Maz_a

Hi Hairtroubles, as the above poster wrote, I would discuss potential side effects of Citalopram with your doctor rather than anecdotal advice given on this forum. You can review the scientific literature yourself online, for which there seems to be generally weak evidence that Citalopram is routinely linked to hair loss. Whilst your GP may not be a specialist in hair loss, he/she will have prescribed Citalopram hundreds/thousands of times and subsequently had reviews with those patients (unlike most hair loss doctors). You could always ask if hair loss ever came up as an issue in any of those patients. PRP & Vitamin injections? My own view is that it is a complete waste of money. Think about it... If PRP & Vitamins really had any degree of long-term efficacy, nobody in their right mind would even consider taking Finasteride. And that would be common knowledge on this forum. But again, do your own research and speak to experts. I say this because I have been there myself. I didn't want to take Finasteride, but was desperate to stop my hair loss. I spent a lot of money on PRP and taking all sorts of hair loss shakes, vitamins etc. It did nothing and I wasted several thousands of pounds. Know one thing my friend: However tough a time you feel you're going through right now, you'll come through the other side. Drop me a private message if you ever feel like it. I went through the same path! Cheers Maz

I think there has to be a stream of positive feedback from real patients for some time before a recommendation to the recommended list should be approved. Just my view. I think I would start to doubt the integrity of the recommended list otherwise.

Hi baalloss, I'm very sorry to hear about your outcome and hope you have since been able to make some steps in the right direction. Thank you for your honest review, which you wrote in a very balanced way, giving credit where it was due and pointing out problems. Without these reviews, people aren't able to trust these forums and make decisions taking into account all of the positives and negatives, so you're a credit to the community for doing so. Ironically, what put me off going with Dr Lupanzula was Scott's attitude on the phone to me before I had my procedure booked (bad mouthing other clinics / surgeons etc.). It just left a bad taste in my mouth and came off as very unprofessional. Dr Lupanzula would be wise to consider the impact the behavior of his team can have on the overall clinic and choices people make. And hopefully all can learn from the experience here. As I said, I hope you have been able to take positive steps forwards in whatever form and wish you the best. Maz

As Melvin said, GroMD is just overpriced and doesn't contain anything that will make a material difference to the amount of hair on your head. Spex also tried to sell me GroMD like it was the second coming of Christ via e-mail. Quite depressing in a way, but not all that surprising. I understand people's interest in these "other" treatments. People will understandably try and do anything to avoid Finasteride if they can.

Likewise, I didn't agree with everything Kevin Mann said, but I completely agree. The "Cancel Culture" whereby anything you said or did, no matter how many years, decades or whatever ago it was, is brought up to smear your character and force your cancellation. Surely almost everyone has at some point made stupid comments or done stupid, even reprehensible things that they reflect back on and are ashamed of or at least embarrassed about. This "cancel culture" is a slippery slope.

Hard to argue with that.

I sunk £800 or so and used the LH80 pro (laser helmet) religiously for nearly a year and it did absolutely nothing for me. I continued to lose hair at a similar rate. I can't speak for other people, but if they really were worth the investment, then you would hear people talking about them on these forums and the success they've had with them a lot more. My personal view is they are largely crap, a waste of money and lining somebody's pockets without the data to back up their efficacy. But we do desperate things when we're losing our hair, don't we... I hope I have just saved you some money. Keep fighting my friend and best wishes to you.

I had Help-Hair recommended to me after my visit to the Maitland Clinic. As Melvin said, it is just overpriced protein - think it was around £55 for a kilo bag. They sell it on their website via the store section. Why a clinic of the calibre of Maitland would push this crap and run the risk of looking money-grabbing (at least in my opinion) is beyond me. When you are genuinely one of the best surgeons in the world, your results do all the selling you'll ever need (the Maitland results gallery would have most people sold).

Good luck Buddy! Looks like clean work and got my fingers crossed that you're pleased with the eventual result.

Hi John, Your hair loss is advanced for your age, which doesn't mean that all hope is lost, but it means you have to look very carefully at the reality of your situation. From the photos, I'd guess you'd be classified as advanced NW5, possibly NW6. People can and do get some results in your shoes if they pursue the Finasteride/Minoxidil + hair transplant route, but it would be at great expense requiring multiple surgeries in your case and even then you may not get a result that you're really satisfied with. If Melvin reads this (forum moderator), he is a voice you should listen to, particularly having had advanced hair loss himself at a young age. My advice would be: 1. Speak with at least 3-4 recommended & reputable doctors, such as those recommended on here (i.e. Dr Bisanga). Get their informed & qualified views on your situation. 2. Know that alternatives outside of Fin/Minox/Surgery do exist (SMP / Systems). 3. Have a beer and have great New Year. Maz

Regarding the topic of "Should I have a transplant without Finasteride?"; I met with a well respected hair loss surgeon in London the other week, who told me that it is really a case of donor capacity/quality and a willingness to undergo multiple procedures potentially in future. Apparently many of his patients are not on Fin, so people clearly do it, but it's for you to discuss the pros and cons with several doctors and take a calculated risk, or not. I think if you proceed without Fin then it's all the more important to save some cash to go with one of the very best surgeons with a track record of big time procedures and results. That's the path I'm likely heading down, even though I'm currently undecided when it comes to surgeons.

