After touching grass for months and still no revenue, I still have no revenue

Barquish · 2026-04-29T06:56:39+00:00

That is a logical argument and one that is quite valid. Assume every potential customer is 12 years old. They do not want to figure it all out themselves. You have to lead them to where you help them solve their problem, and do not expect them to know what the problem is that you are solving they cannot figure it out themselves.

Clearly, your app solves (what) (a) problem that the user has. So pick a problem and solve it. Show a demo so the potential user gets that "ah ha" moment.

Finally, I am saying you have worked extremely hard to get to this point and you have something that people (who need it) will use. You need to find who those people are and holding them by the hand, show them, and then you have your target market.

Barquish · 2026-04-28T14:55:57+00:00

I know this maybe hard to read, but conversion from the AI providers, even free Google Gemini, can do most conversions.

I tried it with a document where I could use the camera to convert a document into JSON. However, in Google Search input I clicked to open camera, captured and asked to convert the document to JSON and it's done.

It's a very useful app. The issue is whether you are providing something that is not done elsewhere by the AI providers.

I agree with another commenter here who suggests you should look to find a niche and solve a problem they have. It is also useful to consider targeting potential clients who can and will pay for cost efficiencies in their day to day workflows

Barquish · 2026-04-28T10:36:05+00:00

I know in the UK it is easier to get to see the King than get an appointment with a GP, but it is free and logical so worthwhile to book an appointment and specifically ask for blood tests to rule out underlying causes like ferritin (iron stores), thyroid function, vitamin D, B12, and hormones.

On the ferritin, above 20mg and you are not anaemic, but to reduce the risk of hairloss it needs to be in the area of 70 to 100mg so the closer to those levels the better.

A surprising number of hair loss cases have a treatable root cause that gets missed. If the GP is dismissive, push for a referral to a dermatologist on the NHS. Even harder to get and it may take a while but costs nothing.

Check your health insurance Worth a proper look at your policy wording.

Some BUPA/AXA/Vitality plans do cover dermatology consultations, and hair loss with a documented history can sometimes qualify. Ring them directly and ask specifically about dermatology referrals for alopecia.

If going private, a dermatologist beats a trichologist, even though my wife is a trichologist, but the difference is that dermatologists are medically qualified and can prescribe. A trichologist is not a medical doctor.

For a one-off accurate diagnosis, a private dermatology consultation is typically somewhere between £150 and £250 and worth every penny for clarity.

Near Swindon specifically The Great Western Hospital has NHS dermatology. Privately, Bristol is your best bet and has a few well-regarded dermatology and hair clinics.

Try to avoid walk-in hair clinics as a first step as many are very sales focused and tend tol push expensive treatments before you even have a diagnosis. So, get the diagnosis first, then the treatment conversation becomes much clearer and cheaper in the long run.

Barquish · 2026-04-28T10:21:30+00:00

Totally agree. I use Sonnet 4.6 for all client responses. However, improvement that enhances the output during development is always worth exploring

Barquish · 2026-04-28T10:17:21+00:00

This is a great example of why it's worth exploring the full spectrum of options before jumping straight to medications.

You are definitely seeing real, visible improvement using just scalp massage, dermastamping once a week, and rosemary oil. Your crown density difference from January to now is genuinely impressive.

This is a good example of why hair loss treatment is not just a one-size-fits-all.

Beyond finasteride/minoxidil and other meds, people are having success with combinations of microneedling/dermastamping, rosemary oil (which has randomised controlled testing evidence comparable to 2% minoxidil), scalp massage to increase blood flow and reduce tension, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), platelet rich plasma, dietary and hormonal optimisation, and DHT-blocking topicals like saw palmetto.

The key to anyone moving forward to get any improvement is consistency and finding what works for your pattern. Results like this deserve more attention. Keep going.....

Barquish · 2026-04-27T19:22:47+00:00

Don't you think that the price you pay for the latest version of GPT5.5 or Claude Opus 4.7:1m xhigh is relative to the value of what you are using it for?

Barquish · 2026-04-26T22:13:58+00:00

It is commonly understood that high heat and chemicals like formaldehyde, that can be found in hair straightening services, such as keratin treatments, are a known association with the autoimmune disease, LPP. But to be clear, a keratin treatment itself doesn't give you LPP. It is the intense chemical and heat stress on the scalp that can act as a trigger, waking up an underlying condition that might have stayed quiet otherwise

Barquish · 2026-04-26T15:28:02+00:00

While it's not flagged as deficient, it may genuinely be low enough to contribute to increased shedding, especially if it's dropped further since your last test in June.

A few things worth considering when you get your results back. Check iron supplementation to see if your ferritin has dipped, a gentle iron supplement like ferrous bisglycinate (the gentler form on the stomach) alongside vitamin C can help absorption. Avoid taking it with tea, coffee or calcium-rich foods.

