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Baldness and long hair
Once upon a time, I thought that my own hair looked good enough to grow out long and not need a wig.
As the years went on, I realised that my hair was receeding and my fringe was getting longer and longer (sort of like a front comb-over
). Since this just didn’t look right in female mode, I started wearing wigs. One wig, then another, then another, then three more, then… No, not all at once! 
So finally, I realise that I’m never going to be able to be in female mode without a wig, and yet I still have long hair. As an occasional CD heading towards 40yo, should I keep long hair that looks out of place for my male persona (and takes an effort to flatten to fit under wigs) or should I go for a short hairstyle that fits my male persona and let go of my once treasured long hair?
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18 Replies
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Hi Alice,
Appologies for the long winded reply but I’m hoping you and others may benefit from this information.
First of all, I say keep your long hair. I have long hair myself and have had it ever since high school and there’s no way I’m cutting mine off. Granted I can get away with it en femme but like many males, I’ve noticed the thinning, etc. associated with getting older. Not wanting to have to cut my hair and assume the traditional male hair style lead me to research the problem of Male Pattern Baldness and Androgenic Alopicia and I was determined to find a way of slowing if not stopping it.
And I did just that. Now depending on how far advanced the receeding is, it is quite possible to grow most if not all of your hair back by following a tried/tested and proven formula. You can get this by going to Ashlee & Martin and paying a fortune or you can sorce the stuff your self for a lot less. If you decide to use the following products, I recommend that you check with your doctor first before starting. Results vary and can take up to 6 months to show, sometimes longer depending on the person.
Now provided you have the ok from your doctor and you decide you would like to keep your hair, the first thing you need is a script for ‘Proscar’ (active ingredient is 5mg Finasteride per tablet) which is a pharmacutical originally made to treat prostate related problems but was found to also retard hair loss. The company that makes the stuff decided to produce another product called ‘Propicia’ which is the exact same product only difference being that it only contains 1mg of Finasteride per tablet and the fact that it is so much more expensive per month. Most GP’s will give you a script for 1/4 tablet per day of “Proscar’ which costs around $100 for 30 tablets but that lasts you 4 months so it works out pretty cheap. It works by preventing the enzyme ‘Alpha 5 Reductase’ (produced in the prostate) from metabolizing testosterone into DHT (DiHydroTestosterone) which can cause hair follicles to shrink and enter a permanent dormant state.
The next step is to find yourself some ‘Saw Palmetto’ (natural herb Serenoa repens) which aids in the retardation of hair loss much the same as ‘Proscar’ but it also helps to counter the possible side effects of ‘Proscar’ (reduced sex drive). You can get it from most good health stores or selected chemists. Ultimately the tablets should contain 3.2g of
Serenoa Serrulata, dry fruit. Ethical Nutrients produce a product called ‘Prostate Health’ which has everything you need in this department for around $30 for a months worth.Finally, you need to get a product called ‘Hair Again’ or similar (Rogaine, Regain, etc.) which contains no less than 5% minoxidil. This is a topical solution applied to the scalp (where hair is minimal) usually about 1ml two times per day. This stuff is what stimulates the regrowth of your hair. You local chemist should have it in stock for around $36 for a months worth.
I’ve been using the above for the last few years and have notice good results (up to 100% regrowth in most areas) but again, results will depend on the person. The only down side is that should you stop using the products, it is most probable that your re-grown hair will begin to fall out once more. All up you’re looking at around $90 per month to save your hair.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Alicia -
Quote:Appologies for the long winded reply but I’m hoping you and others may benefit from this information.
Never apologise for being helpful!
Quote:First of all, I say keep your long hair.The decision was made in the opposite direction and I don’t regret it.
I have 9 wigs at the moment. All provide far better feminine appearance than my own hair ever could.
I’ve actually decided that I want to maximise the difference between my male and female appearances for various reasons, and going to short hair that fits my male appearance helps with that.
