brogain

Thank you good sir. I will certainly be checking out those names.

Some really good observations and thanks for your post. I think you are correct that by 2010 my hairline had weakened significantly with hairs miniaturising. I remember shaving my hairline around the 2010 picture which prompted me to start taking meds. My hairline certainly responded well to meds in the first few years and thickened up a fair bit in 2012. My loss became a bit more noticeable from 2018 onwards. I have thrown up a yearly comparison from 2006-2021 for anyone who is interested in seeing hair loss progression over 15 years. Behind the hairline remains thick and strong and has allowed me to style my hair without the loss being so obvious. Hopefully I can hold on to as much hair as I can for the next decade which is why I am thinking a transplant might be beneficial to recover my hairline. March 2012 March 2013 March 2014 March 2015 March 2016 March 2017 March 2018 March 2019 March 2020

I certainly saw the biggest gains in the first couple of years of medication. I didn't see any dramatic changes reducing from 1mg to 0.5 but over the gradual process of 11 years the gains minimised just like the hairs. My preference is for FUE as my hair is very short at the back and would like to avoid a large scar. Based in the UK now (returned from Australia) but open to travel to Europe.

Thanks for your comment. 2-2.5 grafts is a great place for me to start my research. When I started out on my journey it was very much about saving my hair as I thought I was destined to be bald like my dad. But over the years I have come to realise it really is more about slowing down hair loss. I have only very recently given surgery consideration.

10 years on from my original hair loss story I thought it was time to check in with the forum which was so helpful when I first started researching hair loss in 2010. Quick recap My hair: My dad is a Norwood 6 and lost the majority of his hair by the age of in his early 20's. I started to notice my temples receding in my mid 20's and started medication at 27.5 and have recently turned 38. Meds: I have been on the big three for almost 11 years with no side effect. I started out taking 1mg Finasteride before reducing to 0.5mg and using Minoxidil whenever I wash my hair which is usually every other day. My thoughts 10 years later Looking back I feel the meds have made a real difference in combatting hair loss. Particularly in the early years where meds helped my hairline responded very well. My crown thickness remains strong with only some minor signs of thinning. The most noticeable area of hair loss for me is in the front with my hairline thinning gradually over the years. Where to next? I intent to continue taking the meds to slow hair loss but realise at this point I am unlikely to make any significant gains in the hairline. Therefore I am starting to think for the first time about having transplant. I am currently taking a break from work so recently began thinking about this option and naturally have a lot research and questions ahead of me. There are a couple of things I would love to know: * Based on my ten years of hair loss, would I be a good candidate for a transplant? * How many grafts would I require to restore my hairline back to what it was ten years ago? * Is restoring my hairline back to its original shape and thickness a realistic expectation with a good surgeon? Where I started (2011) Where I am at (2021)

Thank you

OK - So i have not posted an update on here since March 2011! So thought it would be time to review my progress. First I thought it would be good to give a quick summary of my regime and story so far. My earlier photos can be found at the beginning of the thread so I wont repost any of those. 2006 - Started to notice receding hairline September 2010 - Started Propecia (1mg daily) and Nizoral March 2011 - Started using Minoxidil (Rogaine but switched to Kirklands Foam later) November 2012 - Changed to 0.5mg Propecia daily So I have pretty much consistently kept the above routine of the big 3 to date. In the early days I would never miss an application or dose but over time I have become a little more relaxed and not so worried if i miss 1-2 of these per week. Let me know what you guys think.

I am currently using Rogaine Foam in the mornings and Kirkland Minoxidil. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, I find the foam very fast drying (5 minutes) which makes it a great option to apply before styling. The liquid takes a good couple of hours to fully dry. Secondly Kirkland Minoxodil is a lot cheaper than Rogaine foam. Ok.. So I want to let you know how I apply my Minoxidil. In the morning after I get out of the shower I towel dry my hair till it is as dry as it can be without using a hairdryer. I then quickly apply the foam to my hairline where I am experiencing hair loss and a little to the crown (although I currently have no signs of hair loss here). Five minutes later I apply my styling products and I’m done. At night I generally apply the liquid Minoxidil about a hour before I go to bed. I will normally wash my hair in hot water before towel drying. I then slip on a headband to pull my hair back and pop on a plastic glove, the type they use when prepping food in kitchens. I then drip between 0.5 - 1ML on to my hairline and rub vigorously with my finger making sure the liquid does not run down my face. I have heard that rubbing in topicals can help in their absorption. My question to you guys is do you think applying Minoxidil to a recently wet scalp is better than applying to a dry scalp? My opinion is that washing your hair before applying will aid absorption I use Nizoral three times a week to help remove sebum. I think that washing your hair must relax the skins surface (in a similar way to washing your face before you shave). This must help in aid the Minxodil on its long journey to the papilla. This is just anecdotal evidence but I feel like the liquid absorbs better as you can direct it straight on to the scalp. The foam while quick drying tends to absorb a lot in to the hair and feels as if its not as successful in reaching the scalp.

Time for a new year update. My hair is now extremely thick and the hairline has almost completely filled in. I am amazed at how much hair I have managed to grow back and just how good my hair looks now compared to before. I had to take some passport photos yesterday, and comparing my hair now to when I was 16 there is almost no difference. I find this amazing considering the history of MPB in my family and how bad my hair was looking after going through the initial Minoxidil shed (see August 2011 photo). All I can say is that my regimen is pretty solid right now. Consistency is absolutely key! It's the only way to know if you are getting results or not from the treatments. Comments and questions welcomed

Thanks checking in at the five month mark. Hair still looking great!! I've been a little relaxed as far as my regimen goes in the past couple of weeks with work and travel. However, this does not seem to have impacted on my hair which is still improving. Will update photos over the Xmas hols

Don't stop with Minoxidil. Your story is the same as mine it seems. I used Propecia for a little less than a year which stopped the loss but never helped to replace what I lost. After two months on Minoxidil I saw some wicked regrowth in my hairline. I'm now at the three month mark and I'm happy with my progress check out my thread for pictures. Can't wait to see how much has regrown in 6 months to a year. If I can maintain my current hairline I will be very happy.

Three months to the day since I started minoxidil to my temples and I couldn't be happier! My hairline is filling in nicely!!! I will continue taking pictures every three weeks over the next year to monitor progress.

I just turned 28 in August so feel I've caught my hair loss relatively early in life. Both my father and the men on my mums side went bald at an early age, so I feel very lucky to have the amount of hair that I do have! My goal is to maintainnp this for as long as possible. My hairline has deffiantly been getting worse since 2006 when I first noticed some thinning in that area. Gradually my hair at the front was becoming more and more see-through. Even when I started Propecia in 2010 my hair did not noticeably change (although it did stop getting thinner). I saw Minoxidil as a bit of a gamble because of the shedding period. Six weeks in I though to myself, what have I done! I was depressed to loose more and more hairs every day. I'm so thankful that I'm having a positive reponse to the drug two months on. That's why I want to share my story and hopefully help anyone else who is in a similar position. I think Minoxidil without Propecia is almost useless. Propecia on it's own is fine if you are only happy to keep what hair you have. If you want significant noticeable improvement you need to add the Minoxidil. I just wish I started sooner!

Hahahahahahahhahah I know right.... Shocking story

Apart from 2011 photos I did not take the 6 year pictures to show my hairloss. They are just snaps I had on my computer from holidays, party's etc, but are really useful to see how my hair has been thinning and see what I'm up against. Its really difficult to evaluate success when your constantly striving for something better. It really was not until today when I saw my photos and thought... God damn it's actually working!! Taking regular photos for anyone who's on meds is a must!