DarkKnight

9 minutes ago, SeanToman said:

I'd say without finasteride; the hair in my crown area would've receded much worse. I don't think there has been any new growth but rather it's held onto existing hairs.
This seems to be the case for most people.

The goal for most people here is to get on finasteride & get a hair transplant.
Hope this helps.

Yea i can live with that, as long as my current hairloss stops and i get to maintain my current hair. Any significant change in quality of hair thinning wise?

Just now, SeanToman said:

Yup, had an allergic reaction to minoxidil in the past so I try to avoid it.

Interesting... So fin alone seems to be working for you? Is your hairloss under control? What about regrowth?

Apologies for the questions but i realise i am getting more helpful stuff here instead of from the three specialists i have visited.

9 minutes ago, SeanToman said:

Yes I'm on 1mg per day, no side effects over the course of a year.

My libido has been lower over the past few months but it's also been a fairly stressful time in my life so that could also be the reason why.

Appreciate the response, all the best. Is that the only treatment you are on currently?

19 hours ago, SeanToman said:

A part of me has a suspicion that ED/Anxiety side effects from finasteride actually come from placebo from all the fear mongering online. 
It does lower your libido, that much us proven.

Are you on it? Care to share your experience?

17 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

1) I have been on Dutasteride for now coming up towards my 10th month. The sides whilst my body adjusted to the lower DHT (90% lower on Dutasteride vs 70% lower on Finasteride) at the full dosage took maybe a couple months and then rebounded a bit. 

. 

4) I have not had a hair transplant just yet. I did know that i'd have to get to like 25 before i would probably get considered for one and not losing a lot of hair. Luckily i met that criteria probably before medication was started but i had stuff going on in my life and what  i need for my hair transplant is a very specialised skill very few surgeons/clinics can do. It's why i've chosen Eugenix Hair Sciences in India and originally was going to go last week but hoping to go in May now. 

 

. 

About points 1 and 4, how efficient is dutasteryde for you? And about the sides, did you say you are experiencing sides from dutasteryde? I didn't get that part. Rebounded meaning the sides came back? 

And how old are you? How progressive is your hair loss? How many grafts will you be getting next month? And isn't eugenix like extremely expensive according to Indian prices?

I wish you all the best for your transplant.

4 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

Topical Finasteride can be more easily applied than using Minoxidil which usually is 2x a day, but like you said, much harder to get a hold of.

I think the mental stress you mentioned probably wouldn't have helped and i noticed around about when i started the medication i had stresses that probably also factored into things but i kept going and eventually my body adjusted to the lower DHT and some of the sides reduced or went away. So right now i would happily do it again knowing what i know BUT that doesn't mean it's right for everybody and you need to keep an eye on your situation. If you do experience serious sides, stop or reduce and see if anything else could be the cause. 

How long were you on the program?

Did you go through the min/fin regime?

Also is it true that people with lower baseline testosterone are more susceptible to the sides?

Did you eventually go through a HT?

One more question, let's say i do eventually go through a hair transplant once my hairfall stabilizes, would i still need to be on fin/min?

Is the maintenance post transplant a permanent thing?

25 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

 

Topical Finasteride can work but you will have to be diligent with applying it and if you probably can't stick to Minoxidil, chances are you'll fall off with Topical Finasteride but it is probably your last option if Oral Finasteride keeps giving you side affects. 

 

I mean it's just a preference that i don't want to get on minoxidil, can't fathom signing on for a treatment that will last decades. But if i do get my hands on topical fin i will have to stick with it no matter my own reservations, needs to be done. So in that case, would it be a just as good alternative to oral?

4 minutes ago, civic said:

I was on fin for 2 yrs, it regrew my hair, hiwever i did start noticng sides & had to discintinue it. I was on minixidil for 10 yrs it kind worked, slowed the loss , i was getting away with Toppik till about 4 yrs ago, no longer covers my NW6, so just now i booked HT in June for 5k grafts, had in person consult with 1 doc, but decided to go with the other who does FUE.

So you were on fin for 2 years and then the sides started?? Idk why but i was under the impression that if you don't develop sides in the beginning you wont have any problems in the future. Damn. So did the sides go away after discontinuing it? What happened to your progress once you stopped?

I notice you Said "was on minoxidil", i take it you aren't anymore, may i ask why? And did you lose your hair once you stopped?

9 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

You're welcome bud. 

I know what you mean, and tbh, i'm of the opinion that everybody can look 1 million times better if they had perfect hair and only went bald if they chose to for a bit. 

You can start off on a low dosage like you said and then see how you feel after a month and then slowly increase the dosage and wait till you feel fine and eventually if possible get to 1mg a day. 

Topical Finasteride can work but you will have to be diligent with applying it and if you probably can't stick to Minoxidil, chances are you'll fall off with Topical Finasteride but it is probably your last option if Oral Finasteride keeps giving you side affects. 

Look, i don't know if you have done this but go get a proper blood test. Make sure everything is okay with your body Vitamin levels, hormones etc. before taking Finasteride again. You could have underlying conditions. 

