Hair Growth/Replacement
July 7, 2009 11:02 AM Subscribe
I am losing hair big time. What is the best way to have some hair on the head? It should be cheapest and best.. Is there anyone help me out?
Are you male or female? If female, you might have polycystic ovary syndrome and a doctor would put you on birth control to stop the hair loss.
posted by procrastination at 11:12 AM on July 7, 2009
posted by procrastination at 11:12 AM on July 7, 2009
Response by poster: Male....... What are the available options?
posted by tcgeorge at 11:16 AM on July 7, 2009
posted by tcgeorge at 11:16 AM on July 7, 2009
You can't fight genetic destiny, unless you're willing to put up thousands of dollars for surgery to pull still-growing parts of your scalp up over your crown, etc. You're fighting a losing battle with Rogaine and all of the other snake oils -- don't let them trick you.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 11:19 AM on July 7, 2009
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 11:19 AM on July 7, 2009
Yep, unless you're willing to go with surgery, you can't really do much. The best look I've seen on balding guys is to just shave it all off (with the very rare exception of the extreme Mr Potato-headesque). If you aren't all about that, then running a tiny amount of hair paste/texturizing paste (like pea-sized) through your hair and scrunching it up a bit with your fingers will give the illusion of more volume.
posted by Polychrome at 11:43 AM on July 7, 2009
posted by Polychrome at 11:43 AM on July 7, 2009
Shave it. Bald is better than patches.
posted by kldickson at 11:55 AM on July 7, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by kldickson at 11:55 AM on July 7, 2009 [3 favorites]
I'm in the cut-it-short-and-stop-being-such-a-baby school, personally. However, since that's not the question you asked...
What you want is some or all of the following:
Propecia or some other prescription drug whose commercials have middle-aged guys going to the bathroom a lot (finasteride or dutasteride).
Minoxidil (Rogaine).
DHT removing shampoo.
Everything else is snake oil.
posted by willpie at 12:03 PM on July 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
What you want is some or all of the following:
Propecia or some other prescription drug whose commercials have middle-aged guys going to the bathroom a lot (finasteride or dutasteride).
Minoxidil (Rogaine).
DHT removing shampoo.
Everything else is snake oil.
posted by willpie at 12:03 PM on July 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
There are other things that cause hair loss. Hypothyroidism can cause massive hairloss. (YEs it can happen in men too) . So how are your energy levels and how old are you?
posted by majortom1981 at 12:06 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by majortom1981 at 12:06 PM on July 7, 2009
If you want to go the Propecia route, you can save some money by getting a prescription for 5mg generic Finasteride pills (meant for prostate problems) and cutting them with a razor or pill cutter into 1mg doses.
But you'll probably be disappointed. There is no magic cure.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 12:10 PM on July 7, 2009
But you'll probably be disappointed. There is no magic cure.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 12:10 PM on July 7, 2009
Is it a pattern associated with standard male hair loss (thinning hair, male pattern baldness), or is it in random patches distributed around your head? If it's the second, rogaine, propecia, etc. aren't going to help much (there are other things you can do).
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:24 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:24 PM on July 7, 2009
From what I understand the medical treatments (Propecia, Rogaine, though I don't know about DHT shampoo) basically, if they work, will stop or slow existing hair loss, but are unlikely to cause a significant regrowth of lost hair. So if you are considering that route you should probably talk to a doctor sooner rather than later. And they aren't magic cures. Also, if you stop, the hair loss starts again. It can be a significant and long-term expense that may not have the results you are happy with. Of course if the results aren't satisfactory you can just quit and deal with the loss.
There is also the surgical route of transplants, where the hair form the back of your head is transplanted to the balding areas. This used to be referred to derogatorily as "plugs" but the current approach is to graft smaller clumps of hair closer together to create a more natural appearance. This is expensive and I don't know but suspect that follow up transplants may be needed in the future as hair behind the transplant line continues to bald.
Next are wigs and toupees and the "high tech" version that places like Hair Club for Men use. Can be fairly expensive, especially the latter, and a cheap rug will look like, well, a cheap rug on your head. This is probably the least satisfactory treatment option. If you choose HCfM or similar be sure to do lots of research first so you realize what you're signing up for and how much it will cost to maintain.
By far the least expensive option is choosing to accept the hair loss and try to find a hair style that is as flattering as reasonably possible (NOT a combover or whatever Donald Trump has going). I usually keep my own hair shaved or trimmed very closely but I realize this isn't an option for everyone and doesn't necessarily suit everyone's skull shape and features. But if it works for you your cost, especially if you choose a close trim (see Jason Statham), is near zero once you buy a decent pair of clippers.
posted by 6550 at 12:45 PM on July 7, 2009
There is also the surgical route of transplants, where the hair form the back of your head is transplanted to the balding areas. This used to be referred to derogatorily as "plugs" but the current approach is to graft smaller clumps of hair closer together to create a more natural appearance. This is expensive and I don't know but suspect that follow up transplants may be needed in the future as hair behind the transplant line continues to bald.
Next are wigs and toupees and the "high tech" version that places like Hair Club for Men use. Can be fairly expensive, especially the latter, and a cheap rug will look like, well, a cheap rug on your head. This is probably the least satisfactory treatment option. If you choose HCfM or similar be sure to do lots of research first so you realize what you're signing up for and how much it will cost to maintain.
