21 years old, recessed hairline for at least two years. What can I do to help?

[JH24701]

First two pics are from yesterday, next three from March and final two from last December, which is when I noticed the recession but looking at other photos (which i don't currently have access to) I can see it started at least by summer 2021.

I was taking finasteride and minoxidil every day between early Jan and late March when I ran out and hadn't seen any improvement and while I've restocked I've been taking them inconsistently since. As you may be able to tell by the length, I wear my hair slightly coming on to my forehead to cover this but I get really paranoid when I leave the house because the wind just wreaks absolute havoc with my hair and exposes these balding areas.

I've enquired somewhere about a transplant but they said I was too early in the process to have one. I'm seriously considering buzzing it, because every time I go out I just feel ridiculous.

Where am I on the Norwood scale? I think I've lost two inches on both sides.

 

[loui]

Norwood 2-3 probably.

You can consult with a Dr that can prescribe Finasteride if you are up for a long battle against hair loss but as you said you tried it but stopped for some reason.

Finasteride usually just works for stopping hairloss, it helps with regrowing lost areas only for a lucky few.

You gotta ask yourself if you really want to do multiple hair transplants starting in a couple of years(you are too young right now and need to see where you are hair-wise when you are like 25 years old) and possibly taking Finasteride for the rest of your life or just buzzcut and go on with your life? If you feel comfortable with short hair I would choose that.

 

[Salazar]

I think that your hair loss is pretty minor. You may feel that it looks ridiculous -- possibly because you're comparing your present head of hair with the ideal that's in your mind -- but, as someone who is seeing you for the first time, I see nothing wrong with your appearance. It's even possible that your hairline is merely maturing from its juvenile to its adult form. If you're happy to buzz it, that is certainly an option, and will save you a good deal of hassle in the long run, but I don't think that it's necessary to go so far at the present -- of course, it's your call. If you want to maintain the hair that you have, I do think that you should commit to taking finasteride regularly (rather than haphazardly). Three months (January to March) is too short a time to know whether or not it's working but, as loui pointed out, even if it does work, non-surgical options are more about preservation than recovery. I have never used minoxidil, so I will only point out that, as with finasteride, you need to commit to daily usage if you want to see results. Using it irregularly will likely do more harm than good. All the best.

 

[ninaross]

You can switch to a holistic approach to hair care. Use holistic hair products that have the necessary vitamins and minerals in them. Currently, our hair products are loaded with chemicals that do more harm than good. If you start using the right products, they have the ability to reverse the effects of most common hair health issues.

 

[Im new here]

Only thing to do at 21 is be on finasteride and minoxidil and try to keep it from getting worse. Then in five years see about getting the hairline sorted