Advice + photos.

[Guest Gunner1886]

I've added a few more photos that show a clearer picture of what my hair looks like. A few pictures with the light on showing the true extent of my hair situation. My hair has grown out about 5 days. It's not as great sight, as you can see.

 

In normal light, my hair looks different, especially when it's shaved down, but when the lights on and it's grown for a few days it's much worse. I'm at the stage where I need to look into a form of hair restoration. Something that will help my situation severel fold.

 

I require more density. Can a HT deliver? Would I be asking too much to ask for a 10 fold improvement in density, if I was to see a HT surgeon?

 

I've been on Finasteride for almost 2 years now. By the looks of things, it hasn't worked. The horse-shoe pattern has slowly, become more slowly more evident. I used Propecia - the brand name for about a year but then switched to fincar and cut up the pieces into 5ths. This was at about Feb last year. I have no way of seeing or knowing if what I am taking is legit. I should get back on propecia, just to be safe, but that's another story for now.

 

I don't even think fin works on me. When I started, I would have been the perfect candidate for it. So it just so happens, that the stuff disappoints. It might have slowed things. I don't know. I doubt it. I just don't know.

 

I've been on Minox non stop for a year. My hair looks slightly better, from the pics in November 2003. If you look at those pics you'll see my hair looks horrible.

 

This was because of a Minox shed due to stopping minox for 4 months. This is what it did to my hair. I started Minox initially in May 2003. I used it for 3 months with good results. However, I had to stop because I could not put this stuff on and go to work. It just couldn't happen. Anyway, as you can see by the pics, I had a massive shed in late 2003. Re-started minox end of December 2004 and have used it non stop for a year. Hair has got slightly better. Nothing spectacular. I think the hair that I lost came back.

 

Saying this, I cannot grow my hair like the early pics taken in August 2003. My hair has become more diffused since then, hence cutting it short.

 

I started Spiro cream about a month ago. I use this 3 hrs after minox, twice a day. Having no job this is easy. But that isn't no good. The reason I have no job is because of hair loss itself. It's killed my confidence and peace of mind I had prior to this nightmare. Haven't dealt with it well at all. Down the last few years, I probably looked a picture of depression - and with the shaved head, that simply doesnt work on me, the perception would have been very negative. If I was depressed and had hair - especially a framed face, then people wouldn't mind/notice, but as I have a shaved head with recession, I'm perceived the wrong way. But there is little I can do about that.

 

Anyway, if you look at the January pics, you'll see that the hair looks in slightly better condition. I think this could have something to do with the Spiro I have been using. Whenever I use this stuff, I feel that my hair feels ??slightly' better (and I do mean slightly), especially about a month after use.

 

If you compare the December pictures the January pictures, you'll see the difference. The December ones were taken with the light on and my hair grown for about a week. The Jan pics were taken with my head just shaved with a #1 and in slightly darkened daylight

 

Look how the light makes the diffuse thinning look horrible. It shows the true extent of how bad it looks.

 

I'm going to be looking into a HT within the next year. If anything, to give myself a better hairline. I reckon I can get maintenance, if I use Spiro, minox and keep using finasteride, so that will help keep what I have.

 

If the worse comes to the worse, then I could try Dut, but in order to add density, the only way I can achieve this is to get a HT. Even if was only 1000 grafts. What's your opinions on that?

 

Finasteride (fincar)

Minox x2

Spiro 5% x2.

Nizoral.

 

Thanks.

[Guest Gunner1886]

I've added a few more photos that show a clearer picture of what my hair looks like. A few pictures with the light on showing the true extent of my hair situation. My hair has grown out about 5 days. It's not as great sight, as you can see.

 

In normal light, my hair looks different, especially when it's shaved down, but when the lights on and it's grown for a few days it's much worse. I'm at the stage where I need to look into a form of hair restoration. Something that will help my situation severel fold.

 

I require more density. Can a HT deliver? Would I be asking too much to ask for a 10 fold improvement in density, if I was to see a HT surgeon?

 

I've been on Finasteride for almost 2 years now. By the looks of things, it hasn't worked. The horse-shoe pattern has slowly, become more slowly more evident. I used Propecia - the brand name for about a year but then switched to fincar and cut up the pieces into 5ths. This was at about Feb last year. I have no way of seeing or knowing if what I am taking is legit. I should get back on propecia, just to be safe, but that's another story for now.

 

I don't even think fin works on me. When I started, I would have been the perfect candidate for it. So it just so happens, that the stuff disappoints. It might have slowed things. I don't know. I doubt it. I just don't know.

