New here, want to contribute, some comments please!

[TB]

Hello everyone. I just registerd on the site, though I have read posts in the past here and on several other hairloss sites.

I'd seriously like to contribute what I can to the forums as I appreciate the scientific comments of other members. I've got a biochem background, though up to this point I've avoided seriously diving into the literature. Now I think its time I start reading the journals.

Giving 5% minoxidil and finesteride a second try, on my third month. This time I changed over to Xandrox and added the other items in my regimine below. Since the hairloss started I've had TERRIBLE scalp pain and my scalp has felt VERY dry, itchy, and tight. Its never shown any visible signs of a problem. The Folligen/Tricomin (very similar) seems to have cut down on the burning component of the pain. I've got clear indications that this burning is caused by shedding, at least in my case. However my scalp continues to feel terrible - dry, tight, hairs feel sharp, it feels like i've got some kind of sandy buildup at the base of the hair but can't see anything.

There has also been significant body hair loss for which doctors can't find a reason. They dismiss my problem as only Androgenetic Alopecia and I think there is definately something more... I've also gone into serious depression due to this and some other situations - for which I'm being treated.

I'd just like to hear what some others have to say on some of my more unusual symptoms. Also interested in things to add to my regimine. I'm "excited" :lol: to hear L-arginine my rid me of these finesteride sexual side effects. Let's hope so - you really couldn't find a solution much cheaper or easier to come by.

There's LOTS to read on this board and I'll continue to browse it, but I'd like to hear from some of the more invovled members on how we could possibly go about some sort of concerted reseach effort.

 

[Cassin]

Ahhhhhhh.......I share your pain..........

ok consider trying this.........

1. Drop minoxidil aps to once a day till you get scalp problems under control.
2. Drop Nizoral for the time being (some of can't handle it at all)
3. Use less Folligen or, consider dilluting it in distilled water around 60/40 Folligen strong.

I have been dealing with this for a long time. Dropping Nizoral and adding Folligen has helped so much, but I have finally had to resort to a lessor PPG formula for my minoxidil.

We'll see....I have tried so much to rid myself of irritation and as so far, what I have listed has been the only thing that has helped.

Thank you Bombscience and Yeddie for the help from way back.

 

[TB]

Just caught your reply while checking email before bed (yaawn).
Thanks for the tips.

Whatever is causing this scalp..um I'll call it irritation i guess though it seems more like I've got the scalp of a 1000 year old mummy. (Scalp of The Mummy, one of the little known horror classics of the silent film era :lol: )

Anyway whatever the problem is, it was there well before any of my hairloss treatments. I've been using the Xandrox 5% from minoxidil.com which I believe has a higher alcohol content that Rogaine. You'd think that would dry out the skin and make things worse, but it hasn't seemed to. Nor have periods without minoxidil seemed to improve things.

I've cut my hair much shorter than usual since restarting treatments in Jan. I'm hoping its the short hair and the initial minoxidil shedding that is causing me to see more scalp on the top of my head now. While it looks like there is less hair, the hair present feels thicker and much less coarse than before. If the Xandrox is working well I'm hesitant to cut it down to 1x per day. Though I'm convinced I can't be optimally growing hair while my scalp feels like this so I'll consider it.

I don't religiously use the Folligen spray 2 or even 1 time every day. Folligen works via the same mechanism as Tricomin (Copper+peptide delivery system) and is made by the or one of the inventors of Tricomin who split with the company. It's supposedly the better product (according to the manufacturer of course) but I ended up buying both. The Folligen would at times give me a minor stinging feeling when applied but that would soon go away and my scalp felt pretty good. I never had this happen with Tricomin, I don't seem to feel anything when its applied.

I think I have to credit the Folligen with stopping the burning scalp pain I've had for so long. I do still have days when it reappears, but its much less frequent than it used to be. Another possibility is one of the antidepressents I am currently taking (Effexor) had some effect. The decrease in the pain came 1-1.5 weeks after starting the drug. Others (many) have not had any effect on my scalp.

Ok time to wrap up this long post and get to bed. Hope to hear more from you guys!

Tom

 

[The Gardener]

I had irritation in my beginning months of minoxidil... but it went away and I am not sure if I just got used to it or if the Nizoral helped soothe it.

I second what Cassin says. But I have to add one point. I don't think the alcohol in minoxidil is the main culprit of the irritation, odds say that it is more likely for people to develop irritation from the PPG in the minoxidil than the alcohol.

So, here are a list of common causes of irritations, and how to combat them:

First off, let's rule out the Ketoanalconahole in the Nizoral. Pick up some TGel from your local market and start using it instead of the Nizoral and see if the itching subsides. If that does not help, then:

Restart the nizoral, and switch from Xandrox to normal 5% minoxidil. Perhaps the Azelaic Acid in the Xandrox is causing you the problems? If that doesn't work, then:

Switch from normal 5% minoxidil to Dr Lee's PPG-free minoxidil. This will rule out a PPG irritation. If this doesn't work, then try some combinations... for example, use the normal minoxidil and once again drop the nizoral and replace it with TGel. If that doesn't work, drop TGel and try TSal.

Experiment a bit, and I think you will find the culprit and be able to build a regimen that you can get on your scalp and not have to suffer irritation. Also keep in mind that some irritation will occur at the start of ANY hairloss regimen... lets face it, your scalp skin is not used to getting alcohol and PPG dumped on it on a daily basis and sometimes, with time, this irritiation will go away on its own.

You'll have to find your own solution, and I think you will. I hope I gave you a little info and ammo to help you get there.

 

[kiwi1973]

you could try aloe vera gel its great for you skin

 

[TB]

Wow almost a month since I've even read one of my own threads...I'm really participating here like I'd like....but considering I don't do much of anything these days once a month might be good...depressed


Anyway I wrote to Dr. Lee (as you can tell my my post I tend to go on and on...). I was very surprised when he wrote back the NEXT DAY and address almost everything in what was probably a 1.5 page email. He suggested spot testing several generic minoxes, xandrox, and non-PPG xandrox on my arm for a week or so. Well I had already ordered the non-PPG xandrox and I can't really afford to buy bottles of stuff (even generics) just to spot test. I guess I should still do this with the limited types that I have though.

I went about a week and a half with no spironolactone, no 5 or 12.5% xandrox and no Nizoral or T-gel shampoo. I also shaved my head down to a #1 guide - if my hairline was decent it wouldn't look that bad. Well except for the slightly visible thin strip on top and the very visible and LARGE thin area at the vertex and back of my head. And I thought minoxidil was almost always supposed to work well back there...

The scalp pain went down a bit with really short hair, and its not like I leave the house anymore without a hat so it was no big deal to shave it off. I think I mentioned in a previous post that the buring scalp problem has pretty much gone away. I'm still left with the feeling that all my hairs are like sharp wires poking at my head. Now that all my hair is short and i can really examine individual hairs in detail I have a good idea why they feel this way. Short or long they don't really feel coarse to my fingers, but when I run my hand through (over?) my hair now it feels just like facial hair. My hair is normally a med brown, most of the hairs I see on my head now are a disgusting shiny black.