39 Yo Losing The Battle For My Hair And Hating It

[Teeq19]

Hey guys. First time posting

I’m almost 39, been using Finasteride and Rogaine for 10 years plus. Thought I was in the clear as I had maintained a pretty decent head of hair during that time but it seems genetics have doubled down over the last year. A ton of diffuse thinning in the middle of my head and vertex which has always been really thick.

I was always worried about my hairline so this diffuse thinning in the back has really thrown me. My main issue is that during the day, so long as I shampoo and blow dry I can style it and it looks like I have pretty thick hair. But if I don’t shampoo or if I sweat a ton at the gym it’s like cotton candy when wet and then reality sets in. Should I give in and shave this down? Meeting with Hasson and Wong this Saturday for a consultation but not hopeful as finasteride appears to have lost its effectiveness so a hair transplant would likely go badly for me down the road

Just wanted to vent I guess, this has bothered me so much lately to the point that it’s consumed my thought process which I hate. The hardest part for me as that most people I interact with don’t realize that I have lost so much hair but I can tell and it’s getting worse every day

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Your hair still looks great, I would not consider you balding. If finasteride has lost its touch you could try dutasteride?

 

[Teeq19]

Thanks Andy, appreciate the reply. I was thinking about that but I have met with Dr Arocha and Dr Lam here in DFW and they have advised me against it. I have fought my way through some minor sides with finasteride, testicle pain etc. Def not ruling it out though, esp is this massive shed continues

 

[Yakitori]

That is a very acceptable crown for someone your age, heck at any age past 20 if you have just an inch of the male pattern baldness gene.

...but if finasteride is starting to lose it's touch, you should most definitely try dutasteride but there is a big chance you get sides with that too if you got it with finasteride. Nothing is a given but it's seems like a likely possibility.

 

[abcdefg]

Its not too bad, but that bottom picture of the front shows some pretty obvious thinning. The crown doesnt look too bad, but its hard to tell with angle and lighting.
Here is the issue with finasteride not working now. With time as we get older the same amount of androgens you had back when you started finasteride continue to get more potent as we get older. Eventually the androgens you have even lowered by propecia is still enough to cause male pattern baldness again. Why sensitivity increases with age is anyone guess.
Its tough position though you could go dutasteride or throw in the experimental like RU or CB. Maybe play with the dosage of finasteride a little more or a little less might be enough.

 

[Teeq19]

Thank you for the replies. I am shedding a ton of tiny miniaturized hairs that look almost invisible so I know it’s starting to progress quickly now. Also, when my hair is wet out of the shower the pattern is painfully obvious.

Part of me wants to seek additional treatments to try and keep what I have and the other part is tired of worrying so much about it. I guess I just need to find a way to stop obsessing over it. My dad is a Norwood 6 and was bald at 25 so I guess I should be grateful to make it to (almost) 40!

Have some time off work coming up so thinking about getting a preview and shaving with a 2 guard just to see what kind of head shape I have. If I look like an alien, that might freak me out even more but at least I’ll know. Will post pics if I can actually bring myself to do it

 

[Teeq19]

Just an example of how different my hair can look when styled versus oily/unshowered

This is just after Rogaine foam, blow dryer, and some pomade

 

[Vince_Reagan]

Its not too bad, but that bottom picture of the front shows some pretty obvious thinning. The crown doesnt look too bad, but its hard to tell with angle and lighting.
Here is the issue with finasteride not working now. With time as we get older the same amount of androgens you had back when you started finasteride continue to get more potent as we get older. Eventually the androgens you have even lowered by propecia is still enough to cause male pattern baldness again. Why sensitivity increases with age is anyone guess.
Its tough position though you could go dutasteride or throw in the experimental like RU or CB. Maybe play with the dosage of finasteride a little more or a little less might be enough.

Doesn't level of androgen decreases with age instead?

 

[DAVAT]

I know it is nof minimal help because its the fact its declining that is the issue for you but as you stand right now you're in a strong position and hair looks great mate

 

[abcdefg]

Doesn't level of androgen decreases with age instead?

Yeah I think it would, but sensitivity keeps increasing which I guess is still enough. Why this happens, and why hair ever gets sensitive in the first place? Million dollar questions with no answers.

 

[Merica]

I was in your position a year ago but have had a full regrowth, I'm 48 been losing since my late twenties. Finasteride worked well for me for years but like you it lost it's effectiveness. I take a combo approach and it has worked beyond what I was even expecting I couldn't be happier. Btw it was probably good advice not to try dutasyeride I tried it and it wwas frigging horrifying, I won't even get started it's a long story. Anyway i use a laser device 3x a week 30 min. I use a Keto shampoo, take Viviscal and use Lipogain 5% minoxidil. That's it! I have a full head...a massive shed after starting the Lipo tho but that didn't last long. Interestingly I had tried minoxidil foam before and it did nothing for me but the Lipo did. I even got a friend of mine on it and has been balding for years, is in his fifties and starting to regrow. Hopes not lost brother u just need to mix things up a little.

