Not taking anything before HT?

[RE001]

What if I decide to not take any kind of medication etc. before a HT? Not Rogaine, not Propecia, not Toppik, etc. In other words:

 

1. What if I let my hairline do its thing naturally and then decided to get a HT when I'm 26 or later (I'm 22)? What would be the pros and cons of that?

 

2. Does hair loss ever stop or slow down? Since I started losing at a young age, does it slow down for us guys during our late 20s and early 30s?

[TakingThePlunge]

RE001,

 

Spex has given you great advice! Balding is unpredictable. You're really playing a losing game when you bet against hair loss. I'm a natural born pessimist but, for some reason, I was uncharacteristically optimistic about hair loss.

 

By my late twenties I placed a losing bet that my loss had stabilized and I'd end up like my grandfather who died with a nice head of white hair but a very mature hair line.

 

By my late thirties, my frontal third was gone. I wish I could go back in time and start Propecia and Rogaine when they first became available. There are no guarantees but I'm confident that I'd have a lot more native hair at this point.

 

Everyone has to choose for themselves what they are comfortable with but I urge you to research and make the most informed decision you can. There is no going back!

[RE001]

Then its high risk especially considering your age. Hairloss is progessive so it will continue. It might be worth considering meds (only my opinion) in order to hault loss and make sure its under control before embarking on ANY form of HT.

 

If meds are just not on your list then i would seriously recommend you DO NOT get a HT for a number of years and allow your pattern to establish itself as you could continue to lose more hair well into your 40's - 50's if not older.

 

Do not run the risk now of thinking your loss will stop as your dad, grandad, uncle have little loss (for example ) as its a genetic lottery where you will actually end up, and only time will tell, especially without the meds to help slow down/stop loss.

Regards

Spex

 

RE001,

 

Spex has given you great advice! Balding is unpredictable. You're really playing a losing game when you bet against hair loss. I'm a natural born pessimist but, for some reason, I was uncharacteristically optimistic about hair loss.

 

By my late twenties I placed a losing bet that my loss had stabilized and I'd end up like my grandfather who died with a nice head of white hair but a very mature hair line.

 

By my late thirties, my frontal third was gone. I wish I could go back in time and start Propecia and Rogaine when they first became available. There are no guarantees but I'm confident that I'd have a lot more native hair at this point.

 

Everyone has to choose for themselves what they are comfortable with but I urge you to research and make the most informed decision you can. There is no going back!

 

Fair deal.

 

It looks as if you really have no choice, either control it or risk of losing more unpredictably. If I end up choosing to do HT (which I most likely will) I think post-surgery will be an awakening situation. If I spent all of this money to transplant hair, why not control the rest? It's a tough decision.

 

Can someone have enough donor hair to be transplanted on the entire top? I know it's kind of a ridiculous question but has this been done before?

 

Thank you all for the help.

[EpilepticSceptic]

IMO a HT should be the final option after trying the meds first, long term! Stay on Fin, Niz, & MSM for a few years to see if the loss can be stabilized. I think minox is snake oil that does more harm than good in the long run, but that's just my personal experience. Take good clear photos as you go along because it's human nature to lie to yourself about hairloss, but the photos will not lie.

 

Most guys I see on these forums seek HT first before ever trying the meds. They are also usually in their 20s or early 30s. To me that is a backwards approach, and most top docs would likely agree.

 

The male mind wants a quick fix approach without any hardship, and unfortunately MPB doesn't work like that. Many want to see a HT that way, but come to find later (when it's too late) that in most cases no meds equals disaster where the patient would have been better off just going bald.

 

That's my opinion as a stone cold realist; sorry if it sounds negative. Hopefully cloning or HM will be available in Asia within the next 5 years and we'll have some more options besides the meds.

[phil mascallpen]

I agree with ES. If you get an HT without finding out if meds work for you first you are setting yourself up for disaster. The amount of stand alone/no meds high quality HTs that have lasted the test of time are few and far between.