Norwood 3 or 4 at 21 Years Old - Help

[Collinb]

I have been slowly losing hair since 18 years old. I have never officially used treatments except years ago for a couple days and said “eh not that bad I don’t need it”. Mainly due to not feeling like doing it.

 

I am starting to become more self-conscious about my hair loss.

Should I just purchase minoxidil and finastride to use at this point. Is Him’s spray with a mixture of the two ok? 
 

Will a HTP be needed or recommended in the future or will the non-surgical treatments be sufficient in your opinions?

 

Note: My left side (second picture) has more missing hair partially due to that side catching fire from a propane grill many years ago. I am not worried about that portion lol

[son2]

Hi. The area of loss is not Norwood 3 or 4, it's a diffused Norwood 5. Quite likely heading towards Norwood 6. No ethical doctor would operate on you right now without you taking any medications, as you're only 21, and a lot of hair loss is still left. Rushing to a hair transplant right now would be a bad idea. The best course of action would be to get on a DHT blocker (finasteride, dutasteride) and minoxidil. Give it at least 1 year, you might make a decent recovery. The meds also might only stabilize your loss, which is a win also. It's the best course of action right now. Can't really comment on the topical mix of finasteride/minoxidil, as I use oral finasteride and topical minoxidil separately. Don't delay the meds, get on them ASAP.

Good luck

[Doron Harati]

@Collinb, you can try Finasteride and Minoxidil, I personally don't like the Propecia pills because it hurt my libido, so I'm using topical formula without side effects.

21 years old is way too young for HT, you need to wait at least you'll be 24 years old, you'll be NW6 in the future and we need to make sure your DHT won't effect your donor area as NW7.

[A_4_Archan]

As the above posters said you are too young for a HT..non surgical treatment is the best option for you at this stage ...just consult a good surgeon and get on to medication ..stabilise your hairloss through meds....and if you are a good responder to meds it make help you cover a bit of lost ground and regrow the hairs where roots are alive...so you have to be on medication religiously for that....

[Viney]

I think you need to try both finasteride and minoxidil. I feel like your hair is not too dissimilar how mine was when I recommenced medication in January 2021 (albeit I was 29 at the time). If you are a good responder to minox you could recover some hair.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Viney

[TheGreatPretender]

Definitely try Finasteride. Give it a year to see how you respond. If you maintain alone add Minoxidil after 12 months. 

21 is way too young for a surgery, worse then that you are diffusing in a NW V pattern. You must first see how you respond to meds before you can even think about surgery.