Where To Go Next? Norwood 2ish Diffuser

[Tempura]

I am 26, soon to be 27 years old, do not have any major hair loss in my family except for my dad who has been a norwood 2 between age 20 and 50 and then started to bald to a norwood 3 with diffuse thinning at 60. So his hair is bad but not THAT bad in relation to the average person I guess.

My hair line has probably been receeding to a norwood 1 between age 19 to 24ish where things started to speed up a bit. I am a pretty carefree guy so I was completely oblivious to the idea of balding until it actually happened for real.

For about a year now I have gone from a norwood 1.5ish to a norwood 2 and since last summer I have been started to diffuse up top which is when it really hit me.

I started using finasteride around late July I think (didn't track that sadly) and have been using 1,25mg every day since then. It has given me virtually no regrowth what so ever but I think it decreased my hair loss a bit which is the most I can ask for it right? Most importantly, I started to lose more thin hair than thick ones.

I did have some issues with my scalp but nizoral helped a lot and I have no tingling what so ever except for maybe right after using it which seems normal since it should actually be doing something. Since that issue has been resolved I have moved to regenepur DR which is keeping my hair much smoother than nizoral.


Since October 5th I have been on minoxidil foam, double the amount, once a day so a bottle lasts me a month. I am using it around my hairline and a bit further in up top because of my diffuse thinning, hoping I could get something going there so every area doesn't get THAT much really. I have been using a 1,5mm dermaroller since day 1 of minoxidil foam, at least every other than.

But quite frankly, nothing is happening. I don't expect miracles but reading testemonies on here it seems that minoxidil have at least at some point been doing something positive to their hair, be it short term or long term, even if turns for the worse eventually. Sadly, for me nothing has happened at all. I have gone from shedding 2-4 strands in the showering to 5-12 strands which I guess would be the minoxidil right?

Despite the non significant hair loss compared to some of you guys on here, I feel my hair line has gotten worse, probably half a norwood since starting minoxidil. Hasn't happened much to the diffuse areas, be it good or bad.

Is there anything else I could do at this point? I am taking the perilla, biotin etc. so I don't think there is anything else I could do there.

 

[Tempura]

I guess there is no point in going for dutasteride right? Since I'm not getting sh*t from minoxidil still and finasteride has actually decreased hair loss without any sides.

 

[shadowcast]

Are you taking consistent photographs? If not then you can't really judge progress. 3 months is not a long time for minoxidil. And shedding 2-4 hairs vs. 5-12 is not a real difference, you're overthinking everything. Every once in a while I'll judge the amount of hair on my hands after shampooing just for fun, and it's anywhere from 0 to 10s of hairs. Pretty sure this is just what hair does normally. In general it seems like counting hairs only ever drives people crazy. When I initially started going very bald, I'd towel dry my hair and the towel would be COVERED with hair. That's real shedding.

 

[Tempura]

Are you taking consistent photographs? If not then you can't really judge progress. 3 months is not a long time for minoxidil. And shedding 2-4 hairs vs. 5-12 is not a real difference, you're overthinking everything. Every once in a while I'll judge the amount of hair on my hands after shampooing just for fun, and it's anywhere from 0 to 10s of hairs. Pretty sure this is just what hair does normally. In general it seems like counting hairs only ever drives people crazy. When I initially started going very bald, I'd towel dry my hair and the towel would be COVERED with hair. That's real shedding.

Progress? My hair is getting worse.

 

[Tempura]

1 week shy of 4 months of minoxidil and still absolutely nothing. I don't expect miracles but it would nice to get something positive, even if it's just briefly.

 

[Chromedome1990]

I would honestly wait a full year before throwing in the towel. In the meantime take LOTS of pictures, once a month minimum but ideally once a week. Try and keep your hair the same length if possible, too.

 

[Tempura]

I would honestly wait a full year before throwing in the towel. In the meantime take LOTS of pictures, once a month minimum but ideally once a week. Try and keep your hair the same length if possible, too.