 

[Teeq19]

Thanks for the comments and support fellas, much appreciated. I don’t typically post in forums, more of a lurker....but it’s nice to be able to talk to about this with someone

I’m interested in Lipogaine. I’ve used the Kirkland minoxidil foam for several years and honestly not sure what benefit I am getting except that it helps dry out my hair in the AM which makes it look thicker. I’ve noticed that my scalp is really oily on days I don’t shower, wondering if that could be related to the minoxidil

Dr Arocha recommended laser cap + PRP for a cool $5k! I may try the laser from Dr Lam instead, it has a money back guarantee at least (75%). Was hoping PRP would have a portion of the $$ returned if the treatment didn’t work but no luck on that

 

[Merica]

Rule of thumb on the lasers...the more the better . I built my own using a web site called overmachogrande but he sells them too. Please don't spend thousands, u would be getting ripped off. They all buy their lasers in bulk for pennies a piece, even eBay caps would be an option. Remember 5mw 650nm are the lasers ur looking for, I have a cap with over a hundred lasers, they actually work too. Try the Viviscal too, all in monthly it costs me maybe 60 to 70 bucks but compare that to the stress of watching your hair fall out or thousands later on to try and get it back...money well spent I says lol. Here's my shed pic when I started the Lipo and now.

 

[Merica]

 

[Robertabooey]

Not to hijack the thread, but I am in a similar situation. I am 37 years old and I have been taking Propecia daily for the past 13 years. I wouldn’t say that I grew back any hair but I only had minor loss over the first 11 years. However, the past two years I have lost A LOT of ground. I am diffuse balding along with receding in the front. I have finally come to the realization that Propecia no longer is working for me. I am trying to figure out my next options. I have held off on taking rogaine, as I like the maintenance free aspect of taking a pill daily, but I plan on using it going forward. I have had zero side effects from Propecia so I was thinking of taking Dutasteride since people have had good results with it. Being that dutasteride isn’t fda approved here in the US for hair loss, I was curious where others are purchasing it from and what brand is the most effective? I am assuming it would be Avodart since it is the name brand?

Also, it’s great to hear what regimens worked for other individuals after Finastride stopped working. Please feel free to share, if this is you.

Merica-I know you have a combo regimen, but what product do you feel is working best for you?

Thanks!

 

[DoctorHouse]

Hey guys. First time posting

I’m almost 39, been using Finasteride and Rogaine for 10 years plus. Thought I was in the clear as I had maintained a pretty decent head of hair during that time but it seems genetics have doubled down over the last year. A ton of diffuse thinning in the middle of my head and vertex which has always been really thick.

I was always worried about my hairline so this diffuse thinning in the back has really thrown me. My main issue is that during the day, so long as I shampoo and blow dry I can style it and it looks like I have pretty thick hair. But if I don’t shampoo or if I sweat a ton at the gym it’s like cotton candy when wet and then reality sets in. Should I give in and shave this down? Meeting with Hasson and Wong this Saturday for a consultation but not hopeful as finasteride appears to have lost its effectiveness so a hair transplant would likely go badly for me down the road

Just wanted to vent I guess, this has bothered me so much lately to the point that it’s consumed my thought process which I hate. The hardest part for me as that most people I interact with don’t realize that I have lost so much hair but I can tell and it’s getting worse every day

The toughest years to overcome are over 40 but most on here will tell you it's at the point in your life where most of the people your age are losing too. The frustration comes when you find on certain days everyone you see has better hair then you even if they are over 40. Also more importantly, that you are treating hair loss aggressively and still losing when you think now things should slow down. Genetics tends to always win even if you are able to offset the outcome for 10 years or more. That's all these medications can do for us until we actually finally find a cure.

 

[iSlapBitches]

Also please stop saying that finasteride stops working. Thats not what happens lol. Finasteride or even dutasteride don't block all dht from reaching your scalp. For most people, eventually the dht that is getting to your scalp will start showing signs of hairloss again. This can be compounded with a change in sensitivity to dht over time that may occur.

You have to have something to block the rest of the dht that finasteride/dutasteride don't stop.

 

[Merica]

If I had to pick just one product that I would wouldn't be without it would be the Lipogain. But I know all are playing a part and my hair wouldn't be as full without using them all. As I stated earlier it's really not that expensive or time consuming and it works. There's no drugs involved, it's a supplement a shampoo one topical and basking under some laser light a few minutes a week. I don't understand why people are using risky wierd sh*t like this RU stuff or creams and pills used by trans sexual people I mean c'mon guys. I'm telling you my hair loss is pretty aggressive and as you can see in the pictures I have a full head .

 

[DoctorHouse]

If I had to pick just one product that I would wouldn't be without it would be the Lipogain. But I know all are playing a part and my hair wouldn't be as full without using them all. As I stated earlier it's really not that expensive or time consuming and it works. There's no drugs involved, it's a supplement a shampoo one topical and basking under some laser light a few minutes a week. I don't understand why people are using risky wierd sh*t like this RU stuff or creams and pills used by trans sexual people I mean c'mon guys. I'm telling you my hair loss is pretty aggressive and as you can see in the pictures I have a full head .

@Merica did you ever go by the user name Sandman on another forum?

 

[Merica]

Nope, new to forums.