Also, btw, don't confuse lower libido (sex drive) with ED and not getting morning erections as often as being a complete sign of ED. It's actually pretty common to sometimes have the lower DHT reduce libido and morning erections not be there or as much, but as long as you have the ability to get and maintain an erection during actual sex, that's the main thing. 

Also, don't forget that stress and other issues can cause ED too so you said you had stuff going on in your life, those could be factors. 

I was under the impression topical finasteride can be low maintenance as well, (might not be the best source out there but got this directly from people who have been through it), read it from people on reddit that they use topical finasteride 0.5mg 3x a week. Not like minoxidil where you have to be extremely diligent with it and use it daily without any skips. 

My problem with fin the last time wasn't exactly ED, I'm almost 70% sure it was a mental thing, the problem was the increased anxiety levels which made little insignificant things seem like 10x times worse. I don't know why it happened, this symptom seems kinda unheard of. But like i said wasn't a good time at the moment so just quit. 

Yes I'll do that, get some blood work done and hop on fin. Can't get my hands on topical anywhere in the country unless i get a chemist to do it for me,so does 0.25 mg starting out sound like a good idea? I'll give it a shot for a month then up it to 0.5. 

2 minutes ago, civic said:

Any respected surgen will not do ht at this age & stage. I remember back in 2009 when i noticed diffused thinning on midscalp i immediatly went to top doc in hopes of HT, i was 28, he said no way i will do ht at this early stage of diffuse pattern wiithout you being on meds for few yrs, gave me fin prescription & sent me packing. Glad he did. 

Yea a few minutes on this forum and i am glad i decided to consult here before going ahead with the doctor's recommendation. 

Btw did you refer to my stage as early for transplant or my age? 

My hairloss seems like its advanced a lot, pics might not say it but my crown is gone.

So what did you end up doing? From what you said you should be in your 40s now? Did you end up getting your HT? How long did you have to wait? Also how well did fin work for you? Are you still on it?

I apologise for being too intrusive but asking these questions and getting to know your experiences are really helpful.

Thanks

25 minutes ago, rob7331 said:

Hey buddy. 29 year old here. I started aggressively balding at 16, so trust me when I say I understand where you're coming from.

The previous poster is right - your best tools right now are finasteride, and then potentially minox and dermarolling (although admittedly I hated topical minox and quit it after a year due to dry skin/general annoyance). As far as side effects go, consider waiting until you're at a more settled period of your life then giving it another go. Try and make it at least 6 months. Remember, if you're getting the 5mg pill like most folks do (because it's cheaper) it's cut into quarters. You could even consider taking it every second day.

Bar none, your absolute best tool right now is prevention and to stabilize hair loss. Then later, maybe 25 or older, you can begin to consider a HT. This is absolutely not something to rush into, especially when you haven't stabilized on meds yet. I know it's hard not to get tunnel vision in your 20s, but think about it this way: you want the best head of hair possible in your 30s and 40s too. Having to get HT after HT because you didn't stabilize will not help w that goal, and will be a heavy financial burden. Too much risk.

About the ED - consider talking to a couple doctors about your side effects. When I first started fin at 16 I thought I was experiencing side effects, but it turns out I was just getting inside my own head. I've been on it now for over 7 years and have no problems at all- literally none. In some cases my libido has actually gone up from increased confidence by taking care of my hair better.

Take your time, don't rush into anything, and read as much as you can on this forum. You've got a ton of hair (most people here would kill for what you currently have) and consider the meds again.

Please can i ask what you are currently on apart from fin since you quit on minoxidil? Did you have your HT yet? I am thinking of giving fin another go this time starting with 0.25mg. 

Also does a dermaroller work? Too many off brand products that just seem like marketing products with no proper specs. I asked one of the hair specialists I went to about using dermaroller. He told me my bald areas do not have any active follicles with roots that can produce hair, although he was also adamant on getting me to do prp.

Few more questions, you said to consider waiting till at least 25 years of age, so does it vary from person to person or is 25 considered as a benchmark? Could it be that in my case i would have to wait longer? The only reason i seem to be in a rush is that once i leave India, i won't be able to afford it in canada, specially as a student. The thought of moving to a new country with no hair kills all the excitement about going there. 

Lastly do you have any recommendation on a brand of dermapen or derma roller? Depth to use etc?

And you have no idea how much i appreciate what you have said. Means a looot coming from someone who actually understands.

17 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

Firstly i would not recommend any hair transplant till you at least hit 25 or seriously get your hair loss under control for a few years. 

Regarding Finasteride, you took half the recommended daily dosage but maybe your body still wasn't great with that everyday. The other option is to take 0.5mg Finasteride 3x a week instead of everyday. Also Minoxodil doesn't treat the underlying cause of hair loss which is DHT, that's why it can feel like it "stops working". 

I know it sucks to hear and i really don't like giving this advice to younger guys in particular, but you should seriously think of shaving it down all over to a low buzz cut whilst you try medication OR you could try using hair fibres, concealer etc. 

Ultimately your hair loss is not under control and if say you were like 18 and been on medication for 3 years and then no further hair loss, maybe in an extremely rare case they'd consider you for a hair transplant but realistically you have to wait for 23-25 for most reputable clinics and even then display that you have actively managed it and not lost ground. 

Losing hair as a younger guy is one of the worst things but it shouldn't become the centre of everything for you. There's more to life and whilst you are trying to sort it out, work on other parts of yourself. Going to the gym, doing well at education, your job etc. to put your energy into. 

Thanks a lot for being patient with me on this, means a lot that you are just not telling me to let it go or just accept it get over it, really really hate when people say that.

Regarding meds, do you have any take on topical finasteride? Also i might just start with 0.25mg per day and try not to overthink it this time. What do you think? Not to sound ignorant or anything, i know minoxidil works wonders, but for now i am not at a stage in my life where i can commit to minoxidil for the long run. So do i with my current state have any hopes with  fin (0.25 mg) as a standalone treatment? Will it be enough to curb my hairloss for the time being? People say it can also cause regrowth in some cases so what do you think from the pics i have seen?

I know it sounds counterproductive asking these here instead of asking it directly to a hair specialist, but i have been to three, one of them suggested hair transplant the other wanted me to sign up for a 10 session prp package, and the third was honest enough to tell me min/fin is my only hope. So at the risk of undergoing the wrong treatment cuz i listened to a greedy doctor, this forum seems like my only hope. Again, can't tell you how much i appreciate you guys for this.

11 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

Forget PRP for now. 

What side affects did you experience and what dosage were you taking on Finasteride? 

Right now, Minoxodil combined with Microneedling might be right for you. 

You're way too young and hair loss too aggressive to be getting a hair transplant for at least a few years without stabilisation of the hair loss. 

Two weeks into finasteride with 0.5 mg daily started having ED issues and started experiencing a lot of anxiety. Had other stuff going on at that time so just quit fin. Tried looking for topical fin but couldn't find it and dont think i can manage to make it myself, need a good chemist to get the right dosage. 

Really skeptical about minoxidil. Have friends that have been on minoxidil for 4-5 years now and it stopped working for them after the first two years. They on 10% now but results have stopped, they still use it because they are afraid they will lose whatever they have left. So i guess it doesn't work on everyone, and by the time you find out if it is working seems like it will be too late.

About the transplant, so you don't suggest getting my crown and top filled now and when it progresses i can just get another one? How long do i have to wait before it stablizes? I don't think i can handle the thought of waiting and going completely bald then attempting to restore it. Thanks for your input you are right but i am still very  confused.

Seems like a silly question at this point but do i have any hopes at all with prp at this stage?

I turn 23 this year. Hair loss began when i was 16/17. Shedding was minimal when it began, didn't pay much attention to it as i had really good volume so any hairfall that happened wasn't visible; until i turned 20. I always knew i would go bald soon, but i thought it would be when i am in my 30s. Anyway, as i turned 20, the last two years i shed a looot of hair, i mean a loot of hair. Practically my entire crown area and top part is visible. Almost no volume there, i always kept long hair which covered the scalp so it wasn't visible when dry, until now. Now there's like a few hair on my side that's just barely covering my crown and top. Consulted a dermatologist, she suggested min/fin, i only took finasteride as it was low maintenance, really didn't want to start on minoxidil as i guess i wasn't too comfortable with the idea of a huge commitment from a young age. Stopped finasteride a few weeks in because of the sides. Looked for topical finasteride but apparently it's not available in India in topical form (only available in combination with minoxidil). Another hair specialist suggested a hair transplant, said 2500 grafts would completely full the bald spot. Cost isn't an issue since hair transplantations are cheap in india.. But i need advice from a neutral who would give me the right advice on whether i am the right candidate for a hair transplant at this age. I don't want to go and ask specialists as i fear they might tell me to go ahead purely to put money in their pockets and won't be looking out for my best interests. I have been considering the idea of getting a transplant with 2500-3000 grafts on the crown and top Balding area. But i fear once it spreads to my frontal hairline i am screwed and will definitely need another transplant. Can someone please advise?

Do i go through with the transplant now? Do i wait another few years? Do i hop on meds?

Fyi, about the pics, the wet hair pic is the latest one. My current condition. The dry hair pics of my top area were taken roughly 3 months ago. And i added another pic of side/back to show I still have considerable density over there and could be a good donor site. Also it might be worth mentioning that my hairline is still intact, no receding there, still good density in the front, slight thinning but barely noticeable when dry and in the right lighting. I am worried the hair loss from the top and rear might progress towards the front and i start losing my frontal hairline as well. (Looks like it's already happening can't seem to get a good picture)

Anyway I am getting desperate as i move to Canada in 6 months for masters and once i go there transplant won't be an option since it is 10x times as expensive. And the stress is eating me alive and Messing with my mood, work and day to day stuff. Can't think about anything else. 

(I know there will be people who will tell me to accept the condition and move on and tell me to not stress or overthink, thank you i get it but i just can't seem to help it. Going bald is a major insecurity of me. I am already short and skinny, can't afford to go bald as well, that will really mess up my confidence and self esteem.)