How do you know when?

[NedFlanders]

Guys I am 32 and a Norwood 4 or possibly even almost a 5. I honestly cant handle the depression to take a pic and find out. I have been on Finpecia for about 4 months and seem to be doing good (knock on wood!), but how do you know when to start considering haveing a hair transplant done.

 

[Guest]

NedFlanders,

Did you mean you have been taking Propecia (finasteride) for four months? It's a very good indication that it appears to be working efficiency for you. Basically, like many other medications, the active ingredient finasteride takes a minimum of ninety days to begin the inhibition of Type I DHT. But really, you owe it to yourself to give the med at least a minimum of one year use as prescribed to fairly evalute it's full implications including any potential re-growth. Grafts cost mega bucks so anything you can do to minimize surgery is a "good thing" for you, the patient.

Don't jump into surgery right now. You can always do the procedure in the future and if you already waited until now at 32, give it a little more time.

BTW, if you don't mind my asking, what is your family history of male pattern baldness on both the maternal and paternal sides? What was the most advanced Norwood class in the men on either side? I mean you said you believe you're a Norwood 4 now, is there potential to hit 6 or 7?

Don't worry about showing us pics if you're uncomfortable with that because we all understand that. Maybe if you tell us more about your hair chacteristics such as, degree of coarseness (caliper), any wave or curl, color contrast, things like that.

 

[NedFlanders]

Yeah, I have been on Finpecia for four months now. Like I said I seem to be responding to it very well. What makes it so bad though is I started propecia when I was about 26, but instead of listening to myself I listened to others around me say "its all a gimmick, nothing can stop you from losing your hair". If I would have listened to myself I may have never reached this degree of hair loss. It would be about 2 years before I could even consider hair transplant, and it would be a last resort. On my moms side of the family nearly everyone has hair loss..uncles, cousins, grandpa. If I didnt try Finpecia I dont think it was "if" I was going to hit a Norwood 6-7 it was when. So the potential and odds are very high for a Norwood 6-7. As far as showing you guys the pics thats not the problem. The problem is me seeing the pics. I saw myself on a video tape I had to edit, and lets just say when I saw how bad it was it was like literally a hammer hitting me in the face. I didnt want to leave the house for two days. Its like a "out of sight out of mind" thing with me seeing pictures of myself. I look in the mirror at home, and its like its not too bad. I guess I got a "good" mirror at home because when I am at the gym and I look at myself in the mirror I see right through what little hair I have left. My hair doesnt have any curls, and color is like a dirty blonde. A lot of people on here talk about how they hope hair manipulation (if it actually will work) or hair transplant will give them the hair they had when they were teens. I am not like that. If I could get back to a Norwood 2-2.5 I would be the happiest person in the world.

 

[Guest]

Hi there Falceros,

I think I remember you from the HTN and didn't you have your procedure with Dr. Ted Katz in Philly? Did you ever go back for more? I responded to several of your posts and we had some dialogue togethor if you're the same person with the same handle. I apologize if I'm mistaken.

BTW, do you take Propecia or do you cut Proscar four ways like many guys do to save alot of money? I pay ten dollars for thirty pils and cut four ways which then lasts for four months. So, it only costs me $30 annually for finasteride. BIG SAVINGS.

 

[Guest]

NedFlanders,

Wow! I'm impressed, and I mean really impressed with you. You have given serious thought to your long term prognosis while considering family history on both sides. It's like my son whose maternal side has up to class 7 and my side up to class 6. He is 25 now and a Marine (also in Iraq), so he buzzes his head and has since 18 when he first went into the Marine Corp. He's not interested in Propecia as much as I have encouraged him to consider it, yet you have and you recognize its potential benefit. BTW, there's a new Rogaine product which is a foam application and easier to apply from what I have heard.

The difference then is you are using the hairloss meds. Hopefully that will make a difference for the longer term, but as you know only time will tell. That's why I'm also impressed that you are not rushing into a hair transplant! As you youself stated, it should be a LAST RESORT, not first choice of resolve. Try to get a better gauge on where male pattern baldness is headed for you on a longer term basis. What about results with minoxidil?

Another couple of questions for you if you're okay with that. Do you have any idea of what your virgin donor density levels are at? And also, did or does any men on either side have any "donor area thinning?"

