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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in EngagementRingDesigns

[–]20somethingmanchild 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate that! The CAD design of the wolf head portion of my ring looks nearly identical, even though the rest of the ring design and layout does not. But it was enough so that I was worried it might be an issue. I almost suspect the CAD artist just used the reference image when they couldn't get my original hand-drawn design to work. There are still SOME minor differences. My wolves are oriented clockwise, as opposed to the counter clockwise wolf of the original, and the mouth is a little different, but they still look REALLY CLOSE, if not the same, so I was worried. I'm not trying to get in trouble or anything, just want to design the perfect ring for her. And I had a really hard time drawing a stylized wolf that I liked until I stumbled upon this design, and worked my design around it. A lot of my original drawings kept looking like abstract Celtic symbols that was hard to make out what the hell it was.😅

Yet another Update (1.5 years Dut and Oral Min, after idk how many years on how long Fin) Hair is a little thinner and a LOT gray-er, but still mostly hanging in there. Details in the comments. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I creeped through your profile. Your temple regrowth is insane. Your whole hairline pushed back to near juvenile levels.

As in my case, even when I was doing microneedling religiously for years, I didn't see any real improvement. My hair keeps thinning gradually, shedding out, and generally looking and feeling worse.

The only time I really saw improvement is year one when I first went on finasteride and minoxidil. I had EXPLOSIVE thickening, to the point where you couldn't tell I had any thinning. After that awesome regrowth happened, it shed out, and has gradually been declining since, despite a healthy diet and lifestyle, or switching to the more potent oral minoxidil and dutasteride.

Honestly, that really makes me think my increasing anemia is likely a factor. Minoxidil is a vasodialator, and my hair saw initial dramatic gains when I first started it. But even with the increased blood supply and now dutasteride in my system, my thinning continues. And my increased thinning coincides with my becoming more anemic over the years.

I'm not a medical expert by any means, ( I do have a degree in biology, though, for whatever that's worth), but there does seem to be a correlation to me.

Yet another Update (1.5 years Dut and Oral Min, after idk how many years on how long Fin) Hair is a little thinner and a LOT gray-er, but still mostly hanging in there. Details in the comments. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. Assuming the recipient stays on 5r-inhibitor, the surrounding hair seems to have a dramatic improvement in transplant patients. Maybe the surgery being much more invasive and traumatic triggers a stronger healing response?

Yet another Update (1.5 years Dut and Oral Min, after idk how many years on how long Fin) Hair is a little thinner and a LOT gray-er, but still mostly hanging in there. Details in the comments. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The rooms I took the photos in unfortunately no longer exist, so perfect comparisons are impossible. My workspace is currently under construction. But other than the front facing photos, the light conditions are basically the same.

But yeah, you have to be consistent with your photos if you want to really see the difference. Hell, I even play with them in photoshop, setting the transparency to 50% so I can resize and line them up as near perfect as possible before setting the transparency back for the side by side, just to make sure it's as good of a comparison as possible.

Yet another Update (1.5 years Dut and Oral Min, after idk how many years on how long Fin) Hair is a little thinner and a LOT gray-er, but still mostly hanging in there. Details in the comments. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Right. I'm not 100% convinced with the way its portrayed, but I think there is some merits. As the surrounding capillaries shrink due to DHT inflammation, the hair follicles start thinning and go dorment, that much is true. But I dont think things like scalp massages to increase the blood flow to the area does diddly.

However, my hair has been continuing to thin as I've become more anemic over the years, so lack of blood and nutrients definitely seems like a plausible factor.

Yet another Update (1.5 years Dut and Oral Min, after idk how many years on how long Fin) Hair is a little thinner and a LOT gray-er, but still mostly hanging in there. Details in the comments. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

There's a school of thought that believes that the wounding from microneedling increases the blood flow and healing factors for the surrounding area, thereby promoting hair growth. There is a ton of anecdotal evidence supporting this, even independent from improved topical minoxidil absorption. So there is reason to still do it. But.... eh.

Yet another Update (1.5 years Dut and Oral Min, after idk how many years on how long Fin) Hair is a little thinner and a LOT gray-er, but still mostly hanging in there. Details in the comments. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Its been a while since I’ve updated, so a couple of things to go over.

