Aight, so I'm 36 and I just started HRT 2 weeks ago. My doc has given me the full shabang: estradiol injections, progesterone (my boobs already hurt!), spiro, aaaaaand... finasteride. Now, I know I'm only 2 weeks in and I should stop watching the pot, but the dwindling hair on my head is a significant source of dysphoria. It has been fading very slowly over the past 6 or so years. It is present, but thinning on top and you can see the horseshoe pattern forming on the head. In man mode, which I still have to do at work until I jump through a few more hoops, I keep it buzzed or shaved because I honestly look more balding the more I grow it out.
So, ladies, what's the review on finasteride? I can do wigs, but they're kind of unruly and expensive and it makes the whole thing feel like a costume. I'd much rather have my own, but if it's gonna look like Will Arnett up there indefinitely, I'll pass. Any advice on other things I can do to assist in the conquest of my dome?
I've been using Fin for about 2 years now. I feel it stopped further loss, but I had an FUE transplant back in March for my crown. This has set me back in growing out my hair, but while still thin on top, it's now much better than it was.
So hair loss is apparently due to dht? After SRS dht is no longer produced. Does hair come back? What is everyones experience with hairloss/regrowth on hrt before and after SRS? Thank you.
--Sasha
Quote from: SashaHyde on January 25, 2018, 10:55:59 PM
So hair loss is apparently due to dht? After SRS dht is no longer produced. Does hair come back? What is everyones experience with hairloss/regrowth on hrt before and after SRS? Thank you.
--Sasha
Most hairloss is DHT, but not all.
I actually just posted something about this. I have what I learned tonight was "diffuse patterned alopecia". In other words, my hair didn't recede, it just thinned out randomly on top. (Patterned referring to that it is in the horseshoe shape and not affecting sides. Diffuse unpatterned thins out all over including sides and is pretty much the worst form of loss for transplants because of it.) My results using minox and finast have been extremely solid, and apparently DPA responds typically very well to the medicines. I haven't been on HRT long enough to give any hair credit to it, but I'm super curious to see what starts to happen.
My understanding in regards to SRS is this: Most hair loss should stop, but it should be anyway after HRT. I say most, because women and post op trans women alike still produce testosterone which is converted into DHT at lower levels, but those levels are a much more muted effect if any. Even cis women have DHT triggered balding, simply to lesser degrees proportionally. Ultimately the result is highly individual, and some people continue finast post SRS and while on HRT to prevent any DHT conversion possible. I think for most, HRT and then SRS does both stop hairloss entirely and finast is not needed however.
Officially, HRT and SRS will not cause regrowth even if they may halt loss, but anecdotally a number of women here and elsewhere have said they have had notable regrowth (and sometimes entirely new growth in a female pattern) while on HRT. Whether it's the estrogen or testosterone suppression, who knows.
Depending how bad the hair loss is and especially the thinning on top as well as the "horseshoe", you can always experiment with different hair cuts.
I also have a bit of that horseshoe balding on my forehead, but then again when I look at pictures of myself, I guess there never was much hair there anyways. But I got my bangs and I think it looks ok. Of course my bangs are not as thick as with Felicity Jones, but good for me anyways and covers the horseshoe quite nicely.
And then again, when you observe cis women, you can notice that many have their hairline also in a horseshoe. And then again, some young girls especially have a very thick hairline very close to their face.
I'm not young anymore, middle aged woman and thus have to accept the realities that this body and hair wont be like with some young girl.