Lastly, many of us know how trying the emotional or psychological impact our hairloss can have on us when we step out the front door. Try to focus on your other strengths and attributes that are good. I know firsthand that it's easier said than done, but try to not let this consume your days if possible.

Ever considered Toppik? With your mid-range color contrast, it may work well to help add to the illusion of coverage. As long as you have some exisiting hair, even if it's diffused, will be enough for the protein fibers to cling to. I have used it for years between my hair transplants. :hairy:

 

[NedFlanders]

gillenator thank you for all your help. I was hoping you would respond, and give me some info. I havent started minoxidil/rogaine yet, but I belive I will. My local walmart for some reasons only has the Equate brand. My virgin donor density levels if you mean the sides above my ears and bottom of the back of my head I have no problem there with loss. I can put some effort into it as in pulling my hair in those areas, and nothing comes out. I am pretty sure none of my male relatives have no hair loss in the donor areas. My grandpa on moms sign is a Norwood 7, completely bald on top, but plenty on the sides and back. I am definitely considering Toppik, and Dermatch! Take a look at this guy that used Dermatch http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/mess ... MSGDBTABLE Very impressive in my opinion. As far as this consumeing my days, it unfortunately is. I wake up and its the first thing on my mind. It honestly seems that I worry and have this on my mind every second I am awake. I know there are millions and millions people with bigger problems than what we have, but I also know we all handle our problems and situations differently. To me this feels like the end of the world. gillenator thanks once again for the advice, and I hope to hear back from you.

 

[Gorpy]

Hey Gill,
10 bucks for 30 proscar pills! Wow, that's cheap. Where do you get them? I pay $58 for 30 generic proscar pills at Costco.

Gorp

 

[sphlanx2006]

Give the meds some time, and very important start saving for your hair transplant. Keep in mind that you might also have to pay additional costs like airplane tickets, hotels etc. since you may not have any REALLY good doctors in you area.

Also i am not sure but i got the idea your treatment only consists of finpecia. Why not adding something like rogaine and nizoral? Think of it, if you are a good responder you will get back some density and some of your temples-hairline back. Then with a good hair transplant and a small puff of toppik you can have a very decent look of a real nw2!

Also, man, i feel you bad about how you are scared to take pics of your head. Although i constantly check my thinning i never dare to look at the back of my head where i know things are worse. 2 months ago I dared to do it and i was messed up for 2 days.

 

[CCS]

NedFlanders,

...
Basically, like many other medications, the active ingredient finasteride takes a minimum of ninety days to begin the inhibition of Type I DHT.

There is only one type of DHT. There are two types of 5ar, type 1 and type 2. Finasteride only inhibits type 2, and does so in the first hour after taking the drug, not 90 days later. It may be true that 90 days is required to see some results, but the hormones change in only 1 hour.

 

[dirtrider67]

NED, if your hairloss is depressing you then i think you should go for the hair transplant. let's face it, there is no magical pill or topical [yet] that will magicaly grow your hair back to where you want it. so far, a hair transplant is the closest you will come to it. i don't think 32 is to young for it. you have a lot of life left and i think that if you do a hair transplant, you will start to feel better about yourself, therefore giving you more confidence and bringing you out of your depression. i got mine at 39 and wished i would have got it 7 years ago. so just go for it and also stick with the finasteride and minoxidil too so you can maintain what you have.

good luck to you.

 

[NedFlanders]

Thanks fellows for all the feedback. sphlanx2006, I am using nizoral and I am now really considering Minx/Rogaine. I read on here that someone went from a Norwood 4 to a Norwood 2 and to me thats impressive. You say you were messed up for two days when you dared look at yours man with me I caught an accidentaly look at mine on a videotape and I am still depressed over it and that was about 2 weeks ago. dirtrider67 I will be done with school in about a year and than be finacially able to go do it, but isnt it a good idea to wait and see if the finasteride, minoxidil, etc will work. I mean it seems that if it doesnt than a hair transplant will be pointless because you will be having to go back and fourth always to have one done to try and replace what you are always losing. Like I always say, some people on here greedy they want the hair they had when they were teens, but me I would kill to be a Norwood 2.