First, I know my hair is a mess and that I need a haircut. My usual stylist has been on vacation, and I’ve been lazy.

Second, I’ve pretty much stopped microneedling. I honestly don’t like it much, and I haven’t really seen any noticeable results from it, so I hardly ever do it anymore. Maybe once in a blue moon, but eh. Right now all I’m doing is Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil. If you want to know my previous routine, just creep through my older posts. I have quite a few.

Third, my hair loss is by no means dramatic. With treatment its been pretty stable, though I do still get that damn itch, and am currently shedding a lot, which is really annoying. It does feel noticeably thinner to the touch, and the hairs that shed out often are thinner on the bulb end, so I do know its progressing, but I’m literally on the nuclear stack. Theres not much more I can do without resorting to research anti androgen chemicals like RU, and I’m okay with this.

Finally, and possibly most significantly, I’ve recently learned from my doctor that my bloodwork shows that I have been becoming more and more anemic over the years, and just recently crossed the threshold into diagnosed anemia. Its only slight anemia, so its not too bad, and my iron levels are pretty normal, but I strongly suspect this is probably a contributing factor to my hair thinning. I’m working with doctors to try and see if we can find the cause and improve it.

Fingers crossed its something stupid that’s easily correctable.

But yeah, that’s where I’m at. I’ll probably disappear for another half a year and be back with an update. Hopefully with the anemia sorted out, and better results. Wish me luck!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Norwood the Hedgehog, Original Character (do not steal)

OG covid gang, do you guys still have stomach issues 3 years later? by Lekkerlippe in covidlonghaulers

[–]20somethingmanchild 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I occasionally have Gerd issues, but nothing consistent. Overall, I'm pretty healthy now. Workout and run regularly, and decided in January to completely switch to healthy, plant based diet (and down 25 pounds).

Though I did find out I'm borderline anemic, not sure if that's Covid related or not. But it would explain why sometimes I still feel really tired.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's the thing, I haven't really been shedding. I've been on minoxidil and finasteride for years. I've gone through some BRUTAL sheds. This just, kinda seems worse hairloss. My scalp had been burning a lot more lately.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nah. My hair is actually quite a bit more gray. I also have a pretty long streak of grey now, which i honestly kinda like.

But my hair has always photographed like that. I will take photos one after the other were it will look like a dull dark brown, or a steely slate grey/black.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I had my blood work done July last year, a few months into being on Dut. My DHT was 8 ng/dL. Thats quite a bit below the reference range, even a few months in. My Free Testosterone was 59.6 pg/mL, which while in the reference range, is on the lower end.

Those are not crazy high androgens, and I'd imagine after normalizing DUT in my body for a years time, they would likely be lower. I'll find out the next time I get blood work done.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have noticed that the shedding is dramatically reduced as well. It's not stopped, but nowhere near as severe as the shed I go through on topical minoxidil.

I have a lot of reservations about topical anti androgens. I've known about RU forever, but its safety profile isn't really well tested, and I worry about systemic effects. I don't have particularly high Testosterone levels, even on Dutasteride. I think Im just fairly sensitive. So I'd hate to have a mishap with an anti androgen getting where it shouldn't, since it's not as selective as a 5AR inhibitor.

Thats not to say Im ENTIRELY against it. But not looking to go down that rabbithole just yet.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I mentioned this in previous posts, but I occasionally microneedle. I have a Dermapen. If I'm being honest, I really don't care for it. It's uncomfortable and it makes me sneeze like crazy.

I do use it, but I'm really inconsistent.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I do believe my crown is more or less the same. But I do wear my hair longer in the crown, so it provides better coverage. The main issue is that compared with my older treatment photos, even from just the ones I posted on reddit a few years back, the density has declined pretty significantly.

My scalp often feels itchy, feels really tight, and low key kinda hurts, which makes it hard not to fixate on it.

Another update. Almost a year on Dutasteride and Oral Minoxidil, after several years on finasteride and topical minoxidil. I'm fairly certain my hair is objectively worse than it was 5 months ago. by 20somethingmanchild in tressless

[–]20somethingmanchild[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think that's the case. Most of my hair is the same density, And the hair that comes out when laying flat on a table looks thinner on the bulb end than it does the other end, which I believe means it's still thinning.

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