18 Year Old On Regime Looking For Advice

[Alphalete]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking here for quite a while and am looking for better and more experienced opinions on what I should do.

I'm one of the very fortunate to have male pattern baldness, and was told about this at the age of 17 by a hair transplant/PRP specialist. I've been on Minoxidil (2x a day), Nizoral (2-3 times a week) and Biotin 10,000 mcg daily for almost 2 months now (1m26d exactly).

I've noticed very good amount of gains, and would consider myself somewhere between NW1-NW2 as of right now. I am aware of Minoxidil not being optimal, therefore I've decided to take Finasteride 1 mg daily in the future. Also, what age do you guys think would be the most appropriate to hop on finasteride?

Now, my question is the following: Is it possible to decrease the usage of Minoxidil twice a day to only once? (Excluding weekends) The reason for this is because styling hair with Minoxidil in the morning simply doesn't work.

Any opinions are welcome.
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST!!

RE: What Norwood do you think I am/were based on the following pictures?

Buzzed (Before treatment): https://imgur.com/s7K1lSG
2 months later (On treatment): https://imgur.com/D0EFita

 

[Alphalete]

I hear of a lot of people losing their gains dropping min doses down to once a day and they go back up to twice a day because of how scared they got. I can't tell you personally because I have never used it and thought Finasteride was better than minoxidil as a long term use.

Just curious, Is it really that hard to style after putting minoxidil in?

Well, considering I put it about 30 minutes before heading to school. It kinda is annoying since my hair will look unwashed/oily af.. Although, what I usually do is massage the oil onto my hair.

Thanks for commenting btw.

 

[1knox1]

Well, considering I put it about 30 minutes before heading to school. It kinda is annoying since my hair will look unwashed/oily af.. Although, what I usually do is massage the oil onto my hair.

Thanks for commenting btw.

Well done for researching this stuff. You should be commended at such a young age.
Finasteride will do the most work. Stopping your follicles from getting thinner through dht. So good move on that count.

Tiny bit of information on minoxidil usage:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=75704

https://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/rogaine-minoxidil/

'Once a day topical use of Rogaine (topical minoxidil 2% and 5%) seems to be almost as effective as using it twice a day. The reason is, that although minoxidil has a relatively short half-life of several hours when given orally, when topically applied, it has a half-life of 22 hours in the skin. This suggests that once a day dosing is a reasonable option.'

 

[Alphalete]

Well done for researching this stuff. You should be commended at such a young age.
Finasteride will do the most work. Stopping your follicles from getting thinner through dht. So good move on that count.

Tiny bit of information on minoxidil usage:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=75704

https://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/rogaine-minoxidil/

'Once a day topical use of Rogaine (topical minoxidil 2% and 5%) seems to be almost as effective as using it twice a day. The reason is, that although minoxidil has a relatively short half-life of several hours when given orally, when topically applied, it has a half-life of 22 hours in the skin. This suggests that once a day dosing is a reasonable option.'

Thank you. Your comment is greatly appreciated!
I haven't begun with Finasteride, because I've read that it can prevent growth. I'm not sure wether I'm a late bloomer or not, but am aware of the fact that my brother stopped growing at 22. That's why I'd like to use Minoxidil for as long as possible.

By the way, based on the pictures. What Norwood would you say I currently am/were?

Thanks once again for you input.

 

[1knox1]

Looking at your latest picture; you seem to be a great responder to minoxidil. I mean its dark af, but I dont think anyone would ever class that as balding; so keep on the minoxidil!

There's people that have claimed to maintain for decades on minoxidil. That 1st link I showed you, a guy said he'd maintained for 20+ years in one of the posts.

Another summary that may be useful to you, bud:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=115140

 

[Alphalete]

Looking at your latest picture; you seem to be a great responder to minoxidil. I mean its dark af, but I dont think anyone would ever class that as balding; so keep on the minoxidil!

There's people that have claimed to maintain for decades on minoxidil. That 1st link I showed you, a guy said he'd maintained for 20+ years in one of the posts.

Another summary that may be useful to you, bud:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=115140

Thanks for the link! I think I've come across it before . My idea is to use Minoxidil for about 6-12 months straight (Twice/Once a day), along with dermarolling, nizoral etc. and when I become older (19-20) I'll hop on Finasteride and try to prolong the inevitable.

By the way, if you don't mind me asking; how old were you when you started taking Finasteride? And have you experienced any negative side effects? What would you say is the approriate age to consume that drug?

Oh, and another thing; I can't get it in real life because the Dermatologists I've gone to seem to know nothing about what they specialize in
Any website you'd recommend me where I can purchase ''the real thing''?

 

[1knox1]

You're welcome. Sounds like a good plan to me . I started at 25. Been on it 2 years. Maintained everything. No side effects. Hard to say, I mean 18 is obviously the earliest limit but you say you think you have more growing to do?

What country are you in?

 

[Alphalete]

You're welcome. Sounds like a good plan to me . I started at 25. Been on it 2 years. Maintained everything. No side effects. Hard to say, I mean 18 is obviously the earliest limit but you say you think you have more growing to do?

What country are you in?

Sweden. And yes, hopefully I've got some more growing to do. I'm currently 5'11 (brother is 6'1) at age 25. What I'm wondering is if Propecia at my current age can affect my height.

I've grown from 5'9.5 to 5'11 since the beginning of 2017. Hoping I can grow a bit more.

 

[1knox1]

That's cool. It's your call. Sound like you have a good plan there! I know what you mean about dermatologists. So many are useless but maybe try a general doctor? There's people on here who can advise you though, if that doesn't work.

 

[Alphalete]

That's cool. It's your call. Sound like you have a good plan there! I know what you mean about dermatologists. So many are useless but maybe try a general doctor? There's people on here who can advise you though, if that doesn't work.

Well, the first thing I did was go to a GP. I asked him about treatments and he told me I have temporary thinning. I asked him for how long, he didn't know how to answer it. I told him my brother is receding, dad is bald, mother's side also bald, etc. and he didn't know how to respond. I told him to write a prescription for Finasteride to me and he refused to. That's when I decided to visit a hair transplant/PRP Specialist that later on confirmed that it was male pattern baldness. I recalled the GP and he told me to prove my visit to the hair transplant Specialist. I called the hair transplant Specialist and told him to call my GP/alternatively write out a certificate but they refused to. The only way they would do that was if I arranged a meeting for a hair transplant, or a PRP session. I wrote a thorough email describing this to my GP but he indirectly told me I was lying. Lol.

So as you see, my situation with these GP's and ''Specialists'' have been nothing more than bullshit, and a waste of time.

 

[1knox1]

Yeah, it's a shame so many are clueless about hair. No wonder people end up falling for scams and such. I can't help but feel that prp is bs as well. Belongs with lasers in my opinion. Keep the minoxidil up. Maybe try starting another thread to see where you can get finasteride? I get it from the U.K but there's plenty of guys here from Europe who can help you .

 

[Alphalete]

Yeah, it's a shame so many are clueless about hair. No wonder people end up falling for scams and such. I can't help but feel that prp is bs as well. Belongs with lasers in my opinion. Keep the minoxidil up. Maybe try starting another thread to see where you can get finasteride? I get it from the U.K but there's plenty of guys here from Europe who can help you .

yeah, ill def. create a new thread. thanks for everything bro. repped