23 year old son struggling with hair loss

[Ilmdt]

So this may be a first, Mom here. My son is working two jobs and we've been doing research (mainly online) for options to cope with hair loss. I have read some of the threads of the younger men coping with hair loss. I can understand their pain at losing ones hair so young.

I feel bad for my son not because he's losing his hair, I personally find bald men attractive but because I know it's impact on him. I'm sure the list of hot bald men have been posted but that's not to minimize the emotional/psychological/social impact of hair loss on those experiencing it.

I initially thought there was a correlation between my son taking Accutane in his teens which is the same time he started to lose his hair, 17, maybe Accutane related or not, there seems to be some evidence based on other people's personal experiences. I was naïve in thinking because my Dad at 90 still has a full head of hair as my brother in his late 40's, so would my son. I empathize with what some of the young men in this situation have posted. I've read the threads. I just didn't see too much on what worked or is working for the young guys.

Are there discussions of successful hair transplants at such a young age? It's hard to watch your child struggle with this while the majority of his friends don't have this issue. I guess my post is, we are overwhelmed with information.

My son tried Propecia with unsettling side affects but he is willing to try again ( though we want to be better informed about the drug) Is there also a drug used to treat prostate issues that stimulates hair growth? I saw that somewhere but can't find it again.

For now are getting the pill cutter discussed here for Propecia. Minoxil also gave him an uncomfortable sensation on his scalp. He has the laser cap with no significant result and upon stopping minoxil he seems to have shedding. He has consulted an IAHRS affiliated Physician, that would perform 1300 FUE grafts but there seems to be differing opinions on surgery for a 23 year old and the cost, considering he will more likely need more surgery, is concerning as well; then there's Turkey, as well as hair shock loss concerns. Not too sure I understand that phenomenon. I read Joe Tillman's extensive research on Turkey.

Some surgeons won't even see my son, too young. HELP? Not sure where to start. Any suggestions regarding tattooing the buzz look? Looks good in pictures but never seen it, or maybe I have but it's that good.

Thanks,
Concerned Mom Here. Thank you for this website, the show and those of you sharing your story and knowledge, so grateful!! The info on the world wide web is mind numbing.

[Sean]

I know of surgeons that are on the these lists that even took a kid that was out of high school and that was for FUT or strip surgery.

Anything is possible. How much hairloss does your son have at this age? I would really approach this carefully. You dont want to be in a position where you paid so much but there was little to no growth. I would highly recommend analyzing a surgeons surgery protocol if your son proceeds with a restoration procedure. Shockloss can happen and it can harm the donor area. Recipient hairline growth can be hindered or destroyed if a high density site creation is done.

I would really evaluate a surgeons protocol to make sure they do all surgical aspects of the procedure and not leave it up to techs or machines to do any surgical extractions. I think it is also wise to break the surgery up months apart instead of putting everything in one go. Safety is very important and some docs do not understand it probably.

My advice is to get gaurantees in writing and option for full refund if it doesnt go as described or presented.

I do not know if it is worth me writing all this as things happen but i will give it a shot and hope you research the right docs.

[Ilmdt]

Most certainly appreciate your advice. My son has visible loss in the crown area and receding hairline. We will certainly look into your suggestions. I understand techs in many cases do the actual transplant. That is confusing, isn't that surgery? What does the Doctor do? I see men that are bald with a scar on the back of their heads, I wondered what happened, a transplant gone wrong?
I like your suggestion of getting guarantees in writing but is there such a thing in surgery?

[Sean]

Techs do the work, but some docs have them plant extracted hairs and prep things for surgery. They even separate follicles from strips removed by a surgeon. What i meant was a doc not personalizing the surgery foe your son. Like some docs have multiple patients. They are in and out of rooms. It would be ideal to find one that stays in the room and supervises properly. Also when it comes to extracting or scoring the skin, it is considered surgery and a surgical doc should donthat aspect. There are some docs that leave this process to the techs who are not surgeons. In some states in the US it is even illegal for techs to extract grafts via FUE for this very reason.

The doctor as an individual, should be very well versed in FUE. There are some docs that may be known online but moght not be as good as the other doc that is well versed. Try to look for hairloss results that match the type your son has and look at their results. It would be ideal if you can find patients to see in person.

Again, a lot of money is involved and so much effort and time goes towards this. If not done properly, it can affect someones career or put a pause.

