Exploring The Hormonal Route. Hair=life.

[keepcoolmybabies]

Well, those are about the best results that I have seen but we still don't know if they were balding before and you have made a recovery, Gergely, so your best days are probably still coming as your hair feminizes more in appearance. Look at the pics on transition timelines. Yours should continue to get longer and I would predict less curly but yeah, this is a bit of a crap-shoot for everybody and we all have different underlying hair genes.

I was losing tons of hair at one time. Otherwise I never would have joined a hairloss site and included 5ari's in my regimen

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I was losing tons of hair at one time. Otherwise I never would have joined a hairloss site and included 5ari's in my regimen

No, I know. I am just noting that some MtF's are starting from horse shoe patterns, some are starting from so-so hair and some are mostly transitioning their hair from more of a male to a female look. I have attempted to catalogue somewhat the differences even between full heads of "male" hair and "female" hair.

 

[keepcoolmybabies]

No, I know. I am just noting that some MtF's are starting from horse shoe patterns, some are starting from so-so hair and some are mostly transitioning their hair from more of a male to a female look. I have attempted to catalogue somewhat the differences even between full heads of "male" hair and "female" hair.

I was probably somewhere between Norwood 2-3 with diffuse thinning

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I was probably somewhere between Norwood 2-3 with diffuse thinning

Have you had any issue with sheds? Has maintenance been easier than climbing the hill initially?

 

[keepcoolmybabies]

Have you had any issue with sheds? Has maintenance been easier than climbing the hill initially?

I've had various sheds, including when I dropped spironolactone like I mentioned

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I've had various sheds, including when I dropped spironolactone like I mentioned

But I meant now, you appear to have completely filled in even in the corners of the temple which some say is close to impossible and which the founder of the thread stated to be his one weak area in terms of regrowth. I am derma-rolling as I type this so you inspired me, lol.

 

[deathdiss]

I would bathe in Estrogel if I could afford it but really, it is the copious use of estradiol over time that is key probably more so than topical application but I do both of course.

janey have you considered microneedling and using ketoconazole cream?

 

[Gergely]

I've had various sheds, including when I dropped spironolactone like I mentioned

how bad was it?

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

janey have you considered microneedling and using ketoconazole cream?

I use Keto 2 percent shampoo a couple of times a month, although formerly, almost every day. I have also been microneedling since July of 2019 and tout it often based upon the studies. I just have too many treatments to ascribe anything entirely to one thing but I would keep estradiol and oral minoxidil above all in a female context and dutasteride and oral minoxidil above all in a male context. I appreciate the input.

 

[keepcoolmybabies]

how bad was it?

the post spironolactone shed was awful, lost tons of ground at that time. but luckily adding cpa, dutasteride, and minoxidil at the time brought it all back and then some

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

the post spironolactone shed was awful, lost tons of ground at that time. but luckily adding cpa, dutasteride, and minoxidil at the time brought it all back and then some

I don't want to ask questions out of turn but is all of that length all you, lol? No extensions? For many of us, the divide is between mere coverage and being able to again wear our hair long without looking like an ahem hobo as was my wont previously and which I have lamentably posted.

 

[Androgenic Alpaca]

I haven't updated in a bit mostly because I found a regimen that is working for me and I've had slow but steady progress.

However, the other day, I first noticed that I have developed gynecomastia on my right nipple (only the right, not the left). To anyone wondering out there whether they have gynecomastia or if they're just imagining things: you'll know it if you got it. My nipple is very tender and there is a small coin-sized hard lump directly below my nipple where the mammary gland is developing. Again, I only have this on my right nipple, not the left.

I find it strange that I'm developing gyno now 3 months into my current regimen and 6 months after starting any treatment. Changes I've made recently:

* Increased topical estriol application from ~40mg/day (what Pegasus reccomended on his thread) to ~60mg/day
* added topical betamethasone once/day
* started using more aggressive microneedling with one of those electronic devices

now the microneedling by itself can't cause gyno, but it could cause more absorption of other compounds. If it's true that betamethasone causes an upregulation of aromatase, that could theoretically cause gyno too, but I'm not sure if just using it on my scalp once a day would actually have a considerable effect. Obviously the estriol could be causing it.

It could also be the dutasteride I've been taking, since gyno is a possible side effect of that. However, I've been on dutasteride and previously finasteride for a while so I'm not sure why I'd develop gyno just now

I'm going to stop using estriol and betamethasone for a little while. I'm hoping the gyno will go away by itself in 1 to 2 weeks then I'll try reintroducing estriol at a lower dose.

Anyone have thoughts on my situation?

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Yes that's all my hair, no extentions. I'd imagine it'd be tough to match my hairs natural curl pattern if I got extentions anyway. But here's a comparison of early on hrt to now in terms of overall thicknessView attachment 156082

Lovely and the pics are highly illustrative of some of the differences in terms of texture and sheen that favor female hair. I am wondering if you have any beauty tips or tweaks for any of us MtF's even beyond hair....

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I haven't updated in a bit mostly because I found a regimen that is working for me and I've had slow but steady progress.

However, the other day, I first noticed that I have developed gynecomastia on my right nipple (only the right, not the left). To anyone wondering out there whether they have gynecomastia or if they're just imagining things: you'll know it if you got it. My nipple is very tender and there is a small coin-sized hard lump directly below my nipple where the mammary gland is developing. Again, I only have this on my right nipple, not the left.

I find it strange that I'm developing gyno now 3 months into my current regimen and 6 months after starting any treatment. Changes I've made recently:

* Increased topical estriol application from ~40mg/day (what Pegasus reccomended on his thread) to ~60mg/day
* added topical betamethasone once/day
* started using more aggressive microneedling with one of those electronic devices

now the microneedling by itself can't cause gyno, but it could cause more absorption of other compounds. If it's true that betamethasone causes an upregulation of aromatase, that could theoretically cause gyno too, but I'm not sure if just using it on my scalp once a day would actually have a considerable effect. Obviously the estriol could be causing it.

It could also be the dutasteride I've been taking, since gyno is a possible side effect of that. However, I've been on dutasteride and previously finasteride for a while so I'm not sure why I'd develop gyno just now

I'm going to stop using estriol and betamethasone for a little while. I'm hoping the gyno will go away by itself in 1 to 2 weeks then I'll try reintroducing estriol at a lower dose.

Anyone have thoughts on my situation?

I don't but it is good to see you posting again, Mr. Camelid.

 

[keepcoolmybabies]

Lovely and the pics are highly illustrative of some of the differences in terms of texture and sheen that favor female hair. I am wondering if you have any beauty tips or tweaks for any of us MtF's even beyond hair....

Huge one was shaping my brows, which kinda frame the face. Much of the rest was just being patient for hrt to do its thing

 

[deathdiss]

i thought full temple recovery was impossible except through surgery. that's insane.

 

[keepcoolmybabies]

i thought full temple recovery was impossible except through surgery. that's insane.

I credit tretinoin with minoxidil as a big reason for temple recovery

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I credit tretinoin with minoxidil as a big reason for temple recovery

I am doing that and oral minoxidil appears to work similarly or better than minoxidil with retin-A.

 

[deathdiss]

I credit tretinoin with minoxidil as a big reason for temple recovery

are you on any kind of diet as well for the hair or do you eat what comes to mind?

 

[keepcoolmybabies]

are you on any kind of diet as well for the hair or do you eat what comes to mind?

I tend to avoid dairy like the plague since it makes me breakout and get scalp folliculitis