Female But Needing To Talk About This

[Georgie]

I’m 24, female and basing fast. My whole life has been a struggle. My family was dysfunctional, my mother had severe alcohol dependency issues, I suffered sexual abuse from a family friend, and again when I was older. As a teen I went through years of being hospitalised for anorexia. There was a time when I was 19-20 when I thought things were going to be ok. Then at 21 I started losing hair, was told my hormones had all but abandoned me and that I would never have children. The hairloss has been rapid. I was disfonlsed with Androgenetic Alopecia in 2015. I started using topical and oral minoxidil, the pill (Diane) and Spironolactone. Well the spironolactone made me sick so that was out a few months later. However I noticed something else these past few years. I shed almost every 3-4 months badly on midoxildil. For a good month or two, maybe three. It’s totally fucked my hair cycle. So whilst it has regrowing
My hairline, it still recedes every few months, and my hair density can’t keep up. Lately my hair is the worst it’s ever been. I have been thinking “I have to find a good antiandrogen”. I’ve been looking at topicals, shampoos - everything. I started Dutasteride this past week (0.5mg once a week). Then this morning (after starting another week of another HUGE shed) that it is all hopeless. What good is trying to keep the hair if minoxidil is just going to make it fall out every few months? It’s not like I can always keep my hair short, because I’m a female. So effectively i’m screwed. I am totally screwed. Considering suicide and have already attempted a few years back. I can’t do this.

 

[CopeForLife]

first in epic thread

*** spot for sale ***

 

[IdealForehead]

It is possible that some people can have paradoxical negative responses on minoxidil. I would drop it if you've noticed a consistent negative effect over time.

Are you still taking Diane? Hopefully you are - that should still help.

I don't blame you for stopping spironolactone. How much were you taking? When I was taking 200 mg a day I was pissing constantly, had to drink maybe 3-4 litres of extra water a day, and I was nauseous and exhausted from all the water drinking and pissing. I don't know how some people do it.

Dutasteride is good. You'll have to give it some time to see what it does.

If I were you I would then:

- Continue Diane and dutasteride
- Drop minoxidil
- Add LLLT therapy like a laser cap eg. Here is a good model.
- Ensure you are not following an anorexic diet and have adequate basic protein and nutrients.

If all that fails, consider adding a topical antiandrogen like RU. You can read more about it here on the forum.

If you want to get into high level topical treatments, a mixture of:

- 5% RU58841
- 5% niacinamide
- 1% desloratadine

In a base of 50% propanediol, 30% ethanol, and 20% water should work well with around 2 mL applied twice daily, but you'll have to do your homework to get into all that. Keep in mind if you do use topicals like RU, and things change in the future, you can't use them during pregnancy.

 

[IdealForehead]

first in epic thread

Stop white knighting. There. I said it first.

 

[Georgie]

It is possible that some people can have paradoxical negative responses on minoxidil. I would drop it if you've noticed a consistent negative effect over time.

Are you still taking Diane? Hopefully you are - that should still help.

I don't blame you for stopping spironolactone. How much were you taking? When I was taking 200 mg a day I was pissing constantly, had to drink maybe 3-4 litres of extra water a day, and I was nauseous and exhausted from all the water drinking and pissing. I don't know how some people do it.

Dutasteride is good. You'll have to give it some time to see what it does.

If I were you I would then:

- Continue Diane and dutasteride
- Drop minoxidil
- Add LLLT therapy like a laser cap eg. Here is a good model.
- Ensure you are not following an anorexic diet and have adequate basic protein and nutrients.

If all that fails, consider adding a topical antiandrogen like RU. You can read more about it here on the forum.

If you want to get into high level topical treatments, a mixture of:

- 5% RU58841
- 5% niacinamide
- 1% desloratadine

In a base of 50% propanediol, 30% ethanol, and 20% water should work well with around 2 mL applied twice daily, but you'll have to do your homework to get into all that. Keep in mind if you do use topicals like RU, and things change in the future, you can't use them during pregnancy.

I am still on Diane, yes. That and spironolactone (200mg) were the first things I began taking for hairloss. spironolactone has those same
Side effects for me. They never stopped the shedding or miniaturisation. My hairloss was so bad that my hairline receded with full miniaturisation within a year but to a Norwood 2 scale, plus all over bad thinning. It was like my entire hairline around my head was creeping in. I went to a trichologist who looked at my hair and said 80% was miniaturised. So for me the minoxidil was simply the only thing that brought back my hairline, so I am afraid to stop. Plus I will lose even more hair by stopping. My hairloss is so aggressive it’s bizarre. It literally ate my hair in a year. I have looked into getting 5% RU from the website in the premade bottle. I was up until midnight last night actually looking through hundreds of posts and threads. Have you used it? Does it work? Also have you tried avodart with any success? I’m so hopeless right now. Everything in my life turns to sh*t, always. Not long ago my boyfriend of 2 years also dumped me because he hated me being sad. sh*t is rough man.

 

[Georgie]

Maybe oral + topical minoxidil is too much and that's what explains the cycling shed??
I know it's hard, but stay strong.

I need the oral stuff because my eyelash and brow hair also thins/miniaturises. Like an old woman. My hairloss is so aggressive and awful.