Yes, confident docs can give gaurantees and you can such things in writing via emails. Email a couple docs and see the responses you get. Also, evaluate the consent forms prior to paying deposit to hold surgery dates. Not all consents are alike and if the consent form copy is not given prior to deposit or if it looks scary to you, do not go to that doc and look for another.

[JoeTillman]

So this may be a first, Mom here. My son is working two jobs and we've been doing research (mainly online) for options to cope with hair loss. I have read some of the threads of the younger men coping with hair loss. I can understand their pain at losing ones hair so young.

I feel bad for my son not because he's losing his hair, I personally find bald men attractive but because I know it's impact on him. I'm sure the list of hot bald men have been posted but that's not to minimize the emotional/psychological/social impact of hair loss on those experiencing it.

I initially thought there was a correlation between my son taking Accutane in his teens which is the same time he started to lose his hair, 17, maybe Accutane related or not, there seems to be some evidence based on other people's personal experiences. I was naïve in thinking because my Dad at 90 still has a full head of hair as my brother in his late 40's, so would my son. I empathize with what some of the young men in this situation have posted. I've read the threads. I just didn't see too much on what worked or is working for the young guys.

Are there discussions of successful hair transplants at such a young age? It's hard to watch your child struggle with this while the majority of his friends don't have this issue. I guess my post is, we are overwhelmed with information.

My son tried Propecia with unsettling side affects but he is willing to try again ( though we want to be better informed about the drug) Is there also a drug used to treat prostate issues that stimulates hair growth? I saw that somewhere but can't find it again.

For now are getting the pill cutter discussed here for Propecia. Minoxil also gave him an uncomfortable sensation on his scalp. He has the laser cap with no significant result and upon stopping minoxil he seems to have shedding. He has consulted an IAHRS affiliated Physician, that would perform 1300 FUE grafts but there seems to be differing opinions on surgery for a 23 year old and the cost, considering he will more likely need more surgery, is concerning as well; then there's Turkey, as well as hair shock loss concerns. Not too sure I understand that phenomenon. I read Joe Tillman's extensive research on Turkey.

Some surgeons won't even see my son, too young. HELP? Not sure where to start. Any suggestions regarding tattooing the buzz look? Looks good in pictures but never seen it, or maybe I have but it's that good.

Thanks,
Concerned Mom Here. Thank you for this website, the show and those of you sharing your story and knowledge, so grateful!! The info on the world wide web is mind numbing.

HI Ilmdt,

A pill cutter is not necessary for Propecia as that pill is only 1mg of finasteride. The pill cutter is necessary for Proscar which is the 5mg tablet of finasteride. Both medications are made by the manufacturer Merck so they are the original non-generic versions. Generics can be fine but they are inconsistent and unreliable in my opinion. One thing to consider about finasteride is that the side effects can subside with continued use but because I'm not a doctor you should speak to a medical professional about this. It is just my observation from dealing with many patients over the years.

For those that are afraid of side effects or have had side effects in the past and wish to try taking it again I recommend the following regimen to work back into it with the least possible negative impact.

Using 5mg of Proscar...

Month 1 - 1/4 tablet every Monday.

Month 2 - 1/4 tablet every Monday and Thursday.

Month 3 - 1/4 tablet every Monday Wednesday Friday.

You can stop there or if you want you can go to:

Month 4 - 1/4 tablet daily.

Once you find your threshold, assuming there is one, hold at the intake frequency that just puts you there and maintain for another month. If the sides don't go away, back off to the previous intake schedule.

Regarding surgery, I think that getting guarantees is a waste of time and is a misleading offering. No one can guarantee that the grafts will grow properly nor can anyone guarantee satisfaction. This is a myth. What CAN be guaranteed is a good faith effort to do the very best job possible. Combined with a solid record of consistency then you, or your son rather, have the highest chance of success.

I think the best thing to do at this point is avoid surgery at all costs and instead spend time experimenting and researching non-surgical alternatives. Aside from Proscar you son should review his nutrition intake. Keep sugar out of his intake as much as possible, research and find natural anti-inflammatory agents and eat lots of green vegetables. High quality nutrition from clean eating and avoiding inflammatory foods can, in my opinion, keep hair healthy.

Finally, look into PRP treatments as these can be effective for patients that still have a lot of hair that is miniaturizing. Not all PRP is the same so do your research and insist on photographic evidence of results that are clear and of high resolution without flash from the camera. I was a skeptic of PRP but I had it performed two months ago and I have to say I'm seeing improvements so I think it is a valid consideration.

