Advice greatly needed

[Borealis]

Just gonna copy a thread I made earlier on a different forum (sorry!)

I've been pondering and pondering for too long about my hair, and it's really starting to get bad so I need to do something asap!

I'm 19 (almost 20) in the UK and I'd say my hairloss probably started 2 years ago. It's gone a little bit thinner on top but the main problem is my recession, it's been so aggressive that I'm almost a NW3 at the age of 19 :/

I've got a doctor's appointment booked for a weeks time but I don't know what course to go down. I've always been petrified of fin due to the horror stories you hear, I mean I'd much rather be bald than impotent! If I were to start it, and got sides, if I stopped straight away, are they likely to reside after a while?

I've thought about minoxidil but I'm aware the hairs become very dependent on it so I'd need to keep using it forever, plus the results probably aren't as great as Fin and apparently it's very toxic to cats. I'd never forgive myself if one of my cats died because of my vanity.

Around my hairline there are a lot of tiny, thin hairs which if I were to save would create a hairline I'd be reasonably happy with. Can they be saved?

I just don't know what to do, I'm really quite scared about the medications used to treat it, yet it's all I ever think about and I can safely say it's ruining my life.


Any advice would be massively appreciated!

EDIT: It seems from some browsing, that Dutasteride is more effective at regrowing the hairline than Finasteride? Is this true? Obviously I'd be more comfortable taking Fin than Dut due to it's safety profile.

I've upoloaded some pics


This mole used to be covered by my hair.





Sorry, the lightings not great!

[Shan]

Get on fin immediately if you want to keep what you have. Otherwise shave it if you're scared off the side effects, which are rare.

[Borealis]

I'm gonna wait til my appointment which is on monday, but odds are I'll be starting it within the next two weeks probably.

Re: the sides, I'd say I've got a pretty high libido as it is. Is that likely to have any bearing on the effect Fin will have on me? I mean trolling these forums it seems 50:50 for those who have sides against those who don't. I'm sure it's far less than that, but that's what it feels likes.

[Shan]

Remember it's the haters who post negatives about fin. The people with success rarely post because they are getting on with life because it worked.
If anything fin actually increased my libido. No lie bro.
Just get on it and forget about it.

[BigThinker]

Remember it's the haters who post negatives about fin. The people with success rarely post because they are getting on with life because it worked.
If anything fin actually increased my libido. No lie bro.
Just get on it and forget about it.

This.

Get on fin ASAP and you'll enjoy hair until you decide you don't give a shit about it anymore.

[25 going on 65]

To answer your questions about dut vs fin. For some people, yes dut is more effective at regrowth. But on slick bald temples/hairline you are unlikely to have significant regrowth with DHT inhibitors

[drybone]

Agree with the rest. Get onto fin asap. Remember that it will take up to a year for you to notice it working . Its a marathon, not a sprint.

[Borealis]

Got my exams starting soon (4 weeks) is it wise to be starting Fin now? Or does it not really matter?

[Bacon]

Got my exams starting soon (4 weeks) is it wise to be starting Fin now? Or does it not really matter?

If you're gonna be fretting over potential sides when you're already fretting over exams, it might be better to wait. That's what I would do, anyway. You want to act quickly, of course. However is it worth sending yourself loopy with anxiety when you should be concentrating on exams?

[Borealis]

If you're gonna be fretting over potential sides when you're already fretting over exams, it might be better to wait. That's what I would do, anyway. You want to act quickly, of course. However is it worth sending yourself loopy with anxiety when you should be concentrating on exams?

Well one would like to think that the exams would keep my mind off the Finasteride. But you can never tell.

[Borealis]

I've decided to not take Finasteride. Going bald isn't the end of the world, it's just something that gets me down from time to time. The side effects of Finasteride (even if there is only a 5% chance of getting them) present too much of a risk. Reading about potential brain fog that some people are getting has made the decision for me. I value my intelligence a lot more than my hair. If taking Finasteride meant that some time down the line I wouldn't be able to concentrate on things properly, or solve problems to the best of my ability then there's no way I'd risk it.

However, I've started on Nizoral shampoo and I'm probably going to start using Regaine with it. I know it's expensive and it doesn't treat the main cause, but if I can hold on to my hair for another 5/6 years then I'll be happy.

The hair doesn't make the man!

[Borealis]

Double post

[Borealis]

A few days into starting Minoxidil. Using Regaine 5% foam, it's bloody expensive but so easy to use. Takes 30 seconds to apply and drys in minutes. The first time I applied it I (almost instantaneously) got a splitting headache and my head was throbbing, I felt very strange all over and was a bit concerned tbh. However, after the second application I was much better (apart from a slight headache) and now, touchwood, I seem to be fine after applying it. It's certainly too early to tell if it's doing anything but if nothing else it's giving my hair a nice texture!

[BigThinker]

Got my exams starting soon (4 weeks) is it wise to be starting Fin now? Or does it not really matter?

Been on it for close to two months during my final semester of grad school, which has already included research poster presentation and will include public and private defenses of my research. This all while working 30 hours at my internship (full-time employer in ~1.5 months) and maintaining full-time student status.

Don't sweat it, dude.

[Borealis]

Been on it for close to two months during my final semester of grad school, which has already included research poster presentation and will include public and private defenses of my research. This all while working 30 hours at my internship (full-time employer in ~1.5 months) and maintaining full-time student status.

Don't sweat it, dude.

I've decided to stay away from Finasteride anyway. For me (and I appreciate it's different for others) the potential benefits just aren't worth the risks.