Susan's Place Transgender Resources

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1268_zpsde2f8d39.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

these are pictures in different lighting I took today. I have been sitting here crying as hard as I have ever cried in my life. I actually threw up. My hair usually looks like it does in every photo except for the ones in the glaring bright light of the upstairs bathroom. I am so mortified. I do now even know how I am going to get out of bed for my orchiectomey. I literally want to die. Please tell me I have caught this early enough and it will reverse. I cannot stop weeping.

I must be blind but I see no hair loss?.

@Lana
Did you go through all of them? It's really bad I don't know what to do I can't stop crying. I really wish it was all in my head but I know it's not. Its thinning really bad in those bright pictures. I feel like I am stuck in a nightmare and I am going to wake up, but im not waking up.

What are you talking about?   You have a full head of hair that a lot of cisgirls I know would be jelly of.

Don't worry about it.   You'd crap yourself if you saw what mine looked like pre-HRT.  And I don't even worry about it anymore.

At your age, whatever it is you think you lost is most likely coming right back. 

Again, stop worrying.  That WILL make your hair fall out! (just kidding)

The first two it looked a little thin in the part but the rest it looks fine. Also a person looses 1000k a day its normal.

Can't see any hair loss,I had a small bald patch at the crown and slight receding at the front but it recovered in less than 12 months HRT

I really appreciate what you all have said and it has made me feel much better, but can I ask you all to take a look at these photos as well? These were the ones that made me start freaking out and I forgot to upload them with the rest. I do not know it it is the camera and lighting that made it look this way. I took other photos that did not look this bad.

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1261_zps26389ee2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1262_zpsdb883550.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6

by the way it is REALLY good to hear from both that the hairloss you had came back.

although Jill had already made me feel better before when she told me her story of it coming back. I really hope you are right Jill that what I see in my hairline and not generally at the part will come back.

Oh and I am already taking Dut daily since October, as well as Lupron and Elestrin gel.

Your hairline looks no different from my wife's.  Just sayin'...

yeah I would kill for that head of hair  :).

I just took these in the brightest light in my home. I definitely see thinning.

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1276_zpsf3f5fea3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1275_zps11b48775.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1274_zpsf3d746ca.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/momentttt/media/1277_zpsc9d84e14.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Are you guys just trying to be nice and not telling me the truth? Cause I see pretty bad diffuse thinning and thinning at the hairline.

Jeez- you even have a very femme widow's peak.  Get outta here and stop worrying over nothing.  I mean it... shoo!  You have more hair than you need.  If you ever gain anymore, consider it gravy. 

@Jill
Yes i know but the widows peak is thinning and behind the widows peak is too that's what i've been asking about in my previous posts if that "forelock" area that is thinning will re thicken to what it was before. See all the short hairs at it? They were not always short and see through like that. And look at my temples one has receeded and the other hair such fine thin hair you can see though to my scalp, even worse when I pull it back.

The part looks like its thinning pretty severly in bright lighting like that, although it dosen't look as severe in person in that light its still looking thin in person to an extent.

@Lana even said it looked thin

@Jordan
this isn't a joke

I'm starting to feel like everyone is lieing to me to make me feel better because you all feel bad for me.

I really can't be this crazy I know I see it.

It might be easier to see the hair loss if you took a frontal picture with your hair back.
From that picture, your hair looks nice and thick, and I'm jealous of it :P



Edit: And that's why I should read the entire thread before replying to the OP!

Your hair looks fine, there is a little bit of thinning at the front, and maybe your hair line has receded a tiny bit (a few mm)?
I wouldn't be worried about it, you're in a great place. If you are concerned, spiro and finasteride would probably take care of the little you might have lost. That, and there's also minoxidil.

Your ODCing chill. nothing is wrong

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 08, 2014, 04:23:03 PM
@Jill
Yes i know but the widows peak is thinning and behind the widows peak is too that's what i've been asking about in my previous posts if that "forelock" area that is thinning will re thicken to what it was before. See all the short hairs at it? They were not always short and see through like that. And look at my temples one has receeded and the other hair such fine thin hair you can see though to my scalp, even worse when I pull it back.

