27yo Norwood 2-3 New to the Forums - Seeking advice

[yacko]

Hey everyone! I'm new around the forums and thought I'd make a post to get my blog out there and seek some advice.

 

Just a little about where I'm at currently. I'm probably between a Norwood 2 and 3. I have less density over my scalp and have decently high peaks.

 

I've been on Propecia for almost 2 1/2 years. I think it's worked pretty well. I haven't seen any further progression and my hair seems decently thicker than when I wasn't on it but the damage has obviously been done as my scalp is definitely not very dense.

 

To try and help things I started using Rogaine about 4 months ago. It definitely got worse for a bit, but a few weeks ago it felt like it was starting to get better. Now I'm not so sure. I see a decent amount of small colorless hairs around my hairline, but can't tell if they're anywhere else and I have no idea if this is just my hairloss progressing or if they are new. Maybe a mixture of both?

 

I also use Dermmatch to cover up which has helped me stay social, although it still has hurt my self-esteem and caused me to not date anyone.

 

I've been researching as much as I can about HT's for about 4 years or so. I'm very frustrated having to apply Dermmatch and Rogaine all the time, even though I'm sure I'll have to stick with Rogaine for the rest of my life.

 

I have more bad hair days than good and know that I don't want to continue down this route.

 

As I've continued to research a HT I know more and more every day that I have more realistic expectations than when I started researching but I know even more that I want to get one done.

 

I had one consultation a couple years ago with one of Dr. Shapiro's consultants. I walked away less than pleased with his response because I felt like he brushed me off due to my age instead of offering me really good information. I had to find a lot of it out on my own, but it's probably my fault for not knowing the questions to ask.

 

I know the Shapiro's are some of the best in the industry, and I'm lucky I have that option in my backyard, but I also want to make sure that I'm making the appropriate decisions at the right time, and choosing the best person if I'm a candidate for an HT. I don't want to make any decision in haste because I've read some horror stories, and know if I'm going to have surgery and spend the kind of money to do it, I want it to be done the best way possible.

 

Instead of writing an incredibly long post, I'll keep it that.

 

I'm looking for any type of advice currently from anyone, and more so from those who were in between a Norwood 2 and 3 and had a HT.

 

How was your experience? What kind of HT did you have? Are you happy with your results? Where the results what you expected?

 

Also I'm looking for some advice from those who use Rogaine and how long it took to really start noticing a difference? Has it continued to work or has it stopped working for you and if so when did it stop?

 

Other than that, please feel free to leave any other comments or advice. My blog is in my signature. I've been beginning to document my progress.

 

Thanks guys and I'm looking forward to participating on here.

[splitting hairs]

Well done for doing you research and you've found the right place now. From your pics, your hair looks ok. Yeah there is a slight recession on either side, but it's not as bad as mine and I'm four years younger than you.

 

You've done the right thing by getting on meds. I suspect the fine hairs you mention are a result of the rogaine. Please remember rogaine is a lifelong commitment and if you stop using it then the hair it is maintaining/growing will fall out if you stop.

 

So you basically have diffuse thinning over the top of your head. My biggest concern with you is the risk of shockloss if you undergo a HT. This is because hairs would be transplanted in amongst native hair - increasing risk of loss due to shockloss and transection of hairs.

 

Stay on the meds, consult with the top docs for an opinion: Feller, Hasson & Wong, Shapiro, Rahal etc.

 

You may also want to give Platelet rich plasma a shot. It is a new, and as yet unproven procedure, however, the results so far are promising and it is worth a shot if you cannot undergo a transplant yet.

 

Good luck.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

You have to decide if you want to try something less invasive before going for the hair transplant. PRP(Platelet Rich Plasma) and LLLT (Low Level Laser Therapy) are two options. They can be used individually or in combination. You can also continue to take Propecia with either of these other treatment options. Although we do not have any long term data with regards to PRP results, we are hoping that it can be used to help patients that are in a similar situation to you.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Yacko,

 

If you've been on Propecia for a couple years and now Rogaine with success, you may now be a candidate for hair transplant surgery. Personaly, I had my first hair transplant when I was 27.

 

I wanted to jump in to regarding Dr. Charles' statement. Though it's good to consider all of your options, know that Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is still experimental and not proven to treat hair loss. Laser therapy and whether or not it has any real benefit is also a hot topic of debate. Laser therapy is also incredibly expensive when performed at a clinic and clinics offering PRP seem to charge for it even though it's still experimental with a number of unknown variables.

 

Learn more about Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for hair loss and laser therapy.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[yacko]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I really appreciate it.

 

I'm now in my 4th month of using Rogaine. I feel like my hair has gotten worse in some parts and better in others. My hair has gotten thinner, but I'm seeing some new growth which has me encouraged that the hair thinning is actually going to come in thicker. But I could be naive with that.

 

I'm bummed that I'll have to continue to use it for the rest of my life but I suppose it's a small price to pay for my uneasiness to show the world I'm losing my hair. I'd like to give it another 6 months to see how far it will work.

 

I'm skeptical about treatments that are still experimental...especially if I have to pay for it, but has put a couple more items for me to research and keep an eye on. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Has anyone used Rogaine and seen good results, specifically around the hairline? Did it last very long? I've heard of some people who have used it for a few years and have claimed it stopped working.

 

Bill - You're sites have a lot of information. I glanced through and want to read it all when I have some time, and I'll probably have a crap load of questions. How was it going back into the real world shortly after your surgeries? I imagine it wasn't something that was easy to hide? Did people ask questions? What was their response? Did it impact what you felt about yourself or were you game for anything at that point?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Yacko,

 

After the actual hair transplant procedure there's a lot of waiting and doubt, especially the first time. That's why it's helpful to garner input and support from veteran the patients of this community who've been through it before you. It took a long time to recover the amount of hair I have now. It's hard to believe it's been just about 5 years since my first procedure. And I'm still just barely at the 6 month point since my 4th procedure.

 

Patience is a virtue when going through the hair restoration process. But if you play your cards right by selecting the right surgeon, planning for the long term, and developing realistic expectations, you may end up very happy with your results.

 

Not too many people asked questions about my hair, especially since socially I wore a hat out most of the time during the healing and growth phases. A few observant people noticed I had more hair and asked about it. I told a few about the procedures and a few others I told them Propecia did a great job.

 

Though some of the interim phases were less than joyful, overall, I feel really good about my experiences and am happy with the outcome.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill