Where To Start On Keeping Hair? Sooo Many Options!

[checkers2]

Hey everyone,

Ive been lurking for a few months now... looking to try something but there are so many options its very very confusing and i dont want to dump my money into something thats essentially snake oil.

Ive been on minoxidil for a year now, honestly i saw fuller hair in the beginning but now it just feels like it dries things out and does nothing for me.

I tried finasteride but backed off quick after noticing some of those negative side effects... might try it again with a lower does but definitely worried about the sides.

I recently started derma rolling... too soon to tell if it'll help. But i really feel like my hair up front is getting wispier and wispier

So what can i do? I eat healthy, work out regularly, im sure there are some over the counter products that would help with thickening up the hair i have but i'd love to try and regrow some or get the little wispy guys to get bigger.

Ive read up on RU and CB a bit but i am more confused then aynthing. Certain people swear by the caffeine shampoos, other use biotin and cysteine which i should definitely get on i feel like. Theres that anagen stuff im curious about....

Sooooo many damn options!

 

[diffuse_thinner]

You should look at adding Nizoral Shampoo.

 

[JustinCanada]

Caffeine shampoos and biotin wont do anything.

Nizoral a couple times a week isn't a bad idea though its effects are mininal.

If you don't plan on trying finasteride again and minoxidil isnt doing enough for you, then you probably want to start considering RU.

There is a lot of info out there on it, check the thread by Hellouser on it, also on one of the other forums, I believe BTT, El Duterino has spoken about it extensively.

 

[checkers2]

Wish it was easier or cheaper to obtain but i was thinking the same thing about RU. Seems like a really strange thing to me... experimental chemical and all that. Given how much actual bogus stuff is out on retail shelves and amazon its suprising to me that one of the more effective solutions would be relegated to some unknown (to most) website

 

[jetlife1]

If you want to keep your hair and you have male pattern baldness, you need to get on finasteride or dutasteride until something better comes out. End of story.

 

[diffuse_thinner]

Many things, including caffeine, have been shown to reduce scalp DHT. The question is, does it make a difference or do you need an anti androgen that goes systemic to do any good.

 

[checkers2]

that is the question! ive been reading up and it seems like inflammation might be a problem... i do have a fair bit of irritation on my head.. itchy scalp lately... maybe from the minoxidil but it is bothersome

 

[kj6723]

I eat healthy, work out regularly

Irrelevant to male pattern baldness unfortunately

biotin

Might strengthen your strands, will do nothing for your follicles, will most likely make you break out


Here's the lowdown on the stuff with credibility:
finasteride and dutasteride are the gold standard at this time and should be your first line of defense unless you get unbearable sides

minoxidil may give you a boost, will most likely not be effective by itself in the long run unless you're among a very slim percentage of men. Still probably worth throwing into your regimen if you've lost significant ground

ru and cb have a decent reputation among credible posters on these boards, although I would only look into them if finasteride/dutasteride give you bad sides or don't work for you

nizoral/keto shampoo are best used as a supplemental treatment for keeping your scalp free of inflammation and such to help the other treatments work better


I'd break it down like this:
If you're still in NW1 territory, just get on finasteride and nizoral
If you're NW2+ finasteride, min, nizoral

If finasteride isn't working, get on dutasteride
If finasteride gives you sides, look into ru/cb