Exploring The Hormonal Route. Hair=life.

[Lunaeruth]

No that's sensible, they did drink a hell of a lot. I'm not sensible tho, I get swollen ankles and am often faint standing too quick

(Wow, sorry forum - didn't realise the whole article would get rendered here)

I'm just following this and micro dosing:

https://www.reddit.com/r/HairlossResearch/comments/t6yu8g

As the guy got seriously hairy:

https://www.reddit.com/r/tressless/comments/udjq9q

Although I'm not seeing gains like his my hair is definitely better (and strangely darker)

Thanks, they mention using a bottle for 2 years. (6 years for a 3 pack)

My brand (noxidil) says not to use the bottle later than a month after opening it. It has 60 ML 5 percent minoxidil. Is the one month expiration just BS?

 

[Zœy]

I can't see anything on my liquid Kirkland brand saying 'use once' open. Just an overall 'expires August 2023'

Have you tried topical with tretinoin? This might work for you? Not sure if it'll reduce the itch. But it might allow you to apply just once a day at night. (As tret is sensitive to UV - I think)

Tretinoin enhances minoxidil response in androgenetic alopecia patients by upregulating follicular sulfotransferase enzymes - PubMed

Minoxidil sulfate is the active metabolite required to exert the vasodilatory and hair growing effects of minoxidil. For hair growth, sulfotransferase enzymes expressed in outer root sheath of the hair follicle sulfonate minoxidil. The large intra-subject variability in follicular...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Lunaeruth]

I can't see anything on my liquid Kirkland brand saying 'use once' open. Just an overall 'expires August 2023'

Have you tried topical with tretinoin? This might work for you? Not sure if it'll reduce the itch. But it might allow you to apply just once a day at night. (As tret is sensitive to UV - I think)

Tretinoin enhances minoxidil response in androgenetic alopecia patients by upregulating follicular sulfotransferase enzymes - PubMed

Minoxidil sulfate is the active metabolite required to exert the vasodilatory and hair growing effects of minoxidil. For hair growth, sulfotransferase enzymes expressed in outer root sheath of the hair follicle sulfonate minoxidil. The large intra-subject variability in follicular...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does this mean finding some brand of minoxidil that contains tretinoin, or am I supposed to get tretinoin and apply both simultaneously?

 

[Zœy]

I'm probably should have stated that tretinoin is a prescription* drug (well at least where I'm from) it comes in gel or cream form. Apply one after the other.

*I'm so used to just buying things off the internet I sometimes forget.

But you did say you get the minoxidil sides, so maybe you need to try a different treatment?

 

[Lunaeruth]

I'm probably should have stated that tretinoin is a prescription* drug (well at least where I'm from) it comes in gel or cream form. Apply one after the other.

*I'm so used to just buying things off the internet I sometimes forget.

This kind of makes me wonder if topical use of both minoxidil twice daily and tretinoin with the night dose would have an even bigger effect than either two dose minoxidil or one dose minoxidil and tretinoin. Anyway, I will see if I can get either my family doctor or endo to prescribe tretinoin for me.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

New shemale appears!

 

[losingbattle88]

I'm probably should have stated that tretinoin is a prescription* drug (well at least where I'm from) it comes in gel or cream form. Apply one after the other.

*I'm so used to just buying things off the internet I sometimes forget.

But you did say you get the minoxidil sides, so maybe you need to try a different treatment?

I Read topical tretionin can cause hairloss but also encourage new growth. Its litteraly 50/50 by reading comments about it on reddit. Some derms even say it can cause hairloss, this seems to be from too much vitamin A I hope and not tretionin itself.

 

[Bungiejumper33g]

I just drop a few droplets of topical minoxidil from the pipette directly into my mouth. Seems to be working great for me. But it's totally systemic, I'm growing hair everywhere.
I don't think im a minoxidil responder so topical didn't really work and applying it with tretinoin was marginal for me.

Isn’t oral minoxidil different in its formulation compared to oral? Topical doesn’t last as long and isn’t absorbed in the same way as oral so it’s difficult to get an appropriate dosage compared to oral. I mean what’s equivalent to a 2.5mg tablet of oral?

