MPB at 18? Tell me bluntly, am I going to be bald by the time I reach mid-20s?

[KO1]

I don't see how free testosterone can go down.

[brocktherock]

@thebrock or anyone else can you answer these questions for me. *Ibread on a few forums that total testerone goes up but free testosterone goes down with Fin? Is this true. I believe the Egyptian study said it. I known merk studies suggest that T rises but in normal range and so does E. So how can one benefit if it's such a small increase. I know they suggest you shouldn't get sides cause E only rises a little bit. Lastly someone suggested that E has some benefits on muscle growth ability. Is this true? I'm going to start fin until I can afford Ru and everything else that I need to prepare it with. Then after that it should be cost efficient since Ru is a lot cheaper now. Btw I had a hair transplant with rahal it was pretty good compared to my other doctors. But I was a repair patient. I had a ht when I was 19 when I was a norwood one, it was stupid and doc just wanted to make money on me. Then I went to a respectable ht doc and he gave me bad results to, so rahal kind of fixed both of their mistakes. Imo hair transplants are not worth it, just moving hair from one place to the next is not a great solution. My donor is very thin from the procedure, I wear hats every where but you can still see the back is thin even with the hat on. If I was you I would wait two years then make this decision. Remember once you get a ht it can't be undone like other procedure. And if a new breakthrough happens like replicel I'm not sure it will work between the hair transplant hairs, they might turn your original hairs off for good. I'm not sure if something like jahoda cell treatment will work on us ht people. That's why I'm hoping lauster comes through for us cause lab grown follicles will be like implanted hairs from the donor site. But even then they will only be able to graft them so close. The good thing is you only need about 50 grafts per cm to look like you are not balding, but hopefully with an unlimited donor source doctors can graft them closer. Alot of them get worried about putting them to close and not having them grow. But with unlimited donor you can take that risk and not worry about running out of hair.

Ive been on RU for a year but started finasteride a month ago. Ive been working out 3 times a week and seeing great muscle growth, it's had no effect on my masculinity. My bloodwork could show something different but I couldn't see if a difference. I used to think they were covering up negative claims but now I'm convinced its in most people's head.

[mikes23]

@thebrock or anyone else can you answer these questions for me. *Ibread on a few forums that total testerone goes up but free testosterone goes down with Fin? Is this true. I believe the Egyptian study said it. I known merk studies suggest that T rises but in normal range and so does E. So how can one benefit if it's such a small increase. I know they suggest you shouldn't get sides cause E only rises a little bit. Lastly someone suggested that E has some benefits on muscle growth ability. Is this true? I'm going to start fin until I can afford Ru and everything else that I need to prepare it with. Then after that it should be cost efficient since Ru is a lot cheaper now. Btw I had a hair transplant with rahal it was pretty good compared to my other doctors. But I was a repair patient. I had a ht when I was 19 when I was a norwood one, it was stupid and doc just wanted to make money on me. Then I went to a respectable ht doc and he gave me bad results to, so rahal kind of fixed both of their mistakes. Imo hair transplants are not worth it, just moving hair from one place to the next is not a great solution. My donor is very thin from the procedure, I wear hats every where but you can still see the back is thin even with the hat on. If I was you I would wait two years then make this decision. Remember once you get a ht it can't be undone like other procedure. And if a new breakthrough happens like replicel I'm not sure it will work between the hair transplant hairs, they might turn your original hairs off for good. I'm not sure if something like jahoda cell treatment will work on us ht people. That's why I'm hoping lauster comes through for us cause lab grown follicles will be like implanted hairs from the donor site. But even then they will only be able to graft them so close. The good thing is you only need about 50 grafts per cm to look like you are not balding, but hopefully with an unlimited donor source doctors can graft them closer. Alot of them get worried about putting them to close and not having them grow. But with unlimited donor you can take that risk and not worry about running out of hair.

[brocktherock]

If you can slow down thinning and prevent fibrosis then you may be able to really benefit from replicel if its great as they say. We have great treatments coming no matter what so try to be proactive with what we have now. I with I started finasteride when I was 19, its a big regret for me now at 26. Im getting a HT with Rahal in October which I expect to solve my problem for another 5 years or so but if I started fin early then I could have possibly saved myself 16 grand.

[brocktherock]

Swooping do you use fin with RU or do you only use Ru?

I use RU with finasteride and I've had zero side effects. Im seeing lots of new terminal hair in my hairline so I know their working. I think the risk of real sexual sides is very low if at all.

[mikes23]

@ swooping did you ever use fin, and if you did how was the switch over to RU? Is Ru giving you good results, whether it be thickening or maintaining.

[wolfman]

Yes, you will probably progress rapidly through your twenties unless you go on a 5AR inhibitor.

Take this dead seriously, but don't let it frighten you: If you start loosing your hair in your teens you have a sensitive genetic predisposition to DHT that will, left untreated make you bald by the age of 30.

I started with a receding hairline at the ripe age of 16 and went on minoxidil. I neglected my hair by not going on a 5AR inhibitor until I was almost 22. By then my hair had rapidly transformed from a NW2 to a NW3 and I wound up with no hairline except for a widows peak. Looking at my picture on a college ID and seeing that widows peak sent me running to the dermatologist and I was on Propecia the next week.

I recently switched to Avodart and added lots of topical anti-androgens and adjuncts with the hopes of regrowth, but the important thing to note is that I'm now 23 and haven't gotten ANY worse. Especially on my crown, there's not a single sign of miniaturization. So I'm basically no longer balding.

Don't wait around, get on a 5AR inhibitor immediately. That's the minimum you should do.

I recommend that you also add a topical androgen receptor blocker too.

Since MPB is a complex process, and all we have are semi-effective treatments with different mechanisms of attack, you are best off using a multi-therapy approach rather than mono therapy. For example, a 5AR inhibitor + topical androgen receptor blocker + anti-inflammatory + growth stimulant + ...

Start off with the "Big 3" as a base: propecia, nizoral 2%, and minoxidil and then add/modify your treatment as you learn more about MPB treatments and your specific condition.

[BiqqieSmalls]

And minoxidil is a "temporary" drug. It works for about 2-3 years, then you will lose quicker than if you didn't use it.

Not sure how accurate this accusation is. I've seen success stories that have spanned 10 years. It's not that Minoxidil will make you lose quicker than if you didn't use it. It may just be your MPB kicking into overdrive. To say that Minoxidil loses efficacy after 2-3 years is absolute blasphemy.

[Swooping]

Swooping do you use fin with RU or do you only use Ru?

Hey mikes23, only RU at the moment. Will have adipose derived stem cells coming in soon too (AAPE).

[sdsurfin]

Also Nigguh are you serious with that username? Unless you're a black dude (even then its pretty questionable) you might want to think on other things besides hair for a bit.....
and if you are a black dude then you prob have no worries, everyone knows black dudes look dope bald. tupac......

[burtandernie]

You need an AA though of some kind for any hope right now until better stuff shows up in a few years. Fin is easily still the most proven way to do that, although I agree its never been smart to alter hormones like that long term for a cosmetic problem.

[mikes23]

Swooping do you use fin with RU or do you only use Ru?

[sdsurfin]

This is not "real science" it's the opinion of someone who happens to not have had any side effects yet. The real science is that 5ar and dht both play important roles in the body, and are crucial to brain and sexual function. Try it if you want, if harming your body is worth a head of hair that's your call. It certainly will help you keep your hair for a while. Whether you get side effects or not you are damaging your body's ability to maintain your sexual and brain function in ways that might not feel obvious. I know guys who were in propecia ten years "without sides" and then when they quit they were like holy shot I feel like a new man. Let your doctor decide whether you are too young to take this drug, chances are if you go to any doctor who is not profiting from hair transplants, they will tell you that it's not very safe. I think the chances of permanent sides are slim, but also not unrealistic. I only took propecia for a month and sometimes I still have testicle pains that I never had before using it. And I'm 32 and have been off it for a year. Just trying to give u a balanced opinion, because I in no way claim that it's gonna ruin your life or that it's like playing Russian roulette. It's just not healthy.

[Zao]

Great paper! It’s nice to see some real science on here for a change. Taking Propecia was one of the best life decisions I ever made. You have two choices right now, either treat your hair loss with what we know has a chance to work or come to terms with losing your hair, and there is nothing wrong with just letting nature take its course. I was not to ready to lose my hair at a young age so I chose to take the medication. I’m so glad that at the time this mass hysteria did not exist when I did my research because it would have made my decision to help myself more difficult.

Here’s my story that I posted several years ago.

https://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?435-I-wanted-to-share-my-hair-loss-story-and-thank-you&p=1392&highlight=#post1392

[Swooping]

People are bitter because they can't use the treatments, because they are unlucky to get side effects. That's why they will write it off. They can't be objective about it. Yes, there is a chance that you will get side effects that's true, but that's the reality right now. Just know that you can stop your balding process, it is your decision to make if you want to do that.

'A ship is always safe at the shore - but that is NOT what it is built for.'

So you basically have a decision to make, if you don't go on treatments that's fine your choice. However do know that if you suffer from androgenetic alopecia it will progress and retrieving your hair is virtually impossible. Every second counts. If you do go on treatments you have extremely good odds of stopping your hairloss and retaining your hair. If you are lucky you might even get some regrowth with it. I think this study is a good review about finasteride perhaps it will help you in making an informed decision;

Media reports, Internet sites and misinformation by alternative medicine practitioners recently contributed to a negative image associated with finasteride, leading to apprehension and concern among patients taking the medication. Frequently, even dermatologists seem to be hesitant to prescribe the drug for long periods, mistakenly fearing the occurrence of long-term side effects. Finasteride, either alone or in combination with topical minoxidil, is an excellent option for men with androgenetic alopecia, reducing hair loss, and/or restoring hair growth in 9 of 10 patients. The drug can be taken at any time of the day, with or without food. There are no reports of significant drug interactions or allergies. Because it is metabolized in the liver, the drug should be used with caution in patients with liver diseases, but there is no need to indicate liver function tests frequently yet.

Full one; http://www.synergypublishers.com/jms...e/view/701/347. You have an excellent overview there about the drug. Good luck! Btw would be nice if you can upload a picture, sometimes people do imagine they suffer from balding problems .