What Type Of Norwood Do You Think I Might Be?

[Chronic Tronic]

I started noticing hairloss around age 21, and then REALLY started to notice it around 25. But it wasn't until last year (age 28) that it got so crazy bad and was going so fast to the point where i couldnt have it long anymore. The barber started giving me combovers. That's when i knew i had to shave it.

I only just started on minoxidil 5 months ago (1-2x daily 5%), along with microneedling (2-3x/month 1.5mm with dermapen, 1-2x/week 0.3mm with dermaroller). I also started using RU a month ago. And i frequently apply emu oil and various EOs.

Haven't really noticed any regrowth as of yet but i think the shedding has slowed down.

My question is, what Norwood am i? How bad is it, and is it too late to do anything about this? Should i abandon all hope to regrow any hair after 4 months of minoxidil and microneedling?

I will continue with the RU as i have about 1 more month worth of it left but this sh*t is pretty expensive for it to turn out to be pointless. I might switch to topical finasteride instead, as it's way cheaper than RU.

Heres some pics. (One where i let it grow out for 2 months, the rest shaved)

Any thoughts?

 

[baba_yaga]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, it is very late to start traditional treatment (finasteride+minoxidil). Chances of somewhat acceptable regrowth with those drugs is very small. Either shave it, or go into more powerful drugs.

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Whats more powerful?

 

[baba_yaga]

People would attack me if I mention them to you. However, in this particular case, I will.

A hair transplant will not be enough. You have lost the overwhelming majority of your hair on the top. The only options are either wear a system, or go into HRT. (assuming you really REALLY want your hair back, otherwise dont bother)

Always do your research and take into deep consideration the long term situation of any regimen.

 

[NorwoodingMyWay]

I agree with @baba_yaga . Your condition is quite advanced for the traditional anti-hairloss starter pack (Finasteride + Minoxidil + Nizoral + some even include dermarolling).




However, there is still hope. I would advise you to opt for oral Finasteride + continue your minoxidil + dermarolling to boost minoxidil effectiveness and blood circulation. Give these treatements at least a year before evaluating anything. I don't think you would like extreme regimens, and if finasteride isn't enough after a year or so, switch to dutasteride. About RU, there isn't a single study trail on it, only anecdotes from people on the internet. I wouldn't include it in the Anti-hairloss treatment due to its ambiguity in its side effects and just about everything. But hey, if it is really helping you, then by all means keep at it.

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Wow even too late for transplant? So you'd say i'm like a 6 on the Norwood scale?

Thanks for the info guys i appreciate it lots. I'll try finasteride for a few months and see if it does anything. Just a year ago my hair was okay enough to keep long, and didn't even look bad at all. I've been thinning slowly for 10 years. but it wasn't until half a year ago did it get so bad i had to shave it. I just started losing a ton of hair suddenly out of nowhere. Either that or i never noticed how much hair i actually lost over the years because ive always had it long.

 

[NorwoodingMyWay]

Wow even too late for transplant? So you'd say i'm like a 6 on the Norwood scale?

Thanks for the info guys i appreciate it lots. I'll try finasteride for a few months and see if it does anything. Just a year ago my hair was okay enough to keep long, and didn't even look bad at all. I've been thinning slowly for 10 years. but it wasn't until half a year ago did it get so bad i had to shave it. I just started losing a ton of hair suddenly out of nowhere. Either that or i never noticed how much hair i actually lost over the years because ive always had it long.

I don't know why you disliked my response, i was just trying to help but whatever. I never said you were too late for a Hair Transplant, i sepecifically told you to commence oral finasteride and stay on your basic regimen for more than year before evaluating the efficacy.

 

[Chronic Tronic]

I didnt dislike your response. I said thank you!

I was responding to baba about the transplant thing

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Oops i mustve hit the button by accident sorry im walking while texting rn lol

 

[Chronic Tronic]

I wonder if there is a possibility that kratom couldve aggravated my hairloss, as this has only started to become major around the time i started taking it. i began taking kratom daily about a year ago, right before my hair started falling out like crazy.

There arent any studies proving a relation between kratom and hairloss, but i see a lot of anectotal claims online about it.

I wonder if hairloss caused by drugs can be more easily reversible than purely androgenic pattern loss.

 

[NorwoodingMyWay]

I wonder if there is a possibility that kratom couldve aggravated my hairloss, as this has only started to become major around the time i started taking it. i began taking kratom daily about a year ago, right before my hair started falling out like crazy.

There arent any studies proving a relation between kratom and hairloss, but i see a lot of anectotal claims online about it.

I wonder if hairloss caused by drugs can be more easily reversible than purely androgenic pattern loss.

Yes, there may be a relation between kratom and hairloss. Kratom is an immunebooster, meaning it aids the immune system in protecting against sicknesses and bacteriophage infections. However, chronic exposure to Kratom can stimulate the immune system enough to attack hair follicles. There is a condition just like that called Alopecia Areata.




