How Bald Will I Become?

Dr. Rassman – I went to a dermatologist today and she did a tug test on my hair and looked at my head and said i’m a class 3, althouh a bit abnormal since my hairline hasn’t receeded at all. She said I’m a good candidate for Propecia. BUT, she never said anything about miniturization. Am I to assume that my hair (thinning in the crown) is as a result of miniturization, and if that’s the case, then I will be bald, for sure at some point?

I guess I’m trying to understand – and would follow-up with the dermatologist, but she was pretty rushed with me – if my hair has miniturization in that region, and if that’s the case, then the hair loss will continue?

Is miniturization test the true way to determine whether I’ll be bald or not, and if she didn’t do a miniturization test then is she just giving me her gut instinct on what she can see with the naked eye, and thus should I get a 2nd opinion?

Thanks for your input.

Miniaturization mapping is a predictor of future hair loss, but by itself, the mapping will not tell you how fast your hair loss will advance. There are other factors that I use to determine this, and they include:

1. Rate of progression of the miniaturization
2. Distribution and pattern of the miniaturization
3. Family history
4. Your age and the pattern you are now showing
5. Response to medications like Propecia (finasteride)

With that knowledge, I can make an educated guess. As an expert doing this for 15 years, I have built some good judgments in making such assessments and therefore it is something that I am comfortable with.