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Advice needed: HT or meds


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Hi folks,

I'm new to this forum, so I hope I won't bore you with any previously answered questions.

I'm 25. I started shedding 2 years ago with patches of my scalp starting to really show about 15 months ago. I decided to go to Belgravia Centre here in the UK for a treatment course. I was initially prescribed finasteride 1mg + minoxidil 5% w/ localised DHT blockers. I did however stop taking fin after one tablet (I know!) because I started displaying some AWFUL side effects and asked for it to be taken out of my course completely, let alone some horrid stories I've read up about fin.

Knowing that being on min will only be half the efficacy of if I were to take both, I still went ahead with it - I apply it twice a day, once in the the morning and then again in the evening. My hair eventually stopped shedding so badly and actually had regrowth at 3-4 months in. This however didn't last long before another shedding cycle which lasted until now. My hair is now visibly patchy and this has made me think that HT is probably the next and logical resort to turn to.

Now, my grief is that following my initial consultation one HT doc here in the UK (Dr Arshad) so far and I was advised to 'try finasteride first, perhaps at a lower dosage than previously tried', because I'm young, and my native hairs may well fall out in 5, 10 years. So taking meds will help stabilise the overall loss. Nonetheless, I was told I'm (at this stage) a 'good candidate' and that a HT will give me my desired result (good donor etc.). Probably worth saying also I have diffusive thinning and will require some 2500 grafts, which I know isn't the best kind of pattern to tamper with given the large surface area and potential shock losses nearby?

I think I'm quite adamant that I don't want to take any fin, probably ever in my life - that one time I took it, I felt absolutely terrible. And if that means more HT ops in the future, I would think I have no problem with that. Just managing expectations and all that.

Can anyone help me out here? 🥶

Edited by Jafreese
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Well usual advice is 25 and over. But I do agree you should try fin at a lower dose. If you have hair loss already your obviously likely to keep losing it. 
Always worth consulting with a few Drs/Clinics, although we only have a few decent ones here in the Uk. Would you also be willing to travel when restrictions are relaxed? 

Would you mind sharing some pics on here? 

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@Jafreese I personally would be very nervous about getting a hair transplant without first stabilizing my hair loss.

Have you looked into the experimental compounds that supposedly have low systemic absorption? There aren't that many options for managing DHT, and that's really what you need for any long-term success dealing with hair loss.

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Always best to stabilise hair loss first. If not and you do have a hair transplant, then go FUE, as if you do lose all your hair you can always shave it off and have no FUT scar to worry about. You could have Scalp Pigmentation then potentially....

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10 hours ago, PizzaWolf said:

@Jafreese I personally would be very nervous about getting a hair transplant without first stabilizing my hair loss.

Have you looked into the experimental compounds that supposedly have low systemic absorption? There aren't that many options for managing DHT, and that's really what you need for any long-term success dealing with hair loss.

Hey @PizzaWolf thanks for your reply. What are those experimental compounds with low rates of absorption? Topical finasteride?

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12 hours ago, Jafreese said:

I haven't - is it as effective as finasteride that is orally admitted? Do brandings matter?

Yes, it's as effective as oral finasteride depending on the concentration of the solution. Branding doesn't matter. I personally use MorrF 10% which is a combo finasteride/minoxidil solution and it has definitely stabilized my hair loss and has made my hair thicker and healthier looking. 

My advice does not constitute a patient-physician relationship nor as medical advice and all medical questions/concerns should be addressed to your medical provider. 

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6 hours ago, Dr. Suhail Khokhar said:

Yes, it's as effective as oral finasteride depending on the concentration of the solution. Branding doesn't matter. I personally use MorrF 10% which is a combo finasteride/minoxidil solution and it has definitely stabilized my hair loss and has made my hair thicker and healthier looking. 

Where do you buy it? 

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On 12/2/2020 at 8:18 AM, Chris32 said:

ebay? You don't need a prescription for topical finasteride?

No prescription needed 

My advice does not constitute a patient-physician relationship nor as medical advice and all medical questions/concerns should be addressed to your medical provider. 

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