NW 5/6, aged 24, AHS Patient

[kushaldo]

A brief Intro
So 5 weeks after registering, here i am, finally able to share my story.

Im 24, 25 In feb & somewhere between NW 5/6. Havent had any hair loss in last 12 months or so, and now have the exact same hairline as my father (65)- though he lost his hair mid/late 30s.

History

I first started losing hair in 2007 was slow at first then rapid. By 2010 my hair line had reached its current state. However a few years before this I had one or two isolate alopecia patches.

In 2008 I started a course of treatment with Neeta's Herbal. Involved shampoo, some sort of yogurt and powder mix to apply to my sclap and weekly electrolysis. This seemed to slow hair loss down but I didnt really see any benefits so stopped 2 weeks before the course finished.


What now?

I had been considering HT for a while and when I finally looked into it it turns out it would cost me in the region of £25-30k. Something i cannot afford and would not pay for.

I am not willing to try Propeica because of the reported sides, i know its rare, but id rather not risk it. So I walked into Adavanced Hair Studio and had a long discussion with them. Despite reading many horror stories or scams from other forums etc I settled on a treatment plan with them. They showed me that my folicles have not died, but just weakend and by strengthening them i can not regrow, but improve the quality of the hair that is already there. Belgravia centre also backed this up and said a HT would not be necessary as the folices are still producing hair, albeit quite weak and thin.

Treatment

So i am getting weekly laser sessions (LLT) of 40 mins each. I am applying Minoxidil (Rogaine Extra Strength Foam) twice a day, taking Serenoa (Saw Palmetto) tablets daily and using Serenoa Shampoo.

AHS charged me £2.5k for 8 months course. However I did some research and found i could get the minoxidil cheaper elsewhere and got discount by paying upfront so ended up paying £2k for 8 months (LLT, tablet, shampoo and serum).

So far its been 1 month in and as expected- no growth yet, minoxidil takes time. However, I did used to have a few spots/sore areas on scalp which have now cleared as has some dandruff. The hair I have seems stronger, and my family have mentioned that my bald patch now looks slightly grey (this i assume is as a result of the exisiting hairs being slightly thicker).

I know at NW 5 its unlikley to see much benefits, but under their microscope thing i was surprised to see just how many folicles i had left that were producing 2/3 hairs each.

Will post some regular pictures on here to show progress.

Has anyone had success with AHS?

[Spex]

Hi and welcome.

Has anyone had success with AHS?

I would recommend doing your due diligence and researching this particular company. . .

I spent a great deal of money with this company over 10 years ago on exactly the same products/treatment. The money was not a good investment for me by any stretch.

Hang around and get informed and empower yourself as you are not alone.

Best
Spex

[kushaldo]

Thanks for the reply.

As i say i have already signed up and paid for this service, so am now somewhat committed. However if by the 3 month mark i see no imporvement i will see what can be done.

It was only because they showed me the folicles i had left that i proceeded, otherwise i might as well shave my head.

[Spex]

It was only because they showed me the folicles i had left that i proceeded, otherwise i might as well shave my head.

They popped the "fear " in you

A cheap micro camera hooked up via USB can show you that dude

Best of luck and keep researching,researching, researching this industry.

Best
Spex

[vinnytr]

Kushaldo , I was the same as you . over a year ago ( NW6)
I have been looking at forums like this to find a cure without HT a well as HT itself . I was dead against FIN although , i seriously believe it works when it works but still takes something from you . So i would never touch the thing ,i dont think i ever will !!

