Minoxidil and Progesterone?

[jd_uk]

Hi,

I just went for my first ever hair consultation and to be honest it was a pretty depressing experience. The consultant told me that my hair was worse than I thought it was (much more thinning at the crown than I had thought) and that I was a 'diffuse' thinner.

He recommended that I stop taking minoxidil alone (which he claimed was useless for male hair loss) and get on minoxidil combined with progesterone. He said this should make a big difference and stop future hair loss but it would cost around £500 a year (or two) if half the recommended amount used which should still work just as well.

Has anyone got any comments on this or experiences? Why do i not regularly hear about this combination?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rawtashk]

Progesterone....?!?!?!?!!!? Why would he recommend that!? Stick with minoxidil and add Nizoral shampoo and Propecia. Don't take progesterone. That's stuff that male-to-female transsexuals take to help become more like a woman. Don't, don't, don't, don't do it.

 

[shineman921]

Progesterone....?!?!?!?!!!? Why would he recommend that!? Stick with minoxidil and add Nizoral shampoo and Propecia. Don't take progesterone. That's stuff that male-to-female transsexuals take to help become more like a woman. Don't, don't, don't, don't do it.

Sounds correct as its available here http://www.unitedpharmacies.co.uk/Prometrium_Progesterone_caps_100mg_30s_p_1013.html within their transgender section!!!!

 

[jd_uk]

Just to clarify, this was a topical solution so the progesterone was not to be taken orally in combination with minoxidil. I asked about the potential for absorption and he just said that wouldn't happen and that it's completely safe.

This was from one of the major hair loss companies in the UK (the hospital group) so I really hope they aren't lying to me to make money. I'm going to get a second opinion both on the extent of my hair loss and on future treatment.

If anyone has any more info on this type of topical solution then I'd be very interested. When i made it clear that I'd done some research, he said I wouldn't have found much on the net as it's only been used in the last year.

He was confident without a doubt that it would stop any future hair loss.

 

[shineman921]

Just to clarify, this was a topical solution so the progesterone was not to be taken orally in combination with minoxidil. I asked about the potential for absorption and he just said that wouldn't happen and that it's completely safe.

This was from one of the major hair loss companies in the UK (the hospital group) so I really hope they aren't lying to me to make money. I'm going to get a second opinion both on the extent of my hair loss and on future treatment.

If anyone has any more info on this type of topical solution then I'd be very interested. When i made it clear that I'd done some research, he said I wouldn't have found much on the net as it's only been used in the last year.

He was confident without a doubt that it would stop any future hair loss.

but's it's still absorbed into the bloodstream isn't it? Topical finasteride is absorb into the bloodstream. I suspect it will work similarly to the tablet. Maybe someone can confirm??

 

[follicle84]

My initial reaction to that would be sack that for a game of soldiers!

However it may just work. I'd do some research into before you try it. Other wise it could be just another gimmick used by companies to make money. What i understand is that progesterone is a female hormone which in theory should be good for hair since its only the male hormone dht which harms hair in our case. However the mechanism in the human body are much more complicated than that. Your body has ways to balances out hormonal changes and im not quite sure what the outcome is with putting progesterone into your system topical or oral. Both are systematcally absorbed (minoxidil solution has the carrier vehicle to enable it to penetrate your skin to do this).

 

[jd_uk]

Well if it's absorbed then I definitely don't want to use it.

He made an interesting point about minoxidil - saying that he didn't know why anyone would use it on it's own when it just increases bloodflow to the hair which contained the DHT that attacks the follicles. He said you would have to add progesterone with it.

But the internet has next to no information on this and I am completely against altering my body hormones.

 

[Mens Rea]

I'm very interested in this.

Progesterone inhibits DHT and competes for the receptors i do believe. It was concluded in studies that the topical stuff wasn't really that effective, though. Bryan could probably help you source that study but i suggest you google it.

 

[jd_uk]

I'm very interested in this.

Progesterone inhibits DHT and competes for the receptors i do believe. It was concluded in studies that the topical stuff wasn't really that effective, though. Bryan could probably help you source that study but i suggest you google it.

To be honest, I feel like I was being sold this combination because it might make them the most money and I wasn't suitable for a hair transplant (too young, not bald enough and can't afford it). That's the feeling I get and it's pretty upsetting when you just don't know who or what to believe. I booked the appointment as a way of putting the issue to rest in my mind and the opposite has happened where i now can't stop thinking of it because I've pretty much been told I'm doomed on a hair loss front and the thinning was much worse than I thought. Again, who knows if I can trust the guy who told me this - perhaps he was preying on my insecurity to make money.

 

[Rawtashk]

If you're going to do something to stop it, then get on finasteride. Simply put, it's the only FDA approved way of stopping hairloss. I wish there were more options, but there really aren't.

 

[jd_uk]

If you're going to do something to stop it, then get on finasteride. Simply put, it's the only FDA approved way of stopping hairloss. I wish there were more options, but there really aren't.

Apart from minoxidil? which apparently is hopeless anyway?

