Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning) PICS pg3

[coach1282]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

I am new to this site but not new to balding or life. I recently joined this site and this is the first time I have ever responded to a post of any kind. However, I was moved by Sadscalps story. So i have a few comments for Sadscalp and some of the other guys his age who expresses similar experiences.

Listen man....I am a highly educated professional, have traveled the world and have a ton of life experience. I am 34 btw.

It really sucks to be balding at any age. But what women are most attracted to is a man who is confidence and in his "power". That is not to be arrogant but someone who feels good, has a passion for something in life (doesnt matter what).

Someone gave you good advice here, go out and start doing something...study something you are interested...get a job doing something you like...start playing sports again...travel the world man....damn you are only 23!

Start doing things that make you feel good and soround yourself with people you love and enjoy. Be grateful for your youth and health. Lastly, do some person growth work...find a good therapist and conquer those issues of anxiety, depression, self esteem...the stuff that is holding you back. And if someone tells you therapy is weak then that person has no idea what it is like to confront problems head on.

Listen, I am far from having it all figured out but this balding thing is manageable if you feel good about yourself.

Good luck dude

 

[sadscalp]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

I am new to this site but not new to balding or life. I recently joined this site and this is the first time I have ever responded to a post of any kind. However, I was moved by Sadscalps story. So i have a few comments for Sadscalp and some of the other guys his age who expresses similar experiences.

Listen man....I am a highly educated professional, have traveled the world and have a ton of life experience. I am 34 btw.

It really sucks to be balding at any age. But what women are most attracted to is a man who is confidence and in his "power". That is not to be arrogant but someone who feels good, has a passion for something in life (doesnt matter what).

Someone gave you good advice here, go out and start doing something...study something you are interested...get a job doing something you like...start playing sports again...travel the world man....damn you are only 23!

Start doing things that make you feel good and soround yourself with people you love and enjoy. Be grateful for your youth and health. Lastly, do some person growth work...find a good therapist and conquer those issues of anxiety, depression, self esteem...the stuff that is holding you back. And if someone tells you therapy is weak then that person has no idea what it is like to confront problems head on.

Listen, I am far from having it all figured out but this balding thing is manageable if you feel good about yourself.

Good luck dude

Thanks for your reply. I'm definitely doing much better now, even though I have my bad days too. But the most important thing that I've come to realize over the past few months is that I do have some days where I feel really, really good. And it's these days, when I feel attractive and happy, that I notice more attention from girls. I guess everybody has their good days and bad days, but it's pretty extreme for me. So my goal for now is to get to have these good days more often. I'm going to start exercising more and eating healthy, and becoming more social, and I believe that will go a long way.

I've got to say thanks to everybody in this thread for your inputs and advices though. I would not have gotten to the point I am now if it weren't for you. I've learned a lot from many of the responses here, and I feel like things are very much going in the right direction for me. So thank you all.

 

[sadscalp]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

Hello again. Just checked back to say that I'm kind of stunned by the effects minoxidil and nizoral have had on my hair growth. I know I've already mentioned it, but I think I was too harsh on my results (I managed to delete the before pictures). It really has gotten very noticeably thicker and darker, but what has shocked me the most is the effect it has had on the rest of my body. My facial hair actually looks good now, MUCH thicker and darker (this is probably were I've had the best results, and I wasn't even thinking that minoxidil would have this side effect) and I'm beginning to look like a werewolf with my hairy arms :woot:

Very, very pleased with the results so far. I did not think I'd be such a good responder, and certainly not this fast. I've gone from a very visibly diffuse thinner on top + big temples to a guy with "just" big temples (which also seem to shrink by the way, my left temple seems to be closing down fine, my right temple is a little bigger though). It's still thinner on top than on the sides, but it's much, much better than it was. And my hair even feels healthier. Not as crispy and wispy as it was.

If I keep improving I'll actually have the choice to grow out my hair again (I won't though, I really like the buzzed + beardy look, but I'll probably start buzzing it a little longer now).

 

[sadscalp]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

So, it's been another 2 and a half weeks since the last update. I can't say I've improved since last time, if anything my hair seems a bit lighter now. Might it be a shed/hair cycle change? I don't know if its fair to say I've lost ground, but my hair doesn't seem as healthy and dark as it did a few weeks ago, and coincidentally neither does my facial hair :woot:

I'm considering going to a derm and getting a prescription for finasteride now, and maybe take 0.5mg every day. Still a bit scared about the potential sides though, I'll make a decision in the next few weeks.

 

[sadscalp]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

Back again, 3 1/2 months into treatment. Big improvements again. Much better density on top (reckon I'm at about 60-70% of original density, whereas at baseline I was at maybe 30-40%). That's right, a massive improvement. Dark color, though there are a lot of light hairs up there as well. It's a mixture of dark and light hairs. Hairline better than it was, much better, though it is still considerably receded.
I've read that you won't see the full effect of minoxidil until 6-12 months into treatment (don't know if that's correct or not), but I doubt there's much more to improve up there, except my temples of course (where there have sprouted a lot of vellus hairs). I'm very pleased with the progress anyway, and it has exceeded my expectations. I'll take anything else as a bonus.

