new thread
First, thanks David-N and Hans-Uwe for your kind words concerning my hair pic. Well, actually, I don't have any before pics of my crown. The thinning caught me by surprise. Remember, a person will lose 40 to 50% of his/her hair before thinning becomes apparent and by this time much damage has been done. I have posted a pic that I took tonight and I can tell you one of the reasons that my hairloss caught me by surprise is because most of us pay very little attention to the crown area. Honestly, it was a bit difficult to even take a picture of this area. It took me 7 attempts to get it right! I have read that medications like Propecia may reverse the last year of hairloss. Younger men may see better results since their follicles have not been subjected to the damaging effects of DHT for as long. My goal is mid-back and to do my best to keep the hair that I have for as long as I can. The results, thus far, have been much better that I ever expected. I will say honestly, the reason that I did not take pics of the crown before I started medication was that I was heart-broken that it took me 40 years to get the courage to let my hair grow and by that time it was thinning. Actually, I was pissed. Keep in mind that I use Rogaine too. Rogaine is a strong follicular stimulant and I find it to be a useful product for filling in the thin spots, but the hair will probably not be like your original hair was, nevertheless, it does help many of the men that use it. Personally, I like the Rogaine foam best. Remember, above all that your hairloss program is a LONG TERM project and one that you must take seriously. If you don't take your program seriously then you will not get good results and you are probably waisting your money. Well, I could go on and on, but I'll hush for now.
Thanks Jeffrey,
Is your hair wet in the picture--if so, that's really awesome, as wet hair tends to show thinning more readily, I see practically none here, do you remember how bad your crown area was before the Avodart?
I actually started propecia on Monday (got prescription from family doctor, but still plan to see a specialist when I can get the appt), after seeing your earlier pictures of the back of your head. I, too had a similar story. I had long, thick, healthy hair in the late 90's, (mid-back), similar to Jason's hair now, but a bit longer. I cut it off in 1999 and only started growing back in early 2004. Now, that I want it really long, it is not as thick and I am regretting my earlier decision to cut it, as I will probably never achieve the length I desire (lower back to waist) Hopefully, the propecia will at least allow me to maintain what I have.
All the best,
David
I don't know a lot about Rogaine. Do you need a prescription for it, or can you get over the counter? How expensive is it? And what is it like to apply? Do you apply when hair is wet, dry, etc., and does it cause your hair to feel greasy or anything nasty? Any answers appreciated. Thanks.
David
it's sold over the counter here in the u.s.
it's supposed to be only for crown hair. the major drawback to me is that it only works for the time you apply it. in other words, if you get hair growing in, and cease using rogain, the new hair will fall out, so to keep your new hair, you have to use it indefinitely. that kills it for me. medical history is full of stuff like this that was thought to be harmless, then after 20 years of use everyone's ears fall off, or they turn into The Fly. No thanks. The latest is the discovery that hormonal treatment for menopausal women causes cancer. they were all told by doctors, "oh, it's fine--go ahead and take it..." Now, years later, it's "ooopsie" time.
You are exactly right, but I hope by the time my ears fall off that they will have a cure for that. But seriously, you do call my attention to something else concerning Propecia. Propecia shrinks the prostate and this is interesting. Most men will develop some form of prostate cancer eventually. Many Doctors feel that finasteride greatly reduces the chance of prostate cancer. I also believe that DHT is responsible for ear and nose growth which is common as men grow older. Naturally I have no proof of this, but I strongly suspect it. Time will tell and the results will be interesting.
Hi there.
Well, your hair looks healthy and has good texture, so you may have really good results with Propecia. The problem with my hair was that at no time could I hide the thinning area and I didn't know that it had thinned that much. I started with Rogaine and I used it several months. I should point out that the Rogaine alone solved the problem and I will tell you how I know this. After using Rogaine for about 6 months this guy I knew that does hair recommended Nioxin. He said that Nioxin would work better than Rogain, so I stopped Rogaine and started using Nioxin, well after about 4 or 5 months my hair was thinning again, so I started back on Rogaine and the thin spot filled in once more. At that time I started Propecia as well in order to attack hair-loss at the root of the problem. The two work very nicely together. Rogain is available without a prescription. You can find it at Wal-Mart stores, or probably your local pharmacy. I pay around 45.00 for a 3 month supply. I use the new Rogaine foam. It is available in liquid or foam. You can also buy it online at rogaine.com. In the picture that I posted my hair is wet so my hair would look as thin as possible. I have a classic horseshoe pattern that is thinner than the rest of my hair, but it is manageable, which is all I can expect. I also use caol tar shampoo which is what they used in the FDA Propecia trials. They used Neutrogena T-Gel. Coal tar helps to eliminate scalp inflamation which is a contributing factor in MPB. The pattern that I have is very similar to the pattern that My father had. He was a Norwood 6. However, my grandfather on my Mother's side had very thick hair even when he died, at 86. He was 1/2 Cherokee Indian which is probably one of the reasons that I have any hair at all. I should also mention that you can get generic Rogaine and Propecia. This saves a lot of money. You can get Proscar and cut it into 4 pieces, probably saving at least half on finasteride which is the active ingredient in Propecia. There is no generic substitute for Avodart and it is quite expensive at around 102.00 per bottle.
Thanks Jeffrey,
The main thing I wanted to know is if Rogaine gives a greasy or nasty feel to the hair. It is true that my thinning is mild in the crown (it can be seen though, especially with bright light), and my front hairline, which is still reasonably low, doesn't look a lot different from a staff picture taken of me with short hair around 2001 or 2002, although the pattern of some recession at the temples is present then and now. Overall, however, my hair is not as thick as it was a few years back. Perhaps I should be assessed by the dermatologist to find out exactly how bad the MPB is before trying Rogaine as well as the propecia my family doctor already prescribed. My dad was far from a Norwood 6, but had seriously thinning hair all over when he died at 79 (but he smoked many years of his life), my grandfather had full hair at 85 when he died, both my older brothers also had/have good hair-the older one died at 58.
Thanks again,
David
My hairline in 2002-2003, short hair, staff picture.
David
Gezzzzz....What a difference! I didn't even recognize you for a while. You've come a long way. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the kind words! I most certainly will keep it growing, as long as possible!
David
Man, you're a lawyer? you look like one with short hair....
Not a lawyer lol!!! I'm a chemist.
David
Hi there.
Well, liquid Rogaine makes my hair a tad bit ummmm....sticky I suppose. Kinda like sugar water. The foam is more like a mouse,moose,however you spell it. I don't use many styling products other than Pantene leave in conditioner. I usually wear a cap, so I don't mind if my hair gets a little sticky, however once the Rogaine foam dries it is ok. It dries fairly quickly too. I have had a receding hairline in the front since I was a baby and I don't think that anything will help that other than a transplant. My primary concern is the crown. I know it may sound strange, but thinking about the back of my head being bare is kinda like walking around with a big circle cut out of the back of my pants. I would feel naked.
I agree with you Jeffrey, it is a bummer. I have the same thing going on. According to my wife it was noticable the last time a grew my hair long. (it's one of her lines she uses to argue against my long hair project) That was 6+ years ago and even though there may have been some progression, I'm hoping it may be little. I haven't thought of useing some treatment, but I wouldn't rule it out. Your and David's discussion on the subject have got me thinking.
Well you hair looks real good, and even the crown area is not noticable. Keep up the good growin'
Happy Holidays
Bruce