- Reaction score
- 1,420
Before i get into this, please do not judge me on this regimen as i am fully aware of the risks involved. Also if you dont read it all dont bother replying, i will be using this thread to document my progress.
Just a summary of what ive been doing these last 5 months.
Mid - late November I started propecia to maintain my receding temples. I was a strong NW2 with full thickness, only thinning on the sides of my head. I began experiencing the recession at the tender age of 14 but my loss was moving at a snails pace and only eventually regressed to NW2 at 19. I have medium to long hair with bangs so i rarely saw my hairline but with a strong history of baldness on both sides of the family i knew it may happen some day ( my dad has good hair )
December/January - after a couple months on propecia my hairline began to thin aswell as the temples, which seemed to be moving far more aggressively. This was accompanied by moderate itchiness and pain in the places i am receding. Panicked and annoyed i jumped on Nizoral, which did help the itch, but did not and still has not eliminated it.
February - My hairline and temples continued to aggressively recede to the point i had to change my hairstyle. I was losing hope and getting more desperate so i added in S5 cream with dermarolling 0.5 but changed to 1.0.
Early April - Still losing ground faster than i ever imagined, temples are now completely gone and my hairline is real close to NW3. I have to use wax and hair spray just to disguise my recession now which is killing me... a few days later when i noticed i was over 4 months on propecia and only deteriorated rapidly i knew that it was not working for me. I did NOT experience excess hair fall but a dramatic increase in thinning. My hair strands are strong and thick at the tip and thin and transparent at the root now, i almost cant believe it. I knew i needed to take drastic action if i wanted another shot at saving my hair. This is where the desperation has led me.
Present day - I am continuing to take propecia and as of the last 10 days i have been using oral spironolactone 50mg 2x a day and plan on increasing it to 75mg 2x a day by the end of the second week.
Ive come to the understanding that my hair is sensitive to all androgens, including T, otherwise my male pattern baldness would not have sped up ten fold, but simply progressed as normal if I was a non responder. I believe i am simply just a BAD responder.
I plan on staying on propecia (which i will soon change for a generic) and spironolactone indefinitely.. if it helps.
Since starting spironolactone im definitely experiencing side effects which ill list:
Quick shooting pain in testicles ( not often)
Loss of morning wood ( still had it on soley propecia )
Minor pain in breasts ( frequent )
Libido is extremely low but im enjoying that side effect.
I actually started shedding for real i believe. I was shedding thicker hairs instead of the thin wispy ones im used to ( i only began shedding thin hairs upon starting propecia )
Apart from those listed I have experienced POSITIVE side effects since starting:
My sebum decreased by at least half! Prior i would have to wash my hair every day as it looked so bad all greasy, thin and limp. Now i can go an extra day without my hair getting greasy and stays looking good for longer.
The chest hair which started growing on propecia is falling out ( i had no chest hair prior to treatments )
My skin is becoming smoother and softer, hell i actually look healthier than i have for a good while!
The itch that appeared when i started propecia is fading even further, but still present.
I believe the shed i experienced upon starting spironolactone is subsiding so i am hoping for good things to come.
I plan on peaking eventually at 100mg 2x a day but only for a couple of months then lowering back down to 75mg 2x a day.
After 3 - 4 months if i am not satisfied i will be adding oral minoxidil 5mg 2x a day along with kirkland 1x at night.
I will update again in a month or two with hopefully stabilisation at the least. Thanks for the read folks and good luck to you all.
Just a summary of what ive been doing these last 5 months.
Mid - late November I started propecia to maintain my receding temples. I was a strong NW2 with full thickness, only thinning on the sides of my head. I began experiencing the recession at the tender age of 14 but my loss was moving at a snails pace and only eventually regressed to NW2 at 19. I have medium to long hair with bangs so i rarely saw my hairline but with a strong history of baldness on both sides of the family i knew it may happen some day ( my dad has good hair )
December/January - after a couple months on propecia my hairline began to thin aswell as the temples, which seemed to be moving far more aggressively. This was accompanied by moderate itchiness and pain in the places i am receding. Panicked and annoyed i jumped on Nizoral, which did help the itch, but did not and still has not eliminated it.
February - My hairline and temples continued to aggressively recede to the point i had to change my hairstyle. I was losing hope and getting more desperate so i added in S5 cream with dermarolling 0.5 but changed to 1.0.
Early April - Still losing ground faster than i ever imagined, temples are now completely gone and my hairline is real close to NW3. I have to use wax and hair spray just to disguise my recession now which is killing me... a few days later when i noticed i was over 4 months on propecia and only deteriorated rapidly i knew that it was not working for me. I did NOT experience excess hair fall but a dramatic increase in thinning. My hair strands are strong and thick at the tip and thin and transparent at the root now, i almost cant believe it. I knew i needed to take drastic action if i wanted another shot at saving my hair. This is where the desperation has led me.
Present day - I am continuing to take propecia and as of the last 10 days i have been using oral spironolactone 50mg 2x a day and plan on increasing it to 75mg 2x a day by the end of the second week.
Ive come to the understanding that my hair is sensitive to all androgens, including T, otherwise my male pattern baldness would not have sped up ten fold, but simply progressed as normal if I was a non responder. I believe i am simply just a BAD responder.
I plan on staying on propecia (which i will soon change for a generic) and spironolactone indefinitely.. if it helps.
Since starting spironolactone im definitely experiencing side effects which ill list:
Quick shooting pain in testicles ( not often)
Loss of morning wood ( still had it on soley propecia )
Minor pain in breasts ( frequent )
Libido is extremely low but im enjoying that side effect.
I actually started shedding for real i believe. I was shedding thicker hairs instead of the thin wispy ones im used to ( i only began shedding thin hairs upon starting propecia )
Apart from those listed I have experienced POSITIVE side effects since starting:
My sebum decreased by at least half! Prior i would have to wash my hair every day as it looked so bad all greasy, thin and limp. Now i can go an extra day without my hair getting greasy and stays looking good for longer.
The chest hair which started growing on propecia is falling out ( i had no chest hair prior to treatments )
My skin is becoming smoother and softer, hell i actually look healthier than i have for a good while!
The itch that appeared when i started propecia is fading even further, but still present.
I believe the shed i experienced upon starting spironolactone is subsiding so i am hoping for good things to come.
I plan on peaking eventually at 100mg 2x a day but only for a couple of months then lowering back down to 75mg 2x a day.
After 3 - 4 months if i am not satisfied i will be adding oral minoxidil 5mg 2x a day along with kirkland 1x at night.
I will update again in a month or two with hopefully stabilisation at the least. Thanks for the read folks and good luck to you all.
