Has anybody had success with very aggressive hair loss?
Are there any members of this forum that have managed to halt their hair loss despite the males in their family all being bald?
I've used fin, dut, RU, keto, minox and yet my hairline has continued to recede at a very gradual rate. At my age, my Dad was a NW3-4. I'm probably a NW2 these days, so treatment has clearly slowed the process down. However, it's never managed to stop it completely.
I wonder if it is actually possible to stop hair loss in cases of aggressive MPB. I expend a great deal of time and money in using RU, minox etc. but if my hairline is going to creep back whatever I do, I'm tempted to shave my head and be done with it.
Please don't interpret this as me being defeatist. I have a good amount of hair, but I'm using dut and RU, which should reduce my DHT levels to an absolute minimum, and yet still losing ground. Plus I like the idea of rocking a skinhead for a bit. I'm not even convinced that switching from fin to dut and RU has made a great deal of difference. Widows peaks have seemed to develop at roughly the same rate. It's like going bald is a foregone conclusion.
12-03-2014 11:16 PM
greenfalcon
Finesteride has worked well for me. I've been on it for a little over a year, and I not only stopped losing hair but I am experiencing regrowth. Fin has worked a lot better and faster than min., which hasn't gotten my vote quite yet. But to be fair, I haven't been diligent in applying min. It's hard to remember to apply it twice a day, whereas fin., I just take it once a day and I'm done.
12-04-2014 01:48 PM
35YrsAfter
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan C
Are there any members of this forum that have managed to halt their hair loss despite the males in their family all being bald?
I've used fin, dut, RU, keto, minox and yet my hairline has continued to recede at a very gradual rate. At my age, my Dad was a NW3-4. I'm probably a NW2 these days, so treatment has clearly slowed the process down. However, it's never managed to stop it completely.
I wonder if it is actually possible to stop hair loss in cases of aggressive MPB. I expend a great deal of time and money in using RU, minox etc. but if my hairline is going to creep back whatever I do, I'm tempted to shave my head and be done with it.
Please don't interpret this as me being defeatist. I have a good amount of hair, but I'm using dut and RU, which should reduce my DHT levels to an absolute minimum, and yet still losing ground. Plus I like the idea of rocking a skinhead for a bit. I'm not even convinced that switching from fin to dut and RU has made a great deal of difference. Widows peaks have seemed to develop at roughly the same rate. It's like going bald is a foregone conclusion.
I don't see your comments as defeatist at all. Hair loss is frustrating for most young men. You may want to give PRP treatments a try. Transplants are also effective of course as long as you're not headed for a Norwood 7.
Chuck
12-04-2014 03:19 PM
Plan C
Quote:
Originally Posted by 35YrsAfter
I don't see your comments as defeatist at all. Hair loss is frustrating for most young men. You may want to give PRP treatments a try. Transplants are also effective of course as long as you're not headed for a Norwood 7.
Chuck
Can't find a thing about PRP on any hair loss forums. Is it a relatively new procedure?
12-05-2014 07:35 AM
35YrsAfter
2 Attachment(s)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan C
Can't find a thing about PRP on any hair loss forums. Is it a relatively new procedure?
PRP was originally found effective in treating stubborn injuries often related to sports. See Link. Hair transplant doctors began using PRP because it speeds healing and hair transplant patients often want to feel comfortable being in social situations shortly after surgery. Doctors began to notice an increase in hair shaft diameter in hair transplant patients where grafts weren't placed. Recent studies by Dr. George Cotsarelis and Valerie Horsley's Yale study in particular, suggest that the adipose layer plays an important role in influencing the production of blood platelet growth factors. Balding scalp due to MPB has a somewhat depleted adipose layer. I have made a few observations related to this. For instance, my hair grows thicker on the back and sides of my head where the scalp is "spongier" due to a better layer of fat. When I was a teenager, a thick fatty layer on my chin preceded beard hair growth. During the scalp hair growing phase, the hair bulb is down into the adipose layer. As the hair transitions from anagen to catagen to telogen notice how the hair raises up from the adipose layer (see image) closer to the surface. Dr. Cotsarelis learned from his studies that an enzyme called prostaglandin d2 saturates miniaturizing follicles in MPB affected areas of scalp. Injected into rodents, PGD2 causes hair loss. PGD2 inhibits platelet aggregation while blood thinners like Warafin are known to cause hair loss. PGD2 is measured in higher concentrations in non MPB scalp follicles during telogen. Dr. Cotsarelis stated his belief in a recent video that PGD2 "tips the scales" toward the telogen phase. Balding scalp has more hair in telogen than non-balding scalp and balding scalp has a shorter anagen phase. IMO, the lack of platelet growth factors causes the hair to come back after the telogen phase with a progressively smaller hair shaft diameter.
As I have mentioned before in this forum, Dr. Greco in Florida stated in a video where a woman with thinning hair receives PRP treatment that at least in women, regular PRP treatments cause hair shaft diameter to "ratchet' forward (thicker) with regular treatments.
It may be similar to what I've heard about plants, they need nitrogen and it doesn't seem to matter where the nitrogen comes from. Similarly, whether growth factors come from blood spun in a lab or naturally through adipose signalling, hair responds positively to blood platelet growth factors.
In my opinion the adipose layer is an important factor, but not the only factor. Hair from the more permanent areas of scalp can be transplanted to balding areas of scalp and grow fine. Unsolved mysteries remain. Future effective treatments will most likely include DHT inhibitors with less sides, PGD2 inhibitors, scalp adipose promoters and PGD2 receptor blockers.
35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office in Atlanta - Cole Hair Transplant - Toll Free: 1-800-368-4247 Phone 678-566-1011
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
12-05-2014 07:40 AM
fred970
If you have a very aggressive hair loss, I think your success will unfortunately come with a hair transplant eventually.
You can only hope that your pattern is well-defined and that you don't go full NW7.
I had excellent results for two years with minoxidil, but my hair loss was definitely too aggressive and I went bald rapidly.
In the end, only a FUE could save me, here's the topic about my hair transplant if you want more information:
If you're suggesting that I can't actually stop my hair loss, then that means I'll eventually be slick bald. Getting a hair transplant will make very little difference in that situation.
12-08-2014 07:15 AM
35YrsAfter
1 Attachment(s)
Quote:
Originally Posted by blondetooth
Is PRP legit? I live in Utah and does anyone know (if its not a scam) how much it would cost or if theres any hair PRP centers in Utah?
Here is an article from US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health related to PRP use and effectiveness in treating Androgenic Alpoecia.
The following is an image posted in the study. I personally have not seen a result from PRP this impressive, but PRP does help in my experience. I regularly see patients experience improvement several months after PRP treatment. Men who are using finasteride and dutasteride seem to consistently get impressive results.
