The scalp inflammation/itchy/burning/tingling thread

[jamesst11]

James, did you get any other signs of hyperandrogenism from Fin, or Dut? Like oilier skin/hair, acne, increased libido? I think people who respond like that are generally ****ed by AAs. Which makes me scared to go on Dut but I have no other choice now but to try and reduce scalp DHT. Please keep us updated with how Dut is going for you.

I don't have SD, my scalp looks completely healthy/normal and been to many derms/trichologists who confirmed its just AGA. Also don't have TE - I've never shed more than 5-10 hairs in the shower.

My forehead was dry as a bone and my scalp didn't seem to oily, the only region was the hairline and an inch below it that was super oily. I would wake up, rub my fingers across it and my hands look like I just ate a pound of fried chicken, lol...It was somethng else man. I take showers and lost probably 50-100 hairs easy. My libido was rapidly fluctuating at first and then it remained pretty high.

I don't know what to do. I think I am actually going to drop DUT and FIN cold turkey for a few weeks and see how my scalp feels. People say this is a mistake, but f*ck it. I hate these drugs. I will continue with RU 10% every night and 15% compounded minox. I want to try and isolate these damn medications to only my scalp and see if it makes a difference. I will continue derma rolling as well. I think this is awesome for overall scalp and follicle health. Dermarolling induces a damage that initiates an explosion of growth factors to the area.

[Dench57]

James, did you get any other signs of hyperandrogenism from Fin, or Dut? Like oilier skin/hair, acne, increased libido? I think people who respond like that are generally ****ed by AAs. Which makes me scared to go on Dut but I have no other choice now but to try and reduce scalp DHT. Please keep us updated with how Dut is going for you.

I don't have SD, my scalp looks completely healthy/normal and been to many derms/trichologists who confirmed its just AGA. Also don't have TE - I've never shed more than 5-10 hairs in the shower.

[mic28]

All good. I've been RU since the start of December although in that time I've played about with vehicles and concentrations so need to stick to something consistent. At the minute I'm using 100mg/2ml. One thing that I am paranoid about is that my RU was batches in March 2015. Wonder if this is too long before I received it and it may be ineffective.
I haven't tried dermarolling but I have been tempted. Does it only provide short term relief? As in 1-2 hours?

[jamesst11]

Yeh James it could also be TE. I still believe I have the same symptoms as yourself.

RU has helped the odd days here and there but then I'm back to square one. I've certainly lost a lot more hair the more i think about hair loss. I remember when it wasn't that bad how I was generally ok. Now that I am so paranoid, I am constantly running my hands through my hair, in turn causing hair fall and making the situation worse. I am going to try not touch my hair throughout the day and try my best to forget about it as I believe this could be part of the possible TE cause. RU could well be working but just being overridden by the TE from stress. Either way and as bad as diffuse that I am getting now, I still believe if we get to the bottom of it, this diffuse loss can be recovered from

how long have you been on RU? what concentration? (sorry, you've probably already answered this somewhere) do you microneedle your scalp ever? - this is one of the FEW things that seems to give me relief. I dermaroll (not too aggressively) and apply minox and then a little RU. There have been a couple studies that have shown a pretty drastic increase in hair counts in the dermarolling group.

[mic28]

Yeh James it could also be TE. I still believe I have the same symptoms as yourself.

RU has helped the odd days here and there but then I'm back to square one. I've certainly lost a lot more hair the more i think about hair loss. I remember when it wasn't that bad how I was generally ok. Now that I am so paranoid, I am constantly running my hands through my hair, in turn causing hair fall and making the situation worse. I am going to try not touch my hair throughout the day and try my best to forget about it as I believe this could be part of the possible TE cause. RU could well be working but just being overridden by the TE from stress. Either way and as bad as diffuse that I am getting now, I still believe if we get to the bottom of it, this diffuse loss can be recovered from

[jamesst11]

James and Dench, do you think we are possibly looking into the MPB side of things too much rather than the possible seborrheic dermatitis that has been caused my finasteride? I'm just wondering as RU hasn't been doing a lot for me and still getting the itchy scalp. Could be something solved with a good seborrheic dermatitis treatment?!

good point... but doesn't seborrheic dermatitis always result in dandruff and flaky skin? I never ever had this while on finasteride... How long have you been on RU? It hasn't helped at all?? I am starting to think I may slowly taper off finasteride and just go all topical. This is confusing and frustrating as all f*cking hell. My hair is horrible, SO diffused thin, you can see through the entire thing, like whispy f*cking cobwebs.

My venting aside. I think it's TE. I have had this twice in the past and had the EXACT same symptoms - general mild itch in MPB zones. But, more significantly, the EXACT same pinpoint burning in the EXACT same spot. and the feeling of ants under my skin, crawling from the left temple, to the mid-section and too the back. rinse and repeat...

Actually, with 100% certainty I think finasteride can cause TE, and if you don't get off it, it can become chronic. MANY serious medications can do this, why the hell not fin? I also believe that something like RU, especially if it doesn't go too systemic, would be unlikely to cause TE. If is WAS dermatitis, and hair loss resulted from it, I doubt it would get to the point it has now. TE is the only answer, not dermatitis, not up-regulation of receptors, not increase in T. ONLY TE can cause hair to fall out this quick, only TE. I am not sure if that is your case, but it must be mine.