Quote:All up you’re looking at around $90 per month to save your hair.I have enough trouble using DIY dermabrasion twice a week, using pore reducing mask 2 or 3 times a week, epiling face and brows weekly, epiling arms, legs, etc. about fortnightly and finding one day every 4 to 6 weeks to dress with full makeup. I really doubt that I could organise to apply stuff to my scalp twice per day!
I expect that other girls will find your suggestions helpful. It appears to be pretty much the right solution for those who want to use their own hair.
Alice
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Hi Alice
I like you have decided that a wig is a more realistic approach to my femine side.I had very long hair in my teenage years but had my hair cut short in my early 20’s and it never really grew back. like my father , by my late 20’s my hairline receeded rather dramatically. I have several wigs but with all of them the problem of keeping them in place correctly I have used a hair net with limited success. Have you any suggestions for a method of keeping a wig in place. i dont know if it is my head has a strange shape or whatever but i have always had difficulty with this..
Would be interested in your thoughts.
Thanks
beth. -
Long hair pulled into a pony tail with a massive bald spot works for blokes. Long hair with a bald spot doesn’t work at any level for a woman. So, if your feminine image is important, you need a wig and, as you’ve pointed out, wigs are sooo much better over short hair. All of which is why my hair is short (yep, I too had the pony tail and bald spot).
As for creams and the like for baldness – good luck. They might work for awhile and, if so, go for it. But is it long term? Recently, I noticed that the men who were the centre of advertising campaigns for these hair fixing up places some years ago, now look horrid – like they’ve had hair fixups and it hasn’t worked. Try them by all means, but this little black duck will find it hard to be convinced that they are permanent.
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After 40 + years of having short hair, either a crewcut or flat top I decided that I wanted long hair. I have allowed it to grow this year, and have had it coloured and proffesionally maintained. But at 50+ it takes a long time to grow. There is no receeding hairline or any other similar problem, it just grows so slowly. I might stick to wigs, well at least for the next two years, then mine might be long enough. 😆
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Hi,
I am in the process of going from male to female. I have a bald spot and one of my doctors prescribed Proscar for me which contains finesteride. I am told that it should cause my hair to regrow in about 9 months of taking it.May be its worth consulting an appropriate Transgender Doctor and seeing if it is appropriate for you.
Regards
Jennifer5
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for my 2 cents worth lol i started going bald when i was about 18 so i opted for the cojack look in male mode & found it very handy in female mode so to use medical tape to raise the eye brows & slant the eyes i love the effect on my eyes it gives me
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Same as Alice: hair loss in full throttle and i don’t suppose growing it long would ever look good. Even a feminine short hair style won’t work.
But wigs are so wonderful. The ability to be brunette one day, blonde the 2nd, redhead the 3rd, and all the different styles and lengths you can play with.
I am sure if I had long hair I would have felt more confident. Don’t you ever fear you will lose your balance on your heels, for over and find your wig 2 meters away? I do. But at the same time the flexibility of the wigs…
My wife had chemotherapy recently and lost her hair. She bought two wigs (she didn’t like mine ). She had such a great time switching – one day blonde, the 2nd brunette, the 3rd the Sinead O’Connor bold style. -
Can I add something here ?
