Working on getting my hairline back! BigTX's log

[BigTexasSexy]

BigTX's log /// UPDATE 3/7 /// Continued Progress

Hey guys, first time poster here but I've been lurking these forums for a while. About a year ago I noticed my left temple was thinning slightly. I thought nothing of it, I was 18 and figured male pattern baldness at my age to be impossible. Fast forward eight months and my hairline receded to what I would say to be a NW2.5/3 (no vertex so far THANK JESUS). Everyday in the shower I would notice more and more hairs appearing on my hands, and before long I was looking in the mirror everyday, scrutinizing and judging my hair like no other. It began to really interfere with my life. My mind during social outings, sports, basically every waking minute of my life was plagued with thoughts that my hair just looked like absolute crap. I knew it was time to take action.

Start 7/9/13





Update 1/20/14

Rogaine 5%: 4.5 months
-Sides: Initial shed that subsided after 1 month
-Progress: Tons of little hair sprouting all along my temples, but my hairline has thinned out pretty bad
Propecia 1mg: 3 months
-Sides: Initial shed that subsided after 4 weeks
-Progress: My hairloss is almost inexistent! Hair also seems stronger.
Regene Pure 2x/week: 2 months
-Sides: None
-Progress: Noticeable decrease in hairloss. Hair seems stronger and healthier after a month treatment.
Saw Palmetto 585mg: 2 months
-Sides: None
-Progress: N/A
Derma Roller 192 needles/1.5/1xweek: 5 rolls
-Sides: None
-Progress: I'm drawing more and more blood after each roll




So far my hairloss has really reduced to where I would almost say I don't even shed anymore! I'm really glad I picked up finasteride, and I'm ecstatic to see what 5months of treatment will look like. I would account my hair regrowth to Rogaine, and my hairloss reduction to finasteride.



Update 2/20/14

Rogaine 5%: 5.5 months
-Sides: Shedding started up again at the hairline, basically all the hairs I lose I believe are minoxidil shed hairs
-Progress: I started to rub it in as little as possible. I'm letting it dry now and I'm going to be picking up a generic liquid form of it for my next month. Whatever those side triangle things are below your temples are back. The little vellus hairs I've had haven't thickened yet, but I find fallen ones EVERYWHERE. All my Norwood spots now have little hairs on them, especially the left side of my hairline. Right side seems to be thickening up and getting stronger. I think both temples have slightly filled in, your opinion is as good as mine
Propecia 1mg: 4 months
-Sides: None
-Progress: Hair loss continues to decrease, however hairs that are in contact with minoxidil seem to fall out at the same rate
Ketoconazole Shampoo: 3 months
-Sides: None
-Progress: Switched to nizoral 2% to see it's effectiveness. I saw now difference
Saw Palmetto 585mg: 2 months
Stopped usage, no effect
Derma Roller 192 needles/1.5/10days: 8 rolls
-Sides: None
-Progress: Now roll once every 10 days. Blood flow is still increasing. Still not sure about its efficacy…



So I decided that I'm going to trade in the Rogaine Foam for a liquid generic version and see what happens. It seems like a lot of success stories can be attributed to liquid minoxidil, so we'll see.

I had to go see my dermatologist for a prescription refill for my generic propecia. I thought an appointment could be scheduled immediately and whenever, but no no no holy god no. It was scheduled a week later the day I called, and I was all out of finasteride. My dad uses proscar (I think) so he held me over on that. Then, of freaking course, my doctor prescribes my regular Propecia which was $118 for 30 pills. I kid you not. My hairloss has not been affected in any way.

I started to take SP EOD to see if it really had any effect. Eventually I dropped it and nothing happened.

With DR, I'm really starting to doubt it's efficiency, which sucks because it seemed so promising. 12 weeks, and if there's no certain improvement I'm trashing that needle stick.

Still no vertex thinning, hoping I will never have to deal with that.

I'm considering trying out Vitamin A 10,000IU to see if reduced sebum could also reduce hairloss. Excess sebum is easily as capable to suffocate hair follicles, and I've already had mild acne and slightly oily hair my whole life. I'm also thinking about trying out tricomin. I've heard some good reviews about it from other people on this site, and regrowing hair in any way possible is beyond necessary.


Update 3/7/14 Trying out liquid minoxidil
Rogain foam 5%: 5.5months
Walgreens 5% Liquid minoxidil: 2.5 weeks
-Sides: a lot of residue is left behind after application. Eventually started applying it once a day because it got so bad. Switching to Kirklands 5% Liquid
-Progress: Sides are starting to really get better- a lot of thickening up definitely regrowing. Some vellus hairs at my hairline and temples have turned terminal! Really hoping the liquid ends up being more effective
Finasteride 1mg: 4.5 months
-Sides: None
-Progress: Still closing in on normal amount of hair shed. minoxidil hairs still fall a lot, but many of them seemed to not even have potential to become full grown hairs
Regene Pure: 2 months
-Nizoral 2-3x/wk: 1.5 months
-Sides: None
-Progress: Can't really gauge it anymore, I just use it because it's habit at this point.
-Dermaroller 1.5mm 2x/week: 9 Rolls
-Sides: None
-Progress: Last roll sesh was pretty gross. I went pretty hard on it and ended up drawing a lot of blood. No say in whether or not it's really helping yet. Switching over to 2x a week now
Progress

6 Months

Update 4/20/14

 

[CliffLee]

Glad you got decent results, good luck and keep us posted. Do you have any pictures?