The part looks like its thinning pretty severly in bright lighting like that, although it dosen't look as severe in person in that light its still looking thin in person to an extent.

@Lana even said it looked thin

@Jordan
this isn't a joke

I'm starting to feel like everyone is lieing to me to make me feel better because you all feel bad for me.

I really can't be this crazy I know I see it.

I'm being perfectly honest, if you do have thinning it's very minor and it's nothing that probably won't be taken care of by spiro/finasteride/minoxidil. Regardless, if you do have any thinning, it's nothing that would ever keep you from passing.

Here's my hair for comparison. That is thinning. You can easily see the top part of my scalp through my hair.

http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/Thysimages/IMG_1383_zps6f0948e1.jpg

http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/Thysimages/IMG_2299_zps39caa69f.jpg


I would love to be able to have your hair.

@Thylacin

Yes that's what I am seeing too.

I have been taking avodart daily since October and I'm getting an orchie on Saturday. I also am on Lupron Depot right now and Elestrin gel since October.

I really do not want to use Min since it is expensive and messy.

Do you think that the thinning I have at the widows peak will reverse just with what I'm doing?

@Casey

I do agree that people do coddle other people here sometimes thats why I was worried it was happening to me.


Yes the part looks like its thinning to me, that and my hairline, and although it may not look that bad to you today I am really worried about the future in a couple of months from now what I am going to do.

nah yer good.
and good thing too, now you'll have more time to worry about the things that really matter; Ninjas and if your boobs will be saggy when your 80.

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 08, 2014, 04:44:35 PM
@Thylacin

Yes that's what I am seeing too.

I have been taking avodart daily since October and I'm getting an orchie on Saturday. I also am on Lupron Depot right now and Elestrin gel since October.

I really do not want to use Min since it is expensive and messy.

Do you think that the thinning I have at the widows peak will reverse just with what I'm doing?

I think you need to relax a little, take a deep breath, and try and see that everything is going to be all ok ;)

Minoxidil, if you use the foam, is not all that messy. 55 dollars for a 6 month supply (costco).

You listed medications, all of them are prescribed by your doctor, right?

You're taking avodart (dutasteride) right? Is that something your doctor prescribed for hair loss? That should help drop your DHT levels. Ask your doctor.

What is the Lupron Depot for? I had to look it up, since I had never heard of it while researching HRT/hair loss, and it doesn't seem to have anything to do with hair loss, nor does it seem to be part of the standard treatment for trans people.

Elestrin is part of your HRT, correct?

Your HRT should also have spironolactone, which is a strong androgen blocker and should also help with hair loss.

There are no guarantees, but it sounds like you're doing everything you can for your hair.  So there's no point in worrying so much about it. It sounds like you are having a lot of anxiety over this issue. You should talk to your therapist and doctor about it.

Yes everything is prescribed to me from my endo.

He never diagnosed me with hair loss he just said we could prevent it with Avodart.

Lupron Depot shuts down the testes so my body currently has orchiectomy level T, so although i do not take spiro my T is lower than if I did.

Do you think after my orchie I should take a small does of spiro as well as continue taking Dut?

Min is very not something I want to do unless I would have to to get regrowth. Plus I have heard it dosen't work on the hairline and can actually make people's hair loss worse.

I don't lie to people (if anything, I'm too blunt, which is why I am trying to learn to say nothing if I can't be nice!). I honestly cannot see what you're worried about. Your part looks like my wife's, and the shorter hairs are *normal* b/c when hair falls out - and it does so naturally when it hits the end of its life cycle - new hairs grow back in. For someone with long, straight, fine hair, that WILL stand out as short flyaway hairs. It's something I've seen in my wife for years and years.

This sounds like OCD, and while I sympathize totally, I'm wondering if some mild anti-anxiety medication might do more good than (in addition to) the anti-hair-loss regime. Crying until you vomit over something that other people can't even see isn't healthy, or good for you.

