The 1 year mark is near...

[Guest]

Started 1/3 Proscar daily on Sept 1st 2004, started Rogaine 5% 1.3 Ml 2 times daily on Aug 1st 2004 on temples.

On these dates I was a diffuse thinner (wet hair revealed the scalp in bright bathroom light/ When dry hair is parted, you can see the slight sparcity of shafts at the root. Temples at a norwood 3 (some vellus hair). Noticeable thinning in any situation.

May 23, 2005 ending 9th month. Have not missed one day.

Still diffused but only in bright bathroom light when wet, The middle is worse but the left and right side of the top of my scalp might be a teeny tiny tiny weenie little bit better if at all but isn't worse. The temples are filling in slowly but nicely. I notice them getting better by the week. They are almost thicker than the rest of my scalp.

Here's the weird part:

I have longer hair and when it's dry and combed my hair looks thicker than when I started by far, but when I part my hair you can see that the diffusing of the root area has not improved, how is this possible.

I am thinking that the first results I would see would be for the hair to thicken at the roots first and take another 6 months for that hair to grow out but it seems to be doing the opposite. Hair is thick on top but sparce at the root. I think I'm going crazy!

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

I have not got a haircut in several months so my hair is long as well. The longer hair allows me to style my hair in ways to cover up the effects of male pattern baldness but the longer hair can also show more scalp when wet or gelled. This is why most hairdressers suggest that peple who are balding keep their hair short.
You report a general improvement in your hair after a year of finasteride so it sounds like you at least made the right choice to go onthe drug. For all you know, you would be a Norwood-4 right now without finasteride.

 

[Guest]

So do you think that having longer hair would not allow me to see results.

If I didn't go on Finasteride, I don't think I would look that much different. I am very confused as to whether I'm even responding or not. I'm thinking of taking dutasteride.

 

[Greg1]

Paradise Lost, man alive, you need a congratulations just for sticking with it man! Not too many have the patience nor the stick-to-edness to do that. In my book this is worth celebrating! Good things happen for those who wait

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

Everyone's scalp shows when they part their hair. You have said that your hair has thickenned even though male pattern baldness has had a full year to cause havoc. I am guessing you have spent your time combing through this website and you realize that finasteride usually has positive effects but is no wonder drug that will grow your hair back to the same hairline as a teenager.
Be happy that finasteride seems to be maintaining what you have. Have comfort that you are doing what you can to fight your hairloss.
dutasteride is totally untested and I simply do not trust the drug at this point. Why change when finasteride appears to be doing what one would hope, thicken and maintain?

 

[Guest]

Johnny, I am not sure that it's any thicker, and it is worse in the anterior section. I am still inconclusive and I don't want to wait another 5 months to find out that the drug isn't working.

Thanks guys for your comments. What you say does help.