Thin, Colorless Hairs In Front and Crown

I’m 26 and a Norwood IV. I have many tiny, thin, colorless hairs on the front and the crown. In fact, I can still see quite a few follicles on my scalp that just aren’t producing hair. I just started Propecia a couple days ago. Can I expect these follicles to start producing hair again? Or are they more or less dead? If I can grow hair from them I might not need a transplant.

Thanks in advance. Your blog is a great source of information.

What you are describing is miniaturized hair which tends to be colorless. If you look at it under magnification, you will see very small hair shafts there, showing that the hair may still be there, but not producing enough bulk in the hair shaft to produce visible color. When we map out the hair for miniaturization, this is just what we look for. If it is present, then Propecia may reverse it if it is caught early enough. The longer the process goes on, the less the impact of Propecia for reversal. The younger you are, the better is the prospect for reversal, particularly in the back of the head. Most men will find, however, that Propecia will stop or slow down the loss. I have seen great result in young patients taking Propecia. Remember Propecia tends to produce better result in the crown area than the frontal area.