sankhadip Samanta Posted September 19 Share Posted September 19 (edited) Hello fellow hair enthusiasts, First of all, thank you all for providing such great content and valuable information here. I’m a 25-year-old male, and I’ve been experiencing hair loss, mainly a receding hairline, since I was 20. I've genetic baldness running in my maternal side. I’ve had a high forehead and a mature hairline even before my 20s. Last December, I got a buzz cut, and it was devastating to see how much my hairline had receded. I was extremely depressed for about 5-6 months and still haven’t fully recovered emotionally. Initially, I consulted with a dermatologist who recommended Redensyl along with ketoconazole. Unfortunately, after 3.5 months of use, my hair loss only increased, with no signs of improvement. I then consulted another dermatologist, who prescribed minoxidil and finasteride two months later. I’ve been using minoxidil for 5 months and finasteride for 3 months. My hair fall has slowed down and is now back to the baseline state it was before starting Redensyl. The reduction in hair fall became noticeable around the 3-month mark of using finasteride. Minoxidil, on the other hand, hasn’t had much effect, but I’m continuing to use it as advised by my dermatologist. I’ve also been considering a hair transplant for my receding hairline. Recently, I consulted with Dr. Sunnet Soni in Jaipur, India. He advised against a transplant at this stage due to the potential for future hair loss and noted that my hair density is still good, and my hairline hasn’t receded too far. I appreciated his honest assessment. My routine: 1. Minoxidil every evening at 7 PM. 2. Finsteride every night before going to bed 3. Ketoconazole 2 times a week. 4. Alternative day shampoo/hair wash I’m posting some pictures from January 2024 (had short hair at that time, wearing a black sweater) and September 2024 (the rest), taken after using minoxidil for 5 months and finasteride for 3 months. Can you see any difference between these pictures? What do you think about my hairline? Is it really too receded, or am I just overthinking it? The doctor mentioned that it isn't as bad as I think, and I somewhat agree with him. Do you think I should go ahead with a hair transplant for my receding hairline, or should I follow Dr. Soni’s advice? Do you think finasteride will further improve my hair quality, given that hair fall has slowed down by 50-60% and used it for 3 months only? Minoxidil hasn’t shown much regrowth for me. After using it for 5 months, I don’t see any significant difference. What are your thoughts on this? I really need some outside perspectives, as I’ve been feeling depressed and anxious about this for almost a year now. Please share your thoughts and advice. Edited September 19 by sankhadip Samanta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Al - Moderator Posted September 19 Moderators Share Posted September 19 Your hair looks pretty good. Don’t have a hair transplant. Stay on the meds for now and try to stop being depressed about your hair because it’s not bad at all. 1 Al Forum Moderator (formerly BeHappy) I am a paid forum moderator for hairrestorationnetwork.com. I am not a Dr. and I do not work for any particular Dr. My opinions are my own and may not reflect the opinions of other moderators or the owner of this site. I am also a hair transplant patient and repair patient. You can view some of my repair journey here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Berba11 Posted September 19 Valued Contributor Share Posted September 19 Your hair looks really good and you have a good strong hairline. A bit of recession is natural and masculine and nothing to worry about. Embrace it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Gatsby Posted September 19 Valued Contributor Share Posted September 19 Do not have a hair transplant!!! It takes two years before seeing the peak benefits of Finasteride and one year for minoxidil. You may get some regrowth. Stay on the medication as adviced. Your hairline looks soft and natural. 1 GATSBY 'UNPLUGGED!' 15,671 (3 surgeries) Grafts FUE+BHT Dr. Sethi Eugenix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankhadip Samanta Posted September 20 Author Share Posted September 20 Thanks @Berba11 @Gatsby @Al - Moderator for your response. I've been reading your comments on different threads for this longtime, now you're replying to me 🔥. Dreamlike. I keep trying to make myself realize the same thing, but I keep failing. I feel I would be satisfied once my hair loss stabilizes more and stops receding further. Finsteride has certainly helped slowing down the hair fall in 3 months,now looking for some more improvment. A few more things need clarification. As I asked earlier, do you notice any difference between my old and new pictures? Also, topical