Regular Member Bp1 Posted October 31, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 Hello I am new to this board but have been an observer for quite sometime now. I need advice concerning a regimen to help combat my hairloss. Any advice or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! First a little background on my situation... I am currently 24 years old. All my life, through my childhood and adolesent years I had really thick hair. I had sort of a high hairline, but neverthless my long thick hair covered it up and I never had any comments, just comments about how awesome my hair was. About the end of 2005 and first quarter of 2006 I started to purchase Toppik to fill in the very little sport that I had on my hairline to make it more symetric. Of course I became obsessed with how straight the toppik made my hairline and I went way overboard with it. It got to the point where I would take a shower and refuse to wash my hair due to how great my hair looked and how much of pain it would be to use the Toppik again to straighten it out. Well after a while, say May 2006, I noticed how artifical the hairline looked. My aunt, who is a hair stylist told me it was so obvious that I was using something to create a hairline. Now I had never gotten that comment before. One day I washed my hair and actually looked at my hair WITHOUT the Toppik and WOW was I in shock. After 7 months of using the Toppik and sparingly washing my hair my whole front region was depleted. Literally very thin and my tempal region was practically gone! I DO have MPB on my father's side of the family and not my mothers. So this could be something speeding up my MPB. I eventually went on as regimen prescribed by a company. It was very costly and I was sold because I was panicked and would've been sold on anything. I utilized the regimen, which consisted of shampoos and minox, religiously. I was making AMAZING results. At first I had major fallout, even in the vertex region, which leads me to believe that the Toppik and the MPB caused this. After 4 months of using this regimen small hairs began to grow in the tempal region and along the hairline. Colorless hairs that were VERY encouraging.....FAST FORWARD TO NOW October 2007....I have been on Proscar cut into fourths for over a year and it has mainted what I gained so well! My hair is all filled in and very thick except two small parts on the side of my head which create the island. My hairline is not complete and since it is going on my 17th month I am a little worried that this is the extent of the success for the meds. I mean what a difference...the gains have been NOTHING short of a miracle. I was thinking since Ive been on meds for 17 months and have mainted very well (no shedding whatsoever) that maybe a HT to fill in what is left could be my best bet. To describe the small areas, they are very small and there are some hairs growing on them a few terminal and a lot of vellus. I mean a lot of vellus while running your fingers from the thick areas to the thin areas, as far as touch is concerned you can't even tell that I am losing hair. But whats botherig me is that It has been 17 months and while my other balding areas have been completely filled in, these aren't. I have a consultation with Dr. True on Nov 6th and am eager to hear what he has to say. Any comments advice are GREATLY appreciated!!!!! -bp1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 Hello I am new to this board but have been an observer for quite sometime now. I need advice concerning a regimen to help combat my hairloss. Any advice or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! First a little background on my situation... I am currently 24 years old. All my life, through my childhood and adolesent years I had really thick hair. I had sort of a high hairline, but neverthless my long thick hair covered it up and I never had any comments, just comments about how awesome my hair was. About the end of 2005 and first quarter of 2006 I started to purchase Toppik to fill in the very little sport that I had on my hairline to make it more symetric. Of course I became obsessed with how straight the toppik made my hairline and I went way overboard with it. It got to the point where I would take a shower and refuse to wash my hair due to how great my hair looked and how much of pain it would be to use the Toppik again to straighten it out. Well after a while, say May 2006, I noticed how artifical the hairline looked. My aunt, who is a hair stylist told me it was so obvious that I was using something to create a hairline. Now I had never gotten that comment before. One day I washed my hair and actually looked at my hair WITHOUT the Toppik and WOW was I in shock. After 7 months of using the Toppik and sparingly washing my hair my whole front region was depleted. Literally very thin and my tempal region was practically gone! I DO have MPB on my father's side of the family and not my mothers. So this could be something speeding up my MPB. I eventually went on as regimen prescribed by a company. It was very costly and I was sold because I was panicked and would've been sold on anything. I utilized the regimen, which consisted of shampoos and minox, religiously. I was making AMAZING results. At first I had major fallout, even in the vertex region, which leads me to believe that the Toppik and the MPB caused this. After 4 months of using this regimen small hairs began to grow in the tempal region and along the hairline. Colorless hairs that were VERY encouraging.....FAST FORWARD TO NOW October 2007....I have been on Proscar cut into fourths for over a year and it has mainted what I gained so well! My hair is all filled in and very thick except two small parts on the side of my head which create the island. My hairline is not complete and since it is going on my 17th month I am a little worried that this is the extent of the success for the meds. I mean what a difference...the gains have been NOTHING short of a miracle. I was thinking since Ive been on meds for 17 months and have mainted very well (no shedding whatsoever) that maybe a HT to fill in what is left could be my best bet. To describe the small areas, they are very small and there are some hairs growing on them a few terminal and a lot of vellus. I mean a lot of vellus while running your fingers from the thick areas to the thin areas, as far as touch is concerned you can't even tell that I am losing