Hey bud, here's my personal advice influenced my own hairloss story. 3 Years ago my hair started thinning in the crown around the swirl, much like you are right now in the pictures you've posted. I was 23. I didn't do anything for a year, hoping that it won't advance, or progress. Hoping im not like the others who are balding or are completely bald ... simply because I wasn't at that stage. In other words, I was acknowledging that there is a change in the thickness of my crown and yes I knew i was balding ... yet i was still in denial ... because it wasn't THAT pronounced at the time ... and thus no one would notice. Try and guess what happened?
A year later my hair got thinner in the crown, to the point where I couldn't fool myself anymore (mind you, no one else actually noticed, including my gf of 3 years, my friends and family to this day) but I did. You must know what im talking about since you're facing the same situation as it seems. So here's what I did after wasting 1 year, alienating myself with useless natural hairloss remedies such as natural oil scalp massages, shampoos, etc.....that show no results except make you feel better while you're actually loosing more hair.
I finally went to see my family doctor and a world renowned hair transplant surgeon ... both of which prescribed me Propecia .... But I didn't take it ... hoping for other less invasive alternatives, as I was worried about the side effects everyone raves about.
Got on Rogaine 2% x 2, 1 pill of organic Multivitamins and 1 pill of MSM 1000 and Nizoral %2 every second day, mg and massaged my head daily for 5 minutes daily ... I shed for a month, and shaved my head to make the application of Rogaine easier. Then my hair stopped falling out completely.
The result. 8 Months later I had the dark thick hair and full crown I had when I was 16 (kept my head shaved for about 6 months). It was as if a miracle happened indeed. No spot of baldness whatsoever ... and without the use of Propecia.
I quickly got used to it ... it was as if i was never lost any hair. I felt incredible, didn't think about it anymore ... I felt like i cured and beat MPB. I was an ignorant fool. My hair started falling out again 1-2 months after noticing how great it was. I thought it was just a periodical shed, as my head was full with thick hair and no signs of balding. I grew my hair long for almost a year ... sported a great haircut, while the shed continued. About a month it finally stopped, luckily .... but at the same time, ive noticed how thin my crown has gotten. It's practically to where I started. The rest of the hair is still good and i believe, better than before I started the "regime".
Today I've finally went back to my doctor and got the prescription for Propecia. I'm about to finally do something I should have done a year and half ago, when I noticed i have regained all my hair back and I have a full head of great hair that I should try to preserve as best as I possibly can.
Chances are I would still have the hair I did just over a year ago if I was on Propecia (given it worked for me with no serious side effects).
SO as a final thought and wrap up to my personal story, what I'm trying to say is ... when you will look at yourself in the mirror, and notice a big bald nice clean spot at the top of your crown, you'll be MUCH more willing and MOST likely to get on Propecia and do ANYTHING possible to save your hair .... BUUUUUUUUT, BIG BUT, it will be too late to get all your back. Thus, at that point, you will be taking the risk of being on Propecia, and risk all the possible side effects, while the possible gains from the drug will be next to ZERO ( as you will most likely just maintain what you already have and you are not happy with).
SO, again, for your hair's sake .... make the choice of being on Propecia, or not EVER being on Propecia now, while you still have hair to keep. After it's gone, you'll be taking Propecia just for fun.
I told myself I'll wait a year to see what happens. I got all my hair back. So i said **** Propecia ... wish I didn't as I will be getting on it at the end of this month anyway, so really... no difference. The end result is the same. I'm getting on it ... except I have less hair.
I'll once again expect something next to a miracle and full crown as It has happened in the past. People still cant tell im balding and would tell me I'm crazy when I tell them (except fam and doctors) .... What can I say, It's not that advanced yet and I'm good with styling my hair.
Now that you have my story, and know where I am and coming from in terms of hair ..... here's my own personal recipe for success as a summary.
Rogaine 5% (2% worked miracles for me somehow - make what you want out of it)
Nizoral 2% (every 2-3 day )
MSM 1000 mg daily
Multivitamin Complex
Massage scalp
And wish I already have tried Propecia ... but that's changing starting next month.
PS. I didn't try Propecia because I was scared of the side effects, and risked losing my hair. Now that i've lost part of it, I'm more scared of losing more hair than I am of the POSSIBLE side effects. All doctors prescribe it, I've seen incredible growth results and success stories from people who have been on it. Some swear by eat after being on it for 15-20 years and claiming it has maintained their since they first started balding at ages as young as 20.
