22M Please let me know your thoughts.

[Fontaine]

Hey, I'm wondering what you guys think about my current situation and if you think I will respond well to treatment or not.

History
Mothers relatives went full NW7 in late 20's.
I started receding hairline and thinning a bit since 16/17. However I had thick hair. At age 21 about 8 months ago started a downward spiral of thinning. At that point I was NW3.

Of note: During the period I lost so much hair I was not only fasting excessively but also staying inside more than usual so I'm not sure if I had telogen efflevium on top of my usual male pattern baldness. Perhaps some other alopecia?

I started the following regime on the 3rd of February

1.6ml Minoxidil 5% spray twice a day
1mg Propecia daily
2% ketoconazole every 4 days
Vitamin D 20kIU every 3 days (I was tested as 9ng/ml)
Various hair related vitamins
2mm Microneedling once a month w/ PRP
Mesotherapy + PRP once a month

Future Treatment
I am going to change to Dutasteride 0.5mg daily when it arrives in the post. Additionally I might increase the frequency of my needling


Other information
It has been a month and a few days since I started. I am noticing longer eyelashes plus longer Vellus hairs PLUS coloured hairs sprouting around the scalp. Although they are quite thin and small for now (like my dick will be after dutasteride-joking)



So I want to know if you think I will succeed based on the information and photos I have given.
Thanks

First is taken with flash in dark room

This pic shows my weird hairline. I have 2 cowlicks just above my widows peak. Somehow this area has survived the worst of it. The pic is a little misleading though as the lighting makes it seem as if I have more hair than I do (did.)

 

[Fontaine]

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

You have lost a considerable amount in the front and I doubt that is recoverable with standard male treatments. Your listed protocol is excellent but you might want to consider adding oral minoxidil and also Selsun Blue for inflammation along with Keto 2 percent. I think you can possibly recover the entire crown so that's something since until finasteride essentially, even recovering the crown was all but impossible. Also, good call on shaving your head because that way, shedding is not a big deal and you won't be breaking hair off by brushing or combing. The main risk of a protocol as excellent as yours is shedding:

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/news/education/controlling-itch-matters-hair-loss-treatment/

 

[Fontaine]

You have lost a considerable amount in the front and I doubt that is recoverable with standard male treatments. Your listed protocol is excellent but you might want to consider adding oral minoxidil and also Selsun Blue for inflammation along with Keto 2 percent. I think you can possibly recover the entire crown so that's something since until finasteride essentially, even recovering the crown was all but impossible. Also, good call on shaving your head because that way, shedding is not a big deal and you won't be breaking hair off by brushing or combing. The main risk of a protocol as excellent as yours is shedding:

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/news/education/controlling-itch-matters-hair-loss-treatment/

Thanks for the response,

Indeed, I have lost a lot at the front. If my current protocol can even maintain what hairs I do have or thicken them up at the front I would consider that as a big win

I know that I will have to transplant my hair and when the time comes if that widows peak stays I can enjoy a nice hairline

Honestly I'm surprised that you've said I can probably recover the crown. That would be excellent . And also I am glad you approve of the protocol I chose

The main reason I buzzed my hair is so application of minoxidil is easier.

Additionally, I have chosen not to go with oral minoxidil as I think my 3.2ml daily application goes systemic to some degree. After all my eyelashes went crazy this month

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Thanks for the response,

Indeed, I have lost a lot at the front. If my current protocol can even maintain what hairs I do have or thicken them up at the front I would consider that as a big win

I know that I will have to transplant my hair and when the time comes if that widows peak stays I can enjoy a nice hairline

Honestly I'm surprised that you've said I can probably recover the crown. That would be excellent . And also I am glad you approve of the protocol I chose

The main reason I buzzed my hair is so application of minoxidil is easier.

Additionally, I have chosen not to go with oral minoxidil as I think my 3.2ml daily application goes systemic to some degree. After all my eyelashes went crazy this month

It all sounds very well thought out and starting off with oral min might be a bit like going nuclear at the start. Yes, if you can maintain where you are now all over your scalp, then you would be able to have hairline refinements done in the temples via transplantation. Buzzing the hair for minoxidil is not really necessary since the stuff is so cheap and it can be combed through all scalp hair and then massaged in for total scalp results which matters especially for diffuse thinner.

Having short hair also helps make micro-needling easier but it's not required. As my hair as gotten longer, I have increased mm gauges in my derma-rollers. I used a 2.5mm roller last night with tretinoin and topical minoxidil and topical estradiol on my hair. On my face and neck, I also always roll, using only tretinoin along with Estrogel as the carrier. I have gotten great facial results along with scalp results from micro-needling. Micro-needling along with retin-A completely change the aging curve facially in a way just as revolutionary as the effects on scalp hair.

 

[DoctorHouse]

I think you have aggressive hair loss for your age and reversing that loss is going to be a challenge if your genes are strong for balding. Your current treatment plan is aggressive enough to achieve some possible regrowth( more likely at the crown as said above) and more likely stability as you will need that to achieve a better candidacy for future hair transplantation. I honestly think anyone who is your age should be very cautious about switching to dutasteride if you plan on wanting children in the future. I have used both and I can tell you there was not much of a difference other than more sides with dutasteride. And for some reason dutas would give me a horrible stomach cramp when I first took it. I had legit dutasteride as I had a legit prescription for it.

