[HELP - PHOTOS ATTACHED] What treatment should I use?

[thinninghair]

Hmmm ok.

Is shedding on fin supposed to stop within 3 months though?

Anyone?

[Illuminated]

I'm ready to just out this in my signature so I don't have to keep repeating it like a broken record but I'm a transgender female, I am castrated and taking 0.5mg of Avodart of daily as well as micronized progesterone and estrogen. I have been on hormones replacement therapy since October 2013 and I was castrated in January 2014.

With all that I have done I have yet to see results yet. I think this echoes that this process takes time.

Honestly it's hard for me to say, as a male with free flowing androgens I would never take anything other than avodart for my hair loss. Especially since you have such a substantial amount of loss at only 28. Avodart is stronger but it has a higher potential for side effects.

Also some people just don't respond to finisteride and only respond to avodart and vice versa.

There is always a shedding phase with any hair loss treatment that actually works. You most likely are shedding miniaturized hairs that are going to grow back thicker.

Reading your story really made me angry. I feel really bad for you, you were totally taken advantage of by scumbags. You did what a lot of people do when they lose hair, you panic and throw money at it hoping it's going to help. You need to stop doing that. A hair transplant will give you coverage but it's not what you think. It does not have the density you had and it requires you to have a certain style constantly to cover up what cannot be replaced.

I feel like you're again doing what you've been doing the whole time, throwing money at the problem to fix it just to be disappointed again. You're asking everyone for the best hair transplant surgeon in the world. You're willing to throw tens of thousands of dollars at something and I think you need to chill out for a bit.

It will most likely take 12 months to know if finisteride CAN stop your hair loss or reverse some of the loss. If by then things are worse I suggest Avodart.

You also need to prepare yourself for the fact that these medications may not work for you, even if they do work the best they may do for you is only slow down your loss. That would make a hair transplant even more complicated.

This is yet another thing you are not considering, if you don't respond well to treatment then a transplant is going to turn into a large mess.

I know it sucks but this is not something that can be as easily dealt with as you think. Look at the multi millionaires who still have substantial hair loss. Even money unfortunately cannot fix this terrible issue.

You should add ketoconazole 2% shampoo to your regemine as well, you can get a prescription for it by a dermatologist but in the meantime you can purchase 1% Nizoral shampoo over at Wal-Mart. Use is every 3 days and leave it on your whole scalp for 5-7 minutes. It disrupts androgen receptors at the scalp and can help halt and reverse hair loss.

Also you should get a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner. Sulfates have been shown to worsen hereditary hair loss. Aveeno has an inexpensive shampoo and conditioner that is sulfate free.

Most of all good luck. I hope you aren't offended by what I wrote, I just hate to see people struggle and panic and taken advantage of in situations like this. Hair loss has had a detrimental effect on my life and I know how painful it can be. I also hate watching people take advantage of others in this situation.

[thinninghair]

No offense taken at all, and I appreciate your thoughtful feedback.

I honestly don't feel like I've been taken advantage of.

I understand every human being is different, so i don't mind throwing money at different options. The best way to find truth is to test and find out for yourself. I would rather be proactive than throw in the towel.

The reason why I am concerned about the shedding post-3 months on Fin is for the reason you mentioned...an HT is worthless if you can't maintain the hair you have. If I have no luck with fin, then I think that is the end of the road.

I still think it is too early to tell, but wanted to get feedback from the group here.

Again, appreciate your response...I plan on seeing a hair doctor and getting on the real fin, even though its 4-5x as expensive.

Avodart scares the hell outta me cause I want to have kids some day, but maybe i've been mislead.

[thinninghair]

July 8, 2014 - Finasteride update.

The last 30 days I have lost more hair than I ever have before. I am losing 20-30 hairs a day in the shower, and hairs fall over my keyboard all day long at work.

I believe I have lost the battle. F hair loss, what a worthless f###ing disease. F finasteride for not doing jack shit. I am seeing a hair doctor this week, I will have an update then.

Long story short, my hair loss has only heightened since being on fin, (i am about 4 1/2 months deep into it)

[thinninghair]

Well, since Fin let me down, what is next?

Anyone?

I am still losing tons of hair every day. What is the next step??

[Swooping]

Well, since Fin let me down, what is next?

Anyone?

I am still losing tons of hair every day. What is the next step??

You don't have many options really. Dutasteride, or RU58841. Btw 4.5 months is still to early to judge.

[thinninghair]

True, but from what i've gathered, most people take fin and at least they stop losing hair after a few months. Mine has been a constant decline. That is what worries me.

@swooping do ppl take Dutasteride, or RU58841 together? will those work with a HT?

[Swooping]

True, but from what i've gathered, most people take fin and at least they stop losing hair after a few months. Mine has been a constant decline. That is what worries me.

@swooping do ppl take Dutasteride, or RU58841 together? will those work with a HT?

Yeah they will work with a HT. It varies. Some people take them both together but some people use either of them. Using both together is a very potent combination though and will most likely stop your hairloss right in it's track. If not however, you are pretty much out of options.

[thinninghair]

All right, big update guys.

First of all, I switched from the generic online-ordered Fin from India about 2 months ago to the real stuff. The proscar bars, which I break into fourths everyday. Since then, my shedding has only become worst and my hair has never looked more thin/sparse.

Yesterday, I got a hair transplant. Close to 2,000 grafts. It's really the only option I had left before shaving the rest of my head.

My biggest takeaway of the hair transplant route: the Dr (#1 plastic surgeon/hair restoration in Utah, USA) said that the grafts are permanent, regardless of finasteride working or not. That was huge for me.

Granted, I am sure I will lose some hair regardless from the grafts over the years, but it sounds like I will need to go in every few years or so and continue to fill in, as it looks like my hair is "diminishing" from the crown to the front (his words).

Also, the rest of my hair grows in very well. The sides, back and even my crown area have not been plagued by male pattern baldness. So I was a decent candidate because my sides still go up relatively high, making an HT appear more natural. Here is a pic a took 5 minutes ago, which makes this about 24 hours after my operation:



I will keep you guys posted (every 3 months or so) in hopes to help someone who is in my position or is struggling to make a decision.

[Haircure]

If you are going the transplant route you will likely need more later on if your hair loss is aggressive, if money is not that much of an issue you can stick to North American surgeons, but you can easily get the same if not better results at half the price with transplant surgeons in turkey like dr. Dogonay and Dr. Erdogan.

Btw which type of transplant did you get, FUE or strip FUT?