Hi,
I'm sorry, that this is gonna be a long post, but I think I had to write the anxiety and stress off my chest.
As I've already described in this thread (other username, couldn't log in anymore) I was on finasteride for 15 years and had great success. I was a diffuse thinner, maybe Norwood 1,5 -2 and it completely halted my hairloss and I'm pretty sure it also thickened my hair.
However, since at least this year, maybe earlier I lost a lot of density in the front. I really only saw it last month. In the months before that, my front would look thin in certain light, but I thought nothing of it. It's hard to remember or compare, since hair loss was nothing that concerned me for years.
As far as the top of my head is concerned I'm not sure, but I don't think it's worse than baseline.
Somewhere last June I also started to take finasteride 1mg only every other day. In hindsight it was a stupid thing to do, never change a running system. I've been back on a daily dose since 3 weeks and also added Nizoral 2x a week.
But I'm not sure if the lowering of the dosage has caused the worsening. And if not what did? Has finasteride suddenly stopped working all together, especially in the front after 15 years?
At first I wanted to wait half a year on finasteride and Ket and see if there's at least a stop of hairloss. But I don't seem to be able to do this psychologically.
I freak out at the prospect of my hair worsening. Every day I look in the mirror my hair seems worse and if it doesn't I know just where to look to see the loss again.
I don't seem to shed a ton of hair. When I comb over the sink maybe 6-10 fall out. Of course, if I keep going more come out. But I don't see loads of hair on my shoulders or my bed,
But then again, neither did I see loads of hair the past months when my hair has obviously worsened. Although I didn't look for it back then.
So I feel like I need to take action. I need to know that I'm doing something that will potentially better my status. And with finasteride I'm not sure anymore. I need to take my mind of it, not looking in every mirror and checking my hair out.
Just like when I took finasteride the first time, it was the feeling of "Now you're doing something proven to help". I could go on with my life again.
I mean if I was certain that my hair loss was stopped now I could live with it pretty well. But the constant doubt that maybe I should do more is driving me crazy. What if I wait for 6 months and my hair has worsend even more. If I add another treatment I could already be having regrowth.
So the one thing I haven't tried yet that is proven to help hair loss and also grow hair is minoxidil.
Back in 2001 I dreaded the use of it. twice daily, then let it dry, oily hair and so on. And I'm glad that I didn't start it back then, because I didn't need it.
But now there's the foam version which supposedly dries fast and isn't such a pain to apply. Of course, I would still use finasteride and Nizoral in addition to it.
So to finally come to my questions:
Also, quite frankly, the reports of skin aging from minoxidil also freak me out, because I take very good care of my skin. Trading hair for wrinkles would be a bad deal for me.
I know this post is freaking long, sorry for that!
Any feedback would be welcome!
I'm sorry, that this is gonna be a long post, but I think I had to write the anxiety and stress off my chest.
As I've already described in this thread (other username, couldn't log in anymore) I was on finasteride for 15 years and had great success. I was a diffuse thinner, maybe Norwood 1,5 -2 and it completely halted my hairloss and I'm pretty sure it also thickened my hair.
However, since at least this year, maybe earlier I lost a lot of density in the front. I really only saw it last month. In the months before that, my front would look thin in certain light, but I thought nothing of it. It's hard to remember or compare, since hair loss was nothing that concerned me for years.
As far as the top of my head is concerned I'm not sure, but I don't think it's worse than baseline.
Somewhere last June I also started to take finasteride 1mg only every other day. In hindsight it was a stupid thing to do, never change a running system. I've been back on a daily dose since 3 weeks and also added Nizoral 2x a week.
But I'm not sure if the lowering of the dosage has caused the worsening. And if not what did? Has finasteride suddenly stopped working all together, especially in the front after 15 years?
At first I wanted to wait half a year on finasteride and Ket and see if there's at least a stop of hairloss. But I don't seem to be able to do this psychologically.
I freak out at the prospect of my hair worsening. Every day I look in the mirror my hair seems worse and if it doesn't I know just where to look to see the loss again.
I don't seem to shed a ton of hair. When I comb over the sink maybe 6-10 fall out. Of course, if I keep going more come out. But I don't see loads of hair on my shoulders or my bed,
But then again, neither did I see loads of hair the past months when my hair has obviously worsened. Although I didn't look for it back then.
So I feel like I need to take action. I need to know that I'm doing something that will potentially better my status. And with finasteride I'm not sure anymore. I need to take my mind of it, not looking in every mirror and checking my hair out.
Just like when I took finasteride the first time, it was the feeling of "Now you're doing something proven to help". I could go on with my life again.
I mean if I was certain that my hair loss was stopped now I could live with it pretty well. But the constant doubt that maybe I should do more is driving me crazy. What if I wait for 6 months and my hair has worsend even more. If I add another treatment I could already be having regrowth.
So the one thing I haven't tried yet that is proven to help hair loss and also grow hair is minoxidil.
Back in 2001 I dreaded the use of it. twice daily, then let it dry, oily hair and so on. And I'm glad that I didn't start it back then, because I didn't need it.
But now there's the foam version which supposedly dries fast and isn't such a pain to apply. Of course, I would still use finasteride and Nizoral in addition to it.
So to finally come to my questions:
- Is it a good idea to start minoxidil now?
- Can I use the foam, if I still have a lot of hair?
- Should I just use it on the front, where I'm sure I see worsening, or the whole diffuse area?
- Can I use a hair gel after the foam has dried (supposedly only a few minutes)?
Also, quite frankly, the reports of skin aging from minoxidil also freak me out, because I take very good care of my skin. Trading hair for wrinkles would be a bad deal for me.
I know this post is freaking long, sorry for that!
Any feedback would be welcome!