Captain123

Gorpy - yes i do have very sensitive skin. But they won't let me have a HT right now b/c they think i still have too much hair and potential shock loss and all could screw that up. THey said i am a 3 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being bad hair loss. I guess it just feels worse to me because it is so personal and i notice every bit of scalp that shows! I even wrote oprah telling her to do a show on women with thinning hair b/c so many women suffer from it and it is never discussed. Anyway, thanks for the feedback!

What do you guys know about this? Does it work? I had my first consult and I am not a candidate for HT at this time but they suggested the laser brush if I am too busy to come in for the light therapy. THe brush is $300 bucks but I would love to hear from someone who has used it! Thanks! Captain (a female)

Hi Aida, I am a 29 year old female with some genetic thinning on the crown and behind the bangs. I went for a consult on friday and they mentioned the laser treatment as well as the brush. Are there any side effects to either? Or problems for women in child bearing years? Thank you in advance!

Hey everyone - for some reason I cannot reply to my original post titled "Are there any women on here?" But I did want to fill you in that I did have my consultation with Dr. Edwin Epstein in Richmond last week. Well, I didn't actually see him, but I didn't call to specifically ask to see him either but I would think he would have if I wanted. I just really wanted to hear what they had to say in general and then decide if I wanted to come back. Well, as many of you have posted, I am not a candidate for HT at this time. I still have too much hair (which I am incredibly grateful for). Because I am in my child bearing years and haven't had kids yet, I am not able to take most of the items on the market. He said that it is true that if you do stop taking Rogaine, that the new hair will fall out. He doesn't think the growth is significant enough to even use the Rogaine. He said I definitely have the beginning of hereditary thinning from my mom, and that on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst, that my thinning level is only at a 3. I pray to God that it stays this way for the next 10 years! He did give me Topic - which I am sure many of you are familiar with and I believe will be REALLY helpful to some of you other women with light thinning on the crown. You know how you have those certain spots that just bother you b/c the light reflects on them and you can just see that it is thinner? Well, i have dark hair and very fair skin, so mine stands out more than most. The topic is the same color as my hair and it is like a little salt shaker that you put on your scalp and it makes your hair look SO dense! it totally hides the scalp! I love it. Here is my final part and big question to those of you out there. He said there is new technology that you can do with light therapy. Basically the sun thickens the hair shaft making it fuller and thicker. You can buy a brush that you use twice a day and brush through your hair for 15 minutes and it will have the same effect. it has a red blinking light on it. it is $300. Does anyone know anything about this or if it works? I trust this office but just didn't want to buy a light up brush if it is just a crock. Any feedback would be great! And ladies - I am here to chat anytime. I know how you feel. I always feel like I would rather have acne or be overweight since those are things you can actually control these days. Thanks for all of the advice everyone - i am looking forward to hearing how your consult goes "what else"! Captain

Hi what else, Mine is this Friday so I will post and let you know what happens. I did just get my hair cut over the weekend and it looks SO much thicker when it is short because it just gets so flat and heavy when i have it longer. My boyfriends thinks I am nuts and that he will wonder what I am even doing there...but I don't care. I just really want to hear what he has to say about my hair loss. I will keep you posted and best of luck to you! Captain

Another question...I wanted to ask Dr. E during the consultation how many HT's he performs in a week. Is that appropriate? Or should I ask in a month? How many SHOULD a doc be doing? Thanks guys! captain (a girl!)

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. I am going to Dr. Edwin Epstein in Richmond, VA for my consultation. I may also go to Robert's doctor in Charlotte since I am there for business pretty regularly. I just have no idea what a doc would think of my level of hair loss so I am really interested in what they have to say. I am actually supposed to get some lab results back today that checked my hormone levels, etc. I don't expect anything conclusive from this because my dermatologist did that already when I went in for hair loss in the first place and everything was normal. This is a great forum (even w/o the women!)- thank you for the feedback!

I guess I am thinking of things such as herbal remedies, the minoxidil, hair extensions? Although I think the latter is probably more expensive than HT in the long run. I just had to have a bunch of blood work done to check my hormone levels for other female issues I am having so we will see what those report. ALthough I don't think the findings will come up with anything because my derm had labs done on me after I went to her for the hair loss back in December. I know that hormone replacement therapy did help my mom with some re-growth. I keep trying to attach a pic but they say the file is too large! Captain

Robert - thanks for the info. I might do the test run with the minoxidil. The Nioxin I use from the salon already leaves red streaks in my scalp. If it drips onto my face or arm by accident it leaves a bright red splotch for at least 20 minutes! I will definitely ask Dr. Epstein about this. I am coming up with a list of questions now...let me know some biggies though! I think my BIGGEST questions are 1. Should I be doing this now or later in life? and 2. Should I explore other alternatives first? I am also worried that those are my two biggest because I am in sales myself and would hope he would give me totally honest answers and not go for the "sale" so to speak. Captain

Robert, Got it - thanks for the tips. As strange as it may seem - this is the first chat room/forum I have ever joined! Sorry if I am being a pain and thanks for the advice! Captain

I have heard that if you ever stop using Rogaine that it will fall out even worse...is that true? I am asking this as someone who has not had a HT. Thanks!

