Pictures of my hair - please help.

[goodtimeben]

Hello everyone.

I was using Rogaine and Propecia together for about 1.5 years and applied the minoxidil to all possible male pattern baldness related areas. I have been off Propecia for close to 2 years now and just sticking to topicals. The main issue for starting treatment was for slight thinning in the frontal region of my scalp.

For the last 4 months I have switched from Rogaine to using 5% Xandrox during the day and 15% Xandrox + 5% spironolactone at night. The area of concentration has been mainly my temples when I have been applying the formulas. I don’t apply any spironolactone to the vertex or mid-scalp. With the Xandrox I just do a quick pass of the other areas after focusing on the temples.

This evening I went for a haircut with a #3 guard on top and realized that I have lots of little thin patches on the top of my scalp (midscalp?) and my vertex! There doesn’t seem to be an even distribution of maintenance or regrowth. The top of my head looks like there is a thin snake carving a path of baldness from the middle of my hairline to my crown. If I have been using minoxidil for close to 3 years now is it possible that I have built up a tolerance?

This is the worst my hair has ever looked and I am supposed to be using a better more powerful product with the Xandrox? Should I jump back to the normal Rogaine 5%?

Thanks for any info! Please check out the below picture! Ahh!

 

[Aplunk1]

Do you have before pics of when you first started treatment 2+ years ago?

I can't believe your hair thinned on Propecia and Rogaine.

Any consideration of dutasteride?

 

[goodtimeben]

off

I edited my original message - I am off Propecia now. (Going on 2 years in July). Two years back my hair was thick with no balding spots. Everything has been pretty solid until the last few months after I made the switch.

 

[-cj-]

The minoxidil will offset growth in those areas, but without something to get to the dht the process will still continue, just at a slower rate. Also, you could be experiencing a minoxidil shed, since Xandrox is said to be more powerful you could be effecting more telogen hairs to release. Make judgement after 4-6 months of solid treatment.

Here is what I'd do:
Morning:
Xandrox 5%

Night:
2% spironolactone on the Vertex & Crown
Wait 15min
15% Xandrox to all areas
Wait 15min
5% spironolactone to the Temporal and frontal areas.

I would also add Nizoral 1% 2-3x wk and a good Copper peptide daily (tricomin, folligen, revitalize.)

Good luck man, I see you rockin the hat to, wish I could ditch mine.

 

[goodtimeben]

Xandrox Shed?

The minoxidil will offset growth in those areas, but without something to get to the dht the process will still continue, just at a slower rate. Also, you could be experiencing a minoxidil shed, since Xandrox is said to be more powerful you could be effecting more telogen hairs to release. Make judgement after 4-6 months of solid treatment.

CJ - thanks for the post! I am not clear on what you said above regarding minoxidil will offset growth in those areas, but without something to get to the dht the process will still continue, just at a slower rate.

You lost me here. Are you saying that the rate of growth in the thinning ares will be slower than my normal hair? And I will lose it regardless just not as fast?

A shed - this is an interesting point. Have people reported this moving from Rogaine to Xandrox? I was not expecting to have a shed becuase I have been using minoxidl for a few years now. But I suppose it could happen if I am using a more powerful brew. Not sure on this. It has been just over 4 months now using the Xandrox.

HA! You saw the hat in one of the pictures! MUHAHAHA! As much as I like the way I look in a hat it is so uncomfortable to me.

 

[-cj-]

Re: Xandrox Shed?

The minoxidil will offset growth in those areas, but without something to get to the dht the process will still continue, just at a slower rate. Also, you could be experiencing a minoxidil shed, since Xandrox is said to be more powerful you could be effecting more telogen hairs to release. Make judgement after 4-6 months of solid treatment.

CJ - thanks for the post! I am not clear on what you said above regarding minoxidil will offset growth in those areas, but without something to get to the dht the process will still continue, just at a slower rate.

You lost me here. Are you saying that the rate of growth in the thinning ares will be slower than my normal hair? And I will lose it regardless just not as fast?

A shed - this is an interesting point. Have people reported this moving from Rogaine to Xandrox? I was not expecting to have a shed becuase I have been using minoxidl for a few years now. But I suppose it could happen if I am using a more powerful brew. Not sure on this. It has been just over 4 months now using the Xandrox.

HA! You saw the hat in one of the pictures! MUHAHAHA! As much as I like the way I look in a hat it is so uncomfortable to me.

minoxidil increases growth right? But, it doesn't target what is causing your hair to miniaturize and fall out. So it makes what hair you have left grow, but it's possible to continue falling out during this time cause of male pattern baldness. For this I use Spironolactone as well.

I'm 3 1/2 weeks into my minoxidil treatment and I just started to shed today, more than normal. When you change treatments, it is possible that it shocks your telogen hairs and they shed.

Yea, I also know you were taking a dump in the pics too, lol. I hide behind my hat.