Cheers, but the thing is, why should I take pictures when I can clearly see my hair is getting worse?

Something, probably minoxidil is digging away on my hairline pretty good. Where I had minaturized hairs I have nothing now, where I had thicker hair, I have that thin minaturized hair. All in a few months of time.

 

[Chromedome1990]

Cheers, but the thing is, why should I take pictures when I can clearly see my hair is getting worse?

Something, probably minoxidil is digging away on my hairline pretty good. Where I had minaturized hairs I have nothing now, where I had thicker hair, I have that thin minaturized hair. All in a few months of time.

To completely eliminate any possibility that it's all in your head and actually happening. Also it's a good sign if you're shedding, it means you will be a good responder come 6 or so months' time. What kind of hairs are you shedding? Mostly thin/fine hairs?

 

[Tempura]

To completely eliminate any possibility that it's all in your head and actually happening. Also it's a good sign if you're shedding, it means you will be a good responder come 6 or so months' time. What kind of hairs are you shedding? Mostly thin/fine hairs?

Both. Maybe more thin than thick if I had to guess.

What makes it tough on me is that when on minoxidil, my hair is not necessarily getting that much worse, just my hair line and I am targetting on top as well because that's where it really hit home with me that I was balding (was getting thinner on top, primarily in the frontal area). My current hair line is making it gradually tougher on me to style my hair etc. but I have Always had a noticeable widow's peak my entire life so my hair line has never perfect.[/QUOTE]

 

[Tempura]

I realize that you should continue the treatment for a while before giving up but that's not the problem for me, I am too scared to stop now anyway but is there any cases where people get nothing for half a year then things start happening after that? Or are you generally a lost case after a few months?

 

[Tempura]

bumpish

 

[CopeForLife]

lol @ pics

 

[Tempura]

lol @ pics

???

 

[Tempura]

Could oral minoxodil work if topical doesn't? If so, is it worth considering? Any drawbacks? Can you use it together with topical?

 

[DoctorHouse]

Could oral minoxodil work if topical doesn't? If so, is it worth considering? Any drawbacks? Can you use it together with topical?

I just don't think taking oral minoxidil is a good choice since it's delivered systemically. You don't need that unless you have high blood pressure. But then again, oral minoxidil is not a great choice for controlling blood pressure either. If you are not responding to the big three, consider your genetics too strong to fight the battle. Your next step would be to look into hair transplantation.

 

[Tempura]

I just don't think taking oral minoxidil is a good choice since it's delivered systemically. You don't need that unless you have high blood pressure. But then again, oral minoxidil is not a great choice for controlling blood pressure either. If you are not responding to the big three, consider your genetics too strong to fight the battle. Your next step would be to look into hair transplantation.

Well, only my father has the "balding gene". His hair was like mine when he was 30ish and stayed so until 50 then he went from norwood 2 to 3 between 50 and 60 and after 60 beginning to thin out on top considerably.

So if we are talking about "balding gene", I AM the balding gene in my family.

Finasteride did actually stop my shedding considerably so it's helping with something and I guess that's the most you can ask from it so trying Dutasteride probably won't help me regrow anything.

I am generally a pretty carefree guy and was completely oblivious to that I could be balding or that I was balding, that I guess should say that my father's hair is not THAT bad if I never thought about it at all. When it really hit me was when I started to thin up top and what's saddens me the most, based on the fact that Finasteride considerably reduced my shedding, had I started with that 8-12 months earlier, I wouldn't have an account here nor even touch minoxidil.

 

[Tempura]

So is it worth trying duta if you lose less on finasteride (than without) but gain nothing from minoxidil... could DHT levels prohibit minoxidil from working, or if it actually works for you does it work, no matter the circumstances? or would there be any difference from going from finasteride+minoxidil to duta+minoxidil?

 

[Tempura]

bump