Minoxidil for a receding hairline - photos

[Eromnova]

One question: has anyone who's shed (because of minox or not) noticed significant loss at the back of their heads? This seems to be where hair most easily comes out - i.e. I grab some hair at the back and 3 to 4 hairs come out, over and over again, without fail. Also, almost all of the hair I seem to be losing is long hair - not what I would think of as miniaturized - with bulbs (or whatever the word is) at the end. This, and my thinning exclusively around my natural parting on one side, seems pretty unusual to me - I could be wrong, of course, and probably am.

[Eromnova]

Spectral UHP. Liquid.

[elnino]

Hey. I started using minox for a fairly rapidly (in my mind) receding hairline recently. I've been using it once a day for about 3 weeks now and am having a **** tonne of hair fall out this past week, as I'd been anticipating/dreading. I really hope it comes back, especially around the temples.

I'm 27. My dad is NW6-7, though his hair is totally different to mine - his was always very thin, mine's always been very thick. No hair loss on my Mother's side.

I noticed the recession about 6-8 months back and held out to confirm whether it was real or not. It became particularly noticeable (to me) the past couple of months so I did the research, obsessed an unhealthy amount, and decided on minox for now, with the possibility of fin if shit gets out of hand.

I know minox isn't recommended for the hairline. I know it's also not gonna do anything about the DHT. I know I'm likely only delaying the whole process for a short while at best. But minox is kind of a bridge for me while I consider whether I want to try fin.

Because I'm fairly terrified of fin. I know the chance of serious and long-lasting sides are relatively small and yadda yadda, but relatively small odds don't matter much when they happen to you. I'm considering starting on a small dose, perhaps a quarter of 1mg every other day or thereabouts, and see how I react. My hairline has started a rapid retreat lately - especially on one side of my hairline, around my parting, which is thinning fast - so I might have to give it a go. Side-effects seem less and less of an issue the more and more scalp I see.

I'm attaching a few images in chronological order, the latest ones - with hair wet - are from today. I'll try and keep an update on any progress.

(The camera's shitty and makes it look better than it is, by the way)

what kind of minox are you using? rand that is....

[Eromnova]

It still doesn't look like you have MPB. I cannot see your scalp through your hair. You need to show good quality photos of your vertex and mid-anterior areas, preferably with your hair wet and parted down the middle. The hair line itself and alone is not a good indicator of MPB.

I'm beyond the stage of diagnosis right now. I'm not a hyper-paranoid type, and I have kept an eye on this for the past year. The difference isn't in my mind, it's very real and took me by surprise - though I realise you can't see as much in the photos. You can see my scalp through my hair in real life. My camera seems to want to flatter me for some reason.

The thinning is particularly bad around my natural parting, on one side of my hairline only. As far as I can tell my crown isn't thinning (noticeably).

I'll try and get some better photos. But only for the sake of documenting my own progress. I know my own hair and I already know I'm receding and thinning fairly quickly, into a pattern beyond what people might call a 'mature hairline' (which I do believe is a genuine thing). Now it's just a matter of dealing with it.

[Eromnova]

It's best to wait 6 months to a year between starting each treatment so you can see what's working for you.
And thinning is a 'good' sign when you start minox in the first few months.
I've been using it for 4 1/2 months and my temples are now filling in, it looks like I've had a hair transplant in the temple areas, couldn't expect better growth with a HT.

Give it time, and I'd caution against Fin.
If it works, you will get side effects, that's the price you pay.

Thanks.

I know enough about finasteride to give me serious pause. Though I also know enough about the internet to recognise it as a fertile place for the hysterical. If I took it I would do so in very small doses. I'd be as vigilante as possible. It's the last resort, but there's only one other resort in front of it right now (minox).

And minox is deleting my hairline. At least I hope it's the minox and this thinning subsides.

Did you have significant shedding in your temples (due to minox) before the regrowth?

Even knowing all I know about shedding and minox, it's still hard to deal with accelerated hairloss...when treating hairloss. But I did know all of this before I started.

I see your point too about leaving six months between beginning different treatments. But I'm worried about losing significant ground in these next few months that might be saved otherwise.

[Tracy C]

You're probably right, 'most' men don't get sides, but what percentage exactly is 'most'?

Because I would STRONGLY disagree with the 2% figure most people parrot on here for suffering side effects.

I do not believe the 2% figure myself. Well designed independent studies have determined that it is closer to 4% than 2%. But that is still a small percentage. Those who experience persistent side effects are small percentage of this already small percentage.

None of you guys are qualified or even have the resources to determine a good number based on your own observations of selected "people you know". I personally do not know a single man who has experienced side effects from taking as much as 5mg of Finasteride every day. Since joining this forum I have met and spoken to lots of men who take Finasteride - again, some take 5mg per day. I still have yet to meet a single man who experienced side effects in person. If not for the internet, I would know that anybody actually experienced side effects from this medication. The only place I ever hear anything about it is on the internet.

