1 year finasteride & 4 months oral minoxidil (21m)

[marlonthoo]

Introduction:

I'm 21 years and have been suffering from hairloss since I was about 19. I have diffuse patterned hairloss. It's really scary because the thinning is all over my scalp and has happened within only a few months. I know it's genetic but I do feel like it was triggered because I was going through very traumatizing things during that time.
My father had always had a buzzcut but had full hair and a perfect hairline (he's black). My mom has thinner hair now but she's 56. I have been wearing a hat every single day for about 2 years and I hate living like that. No one around me gets it and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. It has affected my mental health horribly. I went from being known for the kid with the big afro to someone suffering from alopecia.


Treatment:
I started finasteride a little over a year ago in 2019. Getting a prescription for it was very difficult and took me several months to find a doctor to prescribe it to me. It was mentally exhausting to suffer like that and not being taken seriously by any doctor. I did have a shed when i started Finasteride for like 4 months and didn't see any any results until 9 months into treatment. I mainly noticed a thickening in my hair and donor looking a little bit better. I started topical minoxidil and used it for 2 months and then switched to oral minoxidil 4 months ago and had good success so far. I'm still shedding a ridiculous amount from minoxidil. My hair seems to slowly improve but it's just scary to see the shedding. I am planning on switching to Dutasteride in a few months.

Question: My goal is to eventually have a full head of hair. I have seen good improvement from treatment so far but I need it to get to a point where I feel normal again. Do you think I will continue seeing improvement from the treatment? Do you have any suggestions what I could add? I really try to educate myself on this but it's a lot... (like bicalutamide, latanoprost etc.)

I also depend on medication as my hairloss is diffuse and has affected my donor area. I have seen good improvement but it's not even close to where I want it to be. Here are a few photos throughout the treatment. (I buzzed my hair at one point cause I could't stand the diffuse look anymore and that way I can track my progress way better)


1 photo: November 2019 (before treatment)
2 photo: March 2020
3 photo: June 2020
4 photo: August 2020 (minoxidil shed)
5 photo: November 2020
6 photo: January 2021

 

[funnysht]

i'v started just with minioxdil oral 1mg - what dosage are you on?

i feel just stick with minoxdil if you find improvement- finasteride side effects are bit worrying but anwyay

 

[Will Be an Egg in 5 years]

Looks like it got better at the front

 

[marlonthoo]

i'v started just with minioxdil oral 1mg - what dosage are you on?

i feel just stick with minoxdil if you find improvement- finasteride side effects are bit worrying but anwyay

Started with 2.5mg and then upped to 5mg. I think it’s mandatory to be on a 5α-Reductase inhibitor if you want to have long term success. That’s why I wanna switch to Dutasteride. To get even better results

 

[Jeju]

I’ve got similar hair. It’s really unfair you started to lose that at 19. What a waste.
why did you add oral min. Judging by picture three there was a very good amount of thickening?

 

[marlonthoo]

I’ve got similar hair. It’s really unfair you started to lose that at 19. What a waste.
why did you add oral min. Judging by picture three there was a very good amount of thickening?

I agree. I don’t even have words for how I feel because of this. it has impacted my entire life and it’s on my mind 24/7. With the finasteride, I noticed after maybe 8 months into treatment that my hair started getting thicker again and had a lot more bounce to it again. Before, my hair was at a point where it was so weak that when I would wear a hat and take it off I wouldn’t have curls anymore... i’m taking oral minoxidil for several reasons. first of all for the efficacy and second of all because of my age, taking minoxidil in a tablet form is way more convenient. I’m just praying for further improvement because I want it to get to a point where I can actually feel good about myself and my hair again

 

[Jeju]

I understand you. I wouldn’t have coped if I lost my curls in my 20’s, let alone my teens! Just be careful with the minoxidil. It can ruin your face aesthetics. You’re mixed race like me so our skin ages very well. I’m 34 and banged a 24 year old last week. I tell these girls in 26, some times younger depending on what they think lol Don’t age your face, bro. Even with a shaved dome your skin is going to work to your advantage in your 30’ and 40’s. Trust me.

