question about hair.

[rus]

Hi there ladies..  I had a quick question about hair.   now how many of you use wigs and how many grow your own hair..

i feel this is the main missing part of my transition i have no idea what to do about the hair..  do I get grafts, do i wear a wig.. will the HRT help grow it back I got an orchiectomy a little over a week ago and my test is dropping considerably so that should help it from continuing to fall due to dht conversion. ..  so I have some balding on the top of my head so confused and im not sure how to approach this..

any help would be greatly recommended.. 

thanks

[Wednesday]

Best solution may depend highly on your particular case. Usually HRT helps to recover some of the hair lost, specially those hairs you lost lately (in the past year, or maybe in the past two years). On the other side, hair lost a long ago is unlikely to recover.

About HRT, I must say that Progesterone in my case gives an amazing boost to hair grow rate. It may help you having some Progesterone added to your HRT regimen. Ask you doctor about.

Also Minoxidil (best comercially known as Rogaine) may produce some regrowth and it drastically boosts hair grow rate and quality. Also it is a rather cheap product so really worth considering.

Before thinking about wigs vs. grafts, you may want to give a try to the P + Minoxidil combo.

A picture (a partial picture is well enough, you don't have to jeopardize your privacy) of your hair/scalp may help a ton, specially in giving you more insight about the need of grafts or wigs. Anyway, those who need to resort to grafts or wigs are the less I think, being wigs usually the last resort.

[Anne Blake]

I started with a wig or two and enjoyed the look they offered, my only problems with them were that they were very hot and they were not part of me. As my hair began to grow out I switched to a smaller clip in hairpiece that was much cooler wearing but still not part of me. Two and a half months ago I had a hair transplant by Dr. Lam in Plano Texas. It will take ten months to a year to fully show its impact but I love the changes already and have not worn a wig or hair piece since then. Good luck with which ever path you choose. -Anne

By the way, my photo image shows one of my early wigs

[Alanna1990]

I was gonna answer with a joke but you actually made me think, me for example, I still have all my hair, so the sensible thing to do was to let it grow, let it grooooow, if you have all your hair in that head of yours then this is the only good option.

now, If you lost hair, I still wouldn't recomend to wear a wig, one day you're gonna be with 1cm of hair and the other you'll have long hair? everybody will notice, you will notice too, personally I can't stand wigs, they're itchy.

depending on your finantial situation I'd get a hair transplant, with the orchi you won't lose any more hair, hormones generally won't make you recover what you lost

[Brooke]

I will also mention that finestiride can be used as a dht blocker. The primary use of the medication has been for male pattern baldness. I've seen other girls mention on here staying on finestiride because it really helped with hair growth even post op.

I have all my hair still, thankfully but have noticed a slight increase in growth rate first with hormones and then finestiride.


~Brooke~

[rus]

see its pretty bad seems to be shedding more that I am castrated now too not sure if that is normal or not.

any help is appreciated thanks

[KathyLauren]

I usually wear a wig.  Yes, it's hot.

I had my own hair cut short enough to fit under a wig, but long enough that I can make the back and sides look feminine without a wig, under a hat.  What I have left of my own hair is thin enough on top that going bare-headed is not an option.  If I'm out without a wig, the hat stays on for the duration.   This is usually for dog walking.

I have three wigs.  The one in my avatar is collar length and fairly dressy.  One is shorter, but it gives me "big hair".  I am not totally happy with it, and haven't figured out what to do with it to make it look okay.  The third is one that a friend gave to me that she was not using.  It is short, easy to manage, and is what I wear most for shopping or whatever.

[Wednesday]

see its pretty bad seems to be shedding more that I am castrated now too not sure if that is normal or not.

any help is appreciated thanks

I see. Shedding due to hormonal changes is pretty normal, and nothing to be afraid of since all hair previously shed grows again. After having an orchiectomy this is likely your case, so if I were you I wouldn't worry about.

From what I see in the picture, in addition to the recovery HRT/minoxidil may provide, its likely you're going to need to consider either a surgical approach (hairline advancement with or without tissue and maybe a little hair grafting) if money is not an issue or a wig.

[Ashley3]

Hi there ladies..  I had a quick question about hair.   now how many of you use wigs and how many grow your own hair..

i feel this is the main missing part of my transition i have no idea what to do about the hair..  do I get grafts, do i wear a wig.. will the HRT help grow it back I got an orchiectomy a little over a week ago and my test is dropping considerably so that should help it from continuing to fall due to dht conversion. ..  so I have some balding on the top of my head so confused and im not sure how to approach this..

any help would be greatly recommended.. 

thanks

I had M-pattern 3V hair loss by the time I visited a local hair transplant doctor in summer 2014, where he prescribed Finasteride which he said often helps the crown area but we'd need to see. A year later after being on Finasteride, was happy with Finasteride's effects on the crown... but it still needed some work there with transplants, not to mention recession/hairline.

Got transplants hairline/recession/crown transplants in Jan 2016 and overall the results were great. I may go back in to fill in the hairline more... crown seems fine to me.

