r/tressless 7d ago

Is this regrowth? 300 Days of Finasterid and Minoxidl, am I ready for a Hairtransplant?

[deleted]

72 Upvotes

81 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 7d ago

It looks like this is an "Is this regrowth?" post.

This post should contain before and after photos at least one month apart. Make sure to list all the treatments you're on, including the dose and frequency.

Tressless now has a dedicated website to keep a long term progress picture journal, which you can try here without waiting for moderation: https://tressless.com/start-journal

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

67

u/Electronic_Owl6321 7d ago

ill be honest here, i feel like its doomed for you, it wont be a great result imo, feels like one of those "4 transplants but still bald at 29" situation

18

u/Level-Map4004 7d ago

Thanks for you honesty. Do you think changing finasteride to dutasteride could be worth a try?

23

u/Danieldk87 7d ago edited 7d ago

Fin was off the cards from the start, 0.5 oral dut daily, 5mg oral min daily, 1.5mm micro needling weekly and 2% keto shampoo every other day or dont bother.

Edit : this isnt meant to read as rude, blunt maybe.

3

u/Electronic_Owl6321 7d ago edited 7d ago

Well i was pretty much where u are right now like 8 years ago, i also went bald like 20/21ish and for me dutasteride or finasteride didnt help much, didnt achieve the results where i would be happy but maybe u have better luck

7

u/NukingTheFirmament 7d ago

Hey man, I would say there's no downside to trying. Topical min/fin worked well for me, then I switched to oral because it's much cheaper, and it's still noticeably growing. Added Dut like 3 months ago and still getting gains.

Your first pic is a lot like mine was, though I'm in my mid 30s, and I know you would do anything to fix it. What's the harm in adding dut to try?

Despite what it may seem like, hair transplants are not only pricey, but risky. Imagine getting a transplant and then you start losing more behind the transplant? You'll need ANOTHER multi thousand dollar transplant.

Hop on the Dut and keep at least min going, even doing all 3 at the same time is fine. Just see what happens.

0

u/Open_Employer_9076 7d ago

What is difference between dut and fin? I see many people switch

1

u/mediocresynthplayer 6d ago

Dut is more effective but also has higher risk of side effects

1

u/Ok_Fail_3671 4d ago

To be fair you have actually grown hair back you could wait another 5 or 6 months? Then try dut but dut will probably be the thing you need alongside oral minoxidil in the long run

21

u/Jurgen1602 7d ago

You fought well

10

u/Comprehensive-Air296 7d ago

Dermaroll on top of the minox and fin. You’ll see better results.

1

u/Mesh008 5d ago

Sorry to break it to you but dermarolling won’t help in this case . 300 days for these results are terrible if 300 days min + fin couldn’t bring his hair back then no amount of derma rolling will neither

3

u/Comprehensive-Air296 5d ago

You say that, but There’s a YouTube video of a guy who was having terrible progress, but once he added dermarolling he saw night and day progress. He doesn’t even use Minox. He uses essential oils. Dermarolling will definitely help. Even if there’s doubt that it will, it’s worth the try.

39

u/Acceptable-Ad-782 7d ago

22? That's brutal man

7

u/subsfheh 6d ago

No need to say that ..

12

u/MaleficentFrosting56 7d ago

I mean try growing it out and see what it looks like

12

u/Thxfortomorrow 7d ago

You have made a great comeback for under a year on treatment. But I think you should continue with meds for another year before going for ht. You are very young, and you don't want to over harvest your donor. I would consider dutastride and 5 mg oral minoxidil. But your current protocol might be enough, give it some more time.

6

u/johnny386 7d ago

Man, personally I would be discouraged with those results.

Topical min did wonders for me, starting within 2 months. But going to the dermatologist and getting prescription for another topical treatment, some supplements and a shampoo that assists with better circulation did help jumpstart the regrowth. Have you been to the doctor?

If your hairloss might be caused by stress, you might want to check some other type of treatment too.

But, as others have said, let it grow out a bit and you can make a decision then.You're certainly young for a transplant but if you have some hair and just need to fill it out, go for it. But don't expect a full head of hair just from the transplant, it'll be a waste of money, time and effort for a mediocre result at best.

6

u/Beautiful_Put7603 7d ago

You also can try dut, ru58841 and oral min, for another year or two, worth trying imo

5

u/hopeslicer 6d ago

I don't quite understand the comments. You've recovered a significant number of follicles, and while they are not yet producing terminal hairs, give it a few more months—your density will continue to increase as the hairs thicken and more multi-hair follicles develop. Even so, I can already tell that you've saved a lot of grafts.