hair. But whats botherig me is that It has been 17 months and while my other balding areas have been completely filled in, these aren't. I have a consultation with Dr. True on Nov 6th and am eager to hear what he has to say. Any comments advice are GREATLY appreciated!!!!! -bp1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 Just to make an addendum to my story to clarify it. The program that was prescribed to me by a company, which was VERY costly, I ditched it after 3 months after consulting my dermatologist. The prgram consisted of saw palmetto pills (not proven to retard hairloss) and "SPECIAL" shampoos (LOL) another component NOT proven by the FDA and generic 5% minox. My dermatologist told me I was taken for a ride so i jettisoned this program after 3 months and got onto my current regiment: Nizoral 2% 4 times a week, 1/4 Proscar every day, 5% Rogaine Foam twice a day, and I used Nano Shampoo 3 times a week. This is the regiment that got me my AMAZING results. Like I said my results are nothing short of a miracle, but I am a slave to these small two bald spots making the frontal island. I will be adding a picture to calrify even more shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 I guess what I need to know is when I go see Dr. True is to see if these multiple vellus, colorless hairs that complete my hairline will ever turn terminal and grow in sync with the rest of my hair, or if they will remain colorless and fall out if I ever stopped Minox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hoose Posted October 31, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 bp1, Your regimin of proscar and rogaine foam is your best bet at maintaining the hair you have. However, I do not think it will make a significant comsmetic improvement as far as regrowth in the frontal hairline area. It is effective in the frontal area but not as effective as it is in the vertex/crown area. For me it has maintained my hair in the front for the most part but no regrowth. I think most members have similar results. Anyway, stay on the meds to maintain. Do you have any pics we can evaluate? At 24, you would be considered young for a HT, but if taken a conservative approach by an ethical doctor and you are a good candidate, your needs may be able to be satisfied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 Dhoose...Thanks for the Prompt response. This board is filled with COMMEDNABLE and KNOWLEDGABLE people. This is why this board is such a valuable tool when fighting hair loss. I actually went to Bosley 2 months ago. They were ALL set to do the procedure. They prescribed 500-600 grafts, but after reading this LIFESAVE board I ditched the hairmill and went on with my regiment. When you look VERY closely at a mirror with a regular light you see the small terminal hairs, but when feeling the spots the touch is not consisten with the sight. As I stated when you run your fingers on these 2 spots the hair is there, its just not colorful. Like I said I have mainted excellantly. I have no shed whatsoever. No hairs on my pillow none on my hanmd after vigorously shmpooing and massaging my hair. I also have thick, dense hair that would be great for donor hair. Hey Ill see what Dr. True says. I am hoping to get these two small sites filled in either by the meds or HT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member hoose Posted October 31, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 bp1, IMO, I would say that after 17 months, the chances that the meds will "fill-in" the areas with full terminal hairs are slim; however they are providing the benefit of maintaining; Dr. True is an ethical, skilled doc and will be honest with you; I say stay on the meds and see what Dr. True has to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted October 31, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 31, 2007 DHoose thank you so much for your advice. Exactly what I was thinking. It has been 17 months, and originally even the frontal part, which makes the island was completely depleted, and that was FULLY grown back (as I said nothing short of a miracle), and my two smaller sides have not grown back. I will wait to hear what Dr. True has to say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted November 9, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 9, 2007 ***UPDATE*** Went to the consultation with Dr. True and I have a date set in the first week of December to transplant 1300 graphs to the frontal hairline...I am very excited....any suggestions to prep me for the big day will be great!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 BP1, Congratulations on your decision to undergo hair transplant surgery with a first-rate hair restoration physician. For some preoperative tips, see hair transplant preoperative tips Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member guyfromsydney Posted November 9, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted November 9, 2007 do you have a picture of your hair? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted November 9, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 9, 2007 Bill, Thanks alot and thanks for the great links that you provide as well as the amazing suggestions from this board. I could've easily undergone a transplant from Bosley, until I read this board and found Dr. True. Guyfromsydney, Not yet, I will be posting a picture when I get my repaired digital camera back from Sony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member nobuzz4me Posted November 9, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted November 9, 2007 Good luck BP1, We all are relieved that you did not become a bosley statistic. Good luck, NoBuzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bp1 Posted November 9, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted November 9, 2007 Thank you so much Nobuzz4me....i appreciate it....this board is great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member thanatopsis_awry Posted November 9, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted November 9, 2007 What did Dr. True recommend for you, surgically speaking? ----------- *A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics* 1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash. Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician. Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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