I only tried a couple of cheapie $30ish wigs in 2014 or so... wasn't happy with them... made me look like moppy head... got tangled up really easily even with combing them... but they were cheap... I hear great wigs make a huge difference. I think it really is "you get what you pay for" with wigs... but that's only what I've heard.

Today I just have my own hair... hairline could be filled in a little but overall I'm very pleased considering my starting point. I'm really grateful for my transplant surgeon... trans-friendly, loves his work, did me so so right. So make sure you find a top doctor in your area. I think this is an area where "you get what you pay for." (And not to say you can't pay for something you don't get so beware of course.)

[Laurie]

Sadly I will be utilizing wigs.

[Ashley3]

... after being on Finasteride...

oh, forgot to mention, I also use 1mL of Rogaine along and just behind the hairline, and another 1mL of Rogaine on the crown... nightly before bed. So my path was: Finasteride 1yr before hair transplants to eval results, then transplants for recession/crown, continuing on Finasteride, adding and continuing on Rogaine thereafter through to today and beyond.

[Wednesday]

I had M-pattern 3V hair loss [...] Today I just have my own hair...

That's pretty cool! Norwood 3 it's not a joke. How many grafts did you need?

I think this is an area where "you get what you pay for."

So true. I think its the procedure which has the biggest variation when it comes to results (at least it was a few years ago). Must be said that I'd seen quite a few doctors charging exorbitant rates for just average results (like they were that expensive because you'll not end with a disaster).

[Ashley3]

That's pretty cool! Norwood 3 it's not a joke. How many grafts did you need?

1740 fu hairline
1560 fu crown
3300 fu total

So true. I think its the procedure which has the biggest variation when it comes to results (at least it was a few years ago). Must be said that I'd seen quite a few doctors charging exorbitant rates for just average results (like they were that expensive because you'll not end with a disaster).

... I've heard those stories too...

The guy I went to has his own practice, nice quiet office, newest staff member was like 10 years on, and he gets excited about it all, loves the work... If you see great before/afters, which I think you must, it's that sort of spirit you want to find in a doctor... really passionate about the work... with great results to show in before/afters.

[warlockmaker]

We have advised many transitioners on this subject.  Generally, if the patch is bald and shiny the chances are minimal for hair growth. Where there is still fuzz and fine hairs then under HRT and in particular Finestaride will over years will have thicker hair. Personally, I almost have regained all the hair that was thinning and had exceptional hair regrowth post srs.

The options are hair transplant for those with receeding hairline and M male pattern baldness.  However, it will not work with excessive thinning and severe male pattern baldness and sadly only a wig works. You need to have a technician check it out. Here in Thailand they have perfected and partially mechanized the labor intensive hair transplant.

I had one lady that looks brilliant as she shaved her head and had that new modern look. She looks beautifu and stunningl. She tried a wig and still uses it for a change in looks. says she is lucky to have one hair style option that few dare copy.

[Rachel]

I had 3500 graphs done March 2017. About 95% shed one/two months after the procedure and the regrowth starts 3 months after the shed. So by August my hair will be growing from the graphs that shed. I need about 2000 or so more graphs and will get them March 2018. I need to do the crown area next.  My work insurance covers 80% of the cost. The 3500 graphs were $12,000. There was the Doctor and his PA-c installing the graphs for 12 hours and 6 technicians making the graphs for about 8 hours.

The optimal female hairline starts 5 cm from the nose ridge. I will have 6 cm from the nose ridge. I went to Dr. Coley in Pinetree North Carolina.

You only way to know what can be done with graphs is to be evaluated.

I had FFS with forehead reduction 9/2016. My scar is not noticeable and is well covered by the graphs.

I have a nice wig and wore it to a work function.

[Wednesday]

The guy I went to has his own practice, nice quiet office, newest staff member was like 10 years on, and he gets excited about it all, loves the work... If you see great before/afters, which I think you must, it's that sort of spirit you want to find in a doctor... really passionate about the work... with great results to show in before/afters.

That's it!

[MissKairi]

I'm growing my hair but it's naturally VERY wavy and unruly, I'm wondering how this will relate when it gets long enough to drop. I can get a very small ponytail from the gathered hair.
So for now, I too wear wigs and boy they make your head really warm

[BriannaR]

I have to use wigs. I had significant hair loss in my early 20s. It's worth spending a little bit to get a good quality wig and I recommend having two in the same style to rotate usage

[CarlyMcx]

I had been getting thin on top for a couple of years and in the year before I started HRT I started receding badly on the right front side.  Since starting HRT I got just about all of it back and I am 54.  Don't count out the effects of HRT but be ready with the finasteride, rogaine, etc if needed.

I used wigs at first when my hair was short but stopped after I got some length and the bald areas grew back in.

[Sophia Sage]

Don't count out the effects of HRT but be ready with the finasteride, rogaine, etc if needed.

I'd go straight to the finasteride/rogaine protocol immediately, as well as HRT.  Do everything possible now to improve the scalp overall.  Then, if transplants are needed, there will be better material everywhere to work with.