Hair Loss & Re-Growing Hair?

jsrz18 on 14/08/2020 - 16:59

Hi all,
So I'm currently 19 and losing my hair - its ridiculous that its happening at this age but it actually started when I was around 17.

Just wanted to hear everyone's experience in relation to the effectiveness of finasteride and minoxidil in re-growing hair? Been on finasteride for 2 months and just started minoxidil (foam) a few days ago. The minoxidil has been making me a little more tired than usual I think, but hoping this goes away over time.
Hoping that these do something for a few years until I can accept baldness

POLL: So, did using both of these treatments re-grow any hair for you?

Cheers

Poll Options

  • 43
    YES
  • 124
    NO
Health & Beauty

Comments

          • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 17:23
            +3

            @ak47wong: Doesnt work for me either

      • Silent-BoB on 18/08/2020 - 10:07

        Musk is widely believed to have had a hair transplant, but even that, in many cases, isn't a permanent fix.

        You eventually need touch up surgery or eventually just tap out to baldness anyway.

      • pinkybrain on 18/08/2020 - 14:10

        Jeff Bezo was balding much more than Elon Musk.
        so a hair transplant wouldn't have looked as good or work out as well.

        he was also married earlier than Musk so might have been easier to accept the baldness

    • mrsina1 on 17/08/2020 - 12:30

      if he could do anything he would have fixed his eye first ! Money cant get you everything hey haha I dont mind making fun of him ! the dude is a prick !

      • pinkybrain on 18/08/2020 - 14:22

        true that his eyes are wonky..but

        why should he fix his eyes if he doesn't think there is anything wrong with them

        Why risk surgery that can cause scarring or other problems
        if he has no problem with it?

  • vikvance on 14/08/2020 - 20:18

    Finasteride won't regrow hair, but it will stop you losing more of it.

    The advantage is that it's a pill & easy to take, compared to Minoxidil which is a pain to apply every day.

    • polishka on 16/08/2020 - 14:21
      +1

      Incorrect

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 15/08/2020 - 00:49
    +3

    I got a guy at my work who did Ashley and Martin for a while and he did regrow some of his hair but the cost ended up stopping him from continuing after about a year or so….he is now back to the balding state he was in prior to A&M

    At 19 losing you hair would be hard - (Im assuming your a male)

    My advice if you cant afford expensive treatment is to shave it off (bald is a choice, balding isnt) and hit the gym HARD

    Good luck

    • pinkybrain on 18/08/2020 - 14:45

      did he say what treatments they used?

      Some of the stuff like drugs (finasteride and minoxidil ) would be stuff you can buy yourself but much cheaper than their prices..

      • Trying2SaveABuck on 18/08/2020 - 15:56

        He did - he is also in the medical profession and he said the 'main' drug they used was only accessible to specialist everything he could get himself but if you ask me the name of them all i'd have no idea

        • pinkybrain on 18/08/2020 - 16:19

          what treatments did they use?

          laser + the minoxidil and finasteride + their drug?

          There's only two scientific proven treatments ie minoxidil and finasteride

          Any other drugs are unproven, placebo or just a way for them to charge the thousands of dollars for the specialist treatment etc..

          ask him what specialist drug name was it they gave and what treatment was done?

          I saw some ACA show where some dude said one of the hair places put a paste on rug and charge him overpriced finasteride + minodixl

  • gbarlett on 15/08/2020 - 08:07
    +3

    Nothing works. Welcome to the club.

    • peterpaoliello on 15/08/2020 - 13:02
      +1

      Can confirm. And at 17 OP you don't want to be doing this your whole life. The effort, expense - you can still tell.

      Own it, shave it. Move on with your life.

  • subydooby on 15/08/2020 - 09:08
    +1

    Hats are cheap, be sun smart…

  • OzHunterNSW on 15/08/2020 - 09:42

    Are you male or female?
    See your doctor

  • MontyMacaw on 15/08/2020 - 10:16
    +5

    Forget the home remedies there are only two proven treatments for hair loss and you have named them. The issue is side effects. I was on finasteride for years and I didn’t realise it but the side effects are not so good. It can cause for example lack of erection and man boobs. I stopped because I couldn’t afford it for awhile and never went back. My hairline eventually went to where it would have been and now I am ok with that but I’m also a lot older so it isn’t so important to me. At your age you should consider professional help if you want a permanent solution. I don’t know for sure how they work and what combinations they use but there are a slew of celebrities that seem to have at least some (Maybe cosmetic) success. I have no idea of cost but I’d consider that over just taking a pill or putting something on your head hoping for the best.

