How Effective Would The Big 3 Be For Me?

[ninjarambo]

Hello everyone. OK I promise that this is the last thread I will be starting and if people say go on the Big 3 I will start it asap, but first just wanted to get some more opinions.

 

Basically when my hair is not wet it look OK I guess but has lost density on top a lot, gone wispy and my hairline is see through whether my hair is wet or not.

 

Now I have attached wet hair pictures and also dry hair pictures. As you can see wet hair is well........ and dry hair looks good but it's wispy in person maybe it doesn't show in the pictures. The thing is I am still a Norwood 1 and I don't want to jeopardize that since I heard that medication can make hair worse? Not sure if that's true though to be honest. Also when my hair becomes oily it looks bad as well. I just want to get my density back and have researched a lot and a lot of people say that they do really well on the Big 3.

 

So looking at my wet hair and dry hair pictures, should I get on the Big 3 and how long until I see results and what sort of results would I be expecting with my current hair situation?

 

Thank you all.

[E39]

Finasteride is the most important. Give it a year.

[Legend007]

My hair is very similar to urs .. don’t waste any more time ur hair is miniaturizing each day .. hop on fin ASAP .. I’ve been on it for 5 months now .. side effects are minimal to none .. I grew back some vellus hairs on my hairline so I know it’s working .. or those hairs would of been lost forever ..

[ninjarambo]

Thank you all. What results should I expect on the Big 3?

[gillenator]

Thank you all. What results should I expect on the Big 3?

 

You really won't know until you are using them for the long haul...finasteride can help stabilize the loss, minoxidil can potentially regrow some hair.

 

Part of your situation is not just losing some density, most of your thinning is from a diffused thinning pattern.

[ninjarambo]

You really won't know until you are using them for the long haul...finasteride can help stabilize the loss, minoxidil can potentially regrow some hair.

 

Part of your situation is not just losing some density, most of your thinning is from a diffused thinning pattern.

 

Thank you Sir. But my problem is mpb yes? Will I be able to get my density back a bit if I get on meds?

[gillenator]

Thank you Sir. But my problem is mpb yes? Will I be able to get my density back a bit if I get on meds?

 

Yes, I would agree based on your photos that you have MPB as evidenced by a diffused loss pattern. So again, it's not so much that you have lost density but rather having loss of hair caliber (hair shaft diameter).

 

The meds such as minoxidil can potentially regrow some hair but usually not as much probability when the diffusion is at an advanced stage.

 

The only tangible way to add desnity would be with a HT procedure taking terminal hair from your donor zone and bringing it forward to your high visual impact zones like your hair line and mid-scalp. That will potentially fill in the areas where you can see through your scalp.

 

For now you can also try some cosmetics to fill in the see through areas and you would be surprised at how that would help beef up your hair shafts.

[Legend007]

So do u think finasteride will thicken his hair diameter ? What are his chances? Especially since his hair loss seems to be minimal at the moment , he still has a lot of hair to save ..

- also how fast do u think he would go bald without meds? N do diffuse thinners like with him mimnimal recession has a better chance to not be bald later in life ?

I’m in the situation as him so any insight would be appreciated ..

I’ve been on fin for 5 months now myself , n it seems to help the hair from falling as easily , but I still have hair fall when I run my hands through it . At this rate I feel like I could be bald in 10 years .. even though I’m 38 n a Norwood 2 with no family history of baldness that I’m aware of ..

[ninjarambo]

So do u think finasteride will thicken his hair diameter ? What are his chances? Especially since his hair loss seems to be minimal at the moment , he still has a lot of hair to save ..

- also how fast do u think he would go bald without meds? N do diffuse thinners like with him mimnimal recession has a better chance to not be bald later in life ?

I’m in the situation as him so any insight would be appreciated ..

I’ve been on fin for 5 months now myself , n it seems to help the hair from falling as easily , but I still have hair fall when I run my hands through it . At this rate I feel like I could be bald in 10 years .. even though I’m 38 n a Norwood 2 with no family history of baldness that I’m aware of ..

 

Some good questions here that I hope we can get some answers to if possible.

 

Legend007 in relation to your Finasteride question I think that 5 months is not enough give it at least 6 to 12 months. Also try incorporating Minoxidil and Nizoral in to your regiment as well. Fin will work from inside not allowing DHT to do it's thing while thickening up hair and Min would work from outside helping in the thickening and regrowth while Nizoral would clear your scalp of any inflammation giving it a great opportunity for a healthy regrowth. Remember healthy scalp means a place where your new hair can easily thrive.

[mattj]

Your hair is still looking good, other than some loss of density that is almost certainly male pattern baldness.

 

The medications (Fin and Minoxidil) are better at boosting density in thinning areas rather than re-growing hair in completely bald areas. In other words, you with your situation are more likely to see benefits than someone with more defined hairline recession. Definitely worth a try.

[ninjarambo]

Your hair is still looking good, other than some loss of density that is almost certainly male pattern baldness.

 

The medications (Fin and Minoxidil) are better at boosting density in thinning areas rather than re-growing hair in completely bald areas. In other words, you with your situation are more likely to see benefits than someone with more defined hairline recession. Definitely worth a try.

