Hi ladies,

Just curious for those of you who had some MPB before beginning hormones - what was the affect on the hormones on your hair? Did you notice ANY regrowth or thicking of the hair?  I am 23 and about to begin hormones and I have been on propecia for a year now.  I noticed a LITTLE thinning in the temples about 1 1/2 - 2 years ago.  However it got a little worse so I began propecia last year.  Now it definitely has thinned at the temples and a little on top - no one in my family says they notice because I have curly hair and my actual hair shafts are thick but I definitely notice and as I transition into a woman I will want to be able to pull my hair in a ponytail or have some versatility in my hair style and not have to be trying to hide thin spots.  I feel that I am young enough that the hormones will hopefully STOP any future loss and help me grow a good bit back.

I have spoke to a female dermatologist who has great hair but says occasionally when she notices some thinning at her temples she uses WOMEN's Rogaine because it is a DIFFERENT formula from the men's version.  The men's version does not have any positive affects on the hairline or temples but only the top and back of the hair.  The women's version is designed for all over the head.  SO I was curious what any of you have done or used to attempt to regain growth in thinning areas?
Would it make sense to use Women's Rogaine while on hormones? It specifies on the box not to use if you are not a female, to use the males version but TECHNICALLY since you are on hormones couldn't you use the women's version?

Anyone use any of the Rogaine systems? Any luck with it?
Please share your thoughts!

Thank you so much ladies for all your help and have a FAB weekend!!!!!!

Going the other way, FtM. I use men's rogaine. I'd suggest using the women's version (I didn't know there was one). The men's version clearly says it's for that bald spot that starts at the crown of your head, so it probably wouldn't work for receding temples.

Dennis

The only difference between the two is that the "women's" version has 20mg/ml and the "men's" version 50 mg/ml of minoxidil (unless, of course, the stuff they sell in America is different from what they export over here). From what I've understood, the choice between the two is how severe the symptoms are: if the milder solution works, you should use that, but if not, switch to the stronger one.

  Nfr

For the temples, use dutasteride or finesteride BEFORE the hair is lost. After that, the chance of good regrowth is not the best at the temples (but is good elsewhere).

I am taking dutasteride and O am probably hallucinating but I am seeing baby fine hair getting a bit thicker at the hairline.  Hopefully its not just wishful thinking!  My temples I don't expect to get back :/

I've been using the Walgreens brand of Men's minoxidil for years. I started taking it before I started taking hormones, and quite a bit of hair has regrown in the temples.

My receeding hairline used to go back a good 4-5 inches... pre transition pre regrowth... when my hair was short or slicked back think greg graffin or hugo weaving...

Strangly enough my hair started growing back on its own before starting HRT and AA's...   It could be purely stress related...  I was so overstressed back then Im supprised my head hadnt exploded...  I moved out of my parrents house with my at the time fience and the hair started growing back...  started my HRT regimine and now its still there, but its only about 1in back and there are new hairs growing there.  My hair stylist is totaly amazed everytime I go see him...

Try to relax more often, comeing out to people and reduceing the overall stress in your life might help... if your on propecia see if you can start proscar when you go on your HRT regimine <Same drug but allot stronger>. also Spiro seems to cause hair regrowth in some cases. everyone is diffrent though so dont count on anything.  So long as you cut the source of the hairloss problem with in 3-4 years from the time the hair fell out it can and just might grow back... Be careful though, it becomes perminant between 4-5 years from the time the hair fell out.

Beware of rogane though, though its topical in hairtreatment its also a heart medication in its base...  It can cause helath problems with prolonged use... also if you dont solve the base root of the hairloss problem, when you stop useing rogane, the hair will fall back out.

Good luck 

Thanks for all this info so far.  I did start Propecia immediately when I noticed slight thinning at the temples right before I turned 22 years old.  Propecia claims that it will slow down hair loss and help with some regrowth and claims "in a year you will have more hair".   My case has been quite the opposite...I still have hair but its extremely thin in the temples and getting thinner on top. 
I begin hormones on Sept. 4 but its like in the last couple of weeks when I take a shower my hair is just shedding ALOT.  I'm anxious to start the hormones right away to halt ANYMORE hair from falling out but I can't begin, for medical reasons, until Sept. 4.   Every evening I was my hair I'm like "these could be hairs I could be maintaining on hormones".

I am aware my condition is not as bad as I see it but being transgendered hair is very important like it is to any female in feeling feminnine and passing.  I just want to maintain the hair I have and if I could grow 10% to 30% of what I lost back it would be amazing.