  • enforcer on 15/08/2020 - 11:32
    +1

    My BIL had the same kind of early onset balding. He just rocks the shaved head now.

  • Tames71 on 15/08/2020 - 11:45
    +2

    Do you know exactly why? Stress can also cause hair loss or be a factor in it.

  • Fysh on 15/08/2020 - 11:49
    +1

    Only thing that works is transplant. You can get it done cheap in turkey but good luck with that atm and you will need to go back as more hair goes and it takes 6 months to work so u look stupid for ages.

    At 40 mines almost gone, just slowly progress your hair shorter over a few months. Then keep it super low . It will make u feel better. I wish I had done it that way 20 years ago .Going short now feels weird.

    • serpserpserp on 16/08/2020 - 00:01

      What did you do in your 20s and 30s? Comb over?

      • Fysh on 16/08/2020 - 00:05

        I have moderate curly hair. I grew it out mostly and at some points even used curly shampoo to make it look fuller but there was a large patch going at the back and slowly meeting the front towards my mid 30s. Im not sure it really looked great but in the end I was more troubled by my weight than my hair

        • serpserpserp on 16/08/2020 - 09:01

          Its funny how people obsess with hair when they are young cause they don't want to look old. But probably helps you get taken more seriously in a work environment etc when you have that shaved head look as opposed to a 20s style cut.

          When you get to your 40s the most important thing isn't hair but the bod in not looking old!

  • greatlamp on 15/08/2020 - 11:53
    +24

    Thr following is an opinion and I encourage you to discuss these issues with one, or several doctors. On the internet we cannot understand the full context of your situation, however I have responded as there is a lot false information online - which is all you see otherwise.

    Minoxidil regrows hair in 30%, halts hair loss in 30% and fails in the remainder. Minoxidil was originally developed as a cardiovascular medication and has such side effects listed, although at the dosages used topically these aren't normally considered relevant.

    I have seen a (1) report of minoxidil damaging collagen - causing aging effect. This was in a heart failure patient taking 40mg orally.
    The liquid minoxidil is more effective than the foam, the propylene glycol in the Formula increases absorption through the skin. I would recommend buying kirkland minoxidil online (from the US) and getting it shipped, as it is far cheaper. This is legal - TGA allows 3 months supply of medication to be imported for personal use.

    The first choice should be minoxidil not finasteride, due to safety.

    Finasteride has a very high success rate, 60-80% depending on what you read. It was originally developed as a treatment for enlarged prostate. It can have side effects that interfere with sexual function in 1-10% of cases. In the dosages used for hair loss these side effects are closer to 1%, however in the context of side effects generally 1% is "common" not rare. Side effects are considered reversible, however there is 1 report of permanent and irreversible erectile dysfunction which caused much controversy and the inclusion of a black box warning on the packaging (somewhere in the EU, I forget which country). In this case the patient ignored the side effects on the advice that they would be temporary - then attempted to stop after 1 year. The lesson it to not ignore side effects - we aren't clones and the same drug does not always have identical effects on everyone. The majority of patients have no issues.

    There is also the consideration that at 19 years old male, you have not finished development. Long term treatment with an inhibitor of DHT ina young person is not something all doctors will be comfortable prescribing.

    While DHT has effects on the prostate and genitals, and the skin, it also has effects in the CNS (which are poorly defined).
    Consider that 'roid rage' is a known phenomenon - general fatigue would be the opposite. Finasteride is likely responsible for your reported side effects not minoxidil.

    • Kangal on 15/08/2020 - 15:02
      +6

      Yeah, it's around 25 years of age when you hit full-maturity, which also includes your brain. At ages of 17 or 19 you really don't want to mess around too much with medication.

      Great advice overall, in addition to the above, they may want to also get some blood work done to test their overall health and any deficiencies. A major one is actually Testosterone, and I know it's linked to body hair (facial, genital, armpit, chest, back, etc), so might also have "some" effects for regular hair (but, careful about bum-hair Hahar).

      I would stress to try a lifestyle change first. That means plenty of movement and weight-lifting, much more hydration, less carbs, balanced protein, and more good fats (fish, avocado, nuts). Good hair health is usually indicative of good health overall, so maybe fixing the source is better than fixing the symptom.

    • skynet on 15/08/2020 - 19:29
      +6

      This is the first post with actual information, 90 percent of the posts in this thread are garbage.