Yes, however Breezula didn't receive the FDA approval, only Winlevi. But it's the same ingredient. It might be that some doctors would prescribe Winlevi off-label. Who knows. Here's hoping. #lovemyhairbutlovemydi**more

The drug that has just been approved by the FDA is Winlevi, as a treatment for acne. The company is Cassiopea, which is simultaneously developing Breezula, which contains exactly the same active ingredient (Clascoterone) but at a higher concentration (circa 7%) for male pattern baldness. I believe the intended market launch would be 2022 for Breezula, were it to be FDA approved. But Winlevi getting the approval is obviously a good sign, even though it's for a different indication. https://www.cassiopea.com/company/ I think it's something to be optimistic about. And I am optimistic and hopeful that better stabilising alternatives to Finasteride will come out in the next 1-3 years. Finasteride's side-effect profile is just not acceptable to a lot of guys, me included, even though it's a very small number of users being adversely impacted.

Agreed. Could be a fan, but certainly reads very suspiciously.

Just another sleazy salesperson masquerading as a consumer advocate. Had a chat with him not long ago and he just tried to hard sell me GroMD shampoo like it was the second coming of Christ. It's obviously ironic and depressing in equal measure that he does this off the back of being screwed over himself as a youngster in this industry.

Hi TheForkLift, Any update? Hope things have started kicking more into motion for you. Best, Maz

Oh and Melvin who moderates this forum is someone who has had a superb result without Finasteride. I'm not saying it will be like that for all, but it isn't a foregone conclusion.

I have put the question of "Is it worth having a transplant without Finasteride?" to many surgeons and most say it is, provided you have a good enough donor and are willing to make some sacrifices. I read this the other week: https://www.iahrs.org/q-a/is-it-worth-having-a-hair-transplant-if-i-dont-take-propecia It's such a minefield of differing opinion, because some people would say don't touch a transplant until your hair has stabilised, which, if you're not taking medication, is something that would otherwise be most likely to come with age. But then do I want to be unhappy with my appearance for 10 years (I'm 33) to see how things stabilise? In that case, I might as well just cut my hair short, work on my self-confidence / coming to terms with hair loss and move on. That's why it's so important to go with the very best in the business, no matter what the cost (within reason). Because £5k extra or whatever it may be should seem like finding some loose change in your pocket when it comes to changing your appearance for life. And if you're told by enough credible surgeons (not ones just looking to make £££, and always get multiple opinions!) that it just isn't the right thing to do, I'd say take them seriously. I remember one surgeon saying "A bad/inappropriate transplant is several multiples worse aesthetically than thinning hair". Keep me updated with how you get on Fahri. Good to chat with you. Maz

Hi Fahri, I likewise hate sitting on the fence, which is what I have also done with Finasteride. I am also usually quite a decision maker and don't follow hyperbole & unsubstantiated claims on internet forums. If it were only that, I think I would have less of an issue. I think what has irked me is the fact that there are quite a few medical doctors who speak out against the use of Propecia/Finasteride. That is what unnerves me, not forum users. Again, it isn't about the 99% of people who have no issue, like Ciaus, it is about your state of mind and ability to deal with some uncertainty, no matter how statistically insignificant. Only a decision we can make ourselves. Maz

Hi Deanomag, I would suggest discussing your concerns with Dr Reddy himself and also with your GP. You then have two medical opinions upon which to base your decision, because the internet is a minefield of disinformation at the best of times.

Hi Fahri, what you've written about is the same thought that goes round and round in the heads of most men with a desire to preserve their hair using Finasteride and a connection to the internet! I started taking Finasteride last year and had some side effects and so I stopped the medication. Was this just because of all of the horror stories I'd read, or did I really react to the drug? I have no clue. In a way, the result is kind of the same. And I would never stop worrying about it, because that's just how my mind works. I put this question to my wife; If you were losing your hair (arguably much worse as a female) and a drug was released that worked in almost all cases, but had a 1% chance of causing you lifelong fertility issues (i.e. possibly you couldn't conceive), would you take it? And she said absolutely not. No matter how insignificant the risk statistically, the risk is still there. And so taking Finasteride is a very personal decision and hugely influenced by your state of mind. Sadly, most peoples' state of mind is understandably influenced by what they've read online. How could it not be? Perhaps it would have been better for all of us if we'd need never had the chance to read about the side effects! No doubt it would have been. So the facts are this: The overwhelming majority of people do not experience side effects with Finasteride and almost all who do can simply come off the medication and the effects dissipate. But you know that already. Good luck in whatever you choose to do Fahri and don't feel bad about "sitting on the fence". You're just human. Maz

If you are trying for a baby now, why even run the risk of a lower sperm count? If you've decided to use Finasteride, just wait until your baby is conceived and then go straight on it. I've had several doctors tell me that they recommend not using Finasteride when trying to conceive, not because they've got hard evidence to back it up, but because there's a chance and why even bother taking it.