I've gotten quite a lot of comments (compliments) by the way, people asking me if I've dyed my hair (because it's gotten so much darker), and commenting on my dark beard. I usually tell them about the minoxidil, I'm thinking it's better to be open about it than try to hide it, nothing good can come from that.

My body hair count has increased significantly. Much hairier arms and legs, much better facial hair growth, nosehairs, eyebrows etc. But I don't mind it, I actually like it. it gives me a darker appearance. Question: if/when I stop minoxidil, will my body hair also shed? Are they also dependent on minoxidil?

Still on the fence with regards to finasteride. I'll make a decision soon. Another question: can finasteride give me further improvements? With minoxidil being a growth stimulant and all I mean, can finasteride do anything for my hair that minoxidil can't, growth-wise? Better density?

I'll see if I can get some pictures up here soon. Just need to stop being so damn lazy first :laugh:

 

[sadscalp]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

finasteride should make the minoxidil much more effective since it would be treated the cause.

If this is the case I could actually get to a NW2 (was NW3 + very diffuse thinning at baseline), granted that the minoxidil keeps doing its job and finasteride works and I don't get sides.

I leaning towards getting on it, though I'd probably start with 0,5mg, or 0,625 (half of a cut Proscar).

 

[sadscalp]

Re: Sadscalps Story (23 / NW3+diffuse thinning)

So, decided to upload some pics finally. First off, I need to say that I know the baseline pic is bad. Plus, it was taken with a proper camera in March, as opposed to the new pics, which where taken with my crappy webcam. Secondly, I need to stress the point that my diffuse thinning, which really isn't visible in the baseline pic, was pretty damn bad. If you look close you can see that the hair on top which is visible is pretty damn thin, and a lot of miniaturized hair. I really do look pretty damn bald there. And last, my hair is grown out a little bit longer now, whereas as baseline it was buzzed pretty far down.

Still, I think you'll be able to see that I've gotten results, and pretty damn decent ones at that, even though that might not be too easy to see.

As you can see, my left temple is a lot better off than my right temple. The marked areas contain many vellus hairs.

The diffuse thinning really isn't very visible in that pic to be honest. Partly because I've improved greatly in that department, but also because of the lighting. It still is a bit thinner on top than on the sides.

Results: Improved temples, thicker hair, darker hair.

All after pics are 3,5 months into treatment, minoxidil 5% 2x/day and keto 2%.

 

[sadscalp]

Made a decision with regards to finasteride. There's just no way I'm putting that sh*t in my system. Call me paranoid or whatever, but I'm not gonna risk ending up as a depressed suicide-candidate with man boobs, a useless dick, and no way to reverse it, no matter how tiny the chances are. After reading all those poor bastards' stories on Propeciahelp.com and here, I've decided that I'd rather go bald than potentially deal with that sh*t. Screwing with my hormones in such a way is something I'm not willing to do.

I'll stay on minoxidil and nizoral, and if they don't find a cure and minoxidil stops working then I'll shave it off.

 

[Obsidian]

Well at least your honest, but for what it's worth, I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I am not one minute happy-joy-joy and then next wanting to kill or cry nor have man boobs. As much as Propeciahelp has their right to complain you can find major compliants about any drug from SSRI's to hairloss drugs about how it has 'ruined' people.

 

[sadscalp]

Well at least your honest, but for what it's worth, I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I am not one minute happy-joy-joy and then next wanting to kill or cry nor have man boobs.

Sorry to hear that, but with all due respect they're not really the same?

As much as Propeciahelp has their right to complain you can find major compliants about any drug from SSRI's to hairloss drugs about how it has 'ruined' people.

Sure, I mean I know that I would most probably be alright if I went on it, but I'm just not really comfortable putting that sort of thing in my system. Messing with hormone levels scares me, and after reading a lot of stories about all these f*cked up sides (though I'm sure some of them are exaggerating a bit) I just don't wanna risk it.

One the one hand you have people complaining about how that drug f*cked up their bodies, their dicks, and their minds, with no recovery in sight and suicide reports, and on the other you have people who say that those people are exaggerating, how low of a chance there is for that to happen etc. I'm kind of stuck in the middle here, but at the end of the day I just don't wanna risk it. IF it were to happen, I don't know if I could take it. And IF it were to happen, and I couldn't recover, I'd be fucked up for life. If I chose not to end it that is.

 

[Obsidian]

Well at least your honest, but for what it's worth, I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I am not one minute happy-joy-joy and then next wanting to kill or cry nor have man boobs.

Sorry to hear that, but with all due respect they're not really the same?

As much as Propeciahelp has their right to complain you can find major compliants about any drug from SSRI's to hairloss drugs about how it has 'ruined' people.

Sure, I mean I know that I would most probably be alright if I went on it, but I'm just not really comfortable putting that sort of thing in my system. Messing with hormone levels scares me, and after reading a lot of stories about all these f*cked up sides (though I'm sure some of them are exaggerating a bit) I just don't wanna risk it.