 

I've been on Minox non stop for a year. My hair looks slightly better, from the pics in November 2003. If you look at those pics you'll see my hair looks horrible.

 

This was because of a Minox shed due to stopping minox for 4 months. This is what it did to my hair. I started Minox initially in May 2003. I used it for 3 months with good results. However, I had to stop because I could not put this stuff on and go to work. It just couldn't happen. Anyway, as you can see by the pics, I had a massive shed in late 2003. Re-started minox end of December 2004 and have used it non stop for a year. Hair has got slightly better. Nothing spectacular. I think the hair that I lost came back.

 

Saying this, I cannot grow my hair like the early pics taken in August 2003. My hair has become more diffused since then, hence cutting it short.

 

I started Spiro cream about a month ago. I use this 3 hrs after minox, twice a day. Having no job this is easy. But that isn't no good. The reason I have no job is because of hair loss itself. It's killed my confidence and peace of mind I had prior to this nightmare. Haven't dealt with it well at all. Down the last few years, I probably looked a picture of depression - and with the shaved head, that simply doesnt work on me, the perception would have been very negative. If I was depressed and had hair - especially a framed face, then people wouldn't mind/notice, but as I have a shaved head with recession, I'm perceived the wrong way. But there is little I can do about that.

 

Anyway, if you look at the January pics, you'll see that the hair looks in slightly better condition. I think this could have something to do with the Spiro I have been using. Whenever I use this stuff, I feel that my hair feels ??slightly' better (and I do mean slightly), especially about a month after use.

 

If you compare the December pictures the January pictures, you'll see the difference. The December ones were taken with the light on and my hair grown for about a week. The Jan pics were taken with my head just shaved with a #1 and in slightly darkened daylight

 

Look how the light makes the diffuse thinning look horrible. It shows the true extent of how bad it looks.

 

I'm going to be looking into a HT within the next year. If anything, to give myself a better hairline. I reckon I can get maintenance, if I use Spiro, minox and keep using finasteride, so that will help keep what I have.

 

If the worse comes to the worse, then I could try Dut, but in order to add density, the only way I can achieve this is to get a HT. Even if was only 1000 grafts. What's your opinions on that?

 

Finasteride (fincar)

Minox x2

Spiro 5% x2.

Nizoral.

 

Thanks.

[Robert_]

Gunner,

 

I know that you are tired of posting pictures only to have someone come along and tell you that its not as bad as you think. To a lot of people that come on these boards, however, you have a great head of hair.

 

However, on the flip side, I can remember when I was at your stage of loss. It was awful to look in the mirror everyday and see it that much worse everytime.

 

My advise: get off the "Fincar" and on Merck-brand Finasteride such as Proscar. I don't care if price is an issue. If it is, dump the spiro and you should be fine. I'm not sure if you said that the Minoxidil that you are using is 5% or not but I would definitely stick with at least that high of concentration. Apply it to your hairline as well as the crown. Basically all over the top. I do this and I swear by it.

 

Finally, why not go ahead and get a consultation with a reputable hair transplant physician and see what he/she thinks of your situation. It obviously bothers you very much (which is to be expected) and you obviously have shown the maturity and diligence to keep a good regimen going for quite a while. My best advise is to sit down for an hour and bend someone's ear.

 

-Robert

[Smoothy]

Stay on the propecia.

It looks like you have good donor, and the density depends on the donor. You could improve the power alleys/temples-- hairline, and maybe some midscalp. By the looks, 1500-2000 would probably be a good HT for you.

Best of luck.

[hairbank]

Gunner1886,

 

If I were you I would get a consultation from a reputable HT physician. At this point your hair loss really isn't that bad. Someone who is qualified to advise can give you a better idea with what the progression will look like and what you might try doing.

 

I'm 38 and would classify myself as a NW 3 vertex and have gradually been losing my hair since I was 21 starting at the crown. In my 20's and early 30's I used Rogaine (for a few years) and propecia (a year or so) but I didn't feel like they helped. Maybe a little but how can you tell if it's slowing the loss??

 

After years of debating, I'm finally having a HT in a couple of weeks. Depending on your age, hair density, and type of loss you might wait a little longer but that's a question best asked of a physician.

 

Good luck.

[damo]

Gunner if i was you go for it my friend its the best thing i did.Have alook at my pics and tell me what you think.You can see them at www.inperth.com.au/users/damo

 

Damien