first post!

[heynow1234]

Hey guys, 25 yr old male, still have a good amount of hair but its def thinning. I can see alot my scalp when i get out of the shower, but when its dry it still looks pretty decent. That being said it seems that in the last 5 months or so its getting thinner daily, barber, told me to buy Nioxin. That was kinda of a wake up call for me to attack this thing head on when i still have a good amount of hair. Bought the nioxin, am using that now, then went to my derm to get propecia, she made me go get a blood test first, which i did today, so i hope to be starting in the next week. I am really hoping to just keep the hair i have for a couple years, dont really need the regrowth, but wouldnt complain if i grew more! Alittle worried about the side effects!

[PayDay]

Hey guys, 25 yr old male, still have a good amount of hair but its def thinning. I can see alot my scalp when i get out of the shower, but when its dry it still looks pretty decent. That being said it seems that in the last 5 months or so its getting thinner daily, barber, told me to buy Nioxin. That was kinda of a wake up call for me to attack this thing head on when i still have a good amount of hair. Bought the nioxin, am using that now, then went to my derm to get propecia, she made me go get a blood test first, which i did today, so i hope to be starting in the next week. I am really hoping to just keep the hair i have for a couple years, dont really need the regrowth, but wouldnt complain if i grew more! Alittle worried about the side effects!


Heynow heynow 1234:)

You've found the right place. Seems like you're taking action at the right time. You might want to can the Nioxin sice it does nothing to stop your hair loss, but it is good that your barber helped you see that something should me done, so don't can him for trying to sell you stuff that doesn't work:)

If you don't already you should tune into Spencer Kobren's radio show on Sunday nights, you will learn a lot!

My story is probably similar to yours. I posted it it here:
http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=126

Paul

[heynow1234]

hello, thanks seems like a good spot, when i mention balding to my family, they pretty much respond with "who cares, its not a big deal", or "you overreacting most your friends will go bald soon too" HA! Thats easy for them to say. I actually do have two friends who are already bald and really dont look bad, but if i can do something about it then i will give it a shot, at least i can say i went down with a fight. I dont know if im right, but from what i read it seems that the younger you are and the quicker you start, propecia seems to help alot. keeping fingers crossed

[J_B_Davis]

hello, thanks seems like a good spot, when i mention balding to my family, they pretty much respond with "who cares, its not a big deal", or "you overreacting most your friends will go bald soon too" HA! Thats easy for them to say. I actually do have two friends who are already bald and really dont look bad, but if i can do something about it then i will give it a shot, at least i can say i went down with a fight. I dont know if im right, but from what i read it seems that the younger you are and the quicker you start, propecia seems to help alot. keeping fingers crossed

This is a great spot! I feels good to communicate with people who understand. My family was always telling me not to worry about it. They made me feel bad or obsessive for thinking about my hair loss. I feel less alone here. I listen to the bald truth every week now and it really helps me through my week.

[SpencerKobren]

hello, thanks seems like a good spot, when i mention balding to my family, they pretty much respond with "who cares, its not a big deal", or "you overreacting most your friends will go bald soon too" HA! Thats easy for them to say. I actually do have two friends who are already bald and really dont look bad, but if i can do something about it then i will give it a shot, at least i can say i went down with a fight. I dont know if im right, but from what i read it seems that the younger you are and the quicker you start, propecia seems to help alot. keeping fingers crossed

Hi Heynow,

Welcome to the forum! It sounds like you’re a perfect candidate for Propecia. Payday is correct in suggesting that you should consider dropping Nioxin. They make a very nice shampoo, but there is no clinical data proving that Nixon products help in the fight against hair loss. Barbers and hair solons make good money selling that stuff to vulnerable hair loss sufferers. Hell, it was one of the first products that I used more than 20 years ago:)

Seeing your doctor was a smart move. There is a strong possibility that you are on your way to stopping or significantly slowing down the hair loss process.

We’d love you to keep us updated with your progress. Feel free to upload pictures to document your journey. Don't worry if it looks like you have “too much” hair at this point...That’s a good thing:)

Best of luck!

[heynow1234]

Thanks, Ill see if i can take some pictures, although you cant really tell when my hair is dry, but when its wet it is terrible. Hope to get the actual prescription tomorrow, after the blood test comes back. I signed up for the propecia discount plan, so it will be nice to save some money to start, am I right thinking a 90 day supply from a CVS will cost around 180ish before the discount? Its nice to be able to quickly check this board once a day, instead of blabbing to my brother or my parents about my impending doom. I have debated alittle while about taking propecia, and was going to use rogaine, due to the side effects i had heard about with propecia, but the more "real" info i have gotten from doctors and people I know who use it, is that its pretty safe and no risk of long term effects if you stop taking it. There are some scary things out there on the internet about it, but in the end i think ill trust the experts. As for the Nioxin, i figured it was a load of junk, and wouldnt stop hair loss, but does it do anything to make your hair look fuller, or help at all when using with propecia?