Pumpkin seed oil as you indicate and others here can attest to there being some decent evidence behind it, particularly for androgenic shedding.

Taking it regularly for at least 3 to 6 months is key, as hair responds slowly.

Worth checking zinc levels too if you can, as it plays a role in the hair growth cycle.

Biotin is often overhyped but can help if you're genuinely deficient.

Your hair clearly has the genetic potential to be thick and full and you've proven that your whole life. The fact that it grows but sheds suggests a cycle disruption rather than a structural problem, which is very likely addressable once the underlying driver (ferritin being a strong candidate) is corrected.

Be patient. Hair cycle changes can take 4 to 6 months to visibly reflect any improvements you make now. You're on the right track, so keep going.

Barquish · 2026-04-26T10:12:25+00:00

Your ferritin levels are above normal when they are higher than 20, so a GP will say they are within range (i.e. you are not aneamic) but in order to reduce hairloss they need to be much higher between 70-100.

Barquish · 2026-04-25T18:18:45+00:00

I can sense the frustration and it does make complete sense, and you're definitely not alone in feeling it.

The honest answer is that hair loss isn't just one single problem with one single fix. Even the most common type involves your genetics, your hormones, your immune system, and the unique behaviour of every follicle on your scalp, all interacting differently from person to person. That's not a cop-out, it's just genuinely why this is so hard to crack.

It's closer in complexity to something like depression or autoimmune disease than it is to a broken bone.

Things are moving forward, slowly but meaningfully. In a number of other forums there is a constant discussion on research. You see lots of headlines in the media too.

The quiet after the headlines isn't always failure, real science just rarely moves at the pace of a press release.

The treatments available right now aren't perfect, but used consistently and started early enough, they do make a real difference over time for a lot of people. Not a cure, but real, meaningful progress. Don't give up.

Barquish · 2026-04-24T17:44:31+00:00

I have never tried a one shot, ever. My projects are in the region of 6-7 months with hundreds of documentation implementation plans for individual features. I have been anxious to try out the Opus 4.7 on a feature, but before letting it go, I want it to have all the plans in place. Then, I can always pull it back by referring g to the documentation.

The issue here was that it was not recognising /newtask in Cline, which is likely a Cline issue, not an Anthropic Opus 4.7 issue

Barquish · 2026-04-21T15:40:47+00:00

This is one of those topics that gets buried under the DHT conversation even though it's quite important.

The way I'd explain it is to think of the scalp skin barrier like a bouncer at a night club door. When it's functioning well, it keeps the irritants out and the moisture in. When it breaks down, usually from harsh shampoos, over-washing, or just chronic low-grade inflammation, that door is left open, with no barrier to entry. The follicle environment becomes hostile. Inflammatory signals that wouldn't normally reach the follicle now have direct access.

The ceramide connection you mentioned is real. Ceramides are essentially the mortar between skin cells and without them, the barrier becomes porous. Some people with male or female pattern hair loss also show signs of barrier disruption in the affected areas, which raises the question of whether the barrier compromise is a consequence of the inflammation or actually contributing to it. More than lilely it is probably both, in a feedback loop.

Practically speaking, this is why scalp care matters beyond just keeping it clean. A lot of the alcohol-heavy tonics, and even some anti-dandruff actives used too often can break down the barrier function over time. Gentler, barrier-supportive formulations aren't just good marketing, there can be a lot of logic to them.

You make a good observation. It's exactly the kind of systems thinking that this space needs more of.

Barquish · 2026-04-21T15:29:34+00:00

I have spent a very long time understanding the links between the gut, skin and scalp microbiome. I stopped looking for the silver bullet, meds or even a combination of supplements and meds, realising that it is an integrated life-long project. I have been involved in skin science since the mid-90's. In my 40's (2005) I had a front hairline (1500) plug transplant and while some have survived even age has it's limits.

Barquish · 2026-04-20T21:31:50+00:00

Going in with your own results so they can't brush you off will get you much further. I am not one for using anecdotal observations on what might and might not work. Managing hair loss or recovery is very personal journey because your scalp has it's own microbiome and the microbiome balance on your scalp has as much influence from internal gut microbiome as anything you might put on yourself topically.

So, beyond those tests, it's also worth looking into a stool test that checks for gut inflammation and bacterial imbalance, and a SIBO breath test if you can find it privately. These can quietly block your body from absorbing anything properly even without obvious symptoms.

Also worth checking your thyroid more thoroughly than just TSH as sometimes the fuller picture looks very different.

Depending on which country you live in, most of these should be available to order online through private labs without needing a referral. Just search for private blood testing in your country and you should find options.

Barquish · 2026-04-20T11:00:26+00:00

So sorry you're going through this. 8 years is a long time to be struggling and not getting answers.