One the one hand you have people complaining about how that drug f*cked up their bodies, their dicks, and their minds, with no recovery in sight and suicide reports, and on the other you have people who say that those people are exaggerating, how low of a chance there is for that to happen etc. I'm kind of stuck in the middle here, but at the end of the day I just don't wanna risk it. IF it were to happen, I don't know if I could take it. And IF it were to happen, and I couldn't recover, I'd be f***ed up for life. If I chose not to end it that is.

Understandable but I have heard reports of Finasteride exacerbating depression or bipolar disorders in some people and that was my fear but it hasn't.

I understand your reasoning though but I just think that if you are a good responder to minoxidil right now, you could probably respond well to Finasteride.

I also got minor sides (more so in the Reflex Hyperandrogenicity area) but most guys revert back to normal in a few months or less.

 

[sadscalp]

Understandable but I have heard reports of Finasteride exacerbating depression or bipolar disorders in some people and that was my fear but it hasn't.

I understand your reasoning though but I just think that if you are a good responder to minoxidil right now, you could probably respond well to Finasteride.

I also got minor sides (more so in the Reflex Hyperandrogenicity area) but most guys revert back to normal in a few months or less.

You're screwing with my head! :laugh:

We'll see. I know that I might regret it if I don't at least try it, but at the same time there is no turning back if things go wrong (which in all honesty they're not likely to).

I might, we'll see, and IF I were to try it that would be with a low, low dose.

 

[mpbsux20]

Great to hear that things are getting better for you.....If you want to give finasteride a try but are afraid of the sides,start with a very low dose like 1mg a week.If you are fine with it,stick to that dosage.I actually take 1 mg finasteride every four days and that adds up to about 0.25 mg a day.I dont have any sides right now but I initially had some head aches during the day which might not have been due to finasteride as I have been going through severe depression for a few years now and get headaches when things get really out of control.

Right now I am totally fine and wouldn't consider increasing my dosage as I feel this dosage itself is doing an impressive job.

 

[sadscalp]

My hair seems to have stabilized. I got a great burst of growth after around the 2 month mark, which continued for a few weeks, and then if regressed a little and now seems to have stabilized. Still clearly better than baseline, but not as good as it was at one point. Funny thing is some days it seems thicker and healthier than others. I dunno.

Going back and forth with regards to finasteride. Planning on giving a derm a call tomorrow (can't buy online, prolly won't get past customs here). I'm gonna have to ask him on the phone if he is willing to precribe finasteride to me though, because being a student I can't afford to visit multiple docs in search of someone who is. Hopefully he is willing and I'll get it as soon as possible, so I don't have time to change my mind again.

Will start low. I'm gonna be careful with this sh*t. But I do want better results (my buzzcut will look better with darker colour and more coverage), and finasteride is the only way I can get that, so I've decided to give it a shot. Gonna stay away from Propeciahelp.com etc. or else I will change my mind again :laugh:

The odds are heavily in my favor, and on the off chance that I do get completely f*cked up by finasteride I can always kill myself. :whistle:

 

[sadscalp]

God I hate this country. Huge hassle just to get a regular doctors appointment. I don't know the English word, but I need to see a regular doctor so he can "refer" me to a derm. Apparently I can't just make an appointment with a derm right away, oh no, because that would just be too easy. And I probably know more about this crap than those doctors anyway.

Gonna cost me extra dough just to get that pointless doctors appointment before I can finally get to the derm. And if he's not willing to prescribe me finasteride then I'm f*cked.

 

[cuebald]

Where are you from that you have to pay to see a doctor?

 

[sadscalp]

Where are you from that you have to pay to see a doctor?

Norway, the kindergarten of the world.

 

[sadscalp]

Luckily, the regular doctor that I got an appointment with was a nice guy (though not very knowledgeable :woot: ). I basically prescribed Proscar for myself :laugh: Then I got to the pharmacy, and they told me that Finasterid Actavis (5mg) was cheaper than Proscar. Ended up paying around 15 bucks for 28 tablets of 5mg.

Starting it today. These pills are really f*****g small though (not to mention totally round, unlike Proscar). Nearly impossible to cut it up anymore than 4. Just took my first one, 1.25 mg.

Wish me luck fellas.

 

[mpbsux20]

Good luck bro....

 

[KDL84]

Luckily, the regular doctor that I got an appointment with was a nice guy (though not very knowledgeable :woot: ). I basically prescribed Proscar for myself :laugh: Then I got to the pharmacy, and they told me that Finasterid Actavis (5mg) was cheaper than Proscar. Ended up paying around 15 bucks for 28 tablets of 5mg.

Starting it today. These pills are really f****ing small though (not to mention totally round, unlike Proscar). Nearly impossible to cut it up anymore than 4. Just took my first one, 1.25 mg.

Wish me luck fellas.

How's it going? I'm 25 and just started like you... same deal, proscar in 4s. My hair looked EXACTLY like yours two years ago, so I highly recommend doing everything you can right now. And if you have persistent sides, just stop the Proscar and you should be cool after it's out of your system...