Upgrading My Regimen; A More Comprehensive Approach

[Obsessive]

Have been on just finasteride and min for ~4-5 months and am very disappointed with results. Continued shedding and worsening of hair quality. My hair saving stack going forward. I believe this combination will stop loss and likely promote regrowth.

Each component of this stack has a unique effect on hair growth:

1. Finasteride (oral): lowers concentration of DHT in scalp
2. RU58841 (topical, Neogenic carrier): blocks androgen binding to follicle
3. Estrogel (applied to scalp): hair shaft elongation & many positive anecdotal reports
4: Topical minoxidil: thickening of hair via enhanced supply of blood and nutrients to follicle

 

[helloimhere]

Honestly your hair doesn't look too bad, though there is definite thinning. How much is this costing you if you don't mind me asking, I'm thinking of a routine like this.

 

[Obsessive]

Honestly your hair doesn't look too bad, though there is definite thinning. How much is this costing you if you don't mind me asking, I'm thinking of a routine like this.

I posted a pic of my hair elsewhere at the beginning of June of this year right before all hell broke loose. I have been on a fast decline and unfortunately finasteride alone doesn't seem to be enough. Estrogel is the most expensive part of this. Monthly cost is probably about:

finasteride 1 mg/day (if you use generic ~$15)
RU 30 mg/day (~$14) (Gang's is cheaper than Anagenic)
Estrogel 1 full dose EOD (~$42) (There's a generic that is cheaper)
minoxidil foam 1 dose/day (~$7.5) (Generic is even cheaper)
Neogenic 1 mL/day (~$22)

 

[ljhsapphire0604]

hi, obsessive
the estradiol you use is a cream or the solution

 

[bluecyclone]

Won’t the estrogen ruin your penis and give you breasts/Gino?

 

[Obsessive]

hi, obsessive
the estradiol you use is a cream or the solution

It's actually a gel.

 

[Obsessive]

Won’t the estrogen ruin your penis and give you breasts/Gino?

What do you mean by 'ruin'? I'm sure too much estro will make it difficult to get it up for some, but I'm not suggesting using man to woman transition doses. I'm using 0.75 mg / day, topically. Sure, a fraction of that goes systemic but so far no negative sexual side effects. I think gyno is the most likely side effect, but that can be permanently corrected for $5-6K. For me, keeping my hair is worth this risk.

 

[Splatt]

What do you mean by 'ruin'? I'm sure too much estro will make it difficult to get it up for some, but I'm not suggesting using man to woman transition doses. I'm using 0.75 mg / day, topically. Sure, a fraction of that goes systemic but so far no negative sexual side effects. I think gyno is the most likely side effect, but that can be permanently corrected for $5-6K. For me, keeping my hair is worth this risk.

6136 dollars to be exact

 

[Obsessive]

~4 Month Update: Today I noticed some new hairs on temples and hairline. I was in disbelief; I had become so accustomed to looking and looking and never seeing new, but only loss and thinning and recession. This is a groundbreaking day for me. You can see my posts other places about how disappointed estrogel has been...if it wasn't for @bridgeburn and @Marky, I probably would have dropped it too soon.
My regimen has changed a bit since original post. I dropped RU and neogenic after about a month bc it seemed like loss was accelerating. Who knows, it could have been a shed from RU or estrogel or from the finasteride. sh*t continued to worsen in the coming months but I stuck with finasteride, estrogel, and minoxidil foam (I'm convinced minoxidil foam does not work at all for me and relying on it vs. liquid has been partly resposible for hair going to sh*t...will explain more in another post). 8 weeks ago I switched to oral min (2.5 mg/day then to 5 mg/day). Hair is significantly better for the first time in 9 horrible months. 9 depressing, demoralizing, and painful months!!
Now, on the day I notice true progress I feel like I can't handle the oral min anymore. Some palpitations and slightly swollen feeling in limbs. I was doing fine for weeks so this is surprising and it may not be from minoxidil. I will take a few days off and supplement with minoxidil liquid and hope to be able to work the oral back in.
Oh yeah, I've done one dermastamp a week for the last few weeks (5 sessions in total). Just hairline and temples.

One of the problems with my regimen is that I don't know if everything I'm doing is actually critical, so for now I'll just be happy with my progress and keep everything going.

 

[Marky]

~4 Month Update: Today I noticed some new hairs on temples and hairline. I was in disbelief; I had become so accustomed to looking and looking and never seeing new, but only loss and thinning and recession. This is a groundbreaking day for me. You can see my posts other places about how disappointed estrogel has been...if it wasn't for @bridgeburn and @Marky, I probably would have dropped it too soon.
My regimen has changed a bit since original post. I dropped RU and neogenic after about a month bc it seemed like loss was accelerating. Who knows, it could have been a shed from RU or estrogel or from the finasteride. sh*t continued to worsen in the coming months but I stuck with finasteride, estrogel, and minoxidil foam (I'm convinced minoxidil foam does not work at all for me and relying on it vs. liquid has been partly resposible for hair going to sh*t...will explain more in another post). 8 weeks ago I switched to oral min (2.5 mg/day then to 5 mg/day). Hair is significantly better for the first time in 9 horrible months. 9 depressing, demoralizing, and painful months!!
Now, on the day I notice true progress I feel like I can't handle the oral min anymore. Some palpitations and slightly swollen feeling in limbs. I was doing fine for weeks so this is surprising and it may not be from minoxidil. I will take a few days off and supplement with minoxidil liquid and hope to be able to work the oral back in.
Oh yeah, I've done one dermastamp a week for the last few weeks (5 sessions in total). Just hairline and temples.