I've recently started taking finasteride and appyling minoxidil and hope to see improvement.

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry I just noticed that you said you would post pics later.

Question about the derma-roller. I bought one and haven't yet used it... How often and when are you using this?

 

[BigTexasSexy]

Question about the derma-roller. I bought one and haven't yet used it... How often and when are you using this?

Thanks! I roll every Sunday night

 

[David.G]

That's some nice progress. Well done and good luck! Did you see a dermatologist for your hair loss or picked up rogaine and finestride on the internet?

 

[BigTexasSexy]

My dermatologist diagnosed me and recommended Rogaine. Eventually he wrote me a prescription for finasteride too

 

[KeeperOtf]

I think you could even get better results by simply shaving it only during the treatment. I know many guys on steroids does it because their hair are much weaker and to keep a nice hairline they shave it off. I know it's weird because some of them are not even norwood 1.
Yeah you're not on steroids but to not deal with over shampooing and lets not forget minoxidil hair are really weak.
Best wishes.

 

[isishearmyplea]

I think you could even get better results by simply shaving it only during the treatment. I know many guys on steroids does it because their hair are much weaker and to keep a nice hairline they shave it off. I know it's weird because some of them are not even norwood 1.
Yeah you're not on steroids but to not deal with over shampooing and lets not forget minoxidil hair are really weak.
Best wishes.

shave it off for a nice hairline?? logic?

 

[BigTexasSexy]

Hahaha yeah dude I don't juice either. Thanks for the tip, but I personally think I'd look better if I kept my hair unshaved

 

[isishearmyplea]

okay i din see ur pics before, ur temples are filling in, all set for glory . best of luck.

 

[kadir657]

Hey man great results!! How many times a week do you use the derma roller ??

 

[BigTexasSexy]

Once a week/every Sunday

 

[BigTexasSexy]

Updated.

 

[kadir657]

Wauww man !! Great results ! Sure it's improving. Keep doing what ur doing !!!

 

[theguy87]

Then, of freaking course, my doctor prescribes my regular Propecia which was $118 for 30 pills.[/COLOR]

Hey man, I used to work in grocery store pharmacy (counting pills/register etc.). This was close to 10 years ago now, but then if you brought in the script and talked to the pharmacist about how you had previously been taking the generic form of drug X and would like to continue to because of money/comfort/anything really, you usually could have a small consult time and the pharmacist could reach out to your doctor to allow for the generic to be given to you. Just a note for next time so you don't have to shell out that kind of money. BTW, that should work in the other direction as well if you get written for generic but would prefer name brand.

 

[I.D WALKER]

Currently we know the verdict is still guess work on the viability and effectiveness of saw palmetto. All the same if I understood you right you wrote that you trialed it for only 2 months. It would be very rare if you noticed any discernible changes (+/-) from the SP after this brief span of use. Fortunately you're achieving some appreciable degree of progress with the 'scripts and good for you. nevertheless insofar that you have introduced the combination therapy approximately all at once, it is reasonable to hypothesize that had you remained on saw palmetto for a more reasonable duration (8-12 months) we could not possibly determine whether or not it proved beneficial. I don't say this to induce guilt only to express a little of my own selfish regret at perhaps another missed opportunity on behalf of the saw palmetto debate. I wish you continued success and thanks for sharing.

 

[opti]

Nice log...hair looks nearly exactly as mine(huge temples and hairline miniaturizing aswell as thinning)...i ll keep looking at this.
Atm im in dutasteride topical,finasteride topical,minoxidil topical and ket topical,lets see if i get some results too,althought Dermarolling didnt work for me(made it maybe worse).

good luck!

 

[BigTexasSexy]

@theguy: thanks for the tip, next time I refill I'll ask if I can go back to the generic version for financial reasons
@I.D: That makes sense, and it's not like I'm dispelling any of its apparent benefits, but in the end I'm pretty satisfied with the effects of finasteride. Thanks for your input
@opti: How do you like the topical duasteride? I was thinking of trying it to see if it could help

 

[I.D WALKER]

Thanx for sharing. I wish you continued success.

 

[BigTexasSexy]

Update

 

[temp600]

You're lucky dude. I have a similar pattern and Norwood level. Started taking propecia and minoxidil 2 months ago and Im losing it real quick. You hair is getting much better. How long did it take you to see results? Do you think the regrowth is mostly minoxidil?