A new life.

This is incredible. My hair has now completely grown back. I can't beleive it. I started this blog almost two years ago when I was depressed about being bald. And it's been a year since I started Yamada's "Reverse Male Baldness" methods. And now, finally, after all the struggle and hardship, I have my full, thick hair is finally back.

I can't even believe it. It doesn't seem real. I really thought I was going to be bald for the rest of my life. I'm so happy. I finally have my confidence back to talk to women, and I even got a date today with a woman I met at the post office.

Here's a good picture taken of me the other day:

I guess this is the end of my blog? Nothing to do now but help spread the word to guys everywhere that they are not alone, that there is hope, and that they can OVERCOME their hair loss.

I cant believe it.

This is amazing. I think (keyword: THINK) I'm actually growing my hair back. Seriously. However, I don't want to get all ahead of myself, or count my chickens before they hatch. I'm just going to keep on the Reverse Male Baldness treatment by Yamada Taro and see what happens.

Yamada's methods are incredible. Not only am I growing my hair back, but I feel and look younger too. Amazing. Simply amazing.

Maybe I'm just seeing things or something. It's pretty hard to believe that it would be working so soon anyway. I'll keep you posted.

Trying out the "Reverse Male Baldness" treatment methods

Well, today I splurged and after thinking about it a long time and doing research, I finally bought "Reverse Male Baldness" by Yamada Taro. I had to get a google checkout account to buy it, which I was reluctant to do, but he convinced me on FOX that it's the best way to grow back your hair. My initial reaction is "wow!" -I had no idea so many things could be impacting my hair growth. I also had no idea there were so many all-natural treatments readily available for me to try.

The book contains 21 methods to regrow my hair, and he claims that if I do all of them, I will grow my hair back. So, starting today, I'm committing to doing all of his methods. I'm excited!

Fingers crossed!

A glimmer of hope? (Fox News)

So this is interesting. I was watching Fox News the other day, and a man named Yamada Taro was on the show. Yamada Taro is an amazing man who lost all of his hair very suddenly and then spent years contacting men who also lost their hair, but grew it back some how. Basically he searched out men who had fought their hair loss and won, and learned their secrets.

Then, he took all the strategies that these men used and actually grew his hair back! Supposedly, he found a way to re-expand the shrinking hair follicles on the scalp, and once expanded, the hair can grow freely again. His story is so inspiring, and makes me feel like there actually is hope. Oh and the best part is the methods are all natural, so you don't need to put any expensive chemicals on your scalp or anything like that.

So he patented the "Reverse Male Baldness" treatment method, and wrote a book about it. It costs $50, but if it works, it's well worth it. I've already spent many times that, getting absolutely nowhere.

Fox News had a really great interview with him, though I wish he would have shared more of his secret methods on TV instead of making you buy the book.

I am severely depressed

Not much more to say. Everywhere I go I feel like people are staring at me like I'm some kind of freak, or a cancer patient. I can't take this anymore. I go to bed sad and I wake up sadder. Could use a friend. 

Rogaine is definitely a scam

First I went on Rgoaine for four months, and nothing happened. Then Dr. Stevens recommended I stay on it for another four months. Well, I did that, and nothing happened. I haven't regrown any hair. I've only continued to lose hair. I'm throwing this Rogaine stuff out today. Look, see for yourself the magic of 8 months on rogaine:

Dr. Stevens recommends I stay on Rogaine

So my dermatologist recommended that I stay on Rogaine. She said if I stop using it, my hair loss could excelerate. WTF! Why didn't she tell me that BEFORE I started taking it??

Ugh. So now I'm stuck. Either I keep taking this crap for the rest of my life, or I lose all my hair. I feel cheated and tricked. And trapped. 

I don't know what to do..

so far, not so good

Well, it's been four months since I've started taking Rogaine and all I have to show for it is an itchy and irritated scalp. No, it hasn't helped me grow any of my hair back. So I think  I'm going off Rogaine -but first I'm going to talk to Dr. Acompora just in case. I've now spent $80 on this crap that hasn't done a thing.

Running total: $175

Three doctor copays and two 3-month treatments of Rogaine.

Started taking Rogaine

Well, today I am making a huge step to improve my baldness. I am officially going to begin taking the Rogaine that Dr. Stevens recommended. I bought a box of it at my local CVS. A three month supply cost me $40.

She said it could take at least 4 months, and as many as 8 months to see a full effect, so I'm going to keep you updated on my progress.

Next time you hear from me, I may have my full, thick hair back again! 

Dr. Stevens the Dermatologist

Went to the dermatologist today that Dr. Brochan referred me to. Dr. Stevens, my new dermatologist, was very kind and very knowledgeble. She examined my scalp for a long time, read the test results from my last doctor visit, and questioned me thoroughly about diet, what shampoo I use, if I eat a lot of red meat, if I drink a lot of soda, and so on.

She said the hair loss could be due to a high fat, high sugar diet. It's true, I do eat fast food and drink soda, but I think it's the average amount. Nothing too crazy, although I admit here that I am a huge fan of burger king. 

Then she said if it's not stress it could be a testosterone imbalance. 

By the time I walked out of there we had covered everything that "could be" causing my hair loss, but no definite answers. She was reluctant to prescribe anything because there were no definitive signs that my hair loss is from one thing or another.

What she did tell me is to go buy 5% Minoxidil. (aka ROGAINE). I'm not excited about the idea of using rogaine, but I'm desperate. She said it's primarily for people who just started losing their hair, and it stops it from getting worse, but in rare occasions a bald man can actually grow some of his hair back. Guess I'll try it. 

Running total: $130

I have now paid 3 doctor's co-pays for $45 each.

Feeling ok today

Today I'm feeling ok. After I closed up the comic book shop, I grabbed a beer with my good friend Jim Varney. Jim's the guy who sold me the insurance policy on the shop. We hit it off (he was a fan of spider man) and became friends. 

Hanging out with a good friend always makes me feel a little better. But really what I want more than anything else is a girlfriend. But I feel like I can't get a girlfriend until I get over my confidence issues. And I can't get over my confidence issues until I get over my baldness issues. Sigh...

saw the doctor again

well, I went BACK to the doctor today, and got the test results. everything seemed to be normal.

why was I not suprised? my hormones were normal, my testosterone was normal, no diseases. nothing.

so Dr. Brochan referred me to a dermatologist named Dr. Stevens. Hopefully Dr. AStevens will be able to tell me why I'm losing my hair, and how I can stop it.

Feeling extra low today

Today I'm feeling particularly low. I don't often get up the balls to ask a woman out on a date, but I did today. Here's the story. I was at starbucks getting a coffee, and next to me in line was a woman about my age, who ordered the same exact drink (double grande mocha latte) that I ordered. After we had both received our drinks I wandered over to where she was sitting and reading a book. I made some small conversation with her, and got her to smile, and then asked her for her number. She gave me some excuse about having a boyfriend, even though I asked her in the beggining of the conversation if he had a boyfriend and she said no. It's things like that that really wreck my confidence.  

Running total: $90

With the $45 co pay today, and the $45 co pay from last week, the total I've now spent on my hair problem is $90. I'm wondering at this point how much money I'm prepared to spend on investigating options for my baldness. 

saw the doctor today

I went to see my general care physician today about my baldness. It's funny, I've been going bald for nearly 30 years and never once say a doctor about it. 

So Dr. Brochan told me that I am indeed suffering from male pattern baldness. Thanks Dr., but that part I knew already.

She couldn't tell me what was causing it. The best she could do is refer me to a dermatologist and see what they say. Ok, sign me up, I said. 

The worse part was the copay. Ouch. My insurance charges me a 45 dollar copay to see the doctor. I hope this doesn't turn into a pattern because I really don't have the much money to fight this thing. I run a comic book store and business hasn't exactly been great lately. 

I'm going to do something about it.

Today, as I was thinking about what to write about for my new blog, I realized something. 

Sure, I'm going bald. Sure, I hate being bald. But, what have I ever done to better my condition? I've never tried rogaine. I've never tried anything!

So, damnit, I'm going to try something. I don't know what, but I'm going to try something. 

Truth: I hate being bald

Hi, I'm John. 

I've never really talked about this before, but I am extremely self conscious about my baldness. I've been going bald slowly since my 20's, and now I've lost nearly all the hair on my head. I know what you're thinking: big deal. Lot's of people are bald. 

Well I'm actually really self conscious about it. Because of my hair, I don't feel attractive, and being a single male in his 50's who's never been married, it doesn't help at all. 

So, I've been living with this anxious feeling inside that's been gnawing away at me for a long time. My hope is that by starting this blog, I'll be able to get over all my feelings of unattractiveness and anxiety, and actually gain some confidence by "coming clean" about my secret emotions that I've never shared with anyone. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

John