Minoxidil and finasteride work much better TOGETHER than alone. This is scientifically documented.
Tricomin’s tri-amino copper peptide complex has been validated in a Korean study to help protect hair cells from apoptosis, and made it through two phases of FDA trials with results about equivalent of minoxidil 2-percent. However, the phase two trial only comprised 36 individuals. There is a photo on tricomin’s site validating that at least 2 men got “some” regrowth with tricomin alone, http://www.tricomin.com/pages/why.html (Note: If you move your font to the pictures, a second pair of pictures will come up of the ‘second’ man).
Folligen simply put, is not proven. It may induce hairgrowth on mice, but alot of things do that. Dr. Pickart has NEVER posted a picture of a before-and-after with his product (and Ive asked him to do so).
Nizoral shampoo’s active ingredient, ketoconazole, has been PROVEN in a Japanese study to help regrow hair. Pics are here:
http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss/forum_entry.php?id=6113&page=0&category=3&order=last_answer
Keep in mind however, the above pics are of a ketoconazole cream, not merely nizoral shampoo. The cream would no doubt be more effective than the shampoo.
Please READ THOUGH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>the shampoo does not need to be used more than once every three days. The manufacturer does not WANT you to use it more. It has other ingredients that are HARD on your scalp. Ketoconazole stays in the dermis at therapuetic concentration for more than 72 hours. Shampoo, leave in for one or two minutes, rinse. There are two other studies affirming ketoconazole’s beneficial effect on hair. Some will tell you its becuase it blocks androgen receptors (it reduces sebum secretions and was even noted to shrink sebaceous gland size by roughly 19 percent in one study available at hairllosstalk.com). However, I washed my wrist with it every third day for three months, and found it to be a STIMULANT as it made my arm hair longer, darker, and thicker. It supposedly interferes with the bodies immuno response to hair in baldness, inhibits a few inflammatory pathways, and perhaps has other hypertrichotic properties we are unaware of.
On revivogen, I tested that on my body hair a couple of years back to see if it could anti-androgenically reduce the body hair. It did, and I was impressed (it reduced wrist hair at three months, while the other wrist that I sprayed crinagen on had little difference at all). However, reading users responses on REvivogen in baldness is less than ensuring. Some guys seem to have success, others dont at all. Its greasy and it smells kinda bad. Those are its drawbacks.
“The big 3” in hairloss are generally conceeded to be the following: Finasteride, minoxidil, and nizoral shampoo every third day. Topical spironolactone cream is prescribed by some docotors, but is best used every 12 hours. It has drawbacks. Some people feel Retin-A is helpful (it has a depressive effect on androgen receptor expression), but I dont think its worth the time personally.
The forum you have stumbled on is comprised of men who are interested in “cloning”, which we feel is a more permanent solution to hairloss. I wish you the best of luck in meeting whatever goals you have.
If there are any other things out there that are helpful…piroctone olamine shampoos would have to be considered first, and prythione zinc shampoos second. There was a presentation at the last EHRS meeting about a caffeinated topical from Germany, but Im not impressed with the studies behind, regardless of whether they came from a university or not. In human, not rodent tested products, thats about it.
Hint, you can find generic proscar (finasteride) online at a few places, and you can just use MORE 2-percent minoxidil instead of buying the more expensive 5 percent minox. Nizoral shampoo is at just about any drugstore in a small blue bottle.
My advice,…get a short haircut first and if you decide to try and keep your hair with treatments or not, give that “look” a chance. Good luck.