my situation.. used to post in 2001-2003.. pics INCLUDED

[richlocks]

So I used to post here in my early 20s. I am 30 now.

Long story short: Losing since i was about 18/19. Tried Rogaine in the beginning, and had terrible side effects (body hair, bloating, face looked like crap), and propecia which didn't seem to do much. I stop meds until I was about 23, where I then got back on Propecia until this date. Propecia then grew back a good amount.. I started losing at 25 again (but very little)... then at 26 i started losing a lot of hair (this is also when i started using toppik everyday). Now at 30..

I still have a low hairline, with major diffuse thinning.. probably in a nw4/5 pattern. I have one Grandfather who was a NW7, but my entire mom's side has full heads of hair and my dad's side is not horrible besides my grandfather.

Had an in person consult with Dr. Wong. Told me that it didn't look like i would become a NW7.. but who knows, i'm only 30. Now the question comes..

Researching and weighing in my options. I have some off-time from work now, so if there would be any time. .it would be now to get a transplant. I am playing with the idea of getting on Avodart - i've been worried about side effects, but don't think there is anything i can do now.

I've attached pictures.. and one picture with "toppik" in my hair which masks my hairloss completely.

Take into account the pics are with my hair wet.. with styling product.. and very high light. I believed i was a nw5 pattern with a nw2 hairline.. but some of these pics suggest i may be heading to nw7.

 

[Avery]

Jesus, how do you make your hairline look like that with Toppik?

 

[richlocks]

I know. .it still amazes me everyday.

Reality is, i won't be able to keep this up much longer. It is looking more and more unnatural as the years go on (especially with flash photo) .. That is why I need to find a longer term solution here.

As you can also see, my hairline is quite low.. so any sort of hair in the region really allows the toppik to look natural.

I'm guessing if i get a transplant, i'd be kissing that hairline goodbye as they won't plant me that low (nor do i want to be.. ).. thus the hairline will raise up.

 

[Avery]

Lol, sorry, I was actually asking: What do you do with concealers to make your appearance so different?

 

[richlocks]

Well... it takes practice, but i've been using concealers consistently for about five years now.

In the beginning, all i needed was a few shakes in the front.. everything else was fully intact. Now i have to apply it all over my scalp as you can see.

Shorter hair works better, and my hair is now fairly long (by my standards) - that makes it more difficult. I use some wax product as well, which enables the toppik to stick better to my hair (you can also achieve this with hairspray).

Again, i think my hairloss is a bit unique as i have very little recession and still full coverage, albeit thin. This allows me to achieve a full head of hair look.. if you have receded with power alleys, it will look very unnatural to just plop the concealer on bald skin. Apply it where you have hair.. use some product, and you will get a fairly natural result.

 

[elvis123]

I have a few questions....how does toppik look when you are under sunlight on a sunny day? and what happens to toppik if you put on a hat? also, what happens to toppik when you run your fingers through your hair after you apply it?

 

[richlocks]

Depends.

When i first started using it.. i could swim with it.. run in the rain.. do whatever the hell, and i'd never have a problem.

Given my current stage of loss (and length of hair), a few things have changed. In direct sunlight, it may sometimes look a bit weird.. but noone has noticed it. If you get close, and there is direct sunlight/bright light.. you may see some fibers. For the most part , I am still OK in this department.

Running your hands through it may leave some residue on the fingers. I cannot sleep on white pillows either because it will be a mess afterwards (I now wash out every night i can).

With a hat.. i'm usually OK as well.. for some reason it looks messier but more natural when i take a hat off. No reall problems here.. but if I wear a helmet (i.e. go cart racing).. it could be a nightmare when i take it off.. same with going on a rollercoaster.

At this stage.. it really affects my life.. i cannot do a lot of things I could do before, so i feel a bit jailed.. and just exhausted overall.

My advice, only use it sparingly.. if you start using it everyday you may turn out like me - completely dependent and need to pay very close attention all the time in regards to activities.

I'm hoping a hair transplant would allow me to leave all this stress behind.. but given my hairloss pattern, not sure i can go through with it.

 

[Def]

Perhaps you could investigate getting a transplant behind your existing hairline (ie - where you want it to end up) and then just continue to use Topik in the front and let the male pattern baldness there progress naturally until you recede / miniaturise up to your grafts.

I agree, though, that diffusers have it slightly more difficult in the transplant front... That said, quite a number of the good surgeons have some pretty convincing looking pictures even of diffusers...

I take it you're also using treatments...

Def

 

[richlocks]

more pics added.

 

[richlocks]

more..

 

[dr_h]

shave it off man

and end ur miseries

 

[richlocks]

when i shave is when my real miseries will begin.

 

[IBM]

your hair was worse before Propecia?

 

[richlocks]

No. I started Propecia about 7 years ago.. and at that point my hair was much better.

Propecia improved my hair for about 1-1.5 years.. then i lost some ground.. and stayed stead for another 2 years or so. The remaining 4 years my hair has declined a good amount to what it is today.

When propecia worked at its best for me, noone could see that i was losing hair.. i didn't have a FULL head of hair.. but fairly strong hairline and not much see through if any at all.

 

[IBM]

maybe you should use minoxidil and use another anti-androgen.

 

[richlocks]

can't do that. If you see my original post, you'll see that i get severe side effects with minoxidil.

Since i use toppik all day, its tough get a topical antiandro in the mix.. i may use revivogen at night.

 

[Musician]

when i shave is when my real miseries will begin.

My hair is actually going the same way yours is. I use to have really long hair, like all the way down my back, so I know the pains involved in losing it.

It's cut shorter now and I have grown accustomed to it. One thing you need to realize is that hair does not make the individual and no amount of hair makes me better at doing anything, or any different of a person.

I use no treatment at all, I let nature take it's course. If people judge me based on my hair, I do not want to be associated with them.

Strength and confidence come from within.

 

[Oknow]

So I used to post here in my early 20s. I am 30 now.

Long story short: Losing since i was about 18/19. Tried Rogaine in the beginning, and had terrible side effects (body hair, bloating, face looked like crap), and propecia which didn't seem to do much. I stop meds until I was about 23, where I then got back on Propecia until this date. Propecia then grew back a good amount.. I started losing at 25 again (but very little)... then at 26 i started losing a lot of hair (this is also when i started using toppik everyday). Now at 30..

I still have a low hairline, with major diffuse thinning.. probably in a nw4/5 pattern. I have one Grandfather who was a NW7, but my entire mom's side has full heads of hair and my dad's side is not horrible besides my grandfather.

Had an in person consult with Dr. Wong. Told me that it didn't look like i would become a NW7.. but who knows, i'm only 30. Now the question comes..

Researching and weighing in my options. I have some off-time from work now, so if there would be any time. .it would be now to get a transplant. I am playing with the idea of getting on Avodart - i've been worried about side effects, but don't think there is anything i can do now.

I've attached pictures.. and one picture with "toppik" in my hair which masks my hairloss completely.

Take into account the pics are with my hair wet.. with styling product.. and very high light. I believed i was a nw5 pattern with a nw2 hairline.. but some of these pics suggest i may be heading to nw7.

Many of my uncles have lost hair like you have. Generally they are now NW4-5. with one still on NW3A by 40+

 

[pacinom]

more pics added.

Richlocks,

Is pics 4, 5, 6 and 7 (all the ones with apparently dry and curly hair) with toppik or any kind or concealer or without them ?