HairHereOrThere

Hi guys, thank you all for your advice. I decided to go for the compromise suggested by @Scree, where I take the medication in topical form. Psychologically, I feel it's better than popping a pill. I decided to go for a spray, and right now, in my daily routine, I am viewing it as a step similar to when I style my hair (what's left of it anyways 😅). So instead of popping on gel, I pop on a bit of spray. Let's call it a "miraculous hair mousse". 😂 Also, applied topically, it seems to be safer from the pov of side effects. And to me that's kind of a win-win situation. Less messing around with my body. Whilst the pill is a direct hit in the blood stream, this is just hair. I also kind of see the point of view of @hybonix. Since I am kind of sitting on the fence at the moment, I can start applying this routine. If I can't stick to it, then it kind of rules out the hair op and I gotta accept my hair loss (basically in line with what you all said) because it would be a waste of time, energy and money. Truth is this whole hair thing is messing me up a bit more than I'd like to admit. I had a friend who was going bald. He eliminated it; shaved it. He got heaps of praise ("wow, you look good / cool" etc etc). I shaved off my head thinking, "hey, that's an easy solution". Hell no. I got quite the opposite reaction. Didn't help at all. Thanks anyways.

So it never settles? Does everyone keep on taking medication until they’re 60?

The medication normally given for hair loss is finasteride / minoxidil. When you search on the internet, it is suggested that after the hair transplant ("HT") one must remain on finasteride / minoxidil all one's life, or rather, until you decide to keep your hair. The logic, which I understand and take to be correct, is that after the HT you will have on your scalp a mixture of hair which is not sensitive to DHT (basically the hair transplanted, which comes from donor areas which are not sensitive to DHT) as well as your pre-existing natural hair. This latter hair is still sensitive to DHT, and can potentially fall out. Therefore you must take finasteride /minoxidil to block this from happening. Otherwise, you will need another HT operation down the line to "patch" up the empty spaces. I am uncomfortable with the idea that I have to take medication all my life. Is there an age hair loss naturally stabilises? I'm 38. Technically, if I want to keep my hair until sixty, I would need to take medication for 21 years. That's way too much. It's ok to take it for a year or two. But 22 years? I know I won't maintain it.