 

[GRme11]

I can't see anything on my liquid Kirkland brand saying 'use once' open. Just an overall 'expires August 2023'

Have you tried topical with tretinoin? This might work for you? Not sure if it'll reduce the itch. But it might allow you to apply just once a day at night. (As tret is sensitive to UV - I think)

Tretinoin enhances minoxidil response in androgenetic alopecia patients by upregulating follicular sulfotransferase enzymes - PubMed

Minoxidil sulfate is the active metabolite required to exert the vasodilatory and hair growing effects of minoxidil. For hair growth, sulfotransferase enzymes expressed in outer root sheath of the hair follicle sulfonate minoxidil. The large intra-subject variability in follicular...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recently, I found this study about Tretinoin, and made me worried: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15955085/

Towards dissecting the pathogenesis of retinoid-induced hair loss: all-trans retinoic acid induces premature hair follicle regression (catagen) by upregulation of transforming growth factor-beta2 in the dermal papilla​

 

[losingbattle88]

Recently I have found this study about Tretinoin, and made me worried: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15955085/

Towards dissecting the pathogenesis of retinoid-induced hair loss: all-trans retinoic acid induces premature hair follicle regression (catagen) by upregulation of transforming growth factor-beta2 in the dermal papilla​

Bro on reddit soooo many say it causes hairloss man. And just a few said it caused hair growth. Fuk i bought tret 0.1% and apply to face.... Gonna use it less often now...

 

[Hairful]

Hey Bridge! Good to see you!

I'm a trans woman, 42, I only realized it at 32 and started HRT at 34 and I went bald at age 21 (my dad went bald at 19, so I got his hair genes). I'm post bottom op since 2017 and switched to taking only estrogen. My body kept building resistance to Estrofem and Estrogel (applied to calves) and nowadays I am using Evorel patches, 1 on each calve.

I started minoxidil spray once a day last year for 6 months and from zero top of the scalp hair I started getting dilute growth. Then I had facial surgery and had to stop for a while. Two months ago I started minoxidil again, this time with 1 mg finasteride and I have been seeing even more growth, especially towards the back seeing lots of new short terminal hairs. I'm also doing my best to apply the minoxidil twice a day but it's really itchy and I hate it takes 2-3 hours to absorb and it drips to the back where I still have hair and makes it sticky.

I don't know if I can get oral minoxidil in my country, would you recommend that I do? I am afraid of regrowing facial hair, lowering blood pressure too much... then again, I already get swelling in my feet when I eat anything with added salt while under minoxidil regime, so I think it's going systemic anyway despite only applying it to the scalp.

Do you think it's important to apply estrogel directly on the scalp in addition to getting estrogen from my patches? Isn't there some health risk involved in doing that? I am also having issues getting my endocrinologist to prescribe to me both Estrogel and Evorel patches. I am currently taking 2 patches, maybe I could raise the dose but I'm afraid to build a resistance again.

Any tips on what I could do from your experience to improve my chances as post op, because lack of T (my blood results always show below test range) and having E by themselves haven't restored my hair but I have been seeing growth by adding minoxidil and now even more that I have also added finasteride but I am still way too dilute up there to go without a hat or a wig, which itch a lot... and even without them, just the minoxidil is itching horribly for me.

Right now my thinking is to ask my endo to increase my Evorel dosage and to try and get access to oral Minoxidil. Let me know if in your opinion I should take anything else like Estrogel on the scalp.

I also think I have fat malabsorption that might be impacting my hair, getting a GI panel for that. I have lack of subcutaneous fat in the skin around the eyes which is limiting my facial transition results which if I am right about the fat malabsorption could be explained by that, possibly. Gaining weight never reaches anywhere except my belly (was like that before transition too) and the rest of my body refuses to have fat on it.

My E levels are consistently low on blood tests which I believe could also have to do with possible fat malabsorption, but at least the patches worked to keep it measurable... before that estrogel and estrofem didn't work and E kept going down even as I raised dose until it went below test range. I'm vegan but I had these issues before I went vegan too. When I eat only whole plant foods it gets rid of feet swelling I otherwise get from minoxidil and reduces my belly bloating.

