Question:

I am 38 with what I am assuming is male pattern baldness.  Mostly I have just got a receding hairline at this point but it has gotten pretty bad at my temples.  I am not sure whether to consider medication or surgery at this point.  Are there any hair loss medications that are really effective?  Is there any benefit to doing both medication and surgery? 

Answer:

Absolutely the best course of treatment for anybody who is experiencing androgenetic alopecia is a combination of medication and surgery when indicated.  

Hair transplants are used to place hair where there are no hair follicles or where there are miniaturizing hair follicles and medications are used to slow down or halt the progression of hair loss.  In that manner, hair transplantation and medical therapy are complimentary.  

Whether or not you should consider surgery at this time is a matter of personal preference.  For you to adequately address that question, you need to see a qualified hair transplant surgeon who will discuss all the alternatives, who will examine you and tell you what the potential benefit of medical therapies alone are versus the potential benefit of medical therapies combined with hair transplant surgery. 

All medical therapies are more effective in the top of your head; however, combining medical therapies such as Propecia, Rogaine and low-level laser therapy increases the likelihood of having a result in the front of your scalp as well.  I believe expectations for patients should be addressed when they start medical therapies and they should not have the expectation that they are going to grow hair wildly but should expect that their hair loss should slow down significantly. 

Posted by:  Dr. Siporin