Treatment Protocol?

[JohnMPB]

Adam,
Do you use brand name or generic fin? Where do u purchase it from? Also, using nizoral? What % and how often?
Thanks

[tedwuji]

Adam,
Do you use brand name or generic fin? Where do u purchase it from? Also, using nizoral? What % and how often?
Thanks

I only use finasteride and nothing else. All my result these past 5+ (almost 6 now) years is directly from that drug without any question. I do not use Nizoral shampoo.

I use a generic form of Proscar which I quarter using a 99cent pill splitter. I buy from a reputable national chain brick-and-mortar pharmacy in the USA and I recommend never buying online. Go to Walmart, Walgreens, etc.

My results have been great and I am sure I would have much less hair without this drug.


- Walmart is $9 dollars for 30 5mg pills 30x4(quartered) is 120 doses or days of use.
- I spend about 27 dollars per year and 15 seconds a day to keep a Norwood 2 hairline.

[tedwuji]

Adam,
Do you use brand name or generic fin? Where do u purchase it from? Also, using nizoral? What % and how often?
Thanks

I suggest starting with a single treatment alone so you can have isolated results. Otherwise you will not know which treatment is working and which is a waste of time and money.

[JohnMPB]

I suggest starting with a single treatment alone so you can have isolated results. Otherwise you will not know which treatment is working and which is a waste of time and money.

Good call. You do have an awesome head of hair. Any reason besides the above to not use nizoral? It has a few good studies backing it up and helps with dandruff (not sure if you suffer from dandruff or not). It's also otc and you only have to use it a few times a week.

[tedwuji]

Good call. You do have an awesome head of hair. Any reason besides the above to not use nizoral? It has a few good studies backing it up and helps with dandruff (not sure if you suffer from dandruff or not). It's also otc and you only have to use it a few times a week.

I am not fully convinced of it's benefit as it is not FDA approved for hair loss. I know of which studies you speak, however I have seen other ones that contradict them. To answer your question I have never had any dandruff issues. My guess is that nizroal shampoo would be a very marginal benefit for hair loss when used alone, at best.

[tedwuji]

I am not fully convinced of it's benefit as it is not FDA approved for hair loss. I know of which studies you speak, however I have seen other ones that contradict them. To answer your question I have never had any dandruff issues. My guess is that nizroal shampoo would be a very marginal benefit for hair loss when used alone, at best.

I have been considering using minoxidil ever since i passed the 5 year mark with finasteride, but it seems too involved for me. I think I won't do that either. Maybe I will just keep doing what works.

Oh and thanks for the compliments on my mop head of hair!

[JohnMPB]

I have been considering using minoxidil ever since i passed the 5 year mark with finasteride, but it seems too involved for me. I think I won't do that either. Maybe I will just keep doing what works.

If you are comfortable with your hair (pretty sure 99.9% of guys on here would be) then I agree-stick to what's working and what's easy. Given the 10 year fin results I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Good luck

[JohnMPB]

Oh and btw I doubt the company that makes nizoral would ever consider getting it approved for mpb. Just putting it thru the FDA trials would cost them hundreds of millions of dollars. They would never make that money back given that it's an 11 dollar bottle of shampoo. I can think of 3-4 small to medium scale results that show it is helpful. Doubt anymore studies will be done to show its efficacy. My thinking of adding it was it has some decent independent studies, it's relatively inexpensive, and I have to shampoo anyway. Anyway, That's just my lil rant.

[tedwuji]

Oh and btw I doubt the company that makes nizoral would ever consider getting it approved for mpb. Just putting it thru the FDA trials would cost them hundreds of millions of dollars. They would never make that money back given that it's an 11 dollar bottle of shampoo. I can think of 3-4 small to medium scale results that show it is helpful. Doubt anymore studies will be done to show its efficacy. My thinking of adding it was it has some decent independent studies, it's relatively inexpensive, and I have to shampoo anyway. Anyway, That's just my lil rant.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to add it. I have also considered all the things you have accurately pointed out here. John can I ask are you using anything now? What is going on with your hair? Are you very bald or just slightly recessed?

[JohnMPB]

I def have less hair than you. I'm 30 years old and a nw3. My loss is mainly concentrated at the front 1/3 of my scalp. I started balding very young- 15 or 16. I've been on fin, minox, tricomin, and nizoral for many years (8+). I'm trying to start a last ditch effort to try and gain some ground on my hairline- deciding between adding retin-a, high strength minoxidil, or dr proctors prescription proxiphen. Either way I'm not holding my breath because I'm almost entirely sure to get the nw2 hairline I want I would need a ht.

I've been on various hairloss forums since 2005 so I've seen many fads come and go and hopes for cures crash and burn. I think if you can stop your loss and get a good ht you are golden at least for your younger years.