By far the least expensive option is choosing to accept the hair loss and try to find a hair style that is as flattering as reasonably possible (NOT a combover or whatever Donald Trump has going). I usually keep my own hair shaved or trimmed very closely but I realize this isn't an option for everyone and doesn't necessarily suit everyone's skull shape and features. But if it works for you your cost, especially if you choose a close trim (see Jason Statham), is near zero once you buy a decent pair of clippers.
posted by 6550 at 12:45 PM on July 7, 2009
propecia works well to stop the loss and you may re-grow a very small amount. take it every other day to save money, instead of every day. there's no difference.
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 1:11 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 1:11 PM on July 7, 2009
The Wikepedia page on Male Pattern Baldness - or Androgenic alopetia if you will - will give you a lot of background. Hairquackery will leave you forewarned.
posted by rongorongo at 1:25 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by rongorongo at 1:25 PM on July 7, 2009
Before I gave up the ghost and shaved my head bare, I had some fair-to-decent results with Propecia (as others have mentioned) - the rate of loss slowed considerably, though it never really stopped. However, Propecia is expensive and time-consuming, so I eventually decided that I'd be happier bald than I would be spending hundreds of dollars and hours trying to slow my hairline's retreat. Shaving my head, on the other hand, was the last haircut I ever needed.
Believe me, I can sympathize with your desire to hang onto your hair, but please let us save you a substantial amount of money in complicated shampoo regimes and fruitless dermatologist visits - Medical science still hasn't cracked this one, though many a charlatan will claim that they have. Purchasing such products usually just leaves you without hair and money. Accepting and Celebrating is a much more satisfying course of action than Resisting and Failing.
In short: Going bald sucks, being bald rocks. Best wishes, whatever route you choose.
posted by EatTheWeek at 1:31 PM on July 7, 2009
Believe me, I can sympathize with your desire to hang onto your hair, but please let us save you a substantial amount of money in complicated shampoo regimes and fruitless dermatologist visits - Medical science still hasn't cracked this one, though many a charlatan will claim that they have. Purchasing such products usually just leaves you without hair and money. Accepting and Celebrating is a much more satisfying course of action than Resisting and Failing.
In short: Going bald sucks, being bald rocks. Best wishes, whatever route you choose.
posted by EatTheWeek at 1:31 PM on July 7, 2009
FWIW, I knew a guy who went the plugs route and his scalp absolutely looked like a Christmas tree farm. I don't know if it was early in his, er, treatment or that he went cheap, or what, but his head a clearly discernible grid on it.
Nthing that your choices are real pharmaceuticals, a rug or a razor.
posted by jquinby at 1:50 PM on July 7, 2009
Nthing that your choices are real pharmaceuticals, a rug or a razor.
posted by jquinby at 1:50 PM on July 7, 2009
The best look I've seen on balding guys is to just shave it all off
This advice is so well-known now that people are still going to associate your haircut with hair-loss to a certain point.
Before you scorch the earth by turning your back on what hair you have left, make the best of it. Find a barber you can talk openly with and discuss options and see if you can find a look that you enjoy.
posted by hermitosis at 2:07 PM on July 7, 2009
This advice is so well-known now that people are still going to associate your haircut with hair-loss to a certain point.
Before you scorch the earth by turning your back on what hair you have left, make the best of it. Find a barber you can talk openly with and discuss options and see if you can find a look that you enjoy.
posted by hermitosis at 2:07 PM on July 7, 2009
Choose to age gracefully. It's what I'm doing. Plus, you can offset the baldness with nice shoes and decent glasses. If you buy clothes that fit and maintain good posture, you'll be considered plenty attractive, hair loss or not.
posted by everythings_interrelated at 2:37 PM on July 7, 2009
posted by everythings_interrelated at 2:37 PM on July 7, 2009
I'll second (or third) the Propecia route, if you can put up with the cost. I started as soon as I noticed my hairline receding, which was about six years ago (I am 27 now). Content best describes my feelings about it - though I did not grow back hair, I don't appear to be losing any either.
Of course, YMMV with Propecia, but as hermatosis said, go to a professional stylist as well for a cut that suits you. You may even have to try a few.
The combination of the two seems to be doing fine for me.
posted by helios410 at 6:15 PM on July 7, 2009
Of course, YMMV with Propecia, but as hermatosis said, go to a professional stylist as well for a cut that suits you. You may even have to try a few.
The combination of the two seems to be doing fine for me.
posted by helios410 at 6:15 PM on July 7, 2009
I was going through this for a bit. I had never had something happen to me like this before; whenever I stepped out of the shower, it looked like a hair creature had attacked the drain. It never really showed, but the fact that I was shedding like a dog made me concerned enough to ask a dermatologist.
It turned out to be stress. She recommended taking biotin to chill out. It was weird because I hadn't considered myself stressed out at the time but my body was responding to some latent anxiety I suppose. I always thought losing hair due to stress was an urban myth but it really was happening to me.
More importantly though, once I got past my stressful situation, my hair loss dramatically improved.
Anyway, the biotin did work. I recommend trying out a vitamin supplement before medication first.
posted by twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious at 9:28 PM on July 7, 2009
It turned out to be stress. She recommended taking biotin to chill out. It was weird because I hadn't considered myself stressed out at the time but my body was responding to some latent anxiety I suppose. I always thought losing hair due to stress was an urban myth but it really was happening to me.
More importantly though, once I got past my stressful situation, my hair loss dramatically improved.
Anyway, the biotin did work. I recommend trying out a vitamin supplement before medication first.
posted by twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious at 9:28 PM on July 7, 2009
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posted by A189Nut at 11:08 AM on July 7, 2009