I don't think you have Alopecia Areata, it seems your hair loss pattern follows the Androgenetic Alopecia pattern, but i am not excluding Kratom in its potential harm for hair.

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Yea i definitely have androgenic alopecia. I think kratom may have attributed to excessive shedding in the past year tho, because it happened so suddenly.

I'm gonna get off kratom and get on finasteride and see if i see any progress

 

[Unacknowledged]

I agree with @baba_yaga . Your condition is quite advanced for the traditional anti-hairloss starter pack (Finasteride + Minoxidil + Nizoral + some even include dermarolling).




However, there is still hope. I would advise you to opt for oral Finasteride + continue your minoxidil + dermarolling to boost minoxidil effectiveness and blood circulation. Give these treatements at least a year before evaluating anything. I don't think you would like extreme regimens, and if finasteride isn't enough after a year or so, switch to dutasteride. About RU, there isn't a single study trail on it, only anecdotes from people on the internet. I wouldn't include it in the Anti-hairloss treatment due to its ambiguity in its side effects and just about everything. But hey, if it is really helping you, then by all means keep at it.

I agree with this

 

[Chronic Tronic]

https://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/patient-photos/4/

I've been checking out some finasteride before/after pics from this site and theres a lot of people with what seems to be pretty aggressive hair loss (worse than mine) making great recovery after a year or two of finasteride 1~1.25mg/daily. Of course some people have better results than others, and i'm sure some people see no results at all. It seems like the younger people under age 30 get the best results.

This guy here is incredible, his before picture looks just like me. And look at those results. This cant be from just finasteride alone, can it? Is he just incredily lucky? Or do you think these are photoshopped?

 

[Unacknowledged]

https://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/patient-photos/4/

I've been checking out some finasteride before/after pics from this site and theres a lot of people with what seems to be pretty aggressive hair loss (worse than mine) making great recovery after a year or two of finasteride 1~1.25mg/daily. Of course some people have better results than others, and i'm sure some people see no results at all. It seems like the younger people under age 30 get the best results.

This guy here is incredible, his before picture looks just like me. And look at those results. This cant be from just finasteride alone, can it? Is he just incredily lucky? Or do you think these are photoshopped?

This is possible. For you aswell.

 

[Cory twill]

Wondering if I can get some help here. I started to freak out about hair about a year and a half or two years ago (I’m now 26). I noticed my hairline was pushing back over my left temple but oddly enough not over my right. My hairline was completely rounded off just a concave line across my forehead (it still is this way over the right side of my head just flush straight across not even a V or a Norwood 1). Then left side however has been pushing back (you can see where the baby hairs are it used to be flush straight across only a couple years ago. Now it was driving me crazy so I hopped on finasteride/ and minoxidil about 6 months ago and here’s where I’m at now. It just really struck me in the mirror today and I honestly have no idea if it’s worse or exactly the same. Thinking of heading in for another apt. With a dermatologist or hair loss specialist in the area. But figured I’d get an opinion or two just cuz it’s driving me crazy. I know they say it can take up to a year or two to see big results with finasteride and I don’t plan on stopping but I’ve been real diligent with the finasteride and minoxidil for the past 6 months and it’s just discouraging to have it almost kinda look worse. I don’t know. Opinions?

 

[Cory twill]

Wondering if I can get some help here. I started to freak out about hair about a year and a half or two years ago (I’m now 26). I noticed my hairline was pushing back over my left temple but oddly enough not over my right. My hairline was completely rounded off just a concave line across my forehead (it still is this way over the right side of my head just flush straight across not even a V or a Norwood 1). Then left side however has been pushing back (you can see where the baby hairs are it used to be flush straight across only a couple years ago. Now it was driving me crazy so I hopped on finasteride/ and minoxidil about 6 months ago and here’s where I’m at now. It just really struck me in the mirror today and I honestly have no idea if it’s worse or exactly the same. Thinking of heading in for another apt. With a dermatologist or hair loss specialist in the area. But figured I’d get an opinion or two just cuz it’s driving me crazy. I know they say it can take up to a year or two to see big results with finasteride and I don’t plan on stopping but I’ve been real diligent with the finasteride and minoxidil for the past 6 months and it’s just discouraging to have it almost kinda look worse. I don’t know. Opinions?

edit: (the first pic is what really struck me it’s just very clear it’s moved back at least a full inch in about a year and a half)

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Just thought I'd update here since its been a few months. I cut back on kratom a lot but other than that just applying the minoxidil/finasteride topical solution once at night, every other day. Not sure if there is a difference as the hair is longer but plan on shaving it again to see. It feels a lil thicker than before i shaved it last time

Flash/no flash

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Here is a long hair before photo for reference (5 months ago)

 

[Chronic Tronic]

Hey thanks for the clarification, i figured i was at least 3. I'm still on minoxidil 15% that had finasteride in it. Try to use at least once per day. I used to microneedle but i will get back on it again.

So you dont think ive had much improvements so far with my current regimen? I know its hard to tell with the different hair length but i feels less diffuse than before when i had it same lengrh