Anyway, you're very lucky with your head of hair. I'd happily take yours in a heart beat haha.

[tedwuji]

I def have less hair than you. I'm 30 years old and a nw3. My loss is mainly concentrated at the front 1/3 of my scalp. I started balding very young- 15 or 16. I've been on fin, minox, tricomin, and nizoral for many years (8+). I'm trying to start a last ditch effort to try and gain some ground on my hairline- deciding between adding retin-a, high strength minoxidil, or dr proctors prescription proxiphen. Either way I'm not holding my breath because I'm almost entirely sure to get the nw2 hairline I want I would need a ht.

I've been on various hairloss forums since 2005 so I've seen many fads come and go and hopes for cures crash and burn. I think if you can stop your loss and get a good ht you are golden at least for your younger years.

Anyway, you're very lucky with your head of hair. I'd happily take yours in a heart beat haha.

Thanks again for your comments on my hair. I do appreciate the advantage finasteride has given me. I will be 33 before 2016 is over and I have a similar hairline to age 23. This absolutely would not be the case without the fin.

You being a norwood 3 post-30 is not all that bad, i suppose... of course it is normal to want more, but i feel society would consider your loss age appropriate. Also starting at age 15 id expect more loss. What do you feel is the most effective treatment you are currently using? Did you start all those things at the same time? How do you gauge which is doing what?

[tedwuji]

There is a poll with voting at top of page.

3,000+ views and 7 voters.

[JohnMPB]

Thanks again for your comments on my hair. I do appreciate the advantage finasteride has given me. I will be 33 before 2016 is over and I have a similar hairline to age 23. This absolutely would not be the case without the fin.

You being a norwood 3 post-30 is not all that bad, i suppose... of course it is normal to want more, but i feel society would consider your loss age appropriate. Also starting at age 15 id expect more loss. What do you feel is the most effective treatment you are currently using? Did you start all those things at the same time? How do you gauge which is doing what?

Yeah, still chasing my dream of being a norwood 2. Even though I'll be 31 in less than 3 months, I just got out of a long term relationship with a serious gf. Now that I'm back on the market I know from prior experience how much looks matter at least in the beginning to attract a mate.

I would say anyone starting to battle mpb needs to start out with fin as its:
1. Proven efficacy
2. Addresses the root cause of mpb (androgens)
3. Easy to take- just swallow a pill daily
4. Has long term studies (10 years as shown by the Italian Rossi et al study)

Then I'd say nizoral is a good and easy addition especially if you suffer from scalp issues. And let's face it you need to shampoo anyway. Good studies to back it up too.

Then if you need regrowth ir thickening like I did go ahead and add rogaine. I've only used the foam and irritation potential seems to be low. Again it's efficacy is proven. The only thing that seems to be an issue is patient compliance. Although you can get away with once per day application that's as far as I would take it.

So no surprise my recommendation is ultimately the big 3. Anything else is just icing on the cake and your returns will likely be minimal.

I started first with Propecia and niz for 2 years. Wasn't happy with where I was and added rogaine. 9 months to a year later added tricomin. I routinely took pictures to gauge where I was. Which reminds me I haven't done that in ages and really should.

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Those pictures are great, you can't even tell. You have what people going in for a transplant should be hoping to achieve, don't **** with it.

[tedwuji]

Yeah, still chasing my dream of being a norwood 2. Even though I'll be 31 in less than 3 months, I just got out of a long term relationship with a serious gf. Now that I'm back on the market I know from prior experience how much looks matter at least in the beginning to attract a mate.

I would say anyone starting to battle mpb needs to start out with fin as its:
1. Proven efficacy
2. Addresses the root cause of mpb (androgens)
3. Easy to take- just swallow a pill daily
4. Has long term studies (10 years as shown by the Italian Rossi et al study)

Then I'd say nizoral is a good and easy addition especially if you suffer from scalp issues. And let's face it you need to shampoo anyway. Good studies to back it up too.

Then if you need regrowth ir thickening like I did go ahead and add rogaine. I've only used the foam and irritation potential seems to be low. Again it's efficacy is proven. The only thing that seems to be an issue is patient compliance. Although you can get away with once per day application that's as far as I would take it.

So no surprise my recommendation is ultimately the big 3. Anything else is just icing on the cake and your returns will likely be minimal.

I started first with Propecia and niz for 2 years. Wasn't happy with where I was and added rogaine. 9 months to a year later added tricomin. I routinely took pictures to gauge where I was. Which reminds me I haven't done that in ages and really should.

This is a good post and interesting read. I agree with everything you've said for the most part. What did you see in terms of progress during that 9 months you simply added Rogaine to your daily regimen? You used it only once per day, correct?