      I've been using Fin(generic), Minox (regain) and kentoclozole (nizoral) for almost 5 years and can tell you that it has stopped/reversed a lot of my hair loss. Started losing when I was 22-23 and didn't start treating until I was 24-25 so I was a bit late.

      There are possible side effects with fin but I found mine lasted only a month or so and now everything works as it should. I started with 1/2 dose and slowly ramped up over a 14 day period. As @Superannuation has stated - taking a hormone inhibitor at your age isn't to be taken lightly, speak to a doctor.

      I've had no sides from minox or niz but YMMV.

      Do not just blindly listen to people that tell you to give up, shave your head etc. I can tell you from personal experience that these drugs don't break the bank and do wonders for the right person.

      • greatlamp on 16/08/2020 - 09:12
        +1

        Agreed. Once a hair follicle dies, it's gone forever. You can slow down and even stop baldness, regrowing hair is very difficult. The best advice for OP is to start early, and stick to treatments with evidence.

        Ketoconazole shampoo shows to be as effective as minoxidil in some studies. It can be useful for 2 reasons - scalp microflora have been identified as potentially being involved in hair loss - which ketoconazole might kill (this isn't confirmed), and ketoconazole has known effects as an androgen inhibitor- it lowers testosterone (rather than DHT).

        It is quite safe, and available OTC. The oral form has been withdrawn from sale due to liver toxicity- so don't use it more often than suggested on the packaging as you will be absorbing small amounts through the skin (much lower than what was in the tablets however)

        As far as supplements go, the only one to recommended with any confidence is biotin. Avoid saw palmetto and other herbal treatments, they are non specific hormone inhibitors - you may as well take Finasteride which is far more effective, and specifically targets the hormone you want to - DHT. Don't confuse the incidence of side effects in prescription medication with there being more side effects than 'natural' treatments which have little regulatory oversight.

        Avoid wasting money on hair strengthening shampoos and supplements. These are aimed at women with long hair which breaks. Your hair isn't breaking- its growth cycle is shortening. There are some shampoos actually formulated for hair loss, the most popular one on Amazon is called PURA D'OR - may help, may not, but the price isn't exorbitant.

        The last thing I will say is don't get into the trap that this is somehow your fault because of bad diet or you need to hit the gym. Hair loss is normal. It affects 70% of the male population. All older male celebrities- news readers, & in hollywood have had a hair transplant. It is not a sign of poor health, just a weird outcome of evolution that decided the hair on your scalp responds negatively to DHT while the hair everywhere else responds positively.

  • Ozpit on 15/08/2020 - 12:37
    +10

    Ashley and Martin claim a 98% hair regrowth success rate. It’s just unfortunate that pretty much all their clients fall into that 2%.

  • vetopower on 15/08/2020 - 12:58
    -2

    F

  • serbpie on 15/08/2020 - 13:27
    +3

    Started for me when I was 17, went to a few places to get quotes for 'treatments'. In the end I said it's not worth it, got a pair of clippers, have since avoided spending $40 a month on hair cuts ever since. TBH, I love being able to wake up and not have to groom, if I could do my teen years again where I had hair, I'd shave it!

  • Neptunesblood on 15/08/2020 - 14:05
    -1

    Try this https://watermanshair.com.au/ Can’t hurt.

    • greenie on 16/08/2020 - 14:53
      -1

      I'd recommend trying this as well.

    • citybargainhunter on 16/08/2020 - 22:22

      thanks, bought

    • FireSword on 20/08/2020 - 16:23

      Lol, dont buy this. For some reason it doesnt have 1% ketoconazole in it, the only thing hair loss shampoo normally has in it that has any scientific evidence for it. The reviews seem odd as well to say the least, all 5 star glowing reviews for a product that basically contains a bunch of supplements that are either proven to do nothing or will barely absorb into your skin

      If you are going to buy hair loss shampoo, at least buy one that contains ketoconazole, and then the problem is still there are only low quality studies on it, it probably doesnt absorb enough, and the 1% concentration which is max allowed over the counter is lower than 2% used in some of the studies.

  • Morphio25 on 15/08/2020 - 14:19
    +2

    Take it from me, don't waste your money, just shave your head and be done with it. It'll feel weird at first but you get used to it real quick.

  • lltravel on 15/08/2020 - 14:23

    Try the following

    Get a prescription for 7% minoxidil
    Seek out a clinic that does PRP for hair or factor4
    Keep running the finsasteride
    viviscal tablets for men. Has great ingredients like horsetail etc
    Use a cover up for now like toppik, Just sprinkle it on your head and comb through. If you're balding from the back it works wonders. If its from the front it wont work.