[mic28]

James and Dench, do you think we are possibly looking into the MPB side of things too much rather than the possible seborrheic dermatitis that has been caused my finasteride? I'm just wondering as RU hasn't been doing a lot for me and still getting the itchy scalp. Could be something solved with a good seborrheic dermatitis treatment?!

[jamesst11]

I don't know man... first few weeks on DUT and 15% minox and my scalp felt a lot better. Obviously, I became foolishly optimistic. Past few days and my scalp feels worst than ever. It may be because I started RU, and I am allergic to the PG or the alcohol and it's irritating my scalp? Don't know. I doubt that's it because I have used lipogaine and 5% minoxidil for years, both of which I think contain those ingredients and never had this king of irritation. I think I am going to back off a little and reduce everything by a little bit... This is the f*cking worst experience I could ever imagine. I would literally chop both of my hands off right now to have decent density and a healthy scalp.

[Dench57]

Yo James,

It's been ages so I can't remember - did you get this scalp burning/inflammation crap as a reaction to Fin or did it just start happening naturally?

That is one hell of a regimen. Hope it works out for you. Like you I feel like I'm in last chance saloon in treating this burning scalp, my only real options are Dut and then, god help me, Spiro. I've tried everything, recently tried Prednisone and it barely did anything. I'm currently using Seti/CB/RU and it's barely helping either.

I know that this burning/itching is DHT, though I still have no idea how Fin caused it. It's been nearly 18 months now though, and I'm quite sure it's permanent. I've got a pack of recently ordered Avodart sat on my shelf thats been staring me down for the last few weeks. I'm waiting to get my DHT blood results back before I take the plunge.

[jamesst11]

I am bumping this thread because it is an extremely important, relevant topic. Dench, I don't know if you're still on here, but yeah... same experience as you. Every scalp sensation you can imagine, accompanied by pretty drastic loss. After carefully analyzing before and after pics last night, I would estimate a loss of about 30% all over the scalp, but especially in the crown and mid scalp. I said f*ck it and want to find out if ANYTHING will work. I have the most extreme regiment now, one step under oral spiro -

1) DUT - 1.5mg / day
2) finasteride - 5mg a day (that's right. for some reason, they filled 90 pills at once and I can get it super cheap, so might as well
3) RU - 10% dissolved in 1.5 ml/ day
4) dermarolling 1-2 times a week
5) 15% minoxidil compounded with fin, azeliac
6) nizoral- 2% twice a week
7) supplements - fish oil, castor oil, multivitamin, MSM,

I am obliterating DHT at all levels... if this doesn't work, nothing will. Understand that I have had a transplant, which makes going bald 10x more stressful (for me at least). I am frustrated, exhausted, and anxious as f*cking hell. I have started a thread, where I will be posting pics. Hope you are well.

[jamesst11]

I am bumping this thread because it is an extremely important, relevant topic. Dench, I don't know if you're still on here, but yeah... same experience as you. Every scalp sensation you can imagine, accompanied by pretty drastic loss. After carefully analyzing before and after pics last night, I would estimate a loss of about 30% all over the scalp, but especially in the crown and mid scalp. I said f*ck it and want to find out if ANYTHING will work. I have the most extreme regiment now, one step under oral spiro -

1) DUT - 1.5mg / day
2) finasteride - 5mg a day (that's right. for some reason, they filled 90 pills at once and I can get it super cheap, so might as well
3) RU - 10% dissolved in 1.5 ml/ day
4) dermarolling 1-2 times a week
5) 15% minoxidil compounded with fin, azeliac
6) nizoral- 2% twice a week
7) supplements - fish oil, castor oil, multivitamin, MSM,

I am obliterating DHT at all levels... if this doesn't work, nothing will. Understand that I have had a transplant, which makes going bald 10x more stressful (for me at least). I am frustrated, exhausted, and anxious as f*cking hell. I have started a thread, where I will be posting pics. Hope you are well.

[Dench57]

James, what side effects have you had from Fin apart from the burning scalp? Any sexual sides, brain fog etc?

[jamesst11]

This has gotten to point where I crank up my heat at night and fall asleep next to my OPEN window, WITH a f*cking WINDOW FAN blowing 25 degree weather on my scalp. It's the only thing that calms it. I am so f*cking FED UP with this shit, I want to cut my scalp off.

[jamesst11]

I have had every single symptom (and the accompanying hair loss) that every one here is describing. burning, itching, tingling and the feeling that ants are crawling around under my scalp. THE ONLY single thing that makes it go away is COLD. I live in a wintery climate and working on my rental houses, I have to work inside and out. When I work inside, with the heat on, the feeling is there.... when I go outside, in the cold, after 30 seconds, the feeling IMMEDIATELY dissipates... GONE, until I go into the heat again.... I think this is pretty SOLID proof, however anecdotal it is, that at least MY scalp sensations are due to INFLAMMATION. I am 100% positive.

[mic28]

Hey Jrlish, have you been taking propecia?