This graph taken from the article below, tells us a great deal about long term finasteride use by pattern of hair loss.  Look at the stabilizing effect on the progressive nature hair genetic hair loss once the pattern has been achieved (about 5 years into the study). It appears that many of the less advanced patterns of hair loss, have even gained some hair over the 10 year study.

Source: https://www.oatext.com/Long-term-(10-year)-efficacy-of-finasteride-in-523-Japanese-men-with-androgenetic-alopecia.php

First, check with your mom and the other females in the family (grandmothers, aunts, sisters, etc..) and see if they had the same situation in their 20s as this condition is often inherited on the female side of the family. You need to get a good doctor and a good examination of your hair with a trichoscope which shows classic genetic patterns in the area around the sides and back of your head.

Some common blood tests for female hair loss:

• Sex Hormone tests
• SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) used to test status of male hormones
• Estradiol is a sex hormone
• FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) *not hair follicle but follicle in the ovary*
• LH (Luteinizing Hormone) is a sex hormone
• Free Testosterone
• Total Testosterone
• ANA (Anti Nuclear Antibody) used to test for Lupus or other autoimmune diseases
• TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) used to test for hyper or hypo-thyroid disease
• Test Iron status
• TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity)
• Ferritin
• Iron

As these test may point to a cause other than genetic

I think because of better social media, we are more aware of balding today and we are sharing the problem with others. I don’t believe that we moved the needle on balding

With just the use of finasteride and minoxidil this man got almost complete reversal of his hair loss.  He shaved his head to get the minoxidil to apply to the scalp more effectively

The photos speak for themselves

Hairline lowering procedures come in two types (1) a hairline advancement surgery (a good surgery for women but generally not men) and (2) a hairline lowering hair transplant surgery. When women have corner recession as many men do, then a hairline advancement surgery is not as good as a hair transplant lowering surgery. As this surgery could leave a scar in the front of the hairline, men who recede shouldn’t have it because their hairline could go back and leave the scar exposed requiring a hair transplant to cover it. Be careful, as some surgeon promote what they know not what may be good for you. Here are some examples of a hair transplant hairline lowering surgery:

I have been reading and seeing some SMP done on bald/balding men. So it is basically a hair tattoo. To be honest, in my opinion, it doesn´t look that different than a bald head. It says that it should resemble a buzzcut, or a really short hairstyle visually. But it sounds like some bullshit too me. It is also pretty expensive. For that price, I would rather pay a little more and get a hair transplant in the future when I get older. Have any of you heard about it/try it? What is your opinions? :)

SMP is a good solution for some people who can accept a shaved head for rest of their life, but for others, not as good a choice as a hair transplant. Of course, you can start with SMP and if you decide at some point in the future to get a hair transplant , that is an option. The best thing about SMP (a name we coined and published) is that you don’t have to worry about progressive balding. If you get a hair transplant when you have a Class 3 pattern and then progress to a Class 6 pattern, with SMP, you don’t have to do it again while with a hair transplant, you will have to transplant the new bald areas. See our site: https://scalpmicropigmentation.com/

SMP is also a great solution for people with thinning hair as it makes it look fuller because the contrast between skin and hair color can be made closer to each other