I hope it works and there are no side effects. I hope it does the same for you if you decide to get on it, and I hope you find a solution to your MPB. This is my advice based on my own personal experience, success and failures, and research. Whatever you make out of it and whatever patch you choose to go is up to you. But know that time is hair, and emu oils, and essential oil scalp massages will just distract you from curing the problem. It's like you doing nothing, but pretending. If you are going to do nothing about your MPB, then start getting used to the idea that you will be bald in the near future and learn how to be ok with that. Otherwise, take action ... you've got tons of hair left to fight for ;-) Good luck
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Just so you know and to prevent possible confusion, Rogaine foam is Minoxidil, just the name brand version of it - and in a different form, foam instead of liquid. Rogaine foam is very stealth. No one can tell it is on your scalp. Liquid Rogaine (and generic liquid Minoxidil) shows until it is dry - and it takes too long to dry for morning convenience. Many women use men's Rogaine foam in the morning for that very reason.
I use a leave-in treatment to protect my hair from the heat of my styling tools; hair dryer, curling iron and straitening iron. Since my hair is long, the leave-in treatment also prevents fly-aways. It has nothing to do with Rogaine. It's because I have long hair and I like it to look as pretty as I can.
Honestly, that is not very realistic. Though I suppose some people might get lucky - if they catch hair loss in time and start doing something about it right away. Hair follicles that have gone dormant can stay that way for a number of years before they die. I don't know how many years that is - but it probably depends on the persons genetics. Anyways, dormant hair follicles can be re-started with stimulation. Dead follicles can never again grow hair. Maybe he got really lucky and caught it while the weakened follicles were still only dormant but had not yet died.
I need to repeat what I said about the frequency of using Nizoral. Nizoral is great, but it can damage your hair if you use it too often. The 2% should not be used more often than once per week unless a doctor has specifically directed you to use it more often than that. The 1% "A-D" version can be used every three to four days without causing damage. You should also use a good quality moisturizing conditioner when you use Nizoral. Nizoral can also dry your hair out. It is a good idea to condition every day.
I had never heard about using coconut or emu oil before this thread. I have heard about massaging Aloe Vera gel with vitamin E into your scalp - but you don't leave that in for long. I actually do this myself before my evening shower. I don't know if it actually helps - but I do like how it feels to massage my scalp. Fruit of the Earth makes an Aloe Vera gel with vitamin E mixed in. I just water it down so it can be sprayed out of a spray bottle and use it that way. Otherwise it's just too thick to massage with.Leave a comment:
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Of course juicing is the worst thing you can do. People that use hgh, testosterone boosters, and even hormone supps are basically asking to lose hair. I dont use steroids or anything other then drink a protein shake once per day (which i think everyone should do but thats another story). My problem lies from lifting weights because it creates more testosterone in the body, i dont want to slow down lifting weights but i do not want to go bald either. Doing cardio exercises or sports does not create as much test in the human body
Im already using niz 2% and i also have head and shoulders zinc shampoo/conditioner in 1 bottle. But ye i dont plan on using any pills or drugs im only 20 i dont want to permanently f myself up.Leave a comment:
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I completely understand, I was too scared as well until last week when I wanted to see what people on here thought of my hair situation. I will definitely take pictures though!
I guess that was a dumb question to ask on my part, definitely makes sense that if you stop anything it will get worse from there.
Okay sounds good, after the Rogaine you have a leave in treatment though? I thought it was just rogaine in morning then mino in the evening? Will this stuff make my hair look greasy or anything like that when I leave the rogaine foam during the day?
Okay thank you, I will look into this more before I decide on which formula to purchase.
And also Tracy if you have some spare time take a look at this (I was using this guys regiment)
You have to sign up on the forum and they will send you a confirmation to your email (mine ended up in junk mail. If you go to the Herbal and Alternative Health Treatment section the first topic sticky’d at the top of the page is “hair is growing back that hasn’t in five year” by oldwood. Basically he uses;
Saw palmetto – 2 pills per day
Nizoral 2% - 2-3 times per week
Coconut oil – applies to his scalp nightly
Emu oil – applies to his scalp nightly (and hairline)
This guy had his hair thinning out on his head and a receded hairline which in months he brought back to normal and thicker than ever. I was using the same regiment as him since mid-September, almost a month now because I was amazed at what he had done. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think. Only difference is he shaved his head bald, I did not. The thread is long so his progress pictures are on pages; 2, 3, 12, and 28, you have to admit its pretty incredible.Leave a comment:
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Bud, changing your lifestyle to try and lessen your hair loss is a fool's errand. Most people argue that being fit means you'll have better circulation on your scalp, which will lead to the treatments being more effective.
