Balding

[Tansinique]

Hi all

I am a guy that wishes he had hair so I could go to the salon and have my hair cut into a cool bob and colored.
I wish I could find a way to have my hair grow again
Tried wigs but no fun because you can't go have your hair done
I wish I could find that cure
Maybe I must try mtf pills lol

[JeanetteLW]

 Hi Tansinique,

  I am Jeanette and unofficial greeter here at Susan's Place. Welcome , welcome. Come on in and be at home.

  I too would love to have hair on top again. I do not think I have any options other than hair transplants and they are pretty expensive. A lot of this MTF is expensive for a cheapskate like me but Like electrolysis I fear I may need to bite that proverbial bullet eventually.  Must learn to set priorities....

  Hugs.
   Jeanette

[Dena]

Welcome to Susan's Place. There are medications that stop hair loss and sometimes promote hair growth but they need to be prescribed and monitored by  a doctor. They work by blocking DHT which is a highly active form of testosterone that causes hair loss. The drugs don't result in feminization as testosterone still remains the dominant hormone in the body. MTF drugs take it a step farther by blocking testosterone with one of several drugs. These drugs were developed for other reasons but the side effect just happens to be reducing testosterone.

As for hair transplants, they are effective but they are mostly used for filling in spots. You need to have the hair to transplant and from what I understand, that is taken from the back of the head. In any case, if you want to do something about this, see your doctor as soon as possible. The longer the hair doesn't grow, the less likely it is to return.

We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	News posting & quoting guidelines	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

[Harley Quinn]

I concur with Dena.  Finasteride and Dutraside are the 2 DHT blockers that are common.  I got most of the hair I lost over the last 2 years back so far.  Spironolactone is effective for stopping Testosterone which can manifest into DHT, but you're getting into those MTF drugs.  The Finasteride and Dutraside focus only on the DHT and will not really effect your testosterone level.  As for hair transplants, that is basically moving hair around on your head.  I've seen some pretty amazing work done. It will never be as thick as natural grown hair.  However, it can be transplanted dense enough that it's difficult to tell the difference by looking at it.  Generally taken from the back and sides of your head, because those hairs are more resistant to DHT and will be the thickest to harvest from.

Both DHT blockers and Transplants are a slow process, and expensive.  DHT blockers have to be taken as long as you are producing testosterone, and Transplants take about 6 months a year to show any real regrowth.

[Rachel]

I was on finasteride then I started transition and my T went very low. I had hair softening and some hair regrowth. I had 3500 hair transplant 3/21 and it will make a huge difference for me. I most likely will have 2000 more implants next year to fully correct the issue. I had GCS so my T is low.

[J2J]

I'm using Finasteride & Rogaine / Minoxidil, it certainly works to an extent.

Cheapest place to get Minoxidil is from Costco, it's the Kirkland brand.

You'll have to get a prescription for Finasteride form your GP.

I'm not really sure where you are in terms of hair loss so it's hard to give any advice.

[Jennifer RachaelAnn]

I don't personally know anyone who tried it, but I've heard Bosley treatments can almost fully grow hair back. Check it out if you're interested.

http://www.bosley.com

[LizK]

If you have hair at the back of your head that is full and healthy you may be able to have hair implants using your own hair...I have had this done...you can see my Avatar and I have typical MPB with a bit of skunk tail of hair like a strip in the center that was really thin. it took 2500+ implants to achieve this plus it also stimulated the new growth of much of my own hair in spots where I shouldn't be able to....you need to have some hair to use as a donation site.

[femfem]

Hi all

I am a guy that wishes he had hair so I could go to the salon and have my hair cut into a cool bob and colored.
I wish I could find a way to have my hair grow again
Tried wigs but no fun because you can't go have your hair done
I wish I could find that cure
Maybe I must try mtf pills lol

Unrealistic expectations... The state of your hair will probably only improve with surgical intervention. The good news is that wigs are fun. I wear them for drag, and they beat my real hair in terms of aesthetics lol.

K.C.

[Axolotl]

Unrealistic expectations... The state of your hair will probably only improve with surgical intervention. The good news is that wigs are fun. I wear them for drag, and they beat my real hair in terms of aesthetics lol.

K.C.

I don't think these are unrealistic expectations.  There is a chance that with transition, your hair can change.  I'm thinking if you don't transition, then it's a lot less likely.  I've been on HRT for 6 months, and my hair line is showing signs of regrowth (peach fuzz).  The hair on my body has thinned out, and the hair on my head seems to be getting softer.  Don't assume it can't grow back unless you've already been on HRT for a long time.  Make sure you ask for Finasteride as part of your HRT regimen.