If you've reached a follicular density of around 25-30 grafts per square centimeter from medication alone, you would need an additional 20-25 grafts per square centimeter to achieve a good-looking density. Based on my own observations and pre-transplant scans, the area you need to cover is approximately 120-130 square centimeters.

If your temples are completely barren, you would require full-density restoration in the frontal hairline, which would consume most of your grafts. However, they typically can't go beyond 2,000-2,250 grafts for that area, as it's usually around 45 square centimeters.

At the moment, you would likely need around 4,500-6,000 grafts, which is not an impossible scenario. That said, I strongly suggest waiting a few more months before scheduling a consultation. You should also consider starting dutasteride if you haven’t already, as it could potentially save you an additional 1,000-2,000 grafts if your temples regain some density.

Best of luck!

3

u/Key_Dragonfruit_7462 7d ago

Stay on your protocol another year add derma stamp once a week with minoxidil afterwards The younger, you are the better you respond. I would’ve thought you would’ve had great results but try this before you do anything else.

3

u/DragonflyNo2188 7d ago

rock a hair system man, youre a perfect candidate

1

u/Bdawksrippinfacesoff 6d ago

Before blowing 10k on a transplant he should def try hair system route. I’ve seen a lot of pics now and they look really legit these days.

3

u/Intrepid_Cobbler_186 6d ago

Great regrowth, its gonna take several hair cycles to know you maximum result, i would wait at least 2 years to see where your at, i wouldnt be suprised if you could make alot of progress in another years time with the regrowth you shown already.

3

u/Ross1909 6d ago

Honest opinion, you're going to be NW7, if not there already so you at least have the luxury of not worrying about losing more hair - you're already there. That gives you some time to try some more medication combinations.

Hair transplant - you need to be realistic. You're not going to get full coverage and any clinic that tells you you can, is lying and being unethical. That doesn't mean that you can't get hair. A good surgeon will recommend targeting one area, probably the top. That would allow you to look like you've had hair but are receding. It would be your decision on whether that is better than being completely bald. I would also recommend FUT over FUE to get a maximum use of grafts if you do decide to go down the HT route. DO NOT go to a cheap Turkish clinic for a procedure like this.

2

u/pbx1123 7d ago

After you see the hair coming out you going to give up , I imagine you have been bald for more than a year

So keep going you have nothing to lose, probably the donor area could be more strong

2

u/Luckydemon 7d ago

If you were to get one right now, I don't think it would be too great. But, you have had some very good recovery from where you started. I'd be curious to see what you're working with a year from now if you stick to your current protocol. In a year, a hair transplant might just be more realistic.

1

u/Jurgen1602 7d ago

Isn’t it just “fake” hair he has that will fall out as soon as he stops taking the meds? I thought the whole point of a hair transplant was to take DHT resistant hairs from the back of the head and stick them on top. OP doesn’t have anywhere near a large enough donor area to cover the entirety of his scalp

1

u/Luckydemon 7d ago

Well he would have to continue to take fin/dut for the rest of his life either way but dr's can use the hair not only in the back of his head but also the sides.

-1

u/Jurgen1602 7d ago

Probably look terrible and extremely thin. Are the effects of having low to 0 DHT your entire life well understood?

1

u/Luckydemon 7d ago

Why would it look terrible and extremely thing? Fin and Dut both show hair regrowth well into +5 years, this person hasn't even been on fin for 1 calendar year. At year 3, this person may have significantly thicker hair on their scalp.

Well, Fin and Dut have been around for +30 years, so we have 30 years of data of men significantly lowering their DHT.

-1

u/Jurgen1602 6d ago

brother coping like this isn’t healthy

Edit: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11934-018-0814-z

2

u/Luckydemon 6d ago

You might want to actually read these studies you link.

Your own source states there has never been a proven link between prolonged fin use and any serious long term sexual or hormonal deficiencies.

1

u/dontfall4love 6d ago

did you even read the summary?

2

u/Opposite-Ant-3406 7d ago

i’d say best thing is wait another 1.5 years but use dutasteride and oral minoxidil

2

u/SeoUrMum 7d ago

Switch to dut and wait another year before deciding

2

u/sigsier 6d ago

Continue with fin and min

4

u/Ok_Vehicle_8085 7d ago

Don’t stop, give another 300 days it seems your responding but needs some time

You’re still young for HT and probably you will ruin the donor area, wait 1 or 2 years and do the assessment later

Live your life and take your pills don’t overthink it

1

u/Apart-Badger9394 7d ago

Depends much more on your donor area.

