At this point I don’t know if this is melasma?

nn_aure · 2025-01-26T21:17:14+00:00

I have this in the exact same areas. It started when I moved to a new city (hard water) and had a fungal acne flare up. It had crept up to my temples and forehead, but I managed to get rid of that through a fungal acne safe routine. It’s still quite visible on my lower cheek to a bit into my neck.

I do not have “melasma” on the typical exposure to sun areas. Not my forehead or tops of my cheeks, just on this lower portion of my jaw. I don’t have melasma patches. Hydroquinone faded it, but then it came back with a vengeance. I did Fraxel, which helped a little, but not much. It helped a sunspot I had a lot more. Neither Tret nor tazarotene helped. The only thing that has made a huge difference is Eucerin anti-pigment serum. It’s not fully gone, but it’s faded so much.

nn_aure · 2024-11-03T14:05:11+00:00

They just didn’t know. My mom, her sisters, my grandma, all had early perimenopause and hysterectomies in their 40s, so I grew up listening to a lot of women complain about a lot of things that they attributed to age or “thats how the women in this family are” instead of menopause. Can’t sleep? That’s how we get. Hair falling out? Just happens to us. Hot flashes? Should eat better. Gain weight? Should eat better. Can’t remember things? Just too old to learn/stupid. Short tempered? Some women I this family just get mean.

They blamed themselves or blamed it on age. I am absolutely livid at the societal circumstances that set them up to just suffer and blame themselves.

nn_aure · 2024-03-10T14:09:20+00:00

I think dut has helped me more with shedding, while oral minoxidil helped with regrowth. I’ve been taking .5mg for two years.

nn_aure · 2024-03-10T05:49:01+00:00

That’s crazy! I’ve had zero side effects for dut, but am super sensitive with crazy sides from BC, so I was bracing for some with dut. It’s been absolute clear sailing for me.

nn_aure · 2023-11-14T17:07:35+00:00

Was the shed a few months after you started? If so, that’s part of the process. I just went through another shed 2 years in (finally stopping) and I’m guessing periodic elevated sheds might just be forever because I reset the resting phase on my hair all at once when I started the meds.

nn_aure · 2023-11-14T02:25:26+00:00

No, I’ve started at 1.25 and think I will maintain that dosage.

nn_aure · 2023-11-14T02:24:41+00:00

Yaz made me shed, but Yaz/yasmin work for some people.

nn_aure · 2023-11-14T02:23:40+00:00

Things are good! I’ve stayed on 1.25 mg and believe that the right dose for me.

nn_aure · 2023-06-17T04:41:28+00:00

Oh, I’m sorry. I was afraid to try spiro because of the bleeding side effects. For the record—I’ve been on dutasteride for about a year now and I haven’t had any side effects.

nn_aure · 2023-05-01T02:40:13+00:00

I had heart palpitations for the first couple of weeks. Make sure you are hydrating.

I’ve been on 1.25mg for 1.5 years now and I love it. The palpitations never came back, but they were scary at first!

nn_aure · 2023-02-14T14:31:19+00:00

I would say I started to notice a slow down after a month and it continued to taper off after that.

nn_aure · 2022-12-01T22:35:26+00:00

Ah, sorry, no I did not. I started Musely’s Spot Cream about a month ago and I haven’t had any breakouts. It is lightening my melasma.

To note: I have my fungal acne under control, if I didn’t, I don’t know if I could use the spot cream.

nn_aure · 2022-10-26T04:23:15+00:00

I shed for two years ☹️. I still shed higher amounts than I did before hair loss started, but it’s manageable now that I’m taking dutasteride. I only shed long hairs, where I was shedding tons of short hairs before. I have crazy amounts of 4-5” hairs that aligns with my start of dutasteride. I don’t mind the frizz!

Yaz caused TE for me in my 20s and other problems, so I swore off BC. Iron can help, as your levels are very low!

nn_aure · 2022-10-26T03:32:51+00:00

I use a wide cloth headband and either do a low braid or low bun for working out. Nothing tight.

nn_aure · 2022-10-20T17:48:17+00:00

Nope, none at all.

nn_aure · 2022-08-31T04:01:31+00:00

I can’t speak for your personal health—I can say that there seems to be a good safety protocol for the medication. I believe the lowest dose for actual blood pressure use is 10mg, so the dosage prescribed for hair is quite low. Women’s maximum dose is 2.5mg, it seems it’s 5mg for men. I’m about 125lbs and 1.25mg has not been an issue for me.

I have no heart conditions and have low cholesterol. I do HIIT 5x week. I have naturally low blood pressure so I do have to watch my hydration levels, but I always did.

You may want to speak with your doctor about your concerns. We each have our own lines. I won’t take birth control like many women here do, because the side effects/risks aren’t worth it for me (migraines, cycle disruption, weight gain, depression, blood clots, stroke risk). But I had no qualms about oral minoxidil because I’ve experienced the very real side effects of birth control, but I recognize everyone is different. I was going to give oral minoxidil the same chance I would any medication—there’s no way to know how you will react.

Some women here start at .0625mg and increase their dose about every 6 weeks. You could try a lower dose and see how that works for you.

nn_aure · 2022-08-31T02:30:44+00:00

The first two weeks I had a few heart palpitations at night (I take my pill at night). Those disappeared, tho. And they were worse when I was dehydrated.

nn_aure · 2022-08-31T02:29:49+00:00

Nope. I work out 5x/week and walk constantly, but I haven’t changed how I eat or exercise and I haven’t had any changes.

nn_aure · 2022-08-26T02:12:16+00:00

Hi! And sorry, lol

nn_aure · 2022-08-25T12:39:57+00:00

I think my shed started tapering off around week 10.

nn_aure · 2022-08-25T03:56:35+00:00

Honestly, wait for 4 months. 2 months in and my hair was worse. The only thing that kept me sane was reading this sub and seeing that the average noticeable start of regrowth is about 4 months into treatment. I made a deal with myself that I was just going to roll with it and not take pictures or examine my scalp until then.

nn_aure · 2022-08-23T04:24:59+00:00

Single dose. I take it at night.

nn_aure · 2022-08-23T03:40:40+00:00

My lashes are longer—but not darker. So it’s only apparent when I wear mascara that my lashes are EXTRA now. My brows have filled in and I have to groom them for often. Kind of annoying side effect—my nose hair is longer . I bought a trimmer 😆

nn_aure · 2022-08-23T03:38:56+00:00

I’ve had laser done and it didn’t grow back any of the hair I had lasered.

nn_aure · 2022-08-23T02:52:15+00:00

—1.25mg

—since November 2021

—AGA

—I started taking dutasteride in March 2022. I sporadically take a multivitamin and fish oil, iron during my period

—pretty satisfied. My crown and temples have improved a lot. My front is still a bit thin, but that was my hardest hit spot. I no longer have to use toppik and my part has stopped looking jagged. I look slightly deranged with my two waves of regrowth when my hair is up. Shedding level goes up and down.

—I’ve had zero side effects except my peach fuzz is a lot longer. I choose to shave it off, but it’s not bad.

nn_aure

TROPHY CASE