2-plus years w/ finasteride/minoxidil: 90 % Recovery

[Resultsnottypical]

I think you could say I am pretty much 90 percent "recovered" from my hair loss.

SWM, 35 years old, blonde hair, Scots-Irish ethnicity

- Started losing significantly around age of 27. Did nothing. Horseshoe was coming on strong, more than recession...hairs were becoming weak, colorless, fading.
- Age of 30 (?), officially started shaving my head with a razor, (I would od this for the next five years, until recently) found this site (about 2000), ordered Propecia, had some sexual side effects early on (high libido, then drop), instead of waiting it out, I quit, VERY STUPID. I looked great with a shaved head and I was lucky I was one of those who could pull it off, being muscular, athletic etc...but I missed (as we all do) having the ability to have a different look, having hair, etc.
- Sept. 2003, Started using minoxidil regularly, by Feb 2004 was seeing good results. Continue with 2x a day usage of generic minoxidil.
- 2004: Started using finasteride (generic and brand), for periods at a time, but not consistently enough. Saw some benefits. No real side effects, went back and forth with consistent use.
-2004, realized that whether I was on finasteride or not, my sex drive was not the same as it was even at the age of 29 or 30 (four times a day was the norm)...by late 2004, concluded that finasteride was not the cause of any libido changes, at least in the long-term (although I had experienced the sides a little as previously noted back in 2000)
- Jan 2005, started taking 1mg to 1.25 of generic CIPLA finasteride
- No side effects, generally, BUT did have acne on head, more than I have ever had.
- Sept 2005, now on minoxidil for two years, very consistent use...on finasteride now for what, 9 months? starting to see improvement along the crown.
- Nov. 2005: "Hey, this stuff is really working" Girlfriend is noticing (fully aware of my regimen and thinks it is great). NO SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS, just a regular 35 year old guy (1-2 times a day, or sometimes once every other day)
- Dec 2005: VERY OBVIOUS RESULTS..blonde hair is almost completely back, strong hairline, bald spot is filled in. Never shave my head anymore, coworkers (one of whom knows, a guy), brother, ex-wife, g/f, EVERYONE who knows: "Damn, that sh*t works"...for those who don't know I am on a regimen: "Dude, why did you ever even shave your head, you have nice blonde hair?"

As of today, AMAZED...I put minoxidil on once in the morning, before work, I take 1.25 of CIPLA/finasteride each nite...religiously (have sometimes only gotten in one minoxidil application due to work or working out, etc).

My hairline is strong, crown is strong, I look like a 35 year old with minimal, if any "loss", if anything, more like a guy who at my age, probably doesn't have the hair he had at 20 (normal).

I use nizoral maybe 2-3 times a week, I let it sit on my head like 5 minutes while I do some other morning things. The rest of the days I used Head and Shoulders.

Acne is cleared up, sex drive is intact, I really can't say my "confidence" is up in the sense that I felt good with a shaved head (tougher look), but I am really HAPPY that I have the hair I used to have. I keep it short like the short "Beckham" or "Brad PItt" look (maybe a one guard).

I'm no longer "that bald guy" (*shaved head), I'm that "blonde guy"

Advice: Get on finasteride and minoxidil and stick with it, they do work.

 

[Bert]

Thats cool good for you, do you have any before or after pic's??

 

[mattj]

Yeah, I'd like to know how far your temples had receded before the treatment.

 

[hairwegoagain]

Great story, congratulations. Hopefully some of the guys will realize that with patience and consistence, there is light at the end of the tunnel in many cases.

I think you could say I am pretty much 90 percent "recovered" from my hair loss.

SWM, 35 years old, blonde hair, Scots-Irish ethnicity

- Started losing significantly around age of 27. Did nothing. Horseshoe was coming on strong, more than recession...hairs were becoming weak, colorless, fading.
- Age of 30 (?), officially started shaving my head with a razor, (I would od this for the next five years, until recently) found this site (about 2000), ordered Propecia, had some sexual side effects early on (high libido, then drop), instead of waiting it out, I quit, VERY STUPID. I looked great with a shaved head and I was lucky I was one of those who could pull it off, being muscular, athletic etc...but I missed (as we all do) having the ability to have a different look, having hair, etc.
- Sept. 2003, Started using minoxidil regularly, by Feb 2004 was seeing good results. Continue with 2x a day usage of generic minoxidil.
- 2004: Started using finasteride (generic and brand), for periods at a time, but not consistently enough. Saw some benefits. No real side effects, went back and forth with consistent use.
-2004, realized that whether I was on finasteride or not, my sex drive was not the same as it was even at the age of 29 or 30 (four times a day was the norm)...by late 2004, concluded that finasteride was not the cause of any libido changes, at least in the long-term (although I had experienced the sides a little as previously noted back in 2000)
- Jan 2005, started taking 1mg to 1.25 of generic CIPLA finasteride
- No side effects, generally, BUT did have acne on head, more than I have ever had.
- Sept 2005, now on minoxidil for two years, very consistent use...on finasteride now for what, 9 months? starting to see improvement along the crown.
- Nov. 2005: "Hey, this stuff is really working" Girlfriend is noticing (fully aware of my regimen and thinks it is great). NO SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS, just a regular 35 year old guy (1-2 times a day, or sometimes once every other day)
- Dec 2005: VERY OBVIOUS RESULTS..blonde hair is almost completely back, strong hairline, bald spot is filled in. Never shave my head anymore, coworkers (one of whom knows, a guy), brother, ex-wife, g/f, EVERYONE who knows: "Damn, that $#iT works"...for those who don't know I am on a regimen: "Dude, why did you ever even shave your head, you have nice blonde hair?"

