Hair status: Now vs 9 months ago.

[Illu2ion]

In December 2014 I started treating my hair loss with RU. Since then, I've dabbled a bit between treatments and dosages. Since February I've been on finasteride (started 0.25mg ED, went up to 1.25mg ED eventually) and on minoxidil (1x ED), but in July I replaced finasteride for dutasteride (0.5mg ED). So now my regime is exactly as described in the sidebar. I used to use RU over my whole scalp but due to money issues I stopped doing that and started a low dose of RU on hair line only.

Anyway, here are then and now pics. I can't tell if the dutasteride is doing anything yet (too soon) but how is my hair compared to when I first started my hair loss journey? I just posted a lot of pictures from then and now so I guess there will be useful pics along them for sure. Lighting is different though in both pictures though, that might be a problem to compare them well...

Pictures of December 2014

 

[Illu2ion]

Pictures of August 2015


What Norwood would I approx be? NW2? Also, Density looks to be getting worse? Or is that just because of difference in lighting?

 

[alberto69]

I cant see you pictures

 

[Illu2ion]

I cant see you pictures

I guess you're on your mobile phone then, you can't see attachments on the mobiel version of this site. Go to the bottom and press "Full site", then you should be able to see my pictures.

 

[Sir Gilgamesh]

It's really hard to tell to be quite honest... When I compare the pictures it looks like there is the slightest improvement, but when I compare others they look as if it might be slightly thinner to no change at all. The miniaturized hairs on the hairline look like they're somewhat thicker and that there are more of them, but I'm not certain. From what I hear in the hair-loss game is that if you are staying steady from your regimen meaning no further loss then that is a success in and of itself. It appears that from what your regimen is that you've already pulled out all of the big guns so there isn't too much more you can do besides keeping consistent and tracking the results through photos like you have been already to be sure of the results.

 

[Illu2ion]

Thanks for your reply. I'm sort of on the big guns but then again I've only taken dutasteride for 1 month yet and have only been on finasteride or dutasteride for a combined 6 months total, so maybe this could be my hair becoming worse before it gets better?

I asked my barber what she thought recently and she said she didn't think I was thinner than a few months ago up top. Than again, I don't trust her opinion on evaluating my hair loss 100%. I'll try to get some pics of now in the same light as the first few, maybe that'll make it easier to compare.

Anyway, the fact that you're unsure regarding my hair being improved or not is a good sign imo, it tells me that whatever change is slight so things are prob working then... Also, I could potentionally up my regime by applying RU to my whole scalp. I might consider that once I start to earn more money or cut some expenses out.

 

[Sir Gilgamesh]

Thanks for your reply. I'm sort of on the big guns but then again I've only taken dutasteride for 1 month yet and have only been on finasteride or dutasteride for a combined 6 months total, so maybe this could be my hair becoming worse before it gets better?

I asked my barber what she thought recently and she said she didn't think I was thinner than a few months ago up top. Than again, I don't trust her opinion on evaluating my hair loss 100%. I'll try to get some pics of now in the same light as the first few, maybe that'll make it easier to compare.

Anyway, the fact that you're unsure regarding my hair being improved or not is a good sign imo, it tells me that whatever change is slight so things are prob working then... Also, I could potentionally up my regime by applying RU to my whole scalp. I might consider that once I start to earn more money or cut some expenses out.

Well if it's only been 6 months since you've been on finasteride/dutasteride then you have at least another 6 months before you're supposed to see the "best" results. Waiting one year before changing your regimen seems to be recommended since hair cycles take time and as you said it often gets worse before getting better although I will say that I read something about how it's supposed peak around 1.5-2 years rather than the 1 year mark; I don't have the link to that study though.

How old are you?

 

[Illu2ion]

I know I should be on a regimen for at least one year but I thought I saw my hair line thinning out on finasteride so in desperation I switched to dutasteride... I'm 17 btw. That's another reason I switched to dutasteride, this is going to be a very long battle for me (I don't wanna lose ground throughout my whole twenties), I need to have strong stuff that works for a long time.

 

[Sir Gilgamesh]

I know I should be on a regimen for at least one year but I thought I saw my hair line thinning out on finasteride so in desperation I switched to dutasteride... I'm 17 btw. That's another reason I switched to dutasteride, this is going to be a very long battle for me (I don't wanna lose ground throughout my whole twenties), I need to have strong stuff that works for a long time.

Yeah with you being only 17 and your recession being where it is it's probably best going straight to dutasteride.

 

[Illu2ion]

What norwood would you say I am?

 

[winnyblues]

nw1.5

 

[Sir Gilgamesh]

What norwood would you say I am?

I would say you're a NW2 or very close to it based on the pictures when you have all your hair pulled back.

 

[Illu2ion]

Hm I see, thanks for your opinions guys. I'm hoping I can maintain what I have with this regime (though if I can improve my density as well, that would be a huge bonus for me).

 

[xetudor]

Looks like a NW2 at most. I would just say it was a mature hairline if you were like 25 years old but at 17 I don't know, I would be freaking out as well. I was watching a movie with this guy, I thought he had a NW1 but when he pulled his hair back, he looked way worse. Even some women have some small recession or small fine hairs. At this point it's just a guessing game but dutasteride should take care of everything. Isn't it a little too strong for someone so young? Why not use finasteride?

 

[Sir Gilgamesh]

Looks like a NW2 at most. I would just say it was a mature hairline if you were like 25 years old but at 17 I don't know, I would be freaking out as well. I was watching a movie with this guy, I thought he had a NW1 but when he pulled his hair back, he looked way worse. Even some women have some small recession or small fine hairs. At this point it's just a guessing game but dutasteride should take care of everything. Isn't it a little too strong for someone so young? Why not use finasteride?

If he was older I would be saying the same thing, but if you start experiencing hair loss at such a young age and you have the "big guns" available I don't see why you wouldn't use it; you'll potentially see the greatest results and it should also theoretically be the fastest way to stabilize your hair and cause regrowth. As long as he doesn't experience any sides I don't see the problem with starting on dutasteride in comparison to finasteride whereas if he starts experiencing sides he should probably weed his way off of dutasteride and start finasteride to see if the sides taper off.