Miss-placed crown...

Hi,
not really sure where to start as this has been so sudden and so many potential treatments seems to be a flat out scam. I've also been thoroughly turned off by the Belgravia clinic in London.

Having filled out their online assessment but not provided any photographs they have in the space of 48 hours sent 6 emails, made 5 phone calls and provided a diagnosis that does not at all match what I see in the mirror... Their emails are also very keen for me to immediately cough up £1200.00 for my first 6 months treatment... Conclusion: money grabbing individuals of questionable paternal origin...

About a week ago my partner mentioned she thought I was thinning on top, so I grabbed a mirror to take a look, as this can only be seen from directly above I had no idea it was this bad, nor do I know exactly when this began.

Aside from suffering from severe insomnia for a period of about 4 months last year my general health is of no real concern, not am I on any medication. My diet is fairly balanced - typical Mediterranean for the most part. I rarely drink, do not smoke and my sugar intake is negligible.

My father is bald however he began loosing his hair at 18 and was totally bald by 24, I am now approaching 32 so thought I'd missed his genes until now.

Apologies for low quality images to follow - taking a shot of the top of my own head is harder than I expected... I'm only particularly concerned with the larger bald patch as the smaller one has always been there. I'd also like to point out that I have a double crown.

I'd really appreciate any advice anyone might have on where to turn next.

On a final note I'm actually surprisingly calm about the whole thing, not panicking but at the same time I would rather keep my hair if I can...

Yo what's up Suddendeath.

I had a similar experience with Belgravia when I first began my hair loss journey, now I know a bit more I am convinced that they have somehow made a business out of providing the two primary treatments for male pattern baldness (MPB), which anyone can buy online, and supplementing these with various snake oil treatments that do nothing. They then charge an extortionate price for the pleasure. Just my humble opinion.

The first step should be to determine whether you are suffering from MPB or some other type of balding. What's going on with your temples/hair line at the front? Do you have any recession? Whilst the only surefire way to get a correct diagnosis is to see a dermatologist, if you're receding at the temples and thinning at the crown, and you're otherwise healthy, chances are its MPB, particularly given your genetic history.

Assuming it's MPB you will have to make the big decision many on this board have had to make, whether or not to take Propecia (or Finasteride in the generic form), as it is the cornerstone of fighting MPB even if you get a transplant. Whether or not one should take Propecia is an emotive subject for many here, despite its effectiveness it comes with side-effects which can be life-ruining for some, but completely inconsequential for others (most people if you believe the studies). Personally I found the side-effects worrying at first, but after a while it became apparent that a lot of what I was experiencing was fueled by the horror stories I read on forums, and I now barely notice taking it after 12 months.

The other FDA approved treatment is Minoxidil (sold as Regaine in the UK), this works best in conjunction with Propecia as, unlike Propecia, it does not deal with the root cause of the problem, rather it increases blood flow to the hair follicles to increase nourishment and prolong their lifespan. Nonetheless I understand that some people to see results from using Minoxidil on its own.

The last item in the 'big 3' for treating hair loss is Nizoral, its an anti-dandruff/fungal shampoo that you can buy for around £4 on Amazon. Whilst not directly for treating hair loss, studies have found that it consistently produces results similar to Minoxidil and it is one of the go-to treatments for anyone suffering MPB. It's cheap and seems to have no noticeable side-effects which makes it worth trying.

The most aggressive approach, and generally the most effective, would be to use all 3 of the above at the same time. Results vary, however the general rule is that the earlier you start the better, hair loss is easier to prevent than cure. It may take some time to see any substantial thickening, if you're concerned about how you look in the meantime I would highly recommend using hair building fibers and/or thickening spray. I use Caboki fibers and Mane thickening spray and few people know I'm balding, despite having shoulder-length hair which makes it more obvious. Both products would certainly cover your thinning area.

Or of course if you really don't care that much you could save yourself a lot of worry, time, and money and just go with a buzz-cut/clean shave, personally I wish I was okay with this option, but unfortunately I am a committed long-hair!

Best of luck.

Something to consider would be to start a strong hair loss regimen. An organic shampoo as well as medications like Finasteride and Minoxidil can be very helpful in maintaining and keeping your existing hair.

Regrowth is not unheard of in the crown area from applying these two medications in combination.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll be consulting my Dr. early next week.

Think I can safely say a transplant isn't likely, from what I've read so far they just seem too hit and miss to justify the expense. Propecia given its potential cardio-logical side effects might not be an option, depends what the CAA has to say about it. Depending on what the Doc says I'll likely be starting whatever OTC treatment I can within the week.

Have you considered a Hair System?