 

[IdealForehead]

I am still on Diane, yes. That and spironolactone (200mg) were the first things I began taking for hairloss. spironolactone has those same
Side effects for me. They never stopped the shedding or miniaturisation. My hairloss was so bad that my hairline receded with full miniaturisation within a year but to a Norwood 2 scale, plus all over bad thinning. It was like my entire hairline around my head was creeping in. I went to a trichologist who looked at my hair and said 80% was miniaturised. So for me the minoxidil was simply the only thing that brought back my hairline, so I am afraid to stop. Plus I will lose even more hair by stopping. My hairloss is so aggressive it’s bizarre. It literally ate my hair in a year. I have looked into getting 5% RU from the website in the premade bottle. I was up until midnight last night actually looking through hundreds of posts and threads. Have you used it? Does it work? Also have you tried avodart with any success? I’m so hopeless right now. Everything in my life turns to sh*t, always. Not long ago my boyfriend of 2 years also dumped me because he hated me being sad. sh*t is rough man.

Finasteride/dutasteride don't work on me at all. It's probably something rare about my genetics but they don't do what they're supposed to for me (reduce DHT).

Yeah I used RU for 2 years with mixed results. I initially used it at 5% 2 mL twice daily for a year with minoxidil 5% mixed in as well and had good results of what I think was at least maintenance with possibly a bit of regrowth. I cut down to 3.7% after that and dropped the minoxidil for a year and lost ground.

Now I'm on topical darolutamide which is at least 100x stronger and highly experimental as I got sick of f*****g around.

I'm still using RU as well since I have it on hand and I like the backup. But from my experience, I wouldn't waste time with anything less than 5%. 7.5%-10% is probably more ideal. That's what I'm using now (7.5%).

The trouble with RU is it has a very short half life of only 1 hour in the blood and probably 4-5 hours in the scalp max. So for it to be effective 24 hours a day you have to apply at least twice a day and in high doses so that as the levels drop over time, they don't drop too far to a sub-effective level for too long of the day.

If you're on cyproterone (Diane) + dutasteride and add RU 5-10% twice daily, I can't see how any androgenic damage could continue. If you keep losing hair at that point, I would be highly skeptical it is an androgenic process at all. That should really do it for any androgenic loss, especially in a woman where you have lower androgens to begin with.

 

[Stanx22]

Seeing C4L white knighting is something that's not seen everyday.

 

[Georgie]

your eyelashes miniaturize... I heard about eyelashes falling with areata... but did not knew they could miniaturize. No facial hair with minoxidil? I hate this f*****g vellus it gives people

Yeah. Before treatment they became sparse, thin and short. Same with my brows. I used lash serum and the oral minoxidil now which lengthens then but never made then ang thicker, which is why I think I have been needing antiandrogens. I still get miniaturisation.

 

[spring15]

Is that you in your display pic @Georgie? I have no idea about women's hair loss so I have no advice to give . But near future treatments look promising

 

[Georgie]

Sounds like me a bit.
You could try to add some progesterone in your minoxidil, it gives it a little boost. Maybe your derm will know of it, if not pm me I ll give you the numbers.
I have tried spironolactone, Diane, CPA all gave me lots of weight gain and veinous issues... so I am stuck with minoxidil (facial f*****g vellus). I will try RU soon.
You will be obsessed for some time, and then it will calm down.
hair loss in women can be super aggressive. Check your iron (ferritine) and vit d and zinc levels.

I take a multi vitamin and iron. It’s not those things because even throughout severe malnutrition as a teen I never had hairloss. I put it down to a hairloss similar to menopausal loss, except I now take the pill to replace what I don’t produce...

 

[CopeForLife]

Seeing C4L white knighting is something that's not seen everyday.

where do i whiteknight exactly

 

[Georgie]

Is that you in your display pic @Georgie? I have no idea about women's hair loss so I have no advice to give . But near future treatments look promising

It is me, yes.

 

[countjulian]

I would highly advise listening the IdealForehead, he's mum about his background but I can tell you he knows what he's doing.

As for the emotional impact, first thing is don't beat yourself up for feeling the way you do. It is easier having AA as a man since it's expected for us, but I can tell you I totally understand how you're feeling. We all imagine ourselves as the hero of our own story, and the hero always has a long, flowing mane. Add onto that all of the pressure which exists on women to fit into the feminine ideal and it's no wonder you're feeling so bad. No matter how bad it gets, though, keep your head up and remember that you're strong enough to keep fighting. There's some exciting treatment options coming down the pike in 5-10 years and you're going to want to be around to see them.

I'm gonna be honest with you, there's a ton of assholes on this sub forum in particular, but there are also good people who will support you. We know what this is feels like, and we're rooting for you. Stay strong.

 

[Patrick_Bateman]

Just shave it off and hit the gym. Woman up!

 

[Georgie]

It is me, yes.

Me currently

 

[Exodus2011]

you're cute. use concealers or a wig and you should be good to go, but i'd wager some chads will have issues with it. maybe the white knight musician beta type chads will even find it appealing however as its a vulnerability

of course there will still be the sense of inferiority personally, not including dating as your hair would be partially or totally fake, but i'm sure having a good romantic life would go a long way to mitigating that

like it reminds me of there being a lot of bald dads with families, they dont seem to often be that fixated or depressed about baldness, they already have a wife and such

 

[Georgie]

Just shave it off and hit the gym. Woman up!

Did that last year, and btw I am a weight lifter so the gym is my second home.

 

[Georgie]

you're cute. use concealers or a wig and you should be good to go, but i'd wager some chads will have issues with it. maybe the white knight musician beta type chads will even find it appealing however as its a vulnerability

 

[Georgie]

That hurts my soul