Hi folks. So while I'm not balding, my hair is starting to get quite thin, I can't have a full fringe/bangs for instance. If I were to start hrt within the year, would that be likely to increase my hair growth?

Hi Kiera,

It can, but it takes months to years.  I have a pronounced widows peak and thinning on the top and crown of my head. I have been on finasteride, spironolactone, and estradiol for about seven months.  I have seen development of vellus hair at my hairline where there was no hair at all, but it is still very fine. I don't see any scalp at the crown of my head anymore, either.  It is encouraging.

My natural hair is shoulder length, but my hairline is a dead giveaway. I ended up buying a good quality hairpiece last weekend, and it really helps.  I am actually wearing it in my avatar. I deliberately left a little tuft of gray out to make it look more natural, but I could completely hide it if I wanted to.

With kindness,

Terri 

Many people said it at least stopped, some said it grew back some .

You might additionally have a look here:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,203962.msg1814955.html#msg1814955


*hugs*

Thanks ladies, sounds like I shouldn't expect miracles, but at least HRT should stop it getting worse. Now I just need to convince someone to put me on HRT 

You wont get any regrowth. Thats not possible. And you hair wont get any thicker. That is on your gened. You may get any better, stronger growth on areas got thinner over the time.

You may want to discuss finasteride or dutasteride with your doctor to stop any further hair loss.

Quote from: galaxy on March 23, 2016, 07:44:39 PM
You wont get any regrowth. Thats not possible. And you hair wont get any thicker. That is on your gened. You may get any better, stronger growth on areas got thinner over the time.

It's not only genetic but hormonally driven as well. This is why more men than women go bald. This is why eunuchs if castrated when young do not go bald or why CAIS XY women never go bald.

In some, if you catch it early enough, HRT and/or finasteride/dutasteride will regrow some hairs and make thinner hairs thicker. It depends.

Quote from: galaxy on March 23, 2016, 07:44:39 PM
You wont get any regrowth. Thats not possible. And you hair wont get any thicker. That is on your gened. You may get any better, stronger growth on areas got thinner over the time.

As I posted previously, I am getting regrowth. I had about a Norwood type IV male pattern baldness. The hairs are still fine, but there was absolutely nothing there a few months ago, and now they are quite visible.

~Terri

Sleeping follicles. No regrowth.

It depends, but HRT can help and sometimes other medications are needed to help increase hair growth as well. Hugs
Mariah

I've just had a consultation with a Doctor to look at some hair transplants, and the first thing he has done is to put me on Minidoxil. Apparently this can get some regrowth going, although as galaxy says it is probably more a case of waking up some sleeping follicles.

I'll see how it goes over the next few months.

Quote from: galaxy on March 24, 2016, 12:28:53 AM
Sleeping follicles. No regrowth.

Lol, okay. My follicles woke up.

Terri

I was somewhere in the Norwood 4/5 range with a thin spot on the back of my head when I first started taking low dose HRT. I took low dose for 4 years and then I stepped up to a transitioning dose of HRT at 50 which i've been on for a little over two years.

The thin spot is a *lot* less thin - I can do this now:



So yes, HRT can help with hair loss because it stops DHT production.

Quote from: Dana60 on March 24, 2016, 01:29:19 AM
I've just had a consultation with a Doctor to look at some hair transplants, and the first thing he has done is to put me on Minidoxil. Apparently this can get some regrowth going, although as galaxy says it is probably more a case of waking up some sleeping follicles.

I'll see how it goes over the next few months.

Be careful with this treatment as transgender men sometimes use it to stimulate facial hair follicles, it can have unwelcome effects!

Quote from: Dana60 on March 24, 2016, 01:29:19 AM
put me on Minidoxil. Apparently this can get some regrowth going, although as galaxy says it is probably more a case of waking up some sleeping follicles.

There is a product called dermaroller which seems to help additionally, there are some studies on that.


*hugs*

Int J Trichology. 2013 Jan;5(1):6-11.

"Dermaroller along with Minoxidil treated group was statistically superior to Minoxidil treated group in promoting hair growth in men with AGA for all 3 primary efficacy measures of hair growth."

Quote from: KayXo on March 24, 2016, 10:24:03 AM
Be careful with this treatment as transgender men sometimes use it to stimulate facial hair follicles, it can have unwelcome effects!

Yes, he did explain that, which has me a bit worried as my electrolysis is finally starting to have my face looking good. Hopefully that won't be too bad.

I'll look into the Dermaroller, sounds interesting.

Quote from: Dana60 on March 24, 2016, 12:53:34 PM
Yes, he did explain that, which has me a bit worried as my electrolysis is finally starting to have my face looking good. Hopefully that won't be too bad.

Just keep it away from your face!

Looking at th Dermaroller I can see that would help with topical application, but he has put me on tablets. This should be more effective, but obviously can't stop it affecting my face.

Quote from: Dana60 on March 24, 2016, 01:26:26 PM
Looking at th Dermaroller I can see that would help with topical application, but he has put me on tablets. This should be more effective, but obviously can't stop it affecting my face.

That is a very bad idea. Topical is best to avoid trigger hair growth in other unwanted areas. Exactly what you don't want! I'm surprised this was prescribed to you.

Pharmacotherapy. 2009 Apr;29(4):460-7.

"The most frequent adverse events associated with minoxidil include hypertrichosis and cardiovascular events related to its powerful antihypertensive effect, and less frequently, rashes, bullous eruptions, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)."

Clin Exp Dermatol. 1994 Mar;19(2):157-8.

"Generalized hypertrichosis is a common side-effect of oral minoxidil treatment for hypertension. However, hypertrichosis is uncommon after treatment with topical minoxidil for alopecia, and normally only occurs in areas close to the site of application. A 16-year-old girl is presented who developed generalized hypertrichosis 3 months after applying topical minoxidil for treatment of diffuse alopecia in doses greater than that prescribed. Four months after discontinuing treatment, the abnormal hair gradually diminished and disappeared."

Hypertrichosis is an abnormal amount of hair growth over the body.