Just a question about how best to cope with male pattern baldness. I currently wear a wig, which needs replacing anyway, but I wondered what others have done to rectify hair loss or will it be yet another wig.

I know that the hair loss will end once I'm on hormones, but unless I self-medicate I assume that won't happen until my 2nd appointment.

I still have some hair on the top of my head, so wondered if a weave or something could be used.

there are some very good wigs about - just avoid very blonde ones - some have streaks and highlights and look great

unless you shell out for hairplugs i suspect you will have to wait and hope some hairs return

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Man [...] must count no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth." (Jean Paul Sartre, 1943)

I used to know a woman who had a special type of undetectable human hair wig glued in at her temples which lasted a few months at a time. I forget the name but there are different methods available, your GP might know.

I had quite a bad M-shaped hairline pre-blockers so was stuck with a permentant centre-parting lol. On blockers, the hair at the front came back so I've now got an acceptable female hairline (there's still more coming in). I understand that hair coming back at the front of the head is rare but it's worth a try anyway. I'm on androcur.

IM - God hairplugs aren't good! The scalp ends up rejecting the synthetic hairs and you end up with an ugly, scarred head.

Hair transplants are pretty safe though since it's your own hair and tissue being transplanted.

Agreeing with IM on blonde wigs. The reddish-purplely brown ones are just as bad.

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Thanks for the comments.

There may be hope yet as my hair is only thin not gone. I've just been to my hairdresser to have my highlights redone and she felt that given the growth since my last appointment, there may be enough left that given time the thinning patch now visible with my short hair may not be a problem. Certainly it is less obvious than before, but still present. I guess I'll keep growing it and wait and see.

Until then I keep using the wig. I confess it is a blond one, but dark blonde.

My younger brother is bald. He tried mynoxidil, but had left it too late and is just learning to live with it. Unfortunately for a woman it's a bit of a giveaway.

Have same problem, although my tg/ tv feelings and habits are very much hidden to all presently.

Look up DHT blockers on google (saw palmetto, green tea etc), various shampoos etc. Also healthy diet, low cholesterol level, avoid stress helps too.
I use organic rosemary shampoo which supposedly has hair thickening and follicle stimulating properties. Actually hair looks less thin it has to be said.

AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!
Not that old MYTH being carried on still?!?!
The one about women having one type of hairline and men another?
One phrase, BULLS**T !!!
Walk down any high street this next windy week and I guarentee you you will see literaly dozens of women with the so called male pattern receding hair,and I dont just mean old grannies with goatee beards to match. Ok if your really balding,thats another thing,but the pattern the above mod(sorry,forgot ur name as i type) was describing is perfectly normall female hair pattern.
I dont know if this is a myth being sold to us by plastic surgeons or wig makers or what but it has to stop.

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Chrissy
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i have a strong M shaped hairline and its receding and becoming more severe too (probly why i now pass well with a shaven head) - and this is pre-T aged 17

but then again i have forehead wrinkles too

...stressll do that to ya!!

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"...risk something, take back whats yours, say something that you know they might attack you for..."

Other thing I've heard of is hair transplants and I met a transwoman recently who has had them. The results are a lot better than I would have imagined! :O

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I look back at most of my life and think "WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?!??"

What is a "blocker"? I'm using Propecia, the pharmacy at Wal-Mart says that stops hair loss. It is expensive, costs me $70-80 per month. My insurance won't cover that, or Proscar. After a month of use, there is noticeable peach fuzz where I had lost my hair. I'm 36 years old and have had noticeable hair loss since my late 20's. Is Propecia the best thing I can use, and is it a 'blocker'?

Hugs & Kisses,

Aeron

i hear that cayenne shampoo is good

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universe causes existence, existence causes THE universe, THE universe causes life, life observes existence in union with universe and adds to the creation of the existence that it came from and is connected to....therefore i believe that life is how existence experiences its self

Male-pattern baldness begins with the intra-cellular enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which has two forms. Finasteride (Propecia or Proscar) blocks one form, and dutasteride (Avodart) blocks them both. 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT, in turn, causes male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement. Propecia has only 1 mg of finasteride, but Proscar has 5 mg of finasteride.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-alpha_reductase

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutasteride

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070611113313.htm
Dutasteride test with identical twins demonstrates its efficacy.

I'm seriously thinking of switching from finasteride to dutasteride.