Receding hairline at 26-- what are my options?

[5head]

I love my hair and always have, which is why it's particulary disturbing that my hairline is receding more and more each time I look at it! I've done some research regarding my options, but I'd like to see some opinions. Included are pictures that feature my folicular failings!

 

[hair_me_out]

First step is to get on Propecia asap.

[Forrest Gump]

I'll second what hair_me_out said, and would also add that you might want to start using Rogaine also.

 

See if these stabilize your hairloss. Your hairline looks decent right now, but if you want to lower your hairline (for whatever reason), you can consider a HT surgery in the future. However, for the time being, I think Propecia and Rogaine should be quite helpful, and if you're lucky, you might not need a HT surgery ever.

 

Good luck!

[Balboa]

From your pics you look to have nice thick black hair. i think a small procedure MAYBE 800 fue by a top doc (Feller, Shapiro, Bisanga etc.)

dont be fooled by the Armani clinic they are very bad even though the website looks good.

 

as the others have said Finasteride(proscar etc.) ASAP

[Speegs]

Generic finasteride, cut the pill in two and take a half daily.

 

A good volumizer shampoo, layered hair cuts that fit your face type.

 

 

If it becomes intolerable to you then investigate hair restoration VERY THOROUGHLY, take no less than six months of thought before pulling the trigger.

[Raphael84]

Maybe Im a little negative today, but the six month thing drives me mad. I see and read it so often. And although generally advised in good faith, it sounds ludicrous to me. Obviously, research thoroughly, and then some more. Study and speak with doctors, patients and understand your options and the surgery thoroughly. Some will study more in 48 hours than others will over two years!!!

[san_ind]

I am pretty new to this forum.

 

By using these meds isnt there any side effects. Some time back i read that using Propecica has a higher probability for impotence.

 

Correct me if i am wrong...

[TakingThePlunge]

There's lots of info here on the board regarding side effects of Finasteride but let me tell you about my personal experience.

 

I started taking 1/4 Proscar a little over a year ago after my HT. I was really scared but I knew I had to go all the way if I wanted a chance of preserving what I had as long as possible. At first, I noticed a slight decrease in the frequency of erections and they seemed to be not as firm but certainly no impotence. I also began to feel a dull pain in the testicles from time to time. After a couple of months I decided to reduce my dosage and started taking the 1/4 pill every other day for about a month. When the side effects subsided, I decided to up my dosage again and I've been fine ever since.

 

Not everyone has been as lucky as I am with that and I have read some horror stories. Most doctors agree that the side effects are temporary so if you get any you can just discontinue use and go back to the way you were before but this is also up for debate.

[bighosedragger]

Definitely give propecia a try....there have been many success stories on here and if you research you will see that any side effects you might get will go away if you stop taking the drug. Also if money is an issue try to visit with one of the recommended Drs. from this site....they may be able to prescribe generic proscar and save you some money. They also can give you some insight about your hair loss and what is possible for your future! best of luck!

[blitz1nr]

Hey, I pretty much have the same hairline as the topic starter.. thing is iv always had that hairline and naturally thin hair.. I don't think i will start balding anytime soon.. my dad really only started to lose hes hair when he went through chemotherapy and he was in hes late 40s by then..

 

But my question is how many grafts and whats an estimated cost if i just wanted to thicken the entire top of my hair and level my fringe / hairline out?

[Atomic]

Everyone recommends that you should take the drugs, I say stay away from them. Ask yourself this question, Am I prepared to use these drugs everyday for potentially the rest of my life? Thats a hard pill to swallow! Literally!

There are possible really nasty side effects. I experienced some really scary sides on propecis & minnox.

Your not ready for a HT yet IMO.

Stick with what you have for now, it looks fine @ your age.

[bighosedragger]

"Everyone recommends that you should take the drugs, I say stay away from them. Ask yourself this question, Am I prepared to use these drugs everyday for potentially the rest of my life? Thats a hard pill to swallow! Literally!

There are possible really nasty side effects. I experienced some really scary sides on propecis & minnox.

Your not ready for a HT yet IMO.

Stick with what you have for now, it looks fine @ your age."

 

Atomic, I understand your where you come from when you say stay away from finasteride because you were one of the very unlucky people that did have sides from the drug. I am sorry to hear about your side effects!

but you oviously tried them at one point because you wanted to try and stop hair loss. also I'm assuming these sides went away when you stopped taking the drugs? It's too bad your body's sensitive to meds. but in my opinion you are a rare case, think about the thousands and thousands who are not even on this site who are doing fine on the drug. I wonder why tell others not to even try propecia and give it a shot? also I think most people who are on here are willing to swallow that for the rest of thier life to save thier hair....I know I am and think you would be too if you were not one of the unlucky people who get bad sides.

[TakingThePlunge]

My hairline rapidly receded right around the age of 20. The rest of my hair was full and thick and no one ever knew unless I told them because I wore it long. In 1994 at the age of 26 I cut my hair short and could still manage some pretty cool styles in spite of my high hairline. I didn't love it but I could live with it. I got cocky at that point. I thought I'd dodged a bullet and wouldn't lose much more hair since it was virtually unchanged throughout my 20s and into my early thirties. Looking at my grandfather at the time, I figured I'd end up with his hair which still looked good at the age of 80. It was not to be. Between the ages of 32 and 38 I ended up with what you see in my pre-HT pics. It happened so fast I really didn't realize the extent until those pics were taken. It became painfully clear that I was on my way to looking like my father instead.

 

If I could go back, I would have begaun taking Propecia when it first became available. I believe that I would have saved a lot of hairs from vacating. As it is, I was 39 when I started taking it and most agree that that is pretty late in the game. However, I feel that I've seen some thickening in the crown over the past year.

 

Ultimately, you have to do what you are comfortable with. I'm not trying to influence you. I submit this experience only to add to the list of things for you to consider.