My Hair Growth Photos - Three Years Ago And Now

[Mike11111]

I'm happy with my current results and hope it lasts- I'm 39 and a half now and this is more hair than I had when I was 18.

not doing anything unique - just EVERYTHING all at once (hair transplant, double dose of both dutasteride and finasteride, ORAL minoxidil).

I attribute about 40% of the restoration to the FUE I got something like 2.5 years ago (I was not particularly happy with the results 1.5 years out), and the rest to the oral minoxidil. The dutasteride and finasteride are probably helping, but my temples continued to recede and my frontal hairline continued to thin until I added the oral minoxidil, at which point I could see tiny hairs returning within a month of starting it.

I did NOT have good results with the topical minoxidil liquid - I briefly stopped the oral minoxidil and switched to Kirkland topical liquid, using it only on my temples and front hairline and one arm - my gains went away and I saw no increase in hair on my arm. I believe all of the effect of minoxidil comes from its systemic absorption (a local effect should have resulted in darker/longer arm hair growth on the one arm, and should have been able to maintain my temples which it did not), which is why I now only take the pills (no mess).

I also tried nizoral shampoo - It didn't seem to do anything for me so I stopped.

Below is an animated gif showing two photos- my before and after. If you can't view it on your device, tough:

that's all - I hope this helps

 

[Johnmpb]

Damn, hair looking great for almost 40. Any side effects from the higher doses of dutasteride and finasteride? Also why r u taking finasteride when you are on dutasteride since the dutasteride likely outperforms the finasteride by a long shot.

 

[Mike11111]

I don't know why I wrote a novel to answer your question-

The short answer is that I have experienced no side effects (other than reduced acne) from the dutasteride and finasteride. I take both because there is 'some' shaky evidence online that it works better than just dutasteride or just finasteride alone.

 

[dralex]

Where did you get oral minoxidil? What is the dosage difference for hair loss vs. hypertension? Are you taking other medications with it to prevent water retention?

 

[Johnmpb]

Who didn't your hair transplant btw and was it fut or fue? Did 600 grafts make a cosmetic difference? Your hair obviously looks like you made a full recovery but I'm just wondering how much the meds had an effect vs the transplant.

 

[Mike11111]

Where did you get oral minoxidil? What is the dosage difference for hair loss vs. hypertension? Are you taking other medications with it to prevent water retention?

my hair transplant Doctor wrote me prescriptions for everything including the oral minoxidil (Loniten). my medical insurance doesn't pay for any of it.

there is no official dosage guidelines for Loniten for hair growth - you have to experiment - I have settled on 7.5 mg per day (I had been taking as much as 20mg/day). at 7.5 mg I rarely get headaches and sometimes get edema in my hands and ankles. I don't take anything to combat the side effects.

 

[Mike11111]

Who didn't your hair transplant btw and was it fut or fue? Did 600 grafts make a cosmetic difference? Your hair obviously looks like you made a full recovery but I'm just wondering how much the meds had an effect vs the transplant.

My best guess is that the 600 FUE grafts got me about 40% back, based on how I looked and felt about a year or 18 months after the surgery. The rest is from the drugs.

 

[g.i joey]

Wow, in just 3 years you lost the glasses! Nah but seriously, solid fkn comeback bro, even those temple points flew forward, which imo made the biggest aesthetic difference for you

 

[rclark]

I'm happy with my current results and hope it lasts- I'm 39 and a half now and this is more hair than I had when I was 18.

not doing anything unique - just EVERYTHING all at once (hair transplant, double dose of both dutasteride and finasteride, ORAL minoxidil).

I attribute about 40% of the restoration to the FUE I got something like 2.5 years ago (I was not particularly happy with the results 1.5 years out), and the rest to the oral minoxidil. The dutasteride and finasteride are probably helping, but my temples continued to recede and my frontal hairline continued to thin until I added the oral minoxidil, at which point I could see tiny hairs returning within a month of starting it.

I did NOT have good results with the topical minoxidil liquid - I briefly stopped the oral minoxidil and switched to Kirkland topical liquid, using it only on my temples and front hairline and one arm - my gains went away and I saw no increase in hair on my arm. I believe all of the effect of minoxidil comes from its systemic absorption (a local effect should have resulted in darker/longer arm hair growth on the one arm, and should have been able to maintain my temples which it did not), which is why I now only take the pills (no mess).

I also tried nizoral shampoo - It didn't seem to do anything for me so I stopped.

Below is an animated gif showing two photos- my before and after. If you can't view it on your device, tough:

that's all - I hope this helps

You should be happy. Congratulations!

And if you can't read my comment because you're post is so DAMN LONG,
TOUGH sh*t!!!

 

[TanbarkBells]

I'm just amazed that you managed to take two photos three years apart in the same location and same lighting. That alone deserves a medal

 

[Mike11111]

I'm just amazed that you managed to take two photos three years apart in the same location and same lighting. That alone deserves a medal

just revisiting this old thread - same location because it's been my same place of employment for the last 15 years- lighting isnt much the same but close enough - same jacket because it hasnt fallen off yet

 

[Johnmpb]

just revisiting this old thread - same location because it's been my same place of employment for the last 15 years- lighting isnt much the same but close enough - same jacket because it hasnt fallen off yet

Can u please update us on your progress? Still on your double dosage of meds? Any sides?

 

[Mike11111]

I'm still doing the same routine - it works for me.

Minoxidil sometimes makes my skin a little puffy and every now and then gives me headaches. Maybe the minoxidil is making my pre-existing undereye circles worse, or maybe I'm just 40.

 

[misty_glover]

Looks great! Congrats.

 

[Choi Han Kyul]

Wow, amazing transformation.

Though I don’t see much difference in bro’s brows. Shouldn’t loniten have made it go kaboom thick or say unibrow?

I'm happy with my current results and hope it lasts- I'm 39 and a half now and this is more hair than I had when I was 18.

not doing anything unique - just EVERYTHING all at once (hair transplant, double dose of both dutasteride and finasteride, ORAL minoxidil).

I attribute about 40% of the restoration to the FUE I got something like 2.5 years ago (I was not particularly happy with the results 1.5 years out), and the rest to the oral minoxidil. The dutasteride and finasteride are probably helping, but my temples continued to recede and my frontal hairline continued to thin until I added the oral minoxidil, at which point I could see tiny hairs returning within a month of starting it.

I did NOT have good results with the topical minoxidil liquid - I briefly stopped the oral minoxidil and switched to Kirkland topical liquid, using it only on my temples and front hairline and one arm - my gains went away and I saw no increase in hair on my arm. I believe all of the effect of minoxidil comes from its systemic absorption (a local effect should have resulted in darker/longer arm hair growth on the one arm, and should have been able to maintain my temples which it did not), which is why I now only take the pills (no mess).

I also tried nizoral shampoo - It didn't seem to do anything for me so I stopped.

Below is an animated gif showing two photos- my before and after. If you can't view it on your device, tough:


View attachment 71412


that's all - I hope this helps

 

[Choi Han Kyul]

I'm still doing the same routine - it works for me.

Minoxidil sometimes makes my skin a little puffy and every now and then gives me headaches. Maybe the minoxidil is making my pre-existing undereye circles worse, or maybe I'm just 40.

Diuretic bro?

 

[yourworld001]

Surely taking Loniten in your 50's/60s is going to be really risky when the risk of Heart attacks is more common

 

[koolaidshade]

when did you start to recede, and how long have you used finasteride/dutasteride?

 

[KSA]

Wow! What an outstanding response!! Congrats buddy! I started oral minoxidil a little over a month ago, but all I've done is shed, and shed like i've never shed before. Did you experience something like this? I wonder if I should return to topical.
Thank you!

 

[Marky]

My best guess is that the 600 FUE grafts got me about 40% back, based on how I looked and felt about a year or 18 months after the surgery. The rest is from the drugs.

How much of the hairline do you attribute to transplant vs drugs? Did you actually see non transplanted hairs lowering the hairline?