21 Year Old quite unhappy any help and advice appreciated

[ukcali]

Hi there, came across this forum a week or so ago so thought it was best I join.

Ok I will fill everyone in on my situation so far. I was probably between 18-19 when a couple people joked about my "bald spot" on my crown. It did bug me but to be honest I couldn't see it and i half believed it was probably just the way my hair sat. Well as time when on I noticed my hairline receding and more and more gaps in my hair when I tried to style it. I went to the doctor who basically said, come back if it gets any worse. It did!

In about Feb/March this year I went and saw a very nice dermatologist who said he was glad I had come early and suggested I try Minoxidil (Regain foam) first and if that doesn't work then we could look at propecia however he explained the potential side effects (which I have since spent A LOT of time looking into)
Anyway I have been using the foam every evening since then (I have missed about 3 days once because I was away with work and left the foam at home). I really don't like the stuff I find it makes my hair greasy and it's impossible to put in without getting all of your hair (My hair is a couple inches long) and hence why I use it for bed. I've tried using it in the morning but it just messes my hair up so much I can't style it.

So basically, although I have been using Minoxidil for 7/8 months I don't think its working. The hair on my scalp is getting thinner and thinner and it's getting me really down. I hate it! I just don't know what to do. Ive thought about a hair transplant but realistically they can't really help with thinning car can they? I know it would help with my receding hairline but that I feel is not my biggest issue.

I have made an appointment to go back to my doctor to discuss propecia, but I'm really unsure. The side effects really freak me out but then on the other hand I feel I can go on like this. I've always been quite vain and although I can cover it up reasonably well now, it's getting harder and harder.

If I do decide to take propecia and it works, what I can I expect it to do. Will it regrow hair on my small bald bits, will it thicken thinning hair? Or will it just halt everything and keep it from worsening? Sorry for lots of questions, just a bit of a novice!

Any advice on what to do\things to take etc is much appreciated

Thanks

[Tracy C]

I have been using Rogaine foam for quite a while now and my experience is nothing like yours. My hair is long, down past my shoulders. The foam is completely undetectable and does not hinder my ability to style my hair in any way. I suspect you might be doing something wrong. The medicine needs to be massaged into your scalp. It will do absolutely no good if you just put it in your hair. It needs to be massaged in. I have found that the best way to do this is with your hair towel dry damp. It is also a good idea to hold you hand under cold water for a bit before dispensing the medicine into your hand. With practice, you should be able to use this medicine without the problems you have described.

Though it takes four to six months of proper use to be able to tell if this medicine is working for you, it take 12 to 18 months before you will know how well this medicine is working for you. If you have not been taking good quality photos of your scalp, it will be very difficult for you to be able to tell if it is working for you at all. Starting today, take good quality photos of your scalp. Continue using the foam and work with it until you find how best to use it. Then six months later take more good quality photos of your scalp. Then do it again after 12 months of continued use. Then again at 18 months. If by then you can honestly tell yourself that it is not doing you any good, then it is not likely doing you any good.

Concerning what you can expect from Propecia. You can expect Propecia to arrest your hair loss so it doesn't get worse. Propecia does not stimulate lost hair to grow back though. It simply "allows" lost hair that can grow back to grow back. If you are going to start Propecia, it is best for you to continue using Rogaine foam. These two medications do two different - and the things and they help each to work better.

If you haven't already done so, it would be a good idea to change your shampoo and conditioner for sulfate free shampoo and conditioner. It would also be a good idea to wash your hair with Nizoral A-D shampoo once or twice week in place of your regular shampoo.

There is no shame in using a good quality concealer while you are treating your hair loss. Dermmatch is an excellent hair loss concealer and I recommend it very highly.