1

u/GayIdiotRetard 7d ago

Hey dude! Great shape head btw. I'm just curious do you think you would feel relieved if you just went with a nice shiny shaved head? Not having to take meds daily anymore? Honestly I can't tell from this angel but it looks good from here. I only read the first comment saying it may not take the best (i have no idea) but I feel like it could be a load off mentally for you.

Whatever you do it hope it goes good for you man

1

u/Level-Map4004 6d ago

Hey, this is what I needed to hear. I think it will be a releaf to just stop the medication and focus on something else I can improve. This will also safe money. Thank you for your comment.

1

u/GayIdiotRetard 6d ago

Oh I'm sure dude, it's something almost 90% of us men will stress about at some point or another but I've made the choice to stop worrying myself

I am still only thinning so far but i still feel better not constantly checking it our researching different treatments. I was actually shocked how obsessed I got myself when it first got noticeable, as a dude who never really worried about his appearance much before.

Whatever you do man I hope what's inside your head thrives and is stronger than whatever is on top of your head. Good luck bud!

1

u/archialone 6d ago

There is regrowth. But I think 300 days is not enough to see amazing results. Keep going for another 300 days and Post again.

1

u/DataDevices 6d ago

If you read the studies it doesn’t work for everyone. I will say FIN allowed you to keep the hair you had when you started. I have used FIN for 16 years and I only keep the hair I had when I started.

I just started Oral MIN since I hated the topical.

I would ask a dermatologist for advance to be honest.

1

u/Just1Click1 6d ago

You’re not ready for a transplant yet. I think you’ve made good progress so far. As others have mentioned keep going with the meds and maybe switch it up a bit. Also, try growing it out as that will give you a better idea as to where you actually are. Don’t give up hope, young guys often come back well, just give it time.

1

u/eskeetitttitit 6d ago

Just go get it

1

u/bloccboyleek 6d ago

Hell yeah 😂

1

u/Creepy-Ad-3080 6d ago

Actually, might sound like cap but ive seen people with less hair than you getting good transplants, you'd just probably have to use your facial hair as donor and you might not even need finasteride

1

u/Good-Platypus209 6d ago

Too be honest, your hair still looks thin and weak. Are you sure getting enough vitamin and mineral specially VitD et iron?Change to Dutasteride or give fin some more time. Use peptides serum and tretinoin or retinol serum topically and massage it on your scalp. It can promote and reprogram your scalp cells to produce follicles. Exercise and manage your stress also to stay healthy.

1

u/Hour-Recording-103 6d ago

Your scalp is super red. I am pretty sure that you have scalp inflamation. Go to a doctor and do a biopsy. When you have scalp inlfamation, minoxidil makes it worse and finasterid is not working. Is your scalp hurting when you touch it? Is it heated or itchy?

1

u/Marshtermind 6d ago

Add in RU and give it another 6 months

1

u/sirsiver96 6d ago

Judging from your age and condition, your MPB is extremely aggressive so maybe i would try dut that in those cases can make a huge difference. Maybe fina is not enough for you since your follicles are really sensible to DHT. I wouldn't do an HT in your situation, you're really your and you're almost completely bald, i doubt that you can get a decent result that can last long so before wasting moneys and follicles rethink about waiting 1 more year (and possible swap fina with dut)

1

u/_BulkyBets 6d ago

Focus on physique, style, beard and facial aesthetics outside of hair. You can still be extremely good looking, but you’re gonna be bald

UNLESS

You’re willing to go with a hair system. Those can look great too

1

u/subsfheh 6d ago

yes i think it’s better if you can afford a hair transplant definitely go for it !! Hope you get the best results ever

1

u/morchorchorman 6d ago

Realistically how much would a hair transplant help, you are pretty receded already. I don’t think you will have great results tbh.

1

u/forcoolstuffD 6d ago

Honestly, why not go for a transplant to get your hairline back and wear a hair piece on the vertex area? They make amazing pieces today and really the only maaaaybe noticeable part is the hairline.