After a lot of research i booked a HT with a surgeon abroad in may , I was so fussy and scared so cancelled it 3 weeks before . Although i have seen so many pics of his work ,i realised i have not seen any live patients of his as i really needed this to be a natural work when finished. So i gave myself the chance to meet the surgeon in person may this year. He gave me a few names which i met and seen their results in flesh . I was relieved and ready for action but he was fully booked at the time
So i waited and booked another date for october , which was 2 months ago.
I had 4016 grafts on a NW6 ,This many wasnt enough to completely cover a NW6 but even at 2 months i am happy with the results and i do have lots of hope in the next 2 months

Long story short this procedure cost me a fraction of what you quoted up there . I would suggest you not to waste time and get yourself on the HT band wagon with a decent surgeon like mine . Dont get me wrong every surgeon does this for money but some also have ethics and put patient before money . In every stage of my HT adventure ,i never felt i was being taken for a ride which is super important to me .

Here is my results

http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10157

Good luck with whatever you decide

[ChrisM]

Several things the sequence of things needed to defeat hair loss:

1)A positive optimistic outlook because without that you can't proceed any farther
2) Invest in a shampoo that has ketoconazole in it. Ketonconazole has the proven effect of washing the converted androgen DHT essentially from the scalp and the follicle area of miniaturized hairs and clearing the dead skin and dandruff
3) What you are already doing Rogaine Foam as a stimulanty to kickstart hair growth in the receding and balding areas.

4) Lastly and this is key a potent androgen blocker.. you are already taking saw palmetto which systemically a tad on the weak side and while it might impede DHT it does nothing to stave off the 5AR reductase type I and type II that are working with DHT to bind that androgen to the receptors beneath your hair follicles that jumpstart the balding process. A potent androgen blocker interrupts that process giving your hair time to regroup and rebuild and turn down the volume of the signal of the losing your hair process triggered by the balding gene locked in your DNA broadcasting 24/ 7 tto your body to lose your hair.

As Spex says do your research.. you jumped in and committed to something that might not work for you in the long run but this is a valued lesson no matter what because we have all been there committing to a product that would not help us down the line.

Learn your alternatives and seek out the best one for you.

[kushaldo]

They popped the "fear " in you

A cheap micro camera hooked up via USB can show you that dude

Best of luck and keep researching,researching, researching this industry.

Best
Spex

Thanks for the feedback. I'll see how this goes, but keep researching in the mean time. HT may eventually be the way to go.

[kushaldo]

Kushaldo , I was the same as you . over a year ago ( NW6)
I have been looking at forums like this to find a cure without HT a well as HT itself . I was dead against FIN although , i seriously believe it works when it works but still takes something from you . So i would never touch the thing ,i dont think i ever will !!

After a lot of research i booked a HT with a surgeon abroad in may , I was so fussy and scared so cancelled it 3 weeks before . Although i have seen so many pics of his work ,i realised i have not seen any live patients of his as i really needed this to be a natural work when finished. So i gave myself the chance to meet the surgeon in person may this year. He gave me a few names which i met and seen their results in flesh . I was relieved and ready for action but he was fully booked at the time
So i waited and booked another date for october , which was 2 months ago.
I had 4016 grafts on a NW6 ,This many wasnt enough to completely cover a NW6 but even at 2 months i am happy with the results and i do have lots of hope in the next 2 months

Long story short this procedure cost me a fraction of what you quoted up there . I would suggest you not to waste time and get yourself on the HT band wagon with a decent surgeon like mine . Dont get me wrong every surgeon does this for money but some also have ethics and put patient before money . In every stage of my HT adventure ,i never felt i was being taken for a ride which is super important to me .

Here is my results

http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10157

Good luck with whatever you decide

Thanks Vinnytr- I spoke to a tricologist who also suggested HT may not be neccesary for me- and he was unafilliated to any companies- which also helped sway me. But as you say HT may eventually be the way to go for me. I refuse to give up in my hunt for hair!

[Spex]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll see how this goes, but keep researching in the mean time. HT may eventually be the way to go.

HT is a LAST resort. Take your time and see how you go.

Best
Spex

[kushaldo]

So here are some pics of my hairline before treatment. My hair used to be kept a lot longer but since losing it, I usually keep it v short.