As of today, AMAZED...I put minoxidil on once in the morning, before work, I take 1.25 of CIPLA/finasteride each nite...religiously (have sometimes only gotten in one minoxidil application due to work or working out, etc).

My hairline is strong, crown is strong, I look like a 35 year old with minimal, if any "loss", if anything, more like a guy who at my age, probably doesn't have the hair he had at 20 (normal).

I use nizoral maybe 2-3 times a week, I let it sit on my head like 5 minutes while I do some other morning things. The rest of the days I used Head and Shoulders.

Acne is cleared up, sex drive is intact, I really can't say my "confidence" is up in the sense that I felt good with a shaved head (tougher look), but I am really HAPPY that I have the hair I used to have. I keep it short like the short "Beckham" or "Brad PItt" look (maybe a one guard).

I'm no longer "that bald guy" (*shaved head), I'm that "blonde guy"

Advice: Get on finasteride and minoxidil and stick with it, they do work.

 

[Resultsnottypical]

Sorry about the delay:

As for pics, I don't really have any that would help, as I didn't even let my hair grow beyond a "no guard" until November of this year...I would let it grow a bit, see how the treatment was working and then when it got longer than it could "sustain" (thinness shows more the longer you let it grow, due to the disparity of the dying folicles versus the horseshoe follicles which keep growing), I would shave it again.

Well, I have let it grow pretty much since mid November, and it has improved since then, although a camera might not pick it up. THere is still a slight "thinner" area on the very top crown...but close inspection with a mirror shows that even that area is darkening and thickening up every week (literally).

I never had real "temple" recession, more of the bald spot and some thinning about 1/2 inch behind the hairline. Tempes were part of it, but I was definitely more of a top-loser and diffuse thinner (the latter being more recent).

As for lifestyle, I take one mega man (GNC) daily, one calcium, and 400 mgs of DIM (because I have RRP, nevermind me explaining)...I work out, a full-body workout, once every three days (no cardio in the winter)...I am 5'9, 185 now, about 10 percent bodyfat...no gyno...sexually, I still perform whenever I want or need to, although my drive is NOT what it was a few years ago. I think that is just aging (35 now). I have sex up to 5 times a week, more due to work and family (kids and g/f) than anything.

Just to ensure hard erections, I sometimes take the Macca Nut (available at GNC) and yohimbe. I do these more recreationally and I think they are perfectly acceptable and good for men to take. The Macca nut DEFINITELY WORKS...helps with hardness...

Pretty much, life is good. I buy generic CIPLA (I think the last time it was Inhousepharmacy.com), split it either into quarters or into thirds (yes, that's 1.66 mgs) and take it nightly.

Never had any "fog" or mental issues...packed on muscle since doing a full-body workout (squats especially)...my hair looks good, I feel great and I bless this site.

I am sorry for the guys that it doesn't work for, or who get terrible sides. All I can say is, as a "study of one" is that using finasteride and minoxidil (along with either Head and Shoulders or sometimes nizoral) has DEFINITELY worked for me...there is no question..and even at 35, with about 7 solid years of thinning, I have nearly recovered ONE HUNDRED PERCENT...in a month or two, I would figure you wouldn't even know I had ever lost any hair.

I'm the lucky one I guess.

Also, PLEASE, PLEASE folks, START as soon as you can with finasteride...(even minoxidil, which I still say, go ahead and start with)...do not screw around, do not just think about it..if I had started with it 7 years ago, I would have fully recovered YEARS AGO...do not hesitate or wait. There is no point, you are going to need it eventually..so go ahead and get on at least 1mg a day.

 

[sadhairloss]

what do you think.. in what time frame of your treatment did the improvement really take place? 1 year? 2 year?

