HelpMeRegrow's Story (Pics Included)

[Guest]

Hey Guys,

I've been reading posts on here since the past week/since desperation kicked in and finally decided to post my story and get some guidance from the Seniors...

Story :
I am a 26 yr old male started thinning about 11 months ago sometime in december last year. My hair was really thick before so obviously I didnt realise I was thinning when it kicked in during the early stages.

Timeline :
September 2004 : Long hair and thick. No thinning visible or obvious

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph

November 2004: One day after a shower in november last year i noticed my visible scalp in the mirror and was a bit concerned. I asked my roommates if I was thinning or loosing hair and they said I was fine so that was that. Then in the next month, I was combing my hair under bright light and noticed my scalp easily but I ignored it thinking it was a temporary thing maybe due to certain vitamin deficiency and it ll get back to normal.

February 2005 : I was visiting my younger brother (23) in San diego. He 's been thinning since 2 years (poor guy although he has had all kinds of ailments ranging from jaundice to malaria to typhoid to pneumonia at a young age and he attributes the thinning to them/medications) I showed him my scalp and he alerted me that I was too thinning a little bit. I however ignored him saying he was reading too much into it. I also noticed that I wasnt able to style my hair as i would normally and my hair looked limp. I came back home and got the Thicker Fuller Hair gel to make my hair look thicker thinking that was a good fix to the issue. a few months passed by.

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph

September 2005 : I attended a wedding and one of my uncles snapped sum pictures of me with my cousins and emailed them to me. Boy Was I absolutely horrified ! Those pics were taken in bright sunlight and showed a lot of my scalp from the from. ( I am used to combing my hair puffed from the front) and I could totally see my scalp through the thin hair. That was it . I set up an appointment with a local derm immediately and she was able to confirm my worst fears - male pattern baldness. She asked me to get a comprehensive blood test to check my PSA levels and upon clearing that put me on propecia. I also met another derm who advised me the same thing and asked me to try minoxidil.
I ve been on propecia since almost a month.

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph

Family History:
1. Dad started loosing hair around 34-35
2. Grandfather had hair till 60
3. Mom's Brother is 48 and stillhas head full of hair
4. Mom's Dad had hair till 58.

My Regimen :
Propecia - 1mg once daily in the morning - Since 18th october 2005
Minoxidil(Walmart/equate Brand) : 5% twice a day for now since 11/1/2005 - thinking bout doing it once a day at night.
NIzOraL : 2% - twice a week since 21st October
Zinc 50 mg - once a day. Thinking bout taking it every alternate day
Biotin Supplement : once a day - since 10/22/2005
Multivitamin : once a day - Since forever
B Complex vitamin : once a day - Since 10/22/2005
Green tea - twice a day - Since 11/1/2005
Castor herbal oil and rosemary oil Combo/mix - once a week massage - 11/1/2005

Observations :
1. I notice about 18 -25 hair every morning on my pillow. Most of these hair are very fine and shorter than usual. Some of them have a white bulb at the end.
2. Even at work I notice about 4-5 hair falling on my desk/ keyboard everyday even when I gently rub my fingers on my scalp.
3. During a shower when I apply shampoo on my hair I get about 10 - 12 hair sticking on my hands/fingers even though I shampoo very gently. I wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner ( Clairol Herbal Essences/ Nizoral; was using Garnier Fructis earlier) about 5 times a week usually after a workout.
4. My Hair is thinning all over my scalp. Even on the back although since there is a higher density of hair so No scalp is visible.
5. Some of the common symptoms I have experienced in the past 8-9 months are itching, flaking/daindruff, A kind of burning sensation as if there is some heat generated from my body which is burning the hair roots on my scalp, and obvoiusly my hair is a lot thinner than a year back.
6. I do not see any receding of my hairline( thank god for that)but the area right behind my hairline/top has some noticeable bald spots where it seems like the hair thinned a lot and i have lost some hair. :cry:
7. Been on propecia for almost a month and do experience some pain in my balls of late (after ejaculation) however I dont think its reduced my sex drive or erections but I am determined to ride it out.
8. Overall When I examine my scalp minutely,I notice my hair still grows fast however the quality of hair is much more thinner than a year ago annd as a result a lot of scalp is noticeable. I probably have some hairloss too.
8. The worst part is I am not able to comb my hair like before and if I make it puff from the top/front My scalp is very visible from the front. I really woe the fact that I should have taken corrective measures early (when visible hair loss/thinning started about 10 months back but like most people I was in a denial mode and just would not digest the fact that I was loosing/thinning for good. :cry:

I have spent many sleepless nights on this issue in the past month and literally think bout it every 30 minutes.
I am a vegetarian and take about 100 grams of whey protein (courtesy GNC) per day for supplementation. I would say My professional life isnt that stressfull at all. The pics in the album were taken with a Kodak 4.0 MP digital camera under bright light.

