Cornholio
Established Member
- Reaction score
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Looking back I think I experienced a significant frontal recession about age 18, taking me back past NW1. I initially didnt know what to think of it, however during my sophmore year of college began to freak out a little bit about my changing hairline. Mom (bless her heart) even sent a few pics of male catalogue models with high hairlines to build my confidence. I should have taken the hint and panicked, but didnt.
Thru my 20's things changed minimally, however looking back I can see a gradual change in photos (diffuse thinning). I started finasteride at around age 32. I was then blissfully unaware of my hair for about 5 years. No other treatments. Over the last year Ive had trouble maintaining an adequate hairstyle (mussed look with long bangs doesn's work) and eventually got my first buzz-cut. While I was pleased with the overall easy maintenence I was again freaked out by my hairline... A scar which had been comfortably within the hairline had migrated out beyond the edge. There was also notable diffuse thinning, frontal and vertex (NW2-3 with frontal and temporal recession and diffuse thinning). So, I found these hairloss sites and learned what there is to know (beyond finasteride).
By mid-april 2005 I had switched from proscar only to a regimen including dutasteride, minoxidil and nizoral. I am still playing with products from dr. Lee's which might add azelaic acid/retin-a to the treatments, and am considering T-sal. In any case I plan to settle in for the long battle... I am on a lot of products, but my impression of the state of the science is that no one drug has 100% efficacy (and, I am already "failing" finasteride, making my situation a little tougher). I am shooting for long term maintenence (decades if possible : ). As nobody has studied combinations of medications I am not sure that this goal is possible, but I am hopeful, and will do what I can with the tools available.
I could mention that I have always had fine blond hair which is getting finer. Without this site I might not have noticed hair shaft miniaturization (which is quite obvious when you look for it) to be a marker for male pattern baldness. I will use that as a marker for hair health and regimen efficacy.
As I am adopted I have no idea what my genetic predisposition to hair loss really is, but looking at myself over the years I believe that I am on the path to solid NW6 without intervention and need to do all I can now to stop the thinning trend.
I have hope that something useful will come of research over the next 10 years (growth stimulants using the hedgehog pathway?) and hope to hang on for those developments (lord willing, knock on wood).
Anyway, Im enjoying the site (but addicted to posting, .... hope to post less and forget about the hairline again once Im sure treatments are working) and appreciate the experience and advice I find here.
Thru my 20's things changed minimally, however looking back I can see a gradual change in photos (diffuse thinning). I started finasteride at around age 32. I was then blissfully unaware of my hair for about 5 years. No other treatments. Over the last year Ive had trouble maintaining an adequate hairstyle (mussed look with long bangs doesn's work) and eventually got my first buzz-cut. While I was pleased with the overall easy maintenence I was again freaked out by my hairline... A scar which had been comfortably within the hairline had migrated out beyond the edge. There was also notable diffuse thinning, frontal and vertex (NW2-3 with frontal and temporal recession and diffuse thinning). So, I found these hairloss sites and learned what there is to know (beyond finasteride).
By mid-april 2005 I had switched from proscar only to a regimen including dutasteride, minoxidil and nizoral. I am still playing with products from dr. Lee's which might add azelaic acid/retin-a to the treatments, and am considering T-sal. In any case I plan to settle in for the long battle... I am on a lot of products, but my impression of the state of the science is that no one drug has 100% efficacy (and, I am already "failing" finasteride, making my situation a little tougher). I am shooting for long term maintenence (decades if possible : ). As nobody has studied combinations of medications I am not sure that this goal is possible, but I am hopeful, and will do what I can with the tools available.
I could mention that I have always had fine blond hair which is getting finer. Without this site I might not have noticed hair shaft miniaturization (which is quite obvious when you look for it) to be a marker for male pattern baldness. I will use that as a marker for hair health and regimen efficacy.
As I am adopted I have no idea what my genetic predisposition to hair loss really is, but looking at myself over the years I believe that I am on the path to solid NW6 without intervention and need to do all I can now to stop the thinning trend.
I have hope that something useful will come of research over the next 10 years (growth stimulants using the hedgehog pathway?) and hope to hang on for those developments (lord willing, knock on wood).
Anyway, Im enjoying the site (but addicted to posting, .... hope to post less and forget about the hairline again once Im sure treatments are working) and appreciate the experience and advice I find here.