Quote from: Jenna Marie on January 08, 2014, 05:17:32 PM
I don't lie to people (if anything, I'm too blunt, which is why I am trying to learn to say nothing if I can't be nice!). I honestly cannot see what you're worried about. Your part looks like my wife's, and the shorter hairs are *normal* b/c when hair falls out - and it does so naturally when it hits the end of its life cycle - new hairs grow back in. For someone with long, straight, fine hair, that WILL stand out as short flyaway hairs. It's something I've seen in my wife for years and years.

This sounds like OCD, and while I sympathize totally, I'm wondering if some mild anti-anxiety medication might do more good than (in addition to) the anti-hair-loss regime. Crying until you vomit over something that other people can't even see isn't healthy, or good for you.

Yes I can understand that the part may not look as bad as I had thought, but hair loss is progressive. Ask any bald man. I can guarantee you they had a full head of hair once. Hairloss can continue rapidly also. It may not look that bad today, but what about a month or year from now? or 5 years? That's what I am worried about. I know today it may not look completely awful but I do not know what will happen soon. This could be the first stages of it that aren't that noticeable that's why I am asking if it is early enough to reverse it.

Also I know a lot about hair. When it is thinning the hair becomes lighter and the growing phase shortens and the hair miniaturizes until it is gone. The hair that is shorter because it is being effected by MPB and its see through because it is thinning. If i was just a regular growth cycle there wouldn't be a large enough area to see a bunch of short hairs or any thinning, it would just look normal.

If i push against the top of my hair at the hairline and throught my scalp I can feel like there are many broken hair poking out against my finger, I am 99.9% sure that is because those hairs are being effected by DHT and the DHT shortened the growth cycle and is slowly thinning it.

I do have anxiety but I am anxious about this because I know whats happening and I feel so powerless and cant bare to see it continue.

The only thing that gives me any type of hope is that others seem to experience regrowth and a reversal of the thinning, but I do not know if I will. Its really terrifying.

I CANNOT pass without my own hair

Well, I agree with everybody that your hair is just fine but that seems of little value to you...

So, here is a place where you can find some help

http://www.artashair.com/?gclid=CJLRmqLm77sCFYtQOgodGDIAjQ

I am sure they can fill your partition line...

Good luck!

@JordanBlue

I will post the message you personally sent me

"Yes, you're young but that's no excuse.  You're insulting every M2F who has REAL hair loss.
I don't appreciate it, but I don't run this forum.  If I did, you wouldn't be here. 
You need help."

I understand that maybe your hair loss is worse than mine and maybe you are bitter about it but that does not mean I do not deserve to be here.

It also does not mean that I do not have hair loss and that I shouldn't be allowed to ask about it.
One member already agreed that she saw some of my hair loss and what I was talking about.

Last I checked you were "outta here" anyways.

This is a place people come to when they HAVE no where else to go. I came here because my extreme fear of my hair loss has gotten to the point that I cannot function on a daily basis. My boyfriend is fed up with me talking about it to him and is getting really angry. I have lost all of my friends since transitioning. My family does not understand me. So I have NO ONE else to talk to about this except on this forum and another trans forum I post on as well.

I find it very offensive that you would personally attack me like this when you have no idea what I am going through. You don't know anything about my life. You know nothing.

Obviously this is a BIG issue for me. You know why?

I AM TRANSITIONING FROM MALE TO FEMALE!

I have a therapist I see weekly, I was taking xanax for 3 years for anxiety and have since gone off because it was effecting my health and mind.

You really do not know what is going on in anyone's life so before being mean and rude to someone especially in the way you did by sending me a message personally, which you obviously did because you knew you were saying something mean and rude you didn't want anyone else to see, you should take a step back and just leave your nasty comments to yourself.

@peky
No it actually means a lot, I went from being really upset to being rather calmed down about it.

I don't find the transplant thing very funny though...

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 08, 2014, 07:52:03 PM
@peky
No it actually means a lot, I went from being really upset to being rather calmed down about it.

I don't find the transplant thing very funny though...

I don't think that was meant as a joke.

Have you spoken to your therapist about your perceived hair loss?

@thylacin

I dont understand does that mean that I do need transplants for my part? That it is thinning as bad as I thought?

yes we have spoken about it many many times she just always tells me that i'm not loosing my hair and that I need to relax.