    If all else fails hair transplant

    Goodluck.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 14:30
    +1

    2 female friends of mine have recently expressed their attraction to bald men. They couldn't explain why, just something they liked. Both quite attractive straight women, FWIW

    Obviously your self worth should come from within, and you should have little regard to what other people think, but perhaps it's helpful to know that there are likely plenty of people out there, women as well, who not only don't care about baldness, but find it an attractive feature. In fact, one thing they did mention as a turn off was when people tried to hide it (growing it out, combing it over etc). I guess one of the most attractive qualities a person can have is being comfortable with themselves - which isn't easy I appreciate.

    Good luck with it.

    • Raj09 on 15/08/2020 - 14:48
      +2

      Thats because their fathers didn't have hair. For your female friends

      • MontyMacaw on 15/08/2020 - 15:40
        +3

        Find out what aftershave he used ;)

        • bmerigan on 16/08/2020 - 22:05

          Leonard's mum!

    • serpserpserp on 15/08/2020 - 23:56
      +6

      Both quite attractive straight women

      Well that is lucky. Because being a lesbian and being attracted to bald men would be an interesting conversation for their partners.

  • Vancomycin 1000mg on 15/08/2020 - 14:36

    I've used both of them for three months exactly. I found that it worked for me perfectly fine and I started to see less hair fall during shower and on my pillows. I had zero side effects. I found it hard to stick to the treatment options. I will probably go back to it soon.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 14:40
    +1

    Look into Dr Pen(Mirco needling but it's an automatic pen), combined with minoxidil it's been showing good results from what I've seen.

    I'm 37, and started thinning a little and I'm 50/50 about minoxidil as I'm scared it'll make it worse. I'm not sure if foam or the liquid is better.

    Basically just thinning at the front hairline, hoping I can buy a few years and then just get FUE to fix the front of it gets worse.

    Most males in my family began losing hair early on, it would be horrible.

    I tried Finasteride for a year, noticed no difference and it gave me sides. Dry skin, my balls shrunk and I gained 5-6kgs. I didn't notice any less hair loss, and my crown has hair so I stopped. However Finasteride and minoxidil works wonders for my mate!!!

    Look into red light therapy too!!!

  • Raj09 on 15/08/2020 - 14:47
    -2

    Learn from ayrvedic treatment. Hair absorbs a lot of oil and helps it become supple and stronger. Put coconut oil in your hair every two weeks. That's part of what Indians do and now I get why. Hair feeds on oil. If you don't take care of it it will die.

    Of course there are genetic factors for you losing your hair. But you can take care of the rest

    • bmerigan on 16/08/2020 - 22:12

      Male pattern baldness is caused by testosterone, which converts to DHT, which causes hair follicles to shrink.

  • Scrobo on 15/08/2020 - 15:43
    +2

    Sadly, I went through the same, the two you have tried are the only things that do anything. I tried vitamins, oils, supplements, massages, relaxation… None of that works if the reason is genetic.
    Finasteride does slow it down, but the hair will still go, just slows it a bit.

    I'd say stay on it for 6 months, work on a 'new look' that works with no hair. Try a bunch of different style hats, facial hair and clothing to own the smooth look until you find something you can rock. You might not be the best judge, so get a trusted friend or two, or even better a stranger or two that will be honest. I'm an ugly bugger but found a look that worked okay.

    Then let it go and embrace the look, get a psychologist to help work through it, it isn't as bad as it feels, but some help dealing with it doesn't hurt. I ended up shaving it off at 21, I wish I had gotten to that point a few years earlier, as it was such a stress and worry at 18, and in the end, it honestly didn't matter, and I could have had more fun with those 3 years.

    As a side note, after I went shiny, even with my ugly mug, quite a few girls asked to touch or kiss the top of my noggin to see what it was like, when I was out at pubs. It's not all downside, but I know how it feels right now.

    Don't get suckered though, none of the other stuff does anything, there are a lot of exceedingly rich and powerful and vain men, who would be less bald if there was a way, there isn't, it sucks, it hurts, but it does get better as time goes on and you embrace the glossy life :)

  • TRANCE on 15/08/2020 - 16:10
    +2

    Try washing your hair with ground beaver entrails, it's known to rejuvenate and replenish.

    • ak47wong on 15/08/2020 - 17:26
      +1

      As featured on the classic sitcom Leave it to Ground Beaver Entrails.

