Aaron1234's Finasteride Pics

[aaron1234]

Tonight I was doing some maintenance on my hairblog and began to reminiscence about 5 years back when I started Finasteride. I dug up quite a few pictorial souvenirs from my journey on the drug. I thought it would be nice to post the pictures up and share my hair loss roots (no pun intended) with all of you here.

 

I was 26 years old when I started using Fin back in May of 2006. I think it was pretty clear back then that I was heading towards to at least a NW6. The pictures also reveal quite a bit of psoriasis type scaling which still reoccur on occasion. After studying these pictures I kick myself hard for not getting on Fin when I first noticed my hair loss at 21. The drug has since maintained my bridge, strengthened my crown, and even improved the quality of my donor hair. The loss of native hair I've experienced since has been minimal at best.

 

I still remember the first day I started Propecia. It was a big deal for me then. It was almost $300 for a 3 month supply (compare that to the $9 cost for a 3 month supply at Walmart now) and I was a dirt poor grad student. I was slightly concerned about side effects but not overly so. I did indeed get some slight pain in the testicular region for the first two weeks, but it subsided and hasn't returned since.

 

It behooves me that I was so diligent in taking pictures for two years on Finasteride and still ended going to go to a subpar surgeon for my first procedure. Live and learn I suppose.

Edited October 8, 2011 by aaron1234

[aaron1234]

These pictures are from when I just started taking Propecia in May of 2006.

Edited October 8, 2011 by aaron1234

[aaron1234]

These pics are from the third month on Propecia with the hair grown out slightly. Obviously too soon to see any benefit but the grown out hair gives a better idea of where I was at the time.

Edited October 8, 2011 by aaron1234

[aaron1234]

9 Months on Propecia.

[aaron1234]

One Year on Propecia

[aaron1234]

Two years on Propecia.

 

I apologize for the crummy picture quality. The clinic I was with at the time thought it was brilliant idea to take pictures in the dark. Again, these 2 years post-Fin pics are before I had any surgery done.

Edited October 8, 2011 by aaron1234

[NEWHAIRPLEASE]

Aaron, I don't know about your finasteride results, but your hair looks great now! Meds in combo with you surgery did wonders!

[aaron1234]

Aaron, I don't know about your finasteride results, but your hair looks great now! Meds in combo with you surgery did wonders!

 

Thanks my friend. It's been a long journey and it's always good to look back where you started from.

[orlhair1]

Aaron, I don't know about your finasteride results, but your hair looks great now! Meds in combo with you surgery did wonders!

 

Agree.....amazing transformation for you.......your results will be fantastic once your recent surgery grows in!

[corvettester]

Aaron,

 

What exactly should I bee seeing here? It's probably just due to the poor photo quality, but I don't see any significant gains...

 

It does appear that the diameter of your crown shrank somewhat. Also, your midsection seems to have stabilized, if not beefed up a bit. However, that could be due to having what appears to be slightly longer hair in the 3 month pics.

 

I could hardly tell the difference between the before pics and the One Year pics. To me the best improvement seems to be that the hair in the midsection in crown appears to be thicker or of better quality...

 

Could you explain what appreciable differences you noticed, because I can't really tell from the photos you provided. Thanks.

 

 

Corvettester

[aaron1234]

Thanks orlhair. I've definitely come along way in the past 5 years. Upwards and onwards!

 

Corv, yeah I apologize for the poor picture quality. I was taking those shots at a time when I didn't yet appreciate the importance of consistent lighting, angles, quality, etc. I think you are spot on with your assessment. I think I started too late to achieve any significant gains. However, the miniaturized regions from years ago are at least as strong today and I count this as a major positive.

 

I would point out one picture in particular from my Pre-Fin photos: the close up picture of my crown through the mirror. It is obvious that my crown was losing strength towards the bottom. That area was saved. And you are right about the midsection. I was losing that and thankfully I still have that today, 5 years later. If I lost that region I would need at least another 4K grafts and that still wouldn't achieve the same density as my thinning native hair. Additionally, I don't even think I have another 4K in the donor bank.

 

I think you are right that the photos don't reveal any significant gains. But comparing where I am now to where I was five years ago I think the photos show that I have at the very worse stabilized my hair loss. I'm hoping this continues for as long as possible.

Edited October 8, 2011 by aaron1234

[corvettester]

Good stuff! Thanks for clarifying. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something, but now I understand.

 

Stabilization is good enough for most of us. I think only the greedy ones will expect regrowth... although quite a few do get actual regrowth.

 

 

Corvettester

[aaron1234]

Yes Brian. I've had three transplants. These pics are from a couple years ago. See my blog for my current progress.