Some time back I was diagnosed with very low testosterone and had T injections.I was advised by a doctor who really knows what she is talking about to take Saw Palmetto to counter any tendency to baldness from the T
Ive researched and found several articles On this herb ( from good sources)
Im going to try to cut and paste one hereLibrary of Clinical Studies & Publications
Saw Palmetto Extract vs. ProScarProScarDescription:Proscar (finasteride) was the first FDA-approved drug in the treatment of BPH. It works by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme, 5 alpha-reductase, involved in male sex hormone (testosterone) metabolism. Proscar blocks the transformation of testosterone to hihydrotestosterone, a very potent hormone derived from testosterone, within the prostate. Dihydrotestosterone is responsible for the overproduction of prostate cells which ultimately results in prostate enlargement.Effectiveness and safety:Although Proscar has received much attention, based on the results of the clinical trials, less than 37% of patients on Proscar will experience clinical improvement after taking the drug for one year and it must be taken for at least six months before any improvement can be expected. Meanwhile, about 5% of men suffer from decreased libido, ejaculatory disorders, and impotence while on the drug. Despite Proscar`s shortcomings and side effects, Merck, the manufacturer of Proscar, has predicted sales will soon reach $1 billion dollars annually.CostProscar costs about $75.00 for a month`s supply Saw Palmetto ExtractDescriptionThe Saw palmetto extract used in the clinical studies is a well-defined purified fat-soluble extract containing between 85% and 95% fatty acids and sterols. Like Proscar, the therapeutic effect of the Saw palmetto extract appears to be due to its inhibition of dihydrotestosterone. However, the Saw palmetto extract also inhibits the binding of dihydrostestosterone at cellular binding sites.Effectiveness and safety:Numerous double-blind clinical studies on the Saw palmetto extract have shown it to be effective in nearly 90% of patients usually in a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Detailed toxicity studies in animals, as well as the results from clinical trials, indicate that the Saw palmetto extract is without toxicity or side effect. Despite the impressive clinical effectiveness, safety, and popularity of Saw palmetto extract in the treatment of BPH in the United States, manufacturers are prohibited from making any medical claims by the FDA.CostAt the effective dosage of 160mg twice daily, Saw palmetto extract costs about $24.00 for a month`s supply.
An extract of the berries from the Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), a palm tree native to the Southern Atlantic coast, has emerged as a popular treatment for an enlarged prostate both in Europe and the United States. This popularity is for good reason.
Over 20 double-blind, placebo controlled studies have demonstrated the fat-soluble extract of the Saw palmetto berries is very effective in relieving all of the major symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) including increased nighttime urinary frequency, the most bothersome complaint.
In fact, in these studies, the Saw palmetto extract has been shown to exert superior benefits compared to Proscar, the standard prescription drug used in the medical treatment of BPH.
To illustrate Saw palmetto extracts`s superiority over Proscar, let`s look at the effect of both on the maximum urine flow rate, a good indicator of bladder neck obstruction due to an enlarged prostate. The information featured in Figure 1 below is based on pooled data on Saw palmetto extract from all clinical studies and pooled data on Proscar listed in the Physician`s Desk Reference.Figure 2 features the clinical studies demonstrating the efficacy of Saw palmetto extract in the treatment of BPH.
Figure 1
Saw palmetto vs. Proscar on urine flow rate
(milliliters per second) Saw palmetto extract Proscar
Initial Measurement 9.53 ml/sec 9.6 ml/sec
3 months 13.15 ml/sec* 10.4 ml/sec
12 months ** 11.2 ml/sec
% increase 38% in 3 months 16% in 12 months
*Many studies on the Saw palmetto extract were less than 90 days; final measurements were calculated as 90 measurements.
**There are no long-term studies on Saw palmetto extract, yet the effect at 3 months (or less) is obviously superior to that of Proscar.Figure 2
Clinical studies demonstrating the efficacy of Saw palmetto* in BPH
Authors Type of Study No. of patients Length of study Results
Boccafoschi, et al Double-blind 22 60 days Significant difference for volume voided, maximum flow, mean flow, dysuria, nocturia
Cirillo,et al Open 47 4 months Significant difference for: dysuria, nocturia, urine flow
Tripodi, et al Open 40 30-90 days Significant difference for: dysuria, nocturia, volume of prostate, voiding rate, residual urine
Emili, et al Double-blind 30 30 days Significant difference for: number of voidings, strangury, maximum and mean urine flow, residual urine
Greca, et al Open 14 1 to 2 months Significant difference for: dysuria, perincal heaviness, nocturia, volume of urine per voiding, interval between two dumal voidings, sensation of incomplete voiding
Duvia, et al Controlled trial vs. pygeum 30 30 days Significant difference for voiding rate
Tasca, et al Double-blind 30 31 to 90 days Significant difference for: frequency, urine flow measurement
Cukier, et al Double-blind 168 60 to 90 days Significant difference for: dysuria, frequency, residual urine
Crimi, et al Open 32 4 weeks Significant difference for: dysuria, nocturia, flow measurement, residual urine
Champault, et al Double-blind 110 28 days Significant difference for: dysuria, nocturia, flow measurement, residual urine
Mattei, et al Double-blind 40 3 months Significant difference: dysuria, nocturia, residual urine
*dose = 320 milligrams per dayHome | Library Index
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Hugs
PS yes it stopped any hair loss ! -
im an idiot, but id go bald…..