Here is some perspective.

I started using minoxidil about 8 months ago.  I've also been using several other "experimental" topical treatments.  Additionally I have been on low dose spiro for about a month.  This is the progress:

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1313.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft541%2FJanet_Bradford%2Fslowprogress_zps3a1aadfa.jpg&hash=d8b4ec30723aba020b89ebf60428a8f9abdb9b3c)

I know it doesn't look like much, but the back top (sort of visible in the first picture) has filled in completely, and I'm seen a fair amount of new growth in the front (any amount in front is an improvement since it was fully bald before).  Hope Springs Eternal.

So,  l0nghairdontcare.  I appreciate how important your hair is and how hard it can be to loose it.  This was me in my 20s

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1313.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft541%2FJanet_Bradford%2FCirca1994_zps98f43eaa.jpg&hash=3f588288e74459321196f4e17beb8976c305e9ac)

I had resigned myself to loosing my hair at a young age (very bald family), so I didn't to anything to protect it, until recently.  Nevertheless, if you are starting Hormones now, you will never get to the point I'm at.

J.

Your hair distribution is similar to how I started, except mine was also very short and grey to white >:(

I had resigned myself to wearing wigs so I bought four of a style I liked so I could got 24/7 with them.

Just before I went FT I plucked up courage and went to a top class hair salon and explained my problem.

I said I would leave myself in their hands.

Now I get lots of comments about my hair from my female colleagues, all good, even jealous of the colour and styling I have.

I gave the wigs away!

So maybe try that approach, all women have variable hair and professionals know how to style it so we look our best.

I have a cute fringe, and the style covers my center bald bit, which I think has closed up and certainly isn't visible even after my hair is washed and still wet.

I take only Spiro and E.

So take it easy on your self!

Hugs

I think I look great and have no issues at all with my hair.

And here's another voice - if I had SciNerdGirl's head of hair, I'd be ecstatic, because that's enough to fill out via transplants to have a decent head of hair. And yes my losses are on the catastrophic side of things.

Now I am not trying to be nice at all, but in the photos that you've provided I see zero hair loss. I just don't see it.

If you are finding hairs in your comb, you're supposed to. Hairs are supposed to fall out. It's part of the normal stages they go through - anagen, catagen, telagen (http://www.viviscal.com/hair-growth-cycle#one).

It's difficult to tell in these photos but I'd say yes you did obviously you can tell better than most. I had a similar thing and it's gone now it might be worth tho adding a DHT blocker to your regime Finasteride or Dutastride.

I am Norwood 7 bald! Done, gone forever and there is only a slight chance I would get something close to a thinning male hair pattern after 1 but most likely 2 expensive transplants that would exhaust all my donor material.  So I have to face wearing wigs.  Would I give anything for your hair?  God yes, but I never will. Depressed? Nah.  Disappointed I didn't do something when the situation was recoverable?  You bet!  But I still have so much to look forward to.  Are you stressing out way too much?  I think so.  I can't see much other than variation common from one person to another.

If you are concerned (and you obviously are), get on Fin or Dut.  Fin doesn't need an outrageous dose to knock the effects of DHT.  Also, as you know from your research, MPB is a condition that goes on for a long time before the hair degradation and loss is noticeable. There is the chance some recent loss is recoverable.  HRT in general can make things much better.

If you feel you want aspects of your hair line back or just improved from what your genes have delivered, don't dismiss transplants.  They won't be large and can make a huge difference.  Not kidding.  Hairline improvement is a common MTF hair procedure.

Em.

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 08, 2014, 09:54:59 PM
@thylacin

I dont understand does that mean that I do need transplants for my part? That it is thinning as bad as I thought?

yes we have spoken about it many many times she just always tells me that i'm not loosing my hair and that I need to relax.

Relax, please.
No, not need. I would help if you're unhappy with how it is.

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 08, 2014, 07:47:01 PM
@JordanBlue

I will post the message you personally sent me

"Yes, you're young but that's no excuse.  You're insulting every M2F who has REAL hair loss.
I don't appreciate it, but I don't run this forum.  If I did, you wouldn't be here. 
You need help."

