how bad is my crown/what are my best options?

[frank12345]

hey guys,

24 yr old with what i believe to be as fairly bad crown shedding. I started to notice shedding about a year ago. its almost as if my hair thinned out to what it is now overnight, and hasn't really got any thinner since.

the one thing ive tried has been propecia, i believe i had mild symptons after just a week or so, but it could have been mental, not sure.

should rogaine be my first attempt? I have irritation and itching on the spots where im thinning, which I have read to be a clear cut sign of MPB

ive attached images below (i took them under the brightest lights possible to try and help)

id love to know what you guys think

thanks!

[frank12345]

Any advice at all here??

[Mpbman]

In my opinion you should definitely try rogaine(minoxidil), because it is the most effective on the crown area where you're balding.

I would also take propecia to prevent further hair loss on the other places.

[BaldingEagle]

If hair is important to you get on Propecia and rogaine. Really all there is to it.

[frank12345]

I'm not sure I care enough about my hair to endure the possible sides of propecia. That stuff scares the hell out of me. Do you two think that just rogaine would be sufficient?

[Artista]

Hello Frank12345,

You have been given very GOOD advice from Mpbman and BaldingEagle.

If you dont feel like trying Finasteride(Propecia) then just go with Rogaine(minoxidil) for now.

There have been tons of men that have NOT experienced any BAD side effects from the use of Finasteride .

I have been on Finasteride since Aug. 2013 and I too have NOT experienced BAD sides' from it.

You said- "That stuff scares the hell out of me"
There is NO REASON to be scared.

With most ALL types of the prescription medicines out there for all types of reasons,
there are possible bad side effects BUT overall bad sides' are RARE.

No need to be scared but dont take it if you are going to be unnecessarily scared or stressed-out.
Your crown does not look very bad.
Use minoxidil and use the multivitamin Biotin as well.

[jamesst11]

With all due respect, there are several reasons to be scared. I am not here to fear monger anyone, but finasteride is a powerful drug. I WAS scared of the sides when I first started and fortunately, experienced them very minimally. You would think that I would love the drug given this... but, this damn drug is eating away at all my hair!!! you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. This quote has never rung so true. I will say, that minoxidil and fin are really the only options we have now. So, if you are really really concerned and depressed about your hair loss, despite my negative experience on fin so far, I would definitely consider it.

[BaldingEagle]

With all due respect, there are several reasons to be scared. I am not here to fear monger anyone, but finasteride is a powerful drug. I WAS scared of the sides when I first started and fortunately, experienced them very minimally. You would think that I would love the drug given this... but, this damn drug is eating away at all my hair!!! you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. This quote has never rung so true. I will say, that minoxidil and fin are really the only options we have now. So, if you are really really concerned and depressed about your hair loss, despite my negative experience on fin so far, I would definitely consider it.

The way my dermatologist put it fits nicely I think.

"Propecia could possibly cause ED and depression, but it seems your hairloss is already causing that."

[jamesst11]

The way my dermatologist put it fits nicely I think.

"Propecia could possibly cause ED and depression, but it seems your hairloss is already causing that."

haha... true true... but the more I read, and given my own individual experience, they should definitely add, "finasteride may result in cessation of hair loss, BUT in may also cause rapid, unexplainable hair loss."

[frank12345]

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

I think I'll start with minoxidil and see what happens from there. All in all, if I have to face the facts and start shaving my head, it won't be the end of the world for me. Never been a big hair guy anyway. it'd just be nice to keep it for a little later than age 24!