Seasonal shed, or did the meds stop working?

[djsquared]

Hey guys,

First time poster here. I am going to try to outline my situation with pics. I'm 28 years old. Noticed hair loss at 20.

At 21 started with LLLT and SLS free shampoos.
At 22, I stopped LLLT (waste of time and money). I said f*ck it.
At 24, I said never mind, and decided to start finesteride (Nov 2008 pics).
At 25, I added Rogaine.
At 27, I noticed it was really working. My crown was closing in and my hair was thicker all over (Feb 2011 pics).
At 27, I switched from generic Minoxidil liquid to the foam.
Two months ago I started applying Rogaine to my temples/hairline (I didn't know you can do that).
Just last month I decided to take new photos and I'm shocked to see I am regressing (Nov/Dec 2012 pics).
I do not know if it is a seasonal shed (something I just saw happens to others), or if the products stopped working and I am losing ground. Debating on throwing in the towel and buzzing or sticking it out.
Help!
Pics attached with Month and Year in the title. First pics are from Nov 2008 and span until now Dec 2012.

[djsquared]

I also plan to go back to liquid minoxidil since maybe it's the foam causing the regression.

[z06guy]

How many mg of finasteride are you taking each day?

[djsquared]

Started at a 1.25mg for about 6 months, got lazy, and moved up to the full 5 mg.

[Kayman]

Started at a 1.25mg for about 6 months, got lazy, and moved up to the full 5 mg.

You're taking 5mg of finasteride a day?! Mate the 5mg pill is designed for those with prostate problems, you as a hair loss sufferer don't need any more than 1mg a day. I would jack the whole 5mg thing in because who knows what damage you're causing to your body right now.

[ThinningB420]

Laziness is not a good excuse for taking too much finasteride. Cut the pills up when you first get them. It takes 20 minutes at most to cut 30 pills into quarters. Also, the inconsistency of the lighting, distance, angles, and dryness of your hair in the photos makes comparisons difficult.

[djsquared]

Hey, I appreciate the concern over "too much" mgs. But don't worry. Both my doctors (Primary, and Urologist) are okay with it. I also have a bladder problem which often is similar to an enlarged prostate so the meds help with that problem as well. So, maybe I have more reason to take 5mgs.

Anyway, this wasn't a thread about the dosage, this was a thread about the meds stopping to work or seasonal shed.

I understand the lighting and what not is inconsistent, but cant change it now. But what you can see clearly is the first set of pics are different from the feb 2011 pics. I think feb shows a lot more growth (despite the lighting). And now, my hair looks the same as when I first started.

Oh also, no sides with using the meds either. Just seems like I'm a champ in the sac. Ladies love it.

[Kayman]

Hey, I appreciate the concern over "too much" mgs. But don't worry. Both my doctors (Primary, and Urologist) are okay with it. I also have a bladder problem which often is similar to an enlarged prostate so the meds help with that problem as well. So, maybe I have more reason to take 5mgs.

Anyway, this wasn't a thread about the dosage, this was a thread about the meds stopping to work or seasonal shed.

I understand the lighting and what not is inconsistent, but cant change it now. But what you can see clearly is the first set of pics are different from the feb 2011 pics. I think feb shows a lot more growth (despite the lighting). And now, my hair looks the same as when I first started.

Oh also, no sides with using the meds either. Just seems like I'm a champ in the sac. Ladies love it.

It could be due to either your hair becoming more sensitive to DHT which happens or perhaps you've built up a tolerance to finasteride due to taking it in large quantities.

[mpb47]

Do not stop just yet. Even when I was having my very best results with a Fin/Minox combo I would go through periods like what you are seeing.
My crown would shrink down to a very small, yet very defined central oval. Then I would shed and crown would get much larger, yet undefined. Then it would slowly go back to small again.

Don't really know why it happens, just that it does, so don't give up just yet..wait and see what it's like in another 6 months...

[Kayman]

Hey, I appreciate the concern over "too much" mgs. But don't worry. Both my doctors (Primary, and Urologist) are okay with it. I also have a bladder problem which often is similar to an enlarged prostate so the meds help with that problem as well. So, maybe I have more reason to take 5mgs.

Anyway, this wasn't a thread about the dosage, this was a thread about the meds stopping to work or seasonal shed.

I understand the lighting and what not is inconsistent, but cant change it now. But what you can see clearly is the first set of pics are different from the feb 2011 pics. I think feb shows a lot more growth (despite the lighting). And now, my hair looks the same as when I first started.

Oh also, no sides with using the meds either. Just seems like I'm a champ in the sac. Ladies love it.

It could be due to either your hair becoming more sensitive to DHT which happens or perhaps you've built up a tolerance to finasteride due to taking it in large quantities.