I need some help guys...

[Guest]

Hey everybody, 1'st timer here! So, well, here's my story. I started noticing that my hair was starting to thin when I was 19. It was only in the crown area, so of course I didn't think much about it or do anything. As time went on, it bothered me more and more. So, when I was 20, I decided to get it checked out by a hair loss specialist. And sure enough, I had male pattern hair loss. Man was that ever a blow to the ego. I've always been seen as a pretty good looking guy and to have that at 20 was quite something and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. So, obviously I wanted to stop it, and decided to go on ETG. Everything about it sounded awesome. The regrowth percentages, but most importantly the stabilization or hair loss with no side effects. As most of you probably know, you are to be on it for about 9-12 months and then they wing you off it. After having been on ETG for a year and a half, I still hadn't noticed any regrowth, but more importantly, my hair loss hadn't stopped. I do think it has slowed down. But I don't want it to just slow down, I'd rather it stopped. So, my specialist and I decided to maybe use another method with the ETG, to sort of give it a "boost". I was uneasy about the side effects of propecia and to me rogaine was a no brainer. We finally decided on Usana's natural Palmetto. The Usana lady said that I should start to notice it working in about 3 months. It's now 7 months later from taking the palmetto with ETG, I'm almost 23, and still I shed. My main problem area is the crown. It really seems like I'm going to follow my dad(age 50), who is in between a 4 and 5 on the norwood scale with the crown being bald and having a decent ammount of hair in the hairline. Right now, my hairline is still pretty good, maybe a little thinner, but the crown is where the problem remains. I'd say I'm a class 2 hairline, and a class 3 vertex in the crown. What should I do guys? Ideally, I'd take something to stop my hair loss and get an HT to cover up the area that has been lost and I'd be good to go right? It's funny because I've gotten a passion for acting, which as we all know is the most vane profeesion. I've had time to deal with the fact that I may never have the hair I had in high school. That's ok. But if I am going to get in to something like acting and just plain feel confident and good about how I look, I'd like to have as good a head of hair as possible and not end up like my dad. So yeah, any kind of help on what to do would be awesome. Like as far as what stops hair loss the best, HT's, my pattern, etc.. Thanks allot everybody, and it's amazing to go through this discussion area and see how everybody helps eachother. Very cool.

 

Look forward to hearing your replies,

 

danger

[Guest]

Hey everybody, 1'st timer here! So, well, here's my story. I started noticing that my hair was starting to thin when I was 19. It was only in the crown area, so of course I didn't think much about it or do anything. As time went on, it bothered me more and more. So, when I was 20, I decided to get it checked out by a hair loss specialist. And sure enough, I had male pattern hair loss. Man was that ever a blow to the ego. I've always been seen as a pretty good looking guy and to have that at 20 was quite something and I wouldn't wish it on anybody. So, obviously I wanted to stop it, and decided to go on ETG. Everything about it sounded awesome. The regrowth percentages, but most importantly the stabilization or hair loss with no side effects. As most of you probably know, you are to be on it for about 9-12 months and then they wing you off it. After having been on ETG for a year and a half, I still hadn't noticed any regrowth, but more importantly, my hair loss hadn't stopped. I do think it has slowed down. But I don't want it to just slow down, I'd rather it stopped. So, my specialist and I decided to maybe use another method with the ETG, to sort of give it a "boost". I was uneasy about the side effects of propecia and to me rogaine was a no brainer. We finally decided on Usana's natural Palmetto. The Usana lady said that I should start to notice it working in about 3 months. It's now 7 months later from taking the palmetto with ETG, I'm almost 23, and still I shed. My main problem area is the crown. It really seems like I'm going to follow my dad(age 50), who is in between a 4 and 5 on the norwood scale with the crown being bald and having a decent ammount of hair in the hairline. Right now, my hairline is still pretty good, maybe a little thinner, but the crown is where the problem remains. I'd say I'm a class 2 hairline, and a class 3 vertex in the crown. What should I do guys? Ideally, I'd take something to stop my hair loss and get an HT to cover up the area that has been lost and I'd be good to go right? It's funny because I've gotten a passion for acting, which as we all know is the most vane profeesion. I've had time to deal with the fact that I may never have the hair I had in high school. That's ok. But if I am going to get in to something like acting and just plain feel confident and good about how I look, I'd like to have as good a head of hair as possible and not end up like my dad. So yeah, any kind of help on what to do would be awesome. Like as far as what stops hair loss the best, HT's, my pattern, etc.. Thanks allot everybody, and it's amazing to go through this discussion area and see how everybody helps eachother. Very cool.