I am going to try and hold out on Rogaine until I have been on my hormones for a while.   My doctor has prescribed Depot Lupron as well as Avodart as my anti-androgen regimen so I am hopeful that it will work EXTRA hard to combat furture hair loss and stimulate some regrowth.

Please share your thoughts.....

i had minor thinning begin, but starting has entirely reversed it, but im young and atypical.

R

If you're young and had minor thinning, I wouldn't say your atypical Racheal, I'm 40 and my hair density double in a year as withnessed by my hairdresser (I had thick hair for a male, but now, as you see in my avatar,they are very thick except at the temples were I lost hair when I started losing hair at 18 and the regrowth has been mostly in the back end of the temples (to be expected since the frontal hair is certainly dead by now)).

Actually, what you got is more like typical, hair that's only started to miniaturize, which is what thinning is about, can regain its full size again, especially if you don't have an aggressive version of male pattern baldness; hair not very susceptible to DHT.

If you have an aggressive version, one that made you lose most hair by the time you reach 30, then even HRT may not be enough and something like dutasteride is waranted, some women, more than people think, also lose their hair.

more atypical that i had visible thinning, but its almost entirely grown back, includeing the front. just downy hairs growing mauture at the front now and thickening. i swear, i need my hair thinning

R

Has abody had hair transplants? How Did it work? I thought this is something to consider if the thinning get's worse.
I been using Walmarts version of Rogain ( monoxidil 2%) . Is that the usual strength? I also use an all natural Biotin shampoo & conditioner. I've been using the monoxidil for a month now and the biotin shampoo for alot longer and found that it has helped with the texture and makes it look a little thicker.
I would try anything, even a transplant, cause I absolutely hate wigs.   But I hate going bald even more.     Although my thinning isn't that bad, I hope I can stop it or even reverse it.

hrt does help, somewhat.
R

HRT?    Hair Regrowth Treatments? Hair Replacement Therapy?      

nah, hormones, they just er, well the hair loss thing is testosterone, so block it, stop the loss and reverse it a little.

R

Quote from: Rachael on August 21, 2007, 01:35:29 PM
nah, hormones, they just er, well the hair loss thing is testosterone, so block it, stop the loss and reverse it a little.

R


Hey Rachel, You didn't honestly believe that I didn't know what HRT means, did you? It's just a bit of my odd sense of humor.
Anyways, thanks for the info. 

ya never know

R

Quote from: Seshatneferw on August 17, 2007, 04:50:33 AM
The only difference between the two is that the "women's" version has 20mg/ml and the "men's" version 50 mg/ml of minoxidil (unless, of course, the stuff they sell in America is different from what they export over here). From what I've understood, the choice between the two is how severe the symptoms are: if the milder solution works, you should use that, but if not, switch to the stronger one.

  Nfr

Minoxidil started out as a blood pressure drug. It opens up the capillaries to allow more blood to feed the hair follicle. Minoxidil enters the skin and enters the blood stream eventually throughout the body. That can cause facial hair to get darker and thicker on women that is why the lower concentration.

We all have to count our blessings I suppose. At 54, my hair was thin but not so bad for the average 54 year old male, now three years later, my hair is relatively thick and beautiful. And I have notice just six weeks after GRS, it is starting to thicken even more.

My natural hair as well as my natural looking pretty feminine face (thanks Doug!) is what allows me to pass so well with big shoulders and big hands even naked in the ladies locker room. (Oh the boobs help too)

I have been taking dutasteride for about one year.  I read it removes most of both versions of DHT.

I take some spiro orally and also dissolve some in alcohol and put some on my head for two years.

I use 5% minoxidil on my head for two years.  (Do not mix spiro with minoxidil and store this compound.  It produces a sulfur compound that smells and is ineffective.)

I also put 1% tretinoin on my head to help with minoxidil absorption for one year.

I also put 25% azelic acid on my head to help with minoxidil absorption for two months (June 2007).
......

The back portion of scalp seems to growing some hair.  It still needs more hair shafts to make a difference.

The upper portion of the temples about one inch has some small blonds hairs that might grow. 

The lower portion of the temples about three inches higher than my eyebrows has very fine blond hairs that I do not expect to mature and are cosmetically insignificant.

My hair is fine and started receding about 30.  By 50 the top back portion of my scalp was thinning.

One unexpected positive is that the prostate has been reduced by the dutasteride.

I am starting to howl when the moon is full.      Seriously I have not experienced more hair on other parts of my body.  In fact the hair on my legs seems less; however, I think that was due to some other pills.