The only exception to this is juicing. The damage done with that is very, very extensive. Even worse you don't even realize it until a few weeks afterwards.
All I can say is - get 5% minoxidil, Niz shampoo and a decent shampoo/conditioner. That's it. No need to break the bank. Use that for at least 6 months and gauge if you improved. If not, add other treatments. Leave the pills for last, because I promise you it will throw your hormones out of whack.Leave a comment:
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I take pictures every two months to track my progress. I am sorry but I am not comfortable posting pictures of myself on the internet. However, I highly recommend you track your progress with a photo diary as well. I described the poses you need on the first page of this thread.
Hereditary hair loss is progressive. If you stop any treatment for hair loss, you will lose any and all benefits of that treatment. Yes you will start losing your hair again. I do not know how quickly or slowly that happens.
Yes, you apply it morning and night and leave it in all day and all night.
I take a shower in the morning and another after my evening workout. I put both my morning and evening doses in while my hair is "towel dry damp"... In the morning I also use other products as I pretty up my hair for the day - but the Rogaine foam goes in first, then my leave-in treatment, then I blow dry (on lowest setting) and style my hair, then hair spray. In the evening I just put the liquid Minoxidil in after I towel dry my hair and let it air dry till bedtime.
5% is the strongest approved formula. Stronger formulas increase your chances of experiening negative side effects.
Mix up your work outs. You need to have variety in your work outs anyways. Do weight bearing one day, cycling another day, skating another day, yoga another day etc.Leave a comment:
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Hey thank you for your quick replies. Just wondering but do you have your own personal before and after pictures?Rogaine and generic Minoxidil are available in most pharmacies and many other retail stores. You do not need a prescription for it. Judging from your pics, I do think you would benefit from Minoxidil as well.
I use men's Rogaine foam (5% Minoxidil) in the morning because it is more "stealth" and it makes styling my hair in the morning easier. Then I use generic women's 2% Minoxidil liquid in the evening. Rogaine does not offer the foam in the women's 2% formula.
If you chose to use Rogaine or generic Minoxidil, I would recommend using men's Rogaine foam in the morning and generic men's 5% Minoxidil liquid in the evening. This will save you a little bit of money.
Also, please make sure to read and understand the information that comes with the medicine. Make sure you are aware and understand about shedding - and that shedding is a normal part of the process of treating hair loss. It freaks people out. Don't get freaked out by it. It is normal. Every treatment for hair loss that actually works causes temporary shedding. Shedding is an indication that the treatment is working. The shedding stops when the miniaturized hair follicles have returned to close to normal size. The hair grows back. Ride it out.
Nizoral A-D is the over the counter 1% version of Nizoral. I did not know you are already using Nizoral 2%. Now that I do know that, what I said about not over using it still applies but even more so with the 2% version. Since you are using the 2% version, you should only use it once per week unless a doctor has specifically directed you to use it more often.
I would if I were you.
I know it is not my place to talk about Finasteride (Propecia) but you might want to talk to your doctor about it. If the possibility of side effects scares you, give a quality Saw Palmetto complex a try. Nature's Bounty makes one. I am sure other companies make a comparable product. Here are a couple of links to the product Nature's Bounty offers. One of the links is to the PDF file of the label showing the ingredients so you can use that to find similar products that might cost less. As is the case with Finasteride, it will take 12 full months of using it as directed before you will know if it is working for you or not.
I use Nature's Bounty's "Hair, Skin and Nails" multi-vitamin formula. I don't know if it actually helps or not - but I keep taking it anyways just in case it does.
http://www.naturesbounty.com/VF/LABELS/L007580-NB.PDF
As far as rogaine and mino go, what happens if I use it, shed, regrow some damaged hair follicales and then stop using it say 2 years from now. Will my hair start shedding then? i just feel like if i use moni and rogaine and once i stop i will quickly lose hair
Also you apply the stuff in morning and night correct.. do you apply it and leave it in the whole day, 7 days per week? Generally ill wake up, shower then should i dry my hair and put the stuff in? then at night after school i usually lift weights then shower before bed so ill put it in again then i assume on wet or dry scalp.
Or am I supposed to put it in then wash it out say an hour after?