To be honest I've come so close to getting on finasteride on many occasions but then I read someone on here saying how stupid it is to alter your body hormones or I even think it myself. I don't want to do myself long term damage or potentially lose my sex drive, get ED for this hair loss. I don't want to feel any different at all and i definitely wouldn't want to find out that in years to come I've done some damage to my fertility (as some people have suggested is possible) or my prostate. On the other hand, worrying about hair loss is already ruining my life.

F*ck!!

 

[shineman921]

If you're going to do something to stop it, then get on finasteride. Simply put, it's the only FDA approved way of stopping hairloss. I wish there were more options, but there really aren't.

Apart from minoxidil? which apparently is hopeless anyway?

To be honest I've come so close to getting on finasteride on many occasions but then I read someone on here saying how stupid it is to alter your body hormones or I even think it myself. I don't want to do myself long term damage or potentially lose my sex drive, get ED for this hair loss. I don't want to feel any different at all and i definitely wouldn't want to find out that in years to come I've done some damage to my fertility (as some people have suggested is possible) or my prostate. On the other hand, worrying about hair loss is already ruining my life.

F*ck!!

I believe Minoxidil and Finasteride are the only TWO FDA approved treatments for male pattern baldness.

minoxidil is not hopeless and does work though it doesn't tackle the underlining cause which is DHT. Finasteride does so a combination of both is the best approach. Personally, I found minoxidil grew hairs I lost some time ago and it helps to maintain what you have. It is no miracle though. Introducing miconazole nitrate (Daktarin Athlete Foot's Cream) will help the minoxidil work and my biggest success has been combining them both. Some say using Nizoral two or three times weekly helps too as it acts as an anti-androgen and attacks the dht on the scalp and clears the pores to encourage growth. Now combining all that with finasteride as bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunty.

I introduced finasteride 9 days ago and so far no sides what-so-ever. Tbh, get in online and it turns out to be the cheapest means of fighting hairloss, as well as the best.

Don't give up bud, we are all here in the same boat and doing what we can.

 

[shineman921]

If you're going to do something to stop it, then get on finasteride. Simply put, it's the only FDA approved way of stopping hairloss. I wish there were more options, but there really aren't.

Apart from minoxidil? which apparently is hopeless anyway?

To be honest I've come so close to getting on finasteride on many occasions but then I read someone on here saying how stupid it is to alter your body hormones or I even think it myself. I don't want to do myself long term damage or potentially lose my sex drive, get ED for this hair loss. I don't want to feel any different at all and i definitely wouldn't want to find out that in years to come I've done some damage to my fertility (as some people have suggested is possible) or my prostate. On the other hand, worrying about hair loss is already ruining my life.

F*ck!!

..can't do any damage to the prostrate. Helping the prostrate was the reason the drug was developed (please correct me guys if I'm wrong!).

 

[jd_uk]

If you're going to do something to stop it, then get on finasteride. Simply put, it's the only FDA approved way of stopping hairloss. I wish there were more options, but there really aren't.

Apart from minoxidil? which apparently is hopeless anyway?

To be honest I've come so close to getting on finasteride on many occasions but then I read someone on here saying how stupid it is to alter your body hormones or I even think it myself. I don't want to do myself long term damage or potentially lose my sex drive, get ED for this hair loss. I don't want to feel any different at all and i definitely wouldn't want to find out that in years to come I've done some damage to my fertility (as some people have suggested is possible) or my prostate. On the other hand, worrying about hair loss is already ruining my life.

F*ck!!

..can't do any damage to the prostrate. Helping the prostrate was the reason the drug was developed (please correct me guys if I'm wrong!).

Thanks for your post. I just don't know what the long term effects are of a drug which is designer for helping with prostate cancer that's all.

Can I ask...you say you've had no issues at all with propecia...how old are you and did you not notice any difference at all? Like (sorry this is personal), do you get morning wood still, did your semen change at all? Also, were you worried about the effect on fertility? What about physically - did your body change at all?

This is the biggest headf*ck for me, i've been going through a tough time with anxiety/depression but hairloss makes everything 10 times worse and it feels like i can't work on the other stuff because my confidence is already all over the place with this.

Thanks.

 

[jd_uk]

sorry, i misread your post as 9 years, not 9 days!!

are you from the uk and does your Doctor know you take finasteride? just ondering about getting it through my gp.

Did the miox and nizoral improve your hair loss much?

 

[shineman921]

sorry, i misread your post as 9 years, not 9 days!!

are you from the uk and does your Doctor know you take finasteride? just ondering about getting it through my gp.

Did the miox and nizoral improve your hair loss much?

Hi JD, sorry for the delay responding.

Firstly, finasteride for prostrate is 5mg whereas for hairloss it's 1mg. It is much much weaker and some people will take every two or even three days with good results.

Well, I'm lucky that I have most of my hair at 43. Last year I had some thinning at the temple but my hair is very fine to start with so it was more obvious. Ironically, because of the hair type I have EVERYBODY has been telling me, since I was 18, I'm going bald which is bloody annoying and really knocks your confidence. I'm amazed to get into my 40's with most of my hair tbh. It kinda gives you an understanding for those that really do lose hair young though.

yes 10 or 11 days now and no sides. I took Saw Palmetto for 6 months and I've since read that with SP you get the same sides but without the benefit. Again, even with SP I had no sides and maybe taking SP has prepared my body well for the finasteride.