[itsmyhairs]

Most who men take Finasteride do not experience the possible side effects. You don't hear from from them on-line because the medication is working for them and they have nothing to complain about.

You're probably right, 'most' men don't get sides, but what percentage exactly is 'most'?

Because I would STRONGLY disagree with the 2% figure most people parrot on here for suffering side effects.

Of 4 people I've personally known, 3 friends I know in real life, 1 guy I game with online who've taken it, ALL had sides and stopped.
Add me and that's 5/5.

A tiny segment, true, but it's enough for me to call BS on the 2% figure.
None of us are those idiots that took it for a week then cried side effects either, we all suck with it for minimum 3 months before calling it a day, thankfully we all recovered, SOME aren't so lucky.

You seem to be one of those people that think that if the FDA say it's safe, then it's safe.
You're living in lala land, the FDA will approve practically anything if the right palms get greased.

[Tracy C]

Tracy - I wish you were right.

Attaching some (hopefully) better photos, some wet some dry.

It still doesn't look like you have MPB. I cannot see your scalp through your hair. You need to show good quality photos of your vertex and mid-anterior areas, preferably with your hair wet and parted down the middle. The hair line itself and alone is not a good indicator of MPB.

[Tracy C]

Give it time, and I'd caution against Fin.
If it works, you will get side effects, that's the price you pay.

Most who men take Finasteride do not experience the possible side effects. You don't hear from from them on-line because the medication is working for them and they have nothing to complain about.

[itsmyhairs]

Thanks for the replies.

Tracy - I wish you were right. All I'm using for these photos is a crappy webcam, the thinning and recession don't look half as bad as they are in person, trust me.

The recession on one side is happening so quickly. It's ****ing scary. I can pull out hair so easily, especially from the back of my head. I know shedding is normal/often a good sign with minox but I'm really hoping my hairline goes back to where it was before I began the treatment a few weeks ago.

The recession on the left side doesn't even look normal, particularly in person and under light. Minox seems to be destroying what's left of my hairline, and it has me pretty worried, even knowing what I know about the stuff and how it works.

Just had a look in the mirror and was pretty shocked. I hope this comes back. Until very recently I had hair so thick it was unmanageable at times.

I might have to get a Proscar script quicker than I'd anticipated.

Attaching some (hopefully) better photos, some wet some dry.

It's best to wait 6 months to a year between starting each treatment so you can see what's working for you.
And thinning is a 'good' sign when you start minox in the first few months.
I've been using it for 4 1/2 months and my temples are now filling in, it looks like I've had a hair transplant in the temple areas, couldn't expect better growth with a HT.

Give it time, and I'd caution against Fin.
If it works, you will get side effects, that's the price you pay.

[konfusion]

Konfusion, it is possible to get your temples back from Avodart. i've seen a few lucky users who posted their results here. How long have you been on Avodart for?

about 6 months. a month ago shedding had stopped completely and I was so positive but nowadays it came back, maybe even stronger. but I am not giving up for another 6 months, it was not like finasteride was working anyway so what's the harm?

[Eromnova]

Thanks for the replies.

Tracy - I wish you were right. All I'm using for these photos is a crappy webcam, the thinning and recession don't look half as bad as they are in person, trust me.

The recession on one side is happening so quickly. It's ****ing scary. I can pull out hair so easily, especially from the back of my head. I know shedding is normal/often a good sign with minox but I'm really hoping my hairline goes back to where it was before I began the treatment a few weeks ago.

The recession on the left side doesn't even look normal, particularly in person and under light. Minox seems to be destroying what's left of my hairline, and it has me pretty worried, even knowing what I know about the stuff and how it works.

Just had a look in the mirror and was pretty shocked. I hope this comes back. Until very recently I had hair so thick it was unmanageable at times.

I might have to get a Proscar script quicker than I'd anticipated.

Attaching some (hopefully) better photos, some wet some dry.

[1Aristotle]

Konfusion, it is possible to get your temples back from Avodart. i've seen a few lucky users who posted their results here. How long have you been on Avodart for?

[Tracy C]

Eromnova,

Your hair looks amazingly good. I know many women who wish they could have hair like yours. You do not even need Rogaine.

[BigThinker]

But that does seem to require fin, of course. It's a pity, because I started using minox as a way to avoid fin, and if I get on fin now any progress I have won't be as easily identifiable as down to one thing or the other. Plus I have to stay on this minox now to at least (hopefully) get back what I've lost in the shed, and then possibly stay on the stuff forever. Probably should have just gone with the fin from the jump.

Well, that doesn't mean you should discontinue minox necessarily. If you can afford it and don't mind application. Fin and minox are supposed to combat hairloss in different ways. That said, it may be good that your body is already adjusted to minox, and now it is ready for you to introduce fin (again, if you choose to).

The glass is half-full, hombre.

Also, I wanted to add your hair looks pretty damn good man. Even if the pics aren't doing it justice, I'd say is you preserve what you've got, most girls will never know the difference.