Small update. How bad is it fellas?

[JJacobs152]

Anyways, I told you guys you would be the first to know if I had any s/e from fin. Well, I have experienced bouts of feeling sad at times and loss of motivation. I decided since my exam was coming up, I couldn't risk these days of being beta - so I stopped fin cold turkey. Didn't take it for about a month or so. I was so involved with my exam, I stopped applying minox as well, my schedule went to sh!t. the only thing i was actively applying was the T-Sal shampoo and Niz 2%.

I'm not sure if the sadness could be due to fin or just because of being burned out. My exam is next Friday, so if I don't have these feelings again, well then it wasn't the drug. No weight gain, gyno, or any other side effect.

Here are the latest update pics. I really have to see a derm after my exam, because I have no idea what is on my scalp. I think it's seborrheic dermatitis, because of the stress. Neighbor down the street verified it isn't ringworm or anything...so that's good. Turning 28 this August, I'd ideally like to get a procedure maybe Christmas of 2014...or who knows.

My barbers tell me my hair has never looked this great, along with a couple of friends. Friends don't know I'm on fin, but the barbers do. Still hard to accept it when the shedding and the horseshoe pattern increases day by day. As always, no flash used in any of the pictures.

[25 going on 65]

Wow your hairloss is very demarcated. Significant receded hairline/temples but minimal diffuse loss from what I can see

Honestly I would stick with meds for another year, and if your loss is stabilized consider a transplant to fill in your temples/hairline corners somewhat. Adding minox or dutasteride would probably fill in your crown 100% (or close to it).

[drybone]

I dunno. My experience was different. You can tell you are receding but you may never outright bald. Not till you are 50 anyways.

Have you considered upping to DUT ? Put a real stop to further loss and then see about a transplant? I already see you are a NW 3 and your pattern is very specific so I have no problem with you consulting with a doc about rebuilding a permanent hairline.

Go check into it.

[25 going on 65]

I dunno. My experience was different. You can tell you are receding but you may never outright bald. Not till you are 50 anyways.

Have you considered upping to DUT ? Put a real stop to further loss and then see about a transplant? I already see you are a NW 3 and your pattern is very specific so I have no problem with you consulting with a doc about rebuilding a permanent hairline.

Go check into it.

My thoughts exactly drybone, he seems like he could be a great transplant candidate, better than most guys who come to this forum looking into surgery

[JJacobs152]

Wow your hairloss is very demarcated. Significant receded hairline/temples but minimal diffuse loss from what I can see

Honestly I would stick with meds for another year, and if your loss is stabilized consider a transplant to fill in your temples/hairline corners somewhat. Adding minox or dutasteride would probably fill in your crown 100% (or close to it).

thanks for the post. yeah actually there was a good bit of diffusing prior to using fin, but fin + minox has done an awesome job through the scalp and crown. feels like a high school kid's hair thickness. don't really want to add dut, just because of the main side effects. the crown pictures are hard to get, but i'm overall really happy with the crown.

I dunno. My experience was different. You can tell you are receding but you may never outright bald. Not till you are 50 anyways.

Have you considered upping to DUT ? Put a real stop to further loss and then see about a transplant? I already see you are a NW 3 and your pattern is very specific so I have no problem with you consulting with a doc about rebuilding a permanent hairline.

Go check into it.

yeah, i'm going to consult dr. cole sometime in the next few weeks. going to NY for a wedding so i'll see if dr. feller is available or not.

My thoughts exactly drybone, he seems like he could be a great transplant candidate, better than most guys who come to this forum looking into surgery

just curious but why do you say i'm a good candidate? i've been trying to see what makes an individual good for surgery, compared to others - but never found the real answer. thanks!

& honestly, does the hair look like shit or what? it's weird when i see it in the mirror, i don't think it's bad, but in photos, it just looks so

[drybone]

My thoughts exactly drybone, he seems like he could be a great transplant candidate, better than most guys who come to this forum looking into surgery

Its like we were writing and thinking the same thing at the same time

[drybone]

& honestly, does the hair look like shit or what? it's weird when i see it in the mirror, i don't think it's bad, but in photos, it just looks so

On the contrary. Guys who hair 'thins out' are called 'diffuse thinners'. Your hairline recedes at the sides but the center seems very solid so we can see how you will bald for the next 30 years.

The biggest fear surgeons have is that they will make a hairline for you , and then other hair will fall our and you will look ridiculous in 10 years. They really need to know where your MPS is going in the future.

In your case, your pattern is very stable , and with DUT you can almost eliminate further loss. Now, a surgeon can get to work creating a hairline that suits you without the fear it will be ruined later on. The surgery is for life.

You are a good candidate

[LCP]

New to the threads and trying to learn the lingo, what is DUT? curious because I'm in a similar situation to the poster and looking at possible meds, HT options ect...

[25 going on 65]

just curious but why do you say i'm a good candidate? i've been trying to see what makes an individual good for surgery, compared to others - but never found the real answer. thanks!
(

1- You are responding to meds, not only maintaining but improving
2- Like I said your hair loss is "demarcated"....frontal recession is advanced but you do not look like you have diffuse thinning and your crown loss is pretty minimal
3- The individual hair shafts look pretty thick which means transplanted rafts will give good coverage

However consulting with a reputable hair surgeon would let you know for sure, to let you know about the quantity of your donor supply which is a major factor.

[25 going on 65]

New to the threads and trying to learn the lingo, what is DUT? curious because I'm in a similar situation to the poster and looking at possible meds, HT options ect...

DUT = dutasteride. It is a stronger 5-ar inhibitor than finasteride (5-ar is an enzyme that combined with testosterone to form DHT, which miniaturizes hair follicles) and not FDA approved for hair loss.
In controlled studies it seems to work better for hair but it also inhibits an extra 5-ar enzyme that fin does not. We do not understand the long term implications of taking dut nearly as well.