I've been struggling with hair loss most of my adult life. My hairline has always been high, basically inherited from my father's side of the family, but neither my grandfather nor my father has or had ever shown any sign of male pattern baldness. On my mother's side, my uncle lost crown hair, but still has some even now in his 70s. My hair has always been thin, and I wanted to grow bangs and the rest of my hair long when I was a teenager, but was too reserved to do that. When college came about, I had already lost a large amount of hair in front. Tried all sorts of remedies. Most didn't do much, but Nioxin helped until Rogaine became inexpensive enough to try.
The result is that I have normal thickness of hair from my crown on back and thin up front. Currently I'm using Kirkland minoxidil 5%, and enhancing it a bit with small dabs of DMSO. Pretty much got my hair back to pre-surgical density and then some. I did lose some additional hair while on Toprol and its evil twin Metoporol, but it grew back with the minoxidil treatment. My hair is about the way it was when I was between 25 and 30, semi-balding look, but not too bad--except it's considerably grayer. Can't grow bangs, so I part to one side, but (Thank God from not only me, but anyone else ever tortured by the sight) I don't do comb-overs. If I got bald enough to need one, I'd just wear a hat or make sure I had plenty of sunscreen, and just keep the rest of my hair reasonably short. After all I'm 47 and lots of men my age are thinning or downright balding, and I no longer stand out as anything unusual. It sure surprises people when I return for high school reunions, since many of them have passed me up in balding, and are surprised I have any hair left at all.
Laura and I have discussed the surgical option, since I have plenty of scalp to work with in the back, but I don't feel like I should spend so much money on something that really in the end doesn't mean a whole lot. She loves me the way I am, too. Personally, I would like to grow nice thick shoulder-length long hair, but it would be on a middle-aged man and not a teenage boy, and thus just look a bit creepy. The surgical method would allow me bangs, but I'd have to dye my hair and pretend I was much younger than I really am. My face isn't wrinkled hardly at all. Hmmm... Perhaps I could even return to college...
Nah! Let's be real. Though the thought is highly attractive to me, the surgical option is just a little bit too extreme for me, both money-wise and risk of losing even more hair, leaving a scarred scalp behind. If a reliable chemical method for growing hair even in the front is found, I'll definitely avail myself of it, but slicing off hunks of my scalp and transplanting them just sounds a bit too much for right now. As for hair plugs, I can't help but hear the song "Hello Dolly" in my head when I think of the doll's head look I'd get. If you pursue any of these surgical options, you have my blessing and prayers for its success. Enjoy your new look, but be careful, as it is surgery after all.
Chris