  • polishka on 15/08/2020 - 16:17

    Just stop if you start feeling side effects like depression and/or loss in sex drive/related issues. Research potential permanent impacts like impotence. Earlier you accept/shave the better you’ll be in the long run.

    • bmerigan on 16/08/2020 - 22:13
      +2

      Nah that's caused by 5G

  • RolandWaites on 15/08/2020 - 16:44

    Have you tried Ashley and Martin? I hear Shane Warne would've looked like a new ball if he didn't go there.

    Jokes aside, you're gonna go bald no matter what you do. If there was just some miraculous cure to it, do you think you'd see so many balding men in public?

  • tsu-chan on 15/08/2020 - 17:21
    +6

    hello fellow alopecia sufferer! been losing hair for 10 years or so and been treated for 6 years by the same dermatologist.

    ask to get gp referral and have get a long term trustworthy dermatologist. i trust mine enough to not buy extra gimmick products like the previous 'dermatologist' i had who sold me expensive salon products instead of taking my blood and biopsy to get down to what could be wrong. having a long term trustworth dermatologist also helps where they try different methods of slowing hair loss as well.

    ask your doctor if you can get compounded minoxidil to take as tablet form? that's my treatment atm with finistride. also try and see with your dermatologist if rich plasma injections will help in your case. i have money to spare to try and going in tomorrow for my second treatment. pricey and painful but if it works it works… if not, it's an acceptable sunk cost.

    the cheapest way is definitely to just accept the hair loss and go bald though….it will never be an option in my case as I'm female.

    i also advocate to some of the previous comments to talk to a psychologist about it.

    current treatment:
    1 tablet a day 1mg minoxidil compounded into tablet form
    1/2 a tablet a day of 5mg finistride
    1 tablet a day 25mg aldactone

    summary of meds:
    -losing hair like a normal person daily
    -during high stress, lose hair like pre-med time
    -general growth of hair everywhere
    -side affects of all meds are now non-existent from long term consumption
    -around $100 quarterly spend for all prescriptions
    -significant improvement from 2015 photo and now.
    -still have a lot of white area on scalp but that can be masked with hair powder or topik on special occasions.

    • Your Friend on 16/08/2020 - 15:13
      +2

      This is probably the best comment in this thread OP. All the other comments are from some pretty misinformed people - the side effects of Fin are no way as bad or as apparent as the commenters on the internet make them sound. Also think it's interesting the majority of the responses are telling OP to just "learn to deal with it".

    • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2020 - 15:44

      Great post, and most comments don't account for female hair loss!

      I must say, everyone in my family is bald and my diet is woeful! I barely ever eat vegetables and I'm very stressed all the time and I only started to think at 33-34. I do wonder how much all that plays a part, doubt it took 20 years of abuse to finally happen. Just genres, tho my recent job I was working around chemicals and managed to get Asthma and I do wonder if that was the reason. Immune response, and minor hair loss but I can't find many related studies.

      Is a transparent an option for you? It should be easy to cover up at the very least.

  • Oofy Doofy on 15/08/2020 - 17:23
    +2

    Been losing my hair since I was 18. Now 37

    Learn from people like me and just let go, embrace it.

    Don't mind it, because it doesn't matter.

  • Cluster on 15/08/2020 - 17:44
    +1

    Welcome to the club. It sucks, but that's life and nature.

    I used minoxidil for years. When I started it required a prescription and cost $150/bottle! I ended up growing a few thicker hairs but honestly while it may possibly slow down the natural progress of the condition it's mostly ineffective. Clinical studies are inconsistent and show low long term effectiveness.

    Never tried finestaride, as I honestly don't fancy medication that plays with hormones.

    I remember getting a comment from my girlfriend that perhaps it was my choice in shampoo that was causing my hair to fall out… Some people are just clueless. Yes, hundreds of millions of men around the world are losing hair because they select the wrong shampoo.

    Hair transplants may be an option but they look shocking in the early stages and cost a fortune. Ultimately the hair clinics push their clients towards hair pieces. There's a reason why so many men are balding. It's not because they like it, it's not because they can't afford the treatment. It's because there really isn't anything effective.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 18:16
      +1

      FUE is around 8-10k within Australia. It that expensive? I don't think so, considering the amount of girls i know who spend $800 a year on lip fillers, $1,000+ on Botox and a set of implants are minimal $8,000-20,000 in Australia.

      Good clinics in turkey $5,000, cheaper clinics $3,000.

      The outcome highly varies on your actual hair, darker- lighter and naturally thicker-thinner hair.

