Watch ya Think?

[s322]

Hi Peeps,
I have had insanely slow hair loss over 20 years, but it's finally caught up to noticeable. I started finasteride 3 years ago, but have lost more since, so 1mg isn't cutting it.

Went to hair transplant Doctor and he said he wasn't comfortable doing a procedure yet and I hadn't hit the line of loss that he accepts. He did mention minoxidil, but I keep reading not great results and that it can age your face. I'd blow that rumor off but it keeps coming up, like some people experience it and some don't.

So at present am doing finasteride 1mg and Nizoral (for last two years). Still not cutting it. Input? I could try more finasteride, don't know if that will do anything. I don't have sexual side effects at present with it, which is good. minoxidil isn't off the table, but between hair and skin, f the hair, you can replace that. Wrinkles aren't so easy. Speaking of which,I still feel I could just do hair transplant and be done with it all, but the Doctor says try everything else first.

Here is the worst picture I could find I am not terribly broken up about it (was when I was younger), am older now so it's not earth shattering. Still, who wants to lose their hair if they can do something lol? Thanks for any input people.

 

[swingline747]

HOW THE F is that NOT at the point a Doctor would want to transplant???? Mine is the same and everyone I see tells me its perfect to start. Weird.

 

[s322]

You know, I said the same thing. And honestly, hair transplant seems like the most direct best/final result there is. Just do it and be done with it. Easier than using all of the medications out there for the rest of your life with lesser results. Think about all the $ you spend in the long run. In the short run hair transplant is costly, but hopefully one and done, or two and done. Screw the strip method though, no scars.

This Doctor (who is pretty renown, guess I'm not allowed to say who it is on here) basically said it is thin, but not bald. Hair line is gone of course (been for many many years) but he believed that it could just be thickened up again through the vertex/crown since it wasn't flat out bald. Pretty thin though. Maybe he is just accustomed to replacing bald areas, not areas that are thin but have a chance at regrowth. Anyway, I see hair transplant's like nose jobs or the like. Not a biggie.

Aside from that, other input for the non hair transplant route? More finasteride? minoxidil input? dutasteride? (that one really makes me nervous) Thanks peeps.

 

[GoldenMane]

If you do have a hair transplant, you will still have to take finasteride for the res if your life. Otherwise the non transplanted hair may thin and go bald. Find another doctor, get a hair transplant and get on finasteride! Most hair transplant doctors won't even consider doing a hair transplant unless you've been on finasteride and minoxidil for two years minimum. finasteride is unavoidable no matter what route you take!

 

[s322]

If you do have a hair transplant, you will still have to take finasteride for the res if your life. Otherwise the non transplanted hair may thin and go bald. Find another doctor, get a hair transplant and get on finasteride! Most hair transplant doctors won't even consider doing a hair transplant unless you've been on finasteride and minoxidil for two years minimum. finasteride is unavoidable no matter what route you take!

Hmm, maybe that's why the Doctor is recommending finasteride/minoxidil first and no hair transplant. If I am going to be doing those things anyway after the hair transplant, might as well see if they work before the hair transplant since I am not bald yet.

minoxidil though... sounds like a pain.

 

[GoldenMane]

Eh... minoxidil is a pain... I've only been using it two months, I don't use it mornings, just at night. It takes me about 10 minutes to apply, so about the same as brushing my teeth or washing my hair. The first minoxidil I used was Kirkland, it takes forever to dry. Usually about 3 hours!. I've just started Spectral UHP, it dries much faster and is less hassle, but it's way more expensive. minoxidil is totally worth it for the results imo, but it would be nice not to have to do this every day and spend all the money...

 

[s322]

hair transplant ftw?

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And wait, why does it take 10 minutes to apply? Rub a bit in right?

 

[GoldenMane]

I have really long hair, and diffuse thinning so it's my whole scalp, and relatively early stages of hair loss so it takes me a long time to part my hair and put it on. 10 minutes at the lease. If I just rub a bit on it'll all get on my hair and none will reach my scalp.

 

[swingline747]

For me I can't take Finn so I have to rely on a hair transplant with just minoxidil and nizoral.

I will just hope for the best

 

[s322]

Well, there is only one hair transplant doctor covering our area, and he is pretty well renown. This guy says just try to thicken it first with minoxidil. I guess he figures since I will have to do that anyway, try it first before hair transplant to see what happens.

I was hoping to avoid minoxidil, but figure once a day foam can't be that bad. I'll use it like hair gel I figure. And I'll keep people posted. If it doesn't work or sucks, hair transplant it is.

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Plus my main interest is regrowth. Halting at this point is better than still losing hair, but it still don't look great as is.

 

[s322]

Update: As per Doctor's recommendation, tried minoxidil Foam. First day seemed fine, until the evening. I applied it once, but ended up with puffy face, skin hurt, and headache.

I think the way I am going to go is really really slow. Once every five days or so for a while, then very slowly bring that up. I figure the best way to go is to let your body adjust gradually. I did this with finasteride and dodge the side effects the second time around (first time got sides from taking full dose immediately). Anyway, if issues persist I will stop minoxidil completely. As I mentioned elsewhere, hair can be replaced. Skin is harder to correct. We shall see!