[TeeJay73]

I tried Nioxin too in my early hair loss days. My hair stylist said it would "bio-stimulate" my scalp. What a dipshit I was to believe him. Nioxin is bogus.

Propecia is the way to go - especially in one's early hair loss days. You may realize excellent reprieve for years, even decades, negating the need to ever have to do anything more (such as surgery) than simply continue taking it.

[heynow1234]

hey, just giving a little update, i just broguht my prescription for propecia to the local CVS, will start on it tomorrow. My doc would only give me 30 days worth to start, to see if i have any side effects. Does anyone know if the propecia deal (the coupon from the propecia website) will work starting with a second prescription? Anywhoo, hoping it works to keep my hair, as i still have a good amount of it, but if it doesnt work....well i dont want to think about that right now!

PS: I know everyone is saying Nioxin is a piece of junk, but i have 2 giant full bottles, should i stay on it? It cant hurt right?

[heynow1234]

Just a quick add on.... anyone have any idea how long propecia takes to stop hair loss? I know it says at least 3 months to regrow hair and stuff, but does it also take 3 months to stop or slow down hair lose, or will that happen quicker?

[TeeJay73]

Hey man,

Propecia starts lowering your DHT levels with the very first pill, so it will start slowing down and/or stopping your hair loss immediately. After a few pills, your DHT levels will be suppressed to a lower steady state level, and you'll be golden. So it starts working right away in terms of treating your hair loss. Regrowth is the only thing that takes time.

After 1 to 2 years, you and/or your doctor will notice if Propecia is working overall for you. The point here is to give it at least 12 to 24 months to assess its overall affect on stopping/reversing your hair loss, before discontinuing treatment. If after 12 to 24 months you notice that it is working, then stay on it! Check for regrowth, check for thickening of any hairs that have thinned, check for maintenance of your existing hair. If Propecia is not working (unlikely, but possible), then ongoing treatment may not help, so they say.

As far as side effects, sure, there are the rare instances of people that have experienced them, even on this forum, but most of them relate to sexual side effects, like decreased libido, and side effects are totally reversible if you stop taking Propecia. Propecia is definitely the best treatment, so don't let the overhyped side effects worry you. Spencer and Dave have been on it for YEARS, 7 or more, and I've been on it for 1 year. No side effects thus far. So pay attention to your body for side effects, but don't let the overhype of Propecia side effects sway you from your treatment.

Also, Nioxin is just shampoo, so use it up! Just don't buy any more :-)

Take care,

TeeJay

[davesolazzo]

ive been on propecia for almost 8 years now--damn im really starting to get old:( at a certain point time just starts to fly by...like a runaway train or something. but yeah, about 8 successful years and my hair has stayed basically the same will a little regrowth. actually i think i got a lot of regrowth in the back and some in the front as well. and the quality of my hair improved also. so like teejay said id give it a good year or more to see if it's working for you.

[heynow1234]

well just took the first propecia pill....so well see what happens over the next couple months, not really worried about any of the side effects, now that ive actually started taking it and stopped reading ridiculous things on the internet. Anywho, if i do start to shed some hair on the drug at first, i know this is rare, does anyone have any idea if this is like an extreme shed, or just something i myself may notice.

That being said, thanks for all the info this site has given me, and i feel great now knowing that im doing something. Ill keep you all posted on my results.

[SpencerKobren]

well just took the first propecia pill....so well see what happens over the next couple months, not really worried about any of the side effects, now that ive actually started taking it and stopped reading ridiculous things on the internet. Anywho, if i do start to shed some hair on the drug at first, i know this is rare, does anyone have any idea if this is like an extreme shed, or just something i myself may notice.

That being said, thanks for all the info this site has given me, and i feel great now knowing that im doing something. Ill keep you all posted on my results.


Good luck Heynow! We're all rooting for you. :)

[heynow1234]

Hey, just a quick update. On Propecia now for two full weeks and no side effects. Hopefully it is working, i gues i wont know for another 10 weeks or so at best. Am i still going to be losing hair until the three months or is it already stopping me from losing my hair. In other words, if its working, will i have aprox the same hair count i did the day i started it, or the hair count from the three month mark?

[davesolazzo]

Am i still going to be losing hair until the three months or is it already stopping me from losing my hair. In other words, if its working, will i have aprox the same hair count i did the day i started it, or the hair count from the three month mark?

well regarding your questions: let me see...who really knows? but i would suggest that you dont think of it that way. just try to relax for now. know that you're doing the best thing for yourself and your hair. in the next six months or year you'll probably see that your hair loss has slowed down or stopped. that odds are with you. just try to chill out now and relax. thats what i did for my first year on propecia.

