Hair loss and regrowth.. my story [w/ pictures]

[[mcr]]

I'm 31. I started losing hair around 18. At 20, I was a Norwood 2 I would say. My hairline didn't recede much after that, but my hair kept falling out. At 24 I saw a doctor and he recommended Propecia. Back then I was a college student and couldn't afford it.

I kept losing hair. I tried Rogaine and *******, but something about minoxidil doesn't agree with me (even the version that doesn't contain propylene glycol). I get kind of an uncomfortable feeling, and my heart rate jumps to 90-100 at rest. I used them on and off but never took them for any significant period of time.

About 18 months ago, I had Propecia prescribed. For the first two months, I noticed my sex drive was very low. I read that this was supposed to be a passing phase, and indeed it was. I was back to normal at month three or four.

I am quite the skeptic, and I didn't believe Propecia could do much. Was I wrong. I noticed my hair getting fuller as the months went by. I stopped losing hair, and even noticed my hairline advancing, albeit very slowly (not in any way that would make it a substitute for transplant).

Take a look at the pictures. The one in the tie is before. The others are after.

Question 1: I'd like to get a prescription for Proscar because Propecia is expensive. How can I go about doing that?

Question 2: How many grafts would I need to repair my hairline around the temples?

Thank you.

[Ragckr]

Hey bud, couple of things:

First off- GREAT RESULTS. That is a huge improvment in finasteride, and I congratulate you on your massive success with the drug. I hope it is apparent to other readers in the photos how much of a difference that stuff can make in some folks. I have also had moderate success with the drug, but not quite the level of regrowth you seemed to have exhibited. Sweet deal dude!

Secondly- I do the proscar thing, but it basically came about because my Doc suggested doing it that way (I knew about it from here, but my Doc came out with that option before I even asked). If you can, go back to you physician and ask about proscar 5mg, they should know what you are talking about.

If you do get the proscar, your gonna have to buy some sort of pillcutter or really sweet exacto knife (go with the pillcutter imo lol). You can't get generic
1 mg. finasteride or 1 mg. proscar, so if you do it the proscar way, you have to quarter up the 5mg. tablets.

Good luck bud!

[Ragckr]

Another thing:

I don't really see any need to repair your hairline man. I think the photos really look great. Still, its your head, so do what you want just throwing out my opinion.

[robberob]

congrats man! Great to see the stuff working for you. I've been on the med for a year and a half now and i have not seen any progress. Guess your just one of those few guys propecia really works on. Has to be a great feeling getting back your hair like that.

Btw boss....your hairline is just fine. You could put off the idea of a hair transplant if your hair stays like that.

[HelpROGER]

You're hair looks perfect the way it is. It fits your age and I would not have a hair transplant at this stage if I were in your lucky shoes. It’s always encouraging to see these type of results from Propecia.

[[mcr]]

Ragckr, thanks. I asked my doctor for Proscar, but he said he "wasn't comfortable" prescribing it. I'd love to find a doctor who is. Maybe one of the doctors on this forum can help. Are there any around DC?

robberob, sorry to hear man. I hope they come out with a better treatment soon.

HelpROGER, thanks. My hair covers up the areas with hairloss relatively well, but I'd still like to look into transplant. I'm gonna take more pictures to really show where the hair is missing.

[Ragckr]

Well, if your general doctor isn't comfortable doing it there may be a reason I suppose. Perhaps something else is going on? I don't know, and I can't honestly see any reason that a doctor wouldn't do it..........its the same stuff lol.

If you are still getting a refusal from him, your other option is to see a dermatologist. Just explain that you are already on Propecia, but you are really having some money problems and would like to switch over and quarter up 5 mg. Proscar because it is a heckuva lot cheaper. I think most of them are pretty good about prescribing it that way.

Keep up on the finasteride though, however you end up having to get it and good luck!

[[mcr]]

Ragckr, it's a dermatologist who prescribed Propecia for me. There is nothing else going on, he just said that the studies were done with Propecia and he doesn't give patients anything else. I had the feeling it was more about "doing the right thing by the pharmaceutical company".

I respect his decision; I didn't press the issue. But I am glad that other doctors do prescribe Proscar, it's very compassionate and I admire them for doing that.

[Ragckr]

That wouldn't suprise me at all, he probably is just trying to do right by the pharmaceutical company Merk.

Since it is a dermatologist that you are seeing, perhaps pay a visit to your general/family doctor. Thats who I went to for hairloss in the first place, and thankfully he was pretty well versed on the topic.

Since you already have a prescription for finasteride and diagnosed MPB by your dermatologist, I don't see you visiting your general doctor and putting up a request for Proscar a complete overstepping of your boundaries...........afterall, it is your body. I would think he would be pretty open to the idea (if he isn't already prescribing it for other patients anyways lol) if you just let em know your reasoning for it.

[Ragckr]

Also, there is a chance that your doctors are thinking you are trying to pull one over on the insurance companies. None that I know of would probably cover Propecia as it is a treatment for a purely cosmetic issue. However, with Proscar, it is generally prescribed as a treatment for enlarged prostates (medical) and can get covered by insurance.

I cant say for sure that would be the reasoning, merely a thought. Perhaps you should really let whoever you go to your clear intentions. They really are the same drug, just in different doses (thats how Propecia was founded in the first place: through the medical trials with Proscar).

[Mike82]

MCR - Amazing results! How long did it take for the Propecia to kick in? I have been on it for 5 months now and I haven't seen any results yet. I know it is still early but I'm hoping for the best! Also, did you experience a shed?
Thanks

[[mcr]]

Hey Mike82, I can't say that I experienced a shed. It was a slow, gradual thickening of the hair for me. I started noticing results around the 3-4 month mark I'd say. I could see definite results at 6 months. The guy who cuts my hair made the remark that my hair was getting fuller, but it could be that he was just being nice. Either way beyond the 6 month mark the results continued to come in, and I feel they haven't quite stopped yet.

I notice them most when I get a hair cut, my hair just looks a little bit fuller everytime.

I am however looking to restore my hairline, and it seems a HT is the only way to do it.

What level hairloss do you have? If Propecia has done nothing so far but stop hairloss, that's still pretty good. Maybe growth will come later.

[Mike82]

I am thinning pretty evenly all over the top of my head. My scalp isn't totally exposed yet but if the propecia doesn't kick in soon it will be. On top of all that I've got some really weird dandruff which I never had before. Hopefully in just a few more short months things will be better.

[[mcr]]

I've taken a high resolution picture to show the regrowth. I've mentioned that Propecia had somewhat reversed hair loss in my frontal hairline.

You'll see big, fully grown hairs along the hairline, and also small hairs that are just starting to regrow. I don't know if these will actually turn into fully grown hairs.

The file size is large so I couldn't upload it to the forum. Go here:

http://img34.imageshack.us/i/dscf0012m.jpg/

Click on "full size" below the picture. The picture will pop up in a new window. You may need to click to zoom in 100% on it, then you can use the zoom tool in the bottom right in Internet Exporer to zoom in/out.

[Winston]

You hair looks great, that’s only from Propecia?