BornIn89's Story - (Need a plan!)

[sergiotahini]

Your head shape is good. This is said a lot, but you should consider trying to put on some weight and get some sun. You don't need to look like some goon on roids, but a shaved head on someone with a bit of lean mass and color looks a lot better, imo. But if you're aiming for the thin and pale look (which is your decision, obv) then just ignore my input.

Good luck with the minoxidil.

 

[BornIn89]

Well I gave up on the minoxidil, it was making my eyes feel weird, kinda bloated? And I could feel it increasing my heart rate. Still using the spironolactone but I think it's probably a waste. None of the hair that shed from the minoxidil seems to have grown back at all.

Here's a pic I took today, so about 1 and a half months on 2% spironolactone. There is still spironolactone in my hair which may make it look worse but I put it on 6 hours ago so it should be dry...

Edit seriously thinking about getting some finasteride pills now. FML!

 

[Boondock]

As others have said, it's basically finasteride or fubar right now.

If you end up with no sides you could have good hair for ten years. Otherwise there aren't that many options in your situation. Messing with several topicals is risky and more often than not won't lead to good results. minoxidil and nizoral are good, but as standalone products will just buy you time.

 

[Primo]

You've only been on minoxidil for less than 3months, it going to take longer than that for your hair to fully regrow, If you quit now you'll miss out on the gains completely. Keep taking it twice a day and by June (It generally takes 12-18 months before you see the best results) next year I guarantee that hair that you've shedded will have grown fully back into your hairline.

Have some balls and give Finasteride a go, even if it's a small does of 0.5mg/0.25mg daily, it will still help hugely. Also if you combine finasteride with minoxidil, you'll give your hair the best chance it has, it's been proven in studies that if you combine the 2 your chances of keeping and regrowing hair will almost triple, as opposed to when you use minoxidil alone.

With regards to Sides, everyones different... I get on great with minoxidil but suffered sides with finasteride, maybe you'll be the other way around?? Defintely worth a shot anyway man.

 

[cuebald]

What's your family history of male pattern baldness boss?
Looks like it's slowly deteriorating from these pics...

I've heard of Minoxidil causing redness of the eyes and it looks like you might have had some of that from it, from the pics you had on Page 2. minoxidil just seems to be an irritant to some people.
I for one actually consider Finasteride to be a more benign treatment than Minoxidil (and though not a popular opinion, I am not alone in holding it.)

I also don't think you need to bulk up, get a tan, grow a goatee and all that tired old nonsense. You looked quite handsome in those pictures. :gay: You do look far too young to have male pattern baldness though. (same problem I have - it doesn't look "right" on younger looking faces! :shakehead: :shakehead: :shakehead: )

 

[BornIn89]

What's your family history of male pattern baldness boss?
Looks like it's slowly deteriorating from these pics...

All my uncles and my grandfather on my mothers side were NW6-7. My dads father had some hair loss in his 50s I think but I never met him, dads brother has a bald spot on the crown. My dad himself doesn't appear to have any hair loss whatsoever, his temples are about NW2 but they aren't "thin" like mine and he is in his mid 40s.

I also don't think you need to bulk up, get a tan, grow a goatee and all that tired old nonsense. You looked quite handsome in those pictures. :gay: You do look far too young to have male pattern baldness though. (same problem I have - it doesn't look "right" on younger looking faces! :shakehead: :shakehead: :shakehead: )

Haha yeah I've always looked really young, I remember I started puberty later than pretty much everyone else at school, by a good 2 or more years maybe. I wonder what age I would have started losing my hair if that wasn't the case!

 

[BornIn89]

Another update, dunno why I'm bothering. You can see where it's going now. spironolactone isn't doing s**t. Depressing. I added a photo from 4 months ago to show how much my hairline has receded since then. I have no idea why it's suddenly sped up like this.

 

[mpbsux20]

Man I know its difficult but dont get yourself into that depression cycle,I have been there and it is extremely difficult to to be normal once you are severely depressed.Its really hard to tell from those pics,you have your hair at different lengths so I cant really say it has become worse.

 

[BornIn89]

I've probably been in that cycle for a while, I feel quite low at the moment, not just because of the hair but I'll admit that is a major contributing factor. Oh well..

Using minoxidil a few months ago made a tonne of hair fall out that hasn't started growing back yet... I'm beginning to wonder if it is going to grow back at all now. And in this picture attached you can see my hair 4 months or so ago before using minoxidil on the left and my hair now, yes it is a little shorter now but there's still a huge difference in the amount of hair... It has gone from having diffuse thinning and a Norwood 2.5 hairline to what I am now which is NW3 with all this whispy sh*t on the top of my head.

 

[MrBastard]

Your scalp look red/inflamed and going even more red at the more recent pics, considered a copper peptide like folligen or tricomin?

 

[BornIn89]

Your scalp look red/inflamed and going even more red at the more recent pics, considered a copper peptide like folligen or tricomin?

Hmm it doesn't feel particularly inflamed. I use nizoral every other day. Nope I haven't considered those, aren't they just growth stimulants like minoxidil? I feel so close to just picking up a razor and shaving it off properly, partly to see what I look like and also because I'm sick of thinking about f*****g hair.

