I've tried fin and minoxidil, now what?

[lucrio]

As a believer in doing things the right way, my first course of action when I decided to treat my male pattern baldness was to go straight to finasteride. Well after trying it for six months I could no longer ignore the increasing sexual side effects it was having and I had to quit it. I then tried the next best thing, minoxidil, and after the first night of using it experienced rapid heartbeat so badly I didn't sleep that and had trouble breathing. I even began wearing a heart rate monitor when applying and unbiasedly saw my pulse was drastically increasing about 20 mins after I'd apply it. So I stopped minoxidil.

My question is, having given the two FDA approved solutions their fair chance, what can I try now to combat mpb. I know this question plagues the modern age of hair loss forums but what is the next most legitimate treatment after these two are not options?

[baldybald]

what NW are you in now ?

[lucrio]

Probably around 2 with mild diffuse thinning and lots of scalp itch.

[Tracy C]

My question is, having given the two FDA approved solutions their fair chance, what can I try now to combat mpb.

If you are unable or unwilling to use the two proven and FDA approved medications for hereditary hair loss, you need to learn how to accept your hair loss and live your life to the fullest anyways. It can be done. Men have been doing so since the beginning of recorded history. You can do it too.

Whatever you choose to do, don't listen to a single negative word Highlander says about it. That young fella is simply not hooked up right.

[baldybald]

agree with girl with red hair

[Dan26]

When fin and minoxidil don't work, people who are serious about fighting their hair loss generally turn to the 'grey market'. How serious are you?

There are effective solutions out there. My advice is to always educate and empower yourself first. If you have any interest I'd be happy to direct you to some studies!

PS How old are you, how long have you been losing your hair?

PPS People on here will say that the 'grey market' solutions are not proven, not safe etc. BUT believe me no one who says that has actually taken the time to do the research for themselves.

Fin is not something I want to be on at my age and for an extended period of time. Minox is essentially a chemical wig. For me personally, health and safety comes first! But I believe there may be avenues left for you to explore!

[Tracy C]

PPS People on here will say that the 'grey market' solutions are not proven, not safe etc. BUT believe me no one who says that has actually taken the time to do the research for themselves.

This statement is completely untrue. The studies this poster is talking about are neither adequate nor appropriate for establishing the safety of those "grey market" treatments. Follow advise like this at your own risk - and no one actually knows the extent of that risk at this time. Anyone who insists that they do know the risks is fooling themselves.

[Dan26]

This statement is completely untrue. The studies this poster is talking about are neither adequate nor appropriate for establishing the safety of those "grey market" treatments. Follow advise like this at your own risk - and no one actually knows the extent of that risk at this time. Anyone who insists that they do know the risks is fooling themselves.

For the record, I am not trying to push anything on anyone. Like I said it is crucial you educate and empower yourself before even thinking about these treatments. I did my research before blindly jumping on 'the big 3', and I am glad I did. I've read the 'grey market' studies myself and I have consulted with people in the medical field. I'm not willing to risk my health for my hair. At my age to be honest finasteride is more problematic than anything else I plan to be on.

I'm not sure which treatments come to mind for you when speaking about the 'grey market'. Do you mind elaborating? CB for instance, which I would consider the biggest player in my soon-to-be-regimen, what is wrong with that? It is in clinical trials right now and has excellent safety and efficacy so far.

[lucrio]

I understand that if you won't, or can't as in my case, use fin or minox then you must really lower your expectations but is it completely black and white? Do you either use the only two approved treatments or give up and say you're now hopelessly bald?

I am using nizoral, the laser comb, and various vitamins but these are all really just for hair health/quality and not stand alone treatments. Being young and not a quitter it is hard to accept losing my hair. There are over 50 million chemical compounds known in the world and new ones being synthesized in labs every few seconds, surely there can't be only two that can help fight hair loss.

[Dan26]

There are things out there that could help you. Problem is some of them are not proven in terms of safety and/or efficacy. Sometimes they are hard to get a hold of ie unreliable suppliers, they can be expensive, difficult to use etc.

I am young like you and I never even bothered trying fin or minox. Nothing against them really, I just think there are better things out there for me.

Research CB-03-01, I am going to be trying it soon. Any questions I'll try and explain as best I can, or if you want me to direct you to any studies.

[lucrio]

So CB may end up being a topically effective sort of finasteride? And one that is not absorbed systemically. Is this being studied for Androgenic alopecia or just acne at this point?

[elnino]

i tried two "grey market" products. viviscal and bioxin. i only tried them for 6 months so even though i had no results there wasnt enough time to see. however with finasteride mmy hair loss stopped after 4 months.

[Dan26]

I'm not 100% sure where the clinical trials stand. I think they are doing the trials for acne at the moment. I know it was injected subcutaneously in rats with no adverse effects and actually applied through iontophoresis on humans with success.

"The study results show that CB-03-01, applied to the scalp through iontophoresis, was more effective than cyproterone-acetate and 17alpha-estradiol in the improvement of the follicular density, the hair shaft diameter, the pull test, and in reducing sebaceous gland size and, as a consequence, sebum production."

iontophoresis is just a way to get the molecule past the dermis. CB-03-01 is a fairly big molecule, which is why people who have tried it in the past have not has a lot of success. It is because they are not using an effective vehicle that will help it get pas the skin to the hair follicle. I personally am going to micro-inject it because I believe it is safe, but I know others are going to try it out with a new vehiclal topically, and they believe will work.