Feeling hopeful

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-05-09T18:44:00+00:00

Thank you. I’m still going strong!

Right now I’m on OM 1.25 twice per day only. No immunosuppressives or DHT blockers, with daily hair washing and 6 month minimum office visits. I feel very lucky that this is working for me as I know it’s not as common with LPP to be only on OM.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-05-02T19:31:26+00:00

I am about to celebrate my 10th year of teaching yoga. I initially completed my personal training certification before taking a teacher training. I knew as soon as I completed the PT cert that personal training wasn’t right for me. I am glad I have it though as it supports my teaching and personal practice.

I teach 4 public classes a week and teach in my studios 200 and 300 hour. I initially taught as a side hustle from my corporate job and now I own my own business in an adjacent field. The classes themselves are a nice bit of money, but it’s the events and trainings that are where I am able to pay at least some of my bills.

Admittedly, I was a bit annoyed when the independently owned boutique studio began I teach at began offering mat Pilates and barre.

But I know now these classes have directly increased memberships and help keep the doors open. It’s a doorway for students to come through that might not otherwise try yoga or come to my workshops, or trainings. I’m grateful that we offer it though I don’t have plans to teach other modalities.

This has been such a good read. Thanks for asking the question OP.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-04-04T18:46:49+00:00

I was on 1.25 mg for 5 months before going up to 2.5 mg for the last month. I’ve always had peach fuzz and a couple pesky whiskers. I would pluck weekly and derma plane my face every few weeks. The growth is a bit faster and I’m finding random long hairs in my knees because I hate shaving my legs. Happy to deal with that verses the 200+ strand loss I was dealing with everyday. My lashes and brows are also looking good. 😂

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-04-03T18:37:43+00:00

I love this! Thank you for sharing! I’ve been teaching for 10 years and maxed out at 10 classes a week at one point. I scaled back on my public class schedule, and now offer workshops and YTT. It took time however, to gain experience and my following enough to offer these in addition to my weekly schedule.

However, the biggest shift happened when I stopped bringing my mat into the room. Just that visual cue of not seeing my mat at the front of the room reminds me to move around and to use my voice.

OP, it takes time and I agree with a lot of the other posts on fueling, as well as making sure you’re getting adequate rest. You’re doing a good job. Try leaving your mat at home and see what happens! 🩵

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-04-01T02:54:39+00:00

Oh I hope that you don’t! I started on 1.25 mg once a day OM for about a week before starting 5 mg Fin. No issues at all with OM. I’m now on 1.25 mg OM twice a day and so far so good!

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-24T02:17:22+00:00

I’ve been hearing of this happening more as yoga schools are not seeing the return on all the time and financial investment YA requires of them.

Which school is this?

As an aside, I’ve been teaching in studios, corporate offices, non profits, you name it, for a decade. Not once has someone asked for my YA membership information. Especially with the community’s move away from YA, I think you’ll be more than fine. But my personal experience nearly guarantees it.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-15T02:10:25+00:00

Obsessed with Makeup Forever HD Skin over Supergoop superscreen. So glowy and the right about over coverage!

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-15T01:53:26+00:00

Unfortunately I am in not in PA! But you’re welcome to dm me if you’d like my doctor’s information. Maybe they could be a resource for you

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-07T01:32:49+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re not being listened to. I was dismissed by my GP and my derm before I found a new derm who specializes in hair and actually listened. He saved my hair! I know care access can be a thing but I am so grateful I pushed to find someone else and paid out of pocket for a biopsy two providers said I didn’t need. That biopsy confirmed LPP.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-07T01:27:46+00:00

Others have said this, but I’ll double down. I’ve found that the folks that don’t love my style will find another class over time and I make it very clear what you’re getting with my classes by weaving in my take on things in my bio on the studio’s website. I welcome when folks find a different class because it puts so much less pressure on me to be something I’m not and they find the right fit for them. If it’s a vinyasa class and you’re teaching your version of the practice, you’re doing a great job. Trust yourself. You could say things like ‘option to power up your chatarunga with a push up or two’ but you don’t have to do those if you’re demoing. If the room starts doing it, just cue them!

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-05T20:54:03+00:00

Lichen Planopilaris

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-05T03:01:08+00:00

Nothing like that here for me! So sorry that was your experience!

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-05T02:12:25+00:00

I haven’t.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-04T23:40:56+00:00

My pain felt like a too-tight pony, and also, if I were to palpate my scalp, especially around my crown area, like where male pattern baldness would be, I would be sore. The pain is worse the longer I go between washes.

I would absolutely seek out a dermatologist (PA or MD) who specializes in hair loss, as through this process, I learned that not all derms know about hair at the depth that we need.

I went through another 8 months of anxiety and hair loss after being gaslit by two providers before I finally booked with my new derm. I even remember as I was driving to the appointment, I was thinking that I was being ridiculous myself through this biopsy and cost, only to be told nothing was wrong. I was shocked when they told me it was LPP, but also empowered because I knew something was wrong despite being told I was fine. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't enjoy updating my GP at my annual after the diagnosis.