I have heard that if you ever stop using Rogaine that it will fall out even worse...is that true? I am asking this as someone who has not had a HT. Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback you guys! I know this may vary, but about how long does it all take? Also, is it the general consensus among those that suffer from hairloss that you should try everything out there before going straight to HT? I haven't tried anything except nioxin and i never do that regularly.

I am going for a consultation next week but am dying to know if it is really painful? I have read that it can take up to 8 hours and that they will show a movie or something? I would love to just be KNOCKED OUT! Or really loopy! It just cannot be pleasant to have hair pulled from the back of your head and then SHOVED down into your scalp with a needle type instrument! Please give me some feedback on the PAIN! Captain (a girl)

I am going for a consultation next week but am dying to know if it is really painful? I have read that it can take up to 8 hours and that they will show a movie or something? I would love to just be KNOCKED OUT! Or really loopy! It just cannot be pleasant to have hair pulled from the back of your head and then SHOVED down into your scalp with a needle type instrument! Please give me some feedback on the PAIN! Captain (a girl)

Hi Robert! I will definitely ask about the rogaine...but here is another question! I have also heard that you always have to take the rogaine because that once you stop, your hair falls out more. What have you heard about that? I wouldn't always be able to take it because you aren't allowed to when you are pregnant so I was concerned about that...please let me know your thoughts on that! My mom tried it years ago and she said it made her really dizzy and we are SO similar in that we get all the weird side effects mentioned in drugs. I mean, I break out in hives all over if I use Tide detergent! We are super sensitive so I guess I would love to hear from someone who takes it. Thanks again - you are so nice to answer my questions! Oh I do use Nioxin that I got from my salon...but I don't know what I have really noticed from that. I think I have a lot more baby hairs along my hairline but my derm did say she thought I had tellogen effluvium in addition to hereditary thinning so maybe the stress part is going away because she thought it would get thicker again.

Robert - thank you so much for the info and the links to the pictures! I really appreciate it. I am going to a consultation with Dr. Epstein in RIC next week, although it occurred to me after reading the posts that I may not be meeting with him? Is that normal? I was surprised that he was available exactly when I wanted to see him, so that leads me to think it could be a technician?? Any advice on whether I should be seeing him directly? I would think so. I have really thick hair to my shoulders all around the sides and back of my head, it is just a little thinner behind the bangs and at the crown. Everyone says they can't tell but I can...I am starting to hate women with nice thick hair that they probably don't appreciate! Oh well, life could definitely be worse i guess! Thanks again for the assistance!

Wow - you are just way too positive of a person. You should tone down the encouragement a little.

Hi Robert, Thank you for your reply. I am really too scared to try many of the things out there (my derm told me to use men's rogaine) because i am 29 and getting married this summer and do want to start having kids right away so I want to steer clear of all topical/oral medications right now. Of course i STILL want to have thick hair so that is why I am so interested in speaking to women. Have you ever heard of Dr. Edwin Epstein in Richmond, VA? That is who I am having my consultation with...Charlotte isn't that far away though...

Thank you very much!

Hey guys - i see so many men on here and would love to know if you ever see women on here. Females can't have the same type of medications as men so i would love to talk to some women as well! Thanks in advance!

Hey guys - i see so many men on here and would love to know if you ever see women on here. Females can't have the same type of medications as men so i would love to talk to some women as well! Thanks in advance!

Hi, i am a 29 year old female and all i see are posts from men! Does anyone KNOW of any sites that speak to the same topics but for women? I am very interested in learning about the option available for treatment and/or surgery. I am unable to take most topical and rx hair restoration treaments b/c i haven't had children yet and they can produce birth defects, etc. I am going to have a consultation for a transplant (i have thick hair everywhere but on the crown) and just want to talk to someone who has been through it! Thanks!

Hi, i am a 29 year old female and all i see are posts from men! Does anyone KNOW of any sites that speak to the same topics but for women? I am very interested in learning about the option available for treatment and/or surgery. I am unable to take most topical and rx hair restoration treaments b/c i haven't had children yet and they can produce birth defects, etc. I am going to have a consultation for a transplant (i have thick hair everywhere but on the crown) and just want to talk to someone who has been through it! Thanks!