Another tip: Rogaine for women.  You don't have to buy the one for men.  The ingredient list is exactly the same, but one says use once daily and the other says use twice daily.  I use women's Rogaine twice daily and will continue until the hair grows back.

[Harley Quinn]

Unrealistic expectations... The state of your hair will probably only improve with surgical intervention. The good news is that wigs are fun. I wear them for drag, and they beat my real hair in terms of aesthetics lol.

K.C.

If it hasn't been lost that long, you can get quite a bit back.  I have been on finsteride for 11 months.  And it's coming back quite nicely. IMHO


My temples were quite bad, and they did start coming back to life as well.  However, I went and got surgery to fix them... I didn't want to wait and see how much I could get back.

[JoanneB]

Full Disclosure - I am in a Debbie Downer frame of mind

I've been "Balding" since.... 12 y/o?  I went from baby fine hair to receding hair. Had a "Widows Peak" at age 12. If there was ever a person who wished they had hair.... I'll be in the top 500.

In my case, being trans, balding, 6ft tall and big everything, made me realize I lost the gene pool lottery early on in life.I inherited my dad's hair genetics with his dad being as bald as a Que ball at age 40. On my mom's side I got her hips and boobs and not the long red wavy hair. Do I give up? Or, follow my dream? Do I let something like wearing a wig like so many Hollywood stars and singers do stop me from being me, or.....

In a perfect world I'll be 5'5" tall long wavy red hair, green eyed, and a nice full C cup, with look's to die for.  But I am about as opposite as one can get. Make the best with what you have. BTW-Hardly anyone is, hence the existence of multi million dollar "Obtain" beauty industries,

[z38]

If it hasn't been lost that long, you can get quite a bit back.  I have been on finsteride for 11 months.  And it's coming back quite nicely. IMHO My temples were quite bad, and they did start coming back to life as well.  However, I went and got surgery to fix them... I didn't want to wait and see how much I could get back.

The hormone therapies (estradiol valerate) and anti-androgens  (dutasteride) that many of us here have used for many years will successfully minimize testosterone production, often even for those without orchiectomy.

But what of the androgens that are secreted by the zona reticularis, and perhaps even more so when under stress? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zona_reticularis I'm no expert, but as far as I know there is no way to actually suppress androgen production from the adrenal glands, other than reducing one's stress levels and getting enough sleep to minimize cortisol levels (often easier said than done).

But in any case, while there are many other reasons for hair loss, in the fight against androgenic hair loss we should not overlook the potential power of androgen receptor blockers. Spironolactone and Cimetidine may not be able to suppress androgen production well, if at all, but they can help to prevent DHT from binding to the hair follicles by apparently being as good of a "hair receptor chemistry "fit" as is DHT.
https://www.dermhairclinic.com/cimetidine-tagamet-hair-loss-drug/ So as long as we are doing as much as we can to minimize DHT production, using Spironolactone and/or Cimetidine may help protect against androgenic-induced hair loss.

As for parts of the scalp where DHT or other diseases (e.g. auto immune inflammatory, nutrient deficiencies, thyroid issues, et al) have killed follicles, let us hope that these trials will actually begin here in the USA next year. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jboyd/2016/07/13/stem-cells-to-make-hair-today-gone-tomorrow-a-thing-of-the-past/#59f00ae45c04 
http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/shiseido-partners-with-replicel-to-launch-hair-loss-cure-in-2018/

But I do have one question. Why do so many of us at this and other transgender forums use Finasteride when numerous studies have consistently shown that Dutasteride works better to prevent androgenic hair loss, as it blocks all three of the reductase enzymes?

Or has anyone here actually found that Finasteride works better than Dutasteride?

Also, has anyone used either Fin or Dut for long periods with success, then found that it stopping preventing hair loss, then switched to the other drug and found that it worked? Would that be as a result of this process that eventually makes the body insensitive to a drug? Could that be due to this process?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downregulation_and_upregulation#Downregulation_and_Upregulation_of_Receptors

[AshleyP]

But I do have one question. Why do so many of us at this and other transgender forums use Finasteride when numerous studies have consistently shown that Dutasteride works better to prevent androgenic hair loss, as it blocks all three of the reductase enzymes?

Maybe because it costs more when you have to pay out-of-pocket?

All the best,
--AshleyP

[z38]

Maybe because it costs more when you have to pay out-of-pocket?
All the best, --AshleyP

Admittedly, I don't have Obamacare, but assuming that it doesn't get gutted by Trump, and that one has an understanding endocrinologist, the copay for generic Dutasteride may not be expensive, as in my case. And I alternate taking a regular and half dose daily.