      I've asked females friends if I'd suit a shaved head, and 100% said no and that I should keep my hair! There's your answer, maybe different if I was married and have less f**ks but some of us care about appearance.

      Seriously if you're using minoxidil, check out Dr Pen off eBay. I've read really good results with 2 combined and it may help.

      • johnno07 on 16/08/2020 - 00:18

        I've asked females friends if I'd suit a shaved head, and 100% said no and that I should keep my hair! There's your answer…

        I don't think this is particularly useful. If those girls had only known you to have a shaved head, and you'd asked them whether you'd suit a full head of hair, they'd probably also say no. People always look weird to other people when they drastically change their style (shave off a beard etc), but they get used to it.

      • Cluster on 16/08/2020 - 12:05
        -1

        Yes, I would consider spending $10k on implants expensive. Each to their own, but I can buy a lot of other things for that money. Comparing the treatment to lip fillers and Botox doesn't really do much for me, as I don't find the lip filled look attractive at all.

        I like that little dig that you either don't care about your appearance or need to spend $10k to restore your hair.

  • pogichinoy on 15/08/2020 - 18:18
    +1

    My mate started losing his at 15. By 17, he was George Constanza bald.

    No point in fighting it I reckon.

  • Insision on 15/08/2020 - 18:56

    Try using watermans product

    • Heaps for Cheaps on 16/08/2020 - 01:44

      It's OK as an anti-dandruff but it won't stop hair loss that is genetic…

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 20:03

    6months into finasteride at 25yo. No side effects, hair is much thicker at the crown. Still receding at the front but doesn't seem to have gotten worse.

    Stick with it for six months and take regular photos of the top of your head to see if you have any regrowth.

    Also, look after your hair. Wash it with soap less, keep it in good condition. I noticed a big change in my hair health when I stopped washing (haven't shampooed in 3yrs) and started oiling/moisturising the edges and crown.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 20:03
    +1

    I guess you want to look good. Start working out mate!

  • dylan345 on 15/08/2020 - 20:14
    +5

    I too suffer from lack of hair from my early 20's.

    I recommend focusing on improving yourself other ways, in life hair is only important from a visual first impressions stand point. To get around this you can dress well, keep neat and well groomed, be physically fit and healthy to your best capability and be well spoken and charismatic. Never hid my hair problems and honestly I seem to do much better with ladies, careers and general respect form strangers than most people.

    Think what would badass Jason Stanton do.

    • dylan345 on 18/08/2020 - 16:58

      Jason Statham*

  • Thatsgold on 15/08/2020 - 21:10

    I used propecia (AKA finasteride) for about 1 month when i was 22 and damn son, my rocket launcher disappeared (Big friend down there)…There was another person at my work who was using it for years but did not experience this effect (lucky for him)…
    I hear propecia/finasteride works really well, EXCEPT for some unlucky people who experience shrinking shrimp side effect :(

    Anyways for the past couple months I've started taking minoxidil pills, not the hair liquids and advance hair clinic hair thickening serenoa 320 and i think its helped abit…

  • FrugalDealHunter on 15/08/2020 - 21:36

    Be careful of Fin. It can have permanent side effects. You might get your hair back but lose your manhood.

  • unelectric on 15/08/2020 - 21:39

    The only thing finasteride and minoxidil will buy is time and their effects won't necessarily last forever. This is easier said than done but learn to let go. Balding isn't hot - baldness is.

    Alternatively you can use the medication to wait for a cure but the cure has been 5 years away for the last few decades so don't get your hopes up.

    Another alternative is to shave your hair and look into scalp micropigmentation (SMP). Tattooed hair basically. If you have happened to have seen Married at First Sight, Mike has SMP and only a few people in the live Twitter commentary ever realised.

  • catbug on 15/08/2020 - 22:12

    Hey, it sounds like you’re a boy so your experience might be different to me. I experienced hair loss due to hormonal imbalance; PCOS. My doctors were pretty useless, they prescribed minoxidil and spitactin. Nothing happened lol. My hair loss was around my temples and on my hair line - yikes!

    After a few years of using everything I could find, vitamins, hair powders, oils, drinking spear mint tea like I needed it to live, I finally bit the bullet and started seeing a dermatologist.

    It’s pretty expensive like $150-200 per session and they’re usually pretty busy so they don’t pay much attention to you even though you’re paying them so much money 😩. Mine gave me a prescription for 0.75mg minoxidil compounded with spiractin which I’ve been taking alongside JS Health hair vitamins and after 14 months there’s definite new growth and improvement! Nothing crazy, I still have some bald patches but the part I was most concerned with is recovering ☺️ I tried topical minoxidil for 2 years and didn’t get any results, if you can afford to - give visiting a dermatologist a go! My pills a pretty expensive too, $150 for 100 pills but for me it’s worth it because I’m seeing results.