One thing I do regret in life is applying chemical straightners/Relaxers for a total of 5 times in my life (from age 22 to 24) 3- 6 months apart each. I think that might have damaged my hair quiet a bit although both derms said "not really ".

Few Questions:

1. I am applying Minoxidil twice a day but from reading the various posts in here I am thinking bout changing it to once a day at night. I apply it mostly at the top and some on the vertex. Also its too flakey and makes it look like I have daindruff on my hair. Do you think this is a good move and is once a day 5% effective ?
2. From my pictures can any one tell me whats my norwood scale ? I am thinning considerably from the top. The hair on the top of my scalp are very thin compared to last year. As a result They tend to clump together when I make them wet or when I apply hair gel. Sometimes in the morning when I gently rub a wet hand on to my scalp I get about 6-8 hair sticking into my hand. Will Propecia or Minoxidil make them thicker again ?
3. My ENT thinks I should go for a Sinus surgery ( damn Allergies !) in the next month. This will be under local Anesthesia. How do you think this will affect my hairloss ?
4. From the pictures how bad is my vertex ?
5. Realistically what are the chances I will retain my "Hair Glory" I had in Sept 2004 ? Or is it all downhill from now ? http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph
6. Is there anything I can add/remove from my current regimen ?

Photo Album at
http://photos.yahoo.com/ferraricraving

Most of the pics in the first album were taken immediately out of the shower. these days I just stand under the shower and let the water wash the shampoo itself with out rinsing it off after applying. No towel dryng too. Notice how the thin hair clumps together from the force of the shower and my scalp is exposed. Or Am I balding on those areas ?

Your advise is greatly appreciated.

Apologise for the long post and pardon the typos

 

[jeffsss]

well your experiencing male pattern baldness no doubt.. that's what happens.. it comes quickly and powerful like a tsunami*

Your probabaly doing the right thing by getting on propecia. it helps prevent further hair loss... some people respond better than others..

now this is just from what i've read/researched..

top of your head and vertex respond better to minoxidil and finasteride.. (rogaine and propecia)
this is someones theory: there are two types of enzymes that transform testosterone into DHT..

type II is what most people conisder causes hair loss.. propecia blocks it.
vertex responds well, it was thought that type II is more responsible for vertex hair loss.

type I is another enzyme that causes test to turn to DHT.. it's been said that type I is more responsible for your hairline. propecia does not block type I enzyme.

so your little "poofed" up hair in the front is probabaly gone forever with the regimine you have. (sorry if that's too blunt)

but good news is that the rest of your head should be alirght.


as far as your surgerys.. any surgery or severe illness could cause hair loss.. usually this type of hair loss is non-scarring and will return.

btw, you still have a lot of hair. enjoy it before it diminishes over the next year or so.

 

[Guest]

jeffsss wrote

"btw, you still have a lot of hair. enjoy it before it diminishes over the next year or so. "

What does this exactly mean ? I am already on Propecia and minoxidil and Nizoral. Will it still diminish ?

 

[Britannia]

1. I am applying Minoxidil twice a day but from reading the various posts in here I am thinking bout changing it to once a day at night. I apply it mostly at the top and some on the vertex. Also its too flakey and makes it look like I have daindruff on my hair. Do you think this is a good move and is once a day 5% effective ?

For maximum regrowth you really want to be using it twice a day. It sounds like you are trying to go for a "all guns blazing" regeime so I suggest try sticking to twice a day. I certainely would not be a good idea simply using it once a day. Ill suggest some things to help with your dandruff in the answers to other questions you have asked.

2. From my pictures can any one tell me whats my norwood scale ? I am thinning considerably from the top. The hair on the top of my scalp are very thin compared to last year. As a result They tend to clump together when I make them wet or when I apply hair gel. Sometimes in the morning when I gently rub a wet hand on to my scalp I get about 6-8 hair sticking into my hand. Will Propecia or Minoxidil make them thicker again ?

Very difficult to tell what Norwood you are because the photos are in different light and at different angles. I would guess at e between 2 and 3. What is for sure though is that you have male pattern baldness. In time (and it can take upto 12 months to get the full benefits from Propecia) your hair on the vertex should thinken up considerably with a Propecia and Minoxidil combo.