 

[Fontaine]

It all sounds very well thought out and starting off with oral min might be a bit like going nuclear at the start. Yes, if you can maintain where you are now all over your scalp, then you would be able to have hairline refinements done in the temples via transplantation. Buzzing the hair for minoxidil is not really necessary since the stuff is so cheap and it can be combed through all scalp hair and then massaged in for total scalp results which matters especially for diffuse thinner.

Having short hair also helps make micro-needling easier but it's not required. As my hair as gotten longer, I have increased mm gauges in my derma-rollers. I used a 2.5mm roller last night with tretinoin and topical minoxidil and topical estradiol on my hair. On my face and neck, I also always roll, using only tretinoin along with Estrogel as the carrier. I have gotten great facial results along with scalp results from micro-needling. Micro-needling along with retin-A completely change the aging curve facially in a way just as revolutionary as the effects on scalp hair.

I actually use Retin A on my face. Truly works. My skin at 22 looks like how it did at 18. Only thing missing is the youthful fat deposits
The only thing that worries me on that front is having to use sunscreen. I just hope the chemicals in sunscren do not cause too much issue

I think you have aggressive hair loss for your age and reversing that loss is going to be a challenge if your genes are strong for balding. Your current treatment plan is aggressive enough to achieve some possible regrowth( more likely at the crown as said above) and more likely stability as you will need that to achieve a better candidacy for future hair transplantation. I honestly think anyone who is your age should be very cautious about switching to dutasteride if you plan on wanting children in the future. I have used both and I can tell you there was not much of a difference other than more sides with dutasteride. And for some reason dutas would give me a horrible stomach cramp when I first took it. I had legit dutasteride as I had a legit prescription for it.

Yeah its going to be a challenge for sure but I have a feeling ill be a good responder to the medical treatment

On the topic of dutasteride

I have a UK prescription off label for Avodart.

As for its efficacy I've read enough studies that showed superior results with dutasteride. If I can't handle the sides I'll switch back to finasteride or keep it weekly

Also, if I can't save this hair even if my sperm is still healthy they will never find an egg...so I'm happy to take that risk

 

[DoctorHouse]

I actually use Retin A on my face. Truly works. My skin at 22 looks like how it did at 18. Only thing missing is the youthful fat deposits
The only thing that worries me on that front is having to use sunscreen. I just hope the chemicals in sunscren do not cause too much issue

Yeah its going to be a challenge for sure but I have a feeling ill be a good responder to the medical treatment

On the topic of dutasteride

I have a UK prescription off label for Avodart.

As for its efficacy I've read enough studies that showed superior results with dutasteride. If I can't handle the sides I'll switch back to finasteride or keep it weekly

Also, if I can't save this hair even if my sperm is still healthy they will never find an egg...so I'm happy to take that risk

I agree with trying out new meds to see how you do. That is the only way you know what it will do for you. All these guy who are afraid to try oral medication should at least be open to topical if you want to fight male pattern baldness. Minoxidil is not going to be enough by itself.
At least you understand about risk. That is what life is all about.

 

[Norwoody]

I highly recommend oral minoxidil if you are doing fine on topical twice daily in terms of side-effects.

 

[Fontaine]

I highly recommend oral minoxidil if you are doing fine on topical twice daily in terms of side-effects.

I'm a little apprehensive about oral minoxidil due to my family history with heart problems. I got grandpa's baldness- who's to say I don't have his heart too


Maybe after a few momths if topical isn't giving me the results I want


I actually used foam mimoxidil on my eyebrows dor 1 month last year and I grew many terminal hairs so I might be a good responder

 

[Jeju]

That buzz cut looks alright IMO. Take finasteride and maintain that buzz. Get a little thickening maybe.

 

[Fontaine]

That buzz cut looks alright IMO. Take finasteride and maintain that buzz. Get a little thickening maybe.

It looks atrocious when it is grown out. If all those hairs thicken up I will have great looking hair so that's definitely the goal

 

[Fontaine]

That’s why you don’t grow it out. If I grow my hair long now it looks fuked lol but a buzz looks decent. Can’t tell diffusers are thinning when they buzz.

If my crown makes a miraclous recovery by mid June it would be great as it will be for a wedding. I decided not to cut it again until then. Who knows maybe I'll be one of the hyper responders

 

[Selb]

I’d microneedle more often. Like once a week

 

[Jeju]

If my crown makes a miraclous recovery by mid June it would be great as it will be for a wedding. I decided not to cut it again until then. Who knows maybe I'll be one of the hyper responders

That will most likely thicken up nicely. Good luck, man.

 

[Fontaine]

Before

After 6-7 weeks


Looks like I'm still in the game and the Norwood Reaper has got more fight from me than he bargained
Even the temples look like they are making gains

 

[Norwoody]

Yep, regrowth on the temporal hairline too. Nice job!

 

[Selb]

Fast results. Might be the mesotherapy and minoxidil/microneedling. Keep it up

 

[Fontaine]

Its fuckin awesome to have that knowledge its working. Now the question is where I'll be in 6 months time

 

[Norwoody]

You have a great Vegeta hairline. Although my temples are lower, they don't have a nice shape to it like that. All you really need is density.