Also if there is stronger roagine or mino i would be willing to pay extra bucks for the best stuff out there.
In terms of propecia i do not want to try it im way too scared and do not think its neccessary for me right now. As far as the saw palmetto i am taking organikas saw palmetto , not sure how much it compares to the one you provided me with but ill research into that more. It also helps for prostate which my grandfather had so i will for sure take it monthly!
The one thing i hate about hair loss personally is the fact i have extremely high testosterone levels which works against my hair growth and the fact im obsessed with working out 4-5 days a week creates more testosterone. atleast ill never need viagra i guessLeave a comment:
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Rogaine and generic Minoxidil are available in most pharmacies and many other retail stores. You do not need a prescription for it. Judging from your pics, I do think you would benefit from Minoxidil as well.
I use men's Rogaine foam (5% Minoxidil) in the morning because it is more "stealth" and it makes styling my hair in the morning easier. Then I use generic women's 2% Minoxidil liquid in the evening. Rogaine does not offer the foam in the women's 2% formula.
If you chose to use Rogaine or generic Minoxidil, I would recommend using men's Rogaine foam in the morning and generic men's 5% Minoxidil liquid in the evening. This will save you a little bit of money.
Also, please make sure to read and understand the information that comes with the medicine. Make sure you are aware and understand about shedding - and that shedding is a normal part of the process of treating hair loss. It freaks people out. Don't get freaked out by it. It is normal. Every treatment for hair loss that actually works causes temporary shedding. Shedding is an indication that the treatment is working. The shedding stops when the miniaturized hair follicles have returned to close to normal size. The hair grows back. Ride it out.
Nizoral A-D is the over the counter 1% version of Nizoral. I did not know you are already using Nizoral 2%. Now that I do know that, what I said about not over using it still applies but even more so with the 2% version. Since you are using the 2% version, you should only use it once per week unless a doctor has specifically directed you to use it more often.
I would if I were you.
I know it is not my place to talk about Finasteride (Propecia) but you might want to talk to your doctor about it. If the possibility of side effects scares you, give a quality Saw Palmetto complex a try. Nature's Bounty makes one. I am sure other companies make a comparable product. Here are a couple of links to the product Nature's Bounty offers. One of the links is to the PDF file of the label showing the ingredients so you can use that to find similar products that might cost less. As is the case with Finasteride, it will take 12 full months of using it as directed before you will know if it is working for you or not.
I use Nature's Bounty's "Hair, Skin and Nails" multi-vitamin formula. I don't know if it actually helps or not - but I keep taking it anyways just in case it does.
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Tracy, what is the difference between Nizoral 2% and Nizoral A-D shampoo? Im using the 2% now. If the laser comb works well for me and i decide to do laser therapy should I also still use minoxidil and Niz?
But yeah at 20 my hair loss isnt too significant more thinning then anything but it makes me sick to my stomach to even think about this, let alone see pictures of my hair close up .Leave a comment:
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So does everyone on here most likely use the minoxidil/rogaine 5%? Where/how do i get this?
BTW, my pics are in the first post at the beginning of the thread so take a look for yourself about the back part balding. I feel like my hair all over the top is just started to get thinner including the back, I havent noticed severe shedding i dont think.
I will start using the laser comb as Tracy mentioned probably to see if it works good for me.Leave a comment:
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For those men who have more than moderate hair loss, yes laser therapy is going to be a complete waste of money - but so is Minoxidil at that point... For some men and women with mild to moderate hair loss, laser therapy can be helpful. It worked for me. Unfortunately laser therapy does not work for everyone. Hairmax has a 20 week money back guarantee. That is plenty of time to find out if laser therapy will work for a person. I personally feel it is worth it to at least find out if laser therapy will work for you. If it does, great. If it doesn't, take advantage of that money back guarantee and get your money back.Leave a comment:
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The doctor may not be intentionally lying but he likely is mistaken. Hereditary hair loss is a progressive condition. You need to keep treating it to prevent it from progressing further. This does not end. Even those who have hair transplants will continue losing hair if they do nothing to slow it down or stop it.
I think it would be best to try laser therapy at home first before putting so much money down. At least with the laser comb, you can get your money back if you don't see improvement within the 20 week money back guarantee period. If it does work for you and you feel you would benefit from laser therapy with a hood system, then go under the hood at the clinic. That way you will already have your laser comb to keep up with maintenance treatment for the long haul.
