I am very impressed at such results, especially the microneedling, which clearly kick-started this process. If you stay on the microneeding for at least one year, you should get even better resutls.
Note that the area where the “DOTS” are made, doesn’t show the see-through scalp that appears to the area where there is no SMP. This is what the SMP operator needs to accomplish, so that you can’t see if from afar.
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Hi, I recently noticed a few months ago, that my hairline has taken a step back compared to 15 year old me, (I’m 19 now), I’m a NW2ish (Maybe slightly better or worse, unsure). I don’t particularly hate my hairline, (closest comparison would be Harry styles/leo DiCaprio widows peak w/o posting pictures) so maintaining it is my goal, however I’ve seen several posts on here about shedding, sometimes long term shedding, with the before and after pictures looking very scary.
How common shedding is on Fin, and how severe shedding usually is for most people? Appreciate any answers and reassurance.
If you have early hairline recession or balding at 19, you are almost sure to get more as you get older until you reach your inherited family pattern. Look at family photos, especially of all the men (uncles, grandparents, brothers, even cousins), and see if you take after anyone. The point of starting treatment early, at 19, with the proper medications, gives you the best chance of avoiding that family pattern you might have inherited. Only worry if you don’t treat early balding.
I’ve recently started topical finasteride. The point is that the solution, called Alocare, is at 2.275 mg/ml. The prescription states that only 4 sprays must be applied on daily basis, each one of them containing 0,114 mg of finasteride. Is it too low? Only 0.456mg are applied daily… Opinion? Is it useless?
Your confusion is at the heart of my opinion. I have been warning many readers that topical finasteride goes through the skin and goes systemic. That is why you are better off with the oral. It is also less expensive if you go to Costco at $30/year. If you need to keep it out of the body, get the Topical LIPOSOMAL finasteride, which keeps it in the scalp by over 80%. I prescribe it by contacting me at williamrassman33@gmail.com
Finasteride works wonders on the crown, especially when hair is still present.
This is an interesting article which shows that women with thinning hair may respond to nutritional dietary supplements to correct their thinning hair.
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I felt that the minoxidil was not working so I stopped it and added finasteride and dutasteride. Here are my 6 month results.
60% of men find that minoxidil will not work for them because their scalp lacks an enzyme that converts it into its active form. Taking oral minoxidil is not a problem as the liver converts it, and you get the full benefit of minoxidil. Finasteride, of course, is the standard for treatment of this problem. Side effects of minoxidil are important to read about. Your results are very nice. Keep it up. Mixing dutasteride and finasteride makes little sense to me. Finasteride has the advantage of its short half-life, while dutasteride can take a year to get out of your body. Because the frontal area didn’t reverse, I would add microneedling to it and I’ll bet you will get hair growth in the frontal area that is still bald.
I have used a 1.5mm roller in the past, and while it was quite uncomfortable to use, I always managed to cover all of my receded front corners and some of my forelock. I tried the Dr Pen 16 pin (I would have used 32 but these were the size that came with the unit) at your recommendation Dr. Rassman, a few months ago, and it was more or less unbearable. It feels like it’s jackhammering into my skull. I lowered the depth to 0.5mm to see if there was any difference, and it felt the same. I can scarcely use it over more than a couple of areas, and holding it flat against the skin in one place for up 10 seconds is more or less impossible. I need to emphasize the sensation of it reverberating through the skull, like having teeth drilled.
The depth to 0.5mm will do nothing, as all stem cells lie under the epidermis (which is 0.5mm thick). If you are in pain, you can go to the pharmacy and purchase a numbing medication, which would be applied 30 minutes before your weekly treatment.
These photos suggest that continued use will increase the benefits you are seeing. The suggestion from this photos is that the hair regrowth is heading in the right direction. You can add microneedling if it doesn’t respond and it may completely reverse the hair loss. How old are you?’
Nice early results suggest that you are getting some benefits. There is no point in using both topical and oral finasteride. The topical goes systemic so you might as well control what is happening to you. With the added topical finasteride, your systemic dose through the skin increases systemic levels more than you realize. Some nice early results, keep it up.
I have a question regarding womens hairloss. Is that also treated with finasteride? Or is Minoxidil the only method? I’m asking for my sister who has a lot of loss in density and has a visible spot on her scalp near her forehead. I’m also curious if oral minoxidil is as effective as topical assuming that is the only method for treatment in women.
Sounds like she needs to see a doctor who specializes in hair. There are many things that can cause the problem you described, so first get a working diagnosis.
I’ve been doing 1.5mm every week using a dermastamp. I don’t press down too hard. Sometimes I do get some pinpoint bleeding, now a lot. I was wondering though, that even if I barely bleed or don’t really see redness/soreness the day after, that I could still be damaging my skin/hair follicles. Is there any other signs I should be looking for?
The Dr. Pen is a better instrument. When you buy it, get the 36-needle version and set it to a depth of 1.25mm. Hold it firm against your skin for 10 seconds and then move it to the next area. Only apply the microneedling where you have lost your hair, but do not go so low that you go below the mature hairline. The Stamp doesn’t give you the control you need.
I want to say for the past 4.5 years my scalp has been having problems that I am not sure if it is due to hair loss, is causing the hair loss or what. The top part of my scalp is often (has been worse) sore and feels stiff. It is itchy sometimes, and is oily when I don’t wash it after a day. If I push my hair up, it feels weird and uncomfortable, especially if my hair isn’t in a natural resting position. There was a comment I saw about someone scratching their scalp and the dandruff would stick to the underside of the nails. I honestly thought that was normal. My temples have receded quite a bit, with diffuse thinning going on in the area that I just mentioned. In the last year and a half, the diffuse thinning has become more noticeable. There are miniaturized hairs and different sizes.
Some men who get itching associated with hair loss have an associated autoimmune disease of the scalp. A dermatologist should be able to recognize this by taking a biopsy of various areas of the scalp as well as performing a detailed trichoscopy. There are diseases that are known to cause this and these diseases must be ruled out. These diseases include psoriasis, lichen plinoplaris, seborrheic dermatisis and others. Are you sure that you are not scratching your scalp to produce the soreness?
I’m 24 and have been on topical minoxidil and 0.3mg finasteride for 1 year now with no response. I’m depressed and see no future for myself.
60% of men will not respond to topical minoxidil. but 100% will respond to oral minoxidil. Men taking 0.3mg of finasteride are not getting the full benefit of this drug. Move it up to 1mg/day. Speak with your doctor about switching to the oral minoxidil. You may get a response. Move up your finasteride to 1mg. If you are treating yourself, that is also a problem, as you are not an expert.