I should add that the spots/inflamation that can be seen in the 3rd pic has dissapeared pretty soon after starting the LLT. This was before i started Minoxidil and Saw Palmetto.

[Spex]

Hi mate,

With all due respect your hair loss is extensive. The treatment you are on witll do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in my honest opinion.

AHS should never have even taken your money, however ethics is not something they are well known for..

The next step is they will try sell you a rug. ( if not already)


Personally i would save your money mate and cease treatment their. You are too far gone.

If anything simply get Minox 5 % and roll with that in order to try help the miniaturising hair you still have left.

Sorry mate - im simply not trying to be cruel but kind!

Best
Spex

[vinnytr]

I agree with Spex , you are a nw5/6 and the amount of miniaturised hairs you got there wont help get you decent coverage even if the stuff the give you work . You may get less balder but still BALD !!

Where as a HT will turn you into someone with hair . In my opinion around 5000-5500 grafts would give you a decent head of hair .
What you are doing is false economy. Save your money and get yourself a mini HT (2500grafts etc) first ,you will feel ten times better than all this crap .

[Tracy C]

kushaldo,

Though I am actually a supporter of laser as an adjunct treatment for female hair loss, I am not so confident about men's hair loss. My younger brothers hair loss is like yours - maybe a little worse. He tried laser for six months and it did nothing for him. He has not tried any other treatments. He has decided to simply let nature take it's course. My younger brothers 19 year old son started generic Finasteride about six months ago. He is already showing improvement. My older brothers 21 year old son started Finasteride at the same time. He is also showing improvement already. Neither are experiencing any side effects at all from Finasteride.

HT is a LAST resort. Take your time and see how you go.

Absolutely! Take the time to try to stabilize it and grow back what you can if you can first. Then think about hair transplant surgery.

[kushaldo]

kushaldo,

Though I am actually a supporter of laser as an adjunct treatment for female hair loss, I am not so confident about men's hair loss. My younger brothers hair loss is like yours - maybe a little worse. He tried laser for six months and it did nothing for him. He has not tried any other treatments. He has decided to simply let nature take it's course. My younger brothers 19 year old son started generic Finasteride about six months ago. He is already showing improvement. My older brothers 21 year old son started Finasteride at the same time. He is also sowing improvement already. Neither are experiencing any side effects at all from Finasteride.





Absolutely! Take the time to try to stabilize it and grow back what you can if you can first. Then think about hair transplant surgery.

Thanks for your response Tracy. Having paid for the treatment now, I will see it through and see if there is some if any benefit. Potentially i may just let nature takes its course if this doesnt work at HT is probably well out of my price limit.

My hairline has been stable for a long time now, with no further hair loss, and my father is the same. he has the same hair as me and has done for 20 odd years, with no signs of losing any more. So I guess its a case of trying to make whatever ive got left stronger?

Whats the difference between some Finasteride and Propecia, or is Propecia just the brand name?

[ChrisM]

Thanks for your response Tracy. Having paid for the treatment now, I will see it through and see if there is some if any benefit. Potentially i may just let nature takes its course if this doesnt work at HT is probably well out of my price limit.

My hairline has been stable for a long time now, with no further hair loss, and my father is the same. he has the same hair as me and has done for 20 odd years, with no signs of losing any more. So I guess its a case of trying to make whatever ive got left stronger?

Whats the difference between some Finasteride and Propecia, or is Propecia just the brand name?

Your surmise is correct Propecia is the brand name given by Merck of Finasteride. I took a look at your photos and I think it is criminal that AHS took your money. You are unfortunately more leaning towards a NW6 in the scale of baldness as opposed to NW5. The best you can do is to maintain what you have with Minoxidil and Propeci and Nizoral and maybe you might potentially see gains in the crown and vertex of your hair.. it will be a gamble but it just might pay off if the odds work in your favor.

If you decide to look into HTs do your research carefully as this can be quite a process and a repeat process at that that will be on the upper scale of your wallet.