you want a chance to stop your hair loss and maybe even grow some back. Big 3 is what you want to try: Finasteride, minoxidil, and Nizoral. Give this stuff at least a year to work before making any final judgment on effectiveness.

I don't know much about the Spectral line of products, but at best it is repackaged minoxidil. Spending more for minoxidil doesn't mean it will work any better.

Lastly, since you said you shed before using a product containing minoxidil, expect it to happen again.

[thinninghair]

Thanks for the quick reply, man.

I guess I need to either try the fin or Nizoral, seeing that Minidoxil hasn't worked for me in the past.

I have been studying this forum for the past 3 hours, but I am still a rookie with all this hair loss lingo...I am hearing a lot of "RU or CB" for treatments...what is this?

Also, it does not look like I am a good candidate for a HT as I am severely thinning everywhere on the top, correct?

[Dan26]

Get on the big 3 man....RU as well if you really wanna go hard

There is still hope

[thinninghair]

what is RU?

Also, how do you get prescribed Propecia (fin) ? Do I just go to any doctor and tell them I want it? I have never tried this before.

[PatientlyWaiting]

RU is an experimental drug with very little documentation backing it up, it is to readily available in the U.S. Those who tell you they use it are also on minoxidil and other hair loss treatments, so it's difficult to know if RU is really effective for them. I have read many times that RU is about as effective as Finasteride(Propecia), supposedly without the "sides".

Your hair thinning on top does not eliminate you from an HT but I think an HT doctor will first advise you to use finasteride and minoxidil for 6 months-1 year and then see if you still want an HT now that you stabilized your hair loss. I would consider using 1mg finasteride a day and minoxidil every day for a year to stop your hair loss and possibly even give you some regrowth if you're lucky.

[thinninghair]

Ok, so this would be finicideride and rogaine? what do you recommend as the minidoxil?

[PatientlyWaiting]

For the RU sentence in my above post, I meant "It is not readily available in the U.S."

Rogaine is minoxidil. Minoxidil is the drug name of Rogaine. There's also Kirkland's and a few other brands. They are all the same, the price varies.

Finasteride is the drug name for Propecia, there's also Proscar, Finpecia, and there's plain generic Finasteride.

[thinninghair]

Ok awesome. Thats a great help. I thought Propecia was the only one for fin.

Any recommendations for which fin? Which minidoxil?

I've always stayed away from Rogaine because my issue has never been so much the cortex of my scalp, but more in the front and top.

[Notcoolanymore]

Ok awesome. Thats a great help. I thought Propecia was the only one for fin.

Any recommendations for which fin? Which minidoxil?

I've always stayed away from Rogaine because my issue has never been so much the cortex of my scalp, but more in the front and top.

I get my fin and minoxidil online. I am comfortable that it is legit, and it is cheap. I don't feel like doing the math right now, but it literally costs cents per day.

If you don't want to go that route, then use the name brand stuff. It costs more, but if it gives you peace of mind then it's worth it.

Minoxidil can work in other places besides the crown. I use it all over the top of my head. Just remember with Fin and Minox, it is a long term commitment. Three months isn't long enough to tell whether or not it is working. You may have to wait as long as a year before seeing any kind of results.

[thinninghair]

Thanks a lot for your help everyone.

I think I will grab the fin and the minidoxil. At this point, I have enough hair where it looks pretty good with the right thickening agent, so I would rather go this route before a HT.

Aside the obvious side effects of fin (i read some of those other threads...hope i dont get the puffy nips), are there other risks with backfire? Like, fin or minidoxil triggers crazy shedding or thinning?

If there is no risk of reverse effects, it seems like a no-brainer to me.

If the symptoms begin to appear, lower the dose, correct? I am hearing long-term effects are extremely rare.

[thinninghair]

@notcoolanywhere thanks for those tips, any links to your online sources? Amazon/ebay? Has this fin/min combo proved effective for you over the years?

[Notcoolanymore]

@notcoolanywhere thanks for those tips, any links to your online sources? Amazon/ebay? Has this fin/min combo proved effective for you over the years?

I get 5mg Finasteride(fincar) pills online. Just google inhousepharmacy and it should be the top link. I get generic(kirkland) minoxidil 5% from amazon. I have only been treating for a little over 8 months(8 months minox, 7 months fin) now and I have had some regrowth. I have a thread in the introduction section of this site if you want to check it out.

As far as shedding goes, I would say to expect it. It will be tough, but you have to fight through it. This is probably the toughest stage in the treatment process.

[thinninghair]

Thanks.

I am ordering fina now. start with the 1 mg pills, right??

Also, I am asssuming move up to the 5 mg eventually.

Do you have the link to your guide you were referring to?

[redy]

no no no,

the thing is that the 5mg pills are cut into fourths (usually) to use 1.25mg each time. The reason being is that the 5mg are cheaper than the 1mg because of their different designations.

the 1mg pills are much much more expensive, but you don't have to cut them.