Faxanadu

Hey. Thank you - good advice. I will email his assistant to see whether it’s something he would suggest. As of now, he’s suggested oral minoxidil 5mg 1 a day, and fina 1 a day. But worth asking!

Hey. Thank you so much for your inspiring words. Many of the supportive comments I have received on this thread have really made me feel better. Being told to be heading to a NW6 truly shocked me - it’s reassuring to read that this doesn’t necessarily have to happen. With conservative treatment, I hope NW6 could be delayed by a significant amount of years, or perhaps halted altogether. I hear you re: putting oneself on other people’s shoes to get some perspective. I am lucky enough (!) to have two incurable, life-threatening health conditions (well managed by meds). Hair loss should really be at the bottom of my priorities but can’t help it - seeing that giant forehead has always given me paranoia since my teens, and now more than ever! Take care, and thanks again for encouraging words.

Hey - thanks so much for your reply and for the time and effort you put in your videos. I have indeed been considering switching to dutasteride. I have been taking fina 1mg for over a year but clearly without much benefit! Wanted to try duta but wasn’t sure about The right dosage. I will have a good look at your video, and hopefully by the end I will know how much to take, and how many days each week! Take care.

Thank you - you’re too kind! Didn’t want to end up with a random line of fluffy hair in the front and a totally bald head of hair behind it!! Not a great look

Hey, dr said it’s a combination of both: diffuse thinning hair everywhere including the donor area, and my natural hair consistency which if fine by its own nature. A couple of pics from the back, not the clearest I know!

Hello, yes he used a microscope and also chopped three strands of hair from different parts. Diagnosis as follows: Donor Density: Measured in 2 areas as 50/60 Follicular units per cm2, most of the follicles are 1 and 2 hair folliclesMiniaturisation: 20% miniaturised hair in the donor area Recommendations: not to do a hair transplantdue to the higher miniaturisation and the smaller follicles in your donor area. You don't have a DUPA, but you have quite some grafts that are also thinning in your donor area.To help with the miniaturisation the doctor recommends to look into medication to stabilise your hair loss and reinforce your thinning hairs.

Consider I didn’t wash my hair today as I was in a rush, and it was dirty with last night’s rogaine foam and hair wax , both of which make them stick to each other.

Hey there, sure. Might take some more in proper daylight that’s all I could muster by myself tonight …

Thanks for sharing your experience. So in my family: mum, thin hair but all of it (the sort of thin that when you wash it looks very full, in between shampoos it almost shows the skin) Dad- passed away. I remember him pre chemo and had all hair (very thin too but all of it). After chemo, baldness and all kicked in before he passed away. brother - full head and zero receding temples! nonna (dad’s mum): went quite bald on top in her…late sixties? Proper alopecia. mums brothers: one NW6, the other one kept his hair until his seventies, that I can recall. that’s sort of it. Worth mentioning that I’ve had a HUGE forehead since I was a toddler and in my teenage years.

That’s kind of you to say, thank you! In normal indoor circumstances, it can still be styled and look fine. Outdoors, even with a gentle breeze, I turn into an Elizabethan painting.

This is super helpful. Thank you so much. And agree re crazy stuff - I already take meds for epilepsy so need to be careful as to what other “stuff” I put in my body. But have read of various other treatments, such as topical spirolactone, dutasteride instead of fina, and another one whose name I can’t remember (it’s all numbers!). Was wondering if anyone had a perfect recipe they could share - though am also fully aware that every head is different! Just a bit depressed I suppose. Fair enough to be told I don’t have enough donor hair for a transplant.. but to hear I’m destined to NW6?! makes me even angrier as both my dad and brother have full heads of hair. Thank you for reading my ramblings

Hi everyone. As mentioned, I went to see Dr Bisanga and he seemed really competent and kind. His assistant was amazing. Unfortunately he delivered some sad news which I was totally not expecting: I’m heading to NW6. He recommended 5mg oral and fina 1mg. Is there anything you could suggest for me to keep my hair as long as possible? I’m 40 and I (think) have hair all over, apart from receding temples and diffused thinning. I can see through the scalp under direct light shining over my head. My friends though don’t tell me I looks bald or that my hair looks different from my 20s. I also asked my neurologist to switch my epilepsy medication as I have read what I am currently on (lamotrigine) has hair loss as a side effect. Many forum users report this too. Hope you can advise on best treatment mix on top of the above. PRP? Dermaroll? Biotin? Other drugs? I am open to anything! Below are the doctor’s notes. Norwood classification: Diffuse hair loss from front to back, going to a NW6Hair Characteristics: Salt & Pepper, Slightly wavy, Fine HairDonor Density: Measured in 2 areas as 50/60 Follicular units per cm2, most of the follicles are 1 and 2 hair folliclesMiniaturisation: 20% miniaturised hair in the donor area Dermoscopy:Normal, no signs of scalp issues

Hey there, thanks for your time and input. Dr Bisanga essentially said that I didn’t have enough hair at the back and sides to move to the front and achieve a “full” result. He didn’t rule it out altogether, but said I was on the “edge” of the spectrum in terms of who’s a good candidate and who is not. Not sure if it changes anything but the earlier photos were taken with the sun starkly shining over my scalp. I have just taken a couple of pictures in different light conditions. Also worth mentioning that Dr Bisanga cut off three strands of hair to the side hence those more visible “hole”. I also attach a photo from 10 years ago, just out of the sea. My hair has always been so fine that, when wet, it would show the scalp throughout. Once dried up it would look much fuller and “normal”. My mother has the same thin hair. i have been using fina 1mg and minoxidil foam plus nizoral for over a year with breaks when on holiday. Haven’t seen much change. Hoping the oral mino Bisanga’s colleague will prescribe to me will bring better results. Is there anything else you recommend I could take? Saw Palmetto for example or overkill? Thanks, and have a great evening.

Thanks. It’s surprising but I sort of knew deep down…the issue seem to be both according to Bisanga. My hair is naturally fine and just not a lot through I guess! He confirmed what I had feared… But I appreciated his honest feedback. He said I would have needed at least 2000 grafts to achieve the density I needed to slightly lower my hair and temple line. And even then he couldn’t guarantee it, plus he said I would be left with visible holes in my donor area. He was accompanied by a British doctor, who told me my only real option was to switch from Minoxidil foam to the oral tablets, which he said he’d prescribe. Oh well. Let’s hope for stem cell harvesting to become a reality at some point in the future. Here are a couple of pics I have just take of my donor area.

Hello, and thanks for your reply. Just had my appt with Dr Bisanga. He was very honest indeed. No hair transplant for me as I don’t have enough donor hair - too fine throughout which would have resulted in a see through transplant to the front, and visible gaps on the sides and behind. Oh well. Big shame but appreciated his honesty.