 

[cuebald]

It does look inflamed. Perhaps you are having a reaction to minoxidil? It seems, at least to me, that minoxidil is like marmite, it can work wonders for some, and others it seems to cause nothing but trouble.
Mind you, I have a friend with a very beautiful NW1 of curly brown hair (that shines blonde in the sun) and he has a very red scalp. He's had a red scalp for years and uses medicated shampoo for it (might even be nizoral) - he's still a NW1.
I find myself now analysing everyone I knows hair in close detail. I have hair envy. male pattern baldness warps the mind.

I fear in your case that the shaved look may be the only remaining option.
finasteride might have stopped your loss (but then again, it may not have, since you have aggressive male pattern baldness for someone so young) - but it may be a little too late. It might just maintain what you have at the moment (a diffuse NW2.5 - NW3)

finasteride may even improve your hair, but if you fear side effects, I wouldn't bother with the drug.
Everyone who's come onto this board posting fears about side effects - when we've convinced them to try finasteride, they always quit the drug saying they've got sides (real or imagined) anyway. Some people just don't like messing with hormones, which is understandable. (Me, I couldn't give a toss, since all they've done is cause me pain via male pattern baldness anyway)

FWIW I maintain my hair excellently on finasteride - but I jumped on it too late so all I maintain is a NW4. It isn't really worth it but I am "holding out" in some way (the ability to still use Toppik).

 

[MrBastard]

Id try folligen + emu oil if i where you. You got nothing to lose exept for a few $$ and some minutes, and then again you know you did what you chould. ALOT of people reports that it helps with a inflamed scalp and an inflamed scalp can really damage your hairgrowth.

Got no experience with it yet. Ordered folligen for blondes myelf wich will arrive ssoon If you decide to try it remember that the other types than folligen for blondes can stain your scalp blue. It is an once a day every day or EOD product

 

[BornIn89]

It does look inflamed. Perhaps you are having a reaction to minoxidil? It seems, at least to me, that minoxidil is like marmite, it can work wonders for some, and others it seems to cause nothing but trouble.
Mind you, I have a friend with a very beautiful NW1 of curly brown hair (that shines blonde in the sun) and he has a very red scalp. He's had a red scalp for years and uses medicated shampoo for it (might even be nizoral) - he's still a NW1.
I find myself now analysing everyone I knows hair in close detail. I have hair envy. male pattern baldness warps the mind.

I fear in your case that the shaved look may be the only remaining option.
finasteride might have stopped your loss (but then again, it may not have, since you have aggressive male pattern baldness for someone so young) - but it may be a little too late. It might just maintain what you have at the moment (a diffuse NW2.5 - NW3)

finasteride may even improve your hair, but if you fear side effects, I wouldn't bother with the drug.
Everyone who's come onto this board posting fears about side effects - when we've convinced them to try finasteride, they always quit the drug saying they've got sides (real or imagined) anyway. Some people just don't like messing with hormones, which is understandable. (Me, I couldn't give a toss, since all they've done is cause me pain via male pattern baldness anyway)

FWIW I maintain my hair excellently on finasteride - but I jumped on it too late so all I maintain is a NW4. It isn't really worth it but I am "holding out" in some way (the ability to still use Toppik).

I quit minoxidil months ago, don't like the stuff. Regarding finasteride you hit the nail on the head with the side effects thing, I'm 99% sure I would get them either from the drug, worrying about it or just plain imaginary. I have an appointment with a derm in November, if I still feel the same then I'll ask for finasteride.

 

[BornIn89]

Id try folligen + emu oil if i where you. You got nothing to lose exept for a few $$ and some minutes, and then again you know you did what you chould. ALOT of people reports that it helps with a inflamed scalp and an inflamed scalp can really damage your hairgrowth.

Got no experience with it yet. Ordered folligen for blondes myelf wich will arrive ssoon If you decide to try it remember that the other types than folligen for blondes can stain your scalp blue. It is an once a day every day or EOD product

Lol blue scalp? I'll have a read up about them I guess but unless they are DHT inhibitors then they won't do much for me. It doesn't feel sore or anything, I have bad dandruff though, REALLY bad. Maybe the spironolactone doing that I dunno.

 

[Artas]

Hey, where you getting your S5 / spironolactone cream from? I am also from the UK and can't find any website which sells the product... :dunno:

 

[BornIn89]

Hey, where you getting your S5 / spironolactone cream from? I am also from the UK and can't find any website which sells the product... :dunno:

You have to get it from Dr Lee's website minoxidil.com

 

[Artas]

Hey, where you getting your S5 / spironolactone cream from? I am also from the UK and can't find any website which sells the product... :dunno:

You have to get it from Dr Lee's website minoxidil.com

How much is the shipping and UK price?

 

[BornIn89]

Hey, where you getting your S5 / spironolactone cream from? I am also from the UK and can't find any website which sells the product... :dunno:

You have to get it from Dr Lee's website minoxidil.com

How much is the shipping and UK price?

Shipping is $5 if i remember correctly.

Guys I just shaved it all off, with a razor.... I feel sick. It looks f*****g awful! And feels... disgusting to touch. Also where you said it was red and inflamed was actually quite painful to shave.

Edit: with my pale skin, crooked face and flaking scalp I genuinely look ill now.

Edit 2: And now I've just been informed about a huge birthmark on the back of my head, that I knew nothing about. Can't even get peace by shaving the sh*t off.

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

That birthmark might not look so bad if you go out in the sun some, I don't know if it will get darker too, might make it blend in.