Hair Solutions (Radiotherapy Induced Alopecia / Scarring)

[ImNotJay]

Good evening all,

I would just first like to introduce myself to you all, as I have only just joined this group and I am very lucky to have a space like this to come and speak my mind.

Also, apologies for the long message, if you'd rather skip to the point I'll leave a bold asterisk next to it below *

I am 24y male and I have only just been informed that I could have some residual deficits from my brain surgery in 2013 for medulloblastoma that have spread into my behaviour.

Unfortunately I ran into some considerable mental health difficulties shortly after beginning my maintenance chemotherapy; which flew under the radar as I seemed to be compelled to make poor decisions, against the advice of everybody.

Having got sober 6th Feb this year I am beginning to pay a lot more attention on the future, in particular my appearance. I do tend to overthink and worry but I do think this may be quite relevant.

I have noticed that my hair has thinned very considerably in the last couple of years and the hairline has receded quite far. I am aware that genetics play a massive role in this, but I am 5"9 with a baby face and do not enjoy the proposition of "embracing my baldness" at 24, when I embraced it at 13 for 7 months and I felt awful.

The obvious solutions for this problem are:

Regaine - Minoxidil - a topical solution which I think would be okay, if it weren't 96% alcohol. It does seem to carry a low incidence of side effects generally (except low blood pressure and getting you trollied when it seeps into your bloodstream, of course).

Finasteride - oral tablets - These are hormone blockers designed to block dihydrotestosterone and preserve the feminine locks i used to have, which is all well and good, but it can cause sexual dysfunction, breast enlargement, depression, and it's what they give to men undergoing gender reassignment. I'm not too keen on that idea.

There are some others such as a chemotherapy drug, which to be honest looks like the least worst option out of the pharmacological routes, and the others are a sort of light helmet; a hair transplant and PRP, where they take blood and inject the plasma back into your scalp to promote growth.

** Here

My issue comes where the hair transplant seems all well and good, but I may run out of follicles to actually, well, transplant, but it might be necessary on the patch behind my head where it was irradiated, which also has a lovely great scar on it, but neither can be done if I go bald before I start, and right now I cannot afford it, because I cannot work because I'm very unwell; and it may have a lot to do with TBI and brain irradiation.

I do not know if anyone has done anything different to what I've listed above in terms of a hair solution? I feel I may get conscious about a wig as I've worn one before, and that particular one was a little uncomfortable but hey ho.

As has been mentioned in a couple of other posts i've seen; I see the practical support for those of us with head injury is limited, although I appreciate we have this community to connect and hopefully support each other and find solutions.

Thank you kindly for reading,

Jamie

P.S. I am aware this sounds rather selfish, but please message me and say hi, or I might post a little "hello" later, or elsewhere. Never a dull moment, cheers