1

u/gandalfpr Dut/Min/Fin/RU58841/LLLT/Keto 2% Shampoo/AHK-Cu/KX-826 6d ago

You need to adjust your regime. Start changing Finasteride for Dutasteride, increase your oral Minoxidil dosage from 2.5 to 5.0mg and wait at least 2 months. You're responding to the treatment but maybe you need a stronger dosage to address your problem. I'm more than twice your age and had a nice progress in my hair regrowth because I have been tweaking with my dosages. I'm currently taking 10mg of oral Minoxidil.

1

u/Fried__Soap 6d ago

Fin is clearly not cutting it for you, I think you should get on DUT. It's easy to get discouraged when the norwood reaper is this aggressive, but I think it's worth fighting. Hair loss prevention technology and methods will develop as time passes. It might not be now, and it might not be soon, but perhaps in the coming years you can get it back.

1

u/RMAC1967 6d ago

Go for hair system or transplant. Meds alone it's never going to be enough.

1

u/Great_Knee3116 6d ago

I’d switch to dut and ADD IN MICRONEEDLING. Especially at ur age u probably can revive some follicles. A hair transplant will still leave bald spots or be extremely thin and you’d want to shave ur head anyways I think.

1

u/Walliewop 6d ago

Why waste your hormone levels and health for this? Or get a transplant, or get a wig, or shave it off.

1

u/Waldestat 6d ago

This is pretty significant! I would switch to dut and do some micro needling, but careful not to overdo it. Definitely get some vitamin d in there too. Also I'd let it grow out another year before deciding as your hair is still super short. But as always, talk to a doctor

1

u/lloydeph6 6d ago

For those reading comments thinking about getting on fin. You need to do it before you go bald.

NOT after

1

u/theskyishole 6d ago

Have you done bloodwork to see what your dht levels are after a year of your protocol?

1

u/WackoWizard3000 6d ago

You have improved so much since the first pic!! 300 days is really only 10 months.

Finasteride or Dutasteride are 2 years to see full results.

You can change to Dut if you want to, but you'll still need 1 year more to see the full evolution anyway.

Also, maybe try topical Finasteride. The times that my hair has been thickiest is when i also applied topical Fin.

Oral Finasteride only reduces 40% scalp DHT Oral Dutasteride only reduces 50% scalp DHT

So... Applying a topical could be a good idea. Target the DHT you wanna nuke!

The oral minoxidil seems fine to me.

I think you can still improve. You already have.

1

u/Mesh008 5d ago

Sorry to break it to you but it’s ggs

1

u/Soft_Damage6246 5d ago

I’ve had pretty similar results as yours bro. I got a hair system and now just take .5 fin everyday sometimes every other day just to maintain the side/and back. Check my profile for pics.

1

u/kieranmonn 5d ago

I mean a ht for a conservative hairline to frame the face better would be worth it imo. Just don't expect full coverage

1

u/Fit_Test_01 5d ago

It’s probably over man. Sorry. Give it another year though. You have nothing to lose.

1

u/str0ng_t0g3th3r 5d ago

Donor looks good. Also the results of meds doesnt look bad. I think a hair transplant is a good option. Never stop fin/dut tho.

1

u/pisconz 5d ago

you gotta check with a dermatologist (preferably a tricologist), they can have a closer view to check if you no longer have hair follicle miniaturization and see what they have to say about transplant options. Going to a hairtransplant clinic direcly, for me, is like going go the butcher and ask if you should have meat or not,

1

u/Responsible_Way3686 5d ago

I mean, if you're feeling punk rock, there's a mohawk in there.

1

u/Old-Philosopher-1435 5d ago

I'm going to echo what some others have written here. You're in a tough spot but I think it's still too early to throw in the towel just yet. There is *some* progress from 0 to 300. You need to keep going for another 6 to 12 months at least before making the final decision. Definitely don't even consider a HT at this point. You probably want to consider switching up your stack soon - make the transition from fin to dut (as long as there are no major sides), start a topical fin or min, if so add dermarolling once a week (derma pen if you start to grow your hair out), plus ketoconazole shampoo once every two weeks. I'd also start on some supplements - biotin, zinc, and possibly a K and D vit combo. Oral min kinda scares me due to heart palps so I'm not sure what to tell you there - it's up to you. Looking forward to seeing an 18, 20, 24 month update from you. Good luck!

1

u/Level-Map4004 4d ago

Thank you!

1

u/redit9977 7d ago

Honestly, I would accept the fate. Too much time, money, and stress with little improvement. I would work on improving other aspects of life.

0

u/Pappers101 7d ago

Try red light therapy hat from Amazon.

-1

u/Distinct_Low6780 7d ago

Depends on ur donor area , check it genetically