I understand that maybe your hair loss is worse than mine and maybe you are bitter about it but that does not mean I do not deserve to be here.

It also does not mean that I do not have hair loss and that I shouldn't be allowed to ask about it.
One member already agreed that she saw some of my hair loss and what I was talking about.

Last I checked you were "outta here" anyways.

This is a place people come to when they HAVE no where else to go. I came here because my extreme fear of my hair loss has gotten to the point that I cannot function on a daily basis. My boyfriend is fed up with me talking about it to him and is getting really angry. I have lost all of my friends since transitioning. My family does not understand me. So I have NO ONE else to talk to about this except on this forum and another trans forum I post on as well.

I find it very offensive that you would personally attack me like this when you have no idea what I am going through. You don't know anything about my life. You know nothing.

Obviously this is a BIG issue for me. You know why?

I AM TRANSITIONING FROM MALE TO FEMALE!

I have a therapist I see weekly, I was taking xanax for 3 years for anxiety and have since gone off because it was effecting my health and mind.

You really do not know what is going on in anyone's life so before being mean and rude to someone especially in the way you did by sending me a message personally, which you obviously did because you knew you were saying something mean and rude you didn't want anyone else to see, you should take a step back and just leave your nasty comments to yourself.

Hey guess what?   You're the one being rude and self centered by pretending your situation is worse than everyone else. Do you see other M2F on here complaining about hair loss that isn't happening?  NO.  You need to listen to your boyfriend. He's fed up with you talking about it and is getting really angry. That does not make it OK to make other people on this forum angry. This is a community of Trans people, it's not all about YOU. Please show some respect and consideration to others who have hair loss far worse than you.  What you're doing now is very offensive.  You are not the only person on earth transitioning from M2F. PLEASE try and understand that.

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 08, 2014, 09:54:59 PM
yes we have spoken about it many many times she just always tells me that i'm not loosing my hair and that I need to relax.

WOW...IMAGINE THAT!

Most of the cis women I know have the same part and widow's peak. The ones that don't either have unusually thick hair or don't part it down the middle.

You really need to calm down. Some of the stuff you're saying could be really hurtful to other ladies on the board who don't have such lush hair. It's akin to a skinny girl complaining about being "so fat" in the presence of her chubby friends. It's inconsiderate. There are ways to express your concern without indirectly tearing others down.

Quote from: Lana P on January 08, 2014, 04:31:08 PM
Your ODCing chill. nothing is wrong

I agree, I believe you when you say you see thinning, but I see none whatsoever. If you feel it's caused by HRT, it may be due to how your hair appears when it becomes softer and less course (especially where you part your hair)? You have gorgeous hair, and a lot of it! I would never tell someone that if I didn't believe it 100%.

Ok I am sorry if I have offended anyone. I do not wan't to fight on this forum with anyone or make anyone else feel bad. This problem is VERY real to me and it really has taken a huge impact on my daily life. I was just looking for opinions from random people on the internet who have no investment in lying to me to make me feel better.

I am sorry if I have hurt anyone's feelings by posting this topic.

Thank you for everyone who has been encouraging to me and replied with positive things to say.

I am feeling much much better about all of this.

Quote from: l0nghairdontcare on January 09, 2014, 02:18:44 PM
Ok I am sorry if I have offended anyone. I do not wan't to fight on this forum with anyone or make anyone else feel bad. This problem is VERY real to me and it really has taken a huge impact on my daily life. I was just looking for opinions from random people on the internet who have no investment in lying to me to make me feel better.

I am sorry if I have hurt anyone's feelings by posting this topic.

Thank you for everyone who has been encouraging to me and replied with positive things to say.

I am feeling much much better about all of this.

Speaking strictly for myself, yes - you did offend me and did hurt my feelings.  But I try not to dwell in the negative, so I forgive you.  Do I understand where your head was when you wrote this stuff? No, I'm sorry but I have to be honest and say that I really don't.  Please think before you post the next time. I hope things work out for you.