It’s funny you’re worried about health effects from minoxidil when you’re literally f*****g up your body by trying to become a woman LOL as if that’s very healthy

Minoxidil is safer than the poison you’re injecting and surgeries you’re undergoing

 

[Bungiejumper33g]

It’s funny you’re worried about health effects from minoxidil when you’re literally f*****g up your body by trying to become a woman LOL as if that’s very healthy

Minoxidil is safer than the poison you’re injecting and surgeries you’re undergoing

Hrt is pretty safe

 

[Lunaeruth]

It’s funny you’re worried about health effects from minoxidil when you’re literally f*****g up your body by trying to become a woman LOL as if that’s very healthy

Minoxidil is safer than the poison you’re injecting and surgeries you’re undergoing

I have zero health issues that did not already exist before transition and so far only things that got better from transition, but sure, arbitrarily call hormone therapy poison if you want.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

Hrt is pretty safe

Not for your balls

 

[Lunaeruth]

Not for your balls

That being a bad thing would depend on whether you want to keep them to begin with. That's why you got informed consent. What's an unwanted side effect for one person can be a boon for another.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

That being a bad thing would depend on whether you want to keep them to begin with. That's why you got informed consent. What's an unwanted side effect for one person can be a boon for another.

Depends on your definition of bad lol

 

[Lunaeruth]

Depends on your definition of bad lol

My definition of bad is something that I don't want. I don't care whether or not I have a sex drive or have sex ever again, I don't want to have children. Sex drive is totally irrelevant if I can't live my genuine self, it's totally completely and utterly useless to me and in my case, was nothing but a burden for me.

I care about having my hair back. I care about having a feminine face and body to match my gender. If anything, my regret is I didn't figure out I am trans sooner and start HRT before I lost my hair and before my face morphed into a shape that even surgeries had trouble feminizing.

Just because what I want is not what you want, doesn't mean my definition of bad is not valid. It's the same definition for both of us, you just want different things and that's fine and so are my wants. I am not telling anyone else to want what I want. You do you, I do me.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

My definition of bad is something that I don't want. I don't care whether or not I have a sex drive or have sex ever again, I don't want to have children. Sex drive is totally irrelevant if I can't live my genuine self, it's totally completely and utterly useless to me and in my case, was nothing but a burden for me.

I care about having my hair back. I care about having a feminine face and body to match my gender. If anything, my regret is I didn't figure out I am trans sooner and start HRT before I lost my hair and before my face morphed into a shape that even surgeries had trouble feminizing.

Just because what I want is not what you want, doesn't mean my definition of bad is not valid. It's the same definition for both of us, you just want different things and that's fine and so are my wants. I am not telling anyone else to want what I want. You do you, I do me.

Incel drab lol

 

[Lunaeruth]

Incel drab lol

Incels want sex but supposedly according to them can't have it. I do not want it, it's called being asexual - I'm fine with not having a sex drive and I also happen to be aromantic. It frees me up to concentrate working on my singing, playing musical instruments, playing video games, having friends without having to worry about complications from sexual/romantic attraction. Not that you care, but I participate in musicals, community theater online and offline, help teach other trans people voice modification, play in a band, go out with friends to watch movies. I have a social life that is plenty for my needs, so call me incel if you want, I just don't want that stuff. Maybe some day that will change, and if so, I can still do that stuff, as a woman, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I also train for and run marathons casually on a yearly basis, but I guess I am still somehow weak and sick according to you despite doing that. I can tell you for sure that I didn't care to do stuff like exercise and eat healthy until after my transition because I hated my body and disassociated from it. I *love* *everything* that surgeries and HRT did for me and the only parts I still don't like are the parts I wanted them to change that they couldn't.

Of course, you can claim to know what I want better than I know, but then you would be telling others what they want.

 

[Hairful]

I have zero health issues that did not already exist before transition and so far only things that got better from transition, but sure, arbitrarily call hormone therapy poison if you want.

Becoming a freak isn’t healthy