 

[Resultsnottypical]

Well, I thought I addressed that above, but I don't really count the time I was solely on Minoxidil, because I just don't think it works that well, alone, at least for someone who has had significant years of DHT damage. To be clear though, minoxidil did do something, just not enough alone.

So for me, looking at a solid regimen of Finasteride since last January, I would say my first "best" results came around month 10 of the joint "task force" on my hair (both minoxidil and finasteride)? I am still improving I am sure, but I didn't really think I was getting over the hump until this fall.

I am 35 and have been losing, to a degree, since I was 27, as far as the first noticeable "hey, he's thinning" type stuff.

My advice is get on it as soon as possible. Get on minoxidil too if you want to get some back, but each person is different.

Good luck !

 

[Resultsnottypical]

UPDATE

Well, it has been several more months now and my hair has just shown a marked increase in growth, since my last "sucess" posting. It is somewhat odd, it has really taken off here in April, filling in completely in the crown area.

I continue to use CIPLA fincar (cut three ways for about 1.6 mgs a day) and minoxidil (1-2 times a day).

My blonde hair has filled in to pretty much, it's original look, at least at the age of 20 or so (I am 35 now).

Just wanted to say, keep using the stuff, it works...no sides at all (hard as a rock, and lovin it) and also, CIPLA does work, it is the real stuff. I cannot recall if I got it from Inhouse, or UnitedPharmacies, it was one of those (or both), but I have about 10 strips of 10 lefft, and I cut them either 3 or 4 ways (1.25 to 1.66 mgs)...

I rarely come here anymore...last thing on my mind, just as everyone else says once they have sucess.

Remember, stay on the treatments, they work.

 

[techprof]

resultsnotsotypical, congratulations.
unfortunately for this board, we don't see pictures of people who win the battle.

 

[Guest]

Hello Resultsnottypical, good history. Too bad you don't have pictures

One question, you used to shave your head with a razor very often before, and in that period you were appliyng minoxidil.

Now, Did you apply minoxidil the day you shaved?

I ask this because when I shave, sometimes my scalp gets irritated, and I think all guys have this problem, and that day, and sometimes the 2nd day it would be no good idea to apply minoxidil, because it can get in your blood. How do you manage this?

And, do you have long hair now? does you hair look like sh*t when you apply minoxidil now?

And how many hairs are you losing in shower?

Greetings.

 

[Subliminal]

Why do you have to mention that you're a SWM, or "single white male?" LOL. Anyway, congrats. :lol:

 

[dark_one]

It is good you are having results with Propecia (and minoxidil. ) without side effects, esp. considering your age.

"sexually, I still perform whenever I want or need to, although my drive is NOT what it was a few years ago. I think that is just aging (35 now). I have sex up to 5 times a week, more due to work and family (kids and g/f) than anything"

I stopped Propecia due to side effects nearly 6 months ago after using for 8.5 months with positive results.

I don't think you should be worried sexually. I am 11 years younger than you, and while not on Propecia, I am only good for once per day. While on Propecia initially, I was completely limp for about a week.

"I'm the lucky one I guess. "

I think you are because Propecia definitely worked but caused me problems and minoxidil 5% caused palpitations etc. So I switched to a minoxidil. 2%, spironolactone 2%, nizoral regimen. Obviously if I had no sides I would be using your regimen, but what can I do.

 

[momo]

It is good you are having results with Propecia (and minoxidil. ) without side effects, esp. considering your age.

"sexually, I still perform whenever I want or need to, although my drive is NOT what it was a few years ago. I think that is just aging (35 now). I have sex up to 5 times a week, more due to work and family (kids and g/f) than anything"

I stopped Propecia due to side effects nearly 6 months ago after using for 8.5 months with positive results.

I don't think you should be worried sexually. I am 11 years younger than you, and while not on Propecia, I am only good for once per day. While on Propecia initially, I was completely limp for about a week.

"I'm the lucky one I guess. "

I think you are because Propecia definitely worked but caused me problems and minoxidil 5% caused palpitations etc. So I switched to a minoxidil. 2%, spironolactone 2%, nizoral regimen. Obviously if I had no sides I would be using your regimen, but what can I do.

dark_one, I also had similar side effects on both propecia nad minoxidil.
Does your current regimen works?

 

[dark_one]

quote]

dark_one, I also had similar side effects on both propecia nad minoxidil.
Does your current regimen works?[/quote]



Well, I have been religiously (even with business travel) using the minoxidil 2%/spironolactone %/nizoral combination, approaching two months now, and I haven't noticed any significant worsening - so maintenance more or less for now. Time will tell, probably by Fall of '06, where things are headed with this regimen. Obviously with diffuse thinning everywhere, a topical-only regimen cannot be optimal, but for some of us, its the only option.