    I also started using the Mild by Nature thickening shampoo recently and like the way my hair looks. I would definitely look at not using supermarket shampoos and looking for products that are cleaner in ingredients.

    All the best to you.

  • Oofy Doofy on 15/08/2020 - 22:14

    Patrice O'Neal wisdom…

    https://youtu.be/3yzl5GKqZno

  • bmerigan on 15/08/2020 - 22:21
    +1

    I've been using those products for 15 years. Definitely worked for me and no side effects that I could tell.
    I was losing hair at my temples so started using both products about 2 years prior to my wedding. Hair looks great in wedding photos.
    I stopped taking Finasteride when my wife stopped work for kids because back then it was $80 for 4 weeks, brand name only.
    Hairline gradually resumed it's journey North.
    Started Finasteride again 4 years ago now that there's a generic version available for <$30. haven't had heaps of regrowth this time around but it has definitely stabilised so good enough. I'm not using minoxidil this time - tablets only.

    TL;DR I recommend it for stopping hairloss. Wouldn't guarantee growing back.

  • MarcusJones on 15/08/2020 - 22:23
    +1

    Same boat, dad and both grandfathers lost hair young… at 19 I decided to try regain. In the first few months I noticed my hair actually getting thinner (which is apparently normal). In the 3rd to 6th month it grew a little, but basically back to where it was before I started.

    Anyway after 2 years of using it constantly I went away on skip trip with friends for 4 days. As we were all staying in a large share room I couldn’t apply the stuff at night, by the 4th day it was really visible I was loosing hair. As it was a ski trip I basically worn a beanie the entire time to cover it.

    Anyway felt super down and depressed about it…

    Anyway a mate noticed and spoke to me about it… and I decided to shave my head. Now to give a valid reason he agreed to get into a bet/argument which he would win, and the punishment is I would have to shave my head. So we did and I ended up shaving it, got a lot of positive feedback from friends so quite happy now. Next stage will be getting it lasered as shaving everyday is a pain and it’s obvious I’m balding if I have a few days growth.

    So my advice… shave your head now before people notice.

    • lunartemis on 16/08/2020 - 08:11
      -1

      Baldness comes from your mother's father though
      Edit: missed the part "both grandfather"

    • MementoMori on 17/08/2020 - 09:32

      Good for you! Great story and result.

  • Blue Cat on 15/08/2020 - 22:32
    +1

    The Norwood Reaper takes no prisoners…

    I am very sorry OP, hopefully you are tall or have a handsome face to compensate for it.

    • johnno07 on 16/08/2020 - 00:21

      hopefully you are tall or have a handsome face to compensate for it.

      Or is just a nice dude/pleasant to be around/not a piece of sh*t?

      • Blue Cat on 16/08/2020 - 11:46

        Or is just a nice dude/pleasant to be around/not a piece of sh*t?

        So, like a friendzone?

        • johnno07 on 16/08/2020 - 11:57

          Yeah this is all a bit incel for me.

  • newbiesh on 15/08/2020 - 22:59

    Hey my mate had a good luck with regine foam from chemist if u want I can pm u his pics took around 2 month to see difference.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 23:45

    Foam or liquid for front hairline only? What's easiest and less messy to apply?

    • newbiesh on 16/08/2020 - 19:55
      +1

      Foam

  • serpserpserp on 15/08/2020 - 23:47

    Probably best to shout out to LeBron James on social media and see what he did. They worked miracles with that guy in his 20s.

    Also OP, do you look good with glasses? This seems to frame shaved heads nicely.

  • BatmanBeer on 15/08/2020 - 23:50

    This will be buried in the comments but I'd rather suggest something based on my own experience. I didn't use the two products you mentioned, but I was heavily invested in trying many different things to fix my hair, like castor oil, non sulphate shampoo etc etc. In the end, all these experiments and products sped up the hair loss rate. I stopped all of these experiments and went back to what simply worked for me before I started this mess. I shampoo daily, and the only thing I adjusted in my routine is to apply conditioner to the roots and not the scalp. Now my hair has started growing back, although the disparate lengths are quite distinguishable as they are slowly growing out.