minoxidil is causing me a very itchy scalp and a burning sensation on the top of my head. Is this normal, or should I consult my dermatologist to explore other options, such as switching to oral minoxidil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valued Contributor Berba11 Posted September 20 Valued Contributor Share Posted September 20 21 hours ago, sankhadip Samanta said: A few more things need clarification. As I asked earlier, do you notice any difference between my old and new pictures? Not that I can tell to be honest! I’m just seeing an excellent head of hair that anyone on here would gladly trade with you! 21 hours ago, sankhadip Samanta said: Also, topical minoxidil is causing me a very itchy scalp and a burning sensation on the top of my head. Is this normal, or should I consult my dermatologist to explore other options, such as switching to oral minoxidil? It’s not uncommon to find that topical minoxidil can be an irritant. Certainly worth exploring oral min of the problem with the topical persists. Obviously do consult your dermatologist, GP or a reputable HT surgeon beforehand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankhadip Samanta Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 Thanks @Berba11. Appreciated your comments and spending time on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member YodaHead Posted September 21 Regular Member Share Posted September 21 You have plenty hair at this stage. Good thing is that you are taking meds to control further hairloss. Just continue with the treatment and you are all aet for a long time. You are far away from needing a hair transplant at this stage! Just enjoy life and relax… 1 12.5k grafts with Dr. Felipe Pitella in Jan 2024. Link to my journey: https://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/topic/71724-12501-grafts-dr-felipe-pittella-jan-2024/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankhadip Samanta Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 Thanks @YodaHead. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Justlikeheaven Posted September 22 Regular Member Share Posted September 22 Your hair looks great. It's funny cause I wish I had hair like yours even though you're unhappy with it. Definitely don't need a HT for now. If you don't have any negative side effects just continue with the meds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankhadip Samanta Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 (edited) Thanks! I don’t have any negative side effects, except that my estrogen and testosterone levels are unusually high. I did blood work two weeks ago, which showed everything was normal—liver, kidney, etc.—except for these two hormones. Unfortunately, I don't have baseline measurements for them. I have a consultation scheduled next month with my dermatologist, so I’ll see what she says. Dr. Suneet Soni mentioned that finsteride shouldn't cause such elevated hormones level. He suggested stopping finasteride for 2 months to see if hormone levels decrease. I’ve read articles online suggesting that elevated hormone levels may remain the same for the first few months after starting the drug and then return to baseline. I plan to have another blood test in January or February to monitor the situation. Edited September 22 by sankhadip Samanta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sunshine09 Posted Monday at 07:55 PM Regular Member Share Posted Monday at 07:55 PM You do not need a HT at all! Keep up what you are doing with the medication and you will be good for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankhadip Samanta Posted 2 hours ago Author Share Posted 2 hours ago Hello everyone, I had a consultation with my dermatologist today. She prescribed oral minoxidil at 2.5 mg per day, to be taken after breakfast, and reduced the topical minoxidil dosage from 1 ml to 0.5 ml for the next month, with plans to discontinue it afterward for a smoother transition. For your information, I didn’t experience significant regrowth after using topical minoxidil for nearly six months. Additionally, she recommended switching to 1 mg of finasteride every other day (EOD) instead of daily (ED). Though, my hair loss slowed down significantly after starting finsteride. My question is: Should I take any baseline measurements before starting oral minoxidil? Please advise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sankhadip Samanta Posted 2 hours ago Author Share Posted 2 hours ago She also mentioned that my hair has thickened. However, I haven't noticed significant regrowth, as the density has remained more or less the same for the past two years. The primary reason for discontinuing topical minoxidil is the itching and rash on the back of my scalp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now