Stick with it guys, It eventually does work.

[MinoxidilSavesLives]

Hello to everyone here at BTT. I'm a long time lurker (4+ years), first time poster. Over the past few years, you guys have been indispensable in my ongoing fight against MPB.

ON to my story:

A little about me: 25, NW2.5, started losing hair at the age of 21. Typical story in terms of how I found out. It's never yourself, it's your peers or barber that is the bearer of bad news. Terrible disease to have (As all of you agree here, it IS a disease, I don't care how many people try to marginalize it)

Google searches for hairloss led me to this forum and I've been thankful for all the information and treatments I have stumbled upon.

After reading about propecia, I decided to avoid it, although my friend takes it at 34 years old and has a gorgeous head of hair still though not sure if he suffers from MPB to begin wi th. I first started off with Minoxidil at the age of 22, expecting miracles. Miracles did not happen. I slowly receded more. However, at the 6 to 7 month mark, hair density did increase, albeit very slowly.

Then the day came when I found one lone soldier near where my NW0 hairline would be. I thought to myself:

ALL THIS SHIT FOR ONE ****ING HAIR?

But what I've learned over the course of my treatment(s) is that that one hair is a sign for better things to come. I went back to research here, found out about other things I could add to my regimen. Stumbled upon S5 cream as a DHT blocker. Dermarolling. and Saw Palmetto via google.

3 years since I've started, my hair isn't quite where I want it to be (NW1 TEENAGER). I've had ups and downs of sheds and regrowths which drives me crazy and question the efficacy of these products. but the lone soldier is being surrounded by an army of small baby hairs, of which some are becoming terminal hairs. It wasn't till I started Dermarolling with the 0.55mm dermaroller that I saw these results. I am not sure how much S5 or saw palmetto contributes to my hairline regrowth because I have been sporadic with its use. I imagine I would have greater results had I been more consistent.

What I can say with certainty is that minox definitely does work, and with the dermaroller, it grew my hair back thicker than it was before. Hopefully with continued use and a solid regimen, I can regain most of what i've lost.

In retrospect, I wish I had taken pictures to share my story. Because it's stories like this on this forum that helped me not quit and stick with the program. True inspiration. This is my gesture of appreciation for all you brothers. You guys were lifesavers.

Till the cutting edge treatments become a reality my friends, let us maintain what we have.

TLDR:

My Regimen:

0.5mm Dermaroller 3x a week before applying minox.
Minoxidil 1x a day
Spironolactone S5 cream 1x a day (15 min after minox.)

Saw Palmetto extract 2x a day (No idea if this works. But its like $7 a bottle, couldn't hurt.)

Any affordable suggestions of what I could add (Not propecia) to my existing regimen in order to solidify my gains? Revivogen, etc?

[epipapilla]

Thanks for your post.

How long have you been derma rolling for?

Do you think that derma rolling has made your hair any thicker?

[MinoxidilSavesLives]

Thanks for your post.

How long have you been derma rolling for?

Do you think that derma rolling has made your hair any thicker?

I know I didn't see some temple regrowth till I added both S5 and dermarolling 2x a week. I believe it has made it thicker. Before that, I was using simply minoxidil for over a year. I should have taken baseline pictures in retrospect.

[robincurtz]

People should always use finasteride as the first line of attack. Outstanding result on minoxidil for longer period of time is rare. Specially if some one's genetic is too strong.

[MinoxidilSavesLives]

Yeah I'm thinking about jumping on FIN. It's just the fear when stories like this come out that makes you not want to go anywhere near the stuff.

http://wtvr.com/2015/04/30/hair-loss-drug/

That's why I went the S5 route. I know for sure if i add fin I will get some excellent regrowth. But hoping the products released this year may serve as a replacement to fin.

[BiqqieSmalls]

Yeah I'm thinking about jumping on FIN. It's just the fear when stories like this come out that makes you not want to go anywhere near the stuff.

http://wtvr.com/2015/04/30/hair-loss-drug/

That's why I went the S5 route. I know for sure if i add fin I will get some excellent regrowth. But hoping the products released this year may serve as a replacement to fin.

What Norwood is that guy?

[MinoxidilSavesLives]

Looks like a NW-3? Damn post finasteride syndrome...

[Buster]

It says that he was taking Fin for 12 years before he realized something was wrong. That's pretty weird, kind of makes you wonder if it was related to something else, but he goes online searching for a cause and comes across some bad Fin stories.

[YearOne]

Ive been derma rolling for while now, I just purchased s5 cream. how long do i wait after derma rolling to apply spiro