One of the problems with my regimen is that I don't know if everything I'm doing is actually critical, so for now I'll just be happy with my progress and keep everything going.

And you can see them better after applying E gel - think the alcohol tightens the skin and follicle to make it stand more.

 

[Obsessive]

And you can see them better after applying E gel - think the alcohol tightens the skin and follicle to make it stand more.

My regrowth started 6 weeks after introducing oral minoxidil. I wonder if this is due mainly to the minoxidil which I'm going to have to reduce or quit due to side effects. Hate to have to change my regimen that seems to actually be working.

 

[hemingway_the_mercenary]

Yes ur regrowth is due to the oral min

 

[Obsessive]

So finasteride and estro can be dropped? I wish that were right as my dick is not happy

 

[Warmer82]

Have been on just finasteride and min for ~4-5 months and am very disappointed with results. Continued shedding and worsening of hair quality. My hair saving stack going forward. I believe this combination will stop loss and likely promote regrowth.

Each component of this stack has a unique effect on hair growth:

1. Finasteride (oral): lowers concentration of DHT in scalp
2. RU58841 (topical, Neogenic carrier): blocks androgen binding to follicle
3. Estrogel (applied to scalp): hair shaft elongation & many positive anecdotal reports
4: Topical minoxidil: thickening of hair via enhanced supply of blood and nutrients to follicle View attachment 104640

You may be shedding because of adding products later on

You should keep on oral minoxidil reduce to 1.25mg in morning and 1.25mg at night.

Try TGF-beta inhibitors.
Finisteride reduces TGF-beta by 30%. Monixidil isnt as effective with fibrosis. TGF-beta inhibitors reduce fibrosis. That's probably why minoxidil works better with finasteride, because finasteride inhibits TGF-beta.
Worth a try?
Taurine 1 g morning 1g at night
Curcumin with piperine extract
Ginkgo ectract

 

[Obsessive]

You may be shedding because of adding products later on

You should keep on oral minoxidil reduce to 1.25mg in morning and 1.25mg at night.

Try TGF-beta inhibitors.
Finisteride reduces TGF-beta by 30%. Monixidil isnt as effective with fibrosis. TGF-beta inhibitors reduce fibrosis. That's probably why minoxidil works better with finasteride, because finasteride inhibits TGF-beta.
Worth a try?
Taurine 1 g morning 1g at night
Curcumin with piperine extract
Ginkgo ectract

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm already using a high dose of curcumin. I believe it could also help reduce androgen receptor expression.
I will research taurine and consider using it.
I would love to be able to use oral minoxidil-that stuff definitely works. I just need to find a dose where I dont get cardiac and shitty face side effects.

 

[Warmer82]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm already using a high dose of curcumin. I believe it could also help reduce androgen receptor expression.
I will research taurine and consider using it.
I would love to be able to use oral minoxidil-that stuff definitely works. I just need to find a dose where I dont get cardiac and shitty face side effects.

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that plays many roles in promoting health. ... It strengthens the heart muscle and plays a major role in regulating the heart's contractility.1 Taurine also acts as a naturaldiuretic by keeping potassium and magnesium inside cells and keeping excess sodium out.

Need to have piperine extract with cucumin to be effective

 

[Obsessive]

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that plays many roles in promoting health. ... It strengthens the heart muscle and plays a major role in regulating the heart's contractility.1 Taurine also acts as a naturaldiuretic by keeping potassium and magnesium inside cells and keeping excess sodium out.

Need to have piperine extract with cucumin to be effective

I've used this one which is formulated to be bioavailable and has PK data to support its ability to get into blood and brain:
http://nootropicsdepot.com/longvida...MIssal7cP44AIVD57ACh250QpKEAQYAiABEgIo9PD_BwE
I didn't know about the diuretic properties of taurine. Oral minoxidil. makes me hold water, so that's good news.

 

[ButWhyTho]

Have you ever tried a topical min/finasteride combo like Morr F or from minoxidalmax?

 

[Obsessive]

Have you ever tried a topical min/finasteride combo like Morr F or from minoxidalmax?

I made my own finasteride/min topical but didn’t get much for two months and stopped.

 

[Obsessive]

So finasteride and estro can be dropped? I wish that were right as my dick is not happy

This is today’s situation which I am very happy with. I just dropped E and oral min due to intolerable side effects. We’ll see if I can maintain with finasteride, topical minoxidil, and dexamethasone.