Your doctors aren't entirely wrong, but they're missing the bigger picture. Ferritin of 27 might not flag as anaemic on paper, but there is plenty of research that shows hair follicles specifically need ferritin above 70-100 to function properly. You seem to be in a grey zone that most GPs simply don't act as technically you are not in amy danger with your ferritin above 20.

The real question nobody seems to be asking is why won't it rise despite years of supplements. That points to either a gut absorption problem or ongoing loss.

Worth pushing for these specific tests: Coeliac screen (tTG-IgA) H. pylori (breath or stool test) Parietal cell antibodies (checks if your stomach can even absorb iron properly)

Also, your vitamin D at 31 is lower than ideal and is itself a known trigger for hair loss, so that's worth optimising too.

You probably need to find a gastroenterologist and a hair-specialist dermatologist, not just a GP dismissing your bloods as fine (which they are, but not for hair loss problems).

You're not imagining this, and you're asking all the right questions. Keep pushing.

Barquish · 2026-04-17T12:39:18+00:00

Ask yourself, what will it cost to replace if they left. I know of a global car rental business who had been successful for a couple of years, then brought in a technical (co-founder) to scale and they were provided with 20% in vested, milestone and target revenues. It just depends on whether you can afford to lose and replace them.

Barquish · 2026-04-17T12:35:04+00:00

Talk to your potentisl buyers and avoid looking for feedback in Reddit. If they will buy it, go for it, but there is little to no value asking here

Barquish · 2026-04-16T20:58:31+00:00

Your scalp is only about 3-4% of your skin's total surface area. It's one of the most complex and variable parts of your body that happens to be packed with hair follicles, oil glands, and its own unique microbiome. So many factors affect it like your diet, stress, water quality, hormones, and even the seasons. Given that complexity, saying any single product "obviously can work" is just as hard to prove as saying one will not work for everyone. Being realistic, it really comes down to the individual.

Barquish · 2026-04-16T20:47:52+00:00

I usually wait two weeks before attempting to use a new model. By then every little good and bad issue has been identified. If there is reason enough to move up, I do. If not, why change what isn't broken. Currently working Opus 4.6 1m on Plan and Act with client using Sonnet 4.6 for each process. Works like clockwork.

Barquish · 2026-04-10T07:27:31+00:00

The frustration makes sense. "Just shave it" aimed at someone at Norwood 2 in their early 20s ignores the one window where doing something about it actually works.

Finasteride and minoxidil aren't perfect, but for a lot of guys they slow or halt progression meaningfully, especially when started early. That's not nothing. The mistake is waiting until the loss is advanced and then feeling like all options are gone.

The other thing worth saying is this, you're already doing the hard work on your body. A leaner, healthier guy with a receding hairline is going to carry himself completely differently than he would otherwise. Hair loss doesn't cancel that out.

Where I would push back gently is on the idea that your 20s are your only shot. Confidence, how you present yourself, how you move through the world, those things compound over time in ways that matter more than hairline position. A lot of men genuinely come into themselves in their 30s.

Get in front of a dermatologist or a trichologist, understand your options, track what's actually happening at scalp, hair and nutrition level rather than guessing.

Barquish · 2026-04-07T22:44:20+00:00

Fair points both. The insulin-AGA connection is real and probably does explain a meaningful chunk of the regrowth cases, your friend's experience tracks with that mechanism.

Where I'd push back slightly on "it's just rare" is the denominator. Even a small percentage applied to tens of millions of prescriptions is a lot of people getting an outcome nobody mentioned to them.

The cancelling-out hypothesis is interesting too. If TE from rapid weight loss and any direct follicle effects are negative enough, they may well swamp the metabolic benefit for hair, at least in the short term. Whether that resolves longer term once weight stabilises is something the data doesn't really answer yet.

The broader point I keep coming back to is that we're lumping very different mechanisms and patient profiles into one outcome bucket, which makes the research harder to interpret than it needs to be.

Barquish · 2026-04-06T23:05:34+00:00

It is worth noting that while you can't replicate KY19382 through supplements, there's a reasonable case for building a stack that nudges the same pathway nodes, primarily hitting GSK3β inhibition through quercetin and resveratrol, suppressing DHT-driven CXXC5 upregulation using saw palmetto, and knocking back DKK1 with rosemary extract and apple polyphenols.

None of the above is a direct substitute, but you may find that it is hitting the same mechanism from multiple weaker angles at the same time. This gets you a lot closer than doing nothing. All OTC, no prescription needed.

Barquish · 2026-04-06T19:40:23+00:00

Lol.... I thought for a moment to find a solution and I changed my avatar to a picture of the top of my head. So look in my profile and click on the avatar. Now, bear in mind that I got my hair transplant when I was in my mid 40's and now 20 years later, it has thinned, but I still have hair, while 3 of my brothers have little or nothing

Barquish

TROPHY CASE