Laser therapy does not work for everyone. For those it does work, it works well. For those it doesn't work, it's a complete waste of money. So it is best to find out if it will work for you before you pay out so much money to a clinic for hood treatments.
It depends on how much hair you have lost. At only 20 years old, I can't imagine you've lost much. If laser therapy works for you, I think you will be happy. Don't forget to also start using Nizoral A-D shampoo. No hair loss treatment regimen should be without it. Just don't over use Nizoral. Once every three or four days is plenty.
I started out with just low level laser therapy for my first six months of treatment. The laser comb worked for me - and worked well. I needed more though, so I started using women's Rogaine as well. I've been using both my laser comb and Minoxidil as well as Nizoral A-D shampoo ever since. I grew a lot of hair back on this regimen - but that still wasn't enough and it was patchy. I don't want to be a bald lady and the thin patchy look wasn't working for me, so I had hair transplant surgery. However even though I have had hair transplant surgery, I keep up with the other treatments so I can keep what I have gained back.Leave a comment:
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First off, congratulations. You made the decision to join a legitimate forum on the web of people all over the world suffering from the same thing as you do and medical professionals who specialize in this field. You've done this shortly after you noticed your balding. Bravo. I wish I had the foresight at 20 as you do. Would've had a hell of a lot more fringe.Yeah I read the information. Here is the website of the place I checked out;
I would be doing a 12 month program. The doctor I spoke with basically told me that it starts off coming in 3 times per week then once a week then later just once a month. You mentioned that its not something you can just stop however after I year and that I have to keep going to maintain? The doctor said after the treatments for a year i shouldnt start balding again for 10ish years but he could be lying there.
I am going back tomorrow or i will just call them to discuss refunds and stuff like that. I feel the place I went to is legit, the doctor seemed a bit pushy though. The place is located in Yorkville in Toronto so the company definetly has money, only the richest shop and dine in that area so I would assume the doctors there are good.
Other then the low level laser I do not think the other alternatives are good. Im 20 years old, i dont want to start taking drugs so stop the hair loss i want some regrowth. I have enough money to do this but as you said I have to make sure its a legit place and I feel it is. Of course i am going to look for other places in toronto to compare prices as well.
I just feel desperate you know i need to do something asap so i dont lose more hair
Anyways, pretty much everyone here will recommend you use minoxidil/rogaine 5% because this has shown the most success with males in their early 20s balding from the back (that's you!). So add that to your regime.
Later, if it's working, you'll experience a shed. This will make you panic. You'll come back and ask if that's normal. Someone will then reassure you it'll only be a few weeks and then you'll start seeing the results you hope for.
The most controversial factor on this forum is the proscar/finastiride/propecia debate. Some of us (including me) feel it's a dangerous drug which could permanently mess you up in ways you can't imagine (especially since you're only 20), so I would recommend you leave it as a last alternative if the other treatments don't work at all. Others will say you need to do everything you can while you're young and if something untoward happens you can just stop it. As for saw palmetto, I never saw any results and I'm pretty sure it wasn't good for me, so I stopped it after a few fruitless months.
Only other thing I always suggest to people is - use the Niz shampoo only every 3rd or 4th day. More often than that will actually damage your hair. And lastly, add a hair system like Nioxin or (urgh) Nisim. Those will definitely help.
PS - The laser doctor is lying his ass off. Hair loss can't be "delayed" for a few years. It's progressive from puberty and won't stop till the day you stop producing testosterone. Grim I know, but since laser combs are also a big debate concerning their efficacy, I would rather spend my money on other treatments.Leave a comment:
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Yeah I read the information. Here is the website of the place I checked out;
I would be doing a 12 month program. The doctor I spoke with basically told me that it starts off coming in 3 times per week then once a week then later just once a month. You mentioned that its not something you can just stop however after I year and that I have to keep going to maintain? The doctor said after the treatments for a year i shouldnt start balding again for 10ish years but he could be lying there.
I am going back tomorrow or i will just call them to discuss refunds and stuff like that. I feel the place I went to is legit, the doctor seemed a bit pushy though. The place is located in Yorkville in Toronto so the company definetly has money, only the richest shop and dine in that area so I would assume the doctors there are good.
Other then the low level laser I do not think the other alternatives are good. Im 20 years old, i dont want to start taking drugs so stop the hair loss i want some regrowth. I have enough money to do this but as you said I have to make sure its a legit place and I feel it is. Of course i am going to look for other places in toronto to compare prices as well.
I just feel desperate you know i need to do something asap so i dont lose more hair
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