Hello There,
Over the last year or so I’ve done a fair bit of reading on this and similar forums but this is my first post. I’m 25 and over the last couple of years had noticed my hairline receding fairly slowly. Then about a year ago, the receding increased quite rapidly and I suffered from a fairly constant diffuse shedding all around the frontal area of my scalp. I bought Rogaine and gave it a go but applying it so the area with diffuse shedding just made it look horribly greasy so I stopped after a few days of people asking me what was wrong with my hair.
Despite the protestations of my dermatologist I started taking Finasteride (Proscar cut in 4, Propecia is not approved in this country). My initial and rather painful testicle pain passed in a few weeks, but throughout the time I’ve been taking it (about 10 months) I’ve had a noticeable decline in my sex drive and often had difficulty maintaining a decent erection. This varies quite considerably from week to week but is not something I am imagining and is not something I'm too happy about. While for most of the 10 months on finasteride my hair stayed much as it had been upon starting, it’s got much worse in the last month or two. It’s still getting thinner and thinner at the front and my hairline is still receding. Considering my side effects coupled with the fact it doesn’t seem to be doing much to stop my hair loss, I think it might be time to stop Finasteride.
Initially I thought I would stop taking everything and just deal with the inevitability of balding. Having seen the complicated regimes that a lot of people go through here to maintain their hair, I know I am not willing to put that kind of time, effort and money into trying to keep my hair.
That said rather than giving up completely I think I might try something else, a manageable and minimal regime (if such a thing exists) working only with topical treatments. I should mention that my hair loss is entirely localised in the frontal scalp area and hairline, the rest of my hair is the same as ever.
Having read about Dr. Lee’s less sticky minoxidil, I might be willing to give it a go. That said, the idea of applying this twice a day is not practical for me. I never have much time in the morning and even if it is less sticky I don’t like the idea of heading into work with a greasy forehead and scalp. Perhaps I could apply it once around 6pm and again at 11pm? That would probably be less effective, I know, but I just can’t see myself rubbing this stuff in every morning. Alternatively I could just use the stuff once a day, it’s better than nothing right?
Dr. Lee’s Xandox15 may be an alternative here in that it only needs to be applied once a day. (I don’t mind having a sticky head in bed). I have let to see any great evidence of its results though. I’m also worried it might melt my head, I have quite sensitive skin.
Alternatively I may just stick with very simple stuff: Nizoral and T-Sal Shampoos and I’ve ordered the ingredients of Zix. It probably wont do much to save my hair but it will give me the all important feeling that I am trying.
I’m finding the whole issue of balding quite traumatic which is stupid really. I’m normally a very relaxed and confident individual so it really troubles me that I should get so bothered by something so trivial as having less hair, and yet I am.
So if you guys could offer your advice on coming up with a minimal and inexpensive regime for me I’d really appreciate it. I’m going to wait until I’ve got any new treatments before coming off the finasteride (Hopefully the side effects will go away soon after!). I figure I will keep trying to fight hair loss for another year or so and if it’s still not working it will be time to shave it all off and start solving crimes…
Thanks for taking the time to read this and let me know of your thoughts and suggestions.
Robert
Over the last year or so I’ve done a fair bit of reading on this and similar forums but this is my first post. I’m 25 and over the last couple of years had noticed my hairline receding fairly slowly. Then about a year ago, the receding increased quite rapidly and I suffered from a fairly constant diffuse shedding all around the frontal area of my scalp. I bought Rogaine and gave it a go but applying it so the area with diffuse shedding just made it look horribly greasy so I stopped after a few days of people asking me what was wrong with my hair.
Despite the protestations of my dermatologist I started taking Finasteride (Proscar cut in 4, Propecia is not approved in this country). My initial and rather painful testicle pain passed in a few weeks, but throughout the time I’ve been taking it (about 10 months) I’ve had a noticeable decline in my sex drive and often had difficulty maintaining a decent erection. This varies quite considerably from week to week but is not something I am imagining and is not something I'm too happy about. While for most of the 10 months on finasteride my hair stayed much as it had been upon starting, it’s got much worse in the last month or two. It’s still getting thinner and thinner at the front and my hairline is still receding. Considering my side effects coupled with the fact it doesn’t seem to be doing much to stop my hair loss, I think it might be time to stop Finasteride.
Initially I thought I would stop taking everything and just deal with the inevitability of balding. Having seen the complicated regimes that a lot of people go through here to maintain their hair, I know I am not willing to put that kind of time, effort and money into trying to keep my hair.
That said rather than giving up completely I think I might try something else, a manageable and minimal regime (if such a thing exists) working only with topical treatments. I should mention that my hair loss is entirely localised in the frontal scalp area and hairline, the rest of my hair is the same as ever.
Having read about Dr. Lee’s less sticky minoxidil, I might be willing to give it a go. That said, the idea of applying this twice a day is not practical for me. I never have much time in the morning and even if it is less sticky I don’t like the idea of heading into work with a greasy forehead and scalp. Perhaps I could apply it once around 6pm and again at 11pm? That would probably be less effective, I know, but I just can’t see myself rubbing this stuff in every morning. Alternatively I could just use the stuff once a day, it’s better than nothing right?
Dr. Lee’s Xandox15 may be an alternative here in that it only needs to be applied once a day. (I don’t mind having a sticky head in bed). I have let to see any great evidence of its results though. I’m also worried it might melt my head, I have quite sensitive skin.
Alternatively I may just stick with very simple stuff: Nizoral and T-Sal Shampoos and I’ve ordered the ingredients of Zix. It probably wont do much to save my hair but it will give me the all important feeling that I am trying.
I’m finding the whole issue of balding quite traumatic which is stupid really. I’m normally a very relaxed and confident individual so it really troubles me that I should get so bothered by something so trivial as having less hair, and yet I am.
So if you guys could offer your advice on coming up with a minimal and inexpensive regime for me I’d really appreciate it. I’m going to wait until I’ve got any new treatments before coming off the finasteride (Hopefully the side effects will go away soon after!). I figure I will keep trying to fight hair loss for another year or so and if it’s still not working it will be time to shave it all off and start solving crimes…
Thanks for taking the time to read this and let me know of your thoughts and suggestions.
Robert
