I have been on Rogaine for 13 months with no regrowth. I have switched to hair support products because I had micropoint links done to add more hair on top. But I have went from shedding 30-40 hairs a day to 60-80 a day and it seems really brittle (More than usual). Is shedding this much hair normal? I am really concerned. Should I keep on the Rogaine also? - Dawn
Dawn,
Shedding up to 100 hairs a day is normal, as hair goes through various growth and shedding cycles. Your shedding may have increased after you stopped using Rogaine (minoxidil) because the hair it may have stopped from shedding typically sheds once you get off Rogaine. Call it drug withdrawal. Thus in a sense your hair loss catches up.
Often people see no improvement with Rogaine but don’t realize that the Rogaine may have been inhibiting further hair loss. So then when they stop using Rogaine the hair loss can accelerate at least temporarily.
Having to apply Rogaine twice a day can be a pain. It also can make the hair a bit guppy. So with micropoints I’d imagine using Rogaine is just too messy.
Rogaine’s benefits are typically slowing hair loss and in some cases strengthening and thickening hair that was miniaturizing. Most people do not get much actual regrowth of lost hair.
You also have to stay on Rogaine indefinitely to maintain the hair it may or may not have preserved. Thus until a person stops using it they often don’t know if it was working or not.
I’m new to the website and am encouraged that you have this website for those such as myself searching for real options. I recently went to MHR in Houston Texas and was given “info” but found your site and became discouraged as to the reputation of Dr. Carlos Puig and the chain hair restoration centers.
I am an African American male, 27, Norwood Scale 5 and I assume I have a good donor area as the dip is not low and doesn’t seem to be going that far down. Please help me to find a decent surgeon being that I am from Lafayette, La. - Irvin
Irvin,
Thanks for your post. Having lost virtually all my hair on top by age 30, I agree that hair loss can be very depressing. But fortunately there are good options for stopping hair loss, such as the pill Propecia, and hair transplants for restoring the hair you’ve lost.
The most important thing is too be very careful about which hair transplant clinic you choose because the results vary widely from very poor to outstanding. I think the best single resource is our hair restoration discussion forum, where patients share actual experiences, results and critiques of their hair transplant surgeons. As you’ve learned already, the big hair mills do not typically get good reviews.
Since there are no high level hair transplant surgeons in Louisiana, I suggest you consider consulting with the very best clinics nationally and plan on traveling to get it done right. Some times the very best clinics also offer the best pricing too since they are ethical and patient oriented. In my opinion the top physicians are in the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.
I suggest you read about them and then spend time on our hair restoration discussion forum researching the physicians you are interested in. Use the “Find” feature to search for posts about a physician by entering their last name.
I also encourage you to post your question on the forum for multiple opinions. Mean while keep your chin up and knowledge will set you free.
Best wishes for restoring your hair.
Pat - pulisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center
Hi Patrick,
I am 24 and I have been slowly thinning in my frontal areas for the last 5 years or so. I have tried many things over the years like minoxidil and finasteride but nothing could stop the inevitable. I was wondering if it is a good idea for me to have my thinning areas in the front filled in with a hair transplant. Are hair transplants a good option for someone my age? -Joe
Joe,
Both Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil), as you’ve discovered over time, are not as effective at stopping or reversing hair loss in the hairline as they are in the top mid scalp and crown areas.
Ultimately hair transplantation will probably be your only viable option for restoring your hairline. Fortunately the new ultra refined hair transplant techniques use smaller incisions that are less disruptive to the surrounding existing hair and thus “shock fallout” (post surgical effluvium) of existing hair is less of an issue than it was a few years ago.
However, some of your existing hair in the front could shed, especially the thinning hair that has already become miniaturized. Typically most of the hair that you may loose in the grafted area regrows within a few months. So sometimes doing a hair transplant into existing hair that is thinning is like going two steps back initially to eventually go several steps forward.
I suggest you consult with a Coalition hair restoration physician since they all perform ultra refined follicular unit hair transplantation with proven results. Since you are 24 years old it still be too early for you to do surgery. But when the time comes you will be that much more prepared if you have done your research and consulted with a top notch hair transplant surgeon.
Feel free to post your current photos on our hair restoration discussion forum to get feedback from me and other members. Getting multiple opinions from experienced patients can be very useful.
Best wishes for restoring your hairline.
Pat - pulisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center