3. My ENT thinks I should go for a Sinus surgery ( damn Allergies !) in the next month. This will be under local Anesthesia. How do you think this will affect my hairloss ?

It shouldnt affect it at all. If you need to stop treatment for a few days, its not the end of the world. Just carrying on afterwards like normal (i.e. dont take extra Propecia to make up for the lost few days).

4. From the pictures how bad is my vertex ?

Only you can answer this! How bad do you think it is? That is your answer. All I can say is that it looks better than a lot of peoples vertexes on this forum!

5. Realistically what are the chances I will retain my "Hair Glory" I had in Sept 2004 ? Or is it all downhill from now ? http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph

Its unlikely that it will be downhill from here. At the very least you should maintain the hair youve got now and should get some regrowth. I doubt you will ever get completely back to your "Hair Glory" days though.

6. Is there anything I can add/remove from my current regimen ?

YES! You dont mention what shampoo you use, so Ill give you some suggestions.
Firstly you should use NIZORAL shampoo two or three times a week. This shampoo is absolutely superb. There are three main treatments for male pattern baldness which are Propecia, Minoxidil and Nizoral. Since you use the first 2 already, you need to add Nizoral then you will have an optimal regeime. These three treatments are called "The Big 3". You will come across them a lot on this forum. For added effectiveness you could try using Neutrogena's T/Sal shampoo before the Nizoral. This helps the active ingredient in Nizoral to be absorbed.
For the days you are not using your Nizoral shampoo, it sounds like you need a shampoo to control your flaky scalp. Now there are a few options available but the one mainly used in male pattern baldness is Neutrogenas T/Gel (note this is different from T/Sal). T/Gel shampoo was used during the clinical trials of Propecia. Your Nizoral shampoo will help your dandruff too (thats what its designed for).
There are a few other shampoos out there that could be of benefits to you. One highly recommended product is Jason's Thin to Thick, which does exactly what it says it does! It does a real good job of thinkening up the hair youve still got.
If youve got a bit of extra cash you would like to invest, you could try some copper peptide treatments. These stimulate hair growth in a completely different way to Minoxidil and Propecia, so they can be added safely to your current regeime. Copper peptide treatments are clinically proven. One of the most commonly used treatments is Tricomin. This comes as a shampoo, a conditioner and a spray. You can use them singularly or all together. Another recommended copper peptide treatment is American Crew Revitalise. Again this comes as a shampoo, a conditioner and a spray.

Anyway I hope this helps and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[SE-freak]

That was a thorough reply, Britannia.

HMR do not jump on more topicals or treatments for now. Give it time to bloom and after the 2 years mark you can reassess your strategy.

 

[Britannia]

Sorry I didnt realise you were already using Nizoral. As you are then your regeime is pretty sweet. Just give it TIME to work.

 

[Guest]

That was a thorough reply, Britannia.

HMR do not jump on more topicals or treatments for now. Give it time to bloom and after the 2 years mark you can reassess your strategy.

SE Freak - Do you think I can expect regrowth of of hair to my last year levels or even my 6 month old levels from the front ?
also Should I continue using Minoxidil 5% twice a day or just once day or leave it out for now ? I started it in panic 2 weeks ago...

Britannia - Thanks for your feedback !

 

[Britannia]

Thats right ask SE-Freak not me. Sometimes I dont know why I bother :cry: .

 

[SE-freak]

I sent you a pm with my remarks after I received yours. Haven't you checked?

I say stay on minoxidil, twice daily, every day, consistently.

You have a very good chance on growing back some serious hair with the combination of these treatments.

I completely agree with trent.. err Britannia- I have already said so.

And no nervous compulsive rabbit jumping on and off. You will stay on your regimen for 1 to 2 years without changing a thing. It's like getting on a train and forgetting about it.

 

[Britannia]

It's like getting on a train and forgetting about it.

Except when you forget about it and end up in Glasgow.

 

[jeffsss]

What does this exactly mean ? I am already on Propecia and minoxidil and Nizoral. Will it still diminish ?

all treatments for male pattern baldness are just to slow down the process..

nothing on the market aside from hair transplants will give you hair exactly where you want it back.

think of propecia as a sand timer...

you flip the timer.. and poof.. you get male pattern baldness extension... your good for several years..

 

[Britannia]

think of propecia as a sand timer...

Think it as the best and one of only 2 clinically proven treatments for male pattern baldness.

