Hair Loss at 44

I am 44 and have just started to lose my hair. I have lost 70% of the first inch of my hairline and the back of my head started to thin as well. I started Propecia when I started to bald along with many other vitamins and minerals as well. Now I want to get all of my hair back. I visited a doctor who thought that the hairline I wanted was too low so he recommended that I put it higher. I don’t like what he said because the hairline he showed me was not me. My friends want to see me and I want to see me. Can I dictate where the hairline should be or must I listen to what the doctor wants.

Not having you in front of me is a problem, but I can make certain assumptions. At 44, with hair loss in the front and crown, you will probably not get very bald. However, since your hair loss started late in life, this assumption may not be an accurate reflection of your perception of the hairl loss you will see over time. What you must ask is the following question: “Given the worst case for hair loss in your future, can you live with the hairline that you have asked for?” If the answer is yes, then you must convince the doctor you will select to see it your way. I often argue with the patient but it is always a pro-patient argument challenging the patient to look at his new hairline many ways. Hair transplants are permanent, so that is both the good news and the bad news. In a consultation, you might say ‘black’ and I might respond with ‘white’, not because I believe ‘white’ but I want to make sure you understand all of the choices and consequences of selecting ‘black’ as the option. Clearly the relationship and trust you develop with your doctor will point you and your doctor to the correct decision. There are no absolute rules here, just judgments which we hope will be kind to us as we get older. Isn’t that what life is about?