Long haired person needs help with Hairline!

[snowboardjunkie]

A little background info on me: I've had long hair (past the middle of my back) for the past decade, I'm currently 27 and there is a history of hair loss in my family on both sides, though I must say my dad looks quite all right for his 50's (has just a receding hairline). I've always had a higher hairline (a widow’s peak?) as long as I can remember but my sides (temple area) seemed a little higher to me than is normal so I decided to try Revivogen last November. I'll apply usually 1ml. but have done 2ml. at times as well because it's difficult to apply with my long hair on the scalp. I have no thinning at the vertex so have just been applying to my hairline area and up above the point (hoping for any benefits) and probably an inch back from my hairline. I must note also that I haven't always been the most consistent being I’ll get tired and fall asleep before applying, so sometimes I'll only apply 4-6 times in a week, usually it's more like 6 though. I also shampoo with Nizoral a good couple times a week.

To get to the point, I've noticed that my hair seems a lot thinner up front now. I could never see scalp area in the front of my head and now I can. It appears as though the hair has thinned in the areas I've been treating, though I have noticed these thin hairs popping up sporadically in the hairline area, though they're not in enough masses to make the hair filled in. Is Revivogen causing me to thin, or do you think this is just some shedding effect and the area will thicken back in with hairs? It wouldn't be as big as an issue I'm sure if I had short hair, but with my long hair I feel all funny now and don't like the look when my hair is pulled back in a pony tail. It's not that bad looking hanging down, but it gets in my way, which is why I normally pull it back. Is there any other long-haired users who can relate to this, or have any advice for me? I'm just confused at this point as to whether I should use my next 8 months of Revivogen or just toss the stuff. I'd rather not do Propecia, but have read about stuff like Xandrox and spironolactone and wonder if either would make a descent combination with the Revivogen? I just don't want to continue to use the stuff over the months and have my hairline look like crap, if it's just going to thin out like such I'd lot sooner let nature take it's course than something speeding up the process.

I've also enclosed links to some pictures of my hairline so you all have some idea of where I stand.


Any positive responses would greatly be appreciated,

Thanks

http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010644.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010645.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010648.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010649.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010651.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010652.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010653.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/snowboardjunkie/P1010654.JPG

 

[juststarting]

Any reason why you don't just do Finesteride? That's your best hope from what I understand...and from your pics, it still not too late

 

[snowboardjunkie]

I'd rather not use Propecia (Finasteride) if possible due to possible sexual side effects and also due to the fact I'm not one that is too optimistic on taking a lot of oral medications.

 

[pbz]

Finasteride/Propecia is the only medication approved for keeping existing hair at the moment.

You can use Minoxidil/Rogaine for potential regrowth, but the balding process will still be active - so while some hairs may or may not regrow, the rest of them will keep cycling into miniaturized hairs.

 

[snowboardjunkie]

Doesn't Revivogen have an effect somewhat similar to Propecia in inhibiting DHT? Should I discontinue Revivogen and could that be causing my hair to thin as it has in the front suddenly, or is this the effects of shedding, symbolizing that it's working? The thing I'm wondering about as I stated in my first post, what's the deal with the area that I've been treating becoming suddenly thin where I can see a bit of the scalp? This was never an issue before, only issue was my temple/hairline area.

 

[snowboardjunkie]

Also, what about a combination of Revivogen for DHT inhibition plus something like Xandrox for stimulation? Or what about combos of spironolactone + Revivogen? Any of you users have any insight on these?

 

[pbz]

Revivogen may work, or it may make things worse. It's unapproved, and not even approved things are guaranteed to work.

If you think that it may be working, keep using it for, maybe, another six month and then reevaluate your progress. If it still seems to make your hair thinner, consider switching to something else.

 

[juststarting]

Seriously, give finasteride a try. You clearly have starting male pattern baldness, finasteride can slow/stop it. Why not just try it for 1 month and see if you have any sides?

 

[snowboardjunkie]

So do you think I should discontinue Revivogen use all together and just do finasteride or should I use finasteride in combo with Xandrox to try to get regrowth? From my understanding minoxidil is just for Vertex area so won't do a whole lot of good for me. How much does finasteride cost for a year and where do I get the cheap stuff that comes in 5mg that you can cut into quarters?

 

[juststarting]

PBZ is right. I don't buy this Revivogen (and the other stuff you see touted in this forum). Show me real clinical trials that prove some efficacy, otherwise I think it's all snake oil

 

[juststarting]

So do you think I should discontinue Revivogen use all together and just do finasteride or should I use finasteride in combo with Xandrox to try to get regrowth? From my understanding minoxidil is just for Vertex area so won't do a whole lot of good for me. How much does finasteride cost for a year and where do I get the cheap stuff that comes in 5mg that you can cut into quarters?

I would do finasteride and Nizoral (which I do myself). I am about a Norwood 1, and I myself just noticed my hairline finally changing after about 10yrs of Norwood 1. I don't believe any of these Revivogen, sprio, etc nonsense. I decided to pass on Rogain as I didn't want to be stuck applying something daily (finasteride is swallow you're done! ).

Ok, I will help you. Propecia is 1mg of Finesteride. Proscar is 5mg is Finesteride. My Doctor gave me a prescription for 1.25mg/day of Proscar with no problem once I explained the cost difference. Proscar is about $70 for 30 pills, which split 4 ways (or 8 as I choose to do it) ~$18/month. If you choose off-shore it can be cheaper (I choose not to since the way I take finasteride its like $9/month and not worth my time to save more).

Hope this helps.

 

[snowboardjunkie]

Do you just get your Proscar from your local pharmacy then for that price? Also, is this going to cause even worse shedding than has already occured as a result from taking Revivogen? Should I just ditch Revivogen all together then?

 

[juststarting]

Do you just get your Proscar from your local pharmacy then for that price? Also, is this going to cause even worse shedding than has already occured as a result from taking Revivogen? Should I just ditch Revivogen all together then?

drugstore.com will sell it at that price. My local was a little more expensive but not much (for my refil I am going to go to drugstore.com). Besides, you want to try it for a month to see if you have any sides etc. BTW, your health insurance might even COVER your proscar under proper perscription.

As for shedding, after much posting and post readinig on this subject, I have concluded -- who knows? I am not yet shedding at 4.5 weeks. It seems variable. And remember, people come to a forum to usually complain and worry, the VAST majority of people on finasteride don't have 1. Any sides 2. Shed.

Lastly, Revivogen. Up to you. I personally think all this stuff is snake oil. Proof? If it really worked, I would bet $100000 that a pharma company would have bought it up and re-packaged it by now. As that wise woman once said, "Where's the beef" in this case "Where's the clinical trial?"

 

[snowboardjunkie]

So how would one get the proper prescription so my health insurance covers it?

 

[juststarting]

So how would one get the proper prescription so my health insurance covers it?

Go see your doctor, ask for a script. Go to pharmacy, see if your insurance will cover it.

 

[Angelo92]

Your picture links are not available anymore, maybe try posting some updates and where you stand now ?