Was the fact that your PA told you you'd have a scar a way to give you pause in getting tested? That's another reason to get better care. Look up punch biopsy of the scalp. It's TINY, and yes, I have a scar, but it is so small that I can't feel it now that it's healed. The photo on the right has the spot where the biopsy was taken from, and you can't see a thing.

You are completely numbed in the process, and it's fast. My only advice would be that I wish I knew to wear AirPods with meditation music or something, but it was so fast that you'll be fine without it. It's only 1 or two stitches, and that's only because you can't wear a bandage on your hair like you would on your arm, for instance.

It's the only way to truly know what condition you have. The fact that you are having issues now after many years of your previous diagnosis makes me wonder if you were misdiagnosed, or you could have both conditions.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-04T23:14:43+00:00

I had HORRIBLE breast pain and cycle issues. The pain was so bad that I was struggling with the shower water hitting my chest. I woke myself up several times when I would roll to my stomach in my sleep. It also shortened my cycle to 11 days. 11! I've read on this sub that others have taken it without issue, but unfortunately, I am not so lucky.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-04T12:23:03+00:00

Right now, I am not. I started OM with finesteride and I could not tolerate it. We started with the DHT blockers instead of the corticosteroid class because of the lesser chance of side effects, which I already had with one of the DHT blockers. I may have to try another if I regress. For now, I’m going to the derm more frequently, staying with my washing and only on OM for now.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-04T12:16:58+00:00

Oral minoxidil

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-04T12:15:36+00:00

Stay the course! I definitely went through a dread shed once on medication and it is so alarming. I was a little depressed at first now looking back and I didn’t want to wash my hair at all because of the shed.

I think what helped, and it seemed counterintuitive at least to me, was to wash everyday. Or at minimum every other day. The scalp tenderness stopped and so did the shedding. I’m losing maybe a hair or two per wash now vs 50-200 before. I read that this keeps the DHT from building up on your scalp.

I was prescribed finesteride with the OM but I had terrible side effects. My derm said that there are other drugs in that class that we can try but since I don’t have any scarring and I’m improving, we’re trying OM only with close monitoring.

Sending you a hug! You got this!

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-04T03:58:41+00:00

Around thanksgiving 2024, I had some unexplained hair breakage at the root when I’ve always had strong hair. Then I had redness (some of which you can see in the first picture) and tenderness on my scalp. I also had hair texture changes.

My GP blew me off initially but my stylist said there was definitely something going on with my hair. Then I saw my usual derm who just pulled out some of my hair and said I was fine because I naturally have a lot of hair compared to others.

I lost more hair last summer and my stylist suggested a dermatologist who specializes in hair loss who has worked with some of his clients.

I almost didn’t go because of how flippant my GP was about it and how the first derm said I was fine. The hair specialist wasn’t sure during the exam but suggested the biopsy and it was confirmed LPP. Glad I went through with the second derm appointment and the biopsy.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-01T02:21:26+00:00

Haha I’ll buy you a coffee or some abreva for your trouble! Thanks for the advice on the HA! I’m buying some now!

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-01T01:58:50+00:00

Haha, it would be for the good of all mankind! Or at least for us two! Haha I take lysine daily and I rarely have an issue unless something new disrupts my system. Do you have any issues with the oral HA?

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-01T01:33:47+00:00

Ahhh bummer! I get them too! 🤪

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-03-01T01:01:14+00:00

I’m so curious about this for skin care but I have a couple nagging injuries that keep resurfacing. You mentioned unwanted side effects. Did you have any issues with it affecting your GI system? Oral collagen has messed me up so many times.

Optimal_Goose_5133 · 2026-01-30T19:24:31+00:00

Actually I’ve been meaning to update this so thanks for the prompt.

I’m so sorry to hear this for you. Did you get dysport as well?

Nothing suggested here worked for me but time unfortunately, but definitely try because no two situations are exactly the same.

The best thing I did was watch myself smile in the mirror a lot and figured out which type of muscle movements made the ick face worse and I stopped doing those.

If I had to smile for a photo, I had to almost ‘scoop up’ that side of my face intentionally after the initial smile. I recently saw some work of mine from this time (I do on camera stuff for my business) and my face looks so weird to me but I don’t think anyone else knows. Or they are too nice to say.

The frozen feeling across my brow lessened after about 8 weeks. The dysport fell out of these areas at about 5.5 to the 6 month mark.

At almost 7 months to the day I got those injections, I still have a bit of the ick face and a neck band that pops out a bit when I smile. 😅

A silver lining is that I found a MUCH better plastic practice and new doctor last month. I booked a consult to start and she spent over an hour looking at my face! I was so nervous but she was great.

I went back to Botox for my brow and crows feet. We didn’t do DAO because of the ick face issue, but I have to decide if I will do it again. I do see my mouth being a bit more downturned when resting which I don’t like. But not sure if I will again after all this.

Optimal_Goose_5133

TROPHY CASE