franz85

Yes, Dr Devroye. He will call me at some point today from Belgium, the good guy he is. I have a few things to straighten out with him before committing to surgery. Thanks all

My hair transplant doctor has told me that it would be better to remove a wider strip rather than longer because the density at the sides is not so good. The density is good on the back of the head. How have patients found this impacts on the visibility of the scar and tension etc? I trust the doctor because he is the best in Europe, according to this forum. I am just a bit worried about giving my final commitment to surgery.

I started using the foam on August 3 and the bald spot on my crown is still shrinking. My mid-scalp also looks and feels much thicker. I am not so daring, though, to try it on my hairline. I have also been using some head and shoulders conditioner now and then, and haven't had any adverse reaction on my scalp from the medicine. Just a positive story, nothing more. Franz

Having felt uncomfortable with the side effects of propecia, I switched to rogaine six weeks ago and have noticed an early improvement on my bald spot on my crown. Even my father commented that there is something a bit different. Still early days. Franz (26)

Probably my poor explanation. I took 1mg one day and 1mg the next, and the dull pain occurred on the afternoon of the second day. I am trying exactly what Spec recommended. Thanks all

Only taken 2mg (two days) of propecia and woke up today with a dull pain in my right testicle. This has persisted for a few hours now. Anyone else had this? I saw something from Spex yesterday about taking 1mg in week 1, 2mg in week 2, 3 in week 3 etc. I am thinking on these lines already. Should I be worried?

I do sympathise with your situation as I am in a similar boat to you. In fact, both my grandfathers have full heads of hair at 70, and my dad is also good. However, I was stunned when my crown started thinning and now I am probably a Norwood 3V. I am 25. I guess Future-HT-doctor is right in that it is a genetic lottery. I tend not to think - why me? I concentrate on other things and strive to do better in my job/postgraduate studies etc because of what is going on on the top of my head. I cannot comment on propecia. I should have got on it a few years ago. I took my first mg yesterday and I did a lot of reading before taking the first pill. At 25, I hope it serves me well. I did not want to mix rogaine and propecia from the start as it will be hard to see what is doing what and where any (possible) side effects are coming from. Good luck.

Will start on 0.5mg propecia on April 4 and see how I go for a month or so. I am sure many would advise starting out at 1mg, but I have done my reading and it is my personal decision. I hope my journey will be a smooth one. To be my 80 year old grandpa with his full head of hair ... Lucky git)

So far one or two experts have dismissed the possibility that my hair loss may be non-genetic. However, I am trying to piece things together. None of my great grandparents who grandfathers lost hair. None of my uncles lost hair. Only my father started losing hair in his 40s, so what happened to him is a mystery. I am 26, and although I still have a reasonable amount of hair on top, the thinning is very evident. I took citalopram for a few years (from 19) and noticed some heavy shedding soon after I began to use it. However, to maybe counter that, I will say my hairline was very suspect, even at 17/18. I would say I had quite bad depression and stress for a few years, which did not help, but who on earth knows what happened or what is going on now? I want to start rogaine, but doesn't it just help combat genetic hair loss? I am not whinging about being the 'genetic misfit', but could this all be a genetic lottery and I should not worry about starting treatment?

How soon did you notice the first side effects, Rod?

Yes. I haven't stopped reading reviews and individual cases of side effects for rogaine and propecia for a few days now, and I am leaning towards trying rogaine on its own, even though I was advised to take it with propecia. I wrote in my last post that I would be trying them together soon, but Sparky's post on making an informed choice has to be the way forward, and brings me back to my original gut feelings. The side effects of propecia are a little scary, and I don't want to risk it to be frank. I have read many stories of people who have had positive results just using rogaine. I can approach it with the knowledge that I am at least trying something even though marked improvements may not occur.

Yes, I am 26. I will start the rogaine and propecia together soon.

Hi, I started losing hair when I was 18, and was not really concerned because I (naively) thought that it was a temporary thing. Maybe it was a good thing because at least I did not worry myself at such a young age. Besides, no-one in my family had lost hair. Grandads, uncles etc having heads of hair, although my father started thinning at 45. My brother, 31, has good hair too. I had probably denied it for seven years, until last Friday when I checked my hair very closely and was nothing short of horrified. I had a few problems when I was 18 - depression and it took 2 years to get some normality back to my life. I had real issues. I have felt ok for five years. Some of the surgeons I have written to in the US have said it is down to the MPT and the problem could not have been caused by stress. I am considering doing something about it. Dr Devgoye is the man I think. It is hard to find a bad word about him on the net. I am going to meet him in June. I am a little wary of propecia, although that is what all the surgeons are recommending. I am no expert, but I fancy my donor hair is good, though not great. I am never going to have a full head of hair, and my expectations are realistic. I am just sensitive about the crown more than anything else. My biggest fear, assuming Dr Devgoye will do something, is lack of or quality of donor hair. This worries me more than what's happening on top now, and I wonder if this is normal? I have attached a few pics. (note ten minutes after a haircut)