Where to start

[Tripp]

Hi all,

I'm in my mid-30s and have noticed a fair amount of hair fall over the last 5-6 years. My temples have clearly thinned out not too aggressively but it is noticeable to me, one side more than the other. I'm fairly new to the forum and wanted to ask what I should do to arrest further degradation. I've read through the forum quite a bit and I'm aware of medication such as finasteride and minoxidil but I don't know what doasge etc would be right for me. Should I be consulting a physician/dermatologist/hair surgeon? I don't want to self-medicate and I'd ideally like to get a good assessment of where my hair loss currently stands and what to expect if I take medication or if I even need to. At the moment, I still have a pretty full head of hair, just thinning and some recession at the temples.

I'd be grateful for any advice and it would be great to hear from other members on what they did.

Thanks

[LaserCaps]

There are two types of loss. The type you can attest to and the type you can't see at all.  What you do see in the sink, floor, brush, is normal.  The follicle gets tired of producing hair and goes into a dormant phase for 3-4 months.  The hair will then resume growing. This will happen randomly to all the hair in your head and not all at the same time.  100 hairs a day is considered normal.  Hair loss is different, you don't see it.

Under a bright light start looking at the temporal areas.  Look at each strand and pay particular attention to the caliber.  Some thick and some much finer.  This is the miniaturization process. Eventually the hair dissipates and disappears.  Once gone, the hair will not return.  

Hair loss is a hereditary condition that can come from both sides and even skip generations.  And just because a sibling is experiencing the condition, it doesn't necessarily mean you will as well and vice versa.  No rhyme or reason. Thus, if there's history, that's a good time to visit with a dermatologist or a hair transplant specialist and learn about the non surgical options available to you.  Why?

The donor area, most times, dictates how to approach the case.  This is particularly true when dealing with an advanced pattern.  There's not enough har available to allow for density through the front, top and back.  It's for this reason most ethical doctors will concentrate their efforts towards the front.  It's the area you see when you look at yourself in the mirror.  It's also the area others see when they interact with you.  Now the crown.

Think of the crown as a circle.  You fill it.  Because you've shown the propensity to lose, you'll continue losing.  You go on to lose all the hair around the island worth of hair.  You've now created a target and an unnatural pattern.  It's imperative you be on some sort of regimen to help you retain the native hair.  

Propecia and Rogaine are considered to be the best meds for retention, particularly towards the crown.  The mechanism of action of each is totally different and there's synergism when combined.  The problem is a year later when patients see not visual change.  Most do not understand, the meds are not intended for you to grow anything.  They're to help you not lose more.  If you look the same a year later, the meds did what they were intended to do.  Research PRP and Laser.  The done correctly, these can help reverse miniaturized hairs.  

Much has been written about potential side effects.  Discuss with your doctor.  Some patients may choose to ease into the med by taking it every other day or every third day.   Be under the guidance of a physician so they can follow your progress. 

[A_4_Archan]

@Tripp

The most advisable course of action is to seek advice from a reputable doctor, ideally a hair transplantation surgeon and go for a thorough evaluation. Following the assessment, your doctor can set a customized treatment plan to address your hair concerns while minimizing potential side effects.