My Experience with Saw Palmetto, Minoxidil, and Side Effects at 32

Karel_NOVAK2 · December 3, 2025, 6:57am

I can say, that hair loss has stopped with products that i use, when I comb my hair, not a single hair remains on the comb, that werent common before, but (exept temples) it also didnt get better in hair count. I am interested, what will do fin, that i will start next week.

Karel_NOVAK2 · December 9, 2025, 6:52am

8.12.2025 - new drugs

1x daily finasteride 1mg
1x daily Minox topical
1x weekly Nizoral
1x weekly dermastamp 1mm

After the first take, i can say that finasteride works better at blocking DHT because I did not wake up alone in the morning and I also have a higher libido. No sides yet.

Karel_NOVAK2 · January 8, 2026, 3:07pm

8.1.2026 - drugs

1x daily finasteride 1mg
1x daily Minox topical
1x weekly Nizoral
1x every second week dermastamp 1mm

No progress.

Karel_NOVAK2 · February 8, 2026, 10:45pm

8.2.2026 - drugs

1x daily finasteride 1mg
1x daily Minox topical
2x weekly Nizoral
1x every second week dermastamp 1mm

Get hair fall when i rub minox to the scalp, insted i started patting it on my head and now I don’t have a problem.

Hair on the vertex get little better, some blond hair get darker, if all blonde hair will get dark, it would be epic.

Temple, the most of the small hair is still small.

nachodebalders · May 7, 2026, 4:20pm

Amazing photos! Thanks for sharing your journey. Keep going!

Karel_NOVAK2 · March 6, 2026, 8:55pm

6.3.2026 - drugs

1x daily finasteride 1mg
1x daily Minox topical
2x weekly Nizoral
1x every second week dermastamp 1mm

Progress that only I can see. (no change)

Karel_NOVAK2 · March 10, 2026, 7:12pm

10.3.2026

Shedding - around 30 hair, during shower, mostly truly thin hair.

Karel_NOVAK2 · April 6, 2026, 9:21am

Still shedding 20 to 50 hair daily from the top of my head.

No much did change, little hair got about 1mm longer and some new popped up (shedding mostly thin or small hair, its not much visible change).

ronan_sons · April 24, 2026, 10:24am

Karel_NOVAK2:

Hi. Stories here helped me to make decision, so i will post mine, hope it will help someone. Finasteride is not available in my country, so i replaced it with Saw Palmetto. Will update this post, when i spot some changes.

29.3.2025 Started using 1x daily “NOW Saw Palmetto” 320mg SP and 80mg pumpkin oil, 1x daily topical Minoxidil 5%.
Side effects from SP, pain in left testicle, retracting left testicle during orgasm, pain in the penile tip, difficulty maintaining erection, low libido, balls like in the winter. Side effects from Minox, heart palpitations after use, higher heart rate by 10 in calm state. Benefits from Minox, it solved my live long dandruf and helped with head scalp pain/tension.

Hair fall: up to 5 daily

After three days i had to stop SP, because of side effects. I got rid of sides after two weeks. (Also stopped Minox)

15.4.2025 Started to use 1x daily “NOW FOODS Pygeum & Saw Palmetto” 80mg SP, 25mg Pygeum and 750mg pumpkin oil, Minox 1x daily and 1x weekly Nizoral.
Have less sides from SP, no more penile tip pain. Balls are again like in the winter, left testicle pain is smaller, left testicle again trying to retract during orgasm, but its unconfortable, not painfull. Daily morning erections and during the day. Minox sides are gone, benefits still the same.

Hair fall: up to 5 daily

9.5.2025 SP sides, less pain in testicle, balls sometimes hang down, left testicle still trying to retract during orgasm and spontaneous erections are gone. Minox no sides, benefits are the same. Added 1x weekly Dermaroller 1mm. Nizoral 1x weekly.

Hair fall: 10-20 daily

Thanks for sharing your journey, really helpful to see such a detailed timeline, especially with alternatives to Finasteride. Hope things keep improving for you!

Anonymous1 · May 4, 2026, 8:34pm

Why are you trying saw palmetto? I doubt that’s doing anything. If you’re worried about sides why not try low dose topical fin?

Karel_NOVAK2 · May 12, 2026, 6:32pm

My hair loss stopped on saw palmetto, but i do not know, if SP was reason, or minox. I do not see much difference betweem SP and fin in my case, exept i have less sides on fin, do not have to take 2 times per day and fin is little bit cheaper.

So, yes, it would be better to start with fin, by my opinion.

Karel_NOVAK2 · May 12, 2026, 6:20pm

12.5.2026

Added head massage.

The shedding stopped last month.

It hasn’t changed much on the vertex.

On the temples, the small hairs get longer by 1 mm again and new ones have appeared (red circle).

Progress is quite small, but steady, in my pension i will have full head of hair.