there are wigs for men as well, and thinkof all the cool shades and looks you could have….master the care and look of wearing them and you’ll be the most rockinest on the blockest
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Ironically, in the couple of years since I started this thread, I’ve grown my hair long again in spite of the widows peaks. Apparently my wife prefers me with long hair.
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Hey
having to take One capsule a day to save your hair is not much !
My hair is quite long and I enjoy plaiting it , putting it up of down etc
yes wigs give you a lot of choice but keeping ypur own hair gives you one more.I think being able to play with your own hair is much more fun than with a wig …
Also I feel when in male mode a guy looks better without a bald patch
Most of th women ive know have been quite accepting of my locks and most have been enthusiastic about them .
Suzz -
Notwithstanding all that has been written about saw palmetto and drugs; has anyone gone down the “Ashley and Martin” path; or similar? If so, should this happen before or after starting on hormones?
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AS far as I know places like Ashley and Martin supply you with that topical lotion – the one I have forgotten the name of, which was developed from a hypertension drug .This will grow hair of a finer type than what you have already and this hair will fall out if you stop using the lotion …. As far as I know there is the drug finestide and Saw Palmetto as internal cures and this lotion as a external “cure ” but I hope Im wrong here and some commercial
group has developed new lotions etc
i can attest to saw palmetto working in that I ironically have to have regular
Testosterone injections as my body is not making any – lik ezippo ,none !
I started to experience hair loss when first taking T an dthis was due to T being converted to Dihydro testosterone ( DHT ) which attacks the hair root
and causes increasing male pattern baldness .I started take Saw Palmetto and the loss stopped … Ironically I also grew two small breasts and this was
due to excess T being converted to estrogen .This was fixed by another very hard to obtain prescription drug an dthankfuilly it stopped all breast growth …
I know girls will decry my taking a drug to stop breast growth BUT Im not ready to transition just yet … But i guess i have th advantage that if I want to all i ahv eto ddo is top taking T and take some Estrogen .Some times we know not when we are blesssed and when we are cursed
As for when to try to fix hair loss i thinjk asap is best but two of my tg friends who are on E fulll time tell me their hair loss reversed when they went on Estrogen and now their hair is thicker and softer than before …
My advice is go on E asap subject to doctor supervision
Hugs
Suzz -
Hi I have had long hair now for about 4 years maybe 5 years a few years ago it started thinning so off I went to the laser hair place (new generation hair clinic) and it cost me about $3500 I still have long hair but its very thin still. Anyway I started hormone treatment but at very low dosage “I guess thats what the Doctor prescribed” but recently I have started losing lots more hair so he put me on proscar but its made no difference I have a very bad bald stop in the back of my head its very upsetting anyway since then Ive been to an endo who has increased Estrogen a bit its had a lot better effects too my breasts are strating to grow before nothing really happened in 8 months but im still hoping my hair will grow back as the laser clinic want to charge me $3800 for six months of laser and minxiol.
Im not going to give up my hair with out a fight but im only 29 now but If I have to use a wig its gonna be the best money can buy undetectable human hair best quality money can buy oh yea in a young girl style I seriously look 23 lov chels
