What Norwood am I ? A bit of a mixed bag

[JaneyElizabeth]

Thanks Chill.

These were pics of my crown 4 years ago when I was aged 30 and jumped on 0.5mg a day ..

As dutasteride is not FDA approved I am apprehensive to jump on it …

It is FDA-approved for prostate issues and generally folks use about one fifth of the Proscar prescription of 5mg. Hrt.cafe. To me, the Norwood scale is a misery index that guys use to brag about how terrible their own individual case of hair loss is and it has little to no communicative value about "how bad" one's hair loss is. It might also be seen as baldness jargon but generally, I don't play the "guess what Norwood I am game" because you can't tell really from pics. The main value might be for communicating with doctors about your extent of baldness but I have never bothered with it except that my shed probably took me down to six or seven for a while, which helps explain the severity of the shed which was down to some wisps on top and the sides. Sheds are a good thing she says but you gotta ride 'em out!

 

[Jpw1999]

Wow that’s great progress . I really wish the FDA would approve dutasteride in England so it was more accessible and lost that air of mystery surrounding it .

So would you say I haven’t lost any further since those pics 4 years ago ? Therefore should I stick on finasteride as I am doing ? To be honest , if it stays like this I am fine as the crown thinning etc isn’t noticeable when styled and washed etc ?

Oxford online pharmacy sell Dutasteride in the UK, its the place I get my finasteride from.

 

[Adam124]

Oxford online pharmacy sell Dutasteride in the UK, its the place I get my finasteride from.

Whilst it’s not FDA approved for hair loss I’m going to stick to finasteride I think guys and keep fingers crossed ….

 

[Chill dude]

Wow that’s great progress . I really wish the FDA would approve dutasteride in England so it was more accessible and lost that air of mystery surrounding it .

So would you say I haven’t lost any further since those pics 4 years ago ? Therefore should I stick on finasteride as I am doing ? To be honest , if it stays like this I am fine as the crown thinning etc isn’t noticeable when styled and washed etc ?

Yes! Stick to it cos It’s clearly working champ

 

[Chill dude]

Whilst it’s not FDA approved for hair loss I’m going to stick to finasteride I think guys and keep fingers crossed ….

Why did you feel the need to jump on 1mg from 0.5 if it’s worked so well for you in the past?

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Whilst it’s not FDA approved for hair loss I’m going to stick to finasteride I think guys and keep fingers crossed ….

I think that's a prudent decision since dutasteride use following finasteride use might be seen as titration upwards and that's usually the best way to increase dosage without shedding or new sides. Having said that, try both if you don't react well to dutasteride. I get no sides from either, singly or in tandem, like now.

 

[Adam124]

Why did you feel the need to jump on 1mg from 0.5 if it’s worked so well for you in the past?

As I can’t be entirely sure it’s not started to thin further at the crown since being on 0.5mg daily so I don’t want to take any risks …

with no medical understanding , I’m hoping that 1mg might be the extra kick I need if my body has got used to the 0.5 mg finasteride daily and isn’t responding as well at the crown …

may be all in my head but don’t want to risk it …

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

As I can’t be entirely sure it’s not started to thin further at the crown since being on 0.5mg daily so I don’t want to take any risks …

with no medical understanding , I’m hoping that 1mg might be the extra kick I need if my body has got used to the 0.5 mg finasteride daily and isn’t responding as well at the crown …

may be all in my head but don’t want to risk it …

That's why you titrate, baby. Up to where, marginal cost equals marginal benefit. I could draw you a curve but I suck at that. Oral min should be very carefully titrated upwards (for mere mortals) and then downwards to where hair sides, i.e., growth/regrowth equal other non-scalp hair or vellus and beard hair sides.

 

[Adam124]

That's why you titrate, baby. Up to where, marginal cost equals marginal benefit. I could draw you a curve but I suck at that. Oral min should be very carefully titrated upwards (for mere mortals) and then downwards to where hair sides, i.e., growth/regrowth equal other non-scalp hair or vellus and beard hair sides.