 

Look forward to hearing your replies,

 

danger

[vocor1]

danger:

 

What is ETG? I've never heard of it.

Saw Palmetto supposedly helps with an enlarged prostate. The FDA has yet to show that Saw Palmetto does anything to maintain or regrow hair. So maybe it does and maybe it doesn't.

 

Get on Propecia/Proscar! It has been shown to be especially effective on the crown. It has been effective for me. There are many testimonials to the effectiveness of Propecia (finasteride) on this site. Some do not respond well to Propecia, but some (like me) definitely do and have.

 

Remember, only minoxidil and finasteride have gone through clinical trials and been approved by the FDA for treatment of hairloss. Those are your two best weapons. Finasteride has proven to have a higher effective rate than minoxidil, but some people certainly may respond better to minoxidil.

 

I currently only take finasteride. I may try minoxidil shortly.

 

You'll never know what could happen if you don't try the clinically proven drugs first. I wish you the best of luck. I started losing my hair at 22, and I know how losing hair young feels. I only wish I had started finasteride earlier and had or saved more hairs sooner.

 

vocor1

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply vocor! Much appreciated. ETG stands for Electro Tricho Genesis. Basically what it is is a machine that you sit back on and it has a head piece much like something you'd find in a salon. And basically what it does is it sends pulses to the scalp that decreases DHT. I'm quite surprised you haven't heard about it! It has only been in Canada now for 4 years or so. It boasts some pretty amazing results. As far as I know it's the only clinically proven hair loss treatment out there along with propecia and rogaine. you should check it out. Hasn't done too much for me, but have seen some awesome results, especially with regrowth.

 

What is Proscar? I've heard allot about Propecia, and have thought about taking it, but the side effects are pretty nuts! So, what kind of results from Propecia have you gotten and how long have you been taking it? Also, what is the difference between minoxidil and finasteride? You said that finasteride was better. And why would you take minoxidil as well as finasteride?

 

Thanks again vocor! And any help from anybody else would be awesome!

 

Danger

[arfy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> It has only been in Canada now for 4 years or so. It boasts some pretty amazing results.

Not true, this type of thing has been around since the early 90s at least.

 

I think it is a bunch of bullsh*t, very expensive BS at that. It's a total scam in my opinion.

 

Propecia stops hair loss in over 80% of the guys who use it. Propecia is 1mg Finasteride, and Proscar is 5mg Finasteride. Some guys buy Proscar and split the tablets, to save money.

 

Side effects are something like 2% of users of Propecia. I think those are odds worth trying, since the side effects are transitory. I think you should discuss this with a dermatologist, and not the shady clinic you have been going to.

 

Here's one piece of proof that this clinic is totally full of sh*t: they claim you can use "ETG" for a year, then they will "ween you off it". BALONEY. You think there is such a thing as a "permanent treatment" for hair loss, that you do NOT have to continue? That you can just do a treatment for a little while, and it will "cure" you? Keep dreaming!!!

[Guest]

Thanks arfy for the reply. So, ETG is crap huh? I've been told otherwise, and would really like to know what everyone thinks. But basically what I'm getting is that, correct me if I'm wrong, that Propecia is the absolute best way to go when dealing with stabilization of hair loss? Again thank you arfy.

 

danger

[vocor1]

danger:

 

Well, now I know what ETG is!

I'm personally a bit skeptical, and now very skeptical because arfy says it is a sham.

 

Propecia may not be the most effective solution for you. Maybe minoxidil (Rogaine) is. But clinical trials have shown that Propecia has a higher success rate than minoxidil at both maintaining haircount and regrowing hair. That is to say, the average case study individual saw better results with Propecia than minoxidil.

 

But you may or may not be the average. You just can't know if you don't try. Minoxidil may work better than finasteride (Propecia) for you.

 

For me, I know that finasteride has worked to regrow some hair on my crown. I don't know if it has stopped my hairloss, because my hairloss progresses so slowly now. I hope it is slowing the hairloss down more all over.

 

Some people use both minoxidil and finasteride and the effects can be synergistic and quite dramatic. But both drugs can have side effects. Minoxidil is messy to put on and causes dry scalp with some people. Everyone knows that finasteride lowers libido in like 2% of men taking it, and most men would rather lose hair than have no sex drive. You have to do what works for you, and you won't know until you try it for yourself and observe your results.

 

Hope this helps.

 

vocor1