Monoxidil

[Julius Caesar was bald]

I'm 28 and started noticing my hairline receding when I was 12. I thought it was bad then but looked at pictures from when I was 21 and it looked tons better than it does now. I have become a norwood 4. the front third of my crown is nothing but whispy and very thin hair. It's almost like you could count them.

I started using monoxidil about 2.5 months ago. When I first commited to doing this I bought a 1 month supply (because I didn't want to wait to have money for a 3 month supply) and ran out for maybe a week before getting a 3 month supply and starting again.

Initially I was put off for so many years because I seemed to hear a lot that it might not work. Well so far It is obvious to me that it works on the front third of my scalp where I apply it most heavily. At first I followed the recommended dosage but eventually I got to where I would do it 3 times a day once I noticed the first rogue hairs that were growing in front of my existing hair line. These are like full length and full thickness hairs that are way to the front of where hair used to grow. Around those hairs the short blonde vellus hairs are turning dark and I have noticed they are lengthening. Also more full thickness fast growing hairs are appearing on the sides of my widows peak every week or so.

I still don't know if I will ultimately have the results I'm looking for, but I know now without a doubt that it works. With the large doses I use I get some wicked dry scalp but I apply it with leave in conditioner with shea butter and coconut oil. It looks like I put gel in my (nonexistent) hair, but I don't care. My scalp is dry anyway so It's probably just plain good skin care to use the conditioner anyway, the monoxidil is just a good excuse to finally start taking care of my scalp again. I don't think I could ever sport the shaved look again, it just doesn't look that good on me unless I'm going goth or something.

Oh, I'm about 5 foot 5 and weigh 135 pounds, was a vegetarian for 5 years (during early twenties when I was in the height of hairloss) smoke, drink and generally don't take care of myself but am still in decent health and eat two high protein meals a day. might start exercising soon, need some muscles to go with the head of hair I will hopefully be sporting by next summer.

[Julius Caesar was bald]

Oh and I will definitely start using fin If I can get a script. Does anybody know, can you get this drug without a prescription, I've seen websites but I don't know if it's legit. I really don't feel like I need a doctor for this one. I mean it would be a good idea for me to see a dermatologist in general but I know I want to try finasteride/propecia.

[Julius Caesar was bald]

and I think i read here that you can get Nizoral at walgreens? Is this really true I couldn't find it on the shelf last time I went. I guess I'll have to call around. What other chains carry it?

[Tracy C]

I started using monoxidil about 2.5 months ago...

It normally take about four months before you start seeing velus hair (peach fuzz). Then it normally takes up to a year for the peach fuzz to start looking like normal hair. I would say you are doing well. I don't think you need to use it three times a day though. I would recommend using Rogaine foam in the morning because it is stealthy - no one can tell you have it in your hair. I use Rogaine foam in the mornings and Walmart Equate brand generic women's Minoxidil in the evening.

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/rogaine-minoxidil/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/rogaine-minoxidil/tips-on-minoxidil/

Oh, I'm about 5 foot 5 and weigh 135 pounds, was a vegetarian for 5 years (during early twenties when I was in the height of hairloss) smoke, drink and generally don't take care of myself but am still in decent health...

Quit smoking. Smoking is very detrimental to treating hair loss. Getting enough exercise will help your circulation, which should help in treating your hair loss.

Does anybody know, can you get this drug without a prescription?.

You need a prescription to get Propecia or generic Finasteride. Many men get a script for generic Finasteride in 5mg pills, then cut the pills into four pieces to make their daily dose. This saves a lot of money over the cost of Propecia.

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/propecia-finasteride/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/propecia-finasteride/tips-on-propecia/

and I think i read here that you can get Nizoral at walgreens? Is this really true..?

I buy Nizoral A-D at Walmart or CVS. I've seen it at Target and many drug stores. There was a shortage this past year. I think that shortage has been resolved though because the last time a bought a bottle I saw a half a dozen bottles on the shelf at Walmart. If you want the 2% prescription strength version, you need to get a script from a doctor.

Don't over use Nizoral. Once or twice per week is enough for Nizoral A-D (which is 1%). If you get the 2% version, only use it once per week. Make sure you are also using a good quality moisturizing conditioner almost daily.



Since you are doing so well with Minoxidil so far, you might want to consider trying the laser comb for a while. I've been using one for years and I am very happy with how well it has helped improve my hair.

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/laser-therapy/hairmax-laser-comb/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/laser-therapy/hairmax-laser-comb/fda-clearance-for-hair-loss-in-women/

As the number of your velus hairs increase, you might also be able to benefit from using a cosmetic camouflage product such as Toppik, XFusion, Nonogen or Surethick. I just started using Toppik to hide my part and it does a surprisingly good job. All four of these products are keratin microfibers that bond to your hair to make it look thicker than it is. It stays in really well but still washes out with normal shampoo.

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/cosmetic-camouflage-products/toppik/

[Julius Caesar was bald]

Hey, thanks for the response. I remember reading once that once a hair goes vellus it never goes back. Just want to say it's important not to lose hope.

[Tracy C]

I don't know where you read that but from my personal experience I would have to say that is not true.

[Julius Caesar was bald]

Update

So I'm seeing really good improvements. I'm still very thin in front but I'm getting a lot of new hairs in front of my hair line, if you can call it that. I was getting terrible dandruff and a sore and I finally saw a dermatologist. I got some finasteride. It's the finpecia from cipla in India. It turns out I didn't have dandruff but I had seborrheic dermatitis, which is a candida bacteria, and it was causing my skin to peel off in large pieces. I suspect the DHT might have been causing it because I'm on my 5th pill today and I haven't washed my hair and I have hardly any noticeable dermatitis. Also no sexual side effects noticeable. The first pill made all my skin feel somewhat numb, it's hard to describe. I had an itch on my bicep and no matter how hard I scratched it wasn't subsiding because my bicep was sort of numb. It went away and I haven't noticed anything but I think I feel improved circulation in my crown and some the new monoxidil hairs are thickening at the base. I was a bit skeptical whether the cipla was real or not because it took over a month to arrive and didn't come in a box, and the fact that it's generic 1 mg pills and they didn't ask for my prescription. I researched it and it seems to be a well known company, anyway because of how severe my DHT skin related problems were I know it's having some effect. I did have an intense pain in my groin for about 5 minutes but I had a hernia surgery a couple years ago and I've had intermmitent pain from that in the same area so it would be really hard for me to attribute it to the drug. It's hard not be have psychosomatic effects with all the bad reviews. I feel like I can piss better too, I've never been diagnosed with any prostate problems though. Anyway I've been "testing" myself and the plumbing seems to work and I might actually get a chance to use it now.

[Julius Caesar was bald]

before it was literally like a thick crust of dead layers of skin and sand like grit was forming on my scalp every day. If I didn't use nizoral every day I would get at least large flakes within 48 hours. Something told me this is not normal. DHT is nasty stuff, I think it's really toxic.