Balding Blog

Pilofocus is also called piloscopy. I have seen this presentation by Dr. Wessley, and I am very unimpressed. It seems like a cumbersome procedure that is slow, and the surgeon will not be able to perform any significant number of FUE grafts during the surgery. FUE is not very scarring when performed by the right surgeon with the traditional approach I defined in the literature, so I don’t see a place for piloscopy regardless of any FDA clearance which may or may not occur.

I have been using Minoxidil since 2006, and I seem to have at least maintained my hair at the crown, although there has been some additional loss. I believe this would be, in some part, age-related. I imagine the situation would be worse had I stopped using Minoxidil. At age 68, I have no real complaints. Here is my question: should I continue using the product, even though it is considered off-brand for someone my age? Also, I did try Propecia for a while, but it had side effects that I did not like, primarily noticeably reduced ejaculate.

It is ok to take Minoxidil at your age. I suspect that the hair is dependent upon it. The decreased ejaculate is a common side effect of finasteride, but most people don’t mind it.

It is ok, but it does not meet my standards. The hairline has many two hair in the leading edge of the hairline which makes it an obvious hair transplant. I would build a transition zone in front of these grafts so that no-hairline hairline exists, meaning that the hairline does not have an abrujpt start as it does in these photos. There is also a small gap on the sides which should be addressed. The hairline on the right is one of our hairlines and as you can see it is much different than the one on the left (your hairline)

I think that your hairline has an unusual design. It has been built with distinct mounds that are not normally found. If you don’t like your hairline design, a another hair transplant built with a good transition zone will help fix this problem but be sure you find a doctor who can do this. I have discussed hairline design here: https://baldingblog.com/2017/08/31/take-look-transplants-think-photo/

It is too early to tell for sure but it does look promising. I believe that in another year, if it is the drug that is making the change and not your hair length or defects in your photography, you will know if it is working. Good luck.

No, I don’t believe that there is any effort being made by the FDA or through the manufacturer of this drug to approve Dutasteride for use in hair loss. This would be a costly process for the drug company with great risks, considering that there may be more potential side effects than the financial rewards would yield.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944668/#!po=14.7887

I have read the article. There is a great deal of speculation about the use of light therapy in certain areas, like graft growth after hair transplants. I know that grafts grow after a hair transplant when the surgery is done correctly and can’t be accelerated by using such a modality. The author speculated on the use of infra-red light, but there is no evidence available for this use either. Most of the studies on LLLT therapy are written by people who have something to profit by pushing this technology. Laser hats and other devices cost up to $3,000 retail. Almost half of the money goes to the doctor selling it, so do you think that a doctor can be impartial when bringing you this technology? I don’t sell them because I refuse to make money from my patients without giving them value.

The hairs were lined up like soldiers in a field performing a marching routine. The frontal hairline looks like a wood saw, not a hairline. Hairs are never lined up as they should be randomly placed. Your surgeon seems to have no artistic concept in copying nature’s hair pattern.