 

[goodtimeben]

cj

CJ,

You have a good eye! I don't think most people would catch the hat or enviroment. I selected the restroom because there is good lighting in there!


Crap! So I should hang in there maybe 2 more months with the Xandrox?! I
would hate for things to get even worse!!!

 

[-cj-]

Re: cj

CJ,

You have a good eye! I don't think most people would catch the hat or enviroment. I selected the restroom because there is good lighting in there!


Crap! So I should hang in there maybe 2 more months with the Xandrox?! I
would hate for things to get even worse!!!

I'd start using the 2% spironolactone mid-scalp & vertex and keep on truckin with your treatment.

 

[hairhaircomeagain]

cj...i see your regimen and I see no topicals....Any reasons ?

 

[-cj-]

cj...i see your regimen and I see no topicals....Any reasons ?

Nizoral 1% | 2x weekly | 1.1.06
AC Revitalize Spray | Daily | 4.05.06
Xandrox 5% | Morning & Night | 4.9.06
spironolactone 2% | Night | 4.9.06

?

 

[Guest]

Do you have before pics of when you first started treatment 2+ years ago?

I can't believe your hair thinned on Propecia and Rogaine.

Any consideration of dutasteride?

I have been on Propecia for 3 months, and my hair has thinned more than ever and looks like sh*t. I have lost a lot of hair. I think it made things worse. because my hairloss has never been so aggressive like it did in these 3 months. I have a 7 years experience to backup this statement.

I start to think that there is no dif. between snake oils and propecia, in terms of helping hairloss. I know, there is always a stupid guys who comes and say "sorry, it did not work on you, but it did on me".

I can say the same "sorry, the snake oil did not work on you but it did on me" if i want to sell a product.

Now it's difficult to cover my hairloss using toppik

It was possible when I started treatment.

 

[Guest]

goodtimeben are your last 3 pictures taken with flash?

 

[hairhaircomeagain]

CJ ---That was a mistake . i meant no non-topicals like Propecia or finasteride ?

 

[-cj-]

CJ ---That was a mistake . i meant no non-topicals like Propecia or finasteride ?

I have been on this site for a while, but it took me something like a year to even start treatment. I read pretty much all I could about finasteride in this time and I came to the conclusion that I'm going to try something else and not use it. I know people have great success, but I also know people that's lives are ruined due to the drug. I for one am just not wanting to mess with my hormones right now, I'm 21, etc.

 

[Felk]

CJ ---That was a mistake . i meant no non-topicals like Propecia or finasteride ?

I have been on this site for a while, but it took me something like a year to even start treatment. I read pretty much all I could about finasteride in this time and I came to the conclusion that I'm going to try something else and not use it. I know people have great success, but I also know people that's lives are ruined due to the drug. I for one am just not wanting to mess with my hormones right now, I'm 21, etc.

I second this. I know Propecia is the absolute best treatment for hair loss, i know the side effects are rare... however the attitude of not wanting to take a hormone-altering drug to treat a cosmetic condition of your scalp is one that should be respected, IMO.

Of course, if my treatment doesnt work after a year, i will consider propecia. However i may come to the same conclusion as before...

 

[-cj-]

CJ ---That was a mistake . i meant no non-topicals like Propecia or finasteride ?

I have been on this site for a while, but it took me something like a year to even start treatment. I read pretty much all I could about finasteride in this time and I came to the conclusion that I'm going to try something else and not use it. I know people have great success, but I also know people that's lives are ruined due to the drug. I for one am just not wanting to mess with my hormones right now, I'm 21, etc.

I second this. I know Propecia is the absolute best treatment for hair loss, i know the side effects are rare... however the attitude of not wanting to take a hormone-altering drug to treat a cosmetic condition of your scalp is one that should be respected, IMO.

Of course, if my treatment doesnt work after a year, i will consider propecia. However i may come to the same conclusion as before...

Thank you! I always feel as though I'm going to be jumped when I say I don't want to use finasteride. I think you and I are probably in the same boat.

 

[goodtimeben]

pictures

Goodguy,

Those photos were taken with no flash.

 

[Solo]

-cj- are you aware that there are millions of things you take that alter hormones??


Why don´t you take something that you know it alters them for good??


I personally haven´t found a reliable testimony of someone who took finasteride and developed permanent side effects. Please feel free to provide links to any case you find interesting.

 

[-cj-]

-cj- are you aware that there are millions of things you take that alter hormones??


Why don´t you take something that you know it alters them for good??


I personally haven´t found a reliable testimony of someone who took finasteride and developed permanent side effects. Please feel free to provide links to any case you find interesting.

Yes I am completely aware.

I don't want something to alter them for good.

Apparantely you haven't been here:
http://www.propeciasideeffects.com/

Now before I get any flak for posting that link, these people are real, and you asked. Although they are bias towards not using Finasteride that have good reasons to be.