Too late for minox/propecia... ??

[rajivnairr]

Hi,

I am 26 and have been experiencing hair loss for the past 4-5 years. All the males in both my parents family are bald. I am now contemplating to have my hair restored. Would you suggest I undergo treatment with drugs such as Minoxidil & Finasteride or is it already too late and a hair restoration surgery is the only option... ??

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

[Tracy C]

I think it is worth your while to try treating it for at least a year to see what happens. Just make sure to take photos every two months so you can measure how well you are responding to treatment.

It is not my place to recommend Propecia (or generic Finasteride), but talk it over with your doctor.

I would recommend Minoxidil. You can save some money by using Rogaine foam in the morning and and generic 5% minoxidil liquid at night. Rogaine foam makes styling easier - and some say the foam is more effective. I'm not sure if that is actually true or not.

Many here also recommend using Nizoral shampoo once or twice per week. So do I. I use the non-prescription strength Nizoral A-D formulation twice per week myself.

I have had very positive experience with my laser comb. I am not sure if it has made any new hair grew back from using it, but I am certain that it makes the hair I have stronger and look better. I am also certain that it has made the hair that Minoxidil has cause to grow back stronger and look better.

Whatever you chose to do, you need to be aware that it takes a long time to treat hair loss. So give it at least a full year before deciding if treatment is working for you.

[8868alex]

Tracey - I agree with your comments as that sounds like good advice. Incidentally, I am glad you had a good experience with the lasercomb. I have had a similar experience and I think it is valuable for a balanced perspective to counter act the negativity towards laser therapy. The problem is that many will not accept maintenance as an alternative to regrowth in my opinion.

[Tracy C]

Incidentally, I am glad you had a good experience with the lasercomb. I have had a similar experience and I think it is valuable for a balanced perspective to counter act the negativity towards laser therapy.

I think it is helpful for some people - and it seems that for those it does help, it works very well. While for those it does not help, it's just an expensive paperweight... I suspect that how long a person has been suffering from hair loss, and how far the hair loss has progressed might have something to do with whether low level laser therapy will help in any meaningful way or not.

If the OP is being honest with himself and the rest of us about how long he has been losing his hair, his hair loss is relatively recent. I feel that because his hair loss is relatively recent, he probably has reasonably good chances of reversing some or maybe even most of it. If I where in the OP's shoes, I would hit the problem with everything that is approved/cleared by the FDA for at least a year. Then re-evaluate and go forward from there.

The problem is that many will not accept maintenance as an alternative to regrowth in my opinion.

I am picking up that vibe from many of the posts in this forum. I feel maintenance needs to be achieved in order to improve the outcome of transplant surgery. If a person cannot arrest his or her hair loss, why bother going through with transplant surgery when you are just going to keep losing hair anyway? It seems the best results come from a multi-treatment approach of prevention and maintenance first - and then transplant surgery if needed.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

You still are in a situation where you could experience more hair loss. Therefore if you are considering hair restoration it may be worth a try.

[rajivnairr]

Update - 2 Months - 9 Weeks

Hello Everyone,

I would start by expressing my gratitude to Tracy C, whose suggestion i took to get on my medication for hair loss. I visited a trichologist after reading your previous reply and after the consultation I started my regime with the Big 3 - Finasteride(1 mg), Minoxidil(5%) & Nizoral(1%). I am from India and we dont have any local pharma providing Finasteride specifically for treating MPB(like Propecia) so I went with Generic Finasteride.

As far as the treatment is concerned, I am using Minox twice every day and Nizoral thrice every week, at other times Im using a herbal shampoo. Id like to think that I am responding to the treatment, though I would like your feedback on it. I am going with 10% Minoxidil starting this month. Also, I had a bottle of Vichy Dercos lying around, that Im using thrice every week. The only side effect that I can think of is runny or watery semen and otherwise I am experiencing an increase in my libido.

I would be updating this thread every 2 months to keep a track on my progress with pics and experiences. Kindly leave your suggestions and feedback.

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

[8868alex]

Hi

I think Dr Charles would be able to judge this as a proffessional, but it looks like you have had some regrowth already. That is a very good sign and certainly gives you more options. I hope this is giving you something positive to think about. As shitty a deal hair loss can be, there is a certain satisfaction gained by realising that you are starting to win the battle. Well done!

[DAVE52]

.......is it already too late and a hair restoration surgery is the only option... ??

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

Buddy, you've already done the difficult part , buzzed your head .
Keep it short
Get used to it
Don't go down the HT route where the results may or maynot be what you expect

[rajivnairr]

Hello Everyone,

So I have now completed 3 months on the Big 3 and though Ive stated in my earlier posts that I would be updating my progress every 2 months, I thought of sharing the progress into the 3rd month. I had used a combination of 10% minox and 5% minox this month, with Finasteride 1mg everyday and Nizoral 1% every alternate day. I just had a buzz cut yesterday. I would like your opinion on the state of my hair, my friends and family do feel that there has been an improvement and so do I.

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

[PatientlyWaiting]

Hello Everyone,

So I have now completed 3 months on the Big 3 and though Ive stated in my earlier posts that I would be updating my progress every 2 months, I thought of sharing the progress into the 3rd month. I had used a combination of 10% minox and 5% minox this month, with Finasteride 1mg everyday and Nizoral 1% every alternate day. I just had a buzz cut yesterday. I would like your opinion on the state of my hair, my friends and family do feel that there has been an improvement and so do I.

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

Well "an improvement" is an understatement. You went from zero to hero.

You responded very well to the medication, you should stay on it. Know that not everybody gets these kinds of results, especially not in no 3 months. If you stay on it for a full 12 months, you will probably not even need a hair transplant. I am jealous.

[rupe]

Wow!!! That is a huge improvement! Well done Thanks for the updates.

[rajivnairr]

Month 7 Update

Hello Folks,

Sorry for the late reply, was too preoccupied with academics, full time MBA is a b**ch, anyways with regards to my hair, well the improvement rate has siginificantly slowed down in the last 3 months. The density is still improving however at a much slower rate. I underwent a really bad shed period over 2 months(March & April) but it has come down significantly this month. I am currently on Minox 10% twice a day, Nizoral 2% thrice a week and Finasteride 1mg everyday. Kindly leave your comments and suggestions.

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

[rajivnairr]

Month 8.5 update

Hello Everyone,

So heres my 8.5 month update, still growing new hair however still a long way to go... can see lots of thin hairs and still shedding thin hairs... hopefully the medication should help thicken it out soon.. please do leave your comments...

Current regimen:
Minoxidil 10% - twice a day
Finasteride 1mg - 5x times a week
Dutasteride 0.5mg - 2x times a week
Nizoral 2% - thrice a week
Biotin 10mg - everyday
Zinc 50mg - everyday

Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Nair

[ThinningB420]

Looking good! You still have time to continue to improve as well.

Still no sides besides what you posted earlier?

[rajivnairr]

no sides apart from watery semen which continues to this day, libido still the same, no change to it whatsoever...