  • The Wololo Wombat on 16/08/2020 - 02:35
    +4

    Finesteride killed my sex drive and minoxidill bloated my face. Would not recommend. I made a thread a few years ago.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/250244

    • MementoMori on 17/08/2020 - 09:26

      Exactly the same with me and 2 people I personally know.

    • B-Rad on 19/08/2020 - 01:45

      Did your libido ever return..?

  • DangerNoodle on 16/08/2020 - 06:51

    As a cheaper alternative to Finasteride, there is dutasteride. Dutasteride is more potent at binding to the receptors and binds to two subtypes of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme. The medications generally work by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (this is the hormone they found speeds up hair loss), with the downside being that you get increased testosterone levels (30% increase noted in dutasteride studies) and the associated side effects.

    Minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to the scalp, so you can get funny side effects with it. Most people note headaches. However, keep in mind that once you stop using it, the blood flow to the scalp will return to normal and your hair count will return to normal over the next couple of months after stopping treatment. Chemist warehouse have the hair again brand with the same ingredient at a lower price, but I did find it had a greasier feel. Beyond this, if this ceases to work, talk to your doctor about compounded products. There are compounding pharmacies that can make tretinoin and Minoxidil lotions for you if you don't mind the increased scalp agitation and skin reactions at the start.

    Keep in mind that these treatments are not curative. They're more for slowing down hair loss. I eventually reached a stage where I just started shaving my own head. Financially this ended up being cheaper for me and feels better than medicating my scalp.

    As one of my friends says, going bald is not a choice but shaving your head is. Most people are ashamed of going bald, but shaving your head is rather empowering.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/08/2020 - 07:41
    +1

    I’ve been through this. There isn’t a miracle cure.

    Own it, I say. Nobody cares apart from you. For me, I made it a style choice with shaved head but with facial hair

    Trying to hide, temporarily fix, always looks bad both visually and otherwise

  • lunartemis on 16/08/2020 - 08:15

    It is largely genetics but I have been massaging my scalp regularly to stimulate the blood circulation since the late teen. I am now in my early 40s and still have as much hair as i did back then.

    • serpserpserp on 16/08/2020 - 09:03
      +8

      It is largely genetics

      Yes it is.

      but I have been massaging my scalp regularly to stimulate the blood circulation since the late teen.

      Ok.

      I am now in my early 40s and still have as much hair as i did back then.

      Which has everything to do with genetics and not the hours wasted massaging the scalp (although it would have felt nice!)

      • lunartemis on 16/08/2020 - 09:41
        -2

        And you just wasted your time replying to my comment; all I did was to share my own experience with the OP

  • Brick Tamland on 16/08/2020 - 08:25
    +1

    I started losing my hair in my early 20’s and tbh I just assumed the drugs would be expensive and I wasn’t a looker anyway so why not add balding to my attributes. Just shave it. Sure, your mates might give you some banter about it but no one really cares apart from you.

  • jason101 on 16/08/2020 - 08:27
    +1

    You’re probably not old enough to remember the Simpsons episode regarding bald vs haired executives, I’ve always felt there is some truth to it. Also at your age you’re more likely to have a greater choice in life partner if you are considered attractive. The definition of attractive will be effected by your social circles and wealth demographic. I’ve been balding since 18 and taking finasteride (for over 2 decades) No issues other than it’s efficacy is now fading, as a middle aged man (Married and career settled) when fully haired Thanks to finasteride I am now far more comfortable balding than I was at 18. If I were younger and or determined to impress others, as ridiculous as it sounds - I’m a believer that hair goes a long way to helping a man achieve his life goals.

    • serpserpserp on 16/08/2020 - 09:08
      +2

      I’m a believer that hair goes a long way to helping a man achieve his life goals.

      I don't think so on the career side of things. Not if you work in the corporate world. Some of the best and brightest men I've worked with are balding or have the shaved head. I don't know if the lack of hair made them work harder, be more empathic or just generally own the type of person they are, but they generally been great people to work with compared to the more hairier folk!

    • Brick Tamland on 16/08/2020 - 09:27

      lol, you are right, completely ridiculous. Mr Burns was the richest man in Springfield and he had no hair. Your theory is squashed.

      • jason101 on 16/08/2020 - 11:18

        The young charming Mr Burns who pulled chicks in flashbacks and was becoming wealthier is a haired version.

        • Brick Tamland on 16/08/2020 - 12:41

          haha, I actually looked for a younger Burns but the only version I could find with some decent hair is when he is a child and he is holding a lolly pop. I

      • greatlamp on 19/08/2020 - 06:12

        He was also miserable and had no relationships except for his loyal assistant

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