Is my hardcore regimen counter productive?

[mulder]

Any thoughts on my current regimen? Check my sig. Honestly would like to hear others opinions.

Am I just doing too much...can it be counterproductive for hair growth? For me this is honestly the last chance for growth otherwise I'll ending getting a piece or transplant (and I don't know if a transplant would even be a good enough for my diffuse thinning). I've had very slow hair loss over the past decade or so, but the major hair loss (when it REALLY started to bother me) occurred within the last 3 years. I'm now a Norwood 2-3V with diffuse thinning...I could live with this hairline but I am desperate to get say 20% of my original thickness back...I know this would make a huge difference to my appearance.

If this regimen is too much what to include or not? Any specific advice on it? Added all this additional stuff besides the big 3 over the past 5 months or so. I had a shed beginning of summer and I've seen regrowth since then but it's been quite slow and I don't think it's completely filled in since the shed so far.

 

[mulder]

Finesteride 1.25mg daily (03/06)

DNC Spectral (07/07) pm, Rogaine Foam am(07/07)

Saw Palmetto 500 mg 1x Daily

Emu Oil, Jojoba, Olive with a bunch of essential applied after topical EOD

Folligen Therapy Spray EOD

Skin Needling (Novaderm Roller), Used on balding regions followed by an application of DNC and folligen, 2x weekly, Used all over top of scalp 1x week

Laser 650 nm, 30 x 5 mw, 30 minutes 2x week

Methylsulfonylmethane (1000 mg 2x daily)

T-Gel/Sal Prewash 2-3x week (08/07), Revita 2x week (06/07), Tricomin Conditioner 5-6x week (07/07), Baby Shampoo 3x week (3% GTE, 1% Pine Bark, 1% Grapeseed, 1% MSM, 0.5% Saw Palmetto, 1% L-arginine, B Vitamins), Vive on occasion

Multivitamin, Flax Seeds, Fish Oil (2-3 grams daily), B Complex, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Cocoa, Cin, Proanthocyanidin mix, LOTS of green and black tea with soy milk; very healthy diet and lots of aerobic
oils

** Plan on adding retin-A cream after minoxidil 1-2x a week. Topical spironolactone every night.

 

[GlasgowCelt]

Goodness man, I thought I was armed to the teeth with:

Finasteride 1%
Rogaine phone morning and night
Nizoral 5%

Think I'll start copying you now!

 

[Nathaniel]

Is it working ?

 

[mulder]

I believe I'm gettting some regrowth but nothing dramatic yet. I did add a tonne of stuff over the last 3 months or so and the needling I basically just started. So shedding from new treatments may be covering up some gains. Basically I'm wondering if I am 'overstimulating' the follicles with this regimen (can I keep triggering new growth and prevent already new growth from consolidating somehow by adding so many different treatments??) or if any of the things on the list would just completely negate each other somehow.

 

[mulder]

You might to Add to dutasteride to replace the finasteride.

I've been considering adding a very low dose of dutasteride in addition to the finasteride. Then again I'm already using saw palmetto in addition to finasteride...

 

[mulder]

've been considering adding a very low dose of dutasteride in addition to the finasteride. Then again I'm already using saw palmetto in addition to finasteride...

Saw palmetto is a very weak DHT blocker. Your best chances are to add 0.5mg of dutasteride daily. It is obviously not the easiest decision to make. Good luck

What's the evidence that saw palmetto is a very weak DHT blocker? Any links to info? Anyone?

 

[Cassin]

Added all this additional stuff besides the big 3 over the past 5 months or so. I had a shed beginning of summer and I've seen regrowth since then but it's been quite slow and I don't think it's completely filled in since the shed so far.

In my experience with what I have seen and done myself....

I predict you will drop most of that extra stuff in the next few months.

 

[mulder]

Added all this additional stuff besides the big 3 over the past 5 months or so. I had a shed beginning of summer and I've seen regrowth since then but it's been quite slow and I don't think it's completely filled in since the shed so far.

In my experience with what I have seen and done myself....

I predict you will drop most of that extra stuff in the next few months.

Well I may end up dropping it all if I don't get significant regrowth in the next few months. If it starts to work I'll definitely try to whittle the regimen down somewhat though. I was coming pretty close to kicking the laser lamp to the curb but it does seem to have some sort of thickening effect even if it isn't anything special in terms of regrowth.

 

[Cassin]

I always think the most simple regimen is the most effective since a user has the highest chances of sticking with it.

It is cumbersome messing with this garbage day after day!

 

[mulder]

Manutd4545 wrote:
Quote:
've been considering adding a very low dose of dutasteride in addition to the finasteride. Then again I'm already using saw palmetto in addition to finasteride...





Saw palmetto is a very weak DHT blocker. Your best chances are to add 0.5mg of dutasteride daily. It is obviously not the easiest decision to make. Good luck


What's the evidence that saw palmetto is a very weak DHT blocker? Any links to info? Anyone?

If you want to get smart about things- is there any evidence to suggest
it is a good DHT blocker? How the hell do you know it is a good DHT blocker? what is the reccomended dose for hair loss? There is not one.
Case closed.

One example: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... d_RVDocSum

There's definitely a lot of anecdotal evidence and people seem to be using a similar dose. 300-500 mg daily

 

[mulder]

Manutd4545 wrote:
Quote:
Manutd4545 wrote:
Quote:
've been considering adding a very low dose of dutasteride in addition to the finasteride. Then again I'm already using saw palmetto in addition to finasteride...





Saw palmetto is a very weak DHT blocker. Your best chances are to add 0.5mg of dutasteride daily. It is obviously not the easiest decision to make. Good luck


What's the evidence that saw palmetto is a very weak DHT blocker? Any links to info? Anyone?


If you want to get smart about things- is there any evidence to suggest
it is a good DHT blocker? How the hell do you know it is a good DHT blocker? what is the reccomended dose for hair loss? There is not one.
Case closed.


One example: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... d_RVDocSum

There's definitely a lot of anecdotal evidence and people seem to be using a similar dose. 300-500 mg daily

Sure, there is some scientific data to this, however I would not be comfortable with using Saw palmetto since it has not been properly tested for hairloss. I simply feel more comfortable taking one pill of finasteride and knowing that it is likely to work and blocks 70% of DHT- how much does saw palmetto bock- not easy to measure

Well I'm thinking more in terms of blocking the other 5AR type and getting more complete protection and possible regrowth from blocking DHT. I'm going to keep using finasteride at the same time. Using a strong dose of Saw Palmetto in addition to finasteride seems a lot easier than adding dutasteride to the mix.

Has anyone read the study I've linked to? I don't have journal access at the moment.