[SpencerKobren]

Hey, just a quick update. On Propecia now for two full weeks and no side effects. Hopefully it is working, i gues i wont know for another 10 weeks or so at best. Am i still going to be losing hair until the three months or is it already stopping me from losing my hair. In other words, if its working, will i have aprox the same hair count i did the day i started it, or the hair count from the three month mark?

Dave is right. Just relax and see what happens. Now that you're not concerned about the side effects, you should feel good that you're being pro-active. According to clinical trials, you have an 86% chance of stopping the progression of your hair loss and about a 60% possibility of experiencing regrowth. In some cases this regrowth is significant. Don't worry about “hair counts”, you’ll know if it’s working for you.

Good luck!

[heynow1234]

hey thanks, i know i should just chill, but i just want this stuff to start working!!!!! And i know that that is totally unrealistic after 2 weeks. The thing is my hair is fine for now, but seems to just keep gettting thinner every day! I just want it to plump up alittle. Whatever, I just have to tell my self that hopefully by the start of summer my hair will look better, or at least hopefully the same as it does now!!!!! Thanks guys, ill shot another update or so im about a month.

[heynow1234]

hey, just wanted to give a quick update on my situation if any1 cares. On propecia now for 67 days. Ok still too early to expect results but heres what i got going on so far: No side effects (knock on wood), so as far as i can tell since taking it, i have not lost any hair, and hair has not gotten thinner. No shed, or anything. Now i think im probably insane, but i feel like there are a bunch of small baby hairs in the front of my hair line, but I i guess it could just as easy be hairs that are shrinking away and dying. So not much to report, but hey only 2 months. The one thing i will say, is that i am not nearly as obssessd with the losing my hair as i was before taking the drug, because now I know that I am at least trying something, so thats a def plus! Ok, i guess ill repost on this thread if anything changes or if anyone is interested. Thanks!

[JimmyG]

I'm about to embark on your same journey, so it's really interesting hearing about your progress!

It's possible the baby hairs are miniaturised hairs which are beginning a new cycle. Or maybe they're dormant follicles which have been reactivated...? :)

[Speegs]

I use nioxin, its been a nice volumizer and supposedly helps cleanse surface dht from the scalp, its not a farce to use it, just don't expect it to do what propecia or rogaine does, but it does cleanse the scalp and make the appearance of volume.

[heynow1234]

Hey guys just figured id give an update if anyone is interested. So I reach the 5 month mark on propecia in 2 days. (I know still early in the treatment) So far not much to report. The hair in the front (not the temples) has gotten worse on the left side, right side is still hanging tough, strange. I noticed the front got worse at about the 3 1/2 month mark, (maybe a shed or someting?) but the last month or so I think my hair has been about the same. However everyone tells me my hair looks pretty much the same as it did when i first started, and my derm told me a week ago that my hair looks pretty healthy, and that I only have slight vertex thinning and a naturally high hairline, but i think he doesnt know what hes talking about. So in short my hair is slightly worse since starting but seems to be stabilizing, maybe? Hopefully between the 6-12month mark it will get a little better, but i dont have high hopes. Thanks ill try and update in another month or so.

[Speegs]

Hey guys just figured id give an update if anyone is interested. So I reach the 5 month mark on propecia in 2 days. (I know still early in the treatment) So far not much to report. The hair in the front (not the temples) has gotten worse on the left side, right side is still hanging tough, strange. I noticed the front got worse at about the 3 1/2 month mark, (maybe a shed or someting?) but the last month or so I think my hair has been about the same. However everyone tells me my hair looks pretty much the same as it did when i first started, and my derm told me a week ago that my hair looks pretty healthy, and that I only have slight vertex thinning and a naturally high hairline, but i think he doesnt know what hes talking about. So in short my hair is slightly worse since starting but seems to be stabilizing, maybe? Hopefully between the 6-12month mark it will get a little better, but i dont have high hopes. Thanks ill try and update in another month or so.Don't expect much from the front, it will likely slow down hair loss there at best, you have a good chance of keeping baldness from attacking your crown and mid scalp with finasteride however but the front is pretty much going to go.

[heynow1234]

Hey guys, well the last 2 weeks have been pretty sweet, all of the hair that i lost since being propecia is growing back, and im getting back to my hairline that i had last year in the front, and all the hair seems thick! Im in shock i had my whole family look at my hair and they all agree that its working. The hairs arnt long yet id say half an inch but its very noticeble to the naked eye when my hair is pulled back, so they have prob been growing for about a month or so, I guess just for whatever reason they werent really long enough for me notice. But Something is def happening, and im happy! Im alittle over 5 1/2 months, and the front really crapped out at about 3 months so it appears it might have been a shed. Anyway im stoked, hopefully it continues and im not here in a week saying that its getting worse again, but i honestly dont expect that at all! All i wanted was for propecia to save the hair i had at the start, then it got worse and i started to freak but now its comming back to where it was and thicker, thats all i could ever ask for! Ill try and snap some photos for you guys.

[SpencerKobren]

I'm so happy for you heynow! That's great news.