Again, surgery is a last resort so have your son take his time and be smart about this. Everyone wants your money so if you're going to pay for something make sure your son isn't scarred or permanently changed because of it and exhaust all non-surgical options first.

[Lito]

I definitely understand the struggle! I experience serious side effects from finasteride that were associated with an increase in estrogens. But, I worked with several doctors to overcome it - endocrinologist, primary care physician, and my hair Doctor. They all worked together to find a way to help me. We found a method that works for me, and logically it should effectively work for others as well. I would love to help you and your son to overcome the sideffects from finasteride. All of my doctors agreed on the concept of a "flat dose" response with taking finasteride. Some people claim that slowly and methodically tapering onto finasteride is effective in reducing side-effects. Which, in my personal experience it was not. Whether or not I took 1.25 mg or .50mg it didn't matter - I suffered side effects. Instead my doctors all agreeably prescribed me letrozole for three months to take with finasteride daily. Letrozole is a breast cancer medication used to inhibit the production of estrogen, which is what was causing my side effects. This cancer medication also has its own nasty side effects to be concerned about, but luckily I didn't suffer from any. It's risky playing with hormones, but I was very well monitored during this process. I had blood results every three weeks as required by my doctors. Within 3 days my side effects disappeared. After three months j was able to slowly wean off the drug letrozole and continue taking finasteride without any issue. I almost gave up on it, but I am so happy that I didn't. If you would like specific research and articles supporting the medical logic and medications I used to overcome the side effects, then let me know and I'll send them to you. Good luck!

[JoeTillman]

I definitely understand the struggle! I experience serious side effects from finasteride that were associated with an increase in estrogens. But, I worked with several doctors to overcome it - endocrinologist, primary care physician, and my hair Doctor. They all worked together to find a way to help me. We found a method that works for me, and logically it should effectively work for others as well. I would love to help you and your son to overcome the sideffects from finasteride. All of my doctors agreed on the concept of a "flat dose" response with taking finasteride. Some people claim that slowly and methodically tapering onto finasteride is effective in reducing side-effects. Which, in my personal experience it was not. Whether or not I took 1.25 mg or .50mg it didn't matter - I suffered side effects. Instead my doctors all agreeably prescribed me letrozole for three months to take with finasteride daily. Letrozole is a breast cancer medication used to inhibit the production of estrogen, which is what was causing my side effects. This cancer medication also has its own nasty side effects to be concerned about, but luckily I didn't suffer from any. It's risky playing with hormones, but I was very well monitored during this process. I had blood results every three weeks as required by my doctors. Within 3 days my side effects disappeared. After three months j was able to slowly wean off the drug letrozole and continue taking finasteride without any issue. I almost gave up on it, but I am so happy that I didn't. If you would like specific research and articles supporting the medical logic and medications I used to overcome the side effects, then let me know and I'll send them to you. Good luck!

Hi Lito,

I'd be interested in this information as well so please contact me via my webpage below. Thank you in advance.

[HTsoon]

I definitely understand the struggle! I experience serious side effects from finasteride that were associated with an increase in estrogens. But, I worked with several doctors to overcome it - endocrinologist, primary care physician, and my hair Doctor. They all worked together to find a way to help me. We found a method that works for me, and logically it should effectively work for others as well. I would love to help you and your son to overcome the sideffects from finasteride. All of my doctors agreed on the concept of a "flat dose" response with taking finasteride. Some people claim that slowly and methodically tapering onto finasteride is effective in reducing side-effects. Which, in my personal experience it was not. Whether or not I took 1.25 mg or .50mg it didn't matter - I suffered side effects. Instead my doctors all agreeably prescribed me letrozole for three months to take with finasteride daily. Letrozole is a breast cancer medication used to inhibit the production of estrogen, which is what was causing my side effects. This cancer medication also has its own nasty side effects to be concerned about, but luckily I didn't suffer from any. It's risky playing with hormones, but I was very well monitored during this process. I had blood results every three weeks as required by my doctors. Within 3 days my side effects disappeared. After three months j was able to slowly wean off the drug letrozole and continue taking finasteride without any issue. I almost gave up on it, but I am so happy that I didn't. If you would like specific research and articles supporting the medical logic and medications I used to overcome the side effects, then let me know and I'll send them to you. Good luck!