 

[Fontaine]

I understand you. I wouldn’t have coped if I lost my curls in my 20’s, let alone my teens! Just be careful with the minoxidil. It can ruin your face aesthetics. You’re mixed race like me so our skin ages very well. I’m 34 and banged a 24 year old last week. I tell these girls in 26, some times younger depending on what they think lol Don’t age your face, bro. Even with a shaved dome your skin is going to work to your advantage in your 30’ and 40’s. Trust me.

Retin A is a godsend. I have better skin now at 22 than I had since 18 and so far minoxidil has done literally nothing to my skin

And also, its easy to say skin matters when you still have most of your hair. Once you reach that critical point where the balding is really noticeble you're going to have to be some kind of Jeremy Meeks looking f****r to pull it off let alone worrying about skin

 

[Jeju]

Retin A, huh? Minoxidil made my skin lose firmness. I did rub it on my face to thicken my beard, though but I heard oral min does the same. A minoxidil ball bag journey would have been more useful!
I live in South Korea now and skin care is insane. I’ll probably try a non invasive facial treatment to increase collagen. It’s cheap out here.

And also, its easy to say skin matters when you still have most of your hair. Once you reach that critical point where the balding is really noticeble you're going to have to be some kind of Jeremy Meeks looking f****r to pull it off let alone worrying about skin

I agree with this to some degree. That’s why I’m milking all the young birds atm lol

 

[marlonthoo]

I understand you. I wouldn’t have coped if I lost my curls in my 20’s, let alone my teens! Just be careful with the minoxidil. It can ruin your face aesthetics. You’re mixed race like me so our skin ages very well. I’m 34 and banged a 24 year old last week. I tell these girls in 26, some times younger depending on what they think lol Don’t age your face, bro. Even with a shaved dome your skin is going to work to your advantage in your 30’ and 40’s. Trust me.

I get you. I seem to be tolerating minxodil pretty well tho. Of course I don’t wanna switch in another insecurity for hair but at the same time...hair is so damn important at least for me and well obviously everyone else on this forum... Just feels like you’re slowly losing your personality while losing your hair.

 

[Jeju]

I get you. I seem to be tolerating minxodil pretty well tho. Of course I don’t wanna switch in another insecurity for hair but at the same time...hair is so damn important at least for me and well obviously everyone else on this forum... Just feels like you’re slowly losing your personality while losing your hair.

Good luck, dude. I hope you get to rock them curls a lot longer!

 

[marlonthoo]

Good luck, dude. I hope you get to rock them curls a lot longer!

Thank you so much!!!

 

[marlonthoo]

could give anyone give me their input / advice ?

 

[Jacoby77]

Photo one isn't even diffuse thinning man. Hair clumps when wet, especially that curly. I'm not seeing hairloss in first.

 

[marlonthoo]

Photo one isn't even diffuse thinning man. Hair clumps when wet, especially that curly. I'm not seeing hairloss in first.

It was thinning for sure. I mean I know what my hair used to look like when it was wet...

 

[Jacoby77]

It was thinning for sure. I mean I know what my hair used to look like when it was wet...

My scalp looks half bald when wet. But people say I'm not thinning and my part isnt that wide. I literally have so much scalp wet... I'm seeing a trichologist but wet doesn't mean thinning because it's a false representation. If it's dry and there is hella scalp that's a big sign.

 

[Jeju]

It was thinning for sure. I mean I know what my hair used to look like when it was wet...

I know this hair well, looks like you have already lost a lot of density in picture one.

could give anyone give me their input / advice ?

Just stick to what your doing for a year and then assess the situation. Looks like you respond well to finasteride so minoxidil will only help I suppose.

 

[marlonthoo]

I know this hair well, looks like you have already lost a lot of density in picture one.

Just stick to what your doing for a year and then assess the situation. Looks like you respond well to finasteride so minoxidil will only help I suppose.

do you think it’s possible to get most of my density back tho? cause I’ve lost it within a short amount of time and acted fairly quick

 

[Jacoby77]

do you think it’s possible to get most of my density back tho? cause I’ve lost it within a short amount of time and acted fairly quick

You do know since your hair is dense when dry you're probably not balding... Not shedding, only looks thin when wet, dude... Good hairline

 

[Jeju]

do you think it’s possible to get most of my density back tho? cause I’ve lost it within a short amount of time and acted fairly quick

I’d say no. Your hair loss must be aggressive. You can get some good density back I’m sure though