20 and think I'm ready for Propecia

[hairlossworrier]

Hi guys,

I'm 20 years old and I think I'm ready to start Propecia. My recession has been troubling me for a while time now. You know that old expression - "it's like a full head of hair, you only appreciate it when it's gone"? Not me. I always said I would get a hair transplant since the age of 12 and was always grateful for my full head of hair. Anyway, for about a year now I have noticed a gradual recession in my hairline. Recently, I have also began to notice the darkness in some areas fade and it becoming more transparent. I am no longer comfortable with it being back off my face and in the way I particularly like to style it. My temples and hairline can be extremely itchy which has always been a warning sign for me. I know I don't have the worst recession by any means and I'm sure there will be a lot of guys worse off than me. However, I am ready to at least preserve what I have or even thicken up the front again. Please let me know your thoughts on my situation if you have time, it would be deeply appreciated.

P.S I am disinclined to use Minoxidil as the whole process seems slightly messy to me. I am not sure if I can dedicate the time to it - as I inconsistently live between a few places and I'm sure it would end badly.

I wish you all the best on your hair loss journey and thanks for the advice in advance!

[hairlossworrier]

Didn't hear back from anyone, but I have ordered my first round of Propecia from The Boots Hair Retention Program. I will be using Propecia, Regaine Foam and Nizoral Shampoo - "The Big 3". I will be posting updates in this thread regularly. My problem is that I like instant results with things, so I hope that I don't lose patience. As before, any advice you guys have would be great.

Thanks!

[clandestine]

12 months to gauge effectiveness. That's a year.

[goldbondmafia]

my hairline is almost exactly like yours, im only 21 btw. honestly tho its hard to say cause I took pictures of my hair on my own last june and compared to today they are similar. Ive read about ppl with our hairline having it mature to this current stage and stay that way for 10 years on its own without meds.

Personally im gonna see my IAHRS doctor and compare the pics he took last year vs. present pics to see then I might do the same.

[mattj]

You can't expect instant results. You need to be patient with the treatments and committed to them.

The only other advice would be to not obsess over it. Use the treatments and take photos to document the changes, but don't spend all your time in front of a mirror.

[hairlossworrier]

I have tried to justify it as a mature hairline but I just know it keeps on receding. I understand I have to be patient - it's just hard to wrap my head around waiting a year to maybe see results and then taking a hormone altering drug indefinitely. I remain optimistic though! Time well tell I guess. I'm going to keep this thread updated with pictures.

[mpb47]

I have tried to justify it as a mature hairline but I just know it keeps on receding. I understand I have to be patient - it's just hard to wrap my head around waiting a year to maybe see results and then taking a hormone altering drug indefinitely. I remain optimistic though! Time well tell I guess. I'm going to keep this thread updated with pictures.

if you have a mature hairline it may stop on it's own and stay that way for 10-20 years. I was this way. Yes, you are right that eventually it will start receding again but it can be so slow you can get by with stuff like minox for a long time. What is going to happen is not cast in stone.

[hairlossworrier]

I have bought all 3 and been on propecia for 2 days and Regaine(UK) today. Am I rushing into this?

[25 going on 65]

Am I rushing into this?

No. The time to start treatment is when you know you are losing hair and you know you do not want to.

[hairlossworrier]

5 weeks on Propecia - Looking worse

Been 5 weeks on Propecia and Nizoral. Hair at the front is looking considerably worse and less dense. Panicking..

[drybone]

Hey.

When you take finasteride it almost always gets temporarily worse before it gets better. Its called a 'shedding' phase . This is where your damaged hair falls out and starts to sprout new hair in its place.

It takes about a year to see the real results from it. Be patient and like others have said, do NOT obsess in front of a mirror. Get out and enjoy yourself. You are 20 years old. Go have fun !!!!

[KO1]

Been 5 weeks on Propecia and Nizoral. Hair at the front is looking considerably worse and less dense. Panicking..

Nope. Looks the same. don't be ridiculous.

[BigThinker]

Didn't hear back from anyone, but I have ordered my first round of Propecia from The Boots Hair Retention Program. I will be using Propecia, Regaine Foam and Nizoral Shampoo - "The Big 3". I will be posting updates in this thread regularly. My problem is that I like instant results with things, so I hope that I don't lose patience. As before, any advice you guys have would be great.

Thanks!

I'm like this too, which makes this whole process slow and painful. You're making the right choice to act early.

Wish you the best. Just stay diligent and focus on the present.

[justeone]

Stick with it ! take it for a year and then see. try not to think of it too much either, I'm 26 now and noticed at your age it was slowly happening to me , but foolishly i didnt get on the big 3 till i was 23....could have saved some more hairline if I was smart.

[hairlossworrier]

Thanks for the replies. I know it doesn't look much from the photos but its the very centre of my hairline which I seem to be losing ground on.. Which I never hugely regarded as a problem before now. I'll keep you guys posted on how I'm getting on. In the mean time I have been using Nanofibres to cover it. I think cause my hair is so dark the transparency is quite obvious against the scalp - whereas lighter hair might not look as obvious.

Thanks again!