 

[Guest]

Britannia - Thanks for your feedbacks again. Your advice has not gone unappreciated


The reason I was asking to quit minoxidil is because I just got on to it 2 weeks back so I guess it wont result into much shedding if I quit it now than quitting it later on. The question is - is my situation soo bad that I should keep using Minoxidil from the beginnnig itself ? Also i m having somewhat of a static life as of now. But when you are travelling and stuff twice a day would becomes a pain. not to mention the flaking it produces :cry: Also Some ppl like HairLossTalk.com advised somewhere that its better to start slowly and add treatments one by one rather than deploying your full ammunition. (in the event say 5 yrs down the line their effects begin to wear off/immune to it ) So that makes me think too.

as far as Propecia goes - I am now married to it - No Divorces/Seperation
Not sure If I want to commit to Minoxidil too that too twice a day ! I hear some ppl have got results using it once a day. My derm also asked me to use it atleast once if I cant manage twice.

Seniors and Veterans - please chip in your thoughts.

I have added 2 more pics (taken yesterday) of my front to reflect my current frontal situation.

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ferrar ... pg&.src=ph

 

[SE-freak]

Listen... If you are not really feeling bad about your hair right now, you could quit minoxidil(you will not even shed- too early for that) and give finasteride a year to see what it could give you.

That would be best because some people respond unexpectedly well.

If you think that you need immediate regrowth now, stay on minoxidil(2x daily). After two years, when your results will have reached their peak, you could start 1x daily- most people maintain their minoxidil growth with a single application.

I can see that the frontal area is hit and this area is quite difficult for regrowth (without minoxidil especially), but you never know. So If you can "afford" it psychologically, meaning that your results will take a long time with finasteride alone, stop minoxidil now and keep it for later.

 

[SE-freak]

I saw your new frontal shots. I think you could leave minoxidil out for now and give finasteride a year. You are good up front.

You just need some thickening of your main hair body and finasteride is good at that.

 

[The Gardener]

I'm optimistic for you. You have started your regimen early, and have a solid one at that. I would probably have waited a bit before starting minoxidil, and given the Propecia a little time to have an effect.

Give the Propecia at least a year before making any judgements, and keep in mind that hairloss does not usually happen in a straight-line pattern. That is to say, it does not happen all at once, or at a constant rate. Usually, there are periods when you'll lose some, then perhaps even years that go by where you will maintain, then another period of loss comes. So, stick with the Propecia and ride that horse a bit to see what kind of legs it will have for you. minoxidil is a different bird, I would typically hold off on it until you know what Propecia will do for you, and only then use it if regrowth is needed to maintain the basic integrity of your hairline, which, despite your thinning, you still have intact. Not necessarily saying to drop it, but I would not go with once a day for you right now, just wouldn't be a good fit. minoxidil is a personal call, what some consider a thinning but "acceptable" hairline versus a receeding hairline varies from person to person and it is really up to you. But if you do use it, use it twice a day to get the most regrowth punch out of it. And if you decide to hold off on it for now, then I don't think two weeks of use would have created any substantial withdrawal issues. Best of luck with your regimen, I hope it really takes hold!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your responses !

Yeah, i have decided to stick with Minoxidil for now 5% twice a day. Since my frontal hairloss is very recent (about 4-5 months) I am hoping, Maybe minoxidil will help me get most of it back if not all (I doubt)

Do you have to use Jason's shampoo along with its conditioner ? I bought a bottle last night but without a conditioner. I am using Clairol herbal Essences Conditioner for limp/thin hair along with Jasons shampoo for now. Does that work ?

Can any one suggest me a good hair gel which will make my hair appear thicker and is perfectly safe ?

 

[SE-freak]

Garnier Fructis Surfer Hair is impressive.

If you are into new age overpriced natural stuff you could go for the non-obtrusively named "Blood of the Dragon Gel" by Morocco Method.

 

[HairlossTalk]

Helpme -

At your stage, I used nothing but Propecia and Nizoral and had total maintenance with minor thickening up front for a good 3 full years. Didn't use anything else. Your regimen is incredibly elaborate ... but that is your choice. You definitely do have a forboding looking hairline that almost *looks* like it is racing to the back of your head! ... so do what you feel is best. Just make sure you pick a regimen you will stick with. The easier it is, the more probable your compliance will be, and compliance is 80% of the battle.

HairLossTalk.com

 

[Solo]

Garnier Fructis Surfer Hair is impressive.

Can you find it in Greece???


I´ve heard about its mighty powers here and I´ve looking for it here, in Spain, but It seems that´s not available (at least with that name). I can only find a Garnier Fructis Stupid Wax that makes your hair look like if you´ve been urinated by a cow.