 

Thank you very much matt for being so helpful. So you think I may have a chance at restoring my hair again?

[mattj]

Thank you very much matt for being so helpful. So you think I may have a chance at restoring my hair again?

 

You have a chance of regaining some of the lost density, but I wouldn't want to put a percentage on it because everyone responds differently. It's a case of waiting and seeing how well you respond.

[ninjarambo]

You have a chance of regaining some of the lost density, but I wouldn't want to put a percentage on it because everyone responds differently. It's a case of waiting and seeing how well you respond.

 

How long should I go for it? Should I use Fin, Minox and Nizoral?

[mattj]

You get the best chance by using Finasteride and Minoxidil. Nizoral is a secondary treatment at best, but it doesn't harm to try it and it's inexpensive. You need to give the treatments a full year and it's possible that you'll experience a shed before you see improvement. The truth is, the treatments are hit and miss. Like I said, not everybody responds well. I think they're worth trying but you have to be prepared for the fact that they might not work at all.

[ninjarambo]

You get the best chance by using Finasteride and Minoxidil. Nizoral is a secondary treatment at best, but it doesn't harm to try it and it's inexpensive. You need to give the treatments a full year and it's possible that you'll experience a shed before you see improvement. The truth is, the treatments are hit and miss. Like I said, not everybody responds well. I think they're worth trying but you have to be prepared for the fact that they might not work at all.

 

Thank you. The reason I was scared jumping on meds is because of the shed. I'm a Norwood 1 but was scared incase the shed would make me worse.

[ninjarambo]

By the way. I'd like to point out that I do have untreated follicultis for many years now since about 2012 or 13. No matter what I do it keeps coming back. Could this be the cause if my diffuse hair loss?

[mattj]

I really doubt it. I'm guessing that the folliculitis happens outside of the balding zone as well as within it. Even if it doesn't, the most likely cause of your diffuse loss is MPB.

[ninjarambo]

I really doubt it. I'm guessing that the folliculitis happens outside of the balding zone as well as within it. Even if it doesn't, the most likely cause of your diffuse loss is MPB.

 

I see. The weird thing is no one in my family thinned out diffusely all receeded.

[mattj]

It isn't all that unusual to see nobody else in your family with the same hairloss pattern.

[ninjarambo]

It isn't all that unusual to see nobody else in your family with the same hairloss pattern.

 

Thank you as always Mat! Highly appreciate it. I guess I gotta get out of denial and accept that I have MPB. Thank you again.

[gillenator]

Guys,

 

My observations and research since finasteride has been introduced for treating MPB is that it's effective for a high percentage of the men who take it and I am referring to stabilizing further progression of loss. As far as increasing hair shaft diameter and regrowth, the chances of this seem to be higher for men who are not in the more advanced classes of hair loss. in other words, the men who are in the lower classes of Norwood 3 and lower. The sooner you start it after diagnosis of MPB, the better chances of avoiding surgery.

 

I have however observed minoxidil to have better results in regrowth, new growth, and improvement in hair caliber. But as Matt stated, we all respond differently so there are going to be some variances both ways.

 

It is best to give both medications at least 12 months, taken and applied as directed and then re-evaluate.

 

I have not seen any real meaningful changes with the use of Nizoral but certainly cannot hurt to try it. Ingesting the proper daily dose of low dose finasteride is sufficient IMHO to successfully inhibit DHT without the use of Nizoral.

 

One other thing about finasteride and minoxidl. The "initial" use of either can induce a shed. I have seen a number of guys get freaked out and immediately stop using them but the shed may be a good sign that you are responding favorably and the shed is temporary.

 

Also remember that only finasteride inhibits DHT and out of the big 3, it is the most important one to take IMHO.

[ninjarambo]

Guys,

 

My observations and research since finasteride has been introduced for treating MPB is that it's effective for a high percentage of the men who take it and I am referring to stabilizing further progression of loss. As far as increasing hair shaft diameter and regrowth, the chances of this seem to be higher for men who are not in the more advanced classes of hair loss. in other words, the men who are in the lower classes of Norwood 3 and lower. The sooner you start it after diagnosis of MPB, the better chances of avoiding surgery.

 

I have however observed minoxidil to have better results in regrowth, new growth, and improvement in hair caliber. But as Matt stated, we all respond differently so there are going to be some variances both ways.

 

It is best to give both medications at least 12 months, taken and applied as directed and then re-evaluate.

 

I have not seen any real meaningful changes with the use of Nizoral but certainly cannot hurt to try it. Ingesting the proper daily dose of low dose finasteride is sufficient IMHO to successfully inhibit DHT without the use of Nizoral.

 

One other thing about finasteride and minoxidl. The "initial" use of either can induce a shed. I have seen a number of guys get freaked out and immediately stop using them but the shed may be a good sign that you are responding favorably and the shed is temporary.

 

Also remember that only finasteride inhibits DHT and out of the big 3, it is the most important one to take IMHO.

 

Thank you so much for the through explanation sir. I'm afraid incase the shed will make me become a Norwood 2 or 3. As you can see I'm still a nw1 so that's why I'm kind of afraid.

[gillenator]

Don't worry, a shed cycle is almost always temporary and new growth will follow the shed...:cool: