This is my story so far with MPB at age 18. PLEASE READ AND GIVE ME ADVICE.

[Baldingat18]

I have been losing my hair since 16. I started with a very thick norwood 1,
Now at age 18, im norwood 2 with general thinning all over my scalp
When i first realised, it caused me anxiety were i had panic attacks which i never had before. Now at age 18 i have somewhat... accepted it as i knew it was going to happen cause my father loss his hair young too. I feel like an attractive young man who is in his prime so its kinda shitty that this is happening so young.

I have recently visited my gp who was very helpful and sympathetic. She recommended that i try 5% minoxidil for a year to see if there are any results.
She also stated she has no problem with prescribing me propecia but feels im maybe too young for it and that i should wait a bit longer to see how the hairloss progresses and down the line she will prescribe it. She also talked me through the side effects which is why she felt i should maybe wait for a while.

I have also bought 2% ketoconazole shampoo and use it twice a week.

Basically i have a few questions,
1. should i use propecia?
2. I have done lots of research online about side effect which scared the shit out of me, i'd rather be balding than impotent. Are the side effects something to be worried about?
3. Have many of you had success with the drug?
4. is there any other options except for 2% ketoconazole shampoo and 5% minoxidil, except propecia?
5. What would you do if you were in my situation?
6. how should i go about applying the minoxidil? since i am thinning all over, should i apply it too my whole scalp? if so how do i go about that.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[chrisis]

Sounds to me like you have a great GP! Try to stick with her because they're few and far between.

I would say starting on minoxidil is a good idea, because it is low risk in comparison to drugs like Propecia. I had some good success with minoxidil, it thickened my hairline considerably. My opinion based on experience is that it will revitalise hairs that are on their way out, but if the hair root itself has laid dormant too long it's probably too late and only hair surgery can help at that point, which incidentally, I had just last week. At 18, perhaps it's a good idea to get on it right away. In terms of application, apply it anywhere you have miniaturisation. Look up the "donor area" on Google Images, you can avoid that - men don't lose hair there. Be sure to get the foam, not the liquid. The liquid is awful to apply.

Also, I would encourage you to dedicate a bit of time every week to the subject of hair loss, because you're starting a life long battle and the more information you garner, the better equipped you will be to succeed. Read the forums, ask questions, and maintain a healthy dose of scepticism, especially when it comes to spending money.

[win200]

Sounds to me like you have a great GP! Try to stick with her because they're few and far between.

I would say starting on minoxidil is a good idea, because it is low risk in comparison to drugs like Propecia. I had some good success with minoxidil, it thickened my hairline considerably. My opinion based on experience is that it will revitalise hairs that are on their way out, but if the hair root itself has laid dormant too long it's probably too late and only hair surgery can help at that point, which incidentally, I had just last week. At 18, perhaps it's a good idea to get on it right away. In terms of application, apply it anywhere you have miniaturisation. Look up the "donor area" on Google Images, you can avoid that - men don't lose hair there. Be sure to get the foam, not the liquid. The liquid is awful to apply.

Also, I would encourage you to dedicate a bit of time every week to the subject of hair loss, because you're starting a life long battle and the more information you garner, the better equipped you will be to succeed. Read the forums, ask questions, and maintain a healthy dose of scepticism, especially when it comes to spending money.

Ditto to all of this. But at the same time, try not to get obsessive about hair loss and let it destroy your quality of life; it's easy to lose perspective and become fixated.

Even though I've hard a good experience with Propecia, I wouldn't recommend it to someone as young as you. Most of the studies have been on guys at least 25 and older, and there's not much data about how it impacts men still going through puberty. It's a tough call, but despite how pleased I am with the drug, I wouldn't pull the trigger at 18; you don't want to adversely impact your development for the sake of your hair.

[Baldingat18]

Ditto to all of this. But at the same time, try not to get obsessive about hair loss and let it destroy your quality of life; it's easy to lose perspective and become fixated.

Even though I've hard a good experience with Propecia, I wouldn't recommend it to someone as young as you. Most of the studies have been on guys at least 25 and older, and there's not much data about how it impacts men still going through puberty. It's a tough call, but despite how pleased I am with the drug, I wouldn't pull the trigger at 18; you don't want to adversely impact your development for the sake of your hair.

thanks for the info and reply. would you advise me to try minoxidil for a year and if it worsens after that, the should i start propecia??? when would you start it if you were in my position.
thanks

[Baldingat18]

Sounds to me like you have a great GP! Try to stick with her because they're few and far between.

I would say starting on minoxidil is a good idea, because it is low risk in comparison to drugs like Propecia. I had some good success with minoxidil, it thickened my hairline considerably. My opinion based on experience is that it will revitalise hairs that are on their way out, but if the hair root itself has laid dormant too long it's probably too late and only hair surgery can help at that point, which incidentally, I had just last week. At 18, perhaps it's a good idea to get on it right away. In terms of application, apply it anywhere you have miniaturisation. Look up the "donor area" on Google Images, you can avoid that - men don't lose hair there. Be sure to get the foam, not the liquid. The liquid is awful to apply.

Also, I would encourage you to dedicate a bit of time every week to the subject of hair loss, because you're starting a life long battle and the more information you garner, the better equipped you will be to succeed. Read the forums, ask questions, and maintain a healthy dose of scepticism, especially when it comes to spending money.

Thanks for the reply and advice! Do you use propecia yourself? what is your experience with the drug.

[win200]

thanks for the info and reply. would you advise me to try minoxidil for a year and if it worsens after that, the should i start propecia??? when would you start it if you were in my position.
thanks

If I were in your position, I would taper onto minoxidil and give it a year to 18 months. I'd also use Nizoral or Regenpure shampoo no more than twice a week and switch to a sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner. I'd stay active and healthy, and maintain a great diet. I'd also consider visiting an IAHRS-approved transplant surgeon for advice. Even though you're not eligible for surgery given your age, nearly every surgeon would be willing to meet with you for a free consult, examine your hair, and discuss your option, including Propecia use. I'm not a doctor, so I don't have much useful feedback about finasteride's impact on your endocrine system at a young age. Given your youth, I'd talk very carefully with multiple doctors before getting on Propecia earlier than, say 21.

Chrisis should chime in on this as well. Propecia use is a big decision, particularly for guys under 25. I started at 29 and haven't had a problem, but by that age you're fairly "out of the woods" in terms of the typical side effects / impact on development.

[chrisis]

thanks for the info and reply. would you advise me to try minoxidil for a year and if it worsens after that, the should i start propecia??? when would you start it if you were in my position.
thanks

Chrisis should chime in on this as well. Propecia use is a big decision, particularly for guys under 25. I started at 29 and haven't had a problem, but by that age you're fairly "out of the woods" in terms of the typical side effects / impact on development.

I intentionally kept away from the Propecia topic because people think my personal experience makes me biased. I tried Propecia and it had some long term effects that I still haven't managed to totally shake off. Maybe it'll take time or maybe it's permanent, but either way I know what happened wasn't psychological so it can easily happen to others.

I think going with minoxidil for a year would be quite a good idea yeah, before adding oral drugs to your regime. Who knows, maybe soon we'll have something less risky instead.

[Tenmon]

Not a fan of Jersey Shore but if you're going bald then you better GTL everyday.

[drybone]

Its true. Some folks end up with side effects that are too much to bare. Discuss this with your doctor before hand. It doesnt happen often but unfortunately it does for some folks