This is absolutely the correct way to approach taking finasteride, a powerful drug that can potentially cause persistent side effects should not be taken lightly especially by a 23 year old. In my opinion, Finasteride should only be prescribed once adequate blood work is done and a physician should continue to monitor your blood levels for life if that's how long you plan to be on the drug. The same way professional athletes take exogenous testosterone and are monitored by physicians is the same way one should be monitored for inhibiting an androgen 10X stronger than testosterone. Not only is DHT necessary for libido but it also plays a key role in overall well being and mental state. I know a lot of guys who didn't suffer any sexual sides at all, but they suffered tremendous lack of focus, motivation, and overall interest, this could lead to depression etc. Finasteride is definitely not a drug to be taken lightly. It should be mentioned though that not everyone is as lucky as you to be able to work past the side effects, a small percentage of men have been ruined by this drug for life, something to consider when you're 23.

OP in my opinion as a someone who started losing his hair at the same age. I would recommend trying minoxidil first, minoxidil is the other FDA approved drug that works particularly well in guys just beginning the hair loss phase, it is not without side effects either but at least the side effects are reversible once the drug is stopped.

[hatehairloss2]

Use hair loss concealer, the best and least messy is DermMatch. Propecia, even cutting the 1mg pills in half is fine for daily use. The last route is surgery, but at 23 he might regret it. GL.

[BaldingEagle]

Hey there, sorry to hear your son is struggling with hair loss. Wanted to give my thoughts on Propecia for you.

I take Propecia currently because losing my hair was causing severe depression and my doctor thought its risks were worth the benefits in my particular case.

I definitely have had some side effects, libido is lower but sexual function is normal. It also causes fatigue and lack of motivation as HTSoon put it.

I'm willing to make the trade off in my personal case, I'm 27 and married but you have to understand how devastating hairloss can be to young men.

My advice would be to get full bloodwork done and talk to a doctor thoroughly about how his hairloss is affecting him and weigh the risk benefits.

For now absolutely start rogaine foam and Nizoral as that will buy some good time to make a decision.

All the best.

[Ilmdt]

Thank you!!!! I appreciate the suggestions.

[Ilmdt]

Joe Thank you so much for replying to my post, your expertise, suggestions, personal experience and detail as to how to take the medication if he decides too is greatly appreciated. We will take all this information into account and I'm having my son read it so he can make an informed decision. ����

[Ilmdt]

Thank you for your compassion and advice!!

[Sean]

Finasteride aka Propecia aka Proscar is pretty powerful. Definitely have blood work and labs taken as baseline and continue monitoring. I tried generic, actual propecia, actual 5mg proscar cut into 4 sections, and guess what, all gave me sides that are on and off to this day.

Whether it is:
-testicular aches or pains time to time
-brain fog
-sexual sides (a few)


It has happened but it did preserve hairs to a degree i think, even in crown along with my minoxidil.

However, a lot of folks have some degree of sides and it doesnt matter if it is the branded version or generic, the sides are sides. You just have to make sure if you get generic, that it is actually real or a reliable well known brand. Such reliable generics are probably found in stores (walmart, cvs, rite aid, etc) and less via online pharmacies.

I would agree, see if your son responds well to a healthy diet first, vitamins, and minoxidil, before jumping on finasterid or propecia. If the meds can sustain him, surgery should definitly be a last option (even though some known docs will be willing to proceed with surgery). Some docs offer gaurantees for replacing hairs that did not grow, while some give some sort of refunds if surgery doesnt attain goals or there is limited growth, and some offer repair procedures as recourse. I mean you pay thousands of dollars so it isnt much to ask for what will you do if hair does not grow type of questions.
You dont want to pay like $18,000 and hair doesnt grow properly and onlyto be told to lay more for repair or go somewhere else or sorry i cant help you. I know a lot of docs that did repairs and refundsd folks when something went wrong or growth was not good, and they are well known on forums. It is only an added measure for security, and some of these growth gaurantees are even tradmarked by some surgeons. In any case, regardless of what you decide for your son, surgery should be the very last resort and once it starts it may not end up as promised or discussed.

Be very careful and i wish you the best.

[SMH4]

I am sure Joe has some great ideas/thoughts on the matter, he's a great resource .

For a lot of us, having surgery was the worst mistake of our lives, I know it was for me. I had strip surgery done when I was 25, I starting losing my hair at 21. When I was about 30, everything changed, guys would just shave their heads and move on. May not be what you want to hear but this is not a 5 year decision, this is a lifetime decision. 20 yrs later I am still dealing with the aftermath. Look into propecia and rogaine....I would highly advise against surgery. Even a toupe is reversible, you don't want it anymore, pull it off and shave the hair that's left.