Hi @JaneyElizabeth , do you mean by upping from 0.5mg daily to 1mg I’m titrating ?

thanks

 

[Chill dude]

As I can’t be entirely sure it’s not started to thin further at the crown since being on 0.5mg daily so I don’t want to take any risks …

with no medical understanding , I’m hoping that 1mg might be the extra kick I need if my body has got used to the 0.5 mg finasteride daily and isn’t responding as well at the crown …

may be all in my head but don’t want to risk it …

Yeah I can see the logic in that, I hope 0.5mg of dutasteride doesn’t begin to wear off anytime soon as there are no other options for me. They tested 1.5 - 4mg of Dutasteride on rats and some of the rats got penile shrinkage on the 1.5mg and all of the rats got it on the higher dosage, yikes

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Hi @JaneyElizabeth , do you mean by upping from 0.5mg daily to 1mg I’m titrating ?

thanks

Titration is just a fancy word for going up in dosage but it differs a bit in that it implies perhaps smaller steps upwards and downwards in terms of evaluation of sides versus hair effects and you want to stop when in the economic sense, benefits equal costs. Oral minoxidil is something that requires careful titration.

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Would you not try 1mg of finasteride if 0.5 dutasteride wore off ?

I think the more we dwell and look at our hair the more we can read into things . I’ve just taken a side prof pic and now thinking I can see thinning at the sides … I had just been laying down …

Yes, of course. Get microneedling and if you use minoxidil, foam is easier, apply it to fringe areas as well.

 

[Adam124]

I think the more we dwell and look at our hair the more we can read into things . I’ve just taken a side prof pic and now thinking I can see thinning at the sides … I had just been laying down …

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I think the more we dwell and look at our hair the more we can read into things . I’ve just taken a side prof pic and now thinking I can see thinning at the sides … I had just been laying down …

I used to crouch on the sink for hours with a hand mirror looking at my scalp under a bright light and I don't recommend it. It wasn't very long ago that my toes were all numb from the constant crouching and I was about to destroy the connective tissue until I finally got results so now I only look half as much and I can just stand in front of the mirror with no need for close-ups.

Once, I slipped and fell and broke six ribs and my ex-wife thought that I had been drinking. I wish I said. What saved me was not looking in a mirror; that's for evaluating treatments but instead I spent every waking moment doing research and then actually doing productive things like microneedling, faking prostate issues to get prescribed proscar and have it covered, shhh, adding meds and increasing dosages and trying to find a weight that emphasized my best facial qualities. You are going to burn out soon but I probably will too from helping people. We can only obsessed even about good things for only so long and then the goal is to resume life if possible but that's your choice. I can't deny that constantly looking at hair lines, body hair and beard growth combined with that individual's scalp hair growth has been productive. I can see patterns that I recognize or at least I think that I can. Thinking all of the time helps me titrate dosages but you need to have some fun since you probably think orgasms cause baldness. Guys with hair who are balding, especially need to get laid as quickly and as often as possible and I am not kidding.

 

[eivbisi]

You are definitely thinning on crown and temples but very slowly... the best thing you can do is switch to dutasteride(at least topical) and maybe oral minoxidil

 

[Adam124]

You are definitely thinning on crown and temples but very slowly... the best thing you can do is switch to dutasteride(at least topical) and maybe oral minoxidil

Thanks @eivbisi .

ahhh now I’m torn with what to think lol

do you not think I could stick it out on 1mg of finasteride daily and maintain???

 

[Chill dude]

Thanks @eivbisi .

ahhh now I’m torn with what to think lol

do you not think I could stick it out on 1mg of finasteride daily and maintain???

Stay away from oral minoxidil!!! It can make your heart larger, not good or long term

 

[Adam124]

Thanks @JaneyElizabeth and @Chill dude . I won’t be digesting minoxidil . I’m too scared to take dutasteride due to it not being fda approved in uk !




so after a quick shampoo without product I took some more pics of the crown .. threw the cows lick around a bit to show off at every angle …

so confused as to whether I’m thinning or not

 

[Adam124]

Hairline with no product

 

[Jpw1999]

Slight thinning at the crown, looks the same as it did 4 years ago.