Yes, I'm UK. NOBODY apart from you guys know I'm taking finasteride. The ball and chain knows I use minoxidil, nizoral and even the SP but I aint gonna tell her I bought medicines off the internet. This answers another question, no, my doctor doesn't know and I haven't been to see him. I suspect they will look at my date of birth and say...it's your age!

Did minoxidil and nizoral stop my hair loss??????? Well, it hasn't worsened and I would say there has been improvement. The biggest improvement has been the last two weeks and the intro of miconazole nitrate (Daktarin Athlete's Foot Cream). For as long as I can remember I have had one single hair about 1/2" away from my temple. It must have been there at least 15 years. Amazingly, since the intro of the Miconazole, hairs having started to appear and are actually joining the single hair to the hairline. I didn't know I even had hair in between!

The biggest shed I've experienced was during the first week after I had convinced myself that I was losing my hair. I was so stressed and worried that I convinced myself I would be like Kojak within a year!!! I lost loads of hair! That hair grew back and It's almost a year now and I have at least the same if not more hair!

Minimum, you need minoxidil, no harm in introducing nizoral and I would also consider the miconazole nitrate cream (some people mix it with water for better coverage).

Believe me, I was TERRIFIED before I took my first finasteride. I was shaking. Now, I don't give it a second thought and I'm happy in the knowledge that I'm doing everything I can to stop further hairloss. Ironically, it's the cheapest form of hairloss control if you buy off the internet!

After a couple of months I may take the finasteride every other day as my hairloss isn't too bad particularly when I see some of the pics on here. I really feel for some of the guys on here I really do and to know that there are 16 year olds losing hair, well, it's just so unfair isn't it.

Good luck and as you know, there is a forum full of people going through the same thing as you.

 

[Rawtashk]

I was in your same position back when I was about 22. I was noticing that my hairline was starting to thin out and recede. I started doing some research and found out about finasteride. I was about to pull the trigger...and then I found propeciahelp. I felt the same way that you do, sick and nervous.

Here's the thing, it's really overblown. Think about it. What are you going to do if you go to your Doctor, get a finasteride scrip, start taking it and you see regrowth? You'll be happy that it did the job is was suppose to do. You're not going to start looking online for place to cheer about it 'cause there's no need.

Now, what happens if you take finasteride and you have problems? You're going to go online and start looking for solutions. THAT is why there seems to be more negativity about it online that there really is.

There are plenty of people on this forum who have had 0 side effects (me included). There are also a handful that HAVE had sides, but they went away within a month after stopping (i believe finfighter is one of those).

Check out my story if you want my background
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65594

 

[shineman921]

I was in your same position back when I was about 22. I was noticing that my hairline was starting to thin out and recede. I started doing some research and found out about finasteride. I was about to pull the trigger...and then I found propeciahelp. I felt the same way that you do, sick and nervous.

Here's the thing, it's really overblown. Think about it. What are you going to do if you go to your Doctor, get a finasteride scrip, start taking it and you see regrowth? You'll be happy that it did the job is was suppose to do. You're not going to start looking online for place to cheer about it 'cause there's no need.

Now, what happens if you take finasteride and you have problems? You're going to go online and start looking for solutions. THAT is why there seems to be more negativity about it online that there really is.

There are plenty of people on this forum who have had 0 side effects (me included). There are also a handful that HAVE had sides, but they went away within a month after stopping (i believe finfighter is one of those).

Check out my story if you want my background
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65594

Well, you have a 98% chance that you will have no sides. No one can or should tell you to take it. It is your decision as it should be. Choose wisely young padawan.

 

[follicle84]

If you're going to do something to stop it, then get on finasteride. Simply put, it's the only FDA approved way of stopping hairloss. I wish there were more options, but there really aren't.

Apart from minoxidil? which apparently is hopeless anyway?

To be honest I've come so close to getting on finasteride on many occasions but then I read someone on here saying how stupid it is to alter your body hormones or I even think it myself. I don't want to do myself long term damage or potentially lose my sex drive, get ED for this hair loss. I don't want to feel any different at all and i definitely wouldn't want to find out that in years to come I've done some damage to my fertility (as some people have suggested is possible) or my prostate. On the other hand, worrying about hair loss is already ruining my life.

F*ck!!

I remember feeling exactly the same way. You want to try something so you look it up and your happy to go untill you read something conflicting with the possitives you just had before starting treatment.

I tried many treatments before jumping on finasteride and although it didnt work out for me i dont regret taking it. My advise would be to try other alternatives and if they dont work out for you then try finasteride. Try if you can to not look too deeply into the side effects as if you do it will play on your mind. If you are able to take finasteride and not worry about it then great. If however you do this and find you are getting side effects that are not part of your subconcious then chances are the side effects are real and its maybe time to quit. In almost all cases fins side effects are temporary especially if used in the short term. The few who do suffer permanent damage are usually the ones who carried on using finasteride despite recieving side effects for a prolonged amount of time.